Method and apparatus for secure measurement certification

• US 6,289,453 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Certified Measurements 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, Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US09/149,025
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 380/4, 380/9, 380/23, 380/25, 380/29, 380/30, 380/49, 380/50, 380/59, 380/255, 380/277, 380/278, 380/287, 713/150, 713/168, 713/175, 705/50, 705/63
• US Class Current: 713/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]

Abstract

The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for acquiring a physical measurement, and for creating a cryptographic certification of that measurement, such that its value and time can be verified by a party that was not necessarily present at the measurement. The certified measurement may also include corroborative information for associating the actual physical measurement process with the certified measurement. Such corroborative information may reflect the internal or external state of the measurement certification device, as well as witness identifiers of any persons that may have been present at the measurement acquisition and certification. The certification may include a signal receiver to receive timing signals from a satellite or other external source. The external timing signals may be used to generate the time included in the certified measurement, or could be used to determine the location of the measurement certification device for inclusion in the certified measurement.

Claims

1. A device for secure measurement acquisition and certification, comprising:

a sensor;

a time generator;

a computing device, including a computer processor and a memory, coupled to receive (i) a digital signal representative of a physical measurement from the sensor and (ii) a time signal from the time generator;

said computing device configured to form an augmented measurement including the digital signal and the time signal, and to perform a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to form a certified measurement; and

an output device, coupled to the computing device, configured to write the certified measurement in response to a certified measurement request;

wherein the sensor, the time generator, and the computing device are configured to be resistant to tampering.

2. A device for generating a secure location measurement, comprising:

a location sensor;

a time device; and

a computing device coupled to receive (i) a first signal representative of a location from said location sensor and (ii) a second signal representative of a time from said time device, said computing device being configured to generate an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal, and to perform a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one of said location sensor, said time device and said computing device are configured to be resistant to tampering.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said at least one of said location sensor, said time device and said computing device are configured to be resistant to tampering by being located within a secure enclosure.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said location sensor, said time device and said computing device are configured to be resistant to tampering.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the first signal is a digital signal.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the augmented measurement comprises the first signal and the second signal.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein said time device is a time generator.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein said time device is configured to receive time information.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein one of said location sensor and said time device comprises a global positioning system device.

11. The device of claim 2, wherein said location sensor and said time device comprise a global positioning system device.

12. The device of claim 2, wherein the cryptographic operation comprises a one-way hash function.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the one-way hash function comprises at least one of:

(i) a function associated with a cryptographic key;

(ii) a function including a representation of the time;

(iii) a function including a representation of a non-time datum; and

(iv) a function including a representation based on a previously produced certifiable measurement.

14. The device of claim 2, wherein the cryptographic operation comprises encryption with an encryption key.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the encryption key belongs to an asymmetric cryptographic protocol.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the encryption key belongs to a symmetric cryptographic protocol.

17. The device of claim 2, further comprising:

an output device coupled to said computing device and configured to generate an output based on the certifiable measurement.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said output device comprises at least one of:

(i) a printer;

(ii) a dot-based output device;

(iii) a facsimile machine;

(iv) a character-based output device;

(v) a device that outputs an ink which causes the output to be photocopied with less than full fidelity;

(vi) a device that outputs a pattern which causes the output to be photocopied with less than full fidelity;

(vii) a device that outputs to a magnetic medium;

(viii) a device that outputs to an optical medium;

(ix) a device that outputs to a semiconductor medium;

(x) a display device; and

(xi) a device configured to provide an output in response to a request.

19. A method of generating a secure location measurement, comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a location;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal; and

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of said receiving a first signal, said receiving a second signal, said generating and said performing use a device configured to be resistant to tampering.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the device is configured to be resistant to tampering by being located within a secure enclosure.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said receiving the first signal, said receiving the second signal, said generating and said performing use at least one device configured to be resistant to tampering.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the first signal is a digital signal.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the augmented measurement comprises the first signal and the second signal.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein one of said receiving the first signal and said receiving the second signal uses a global positioning system device.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said receiving the first signal and said receiving the second signal use a global positioning system device.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the cryptographic operation comprises a one-way hash function.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the one-way hash function comprises at least one of:

(i) a function associated with a cryptographic key;

(ii) a function including a representation of the time;

(iii) a function including a representation of a non-time datum; and

(iv) a function including a representation based on a previously produced certifiable measurement.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the cryptographic operation comprises encryption with an encryption key.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the encryption key belongs to an asymmetric cryptographic protocol.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the encryption key belongs to a symmetric cryptographic protocol.

32. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing an output based on the certifiable measurement.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said outputting uses at least one of:

(i) a printer;

(ii) a dot-based output device;

(iii) a facsimile machine;

(iv) character-based output device;

(v) a device that outputs an ink which causes the output to be photocopied with less than full fidelity;

(vi) a device that outputs a pattern which causes the output to be photocopied with less than full fidelity;

(vii) a device that outputs to a magnetic medium;

(viii) a device that outputs to an optical medium;

(ix) a device that outputs to a semiconductor medium;

(x) a display device; and

(xi) a device configured to provide an output in response to a request.

34. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

receive a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a location;

receive a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

generate an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal; and

perform a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

35. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method for generating a secure location measurement, said method comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a location;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal; and

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

36. A secure location measurement device, comprising:

an input device configured to receive a certifiable measurement; and

a computing device coupled to receive the certifiable measurement and configured to (i) perform a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the certifiable measurement to generate an augmented measurement, and (ii) generate at least one of a first signal representative of a location and a second signal representative of a time based at least in part on the augmented measurement.

37. The device according to claim 36, further comprising:

an output device coupled to said computing device and configured to provide an output based at least in part on at least one of the first signal and the second signal.

38. A method of determining a secure location measurement, comprising:

receiving a certifiable measurement;

performing a cryptographic operation on a least a portion of the certifiable measurement generate an augmented measurement; and

determining at least one of (i) a location and (ii) a time based at least in part on the augmented measurement.

39. A method of generating a secure chemical measurement, comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a chemical parameter;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal; and

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

40. A method of generating a secure quality measurement, comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a quality parameter;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal; and

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

41. A method of generating a secure biometric measurement, comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a biometric measurement;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal; and

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

42. A method of generating a secure physical measurement, comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a physical measurement;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

receiving a third signal, the third signal being based at least in part on a party identifier;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal; and

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

43. A method of generating secure physical measurements, comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a first physical measurement;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a second physical measurement;

receiving a third signal, the third signal being based at least in part on a time;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal, the second signal and the third signal; and

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.

44. A method of generating a secure physical measurement, comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on a physical measurement;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal;

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement; and

locally storing the certifiable measurement in a log along with other certifiable measurements.

45. A method of generating a secure abnormal physical measurement, comprising:

receiving a first signal, the first signal being based at least in part on an abnormal physical measurement;

receiving a second signal, the second signal being based at least in part on a time;

generating an augmented measurement based at least in part on the first signal and the second signal; and

performing a cryptographic operation on at least a portion of the augmented measurement to generate a certifiable measurement.