Electronic file protection using location

• US 7,177,426 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digital Authentication Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Digital Authentication Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Dube, Roger R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baum; Ronald
• Application Number:
  US10/003,572
• Time in Patent Office: 1,932 Days
• Field of Search: 713165-200, 380/258, 380/277
• US Class Current: 380/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities

Abstract

An invention for electronic file protection using location and other entropy factors is provided. Environment information regarding a computer is obtained, wherein the environment information includes data concerning an operating environment of the computer. Based on the environment information, an encryption key is generated and an electronic file is encrypted using the encryption key. A decryption key can also be created based on environment information, wherein the decryption key can be utilized to decrypt the electronic file. In addition, the environment information can include location information of the computer, drive information regarding a drive wherein the electronic file will be stored, and time information specifying access duration.

Claims

1. A method for protecting electronic files, comprising:

receiving first and second timing signals from a remote source using a receiver;

computing a delay number, the delay number being a measure of a variation between arrival times of the first and second timing signals at the receiver;

obtaining environment information regarding a computer, the environment information including the delay number and data concerning an operating environment of the computer;

creating an encryption key based on the environment information; and

encrypting an electronic file using the encryption key.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the operation of creating a decryption key based on environment information, wherein the decryption key can be utilized to decrypt the electronic file.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the encryption key and the decryption key are public key infrastructure (PKI) based keys.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the environment information includes location information of the computer.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the location information specifies a location of the computer within a predetermined range.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the location information is provided by global positioning satellite (GPS) data.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the environment information includes drive information regarding a drive wherein the electronic file will be stored.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the drive information includes a drive identifier that identifies the particular drive wherein the electronic file will be stored.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the drive information includes an electronic address assignment of the particular drive wherein the electronic file will be stored.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the environment information includes time information specifying access duration.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the access duration is a time range indicating a time period when the electronic file can be accessed.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the electronic file cannot be decrypted at a time outside the time range.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the access duration is a date range indicating a range of dates when the electronic file can be accessed.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the electronic file cannot be decrypted at a date outside the date range.

15. A method for protecting electronic files, comprising:

receiving first and second timing signals from a remote source using a receiver;

computing a first delay number, the first delay number being a measure of a variation between arrival times of the first and second timing signals at the receiver;

storing an electronic file encrypted using an encryption key, wherein the encryption key is created using a first environment profile of a computer, and wherein the environment profile includes the first delay number and data concerning an operating environment of the computer;

receiving third and fourth timing signals from the remote source using the receiver;

computing a second delay number, the second delay number being a measure of a variation between arrival times of the third and fourth timing signals at the receiver;

creating a decryption key based on a second environment profile of the computer, the second environment profile being based on a current operating environment of the computer and the second delay number; and

decrypting the electronic file using the decryption key.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the encryption key and the decryption key are further based on a passcode received from a user.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the operation of appending the first environment profile to the passcode to generate the encryption key.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the operation of appending the current environment profile to the passcode to create the decryption key.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the decryption key cannot decrypt the electronic file when the current environment profile does not match the first environment profile.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein a match occurs when the data in the current environment profile is within a predetermined range of the data in the first environment profile.

21. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the environment profile includes location information specifying a location of the computer within a predetermined range.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the location information is provided by global positioning satellite (GPS) data.

23. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the environment information includes drive information regarding a drive wherein the electronic file will be stored.

24. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the environment information includes time information specifying access duration, wherein the access duration is a time range indicating a time period when the electronic file can be accessed.

25. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the environment information includes date information specifying access duration, wherein the access duration is a date range indicating dates that the electronic file can be accessed.

26. A method for protecting electronic files, comprising:

receiving first and second timing signals from a remote source using a receiver;

authenticating a digital transaction using a delay number, the delay number being a measure of a variation between arrival times of the first and second timing signals at the receiver;

obtaining environment information regarding a computer, the environment information including the delay number and data concerning an operating environment of the computer;

creating an encryption key based on the environment information; and

encrypting an electronic file using the encryption key.

27. A method as recited in claim 26, wherein the delay in the timing signal is caused by free electrons in a line of sight between the remote source and a receiver.

28. A method as recited in claim 27, wherein the delay in the timing signal is further caused by variations in atmospheric conditions.