Public/key date-time notary facility
First Claim
1. A digital time notarization device for enabling a user to digitally notarize digital information without regard to any particular recipient of said digital information comprising:
- platform means for supporting components;
clock means for generating clock signals indicative of time;
input means for receiving a digital input value to be notarized;
storage means for storing a private key created for said device having a corresponding device public key where said device public key has been certified by a trusted authority, said storage means being secured such that said private key is not accessible to said user; and
processor means for operating on said clock signals and said digital input value using said private key corresponding to the public key certified by said trusted authority for generating a notarized time stamp, said input means, storage means and processor means being supported by said platform means, whereby a holder of said device public key certified by said trusted authority may verify that said notarized time stamp is authentic without any further information regarding said notarization device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A time notarization apparatus and method is disclosed which uses a secure, microprocessor based hardware platform which performs public key cryptographic operations to obtain trusted time stamping with a minimum of intervention by third parties. The hardware platform is encapsulated in a secure fashion so that the device'"'"'s timestamping mechanism may not be readily tampered with or altered. The hardware platform includes at least one digital clock and a stable, secure storage device to record the private half of a public/private key pair. Coupled to both the digital clock and the storage device is a data processing device which performs public key signature operations in a secure and tamper-proof manner. Only the processing device has access to the secure storage device and its associated private key. The hardware platform also includes input/output means which receives a digital message which is to be digitally signed and timestamped and which outputs the resulting timestamped signature generated by the device. The hardware platform also includes a power source, (e.g., an on-board battery) to ensure the accuracy of the device'"'"'s digital clock and the security of storage data prior to installation or in case of a power failure.
329 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A digital time notarization device for enabling a user to digitally notarize digital information without regard to any particular recipient of said digital information comprising:
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platform means for supporting components; clock means for generating clock signals indicative of time; input means for receiving a digital input value to be notarized; storage means for storing a private key created for said device having a corresponding device public key where said device public key has been certified by a trusted authority, said storage means being secured such that said private key is not accessible to said user; and processor means for operating on said clock signals and said digital input value using said private key corresponding to the public key certified by said trusted authority for generating a notarized time stamp, said input means, storage means and processor means being supported by said platform means, whereby a holder of said device public key certified by said trusted authority may verify that said notarized time stamp is authentic without any further information regarding said notarization device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A digital time notarization system comprising:
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data processing means for performing data processing related tasks; a digital time notarization device coupled to said data processing means, said notarization device including; platform means for supporting digital components; input means, disposed on said platform means, for receiving from said data processing means an input value to be time notarized; storage means, disposed on said platform means, for storing a private key created for said notarization device, said private key having a corresponding device public key, said device public key having been certified by a trusted authority; clock means, disposed on said platform means, for generating clock signals indicative of time; and processor means, disposed on said platform means, for operating on said clock signals and said input value using said private key and for generating a notarized time stamp. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of digitally time notarizing a digital message comprising the steps of:
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receiving a digital message to be date/time notarized by a special purpose digital notarization device; generating clock signals indicative of time within said device; accessing a private key created for said device and stored in a tamper proof storage device in said notarization device, said private key having a corresponding device public key, said device public key having been certified by a trusted authority; and operating on said digital message, and said clock signals, using said private key, whereby a notarized time stamp is generated by said notarization device. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification