Trusted and secure techniques, systems and methods for item delivery and execution

• US 7,143,290 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intertrust Technologies Corporation (Fidelio Acquisition Co LLC)
• Inventors: Ginter, Karl L., Weber, Robert P., Spahn, Francis J., Shear, Victor H., Van Wie, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/632,944
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/179, 713/193, 713/194, 380/210, 700/94, 382/162, 382/237, 382/282
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• 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: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/023 the neutral party being a clearing house
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/24 : Credit schemes, i.e. "pay after"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 : Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 : Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 : Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 : for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 : Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 : Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 : Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 : applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 : applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 : applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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 9/3263 : involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 : involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 : Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 : Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 : Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 : involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 : embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 : OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 : involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 : Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/83555 : using a structured language for describing usage rules of the content, e.g. REL
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 : Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Documents and other items can be delivered electronically from sender to recipient with a level of trustedness approaching or exceeding that provided by a personal document courier. A trusted electronic go-between can validate, witness and/or archive transactions while, in some cases, actively participating in or directing the transaction. Printed or imaged documents can be marked using handwritten signature images, seal images, electronic fingerprinting, watermarking, and/or steganography. Electronic commercial transactions and transmissions take place in a reliable, “trusted” virtual distribution environment that provides significant efficiency and cost savings benefits to users in addition to providing an extremely high degree of confidence and trustedness. The systems and techniques have many uses including but not limited to secure document delivery, execution of legal documents, and electronic data interchange (EDI).

Claims

1. A system including:

a first apparatus including

user controls,

a communications port,

a processor,

a memory containing

a first rule, and

a first secure container containing an audio file, said audio file including steganographically encoded information, the first secure container having associated a second rule, the second rule governing, at least in part, access to or other use of at least a portion of the audio file;

hardware and/or software used for receiving and opening secure containers, said secure containers each including the capacity to contain at least one governed item, at least one rule being associated with each of said secure containers;

a protected processing environment at least in part protecting at least some information contained in said protected processing environment from tampering by a user of said first apparatus, said protected processing environment including hardware and/or software used for applying said first rule and said second rule in combination to at least in part govern at least one aspect of access to or use of said audio file; and

hardware and/or software used for transmission of secure containers to other apparatuses and/or for the receipt of secure containers from other apparatuses.

2. A system as in claim 1, said steganographically encoded information including at least one electronic fingerprint.

3. A system as in claim 1, said steganographically encoded information including a first portion encoded using a first steganographic encoding technique and a second portion encoded using a second steganographic encoding technique.

4. A system as in claim 3, in which said first steganographic encoding technique provides a higher degree of security than said second steganographic encoding technique.

5. A system as in claim 4, in which at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information is encrypted.

6. A system as in claim 3, in which said first portion is encrypted using a first technique which differs in at least one respect from a second encryption technique used for encryption of said second portion.

7. A system as in claim 6, in which said encryption techniques differ in at least the key used for each technique.

8. A system as in claim 6, in which said encryption techniques differ in the strength of encryption used.

9. A system as in claim 1, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in spacings between words or characters, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

10. A system as in claim 1, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in spacings between lines of text, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

11. A system as in claim 1, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in the gray scale used in at least a portion of the contents of said first secure container, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

12. A system as in claim 1, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in the color frequencies used in at least a portion of the contents of said first secure container, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

13. A system including:

a first apparatus including

user controls,

a communications port,

a processor,

a memory containing

a first rule, and

a first secure container containing a video file, said video file including steganographically encoded information, the first secure container having associated a second rule, the second rule governing, at least in part, access to or other use of at least a portion of the video file;

hardware and/or software used for receiving and opening secure containers, said secure containers each including the capacity to contain at least one governed item, at least one rule being associated with each of said secure containers;

a protected processing environment at least in part protecting at least some information contained in said protected processing environment from tampering by a user of said first apparatus, said protected processing environment including hardware and/or software used for applying said first rule and said second rule in combination to at least in part govern at least one aspect of access to or use of said video file; and

hardware and/or software used for transmission of secure containers to other apparatuses and/or for the receipt of secure containers from other apparatuses.

14. A system as in claim 13, said steganographically encoded information including at least one electronic fingerprint.

15. A system as in claim 13, said steganographically encoded information including a first portion encoded using a first steganographic encoding technique and a second portion encoded using a second steganographic encoding technique.

16. A system as in claim 15, in which said first steganographic encoding technique provides a higher degree of security than said second steganographic encoding technique.

17. A system as in claim 16, in which at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information is encrypted.

18. A system as in claim 15, in which said first portion is encrypted using a first technique which differs in at least one respect from a second encryption technique used for encryption of said second portion.

19. A system as in claim 18, in which said encryption techniques differ in at least the key used for each technique.

20. A system as in claim 18, in which said encryption techniques differ in the strength of encryption used.

21. A system as in claim 13, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in spacings between words or characters, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

22. A system as in claim 13, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in spacings between lines of text, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

23. A system as in claim 13, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in the gray scale used in at least a portion of the contents of said first secure container, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

24. A system as in claim 13, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in the color frequencies used in at least a portion of the contents of said first secure container, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

25. A system including:

a first apparatus including

user controls,

a communications port,

a processor,

a memory containing

a first rule, and

a first secure container containing an image file, said image file including steganographically encoded information, the first secure container having associated a second rule, the second rule governing, at least in part, access to or other use of at least a portion of the image file;

hardware and/or software used for receiving and opening secure containers, said secure containers each including the capacity to contain at least one governed item, at least one rule being associated with each of said secure containers;

a protected processing environment at least in part protecting at least some information contained in said protected processing environment from tampering by a user of said first apparatus, said protected processing environment including hardware and/or software used for applying said first rule and said second rule in combination to at least in part govern at least one aspect of access to or use of said image file; and

hardware and/or software used for transmission of secure containers to other apparatuses and/or for the receipt of secure containers from other apparatuses.

26. A system as in claim 25, said steganographically encoded information including at least one electronic fingerprint.

27. A system as in claim 25, said steganographically encoded information including a first portion encoded using a first steganographic encoding technique and a second portion encoded using a second steganographic encoding technique.

28. A system as in claim 27, in which said first steganographic encoding technique provides a higher degree of security than said second steganographic encoding technique.

29. A system as in claim 28, in which at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information is encrypted.

30. A system as in claim 27, in which said first portion is encrypted using a first technique which differs in at least one respect from a second encryption technique used for encryption of said second portion.

31. A system as in claim 30, in which said encryption techniques differ in at least the key used for each technique.

32. A system as in claim 30, in which said encryption techniques differ in the strength of encryption used.

33. A system as in claim 25, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in spacings between words or characters, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

34. A system as in claim 25, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in spacings between lines of text, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

35. A system as in claim 25, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in the gray scale used in at least a portion of the contents of said first secure container, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

36. A system as in claim 25, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in the color frequencies used in at least a portion of the contents of said first secure container, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

37. A system including:

a first apparatus including,

user controls,

a communications port,

a processor,

a memory containing

a first rule, and

a first secure container containing a text file, said text file including steganographically encoded information, the first secure container having associated a second rule, the second rule governing, at least in part, access to or other use of at least a portion of the text file;

hardware and/or software used for receiving and opening secure containers, said secure containers each including the capacity to contain at least one governed item, at least one rule being associated with each of said secure containers;

a protected processing environment at least in part protecting at least some information contained in said protected processing environment from tampering by a user of said first apparatus, said Protected processing environment including hardware and/or software used for applying said first rule and said second rule in combination to at least in part govern at least one aspect of access to or use of said text file; and

hardware and/or software used for transmission of secure containers to other apparatuses and/or for the receipt of secure containers from other apparatuses.

38. A system as in claim 37, said steganographically encoded information including at least one electronic fingerprint.

39. A system as in claim 37, said steganographically encoded information including a first portion encoded using a first steganographic encoding technique and a second portion encoded using a second steganographic encoding technique.

40. A system as in claim 39, in which said first steganographic encoding technique provides a higher degree of security than said second steganographic encoding technique.

41. A system as in claim 40, in which at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information is encrypted.

42. A system as in claim 39, in which said first portion is encrypted using a first technique which differs in at least one respect from a second encryption technique used for encryption of said second portion.

43. A system as in claim 42, in which said encryption techniques differ in at least the key used for each technique.

44. A system as in claim 42, in which said encryption techniques differ in the strength of encryption used.

45. A system as in claim 37, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in spacings between words or characters, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

46. A system as in claim 37, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in spacings between lines of text, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

47. A system as in claim 37, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in the gray scale used in at least a portion of the contents of said first secure container, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.

48. A system as in claim 37, in which said steganographic encoding includes at least the creation of slight variances in the color frequencies used in at least a portion of the contents of said first secure container, said slight variances encoding at least a portion of said steganographically encoded information.