Patent US6915430B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6915430B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reliably identifying information of device generating digital signatures
Assignee: First Data Corp
•
Filing: 2003-02-01
•
Granted: 2005-07-05
•
Expires: 2023-02-01
Abstract
Abstract Information of a device that generates digital signatures is reliably identified by (a) for each of a plurality of devices manufactured in an environment, (i) creating a public-private key pair within the environment, (ii) linking within the environment in a secure manner the public key with other information associated with the device, and (iii) before release of the device from the environment, storing the private key within the device for generating a digital signature for an electronic message, and (b) thereafter, when a said linked public key successfully authenticates a digitally signed message, identifying the other information associated with said linked public key as pertaining to the device to which belongs the private key utilized in digitally signing the message. Manufacturing the devices includes creating a public-private key pair within the secure environment, and storing the private key within the device against the possibility of divulgement thereof by the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Anne M. Wheeler
- 👤 Lynn Henry Wheeler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:17
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L63/00; H04L63/04; H04L63/0428; G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/30; G06F21/31; G06F21/32; G06Q; G06Q20/00; G06Q20/02; G06Q20/04; G06Q20/08; G06Q20/085; G06Q20/0855; G06Q20/12; G06Q20/30; G06Q20/34; G06Q20/341; G06Q20/355; G06Q20/3558; G06Q20/36; G06Q20/367; G06Q20/3674; G06Q20/3676; G06Q20/38; G06Q20/382; G06Q20/3821; G06Q20/3823; G06Q20/3825; G06Q20/3829; G06Q20/385; G06Q20/388; G06Q20/40; G06Q20/401; G06Q20/4014; G06Q20/40145; G06Q20/403; G06Q20/409; G06Q20/4097; G06Q20/40975; G06Q50/00; G06Q50/10; G06Q50/18; G06Q50/188; G07; G07F; G07F7/00; G07F7/08; G07F7/0873; G07F7/088; G07F7/0886; G07F7/10; G07F7/1008; G07F7/1016; H04L63/0442; H04L63/06; H04L63/062; H04L63/08; H04L63/0823; H04L63/083; H04L63/12; H04L9/00; H04L9/32; H04L9/321; H04L9/3247; G06F2221/00; G06F2221/21; G06F2221/2113; H04L2209/00; H04L2209/42; H04L2209/56
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A method in which information of a device that generates digital signatures is reliably identified, comprising the steps of, (a) for each of a plurality of devices manufactured in a secure manufacturing environment, (i) creating, within the secure manufacturing environment, a public-private key pair, (ii) linking, within the secure manufacturing environment, the public key with other information associated with the device, wherein the other information comprises at least one of security features and manufacturing history of the device and wherein the other information defines a relative security level of the device, and (iii) before release of the device from the secure manufacturing environment, storing the private key within the device for utilization in generating a digital signature for an electronic message, (b) recording the linked public key and other information in a database and maintaining the database in a secure environment having a security rating at least comparable to the security level of the device for which the public key thereof is linked, (c) thereafter, when a public key linked in step (a)(ii) successfully authenticates a digitally signed message outside of the secure manufacturing environment, identifying from the database the other information to which the public key was linked in step (a)(ii) as pertaining to the device to which belongs the private key utilized in digitally signing the message without use of a digital certificate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
225 words
A method in which information of a device that generates digital signatures is reliably identified, comprising the steps of, (a) for each of a plurality of devices manufactured in a secure manufacturing environment, (i) creating, within the secure manufacturing environment, a public-private key pair, (ii) linking, within the secure manufacturing environment, the public key with other information associated with the device, wherein the other information comprises at least one of security features and manufacturing history of the device and wherein the other information defines a relative security level of the device, and (iii) before release of the device from the secure manufacturing environment, storing the private key within the device for utilization in generating a digital signature for an electronic message, (b) recording the linked public key and other information in a database and maintaining the database in a secure environment having a security rating at least comparable to the security level of the device for which the public key thereof is linked, (c) thereafter, when a public key linked in step (a)(ii) successfully authenticates a digitally signed message outside of the secure manufacturing environment, identifying from the database the other information to which the public key was linked in step (a)(ii) as pertaining to the device to which belongs the private key utilized in digitally signing the message without use of a digital certificate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the other information is identified by a recipient of the digitally signed message.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the other information is identified to a recipient of the digitally signed message.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising gauging a risk that the private key was fraudulently used to digitally sign the message based at least in part on said identified other information of step (b).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein, for each device, the other information comprises security characteristics of the device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the security characteristics of a respective manufactured device include an algorithm used by the device in originating digital signatures.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein, for each device, the other information comprises authentication capabilities of the device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the authentication capabilities include whether the device performs authentication based on a Secret and authentication based on a biometric characteristic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein, for each device, the other information comprises all of the security features of the device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure environment includes multiple physical locations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message represents a financial transaction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message represents a legal action.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message represents a request for access to information.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message represents a request for access to a physical location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein, for each of the plurality of manufactured devices, the public-private key pair is generated within each respective device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein only the public key of each pair is exportable from the respective device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the private key is not exportable from the respective device.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of manufacturing devices that generate digital signatures such that each device may be reliably and uniquely identified without use of a digital certificate, the devices being manufactured within a secure manufacturing environment, comprising the steps of, for each respective device: (a) creating, within the secure manufacturing environment, a public-private key pair, (b) before release of the device from the secure manufacturing environment, storing the private key within the device for utilization in generating a digital signature for an electronic message, the private key being stored within the device against the possibility of divulgement thereof by the device, (c) securely linking, within the secure manufacturing environment, the public key with other information, wherein the other information comprises at least one of security features and manufacturing history of the device and wherein the other information defines a relative security level of the device, and (d) recording the linked public key and other information in a database and maintaining the database in a secure environment having a security rating at least comparable to the security level of the device for which the public key thereof is linked.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of manufacturing devices that generate digital signatures such that each device may be reliably and uniquely identified without use of a digital certificate, the devices being manufactured within a secure manufacturing environment, comprising the steps of, for each respective device: (a) creating, within the secure manufacturing environment, a public-private key pair, (b) before release of the device from the secure manufacturing environment, storing the private key within the device for utilization in generating a digital signature for an electronic message, the private key being stored within the device against the possibility of divulgement thereof by the device, (c) securely linking, within the secure manufacturing environment, the public key with other information, wherein the other information comprises at least one of security features and manufacturing history of the device and wherein the other information defines a relative security level of the device, and (d) recording the linked public key and other information in a database and maintaining the database in a secure environment having a security rating at least comparable to the security level of the device for which the public key thereof is linked.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the public-private key pair is created within the device based on a random number produced by a random number generator disposed within the device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein the random number generator is a high quality random number generator.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein only the public key is exportable from the device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 19 , wherein each digital signature generated by each device is a random number.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the other information comprises security characteristics of the device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 18 , further comprising identifying a particular manufactured device by authenticating a message using one of said linked public keys, a digital signature for the message having been generated by the particular manufactured device.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
248 words
A method in which information of a device that generates digital signatures is reliably identified, comprising the steps of: (a) for each of a plurality of devices manufactured in a secure manufacturing environment, before release of the device from the secure manufacturing environment: (i) creating a public-private key pair; (ii) storing the private key within the device for utilization in generating digital signatures for electronic messages; and (iii) linking the public key with other information associated with the device, wherein the other information defines a relative security level of the device; (b) for each of the plurality of devices manufactured in the secure manufacturing environment: (i) originating a digital signature for a reference, the reference including the public key and the other information of the device, the digital signature for the reference generated by a private key of a Secure Entity; (ii) publishing the reference and digital signature therefor, and; (iii) maintaining the private key of the Secure Entity in a secure environment outside of the device, wherein the secure environment has a security rating that is at least comparable to the security level of the device to which the reference pertains; and (c) thereafter, when a public key linked in step (a)(iii) successfully authenticates a digitally signed message, identifying the other information to which the public key was linked in step (a)(iii) as pertaining to the device to which belongs the private key utilized in digitally signing the message based on a successful authentication of the reference.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
248 words
A method in which information of a device that generates digital signatures is reliably identified, comprising the steps of: (a) for each of a plurality of devices manufactured in a secure manufacturing environment, before release of the device from the secure manufacturing environment: (i) creating a public-private key pair; (ii) storing the private key within the device for utilization in generating digital signatures for electronic messages; and (iii) linking the public key with other information associated with the device, wherein the other information defines a relative security level of the device; (b) for each of the plurality of devices manufactured in the secure manufacturing environment: (i) originating a digital signature for a reference, the reference including the public key and the other information of the device, the digital signature for the reference generated by a private key of a Secure Entity; (ii) publishing the reference and digital signature therefor, and; (iii) maintaining the private key of the Secure Entity in a secure environment outside of the device, wherein the secure environment has a security rating that is at least comparable to the security level of the device to which the reference pertains; and (c) thereafter, when a public key linked in step (a)(iii) successfully authenticates a digitally signed message, identifying the other information to which the public key was linked in step (a)(iii) as pertaining to the device to which belongs the private key utilized in digitally signing the message based on a successful authentication of the reference.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the other information comprises at least one of security features and manufacturing history of the device.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the Secure Entity is the manufacturer of the device.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the Secure Entity is not the manufacturer of the device.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the secure environment includes multiple physical locations.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-07-04 | 2009-01-03 | 2009-07-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-07-04 | 2013-01-03 | 2013-07-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-07-04 | 2017-01-03 | 2017-07-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |