Patent ID: 6401206
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of creating a digital identity for a person suitable for use when digitally signing documents, the method comprising the steps of:generating a private digital representation of private information known only to the person, the private information including individual-specific questions and individual-specific answers provided by the person; generating a public digital representation of public information about the person; generating at least one public/private key pair for the person, and associating the private key with the person; generating at least one symmetric key, suitable for symmetric encryption/decryption, deduced from information including personal information; generating one or more sets of recoverable and non-recoverable personal identifiers based on public and private information including the individual-specific questions and individual-specific answers; encrypting the public and private digital representations, the private key of the public/private key pair and the personal identifiers using the symmetric key to generate the digital identity; and computation of multiple identity marks that are based upon data that is contained in and/or is derived from the digital identity, in particular the personal identifiers, as well as other information including a document and data that is unique to each instance of a signature on a digital document, wherein each instance of the signature is unique and verifiable by the owner of the digital identity, recipient(s) of the document and/or third parties verifying the signature and/or the digital document.