Anonymized Document Verification via Extracted Test Features

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for checking documents lack user anonymity, as personal data may be transmitted and stored during verification processes, compromising privacy.

Innovation Solution

A method where a test feature is generated from both document information and a random value, ensuring the test feature cannot be traced back to document data, thus maintaining user anonymity by not transmitting personal data, and allowing secure document verification without storing user-specific information on server systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If document data are transmitted to the server computer system for verification, then the document can be checked securely, but personal data may be stored and user anonymity is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedocument verification securityVSAvoiduser anonymity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential verification information (test feature) from the complete document data, transmitting only this anonymized subset to the server. This separates the verification function from personal data, allowing secure verification while preserving anonymity by taking out only what is necessary for the verification process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The test feature acts as an intermediary between the document data and the verification process. Instead of transmitting raw document data, the system uses this derived test feature as a mediator that preserves the verification capability while removing direct personal information, thus protecting user anonymity during server verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If personal data are stored on the server computer system for verification, then document checking can be performed, but user privacy is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedocument checking capabilityVSAvoiduser privacy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the minimal necessary information (test feature derived from document data and random value) for storage and verification on the server, rather than storing complete personal data. This extraction principle enables document checking functionality while minimizing privacy loss by storing only what is essential for verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms personal document data into a different parameter form (test feature) that is mathematically derived but not directly reversible to original personal information. This parameter transformation allows the server to perform verification operations while the stored data no longer directly represents personal information, thus protecting user privacy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If document data are transmitted in encrypted form, then security is maintained, but data may still be stored and movement profiles created

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission securityVSAvoiduser anonymity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system takes out only the verification-essential test feature from the complete document data before transmission, rather than transmitting all document data even in encrypted form. This extraction ensures that even if encryption is compromised, the server receives and stores only anonymized verification data, preventing movement profile creation while maintaining transmission security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3362999B1Method for checking a document, document and computer system
Publication Date: 2021.08.04 BUNDESDRUCKEREI GMBH
  • EP3362999B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3362999B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3362999B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for checking a document (102), particularly a value document or security document, is provided, wherein the document (102) has person- and/or document-specific data (104) stored on it in machine-readable form, wherein the document (102) has a random value (105) stored on it in machine-readable form and wherein the document (102) has an image (107), having at least one visual security feature, and a code (111) placed on it, the code being ascertained with a depiction of the image (107) that has a reduced volume of data in comparison with the image (107). Furthermore, a document (102) and a computer system (100) for performing such a method are provided.