Method and apparatus for the secure identification of the owner of a portable device

Abstract

An authentication system is provided that includes a portable device and a decryption node. An individual uses the portable device, such as a portable device like a cell phone to compute a challenge and a response. The challenge and response is sent to a decryption node. In response, the decryption node computes a presumed response and compares the presumed response to the response of the portable device, in order to authenticate the individual associated with the portable device.

1 . A method for generating a digitally signed document, comprising the steps of:
 registering a portable device to a participating entity;   generating, by the portable device, an authorization code corresponding to the portable device;   transmitting, to a certification server, the authorization code and transaction data;   identifying, by the certification server, the participating entity that corresponds to the portable device that transmitted the authorization code;   retrieving data corresponding to the identified participating entity from a database; and   digitally signing the received transaction data.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 encrypting, by the portable device, the transaction data prior to transmission to the certification server; and   decrypting, by the certification server, the received transaction data.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authorization code is a dynamic authorization code. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authorization code is a one time password. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital signature is in accordance with public-key cryptography standards (PKCS). 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of computing the digital signature using the certification server's private key. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of computing the digital signature using the participating entity's private key. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the participating entity is the portable device. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting the digitally signed document to the participating entity. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting the digitally signed document to a specified address. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portable device's authorization code is entered in a personal computer, and wherein the authorization code and transaction data are transmitted from the personal computer to the certification server.