System and method for authenticating data transmissions from a digital scanner

Abstract

A system and method are provided for authenticating data transmission between a network-connected digital scanner and a terminal. The method comprises: scanning a document at a digital scanner; signing the scanned document with a private key of a first asymmetric key-pair to create a first signature; transmitting the scanned document and first signature to a network-connected terminal; and, at the terminal, using a public key of the first key-pair to authenticate the transmitted document. Typically, signing the scanned document with a private key of a first asymmetric key-pair to create a first signature includes: creating a one-way hash function of the scanned document; and, encrypting the one-way hash function with the private key. Then, using a public key of the first key-pair to authenticate the transmitted scanned document includes: creating a one-way hash function of the transmitted document; decrypting the transmitted first signature with the public key; and, comparing the one-way hash function of the transmitted document to the decrypted signature. Some aspects of the method include the further steps of: at the digital scanner, establishing a user identity test, for example a PIN number, associated with the terminal; and submitting proof of user identity when a document is to be transmitted. Then, the scanned document and signature are transmitted in response to passing the user identity test, for example inputting the PIN number.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.