Patent ID: 6601102
Filing Date: 2003-07-29
Classification: G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
A method for operating on a network a secure document server that receives from a holder of a document token a request for a copy of a document identified by the document token, the document token including issuer content and a signature from an issuer and holder content and a signature from the holder, said method comprising the steps of:locating in the issuer content a document identifier, a public key of the issuer, and a public key of the holder; the document identifier specifying where the document is stored on the network; authenticating the issuer content of the document identifier with the public key of the issuer; locating in the holder content of the document a time stamp; the time stamp identifying when the holder of the document token requested the copy of the document; authenticating the holder content of the document identifier with the public key of the holder; authenticating the time stamp by verifying that the time stamp is within a predetermined window of time; and issuing, to the holder of the document identifier, a copy of the document identified by the document identifier when the issuer content and the holder content are positively authenticated by said authenticating steps; said issuing step providing secure access to the document without prior knowledge of the public key of the holder.