Method and apparatus for providing geographically authenticated electronic documents

A method of improved searching for electronic documents on a computer network comprising the steps of:

• providing a geographic location to a query interface;
• searching for electronic documents within an authenticated digital certificate database that match the geographic location;
• and
• returning an authenticated set of electronic document addresses.

A method of improved searching for electronic documents on a computer network comprising the steps of:

• parsing a keyword query;
• determining that a geographic search is indicated based upon the identification of geographic terms in the keyword query;
• performing a keyword search on an index of the electronic documents;
• and
• performing a geographic search on records in an authenticated digital certificate database.

A memory for storing data for access by an application program being executed on a data processing system, comprising:

• a data structure stored in said memory, said data structure including:
• a plurality of data objects stored in said memory, each of said data objects containing:
• a header for identifying the data structure as an authenticated digital certificate comprising at least a geographic location associated with the electronic document;
• and
• a set of basic attributes associated with the electronic document comprising at least one of a certificate ID, a name, a Uniform Resource Locator and the geographic location.

An apparatus authenticating an electronic document stored on a computer network comprising:

• an electronic document associated with an electronic address and a geographic location;
• an authentication unit authenticating the geographic location;
• an authenticated digital certificate comprising the electronic address and the authenticated geographic location;
• and
• an authenticated digital certificate database storing the authenticated digital certificate.

An apparatus providing improved searching of electronic documents on a computer network comprising:

• a query interface providing for input of a geographic location;
• an authenticated digital certificate database providing searching for electronic documents that match the geographic location;
• and
• an authenticated set of electronic document addresses returned from the authenticated digital certificate database.

An apparatus providing improved searching of electronic documents on a computer network comprising:

• an input unit parsing a keyword query;
• a logic unit determining that a geographic search is indicated based upon the identification of geographic terms in the keyword query;
• and
• a searching unit performing a keyword search on an index of the electronic documents and a geographic search on records in an authenticated digital certificate database.

An apparatus providing authentication with respect to an electronic document stored on a computer network comprising:

• a means for identifying an electronic address associated with the electronic document;
• a means for identifying a geographic location associated with the electronic document;
• a means for authenticating the geographic location;
• a means for creating an authenticated digital certificate comprising the authenticated geographic location;
• and
• a means for storing the authenticated digital certificate in an authenticated digital certificate database.

An apparatus providing improved searching for electronic documents on a computer network comprising:

• a query interface for providing input of a geographic location;
• a means for searching for electronic documents within an authenticated digital certificate database that match the geographic location;
• and
• a means for returning an authenticated set of electronic document addresses.

An apparatus providing improved searching for electronic documents on a computer network comprising:

• a means for parsing a keyword query;
• a means for determining that an attribute search is indicated;
• a means for performing a keyword search on an index of the electronic documents;
• and
• a means for performing a geographic search on records in an authenticated digital certificate database.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium providing authentication with respect to an electronic document stored on a computer network;
• a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer usable medium, including instructions to:
• identify an electronic address associated with the electronic document;
• identify a geographic location associated with the electronic document;
• authenticate the geographic location;
• create an authenticated digital certificate comprising the authenticated geographic location;
• and
• store the authenticated digital certificate in an authenticated digital certificate database.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium providing improved searching for electronic documents on a computer network;
• a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer usable medium, including instructions to:
• provide a geographic location to a query interface;
• provide a keyword to the query interface;
• search for electronic documents within an authenticated digital certificate database that match the geographic location;
• and
• return an authenticated set of electronic document addresses.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium providing improved searching for electronic documents on a computer network;
• a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer usable medium, including instructions to:
• parse a keyword query;
• determine that a geographic search is indicated based upon the identification of geographic terms in the keyword query;
• perform a keyword search on an index of the electronic documents;
• and
• perform a geographic search on records in an authenticated digital certificate database.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium providing improved viewing of an electronic document on a computer network;
• a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer usable medium, including instructions to:
• present, in a structured format, an electronic address associated with the authenticated digital certificate;
• and
• display a representation of the authenticated digital certificate based upon selection of the electronic address.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium verifying the integrity of a stored authenticated digital certificate;
• a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer usable medium, including instructions to:
• obtain an electronic document address from the stored authenticated digital certificate;
• and
• establish the existence of an electronic document associated with the electronic document address.