Methods and systems for proofing identities using a certificate authority

• US 8,161,279 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Campbell, Leo J., Cook, Jon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Thanhnga B
• Application Number:
  US12/219,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713156-157, 713/168, 713/172, 713/182, 705/40, 705/67, 705/72, 705/75, 705/76, 235/380
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 : by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

A digital certificate is provided to a customer having an electronic account linked to the customer'"'"'s physical address. Using the digital certificate, the customer performs electronic transactions with a third party. A proofing workstation receives a request from a third party to validate the digital certificate. The proofing workstation communicates with a proofing server that maintains a list of valid certificates and a list of revoked certificates. The proofing server sends a response to the proofing workstation, where it is received by the third party.

Claims

1. A method for processing a request for a digital certificate from a user having an electronic account on a network, comprising:

receiving, at a proofing workstation, user information for the user with the electronic account, the user information including an identification verification form previously sent to a physical address of the user;

after receiving the user information, verifying identification information from the user in person at the proofing workstation based on the identification verification form;

matching, at the proofing workstation, the user information to the identification information; and

sending by the proofing workstation to a proofing server, an identification verification when the user information has been matched to the identification information received from the user in person.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving payment from the user at the proofing workstation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the payment is received via credit card.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the payment is received via smart card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the proofing workstation includes at least one of a bar code reader, a camera, and a biometric reader.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the identification verification includes data read from a bar code on the identification verification form.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the proofing workstation is a United States Postal Service proofing workstation.

8. A system for processing a request for a digital certificate from a user having an electronic account on a network, comprising:

a user information receiving component configured to receive user information for the user with the electronic account, the user information including an identification verification form previously sent to a physical address of the user;

a verifying component configured to verify identification information from the user in person at a proofing workstation based on the identification verification form after the user information receiving component receives the user information;

a matching component configured to match at the proofing workstation the user information to the identification information; and

a verification sending component configured to send an identification verification from the proofing workstation to a proofing server, when the user information has been matched to the identification information received from the user in person, the identification verification including information from the identification verification form.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a payment receiving component configured to receive payment from the user at the proofing workstation.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment is received via credit card.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the payment is received via smart card.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the proofing workstation includes at least one of a bar code reader, a camera, and a biometric reader.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the identification verification includes data read from a bar code on the identification verification form.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied therein for processing a request for a digital certificate from a user having an electronic account on a network, the computer readable code comprising:

an information receiving module configured to receive user information for the user with the electronic account;

a verifying module configured to verify identification information from the user in person at a proofing workstation based on an identification verification form previously sent to a physical address of the user;

a matching module configured to match at the proofing workstation the user information to the identification information; and

a sending module configured to send, an identification verification from the proofing workstation to a proofing server, when the user information has been matched to the identification information received from the user in person, the identification verification including information from the identification verification form.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the identification verification includes data read from a bar code on the identification verification form.

16. A system for processing a request for a digital certificate from a user having an electronic account on a network, comprising:

a proofing workstation that comprises a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving user information for the user with the electronic account, the user information including an identification verification form previously sent to a physical address of the user;

providing an interface for verifying identification information from the user in person at the proofing workstation based on the identification verification form, after receiving the user information;

matching the user information to the identification information; and

sending an identification verification from the proofing workstation to a proofing server, when the user information has been matched to the identification information received from the user in person, the identification verification including information from the identification verification form.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the identification verification includes data read from a bar code on the identification verification form.