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US5912974A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus and method for authentication of printed documents

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-04-30
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Granted: 1999-06-15
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Expires: 2017-04-30
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Abstract

Abstract Printed document contents are scanned and digitized, using a conventional scanner, and displayed page by page on a screen. Using a conventional editor and an input device, the scanned and digitized document contents are edited before being used to generate a digital signature. This allows reading errors, which could invalidate a subsequent verification process, to be corrected. Using the editor, and an input device such as a mouse, the signing authority identifies on the screen different segments of the document, each segment containing data of a single type and selects for each segment a set of rules, among a group proposed by the system, for authenticating it. Then, for each segment, an edited digital form of the data contents are derived using the method defined in the rules. A hash value of the rules used and the edited digital form of the segment contents is calculated using a public hashing algorithm. Then the apparatus generates a digital signature of the edited digitized segments contents using the secret key of the authenticator. Finally, an authentication code comprising the edited digital form of each segment and the digital signature is printed on the document. To verify the authenticity, the printed document is scanned and digitized again and the digital signature is checked using the associated public key. If the check fails, the verifier identifies which segment has been scanned differently, comparing it with the related edited digital form in the authentication code printed on the document to evaluate its validity.

Inventors

  • 👤 Christopher J. Holloway
  • 👤 Stephen Michael Matyas, Jr.

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 06:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32128; H04N1/32133; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/32; H04L9/3247; H04L2209/00; H04L2209/60; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3233; H04N2201/3235; H04N2201/3236; H04N2201/3269; H04N2201/3271

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 66
Claim 1
Independent Claim 119 words
Apparatus for authenticating a hardcopy document comprising: means for digitizing information content of a hardcopy document; means for editing a digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document, means for creating an edited digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document, which creating means comprises means for producing, from the same hardcopy document, a second digital form substantially equivalent to the edited digital form; means for encrypting the edited digital form to generate a digital signature; means for generating an authentication code from the edited digital form and the digital signature; means for attaching the authentication code to the hardcopy document; and means for verifying the authenticity of the hardcopy document using the authentication code.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 119 words
Apparatus for authenticating a hardcopy document comprising: means for digitizing information content of a hardcopy document; means for editing a digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document, means for creating an edited digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document, which creating means comprises means for producing, from the same hardcopy document, a second digital form substantially equivalent to the edited digital form; means for encrypting the edited digital form to generate a digital signature; means for generating an authentication code from the edited digital form and the digital signature; means for attaching the authentication code to the hardcopy document; and means for verifying the authenticity of the hardcopy document using the authentication code.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for identifying an area on the hardcopy document where the authentication code may be attached.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising means for printing the authentication code on the hardcopy document.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 69 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for editing further comprises: means for logically dividing the digital form into segments, each segment containing information substantially of a single data type; means for generating, in the edited digital form, data of a segment using a digitizing method suitable for the data type contained in the segment, information content of the segment being reproducible from the edited digital form.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 44 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising means for generating coordinates for locating each segment with respect to at least two different registration points on each page of said document, wherein the coordinates are included in the edited digital form of each segment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 61 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for logically dividing further comprises: means for displaying the digital form; and means for receiving input from a signing authority identifying a segment of the information content containing data of a single type, and selecting for the segment, a set of rules, from among a group of rules, for authenticating the segment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 39 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: means for suggesting to the signing authority, a suggested segment, and a suggested placement of registration points on the hardcopy document, from which points, coordinates of the segment may be determined.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising: means for printing the registration points on the hardcopy document.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means for suggesting further comprises: means for suggesting a digitizing method suitable for the data type in the suggested segment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 40 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for receiving input from the signing authority includes receiving input selecting a rule allowing repair of the edited digital form portion of the authentication code during verification of the hardcopy document.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 60 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for editing the digital form further comprises: means for selecting a plurality of segments; means for reducing each digital form of each segment; means for concatenating the reduced digital forms of the segments; and means for reducing the concatenated reduced digital forms of the segments to provide the edited digital form.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for encrypting the edited digital form to generate a digital signature further comprises: means for generating the digital signature using a secret key of a dual key pair.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 135 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: means for reading the authentication code including the digital signature and the edited digital form of a presented authenticated hardcopy document; means for decrypting said digital signature and storing the edited digital form and the decrypted digital signature; means for generating and storing, in a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; means controlled by a segment definition in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; means for generating, in a segment digital form, digitized information content of the segment using a digitizing method specified by the authentication code; and means for comparing the decrypted digital signature with the segment digital form to verify the authenticity of said document.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 194 words
Apparatus for verifying the authenticity of a presented hardcopy document provided with an authentication code, the authentication code including an edited digital form and a digital signature, the edited digital form comprising a digital form of a segment of the document, the apparatus comprising: means for reading from a hardcopy document the authentication code, which means for reading includes means for reading the digital signature and the edited digital form of the document; means for decrypting said digital signature and storing the edited digital form and the decrypted digital signature; means for digitizing information content of the presented hardcopy document; means for generating and storing, in a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; means controlled by a segment definition in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; means for generating, in a second digital form, digitized information content of the segment using a digitizing method suitable for the data type contained in the segment; and means for verifying the authenticity of the hardcopy document by comparing the decrypted digital signature with the second digital form.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 194 words
Apparatus for verifying the authenticity of a presented hardcopy document provided with an authentication code, the authentication code including an edited digital form and a digital signature, the edited digital form comprising a digital form of a segment of the document, the apparatus comprising: means for reading from a hardcopy document the authentication code, which means for reading includes means for reading the digital signature and the edited digital form of the document; means for decrypting said digital signature and storing the edited digital form and the decrypted digital signature; means for digitizing information content of the presented hardcopy document; means for generating and storing, in a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; means controlled by a segment definition in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; means for generating, in a second digital form, digitized information content of the segment using a digitizing method suitable for the data type contained in the segment; and means for verifying the authenticity of the hardcopy document by comparing the decrypted digital signature with the second digital form.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 25 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the digitizing method suitable for the data type contained in the segment is specified in the authentication code.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 60 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: means for displaying the second digital form and the edited digital form; means for highlighting on the display, differences between the second digital form and the edited digital form; means for receiving input for correcting digitizing errors causing the differences, to improve the ability to verify the authenticity of the authenticated document.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 44 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: means for displaying the presented digital form; and means for receiving input correcting damaged information content in the presented digital form of the presented hardcopy document to improve ability to verify authenticity of the authenticated document.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 98 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the presented hardcopy document comprises a plurality of segments and the edited digital form comprises an edited segment digital form of information of each of the plurality of segments of the authenticated document, the means controlled by a segment definition in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type further comprising: means for comparing each segment digital form divided from the presented digital form with a corresponding edited segment digital form of each segment of the authenticated document.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 62 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the means for generating further comprises: means for reducing a segment digital form of each segment to obtain a reduced segment digital form for each segment; means for concatenating the reduced segment digital forms of the segments; and means for reducing the concatenated reduced digital forms of the segments to provide the second digital form.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the means for comparing further comprises: means for statistically comparing the decrypted digital signature with the second digital form in order to statistically verify the authenticity of the authenticated document.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 101 words
Method of authenticating a hardcopy document comprising: digitizing information content of a hardcopy document to generate a digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document; editing said digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document, creating an edited digital form; producing from the same hardcopy document, an improved second digital form substantially equivalent to the edited digital form; encrypting the edited digital form to generate a digital signature; generating an authentication code from the edited digital form and the digital signature; attaching the authentication code to the hardcopy document, and verifying the authenticity of the hardcopy document.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 101 words
Method of authenticating a hardcopy document comprising: digitizing information content of a hardcopy document to generate a digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document; editing said digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document, creating an edited digital form; producing from the same hardcopy document, an improved second digital form substantially equivalent to the edited digital form; encrypting the edited digital form to generate a digital signature; generating an authentication code from the edited digital form and the digital signature; attaching the authentication code to the hardcopy document, and verifying the authenticity of the hardcopy document.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 20 words
Method of claim 21, further comprising: identifying an area on the hardcopy document where the authentication code may be attached.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 14 words
Method of claim 22, further comprising: printing the authentication code on the hardcopy document.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 62 words
Method of claim 21, wherein the editing further comprises: logically dividing the digital form into segments, each segment containing information substantially of a single data type; generating, in the edited digital form, data of a segment using a digitizing method suitable for the data type contained in the segment, the information content of the segment being reproducible from the edited digital form.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 40 words
Method of claim 24, further comprising generating coordinates for locating each segment with respect to at least two different registration points on each page of said document, wherein the coordinates are included in the segment digital form of each segment.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 53 words
Method of claim 24, wherein the logically dividing further comprises: displaying the digital form; and receiving input from a signing authority identifying a segment of the information content containing data of a single type, and selecting for the segment, a set of rules, from among a group of rules, for authenticating the segment.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 35 words
Method of claim 26 further comprising: suggesting to the signing authority, a suggested segment, and a suggested placement of registration points on the hardcopy document, from which points, coordinates of the segment may be determined.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 14 words
Method of claim 27 further comprising: printing the registration points on the hardcopy document.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 22 words
Method of claim 26, wherein said suggesting further comprises: suggesting a digitizing method suitable for the data type in the suggested segment.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 36 words
Method of claim 26 wherein the receiving input from the signing authority includes receiving input selecting a rule allowing repair of the edited digital form portion of the authentication code during verification of the hardcopy document.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 48 words
Method of claim 24 wherein the editing the digital form further comprises: selecting a plurality of segments; reducing each digital form of each segment; concatenating the reduced digital forms of the segments; and reducing the concatenated reduced digital forms of the segments to provide the edited digital form.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 31 words
Method of claim 21 wherein the encrypting the edited digital form to generate a digital signature further comprises: generating the digital signature using a secret key of a dual key pair.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 123 words
Method of claim 21 further comprising: reading the authentication code including the digital signature and the edited digital form of a presented authenticated hardcopy document; decrypting said digital signature and storing the edited digital form and the decrypted digital signature; generating and storing, in a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; means controlled by a segment definition in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; generating, in a segment digital form, digitized information content of the segment using a digitizing method specified by the authentication code; and comparing the decrypted digital signature with the segment digital form to verify the authenticity of said document.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 158 words
Method of verifying the authenticity of a presented hardcopy document provided with an authentication code, the authentication code including an edited digital form and a digital signature, the edited digital form comprising a digital form of a segment of the document, the method comprising: reading the authentication code including the digital signature and the edited digital form of the document; decrypting said digital signature and storing the edited digital form and the decrypted digital signature; digitizing information content of the presented hardcopy document; generating and storing, in a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; generating, in a segment digital form, data of the segment using a digitizing method corresponding to the data type contained in the segment; and verifying the authenticity of said hardcopy document by comparing the decrypted digital signature with the segment digital form.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 158 words
Method of verifying the authenticity of a presented hardcopy document provided with an authentication code, the authentication code including an edited digital form and a digital signature, the edited digital form comprising a digital form of a segment of the document, the method comprising: reading the authentication code including the digital signature and the edited digital form of the document; decrypting said digital signature and storing the edited digital form and the decrypted digital signature; digitizing information content of the presented hardcopy document; generating and storing, in a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; generating, in a segment digital form, data of the segment using a digitizing method corresponding to the data type contained in the segment; and verifying the authenticity of said hardcopy document by comparing the decrypted digital signature with the segment digital form.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 23 words
Method of claim 34, wherein the digitizing method suitable for the data type contained in the segment is specified in the authentication code.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 52 words
Method of claim 34, further comprising: displaying the second digital form and the edited digital form; highlighting on a display, differences between the second digital form and the edited digital form; receiving input for correcting digitizing errors causing the differences, to improve the ability to verify the authenticity of the authenticated document.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 40 words
Method of claim 34, further comprising: displaying the presented digital form; and receiving input for correction of damaged information content in the presented digital form of the presented hardcopy document to improve ability to verify authenticity of the authenticated document.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 88 words
Method of claim 34, wherein the presented hardcopy document comprises a plurality of segments and the edited digital form comprises an edited segment digital form of information of each of the plurality of segments of the authenticated document, the act of dividing divides the plurality of segments from the presented digital form into a plurality of segment digital forms, the method further comprising: comparing each segment digital form divided from the presented digital form with a corresponding edited segment digital form of each segment of the authenticated document.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 54 words
Method of claim 38 wherein the act of generating further comprises: reducing a segment digital form of each segment to obtain a reduced segment digital form for each segment; concatenating the reduced segment digital forms of the segments; and reducing the concatenated reduced digital forms of the segments to provide the second digital form.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim 33 words
Method of claim 34, wherein the act of comparing further comprises: statistically comparing the decrypted digital signature with the second digital form in order to statistically verify the authenticity of the authenticated document.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 126 words
A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for authentication of a hardcopy document, comprising: means for digitizing information content of a hardcopy document; means for editing a digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document; means for creating a second digital form, wherein the output of the editing means is substantially equivalent to the output of the means for creating a second digital form; generating a digital signature by encrypting the edited digital form; means for generating an authentication code from the edited digital form and the digital signature; means for controlling attachment of the authentication code to the hardcopy document; and means for demonstrating the authenticity of the hardcopy document using the attached authentication code.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim 126 words
A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for authentication of a hardcopy document, comprising: means for digitizing information content of a hardcopy document; means for editing a digital form of the information content of the hardcopy document; means for creating a second digital form, wherein the output of the editing means is substantially equivalent to the output of the means for creating a second digital form; generating a digital signature by encrypting the edited digital form; means for generating an authentication code from the edited digital form and the digital signature; means for controlling attachment of the authentication code to the hardcopy document; and means for demonstrating the authenticity of the hardcopy document using the attached authentication code.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim 19 words
A computer program product of claim 41, further comprising means for printing the authentication code on the hardcopy document.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim 25 words
A computer program product of claim 41, further comprising means for identifying an area on the hardcopy document where the authentication code may be attached.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim 71 words
A computer program product of claim 41, wherein the means for editing further comprises: means for logically dividing the digital form into segments, each segment containing information substantially of a single data type; means for generating into the edited digital form, data of a segment using a digitizing method suitable for the data type contained in the segment, the information content of the segment being reproducible from the edited digital form.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim 45 words
A computer program product of claim 44, further comprising means for generating coordinates for locating each segment with respect to at least two different registration points on each page of said document, wherein the coordinates are included in the edited digital form of each segment.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim 62 words
A computer program product of claim 44, wherein the means for logically dividing further comprises: means for displaying the digital form; and means for receiving input from a signing authority identifying a segment of the information content containing data of a single type, and selecting for the segment, a set of rules, from among a group of rules, for authenticating the segment.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim 40 words
A computer program product of claim 46, further comprising: means for suggesting to the signing authority, a suggested segment, and a suggested placement of registration points on the hardcopy document, from which points, coordinates of the segment may be determined.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim 19 words
A computer program product of claim 47, further comprising: means for printing the registration points on the hardcopy document.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim 29 words
A computer program product of claim 46, wherein said means for suggesting further comprises: means for suggesting a digitizing method suitable for the data type in the suggested segment.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim 41 words
A computer program product of claim 46, wherein the means for receiving input from the signing authority includes receiving input selecting a rule allowing repair of the edited digital form portion of the authentication code during verification of the hardcopy document.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim 61 words
A computer program product of claim 44, wherein the means for editing the digital form further comprises: means for selecting a plurality of segments; means for reducing each digital form of each segment; means for concatenating the reduced digital forms of the segments; and means for reducing the concatenated reduced digital forms of the segments to provide the edited digital form.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim 38 words
A computer program product of claim 41, wherein the means for encrypting the edited digital form to generate a digital signature further comprises: means for generating the digital signature using a secret key of a dual key pair.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim 136 words
A computer program product of claim 41, further comprising: means for reading the authentication code including the digital signature and the edited digital form of a presented authenticated hardcopy document; means for decrypting said digital signature and storing the edited digital form and the decrypted digital signature; means for generating and storing, in a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; means controlled by a segment definition in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; means for generating, in a segment digital form, digitized information content of the segment using a digitizing method specified by the authentication code; and means for comparing the decrypted digital signature with the segment digital form to verify the authenticity of said document.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim 193 words
A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for verifying the authenticity of a presented hardcopy document provided with an authentication code, the authentication code including an edited digital form and a digital signature, the edited digital form comprising a digital form of a segment of the document, the program product comprising: means for reading from the hardcopy document the authentication code, which reading means includes means for reading the digital signature and the edited digital form of the document; means for decrypting said digital signature to obtain a decrypted digital signature; means for digitizing information content of the presented hardcopy document; means for generating into a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; means controlled by data in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; means for generating, in a second digital form, data of the segment using a digitizing method specified by the authentication code; and means for verifying the authenticity of said hardcopy document by comparing the decrypted digital signature with the second digital form.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim 193 words
A computer program product having a computer readable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for verifying the authenticity of a presented hardcopy document provided with an authentication code, the authentication code including an edited digital form and a digital signature, the edited digital form comprising a digital form of a segment of the document, the program product comprising: means for reading from the hardcopy document the authentication code, which reading means includes means for reading the digital signature and the edited digital form of the document; means for decrypting said digital signature to obtain a decrypted digital signature; means for digitizing information content of the presented hardcopy document; means for generating into a presented digital form, digitized information content of the presented hardcopy document; means controlled by data in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type; means for generating, in a second digital form, data of the segment using a digitizing method specified by the authentication code; and means for verifying the authenticity of said hardcopy document by comparing the decrypted digital signature with the second digital form.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim 25 words
Computer program product of claim 54, wherein the digitizing method suitable for the data type contained in the segment is specified in the authentication code.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim 60 words
Computer program product of claim 54, further comprising: means for displaying the second digital form and the edited digital form; means for highlighting on a display, differences between the second digital form and the edited digital form; means for receiving input for correcting digitizing errors causing the differences, to improve the ability to verify the authenticity of the authenticated document.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim 44 words
Computer program product of claim 54, further comprising: means for displaying the presented digital form; and means for receiving input correcting damaged information content in the presented digital form of the presented hardcopy document to improve ability to verify authenticity of the authenticated document.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim 96 words
Computer program product of claim 54, wherein the presented hardcopy document comprises a plurality of segments and the edited digital form comprises an edited segment digital form of information of each of the plurality of segments of the authenticated document, the means controlled by data in the authentication code for logically dividing from the presented digital form, a segment containing information substantially of a single data type further comprising: means for comparing each segment digital form divided from the presented digital form with a corresponding edited segment digital form of each segment of the authenticated document.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim 62 words
Computer program product of claim 58 wherein the means for generating further comprises: means for reducing a segment digital form of each segment to obtain a reduced segment digital form for each segment; means for concatenating the reduced segment digital forms of the segments; and means for reducing the concatenated reduced digital forms of the segments to provide the second digital form.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim 37 words
Computer program product of claim 54, wherein the means for comparing further comprises: means for statistically comparing the decrypted digital signature with the second digital form in order to statistically verify the authenticity of the authenticated document.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-06-14 2002-12-14 2003-06-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-06-14 2006-12-14 2007-06-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-06-14 2010-12-14 2011-06-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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