Systems and methods for electronic postmarking of data including location data

• US 7,779,481 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Chamberlain, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US10/474,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,049 Days
• Field of Search: 342450-451, 342461-462, 342/459, 340/426.19, 34053913-53919, 340/825.49, 340/5.81, 340/5.8, 701/28, 701/32, 701/35, 701213-216, 705/405, 705/408, 705/401, 726/28
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Systems and mehods for electronic postmarking of location data are provided. Electronic postmarking of location data (S.20) includes generating a hash value corresponding to merged data (S.30). Electronic postmarking further includes generating an electronic postmark data structure (S.40) comprising the hash value and a date/time stamp. The electronic postmarking data structure (S.40) may further include a digital signature.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for performing electronic postmarking of data, including sender data and sender location data, the method comprising:

receiving, in electronic storage, sender data and sender location data from a data acquisition/generation device comprising a location data sensor;

merging, using a computing device, the sender data with the sender location data to generate merged data; and

generating, using the computing device, an electronic postmark data structure comprising;

generating a hash value from the merged data and

generating a time/date stamp.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage of generating the electronic postmark data structure includes generating a digital signature for inclusion in the electronic postmark data structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender location data includes at least one of position, altitude, longitude, latitude, and direction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage of generating the electronic postmark data structure includes forwarding the merged data to an electronic postmarking server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stage of generating the electronic postmark data structure includes forwarding the merged data to an embedded electronic postmarking device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the embedded electronic postmarking device is embedded in the data acquisition/generation device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition/generation device is one of a digital camera, a digital video recorder, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a laptop computer, and other device capable of generating and storing electronic data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location data sensor is at least one of a GPS sensor, an altitude sensor, a position sensor, a latitude sensor, a longitude sensor, and a direction sensor.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the generated electronic postmark data structure in a log file.

10. A computer-implemented method for performing electronic postmarking of data, including sender data and sender location data, the method comprising:

receiving, in electronic storage, sender data and sender location data from a data acquisition/generation device comprising a location data sensor;

merging, using a computing device, the sender data with the sender location data to generate merged data; and

generating, using the computing device, an electronic postmark data structure comprising;

generating a hash value from the merged data,

generating a time/date stamp, and

generating a digital signature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sender location data includes at least one of position, altitude, longitude, latitude, and direction.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the stage of generating the electronic postmark data structure includes forwarding the merged data to an electronic postmarking server.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the stage of generating the electronic postmark data structure includes forwarding the merged data to an embedded electronic postmarking device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the embedded electronic postmarking device is embedded in the data acquisition/generation device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the data acquisition/generation device is one of a digital camera, a digital video recorder, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a laptop computer, and other device capable of generating and storing electronic data.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the location data sensor is at least one of a GPS sensor, an altitude sensor, a position sensor, a latitude sensor, a longitude sensor, and a direction sensor.

17. A system for performing electronic postmarking of data, including sender data and sender location data, the system comprising:

a storage device containing computer instructions; and

a processor, connected to the storage device, that executes the computer instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving sender data and sender location data from a data acquisition/generation device comprising a location data sensor;

merging the sender data with the sender location data to generate merged data; and

generating an electronic postmark data structure comprising a hash value from the merged data and a time/date stamp.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein generating the electronic postmark data structure includes generating a digital signature for inclusion in the electronic postmark data structure.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the sender location data includes at least one of position, altitude, longitude, latitude, and direction.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein generating the electronic postmark data structure includes forwarding the merged data to an electronic postmarking device.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein generating the electronic postmark data structure includes forwarding the merged data to an embedded electronic postmarking device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the embedded electronic postmarking device is embedded in the data acquisition/generation device.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the data acquisition/generation device is one of a digital camera, a digital video recorder, a personal digital assistant, a handheld computer, a laptop computer, and other device capable of generating and storing electronic data.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the location data sensor is at least one of a GPS sensor, an altitude sensor, a position sensor, a latitude sensor, a longitude sensor, and a direction sensor.