Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Particular communication authentication technique
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-06
2002-02-12
Peeso, Thomas R. (Department: 2132)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Particular communication authentication technique
C713S169000, C713S176000, C713S178000, C380S277000, C380S282000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06347373
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the protected storage of data from message traffic. Said message traffic may comprise a call between two or more individuals who each make use of a telephone or other communication appliance. The data may, however, also be derived from a communication which is recorded by a user of a telephone on a tape of another individual. Finally, the data may be derived from completely digital message traffic which takes place between two or more automatically functioning appliances which exchange data without direct intervention of individuals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
The International Patent Application WO/A-96/10314 describes a method and a device for communicating between two telecommunication appliances, for example fax machines or telephones. Use for E-mail is also claimed. Said patent application proceeds from the problem that message traffic between two telecommunication appliances has sometimes to be certified so that it can later be proved that the respective message traffic has taken place on a certain date and at a certain time. The device is provided with a matrix switch which is arranged between the two mutually communicating telecommunication appliances. With the aid of the matrix switch, a three-party call can be organized between the two telecommunication appliances and certification means. To that end, one of the parties makes a request that will be handled by the matrix switch. After such a three-party call has been set up, the contents of the message traffic will also be passed to the certification means, where the contents are provided with delivery attributes. Such delivery attributes may comprise the telephone number of the telecommunication appliances, the date and the time. The certification means ensure that the contents of the message traffic are provided with such attributes and then despatched to the individual who has involved the service. This takes place in the form of, for example, paper copies of the contents of the message traffic to which the attributes have been attached. Such papers are then despatched to the individual who has involved the service via the normal post.
A disadvantage of the known device and the service thereby provided is that no measures have been taken for the reliable protection of the contents of the message traffic. There are too many ways of subsequently manipulating the contents of the message traffic or the attributes. If paper copies of the contents of the message traffic have later to serve as evidence, declarations made under oath by employees of, for example, the certification means will therefore still be necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,982 discloses a method of transmitting and receiving messages between two or more parties via an electronic communication route. The object of this known method is to arrange for the communication to proceed in such a way that all the parties are certain of the actions taken. After the communication has ended, each sender of a message is certain that the recipient has received the message, while the recipient is certain that he has received the correct message. The method described may be used, for example, in the electronic conclusion of a contract, in which both parties wish to receive a copy, “signed” by the other party, more or less at the same time. For this purpose, the method makes use of a reliable third party (“trusted third party”). In this connection, said reliable third party is an intermediary between the communicating parties and interrupts the direct communication between the parties. For messages of short duration this may be a good option, but for calls of longer duration or message traffic of longer duration, indirect communication is impractical. In addition, said U.S. patent specification does not relate to safe storage of calls or messages, for example with a date/time stamp.
The company VoiceLog LLC, 9509 Hanover South Trail, Charlotte, N.C. 28210, offers via the Internet (www.voicelog.comm) a service for the automatic storage of the contents of a call. The call takes place between two parties, the VoiceLog system being added as third party in a three-party conference call. The VoiceLog system can be added in this way by both of the two parties. The VoiceLog system provides the individual involving the service with a unique record ID number which is a reference to the memory location within the VoiceLog system where the contents of the call are stored and where the contents can therefore be retrieved again later. The individual involving the service provides the system with an authorization code with which he has to identify himself later in order to be able to request the contents. A disadvantage of the known system is that the use of a conference call is necessary for this purpose, which is more expensive than a normal call. A further disadvantage is that only the identity of the individual involving the service is recorded and not that of the other party. In addition, the individual involving the service can later acquire access to the contents of the call and has the possibility of altering the contents subsequently, which is often undesirable. Finally, it is not ensured that the contents of the call are not accessible later for the VoiceLog system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,643 describes a method and a device for applying a digital date/time stamp to a digital document. Making use of a “digital notary” is dismissed in said document as impractical. A device is described with which an owner of a digital document can apply the desired date/time stamp himself. The device itself is attacker-proof insofar as any attempt to manipulate the clock present in it will not remain unnoticed because of the physical damage to the device necessary for that purpose. The method described for applying the digital date/time stamp makes use of known elements, such as the generation of random numbers, secret private keys, public keys, digital signatures, the creation of a “hash” of a document to be stamped (in U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,643, a “hash” is defined as a unidirectional coding with a fixed length of the document), etc. The device and method described do not relate to protected storage with date/time stamp of electronic calls between two or more callers.
Various publications relate to the provision of a date/time stamp on a document which occupies a certain position in a series, for example diary entries or entries in a laboratory logbook. In this connection, it is important that the date and time of the entries are recorded unambiguously and that they cannot be altered unnoticed. Systems and procedures for this purpose are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,700 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,579. With the aid of cryptographic procedures, including digital signatures, private keys, public keys, the calculation of a “hash” of the document to be provided with a stamp, the desired data, including the author of the document, the date/time, the document and an ID of the appliance which has applied the stamp are recorded.
A method of identifying a user of a system with the aid of a voice password check is disclosed, for example, in EP-A-0,444,351.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is the incontestable and reliable recording of the contents of message traffic with authentication of either the participants in the message traffic which takes place via a telecommunication link or of one or more of the respective communication appliances used.
A further object of the invention is that such recorded message traffic cannot be played back later by individuals other than the parties without the collaboration and agreement of at least one of the parties. In addition, an object is to ensure that the recorded contents cannot be altered later.
To fulfil said object, the invention relates to a method for protected storage of data from message traffic taking place between at least two communication appliances, comprising the following steps:
a. the setting-up of a telecommunication link between at least a first
Aldenhuijsen Christianus Wilhelmus Henricus Maria
Camps Johannes Marinus Antonius
Hoepman Jaap Henk
Landsmeer Paul
Neuijen Saskia Maria Josefina Gerarda
Koninklijke KPN N.V.
Peeso Thomas R.
Young & Thompson
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