EP0565314A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for creating, supporting, and using travelling programs
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1993-04-01
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2013-04-01
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for creating, supporting and using a travelling program is disclosed. A "travelling program" is a digital data structure which includes a sequence of instructions and associated data and which has the capability of determining at least one next destination or recipient for receiving the travelling program and for transmitting itself together with all relevant data determined by the program to the next recipient or destination. The travelling program can compute, according to any algorithm whatsoever, the digital material which is to be signed, and also, as needed, the digital material which is to be verified. The present invention also allows the program to conditionally decide, based on any known criteria, which users should participate in the signature process. The present invention also uses digital signatures to allow the travelling program to provide other types of valuable authentication. For example, as a security convenience the present invention allows for the digital signature authentication of the entire transmission from one user to another. This includes the travelling program itself, its variables, and any ancillary data or files. The present invention provides a unique mechanism for automating data collection among a group of users. The travelling program may be sent to one user, attach (or detach) relevant data files and move on to the next user. Data or files, collected from one or more users can be deposited with another user, or accumulated for batched processing as desired. This methodology eliminates the need for individual users to be counted on to transmit all the required data in the required format. The present invention also efficiently performs electronic document interchange (EDI) in the context of a travelling program which sends itself from user to the next within an organization, collecting, editing and approving data.
Inventors
- 👤 Addison M. Fischer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/60; G06F21/606; G06F21/64; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; H; H04; H04L; H04L63/00; H04L63/08; H04L63/0823; H04L63/12; H04L63/126; H04L9/00; H04L9/32; H04L9/3247; H04L2209/00; H04L2209/56; H04L63/123; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/34; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... , N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; computing a digital value, the content of which is based on logical decisions and manipulations performed by said program; and performing a digital signature (432) on said digital value at at least one destination.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... , N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; computing a digital value, the content of which is based on logical decisions and manipulations performed by said program; and performing a digital signature (432) on said digital value at at least one destination.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said digital signature is represented as data subject to being logically processed by said sequence of program instructions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein a digital certificate associated with said digital signature is represented as data subject to being logically processed by said sequence of program instructions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said digital signature is included as part of said accompanying data transmitted to the next destination.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 1, further including the step of translating said data by said sequence of program instructions into a specialized data structure conforming at least in part to a recognized standard, whereby said data structure is useful independently of said instructions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 5, further including the step of processing and verifying the digital signature and the data to which it is applied, independently of the said program instructions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the data is translated under direction of the sequence of instructions into standardized Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) format.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 1, including the step of logically constructing the information to which the digital signature can be selectively applied, wherein such information is treated as a program variable on which the sequence of program instructions operate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein digital signatures are performed as a function which can be invoked under control of said sequence of program instructions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein the data supplied to said digital signature function reflects values based on any set of data read from a user's file, data built in to said sequence of program instructions, data entered by the user, data obtained from other signatures, and data obtained from digital certificates (514).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 1 further including an indication of the authority which has been vested in a user performing a digital signature (432), by including sufficient digital information to allow verification that the authority exercised by the signer was properly exercised (434).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1 further including the step of selecting from a collection of digital certificates the certificate to be used in performing a digital signature (434).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
153 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminal a, b, ... , N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; acquiring data from users of at least one of said computers via execution of said instructions; translating said data via the executing of said instructions into a specialized data structure conforming at least in part to a recognized standard whereby said data structure is useful independently of said instructions; and digitally signing said data structure via the execution of said instructions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
153 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminal a, b, ... , N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; acquiring data from users of at least one of said computers via execution of said instructions; translating said data via the executing of said instructions into a specialized data structure conforming at least in part to a recognized standard whereby said data structure is useful independently of said instructions; and digitally signing said data structure via the execution of said instructions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein the data is translated under direction of the set of instructions into standardized Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) format.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 13, including the step of translating by using an EDI translator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein the EDI translator is an external module which is invoked under control of said instructions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein at least part of the aggregate of said data structure together with the digital signature of said data structure is transmitted as a set of data independently of the set of instructions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein at least part of the aggregate of said data structure together with the digital signature of said data structure is stored separately from the set of instructions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein the result of the digital signature is stored as part of the accompanying data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein the result of the digital signature is verified when the set of instructions is executed at at least one subsequent destination.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
108 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ..., N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a computer with a first travelling program comprising a sequence of instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; providing at least one of said computers with a second travelling program (Fig. 37:694); executing the second travelling program under direction of the first travelling program.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
108 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ..., N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a computer with a first travelling program comprising a sequence of instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; providing at least one of said computers with a second travelling program (Fig. 37:694); executing the second travelling program under direction of the first travelling program.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein the first and second travelling programs are different instances of the same set of instructions.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein the first and second travelling programs comprise distinct sets of instructions.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein the first travelling program presents data to the second travelling program which defines the operation to be performed by the second (Fig. 37: 694).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein the second travelling program returns data to the first travelling program (Fig. 37:687, 706).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein both travelling programs are transmitted in a high-level interpretative format so that the travelling programs and data can be interpreted on a variety of computer system and hardware architectures.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 26 whereby the interpretative format can be processed on at least two distinct types of computers.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein the first travelling program erases the second travelling program from memory.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 21 wherein the second program instance is preserved after its execution.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminal A, B, ..., N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a computer with a first travelling program instance comprising a sequence of instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destinction that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; providing at least one of said computers with a second travelling program instance (Fig. 37:694); processing the second travelling program under direction of instructions in the first travelling program instance.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminal A, B, ..., N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a computer with a first travelling program instance comprising a sequence of instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destinction that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; providing at least one of said computers with a second travelling program instance (Fig. 37:694); processing the second travelling program under direction of instructions in the first travelling program instance.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 30 wherein the processing operation includes the step of erasing the second travelling program instance.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 30 wherein the processing operation includes the step of extracting data from the second travelling program instance (687, 706).
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
Amethod according to claim 30 wherein the processing operation includes the step of altering the program instructions in the second travelling program instance.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 30 wherein the processing operation includes the step of altering the value of the variables stored in the second travelling program instance.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 30 wherein said second program instance includes the same instructions as the first program instance.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and selecting a file in response to execution of said sequence of instructions; transmitting at least part of the content of said selected data file to said next destination in response to execution of said sequence of instructions; (Fig. 35, 36, 37, 640-642, 680-708, 710-732).
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
136 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and selecting a file in response to execution of said sequence of instructions; transmitting at least part of the content of said selected data file to said next destination in response to execution of said sequence of instructions; (Fig. 35, 36, 37, 640-642, 680-708, 710-732).
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 36, including the step of digitally signing at least part of the data of said file.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 36, including the step of computing a hash value of at least part of the data of said file.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
123 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ...N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for forwarding information in said communications system comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a set of instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer including instructions which generate a plurality of instances of said set of instructions and which initiate transmission to at least a first and a second destination which respectively receive one of said instances together with accompanying data; and including within said instances transmitted to said first and second destinations the capability of subsequently merging data that has been accumulated during their distinct transmission paths (Fig. 37).
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
123 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ...N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for forwarding information in said communications system comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a set of instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer including instructions which generate a plurality of instances of said set of instructions and which initiate transmission to at least a first and a second destination which respectively receive one of said instances together with accompanying data; and including within said instances transmitted to said first and second destinations the capability of subsequently merging data that has been accumulated during their distinct transmission paths (Fig. 37).
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 39, further including the steps of: establishing one instance as the master instance (682); and controlling,the master to extract data from other instances as they arrive at the merging destination.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and qualifying the set of operations which said sequence of instructions is allowed to perform.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and qualifying the set of operations which said sequence of instructions is allowed to perform.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 41, wherein said qualifying means are specified by a party using said program.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 41, wherein said qualifying means are digitally signed by a party trusted by the parties using said travelling program.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
108 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and performing a digital signature by using a private key stored in a user token device.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
108 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and performing a digital signature by using a private key stored in a user token device.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 44 including the step of determining whether the user's private key is stored in a token device or in computer memory, and the step of processing the signature with the said token device or in the user's computer, respectively.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and performing a date/time notarization.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminals A, B, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (Fig. 2, block 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and performing a date/time notarization.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
100 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminal a, b, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (Fig. 1, 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and performing a time delay function (Fig. 9: 570).
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
100 words
In a communications system having a plurality of computers (Terminal a, b, ... N) coupled to a channel (12) over which computers may exchange messages, a method for processing information among said computers comprising the steps of: providing a first computer with a sequence of program instructions (Fig. 1, 22) which are executed by the first computer, including instructions which determine at least one next destination that should receive the set of instructions, said set of instructions including instructions for transmitting said instructions together with accompanying data to said next destination; and performing a time delay function (Fig. 9: 570).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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