Digital Safety Deposit Box with Encryption and Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional safety deposit boxes lack secure and efficient digital solutions for storing and managing sensitive electronic documents, as they rely on physical security measures and do not provide robust authentication and encryption for digital assets.

Innovation Solution

A system for secure electronic storage vaults managed by a third party, utilizing encryption, digital signatures, and multi-factor authentication to ensure the security and integrity of stored data, with an interface for easy data transmission, storage, and retrieval, and a management component for controlling access and rendering documents in legally presentable formats.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical safety deposit boxes are used to store valuables, then security against fire, theft, and misplacement is improved, but accessibility and convenience for digital documents deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidaccessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical physical safety deposit box system with a digital electronic storage system. Instead of physical keys, locks, and vaults, the invention uses digital encryption, electronic authentication, and software-based security protocols to achieve equivalent or superior security while providing enhanced accessibility for digital documents.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates digital copies of physical documents and stores them in an electronic format. This allows the original physical documents to remain secure in physical vaults while digital replicas provide convenient access, or eliminates the need for physical storage entirely by storing encrypted digital versions with equivalent security guarantees.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If traditional physical security measures are used, then protection against unauthorized access is improved, but authentication efficiency and user convenience deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveprotectionVSAvoidauthentication efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical authentication methods (physical keys, manual verification) with electronic authentication systems including biometric recognition, digital certificates, and automated verification protocols. This maintains strong security protection while dramatically reducing authentication time and improving user convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary authentication setup where user credentials, biometric data, and digital certificates are pre-configured and stored securely. This allows for rapid authentication during access requests without time-consuming manual verification processes, as the system already has the necessary authentication data ready for quick comparison and verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If physical biometric authentication is implemented, then identity verification accuracy is improved, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveidentity verification accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex physical biometric authentication hardware with software-based biometric verification systems. Instead of requiring specialized scanners, cameras, and hardware devices, the invention implements biometric authentication through software algorithms that analyze digital images or data, achieving high verification accuracy with significantly reduced system complexity and infrastructure requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8327450B2Digital safety deposit box
Publication Date: 2012.12.04 WELLS FARGO BANK NA
  • US8327450B2 patent drawing
  • US8327450B2 patent drawing
  • US8327450B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system that enables secure data storage into a third party managed electronic storage vault is disclosed. This electronic storage vault provides customers with a secure location to store important data such as insurance policies, automobile titles, deeds, wills, birth certificates, tax documents or the like. An interface can be provided which secures (e.g., encrypts, digitally signs) data related to transmission, storage and retrieval. A management component can be employed to regulate (e.g., authenticate) deposit or access of documents to/from the storage vault.