System and methods for distributing trusted time

• US 8,868,914 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2008
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven W. Teppler
• Original Assignee: Steven W. Teppler
• Inventors: Teppler, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lipman, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US12/185,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,269 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/155
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributing trusted time, including trusted dates with digital data files, which are accessed, created, modified, received, or transmitted by devices that include a trusted time source in a tamperproof environment. The system includes one or more subsystems for providing trusted time for a moment in time. The trusted time source may be a real time clock, which is not resettable, is independent of any system clock of the devices, and where one or more devices may contribute to the distribution of trusted time among each other.

Claims

1. A system for maintaining the trust in content, comprising:

data content;

a digital device having installed therein a trusted clock to provide a certifiable time for an unalterable time stamp, wherein said certifiable time confirms at least one of said data content'"'"'s access, creation, modification, receipt, or transmission, wherein said trusted clock includes a tamper-evident means, and wherein said trusted clock is initialized in a ceremony witnessed by a plurality of participants;

means for receiving a request to save said data content from a user;

first means for saving said data content at a moment in time;

means for retrieving from said trusted clock a date and a time corresponding to said moment in time, wherein said moment in time is substantially a current time of said trusted clock corresponding to receipt of said request;

first means for coupling said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock to said data content;

first means for signing said data content with said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock coupled thereto;

means for hashing said data content to produce a digest;

second means for signing said digest with a key to produce a certificate;

second means for coupling said certificate to said data content;

second means for saving said data content with said certificate coupled thereto; and

auditable means for verifying trust in the content of said data content with said certificate coupled thereto.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data content comprises one or more data files, directory files, executable files, program files, text files, index files, source files, or metadata.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data content comprises one or more bitstreams.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data content comprises one or more entities, instances, or objects.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data content comprises one or more data chunks.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of participants employs one or more of a split password, an m/n schema, a physical token, and a biometric device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of participants is selected from a group consisting of an auditor, a customer security official, and a timestamp authority official.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of participants comprises a minimum of three participants.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data content comprises streaming data.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said streaming data comprises one or more audio streams or video streams.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said data content comprises one or more ASCII strings, bit strings, byte strings, character strings, data elements, or data sets.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said bit strings comprise one or more contiguous bit strings.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said bit strings comprise one or more non-contiguous bit strings.

14. A system for maintaining trust in content, comprising:

data content;

a trusted clock to provide a certifiable time for an unalterable time stamp, wherein said certifiable time confirms at least one of said data content'"'"'s access, creation, modification, receipt, or transmission, wherein said trusted clock includes a tamper-evident means, and wherein said trusted clock is initialized in a ceremony witnessed by a plurality of participants;

means for receiving said request to save said data content from a user;

first means for saving said data content at a moment in time;

means for retrieving from said trusted clock a date and a time corresponding to said moment in time, wherein said moment in time is a substantially current time of said trusted clock corresponding to receipt of said request;

first means for coupling said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock to said data content;

first means for signing said data content with said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock coupled thereto;

means for hashing said data content to produce a digest;

second means for signing said digest with a key to produce a certificate;

second means for coupling said certificate to said data content;

second means for saving said data content with said certificate coupled thereto; and

auditable means for verifying trust in the content of said data content with said certificate coupled thereto.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said trusted clock comprises a logical clock.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said trusted clock comprises a physical clock.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of participants employs one or more of a split password, an m/n schema, a physical token, and a biometric device.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of participants is selected from a group consisting of an auditor, a customer security official, and a timestamp authority official.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of participants comprises a minimum of three participants.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said trusted clock comprises a real time clock.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said real time clock comprises a software real time clock.

22. The system according to claim 14, further comprising one or more servers and one or more clients coupled to a network in a two-tier client/server architecture.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein said user comprises a human being using a computer having installed thereon said one or more servers or said one or more clients.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein said user comprises one of said one or more servers.

25. The system according to claim 22, wherein said user comprises one of said one or more clients.

26. A method for maintaining trust in content, comprising:

providing data content;

providing, with a trusted clock, a certifiable time for an unalterable time stamp, wherein said certifiable time confirms at least one of said data content'"'"'s access, creation, modification, receipt, or transmission wherein said trusted clock includes a tamper-evident means, and wherein said trusted clock is initialized in a ceremony witnessed by a plurality of participants;

receiving said request to save said data content from a user;

saving said data content at a moment in time;

retrieving from said trusted clock a date and a time corresponding to said moment in time, wherein said moment in time is substantially current time of said trusted clock corresponding to receipt of said request;

associating said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock with said data content;

signing said data content with said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock associated therewith;

hashing said data content to produce a digest;

signing said digest with a key to produce a certificate;

associating said certificate with said data content;

saving said data content with said certificate associated therewith; and

verifying trust in the content of said data content in an auditable manner with said certificate associated therewith.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of associating said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock with said data content comprises appending said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock to said data content.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of associating said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock with said data content comprises attaching said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock to said data content.

29. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of associating said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock with said data content comprises connecting said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock to said data content.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of associating said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock with said data content comprises coupling said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock to said data content.

31. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of associating said certificate with said data content comprises appending said certificate to said data content.

32. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of associating said certificate with said data content comprises attaching said certificate to said data content.

33. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of associating said date and said time retrieved from said trusted clock with said data content comprises connecting said certificate to said data content.

34. The method according to claim 26, wherein said step of associating said certificate with said data content comprises coupling said certificate to said data content.

35. The method according to claim 26, wherein said plurality of participants employs one or more of a split password, an m/n schema, a physical token, and a biometric device.

36. The method according to claim 26, wherein said plurality of participants is selected from a group consisting of an auditor, a customer security official, and a timestamp authority official.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein said plurality of participants comprises a minimum of three participants.