Method and system for the supply of data, transactions and electronic voting

• US 8,655,784 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dare, Peter Roy, Owlett, John, Tyabji, Imran Faiz
• Primary Examiner(s): KUCAB, JAMIE R
• Application Number:
  US12/824,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/54
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/463 Electronic voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

A method and system for supply of data, including generating a first digital certificate referred (empowerment certificate) signed with a first signing entity'"'"'s electronic signature. The empowerment certificate includes attributes of the described entity, information identifying the first signing entity, indication of data relating to the described entity, indication of a source of the data, and identification of a relying entity to which the data can be supplied. The relying entity forwards the empowerment certificate to a source supplying the data indicated in the empowerment certificate. The data may be supplied to the relying entity by a second digital certificate (custom certificate), signed with a second signing entity'"'"'s electronic signature. Custom certificates may appear in custom certificate revocation lists. A system and method for transfer of ownership of electronic property from a first entity to a second entity, and a method and system for electronic voting are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for generating a digital empowerment certificate signed with a digital signature by a signing entity, the system comprising:

one or more computer devices configured to;

determine the digital signature;

set a period of validity;

generate the digital empowerment certificate with one or more attributes of a described entity, one or more attributes of the of an electronic property, one or more attributes identifying the signing entity, and the period of validity; and

append the digital signature to the digital empowerment certificate,

wherein the digital empowerment certificate is a computer-readable file that, when processed by the one or more computer devices, establishes an assignment of ownership of the electronic property from the signing entity to a relying entity; and

wherein, after appending the digital signature, the digital empowerment certificate includes;

the digital signature;

the one or more attributes of a described entity;

the one or more attributes of the electronic property;

the one or more attributes identifying the signing entity; and

the period of validity of the digital empowerment certificate, the period of validity beginning earlier than a time of the generating the digital empowerment certificate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the period of validity of the digital empowerment certificate ends no later than the time of generation of the digital empowerment certificate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the described entity is the signing entity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital empowerment certificate includes a time stamp indicating the time of the generating the digital empowerment certificate.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the digital empowerment certificate is generated after the generation of the digital signature; and

the digital signature includes signed data and one or more attributes identifying the digital empowerment certificate to be generated.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the period of validity of the digital empowerment certificate is a short period in which the digital signature was generated.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes of the digital empowerment certificate include linking information that associates the digital empower certificate to the electronic property, the linking information including a serial number and information identifying the electronic property.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the lowest available serial number which can be used for a next digital empowerment certificate to be generated or the last used serial number using each private key is recorded.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein data indicated in the digital empowerment certificate includes confirmation of a payment or debt due from the described entity identified in the digital certificate to a relying entity identified in the first digital empowerment certificate.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a second digital empowerment certificate of a second signing entity indicates a guarantee of a debt indicated as due in the digital empowerment certificate.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a change in previously supplied data is indicated by a list identifying the second digital empowerment certificate relating to the previously supplied data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes of the described entity include:

an indication of data relating to the described entity which is to be supplied to the relying entity; and

an indication of one or more sources for the data to be supplied to the relying entity.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising information specifying data which is no longer authorized to be supplied to the one or more relying entities.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the data to be supplied to the relying entity includes a public key of the signing entity and an identifier of a current owner of the electronic property.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital empower certificate includes a second period of validity of the digital empowerment certificate which is one of a finite period of use or a permanent assignment of ownership.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer devices is further configured to:

obtain the one or more attributes of the described entity;

obtain the one or more attributes of the electronic property;

obtain the one or more attributes identifying the signing entity;

obtain a second period of validity for transferring ownership of the electronic property; and

send the electronic property and the digital empowerment certificate to the relying entity,

wherein;

the generating the digital empowerment certificate further includes generating the digital empowerment certificate with the second period of validity;

the period of validity begins earlier than a time of the generation of the digital empowerment certificate, and

the obtaining the one or more attributes of the electronic property occurs prior to the generating the digital empowerment certificate.