System and method for document tracking
AssigneeOpen Invention Network, LLC
InventorWilliam Charles Easttom, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To enable tracking of a document's history, each time an electronic document is opened, an embedding module obtains one or more document history parameters. The document history parameters may include a MAC address or the computer used to open the document, an operating system, a file size of the document, time of opening the document, a user ID, etc. The embedding module encrypts the document history parameters and embeds them into the document, for example using steganography techniques.
Claims20
A method for electronic document tracking comprising:
- determining opening of an electronic document on a computer;
- determining at least two document history parameters to be encrypted and embedded in the electronic document, wherein at least one of the two document history parameters is associated with a unique identifier for the computer and at least another of the two document history parameters is associated with an identity of a user of the computer;
- embedding using visual and digital steganography within apparent blanks in the document in which both visual and digital steganography are hidden, the at least two document history parameters in the electronic document, wherein the document history parameters are a fixed and permanent part of the document and may not be at least one of deleted, changed and edited;
- determining whether the electronic document tracking has been disabled;
- overwriting and scrambling the electronic document upon determination that the electronic document tracking has been disabled;
- and
- deleting the scrambled electronic document upon determination that the electronic document tracking has been disabled.
A computer system comprising at least one processor, at least one memory operatively associated with the at least one processor, at least one application able to open an electronic document, and at least one embedding module executable on the at least one processor, the at least one embedding module programmed to:
- determine that an electronic document has been opened;
- determine at least two document history parameters to be encrypted and embedded, wherein at least one of the two document history parameters is associated with a unique identifier for the computer and at least another of the two document history parameters is associated with an identity of a user of the computer;
- store the at least two document history parameters in the electronic document using visual and digital steganography within apparent blanks in the document in which both visual and digital steganography are hidden, wherein the document history parameters are a fixed and permanent part of the document and may not be at least one of deleted, changed and edited;
- determine whether the electronic document tracking has been disabled;
- overwrite and scramble the electronic document upon determination that the electronic document tracking has been disabled;
- and
- delete the scrambled electronic document upon determination that the electronic document tracking has been disabled.
A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by at least one processor, that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
- determine that an electronic document has been opened;
- determine at least two document history parameters to be encrypted and embedded, wherein at least one of the two document history parameters is associated with a unique identifier for the computer and at least another of the two document history parameters is associated with an identity of a user of the computer;
- embed the at least two document history parameters in the electronic document using visual and digital steganography within apparent blanks in the document in which both visual and digital steganography are hidden, wherein the document history parameters are a fixed and permanent part of the document and may not be at least one of deleted, changed and edited;
- determining whether the electronic document tracking has been disabled;
- overwriting and scrambling the electronic document upon determination that the electronic document tracking has been disabled;
- and
- deleting the scrambled electronic document upon determination that the electronic document tracking has been disabled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.