Method and system for the supply of data, transactions and electronic voting
View Patent ↗A method and system for supply of data, including generating a first digital certificate referred (empowerment certificate) signed with a first signing entity's electronic signature. The empowerment certificate includes attributes of the described entity, information identifying the first signing entity, indication of data relating to the described entity, indication of a source of the data, and identification of a relying entity to which the data can be supplied. The relying entity forwards the empowerment certificate to a source supplying the data indicated in the empowerment certificate. The data may be supplied to the relying entity by a second digital certificate (custom certificate), signed with a second signing entity's electronic signature. Custom certificates may appear in custom certificate revocation lists. A system and method for transfer of ownership of electronic property from a first entity to a second entity, and a method and system for electronic voting are also provided.
1. A system for generating a digital empowerment certificate signed with a digital signature by a signing entity, the system comprising:
one or more computer devices configured to:
determine the digital signature;
set a period of validity;
generate the digital empowerment certificate with one or more attributes of a described entity, one or more attributes of the of an electronic property, one or more attributes identifying the signing entity, and the period of validity; and
append the digital signature to the digital empowerment certificate,
wherein the digital empowerment certificate is a computer-readable file that, when processed by the one or more computer devices, establishes an assignment of ownership of the electronic property from the signing entity to a relying entity; and
wherein, after appending the digital signature, the digital empowerment certificate includes:
the digital signature;
the one or more attributes of a described entity;
the one or more attributes of the electronic property;
the one or more attributes identifying the signing entity; and
the period of validity of the digital empowerment certificate, the period of validity beginning earlier than a time of the generating the digital empowerment certificate.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the period of validity of the digital empowerment certificate ends no later than the time of generation of the digital empowerment certificate.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the described entity is the signing entity.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital empowerment certificate includes a time stamp indicating the time of the generating the digital empowerment certificate.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the digital empowerment certificate is generated after the generation of the digital signature; and
the digital signature includes signed data and one or more attributes identifying the digital empowerment certificate to be generated.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the period of validity of the digital empowerment certificate is a short period in which the digital signature was generated.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attributes of the digital empowerment certificate include linking information that associates the digital empower certificate to the electronic property, the linking information including a serial number and information identifying the electronic property.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the lowest available serial number which can be used for a next digital empowerment certificate to be generated or the last used serial number using each private key is recorded.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein data indicated in the digital empowerment certificate includes confirmation of a payment or debt due from the described entity identified in the digital certificate to a relying entity identified in the first digital empowerment certificate.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein a second digital empowerment certificate of a second signing entity indicates a guarantee of a debt indicated as due in the digital empowerment certificate.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein a change in previously supplied data is indicated by a list identifying the second digital empowerment certificate relating to the previously supplied data.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more attributes of the described entity include:
an indication of data relating to the described entity which is to be supplied to the relying entity; and
an indication of one or more sources for the data to be supplied to the relying entity.
13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising information specifying data which is no longer authorized to be supplied to the one or more relying entities.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data to be supplied to the relying entity includes a public key of the signing entity and an identifier of a current owner of the electronic property.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital empower certificate includes a second period of validity of the digital empowerment certificate which is one of a finite period of use or a permanent assignment of ownership.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer devices is further configured to:
obtain the one or more attributes of the described entity;
obtain the one or more attributes of the electronic property;
obtain the one or more attributes identifying the signing entity;
obtain a second period of validity for transferring ownership of the electronic property; and
send the electronic property and the digital empowerment certificate to the relying entity,
wherein:
the generating the digital empowerment certificate further includes generating the digital empowerment certificate with the second period of validity;
the period of validity begins earlier than a time of the generation of the digital empowerment certificate, and
the obtaining the one or more attributes of the electronic property occurs prior to the generating the digital empowerment certificate.