Mechanism for storing authenticity information about a written or printed document

Abstract

A mechanism for storing authenticity information about a written or printed document. This authenticity information may be stored in a publicly-accessible database. When a document patterned with electronic ink is to be verified, the verifier examines the electronic ink under magnification. The verifier locates start and end pattern markers within the ink, and extracts the pattern from the ink. Once the pattern is obtained, the verifier performs a lookup of the pattern in the database. If the pattern is found, the verifier obtains information associated with the pattern from the database. The verifier may then use this information to verify the authenticity of the document.

1 . A method for verifying authenticity of a physical document, the method comprising: 
 examining a handwritten signature in the physical document formed in patterned electronic ink;    extracting a microscopic pattern embedded in the handwritten signature formed in the patterned electronic ink;    obtaining information associated with the extracted microscopic pattern from a database; and    verifying the authenticity of the handwritten signature in the physical document using the information obtained from the database.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 locating the pattern in the patterned electronic ink using special markers to identify a start and end of the pattern.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern embedded in the handwritten signature represents a unique identification for at least one of an entity or event.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern embedded in the handwritten signature is a bit string comprising a serial number.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern embedded in the handwritten signature comprises binary values.  
   
   
       6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern embedded in the handwritten signature is generated using a cryptographic checksum.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the pattern comprises at least one of an entity name, an event name, and a document publish date.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database is a publicly-accessible database.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the pattern comprises information regarding at least one of a signer or issuer of the document.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database comprises a plurality of pattern entries and associated information for each pattern entry.  
   
   
       12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the document is marked using at least one of an electronic ink filled pen and an electronic ink filled cartridge.  
   
   
       14 . A system for verifying authenticity of a physical document, the system comprising: 
 examining means for examining a handwritten signature in the physical document formed in patterned electronic ink;    extracting means for extracting a microscopic pattern embedded in the handwritten signature formed in the patterned electronic ink;    obtaining means for obtaining information associated with the extracted microscopic pattern from a database; and    verifying means for verifying the authenticity of the handwritten signature in the physical document using the information obtained from the database.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 locating means for locating the pattern in the patterned electronic ink using special markers to identify a start and end of the pattern.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the pattern embedded in the handwritten signature represents a unique identification for at least one of an entity or event.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the pattern embedded in the handwritten signature is a bit string comprising a serial number.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the pattern embedded in the handwritten signature comprises binary values.  
   
   
       19 . A computer program product for verifying authenticity of a physical document, the computer program product comprising: 
 a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein;    computer readable program code configured to examine a handwritten signature in the physical document formed in patterned electronic ink;    computer readable program code configured to extract a microscopic pattern embedded in the handwritten signature formed in the patterned electronic ink;    computer readable program code configured to obtain information associated with the extracted microscopic pattern from a database; and    computer readable program code configured to verify the authenticity of the handwritten signature in the physical document using the information obtained from the database.    
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 computer readable program code configured to locate the pattern in the patterned electronic ink using special markers to identify a start and end of the pattern.