Method and device to timestamp a digital image

A method to time stamp digital images providing a proof that a digital image has been acquired after a first date, said date being named “posteriority” date and before a second date, said date being named “anteriority” date, comprising the steps of:

• building with a first server, prior to or at a date of posteriority, a first previously unknown code;
• transmitting by the first server at the posteriority date the first previously unknown code;
• storing in the first server a combination of the posteriority date and the first previously unknown code;
• receiving with a second server at an anteriority date a first digital image of a joint representation of a subject and of the first previously unknown code and computing a first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image or alternatively receiving directly with the second server at the anteriority date the first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image;
• storing with the second server a combination of the first electronic fingerprint and the anteriority date;
• receiving with a third server a second previously unknown code or alternatively receiving with the third server a second digital image including a representation of a second previously unknown code and determining the second previously unknown code from the second digital image;
• searching in a database of the first server the first previously unknown code corresponding to the second previously unknown code;
• and
• in case the second previously unknown code corresponds to the first previously unknown code, transmitting with the third server the posteriority date corresponding to the stored combination of the first previously unknown code and the posteriority date.

A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for processing image data comprising:

• computer code for building, prior to or at a date of posteriority, a previously unknown code;
• computer code for transmitting at the posteriority date the previously unknown code;
• computer code for storing a combination of the posteriority date and the previously unknown code;
• computer code for receiving at an anteriority date a first digital image of a joint representation of a subject and of the previously unknown code and computing a first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image or alternatively for receiving directly at the anteriority date the first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image;
• computer code for storing a combination of the first electronic fingerprint and the anteriority date;
• computer code for receiving a second digital image and computing a second digital fingerprint or alternatively receiving directly the second electronic fingerprint of the second digital image;
• computer code for searching in a database the first electronic fingerprint corresponding to the second electronic fingerprint;
• and
• computer code for transmitting the anteriority date corresponding to the stored combination of the first electronic fingerprint and the anteriority date in case the second electronic fingerprint corresponds to the first electronic fingerprint stored in the database.

A device to time stamp digital images comprising:

• at least one server configured to certify an anteriority of digital files, equipped with a system to measure time;
• a processor;
• a memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to compute electronic fingerprints of digital files;
• an interface to receive data;
• and an additional interface to transmit data;
• wherein said instructions stored, when executed by the processor:
• generate at a first date, said date being named the “posteriority” date, a previously unknown code and store a combination of the previously unknown code and the posteriority date;
• transmit the previously unknown code;
• receive at a second date, said date being named the “anteriority” date, a first digital image of a joint representation of a subject and of the previously unknown code and compute a first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image or alternatively receive directly the first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image;
• and
• store in the memory a combination of the first electronic fingerprint and the anteriority date;
• wherein one of the at least one server is configured to receive a second digital image and compute a second electronic fingerprint or alternatively to receive directly the second electronic fingerprint of the second digital image, to search the memory for the first electronic fingerprint corresponding to the second electronic fingerprint and in case the second electronic fingerprint is corresponding to the first electronic fingerprint, to transmit the anteriority date associated with the combination of the first electronic fingerprint and the anteriority date stored in the memory.

A device to time stamp digital images comprising:

• at least one server configured to certify an anteriority of digital files, equipped with a system to measure time;
• a processor;
• a memory in electronic communication with the processor;
• instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to compute electronic fingerprints of digital files;
• an interface to receive data;
• and an additional interface to transmit data;
• wherein said instructions stored, when executed by the processor:
• generate at a first date, said date being named the “posteriority” date, a first previously unknown code and store a combination of the first previously unknown code and the posteriority date;
• transmit the first previously unknown code;
• receive at a second date, said date being named the “anteriority” date, a first digital image of a joint representation of a subject and of the first previously unknown code and compute a first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image or alternatively receive directly the first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image;
• and
• store in the memory a combination of the first electronic fingerprint and the anteriority date;
• wherein one of the at least one server is configured to execute by the processor the instructions stored to receive a second previously unknown code or alternatively to receive a second digital image incorporating the representation of a second previously unknown code and to perform image analysis instructions to analyze the second digital image in order to determine the second previously unknown code;
• to search the memory for the first previously unknown code stored and corresponding to the second previously unknown code, and in case the second previously unknown code is corresponding to the first previously unknown code, to transmit the posteriority date associated to the combination of the first previously unknown code and the posteriority date stored in the memory.

A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for processing image data comprising:

• computer code for building, prior to or at a date of posteriority, a first previously unknown code;
• computer code for transmitting at the posteriority date the first previously unknown code;
• computer code for storing a combination of the posteriority date and the first previously unknown code;
• computer code for receiving at an anteriority date a first digital image of a joint representation of a subject and of the first previously unknown code and computing a first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image or alternatively receiving directly with the second server at the anteriority date the first electronic fingerprint of the first digital image;
• computer code for storing a combination of the first electronic fingerprint and the anteriority date;
• computer code for receiving a second previously unknown code or alternatively receiving a second digital image including a representation of a second previously unknown code and determining the second previously unknown code from the second digital image;
• computer code for searching in a database the first previously unknown code corresponding to the second previously unknown code;
• and
• computer code for transmitting the posteriority date corresponding to the stored combination of the first previously unknown code and the posteriority date in case the second previously unknown code corresponds to the first previously unknown code.