Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-18
2001-06-12
Trammell, James P. (Department: 2761)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Protection at a particular protocol layer
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247133
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for authenticating electronic documents on a computer network, and particularly to a method for incorporating a document identifier into an electronic document and comparing this document identifier to records stored in a data source to authenticate the author of an electronic document, and more particularly to a method of authenticating World Wide Web documents located on the Internet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The growing proliferation of content providers on large corporate, government, or public computer networks, such as the Internet, has lead to an increase in the amount of false or misleading information present on these networks. This, in turn, has created a need for a workable system for authenticating the electronic documents on these networks, and for preventing authors from improperly presenting that their content has been reviewed and/or verified by the appropriate authority. This problem is explained below in more detail in regard to the Internet.
The Internet is a vast “network of networks” connecting a large number of computer networks and sub-networks to each other through several regional backbone systems. The Internet is a “decentralized” network, which means that each computer on the network can communicate with each other computer on the network and can do so without communicating with a central computer. The Internet is a “packet-switched” network, which means that information is transmitted among each of the computers using “packets” of data which are routed from one system to the next. One portion of the Internet, the World Wide Web (“Web”), is growing at a rapid pace, as more and more businesses go online.
The Web is the most popular segment of the Internet today because it allows users to interact with each other and access content through a graphical user interface, or “GUI.” The most commonly used GUI's are Web browsers, which are software applications that allow users to access and view electronic documents in a browser window. Web documents are created using Hypertext Markup Language (“HTML”), which allows authors to added special format tags to plain text documents to control the appearance of the text in the Web browser. HTML tags also allow for the insertion of additional components into the Web document, such as image files, audio files, and “applets.” Applets are small pieces of programming code that are run on the user's computer when downloaded. Applets allow for such effects as scrolling text and animation.
Hypertext links may also be added to a Web document to allow users to access another document, file, or application directly from the browser window. When a hypertext link is activated, the Web browser sends a request to the location where the linked document is stored, which is received by the Web server operating at that location. This is accomplished by using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”) which is special instruction protocol used for transferring information over the Web. The location of the document is specified by the document's universal resource locator (“URL”). For example, “http://www.ipwarehouse.com/Cyber_Registry.html”.
The total number of Web documents and Web sites (locations on the Internet where businesses, organizations, or individuals store their Web documents for viewing over the Internet) is increasing exponentially. This fact, coupled with the relative ease with which these documents can be created and made available, and the relative anonymity available to their authors, it has been an increasing problem that a growing portion of Web pages may contain false or misleading information, which can be a danger to the public and harmful to other businesses and organizations.
For example, a Web site or document providing false or misleading medical information as to the effects or proper use of medication could be potentially devastating if relied upon. A Web site which contains misleading legal information could also be harmful to the public. It is possible to cite similar examples from every segment of society.
Accordingly, a system is needed whereby users could authenticate the author of a Web document and determine whether the content of the Web document has been reviewed and/or verified by the appropriate authority. Such a system must be easily accessible by and readily apparent to users, and must be supported by the laws and regulations applicable to the nature of the content in that Web document.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a system for authenticating electronic documents on a computer network, such as the Internet.
It is another object of the invention to detect unauthorized electronic documents which are improperly presented as being properly reviewed and/or verified by the appropriate authority.
It is a further object of the invention to detect unauthorized electronic documents which are improperly presented as being properly reviewed and/or verified by the appropriate authority and to automatically notify this authority of the details of this unauthorized use.
Another object of the invention is to prevent authors of electronic documents from improperly presenting their electronic documents as having been properly reviewed and/or verified by the appropriate authority.
Further objects of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on the disclosure of the invention herein and in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a method for verifying the source of an electronic document located on a computer network. A document identifier is incorporated into the electronic document, which contains identifying information related to the electronic document and/or the document identifier. An information request signal is generated and is transmitted to an information storage system which contains information about the electronic document and/or the document identifier, such as location information designating the location of the electronic document on the computer network.
A reply signal is then generated and returned based upon a comparison of the information request signal with the information about the electronic document.
In another embodiment of the invention, a verification signal containing the identifying information and location information related to the location of the electronic document on the computer network is generated when the document identifier is activated, and is transmitted to a verification computer or server.
The verification server accesses a data source to retrieve an identification record and a location record for the electronic document. These records are compared with the verification signal, and a reply signal is generated, which is transmitted back to the document viewer. If the information in the verification signal does not match the information contained in the information and location records, then an error message may also be generated, which is sent to a designated recipient as notification of the error.
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Cona, Jr. Frank A.
Palage Michael D.
Cona Frank A.
Cona Frank A.
Elisca Pierre E.
Trammell James P.
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