Method and apparatus for verifying secure document timestamping

• US RE41,960 E1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Jorasch, James A., Schneier, Bruce, Alderucci, Dean P., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAFORGIA, CHRISTIAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/293,790
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 380/243, 380/244, 380/246, 713/178
• US Class Current: 713/178
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0047 using checkcodes, e.g. coded numbers derived from serial number and denomination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/38 Chaining, e.g. hash chain or certificate chain
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for receiving a timestamp from a caller via a telephone connection; receiving a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device; determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier; determining an indication of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key; providing the indication of the time to the caller; determining an account; and charging a fee to the account.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a central controller, a timestamp from a caller via a telephone connection;

receiving, by a central controller, a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining, by a central controller, a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining, by a central controller, a representation of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

providing, by a central controller, the representation of the time to the caller;

determining, by a central controller, an account; and

charging, by a central controller, a fee to the account.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the timestamp is optically detectable on a physical document.

3. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the timestamp comprises:

receiving the timestamp at a central controller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a telephone call from the caller.

5. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the timestamp comprises:

receiving a sequence of DTMF signals; and

determining the timestamp based on the DTMF signals.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the sequence is entered by the caller at a keypad.

7. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the timestamp comprises:

receiving a sequence of signals via an interactive response unit (IRU) in communication with the central controller.

8. The method of claim 1, in which receiving the timestamp comprises:

receiving the timestamp via a toll-based telephone line.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the toll-based telephone line is associated with a 900 number.

10. The method of claim 1, in which the timestamp comprises a sequence of alphanumeric characters.

11. The method of claim 1, in which determining the account comprises:

receiving an account identifier that identifies the account.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the timestamp comprises an account identifier that identifies the account:

.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the account is associated with the caller.

14. The method of claim 1, in which the account is associated with a third party.

15. The method of claim 1, in which determining the account comprises:

determining the account based on the device identifier.

16. The method of claim 1, in which the account is a prepaid account.

17. The method of claim 1, in which charging the fee comprises:

debiting the account based on the fee.

18. The method of claim 1, in which determining the representation of the time comprises:

performing a cryptographic operation on the timestamp.

19. The method of claim 1, in which determining the representation of the time comprises:

decrypting the timestamp based on the cryptographic key.

20. The method of claim 1, in which providing the representation of the time comprises:

transmitting the representation of the time to the caller.

21. The method of claim 1, in which providing the representation of the time comprises:

displaying the representation of the time to the caller.

22. The method of claim 1, in which determining the cryptographic key comprises:

selecting a database record based on the device identifier, in which the database record comprises the device identifier.

23. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an interactive response unit (IRU), a sequence of DTMF signals from a caller via a telephone connection;

determining, by a central controller in communication with the IRU, a timestamp based on the DTMF signals;

receiving, by the IRU, a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining, by the central controller, a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining, by the central controller, a representation of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

providing the representation of the time to the caller;

determining, by the central controller, an account; and

charging, by the central controller, a fee to the account.

24. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a central controller, a timestamp from a timestamp recipient via an Internet connection;

receiving, by the central controller, a device identifier via the Internet connection, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining, by the central controller, a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining, by the central controller, a representation of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

providing, by the central controller, the representation of the time to the timestamp recipient via the Internet connection;

determining, by the central controller, an account; and

charging, by the central controller, a fee to the account.

25. A computer readable memory storing instructions operable to direct a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a timestamp from a caller via a telephone connection;

receiving a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining a representation of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

providing the representation of the time to the caller;

determining an account; and

charging a fee to the account.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing a program for directing the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a timestamp from a caller via a telephone connection;

receiving a device identifier from the caller, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining a representation of a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

providing the representation of the time to the caller;

determining an account; and

charging a fee to the account.

27. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a central controller, a timestamp;

receiving, by the central controller, a device identifier, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining, by the central controller, a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining, by the central controller, a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

transmitting, by the central controller, an indication of the time; and

charging, by the central controller, a fee to an account.

28. A computer readable memory storing instructions operable to direct a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a timestamp;

receiving a device identifier, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

transmitting an indication of the time; and

charging a fee to an account.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device storing a program for directing the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving a timestamp;

receiving a device identifier, in which the device identifier identifies a device;

determining a cryptographic key based on the device identifier;

determining a time based on the timestamp and the cryptographic key;

transmitting an indication of the time; and

charging a fee to an account.