Methods and systems for data authentication services
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsClayton C. Bonnell, Kelley A. Sullivan
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Abstract
Methods and systems for electronic document authentication are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of generating an electronic postmark includes receiving, via a server, a request message from an electronic network, the request message comprising request data including payload data and meta data, generating a timestamp in response to receiving the message, hashing the payload data to generate a payload hash, digitally signing the metadata, the payload hash, and the timestamp to generate a digital signature, generating a response message, the response message generated to comprise the metadata, the payload hash, the timestamp, and the digital signature; and transmitting the response message onto the electronic network.
Claims16
A method of generating an electronic postmark, comprising:
- receiving, via a server hardware computer, a request message from an electronic network, the request message comprising payload data and metadata;
- generating via the server hardware computer, a timestamp in response to receiving the message;
- hashing the payload data to generate a payload hash;
- digitally signing the metadata, the payload hash, and the timestamp to generate a digital signature;
- generating a data structure, the data structure comprising the metadata, the payload hash, the timestamp, and the digital signature;
- embedding the data structure into a verification image;
- and
- transmitting via the server hardware computer, the verification image onto the electronic network.
An apparatus for generating an electronic postmark, comprising:
- an electronic hardware processor;
- an electronic hardware memory, operably connected to the processor, and storing instructions for the processor, the instructions organized into:
- a service oriented architecture module, configured to cause the electronic hardware processor to receive a request message from an electronic network, the request message comprising request data including payload data and metadata;
- a timestamping module, configured to cause the electronic hardware processor to generate a timestamp in response to receiving the message;
- a hashing module, configured to cause the electronic hardware processor to hash the payload data to generate a payload hash;
- a digital signing module, configured to cause the electronic hardware processor to digitally sign the metadata, the payload hash, and the timestamp to generate a digital signature,
- wherein the service oriented architecture module is further configured to cause the electronic hardware processor to:
- generate a data structure, data structure comprising the metadata, the payload hash, the timestamp, and the digital signature,
- embedding at least a portion of the data structure into a verification image;
- and
- transmit the verification image onto the electronic network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.