Method and apparatus for securing and authenticating encoded data and documents containing such data

A method for securing and authenticating data and a medium on which the data is stored, including the steps of:

• (a) a first memory means for storing information;
• (b) a second memory means having a first point and a second point on which data is spatially encoded;
• and
• (c) read apparatus means having a leading read head and a trailing read head spaced apart by a known distance,
• whereby the distance between said first point and said second point on said second memory means is determined by said leading and trailing read apparatus heads;
• and
• wherein the information stored in said first memory means is encrypted using a key stored in an encrypted format on said second memory means.

A method for securing and authenticating data and a medium on which the data is stored, including the steps of:

• (a) spatially encoding data on a storage medium;
• (b) providing a second memory means;
• (c) providing a read apparatus having a leading read head and a trailing read head spaced apart by a known distance;
• (d) determining the distance between a first point and a second point on said storage medium whereby the first point and second point are detected by said leading and trailing read apparatus heads;
• (e) calculating a signature associated with the distance between arbitrary pairs of points on said storage medium;
• and
• (f) encrypting the information stored on said memory means using the calculated signature as the encryption key.

A secure data storage system consisting of a chip card incorporating a secondary spatially encoded memory device with enhanced security for storing information including:

• (a) spatially encoding data on a storage medium means
• (b) providing a second memory means;
• (c) providing a read apparatus having a leading read head and a trailing read head spaced apart by a known distance;
• (d) determining the distance between a first point and a second point on said storage medium whereby the first point and second point are detected by said leading and trailing read apparatus heads;
• (e) calculating a signature associated with the distance between arbitrary pairs of points on said storage medium
• (f) encrypting the information stored on said memory means using the calculated signature as the encryption key;
• and
• (g) a chip card containing data encoded with a encryption key generated from said signature.

A secure data storage system including:

• (a) a first memory means for storing information;
• and
• (b) a second memory means on which data is spatially encoded;
• (c) wherein the information that is stored in the first memory means is encrypted using a signature derived from deviations in the spacing of arbitrary points of the data encoded on the second memory means;
• and
• (d) further wherein the distance between a first point and a second point on a storage medium is determined, whereby the first point and second point are detected by a leading and trailing read apparatus spaced apart by a known distance.