Systems and methods for electronic postmarking of data including location data

• US 8,417,958 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2010
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Chamberlain, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US12/830,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/178
• US Class Current: 713/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Systems and methods for electronic postmarking of location data are provided. Electronic postmarking of location data (S.20) includes generating a hash value corresponding to merged data (S.30). Electronic postmarking further includes generating an electronic postmark data structure (S.40) comprising the hash value and a date/time stamp. The electronic postmarking data structure (S.40) may further include a digital signature.

Claims

1. An electronic postmarking device for generating an electronic postmark, including sender data and sender location data, the device comprising:

a date/time unit for generating a time/date stamp;

a location data generator comprising a location sensor for generating sender location data;

an interface for receiving sender data including electronic data and performing a batch transfer of a plurality of electronic postmark data to a server;

a postmark generation unit for merging the electronic data of the sender data with the sender location data to generate merged data and for generating at least one of the electronic postmark data from the merged data; and

a storage unit for storing the plurality of electronic postmark data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic postmark data comprises a hash value from the merged data and the time/date stamp.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the interface receives a private key and the electronic postmark data further comprises a digital signature.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the sender location data comprises at least one of position, altitude, longitude, latitude, and direction.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the location data sensor is at least one of a GPS sensor, an altitude sensor, a position sensor, a latitude sensor, a longitude sensor, and a direction sensor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sender data comprises a message.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the electronic postmarking device is embedded in the data acquisition/generation device.

8. An electronic postmarking device for generating an electronic postmark, including sender data and sender location data, the device comprising:

a date/time unit for generating a time/date stamp;

an interface for receiving sender data and sender location data from a data acquisition device and performing a batch transfer of a plurality of electronic postmark data to a server, the sender data including electronic data;

a postmark generation unit for merging the electronic data of the sender data with the sender location data to generate merged data and for generating at least one of the electronic postmark data from the merged data; and

a storage unit for storing the plurality of electronic postmark data.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the electronic postmark data comprises a hash value from the merged data and the time/date stamp.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the interface receives a private key and the electronic postmark data further comprises a digital signature.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the sender location data comprises at least one of position, altitude, longitude, latitude, and direction.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the location data sensor is at least one of a GPS sensor, an altitude sensor, a position sensor, a latitude sensor, a longitude sensor, and a direction sensor.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the sender data comprises a message.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the electronic postmarking device is embedded in the data acquisition/generation device.

15. An electronic postmarking device for generating an electronic postmark, including sender data and sender location data, the device comprising:

a date/time unit for generating a time/date stamp;

an interface for receiving, from a data acquisition device, merged data comprising sender data and sender location data and performing a batch transfer of a plurality of electronic postmark data to a server, the sender data including electronic data;

a postmark generation unit for generating at least one of the electronic postmark data from the merged data and the time/date stamp; and

a storage unit for storing the plurality of electronic postmark data.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the sender data comprises a message.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the electronic postmarking device is embedded in the data acquisition/generation device.