System and method for authenticating electronic documents

• US 20030195935A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xygon Computers Limited
• Original Assignee: Birmingham Systems Limited
• Inventors: Leeper, Kim
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• 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: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

A method for securing an electronic document (22) comprising attaching a biometric characteristic (20) and the electronic document (22) to form a biometric characteristic-document combination and encrypting the biometric characteristic-document combination to form an encrypted data package (24).

Claims

1. A method for securing an electronic document comprising attaching a biometric characteristic and the electronic document to form a biometric characteristic-document combination and encrypting the biometric characteristic-document combination.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising attaching a plurality of different biometric characteristics and the electronic document, each biometric characteristic being associated with a different person, so that the biometric characteristic-document combination includes a plurality of biometric characteristics.

3. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each biometric characteristic is stored in a central memory, together with an identifier for identifying the person associated with each characteristic, preferably wherein the identifier is the person'"'"'s name or e-mail address.

4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising sending the encrypted biometric characteristic-document combination to a pre-determined electronic address.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, comprising sending the encrypted biometric characteristic-document combination to a plurality of predetermined electronic addresses.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 comprising sending a priming message to the or each pre-determined electronic address, which priming message includes a copy of the or each biometric characteristic, and storing that biometric characteristic in a memory, together with an identifier for identifying the person associated with the or each characteristic, preferably wherein the identifier is the person'"'"'s name or e-mail address.

7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims involving:

decrypting the encrypted combination, thereby to expose the biometric characteristic but not the electronic document,

comparing the exposed biometric characteristic with a stored biometric characteristic;

decrypting the electronic document when there is a match between the stored and the exposed biometric characteristic and

stopping the decryption process when there is no match.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, comprising partially decrypting the biometric characteristic to expose at least a part of the biometric characteristic but not the electronic document, and comparing that part with a corresponding part of the stored characteristic, wherein in the absence of a match between the compared parts the decryption process is stopped.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, comprising deleting the biometric characteristic-document combination in the absence of a match.

10. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising encrypting the biometric characteristic prior to the encryption of the biometric characteristic-document combination.

11. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising reading the or each biometric characteristic from a sensor, preferably the same sensor.

12. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the biometric characteristic is an electronic version of at least any one of the following:

a signature, the pressure distribution when the user signs his signature, finger length, a fingerprint, DNA, iris characteristics, retina characteristics, facial tomography, facial shape, ear prints, typing speed, typing pressure and voice recognition.

19. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising:

means for decrypting the encrypted combination, thereby to expose the biometric characteristic but not the electronic document,

means for comparing the exposed biometric characteristic with a stored biometric characteristic;

means for decrypting the electronic document when there is a match between the stored and the exposed biometric characteristic and

means for stopping the decryption process when there is no match.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the means for decrypting are operable to partially decrypt the biometric characteristic to expose at least a part of the biometric characteristic but not the electronic document, and compare that part with a corresponding part of the stored characteristic, wherein in the absence of a match between the compared parts the decryption process is stopped.

21. A system as claimed in claim 19 or claim 20, comprising means for deleting the biometric characteristic-document combination in the absence of a match.

25. A user terminal adapted for use with the system and method defined in any one of the preceding claims.

13. A system for securing an electronic document comprising means for attaching a biometric characteristic and the electronic document to form a biometric characteristic-document combination and means for encrypting the biometric characteristic-document combination.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means for attaching are operable to attach a plurality of different biometric characteristics and the electronic document, each biometric characteristic being associated with a different person, so that the biometric characteristic-document combination includes a plurality of biometric characteristics.

15. A system as claimed in either of claims 13 or 14, comprising a memory for storing the or each biometric characteristic, together with an identifier for identifying the person associated with each characteristic, preferably wherein the identifier is the person'"'"'s name or e-mail address.

16. A system as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, comprising means for sending the encrypted biometric characteristic-document combination to a pre-determined electronic address for opening by a recipient.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, comprising means for sending the encrypted biometric characteristic-document combination to a plurality of pre-determined electronic addresses for opening by a plurality of recipients.

18. A system as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17 comprising:

means for sending a priming message to the or each pre-determined electronic address, which priming message includes a copy of the biometric characteristic and an identifier for identifying the person associated with each characteristic, preferably wherein the identifier is the person'"'"'s name or e-mail address, and

a memory for storing that biometric characteristic, together with the identifier.

22. A system as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 21 comprising means for encrypting the biometric characteristic prior to the encryption of the biometric characteristic-document combination.

23. A system as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 21 comprising a sensor for reading the or each biometric characteristic, preferably, wherein the same sensor is used to read each biometric characteristic.

24. A system as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 23 wherein the biometric characteristic is an electronic version of at least any one of the following:

a signature, the pressure distribution when the user signs his signature, finger length, a fingerprint, DNA, iris characteristics, retina characteristics, facial tomography, facial shape, ear prints, typing speed, typing pressure and voice recognition.

26. A user terminal, for example a PC or other electronic device such as a palm pilot or a mobile telephone, the user terminal comprising means for attaching a biometric characteristic and an electronic document to form a biometric characteristic-document combination and means for encrypting the biometric characteristic-document combination.

27. A user terminal as claimed in claim 26, comprising means for sending the encrypted biometric characteristic-document combination to a predetermined electronic address.

28. A user terminal, for example a PC or other electronic device such as a palm pilot or a mobile telephone, the user terminal including means for receiving an encrypted biometric characteristic-document combination, the combination including a biometric characteristic that is attached to an electronic document, means for decrypting the encrypted combination, thereby to expose the biometric characteristic but not the electronic document, means for comparing the exposed biometric characteristic with a stored biometric characteristic, means for decrypting the electronic document when there is a match between the stored and the exposed biometric characteristic and means for stopping the decryption process when there is no match.

29. A computer program, preferably on a data carrier or a computer readable medium, for securing an electronic document, the computer program comprising instructions for:

attaching a biometric characteristic and the electronic document to form a biometric characteristic-document combination and

encrypting the biometric characteristic-document combination.

30. A computer program as claimed in claim 29, wherein the instructions for attaching the biometric characteristic and the document are operable to attach a plurality of different biometric characteristics to the electronic document, each biometric characteristic being associated with a different person, so that the biometric characteristic-document combination includes a plurality of biometric characteristics.

31. A computer program as claimed in claim 29 or claim 30, wherein the or each biometric characteristic is stored in a central memory, together with an identifier for identifying the person associated with each characteristic, preferably wherein the identifier is the person'"'"'s name or e-mail address.

32. A computer program as claimed in any one of claims 29 to 31, comprising instructions for sending the encrypted biometric characteristic-document combination to a pre-determined electronic address.

33. A computer program as claimed in claim 32, comprising instructions for sending the encrypted biometric characteristic-document combination to a plurality of pre-determined electronic addresses.

34. A computer program as claimed in claim 32 or claim 33, comprising instructions for sending a priming message to the or each pre-determined electronic address, which priming message includes a copy of the biometric characteristic, and storing that biometric characteristic in a memory, together with an identifier for identifying the predetermined address.

35. A computer program, preferably on a data carrier or a computer readable medium, for securing an electronic document, the computer program comprising instructions for:

decrypting an encrypted biometric-electronic document combination, thereby to expose the biometric characteristic but not the electronic document,

comparing the exposed biometric characteristic with a stored biometric characteristic;

decrypting the electronic document when there is a match between the stored and the exposed biometric characteristic and

stopping the decryption process when there is no match.

36. A computer program as claimed in claim 35, comprising instructions for

partially decrypting the biometric characteristic to expose at least a part of the biometric characteristic but not the electronic document, and

comparing that part with a corresponding part of the stored characteristic,

wherein in the absence of a match between the compared parts the decryption process is stopped.

37. A computer program as claimed in claim 35 or 36, comprising instructions for deleting the biometric characteristic-document combination in the absence of a match.

38. A system for securing and authenticating electronic documents substantially as described hereinbefore.

39. A method for securing and authenticating electronic documents substantially as described hereinbefore.

40. A computer program for securing and authenticating electronic documents substantially as described hereinbefore.

41. A user terminal substantially as described hereinbefore for use in a system and method for securing and authenticating electronic documents.