Automatic access of electronic information through secure machine-readable codes on printed documents

• US 5,933,829 A
• Filed: 11/08/1997
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NM, LLC, William E. Goins
• Original Assignee: NeoMedia Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Kevin, Durst, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US08/967,383
• Time in Patent Office: 633 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/514, 705/26, 705/3, 235/462, 380/25, 463/41, 395/200.3, 395/766
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/16 Obfuscation or hiding, e.g. involving white box
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4406 Restricting access, e.g. according to user identity mechanisms actuated y cards, PIN or the like in apparatus for dispensing G07F7/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33357 Compression mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

The present invention is a secure system and method for providing automated access to electronic information stored in a database in either a local or remote location. The system utilizes a machine-readable code printed on a document, referred to herein as an intelligent document since it stores information used to automatically access the information. The machine-readable symbol is encoded with source data (including a file location pointer) that is first obfuscated by generating a checksum of the source data, encrypting the source data by using the checksum as an encryption key, and assembling the checksum with the encrypted source data prior to encoding. The machine-readable symbol is then printed and distributed by the vendor by any logical means to the end user. The end user then scans the code via appropriate code scanning (e.g. bar code scanning) equipment, and de-obfuscates the scanned data by parsing the checksum, decrypting the remainder of the scanned data string (which includes the file location pointer) using the parsed checksum as a decryption key, computing a checksum of the decrypted data string, and comparing the computed checksum with the parsed checksum to determine the validity of the code. The file location pointer is then used to access the appropriate file. In a preferred embodiment, a Web browser program is launched, and the URL of the vendor'"'"'s Web site is accessed through the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for a client computer to retrieve a computer file comprising the steps of:

a) encoding a symbol data string comprising a file location pointer into a machine readable symbol;

b) rendering said machine readable symbol within a data carrier;

c) transposing an input data string from said machine readable symbol with a computer input device coupled to said client computer;

d) parsing said input data string to determine said file location pointer; and

e) utilizing said file location pointer to request the computer file designated thereby.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said utilization step comprises the steps of:

passing said file location pointer to an application program on said client computer suitable for processing the corresponding computer file; and

the application program retrieving the computer file from the specified file location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said utilization step comprises the steps of:

retrieving a copy of the computer file from the specified file location; and

invoking an application program on said client computer suitable for processing the corresponding computer file.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said file location pointer specifies the location of a computer file stored in a local memory resident in said client computer, and wherein said computer file is obtained from said local memory.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said utilization step further comprises the steps of:

f) assembling a computer file transfer request word comprising said file location pointer, and

g) transmitting said computer file transfer request word to a target server computer via a computer network system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said computer network system is an Internet, and wherein said computer file transfer request word is directed towards a target server computer in communication with the Internet.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said file location pointer comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) for specifying a file on the target server computer in communication with the Internet.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said computer network system is a local area network, and wherein said computer file transfer request word is directed towards a target server computer in communication with said local area network.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of

h) said target server computer receiving said computer file transfer request word and

i) said target server computer transmitting a computer file to said client computer in response thereto.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said file location pointer comprises a network address associated with said target server computer and a file identifier correlated to the computer file requested by said client computer.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said machine readable symbol also has encoded therein a source identifier data string, said source identifier data string comprising data correlated to an expected user of said data carrier, and wherein said source identifier data string is transposed by said computer input device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said source transposed source identifier data string is assembled within said computer file transfer request word and transmitted to said target server computer.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said target server computer stores said source identifier data string received from said client computer in said computer file transfer request word.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein

said machine readable symbol also has encoded therein an encryption key associated with said source identifier data string,

said encryption key is transposed by said computer input device,

said transposed encryption key is used by said client computer to encrypt information specific to a user associated with said client computer, and

said encrypted user information is assembled within said computer file transfer request word and transmitted to said target server computer.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said information specific to a user is obtained, prior to encryption thereof, from a user information data file stored on said client computer.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein

said machine readable symbol also has encoded therein user demographics data,

said user demographics data correlated to a targeted user of said data carrier,

said user demographics data is transposed by said computer input device, and wherein

said information specific to a user is obtained, prior to encryption thereof, from said transposed user demographics data.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein

said target server computer utilizes said source identifier data string to access a lookup table to determine a decryption key associated with said encryption key, and

said target server decrypts said encrypted user information received from said client computer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said lookup table is stored locally on said target server computer.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said lookup table is stored remotely on a secondary server computer.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said user information comprises a credit card number associated with said user of said client computer, and wherein on online electronic commercial transaction is accomplished by utilizing said credit card number.

21. The method of claim 9 wherein said machine readable symbol also has encoded therein user demographics data, said user demographics data correlated to a targeted user of said data carrier, and wherein said user demographics data is transposed by said computer input device.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said user demographics data is included in said file transfer request word transmitted to said target computer, and wherein said user demographics data is stored in said target server computer.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said computer file transmitted by said target server computer to said client computer is at least partially determined by at least part of said user demographics data.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said machine readable symbol also has encoded therein an executable command to launch a software utility resident on said client computer, and wherein said software utility is automatically launched after said machine readable symbol is transposed.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said software utility is an Internet browser program.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said software utility is a word processing program.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said word processing program is caused to execute a print command of a computer file.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein

said data carrier is a document,

said machine readable symbol is a bar code symbol,

and said computer input device is a bar code scanning device.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said bar code symbol is a two-dimensional bar code symbol encoded in the PDF417 symbology.

30. A computer system comprising:

a) a client computer and

b) a computer input device coupled to said client computer, adapted to read a machine readable symbol from a data carrier and transmit to said client computer an input data string;

wherein said client computer comprises

processing means for transposing said input data string to a plurality of constituent fields, said fields comprising at least a file location pointer;

means for utilizing said file location pointer to it request the computer file designated thereby.

31. The computer system of claim 30 wherein said file location pointer utilization means comprises

means for passing said file location pointer to an application program on said client computer suitable for processing the corresponding computer file;

and

means for the application program to retrieve the computer file from the specified file location.

32. The computer system of claim 30 wherein said file location pointer utilization means comprises

means for retrieving a copy of the computer file from the specified file location;

and

means for invoking an application program on said client computer suitable for processing the corresponding computer file.

33. The computer system of claim 30 wherein said file location pointer utilization means comprises means for obtaining, as a function of said file location pointer, a computer file from local memory resident in said client computer file is obtained from said local memory.

34. The computer system of claim 30 wherein said client computer is interconnected to a computer network comprising a target server computer associated therewith, and wherein said file location pointer utilization means comprises:

means for assembling a computer file transfer request word comprising said file location pointer, and

means for transmitting said computer file transfer request word to said target server computer via said network.

35. The computer system of claim 34 wherein said computer network is an Internet, and wherein said computer file transfer request word is directed towards a target server computer in communication with the Internet.

36. The computer system of claim 35 wherein said file location pointer comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) for specifying a file on the target server computer in communication with the Internet.

37. The computer system of claim 34 wherein said computer network is a local area network, and wherein said computer file transfer request word is directed towards a target server computer in communication with said local area network.

38. The computer system of claim 34 wherein said target server computer comprises:

means for receiving said computer file transfer request word; and

means for transmitting a computer file to said client computer in response to said computer file transfer request word.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein said file location pointer comprises a network address associated with said target server computer and a file identifier correlated to the computer file requested by said client computer.

40. The computer system of claim 38 wherein said input data string fields also comprise a source identifier data string, said source identifier data string comprising data correlated to an expected user of said data carrier.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein said assembling means also assembles said source identifier data string within said computer file transfer request word.

42. The computer system of claim 44 wherein said target server computer further comprises means for storing said source identifier data string received from said client computer in said computer file transfer request word.

43. The computer system of claim 41 wherein

said input data string fields also comprise an encryption key associated with said source identifier data string,

and wherein said client computer further comprises

means for encrypting with said encryption key a user information data file stored on said client computer, said user information data file comprising information regarding the user associated with said client computer, and

wherein said encrypted user information data file is assembled within said computer file transfer request word and transmitted to said target server computer.

44. The computer system of claim 43 wherein said client computer comprises memory means for storing a user information data file, and wherein said information specific to a user is obtained, prior to encryption thereof, from said user information data file.

45. The computer system of claim 43 wherein said input data string fields also comprise user demographics data correlated to a targeted user of said data carrier, and wherein said information specific to a user is obtained, prior to encryption thereof, from said user demographics data.

46. The computer system of claim 45 wherein said target server computer comprises:

means for accessing a lookup table, said lookup table for storing a decryption key associated with said source identifier data string, to obtain said decryption key associated with said source identifier data string, and

means for decrypting, utilizing said decryption key, said encrypted user information received from said client computer.

47. The computer system of claim 46 wherein said lookup table is stored locally on said target server computer.

48. The computer system of claim 46 wherein said lookup table is stored remotely on a secondary server computer.

49. The computer system of claim 46 wherein said user information comprises a credit card number associated with said user of said client computer, and wherein said client computer further comprises means for executing on online electronic commercial transaction by utilizing said credit card number.

50. The computer system of claim 38 wherein said input data string fields also comprise user demographics data correlated to a targeted user of said data carrier.

51. The computer system of claim 50 wherein said user demographics data is included in said file transfer request word transmitted to said target computer, and wherein said target server computer comprises means for storing said user demographics data.

52. The computer system of claim 51 wherein said target server computer comprises means for utilizing said user demographics data to at least partially determine the computer file transmitted by said target server computer to said client computer.

53. The computer system of claim 30 wherein said input data string fields also comprise an executable command to launch a software utility resident on said client computer, and wherein said software utility is automatically launched after said machine readable symbol is transposed.

54. The computer system of claim 53 wherein said software utility is an Internet browser program.

55. The computer system of claim 53 wherein said software utility is a word processing program.

56. The computer system of claim 55 wherein said word processing program is caused to execute a print command of a computer file.

57. The computer system of claim 30 wherein said computer input device is a bar code scanning device.

58. The computer system of claim 57 wherein bar code scanning device is suitable for scanning a two-dimensional bar code symbol.