Method and system for accessing electronic resources via machine-readable data on intelligent documents

• US 6,434,561 B1
• Filed: 05/09/1998
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NM, LLC
• Original Assignee: NeoMedia Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Kevin D., Durst, Robert T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lintz, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US09/075,238
• Time in Patent Office: 1,557 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 380/20, 380/25, 380/49, 380/54, 380/4, 380/9, 707/10, 707/9, 707/1, 707/2, 707/6, 382/75, 382/317
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/30 Compression, e.g. Merkle-Damgard construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4486 using digital data encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33357 Compression mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method of accessing electronic resources via machine readable data embedded on a document which comprises compressing input data with a transmitter adapted to save a first bandwidth using a compression method adapted to minimize utilization of bandwidth by the compressed input data while retaining substantially all information content of the input data and appending a compression flag to the compressed input data indicative of the compression method enabling a receiver to decompress the compressed input data. The compression step further comprises utilizing a compression dictionary adapted to map the elements and strings of the input data to minimized representations having redundancies deleted. The compression dictionary may be appended to the compressed input data (as cleartext or cyphertext) under circumstances where a bandwidth occupied by the appended compression dictionary is less than the bandwidth saved by the step of compressing the input data. The compression dictionary may also be selected by the receiver independently from the transmitter independently indexes, pointer registration, application restricted subsets or customized according to the input data content. Also the input data may be encrypted, and an encryption flag appended which is indicative of the encryption method enabling decryption via public or private key cryptosystems as well as utilizing various authentication techniques such as digital signatures to ensure that the document was created by a licensed user.

Claims

1. A method of accessing electronic resources via machine readable data on a document, comprising the steps of:

compressing input data with a transmitting means adapted to save a first bandwidth using a compression method adapted to minimize utilization of bandwidth by said compressed input data while retaining substantially all information content of input data; and

appending a compression flag to said compressed input data indicative of said compression method thereby enabling a receiving means to decompress said compressed input data,

wherein said step of compressing input data further comprises utilizing a compression dictionary adapted to map said elements and strings of said input data to minimized representations of said elements and strings comprising redundant elements and strings deleted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of utilizing a compression dictionary further comprises:

appending a compression dictionary to said compressed input data; and

transferring said compression dictionary with said compressed input data under circumstances where a second bandwidth occupied by said appended compression dictionary is less than said first bandwidth saved by said step of compressing said input data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said compression dictionary is appended as cleartext.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said compression dictionary is appended as cyphertext.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of utilizing a compression dictionary further comprises selecting said compression dictionary by said receiving means and said transmitting means whereby said receiving means selects said compression dictionary independently from said transmitting means.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said selection of said compression dictionary is dependent upon a classification of said input data according to applications associated with said input data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of utilizing a compression dictionary further comprises selecting a compression dictionary by said transmitting means and said receiving means according to applications associated with said input data from application restricted subsets of compression dictionaries.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of utilizing a compression dictionary further comprises customizing said compression dictionary according to said input data content.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising appending said customized compression dictionary to said compressed input data;

and transferring said compression dictionary with said compressed input data.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising transferring said customized compression dictionary separately from said compressed input data through out-band resources.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising accessing said customized compression dictionary using an index conveyed with said compression flag.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising accessing said customized compression dictionary using a pointer, registration of said pointer being directed by an application associated with said input data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said customized compression dictionary is adapted to encrypt said input data with a secure cypher.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said compression dictionary is universally accessible to both said receiving means and said transmitting means.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said compression dictionary is fetched from on-line resources.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said compression dictionary is cached in resources local to both said receiving means and said transmitting means.

17. A method of accessing electronic resources via machine readable data on a document, comprising the steps of:

compressing input data with a transmitting means adapted to save a first bandwidth using a compression method adapted to minimize utilization of bandwidth by said compressed input data while retaining substantially all information content of input data; and

appending a compression flag to said compressed input data indicative of said compression method thereby enabling a receiving means to decompress said compressed input data,

wherein said step of compressing said input data further comprises token frequency compression of said elements and strings, whereby frequency of repetitive elements and strings is enumerated rather than copying said repetitive elements and strings in order to represent repetition.

18. A method of accessing electronic resources via machine readable data on a document, comprising the steps of:

compressing input data with a transmitting means adapted to save a first bandwidth using a compression method adapted to minimize utilization of bandwidth by said compressed input data while retaining substantially all information content of input data; and

appending a compression flag to said compressed input data indicative of said compression method thereby enabling a receiving means to decompress said compressed input data,

further comprising the steps of;

encrypting said input data using an encryption method; and

appending an encryption flag indicative of said encryption method whereby said encrypted data may subsequently be decrypted,

wherein said step of encrypting said input data further comprises a public-key cryptosystem,

wherein said access authentication technique utilizes passwords to verify that said document was created by a licensed source,

wherein said access authentication technique utilizes one-time passwords.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of compressing said input data further comprises token frequency compression of said elements and strings, whereby frequency of repetitive elements and strings is enumerated rather than copying said repetitive elements and strings in order to represent repetition.

19. A method of creating a document capable of accessing electronic resources, comprising the steps of:

encoding a static file in a machine readable code;

encoding in the machine readable code a reference to an electronic resource in a computer network, wherein the electronic resource is capable of being modified without modification of the reference encoded in the code; and

embedding said machine readable code in a machine readable symbol on a document, further comprising the steps of;

compressing said input data using a compression method adapted to minimize utilization of bandwidth by said compressed input data while retaining substantially all information content of input data so as to save a first bandwidth; and

appending a compression flag to said compressed input data indicative of said compression method thereby enabling a receiving means to decompress said compressed input data.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

utilizing a compression dictionary adapted to map elements and strings of said input data to minimized representations of said elements and strings whereby redundant elements and strings are deleted;

appending the compression dictionary to said compressed input data; and

transferring said compression dictionary with said compressed input data under circumstances where a second bandwidth occupied by said appended compression dictionary is less than said first bandwidth saved by said step of compressing said input data.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of selecting said compression dictionary based upon a classification of said input data according to applications associated with said input data.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of utilizing a compression dictionary further comprises selecting a compression dictionary according to applications associated with said input data from application restricted subsets of compression dictionaries.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of utilizing a compression dictionary further comprises customizing said compression dictionary according to said input data content.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising transferring said compression dictionary separately from said compressed input data through out-band resources.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said compression dictionary is universally accessible to both said receiving means and said transmitting means.

27. A method of creating a document capable of accessing electronic resources, comprising the steps of:

encoding a static file in a machine readable code;

encoding in the machine readable code a reference to an electronic resource in a computer network, wherein the electronic resource is capable of being modified without modification of the reference encoded in the code; and

embedding said machine readable code in a machine readable symbol on a document, further comprising the steps of;

encrypting said input data using an encryption method;

appending an encryption flag indicative of said encryption method whereby said encrypted data may subsequently be decrypted; and

authenticating access to on-line resources via an access authentication technique adapted to ensure that said document was created by a licensed user,

wherein said step of encrypting said input data further comprises a public-key cryptosystem,

wherein said access authentication technique utilizes passwords to verify that said document was created by a licensed source, and

wherein said access authentication technique utilizes one-time passwords.

28. A method of accessing electronic resources from a machine readable document, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning a machine readable code from a machine readable symbol on said machine readable document;

decoding a static file from said machine readable code;

decoding a reference to an electronic resource in a computer network from the machine readable code, wherein the electronic resource is capable of being modified without modification of the reference encoded in the code;

using the reference to an electronic resource to access an online electronic resource; and

combining data obtained from said online electronic resource with the file decoded from said machine readable code, further comprising the steps of;

reading a compression flag included with said input data, said compression flag indicative of a compression method used to save a first bandwidth by minimizing utilization of bandwidth by said compressed input data while retaining substantially all information content of input data;

decompressing said input data according to a decompression method selected to match said compression method; and

utilizing a compression dictionary adapted to map elements and strings of said input data from minimized representations of said elements and strings whereby redundant elements and strings are deleted.

29. A method of accessing electronic resources from a machine readable document, said method comprising the steps of:

scanning a machine readable code from a machine readable symbol on said machine readable document;

decoding a static file from said machine readable code;

decoding a reference to an electronic resource in a computer network from the machine readable code, wherein the electronic resource is capable of being modified without modification of the reference encoded in the code;

using the reference to an electronic resource to access an online electronic resource; and

combining data obtained from said online electronic resource with the file decoded from said machine readable code, further comprising the steps of;

reading an encryption flag appended to said input data, said encryption flag indicative of an encryption method used to encrypt said input data;

decrypting said input data according to a method selected to reverse said encryption;

authenticating access to on-line resources via an access authentication technique adapted to ensure that said document was created by a licensed user,

wherein said step of encrypting said input data further comprises a public-key cryptosystem,

wherein said access authentication technique utilizes passwords to verify that said document was created by a licensed source, and

wherein said access authentication technique utilizes one-time passwords.

30. A method of accessing electronic resources from an intelligent document, comprising the steps of:

encoding a static file in a machine readable code;

encoding a reference to an electronic resource in a computer network in the machine readable code, wherein the electronic resource is capable of being modified without modification of the reference encoded in the code;

embedding said machine readable code in a machine readable symbol on a document;

scanning said machine readable code from said machine readable symbol on said machine readable document;

decoding the static file from the machine readable code;

decoding the electronic resource reference from the machine readable code;

using the electronic resource reference to access an online electronic resource; and

combining data obtained from said online electronic resource with the static file decoded from said machine readable code, further comprising the steps of;

compressing said input data using a compression method adapted to minimize utilization of bandwidth by said compressed input data while retaining substantially all information content of input data so as to save a first bandwidth;

appending a compression flag to said compressed input data indicative of said compression method thereby enabling a receiving means to decompress said compressed input data;

reading a compression flag included with said input data, said compression flag indicative of a compression method used to save a first bandwidth by minimizing utilization of bandwidth by said compressed input data while retaining substantially all information content of input data;

decompressing said input data according to a decompression method selected to match said compression method; and

utilizing a compression dictionary adapted to map elements and strings of said input data from minimized representations of said elements and strings whereby redundant elements and strings are deleted.

31. A method of accessing electronic resources from an intelligent document, comprising the steps of:

encoding a static file in a machine readable code;

encoding a reference to an electronic resource in a computer network in the machine readable code, wherein the electronic resource is capable of being modified without modification of the reference encoded in the code;

embedding said machine readable code in a machine readable symbol on a document;

scanning said machine readable code from said machine readable symbol on said machine readable document;

decoding the static file from the machine readable code;

decoding the electronic resource reference from the machine readable code;

using the electronic resource reference to access an online electronic resource; and

combining data obtained from said online electronic resource with the static file decoded from said machine readable code, further comprising the steps of;

encrypting said input data using an encryption method;

appending an encryption flag indicative of said encryption method whereby said encrypted data may subsequently be decrypted;

authenticating access to on-line resources via an access authentication technique adapted to ensure that said document was created by a licensed user;

reading an encryption flag appended to said input data, said encryption flag indicative of an encryption method used to encrypt said input data;

decrypting said input data according to a method selected to reverse said encryption; and

authenticating access to on-line resources via an access authentication technique adapted to ensure that said document was created by a licensed user,

wherein said steps of encrypting and decrypting said input data further comprise a public-key cryptosystem,

wherein said access authentication technique utilizes passwords to verify that said document was created by a licensed source, and