Self-authentication of value documents using encoded indices

• US 6,212,504 B1
• Filed: 01/06/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Hayosh, Thomas David
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Chang Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/226,819
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 713/168, 713/100, 713/200, 705/64
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0043 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/125 Offline card verification

Abstract

A method and system as presented by which valuable documents such as checks, deeds, driver'"'"'s licenses, and other types of valuable documents can be imprinted with encoded symbols by a printer whereupon multiple assemblages of data can be imprinted on the valued document which is then susceptible to readout by a document reader which will automatically authenticate and verify the originator or the document and its authenticity and obviate any attempts for fraudulent alteration.

Claims

1. In an imprinted valuable document having encoded symbols readable by a document reader, a method for enabling subsequent authenticating and verifying non-alteration of said document via a document reader, comprising the steps of:

(a) imprinting a two-dimensional bar code on said document which includes an assemblage data group of information which, when read by a document reader, will automatically authenticate the source of the document and verify its original data as standing without alteration;

(b) utilizing a hash function for creating a message digest which is then signed utilizing a private key from a 2-key digital signature system;

(c) incorporating a digital signature which can be verified by using a public key and known hashing algorithm when the said document is passed through a document reader.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) includes the step of:

(a1) encoding data in said assemblage data group which includes;

(i) the type and version number of each of said documents;

(ii) a personal identification field of the originator of each of said documents;

(iii) public key identification for use by the recipient of each of said documents;

(iv) the date of said document.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein step (a1) includes the step of:

(a1a) encoding said data in said assemblage data group which includes;

(v) a digital signature.

4. The method of claim 2 which further includes the step of:

(b) encoding data in said assemblage data group which includes;

(vi) a numerical amount involved in each of said documents;

(vii) the name of the payee or recipient of each of said documents;

(viii) an identification (ID) field for each one of said documents.

5. The method of claim 1 which includes:

(d) imprinting a machine readable code line containing document information on said valuable document.

6. The method of claim 5 which includes the step of:

(e) imprinting a magnetic ink taggant as a character symbol in the machine readable code line on said valuable document to provide magnetic tag pattern data;

(f) encoding data in said assemblage data group which includes magnetic ink tag pattern data that provides estimates representative of the track speed when said magnetic ink taggant was first read.

7. The method of claim 6 which includes the step of:

(i) imprinting a magnetic taggant as a MICR character or symbol to limit its characteristics such that the height of any horizontal stroke in the character or symbol exceeds or equals a nominal value of 0.026 inches, while the horizontal length of that stroke nominally equals or exceeds 0.039 inches.

8. The method of claim 1 which includes the step of:

(d) imprinting a magnetic ink taggant as a character or symbol in the machine readable code line of said valued document.

9. A method of digitally signing and imprinting digitally coded symbols on a check or other valued document having imprinted bar code data and a machine readable code line, comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting fixed format data into said bar code data on said document which fixed format data pertains to a significant portion of an assemblage data group;

(b) selecting personalized text data from the said document for inclusion into said bar code data so as to be coded in a readily determinable computer readable code;

(c) generating an intermediate record which includes said fixed format data, said computer readable data, and selected data from another separately printed machine readable code line, said intermediate record hashed with a hash function thus creating a message digest;

(d) generating a digital signature using a private key of a public key digital signature system using said intermediate record;

(e) generating label record data which includes said fixed format data, said personalized text data, and said digital signature of said intermediate record;

(f) printing, on said document, of a two dimensional machine readable bar code symbol using the said label record data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein step (a) includes the steps of:

(a1) inserting in said assemblage data group information on document type, licensing name, and public key identification number;

(a2) imprinting a machine readable codeline of document identification data on said valuable document.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein step (a2) includes the steps of:

(a2a) inserting a machine readable magnetic taggant as a mark in said machine readable code line;

(a2b) including in said personalized data, the tag pattern data obtained from said machine readable magnetic taggant.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein step (a) includes the step of:

(a3) inserting, into said assemblage data group, information on currency code.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein step (a) includes the step of:

(a4) inserting into said assemblage data group, information on country code.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) includes the step of:

(b1) including in said personalized data for personal identification information, driver license number, bio-metric data (fingerprint or iris scan patterns for each account holder) which data has been derived from sources other than the document itself.

15. A method of enabling the authentication, at the site of the user, a check or other valuable document having a pre-printed bar code with a digital signature, and personalized printed data, comprising the steps of:

(a) reading the bar code on the document, said bar code holding a digital signature;

(b) reading at least one other separate machine readable area of code line data from said valuable document;

(c) capturing and storing the data from the bar code together with at least said one other separate machine readable code line;

(d) validating the authentication of said check or valuable document based on using a public key to verify the digital signature and the data which was originally signed using a private key;

(e) validating the authentication of said check or valuable document based on a match of said personalized printed data with data extracted from reading the bar code by a document reader.

16. The authentication enabling method of claim 15 which includes the step of:

(f) comparing, visually, personalized data from said bar code with the printed data on the check or other valued document, said personalized data including personal items of recipient'"'"'s name, and numerical amount on said valuable document.

17. The authentication enabling method of claim 15, wherein step (b) includes the step of:

(b1) using a visual or automated comparison of a driver'"'"'s license or personal bio-metric sensed data.

18. The authentication enabling method of claim 15 wherein step (e) includes the step of:

(i) utilizing visual or automated comparison means by visual observation of a driver'"'"'s license or other bio-metric sensed data (height, weight, hair color, etc.).

19. The authentication method of claim 15 which includes the steps of:

(o) attaching a magnetic taggant on said check or valuable document;

(i) reading said magnetic taggant from said check or valuable document;

(ii) processing said magnetic taggant to produce a taggant pattern holding taggant data;

(iii) reading said taggant data from said personalized area of said bar code;

(iv) comparing said taggant pattern with the taggant data from said personalized data obtained from reading said pre-printed barcode using a data correlation function algorithm;

(v) further validating the authenticity of said check or document using said correlation algorithm indicating that the check or other valued document is authentic based on correlation of said taggant pattern with said taggant data from said personalized data.

20. The authentication enabling method of claim 15 which includes the steps of:

(f) generating an intermediate record that includes fixed format data from the read bar code, together with said personalized printed data, and selected data from said at least one other separate machine readable code line;

(g) using the digital signature read from said bar code, and accessing a public key record and utilizing the public key to perform authentication of the data from said intermediate record which has been generated by an on-site document reader.

21. The method of claim 20 which includes the steps of:

(o) imprinting a magnetic taggant to said check or valuable document;

(i) reading said magnetic taggant from said valuable document;

(ii) processing said taggant to produce a taggant pattern;

(iii) reading taggant data from the personalized data portion of said bar code;

(iv) utilizing a data correlation function to compare said taggant pattern with said taggant data from the personalized data obtained from reading a pre-printed bar code;

(v) further validating the authenticity of the document from said correlation algorithm indicating that the check or other valued document is authentically based on a successful taggant pattern correlation.

22. A system for imprinting a valuable document with encoded two-dimensional bar code for enabling authentication of the document'"'"'s originator and to ensure that no fraudulent alteration has occurred, comprising:

(a) means to imprint a two-dimensional (2-D) bar code utilizing a series of mandatory assemblage data which uniquely and specifically specify and differentiate each one of said valuable documents, said imprint being readable by a two-dimensional bar code reader;

(b) said assemblage data including a signed message M which is signed by a digital signature “

s”

with appendix, and including;

(b1) means to generate a message digest “

h”

of said message “

M”

by application of a cryptographic hash function;

(b2) means to apply a private signing key “

x”

of a public/private digital signature system to sign said message digest “

h”

;

(b3) means to develop a digital signature “

s”

of the message “

M”

by utilizing a private signing key “

x”

so that the signature “

s”

equals Sx “

h”

, where Sx is the signing function using the private key applied to the message digest “

h”

, thus to form a digital signature.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein said mandatory assemblage data include:

(a) the type and version number of each of said documents;

(b) a personal identification field of the originator of each of said documents;

(c) public key identification for use by the recipient of each of said documents;

(d) the date of said document.

24. The system of claim 23 which further provides optional assemblage data which include:

(a) a numerical amount involved in each of said documents;

(b) the name of the payee or recipient of each of said documents;

(c) an identification (ID) field for each one of said documents;

(d) magnetic taggant pattern data that provides an estimate representative of the track speed when said magnetic taggant pattern data was first read.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein said mandatory assemblage data further include:

(e) said digital signature applied to each of said documents.

26. The system of claim 22 which includes:

(c) means for verifying said digitally signed message “

M,s”

, said verifying means including;

(c1) means for accessing the public key “

y”

of the public/private key digital signature system;

(c2) means for computing the hashed message digest “

h”

for the message “

M”

;

(c3) means for utilizing a publicly known verification algorithm to the message digest “

h” and

to the signature “

s”

(equal Sx h);

(c4) means to check that the verification algorithm is positive (true) thereby verifying that the signature “

s”

is properly accurate.

27. The system of claim 26 which includes:

(d) imprinted magnetic taggant means on said valuable document for providing an estimate representative of the track speed when said magnetic taggant means was first read.