Apparatus and method for enhancing check security

• US 6,600,823 B1
• Filed: 10/16/1997
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Hayosh, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr., Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): KABAKOFF, STEPHEN ERIC
• Application Number:
  US08/951,757
• Time in Patent Office: 2,112 Days
• Field of Search: 380/54, 380/55, 380/51, 380/30, 380/23, 380/24, 380/3, 713/170, 713/176, 713/179, 705/60, 705/62, 705/63
• US Class Current: 380/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3827 Use of message hashing
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/04 Testing magnetic properties of the materials thereof, e.g. by detection of magnetic imprint G07D7/01 takes precedence
• 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

The invention is a method for creating a self-authenticating value document at a senders location and for verifying it at a receivers location. At the senders location a document is created having a machine readable data field, a taggant containing extractable first tag data, and a storage medium with clear text data and the first tag data extracted from said taggant written on it. The clear text, first tag data and data from a machine readable data field collectively make up a document message. The document message is hashed with a hashing algorithm to create a first message digest. The first message digest is digitally signed with a private key to create a digital signature which is written on the storage medium in addition with the clear text data, and the first tag data.

To verify the authenticity of the self-authenticating value document at the receivers location the machine readable data field is read and the storage medium containing the clear text data, first tag data, and a digital signature is also read. A document message is created from the extracted clear text data, the first tag data, and the machine readable data. The document message is then hashed with a hashing algorithm to create a second message digest. A public key is applied to the digital signature using a known algorithm to re-create the first message digest. The first message digest is then compared with the second message digest to authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable data field and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

Claims

1. A method of creating a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing, this method comprising,

creating a value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, and a machine readable storage medium for writing clear text data and a digital signature,

said clear text and data from said code line data collectively making up a document message,

hashing said document message with a hashing algorithm to create a first message digest,

signing said first message digest with a private key to create a said digital signature which is then written on said storage medium along with said clear text data.

2. The method of claim 1 in which said document has a taggant containing extractable first tag data, said storage medium has first tag data extracted from said taggant, said first tag data is read from said storage medium, and said first tag data is a part of said document message.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

4. The method of claim 2 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

11. The method of claim 2 in which said extractable first tag data is magnetic remanence variation data.

12. The method of claim 2 in which said taggant is a magnetic ink taggant.

13. The method of claim 1 in which said machine readable data field contains symbols readable by an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) reader.

14. The method of claim 1 in which said machine readable data field contains symbols readable from an image of a self-authenticating value document.

15. The method of claim 1 in which said machine readable data field is a bar code.

16. The method of claim 1 in which said storage medium is magnetically writeable.

17. The method of claim 1 in which said storage medium is printable on the value document itself.

18. The method of claim 17 in which said document message and said digital signature contained in said storage medium are printed marks.

19. The method of claim 1 including a method of verifying the authenticity of a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing, this method comprising,

said value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, and a machine readable storage medium for writing and reading clear text data and a digital signature,

reading said machine readable code line to extract said code line data,

reading from said storage medium to extract clear text data and a digital signature,

creating a document message from the said extracted clear text data and said code line data,

hashing said document message with a hashing algorithm to create a second message digest,

applying a public key to said digital signature to create a first message digest,

automatically comparing said first message digest with said second message digest by a computer process to authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable code line and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

20. The method of claim of claim 1 including a method for verifying the authenticity of a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing, this method comprising,

said value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, a taggant containing extractable first tag data, and a machine readable storage medium for writing and reading clear text data, said first tag data extracted from said taggant and a digital signature, reading said machine readable code line to extract said code line data,

reading from said storage medium to extract said clear text data, said first tag data, and said digital signature,

creating a document message from the said extracted clear text data, said first tag data, and said code line data,

hashing said document message with a hashing algorithm to create a second message digest,

applying a public key to said digital signature to create a first message digest,

automatically comparing said first message digest with said second message digest by a computer process to authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable data field and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

21. The method of claim 20 including the steps of,

reading said taggant to extract a second tag data,

comparing the second tag data to the first tag data read from the said storage medium and determining if the error between said second tag data and said first tag data is within an acceptable limit thus providing a second level of security.

22. The method of claim 20 in which said extractable first tag data is magnetic remanence variation data.

23. The method of claim 19 in which said machine readable data field is Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) code.

5. A method of verifying the authenticity of a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing, this method comprising,

said value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, a storage medium for writing and reading clear text data and a digital signature,

reading said machine readable code line to extract said code line data,

reading from said storage medium to extract clear text data and said digital signature,

creating a document message from the said extracted clear text data, and said code line data,

hashing said document message with a hashing algorithm to create a second message digest,

applying a public key to said digital signature to create a first message digest,

automatically comparing said first message digest with said second message digest by a computer process to automatically authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable code line and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

7. The method of claim 5 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

6. A method of verifying the authenticity of a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing, this method comprising,

said value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, a taggant containing extractable first tag data, and a machine readable storage medium for writing and reading clear text data, said first tag data extracted from said taggant and a digital signature,

reading said machine readable code line to extract code line data,

reading from said storage medium to extract clear text data, first tag data, and a digital signature,

creating a document message from the said extracted clear text data, said first tag data, and said code line data,

hashing said document message with a hashing algorithm to create a second message digest,

applying a public key to said digital signature to create a first message digest,

comparing said first message digest with said second message digest automatically by a computer process to automatically authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable code line and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

8. The method of claim 6 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

9. The method of claim 6 including the steps of,

reading said taggant to extract a second tag data,

comparing said second tag data to said first tag data read from said storage medium and determining if the error between said second tag data and said first tag data is within an acceptable limit thus providing a second level of security.

10. The method of claim 9 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

24. A self-authenticating document, comprising,

a value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, and a machine readable storage medium for writing and reading clear text data,

a document message made up of said clear text and data from said code line data,

a first message digest created by hashing said document message with a hashing algorithm,

a digital signature created by signing said first message digest with a private key, said digital signature written on said storage medium.

26. The method of claim 24 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

25. A self-authenticating value document, comprising,

a value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, a taggant containing extractable first tag data, and a machine readable storage medium for writing and reading clear text data and said first tag data extracted from said taggant,

a document message made up of said clear text, first tag data and said code line data extracted from said machine readable code line data,

a first message digest created by hashing said document message with a hashing algoritm,

a digital signature created by signing said first message digest with a private key, said digital signature written on said storage medium.

27. The method of claim 25 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

28. The self-authenticating document of claim 25 in which said taggant is a magnetic ink taggant.

29. The self-authenticating document of claim 25 in which said extractable first tag data is a magnetic remanence variation data.

30. Apparatus for verifying the authenticity of a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing, comprising,

said value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, and a machine readable storage medium for writing clear text data and a digital signature,

means for reading said machine readable code line to extract code line data,

means for reading from said storage medium to extract clear text data and a digital signature,

means for creating a document message from the said extracted clear text data and said code line data,

a hashing algorithm to hash said document message to create a second message digest,

applying a public key to said digital signature to create a first message digest,

means for automatically comparing said first message digest with said second message digest by a computer process to authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable code line code line and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

32. The method of claim 30 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

31. Apparatus for verifying the authenticity of a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing, comprising,

said value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, a taggant containing extractable first tag data, and a machine readable storage medium for writing and reading clear text data, said first tag data extracted from said taggant and a digital signature,

means for reading said machine readable code line to extract said code line data,

means for reading from said storage medium to extract clear text data, first tag data, and a digital signature,

means for creating a document message from the said extracted clear text data, said first tag data, and said code line data,

a hashing algorithm to hash said document message to create a second message digest,

applying a known verification algorithm to said digital signature using a public key to create a first message digest,

means for automatically comparing said first message digest with said second message digest by a computer process to authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable code line and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

33. The method of claim 31 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 comprising,

means for reading said taggant to extract a second tag data,

means for comparing the second tag data to the first tag data read from the said storage medium and determining if the error between said second tag data and said first tag data is within an acceptable limit thus providing a second level of security.

35. Apparatus for creating a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing at a sender site and for verifying the authenticity of said self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing at a receiver site, comprising,

said apparatus for creating a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing at a sender site including,

a value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, and a machine readable storage medium for writing and reading clear text data,

a document message made up of said clear text and data from said code line data,

a first message digest created by hashing said document message with a hashing algorithm,

a digital signature created by signing said first message digest with a private key, said digital signature written on said storage medium,

said apparatus for verifying the authenticity of said self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing at said receiver site including,

said document having a machine readable code line, and a storage medium for writing and reading clear text data and a digital signature,

means for reading said machine readable code line to extract said code data,

means for reading from said storage medium to extract clear text data and a digital signature,

means for creating a document message from the said extracted clear text data and said code line data,

a hashing algorithm to hash said document message to create a second message digest,

applying a known verification algorithm to said digital signature using a public key to create a first message digest,

means for automatically comparing said first message digest with said second message digest by a computer process to authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable data field and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

37. The method of claim 35 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

40. The self-authenticating value document of claim 35 in which said taggant is a magnetic ink taggant.

41. The self-authenticating value document of claim 35 in which said extractable first tag data is a magnetic remanence variation data.

36. Apparatus for creating a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing at a sender site and for verifying the authenticity of said self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing at a receiver site, comprising,

said apparatus for creating a self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing at a sender site including,

a value document for use in high speed processing having a machine readable code line, said machine readable code line reproducing its original code line data when machine read, a taggant containing extractable first tag data, and a machine readable storage medium for writing and reading clear text data, and said first tag data extracted from said taggant,

a document message made up of said clear text, first tag data and said code line data extracted from said machine readable code line,

a first message digest created by hashing said document message with a hashing algorithm,

a digital signature created by signing said first message digest with a private key, said digital signature written on said storage medium,

said apparatus for verifying the authenticity of said self-authenticating value document for use in high speed processing at said receiver site including,

said document having a machine readable code line, a taggant containing extractable first tag data, and a storage medium for writing and reading clear text data, said first tag data extracted from said taggant and a digital signature,

means for reading said machine readable code line to extract said code line data,

means for reading from said storage medium to extract said clear text data, said first tag data, and said digital signature,

means for creating a document message from the said extracted clear text data, said first tag data, and said code line data,

a hashing algorithm to hash said document message to create a second message digest,

applying a known verification algorithm to said digital signature using a public key to create a first message digest,

means for automatically comparing said first message digest with said second message digest by a computer process to authenticate the holder of the private key and prove the integrity of said machine readable data field and the data read from the said storage medium to provide a first level of security.

38. The method of claim 36 in which said machine readable code line contains MICR code line data.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 comprising,

means for reading said taggant to extract a second tag data,

means for comparing the second tag data to the first tag data read from the said storage medium and determining if the error between said second tag data and said first tag data is within an acceptable limit thus providing a second level of security.