Information management system with authenticity check

• US 6,836,555 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anoto Group AB
• Original Assignee: Anoto Group AB
• Inventors: Ericson, Petter, Wiebe, Linus, Skantze, Kristofer, Fahraeus, Christer
• Primary Examiner(s): WERNER, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US09/746,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 382/116, 382/119-123, 382/188, 382/201, 382/314, 235/454, 283/75, 283/93, 283/58, 345/179, 345/166, 178/18.09, 178/19.01, 178/19.05, 341/13, 341/20
• US Class Current: 382/116
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3433 the counter having monetary units
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1426 by sensing position defining codes on a support
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1448 based on markings or identifiers characterising the document or the area
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/30 Writer recognition; Reading and verifying signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/35 by means of a handwritten signature
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices

Abstract

A payment product has a writing area (6c) which is intended for a user'"'"'s signature. In the writing area there is a first position-coding pattern (5) which makes possible digital recording of the signature. The first position-coding pattern is a subset of a larger second position-coding pattern. The payment product is used in a payment system which is based on electronic payment information, which has been recorded by means of the position-coding pattern, being sent to a server unit, which utilizes the position-coding pattern to check that the payment information is valid.

Claims

1. A product comprising at least one authentication writing area which is adapted to receive handwritten authentication information from a user and which is provided with a specifically assigned personal subset of an absolute position-coding pattern, which codes coordinates for a plurality of points on an imaginary surface, said subset allowing digital recording and reproduction of the handwritten authentication information as well as authenticity checking.

2. A product comprising at least one authentication writing area which is adapted to receive handwritten authentication information from a user and which is provided with a specifically assigned subset of an absolute position-coding pattern, which codes coordinates for a plurality of points on an imaginary surface, said subset allowing digital recording and reproduction of the handwritten authentication information as well as authenticity checking, wherein the subset of the absolute position-coding pattern is unique to an authorized user.

3. A product according to claim 2, in which the first position-coding pattern is constructed of a plurality of symbols, each point'"'"'s coordinates being coded by a plurality of symbols and each symbol contributing to the coding of more than one point.

4. A product according to claim 2, in which the subset of the absolute position-coding pattern is unique to each item of the product.

5. A product according to claim 2, in which the handwritten information comprises the user'"'"'s signature.

6. A product according to claim 5, which product comprises a plurality of further writing areas, which are adapted to receive additional handwritten information which is related to the product, which further writing areas are provided with position-coding patterns which make possible digital recording of the additional handwritten information.

7. A product according to claim 2, which product is a payment product.

8. A product according to claim 7, which product is a cheque.

14. A product according to claim 7, which product is a payment product.

15. A product according to claim 14, which product is a cheque.

9. A product comprising at least one authentication writing area which is adapted to receive handwritten authentication information from a user and which is provided with a specifically assigned subset of an absolute position-coding pattern, which codes coordinates For a plurality of points on an imaginary surface, said subset allowing digital recording and reproduction of the handwritten authentication information as well as authenticity checking, wherein the subset of the absolute position-coding pattern is unique to one type of product.

10. A product according to claim 9, in which the absolute position-coding pattern is constructed of a plurality of symbols, each point'"'"'s coordinates being coded by a plurality of symbols and each symbol contributing to the coding of more than one point.

11. A product according to claim 9, in which the subset of the absolute position-coding pattern is unique to each item of the product.

12. A product according to claim 9, in which the handwritten information comprises the user'"'"'s signature.

13. A product according to claim 12, which product comprises a plurality of further writing areas, which are adapted to receive additional handwritten information which is related to the product, which further writing areas are provided with position-coding patterns which make possible digital recording of the additional handwritten information.

16. A server unit for managing information, which server unit is arranged to receive pen stroke information from a plurality of digital pens and which server unit has access to a memory, in which there is stored information about a plurality of regions, each of which represents a coordinate area on at least one imaginary surface,

wherein the server unit is arranged to receive the pen stroke information in the form of at least two coordinates for at least one point on the imaginary surface, and wherein

the server unit is arranged, in response to the receipt of the pen stroke information from one of said digital pens, to determine to which coordinate area the coordinates belong and to carry out an authenticity check on the basis of the coordinate area to which the coordinates belong,

wherein at least one authorized user is associated with at least certain of the regions and in which the server unit is arranged when carrying out the authenticity check to check the authorization of the user by means of a region affiliation.

17. A server unit according to claim 16, in which at least one unique digital pen identity, which identifies the digital pen which is authorized to record coordinates for points within the region, is associated with at least certain of the regions, said pen stroke information comprising the digital pen identity and the server unit being arranged when carrying out the authenticity check to use the digital pen identity to check the authorization of the user.

18. A server unit according to claim 16, in which a signature of the authorized user of the region is associated with at least certain of the regions, said pen stroke information comprising a digital representation of a user'"'"'s signature and the server unit being arranged when carrying out the authenticity check to compare the signature in the received information with the signature associated with the region concerned.

19. A server unit according to claim 16, in which the memory further stores rules for the regions, said rules defining how the information associated with the regions should be processed.

20. A server unit according to claim 16, in which the server unit is arranged to forward information to a recipient.

21. A server unit according to claim 20, in which the recipient is determined by the region affiliation.

22. A server unit according to claim 21, in which the server unit is arranged to include information concerning the region affiliation in the information which is sent to the recipient.

23. A server unit according to claim 16, in which the server unit is arranged to be incorporated in a system for electronic payment and in which said information is payment information.

24. A system for managing information, which system comprises a server unit and a plurality of digital pens, each of which is arranged to record and send pen stroke in formation to the server unit, wherein information is stored in the server unit concerning a plurality of regions, each of which represents a coordinate area on at least one imaginary surface,

each of the digital pens is arranged to record the pen stroke information in the form of at least two coordinates for at least one point on the imaginary surface, and

the server unit is arranged, in response to the receipt of the pen stroke information from one of said digital pens, to determine to which coordinate area the coordinates belong and to carry out an authenticity check on the basis of the coordinate area to which the coordinates belong,

wherein at least one authorized user is associated with at least certain of the regions and in which the server unit is arranged to check the user'"'"'s authorization by means of a region affiliation when carrying out the authenticity check.

25. A system according to claim 24, in which the digital pen is arranged to include a unique digital pen identity which is included in the pen stroke information to the server unit, and in which the server unit is arranged to use the digital pen identity to check the user'"'"'s authorization when carrying out the authenticity check.

26. A system according to claim 24, in which a signature of the authorized user of the region is associated with at least certain of the regions, said pen stroke information comprising a digital representation of a user'"'"'s signature and the server unit being arranged to compare the signature in the received information with the signature associated with the region concerned when carrying out the authenticity check.

27. A system according to claim 24, in which the server unit is arranged to forward information to a recipient.

28. A system according to claim 27, in which the recipient is determined by the region affiliation.

29. A system according to claim 27, in which the server unit is arranged to include information concerning the region affiliation in the information which is sent to the recipient.

30. A system according to claim 27, in which at least one authorized user is associated with each region and in which the server unit is arranged to check the authorization of the user by means of the region affiliation and in which the server unit is arranged to include information concerning the user'"'"'s authorization in the information which is sent to the recipient.

31. A system according to claim 24, in which said plurality of digital pens are arranged to record a signature electronically for a user, the recording being carried out in the form of coordinates which are read from a product on which the user writes his signature and the information which is sent to the server unit comprising at least certain of the read-off coordinates.

32. A system according to claim 31, in which the server unit is arranged to compare the signature received from the digital pen with a previously-stored signature of the authorized user and to include information concerning the authenticity of the signature in the information which is sent to the recipient.

33. A system according to claim 24, in which the system is a system for electronic payment and in which the pen stroke information which is received from the digital pen is payment information.

34. A system according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the digital pens stores an account number.

35. A method of providing a product which makes possible checking of a user'"'"'s authorization to use the product, comprising:

selecting a specific subset of an absolute position-coding pattern and applying the specific subset in an authentication area on the product,

wherein the subset of the absolute position-coding pattern is selected so that the subset is unique to the authorized user.

36. A method according to claim 35, in which the subset of the absolute position-coding pattern is selected so that the subset is unique to the item of the product.

37. A method of providing a product which makes possible checking of a user'"'"'s authorization to use the product, comprising:

selecting a specific subset of an absolute position-coding pattern and applying the specific subset in an authentication area on the product, and further comprising

storing information about a coordinate area which is coded by the specific subset of the absolute position-coding pattern, so that the information can be checked when checking the user'"'"'s authorization to use the product.

38. A method according to claim 37, in which the subset of the absolute position-coding pattern is selected so that the subset is unique to the item of the product.

39. A method of checking a user'"'"'s authorization to use a product, comprising receiving at least two coordinates from a digital pen, which has decoded the coordinates from an absolute position-coding pattern on the product, which absolute position-coding pattern codes coordinates for a plurality of points on an imaginary surface, wherein the user is provided with a specifically assigned personal coordinate area of the absolute position-coding pattern, said personal coordinate area allowing digital recording and reproduction of the handwritten authentication information as well as authenticity checking;

determining to which coordinate area of a plurality of coordinate areas the received coordinates belong; and

determining the user'"'"'s authorization based on the determined coordinate area.