Digital Document Tracking via Unique Identifier and Built-in Functions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for protecting sensitive information, such as encryption, rely on password security, which is vulnerable to misuse, and lack tracking capabilities for the spread of digital documents.
Innovation Solution
A three-component document system combining digitally-encoded material, a unique identifier generated using algorithms, and built-in functions that allow for operations like encryption, decryption, and tracking, ensuring unambiguous identification and recording of file copies without requiring a password.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encryption is used to protect sensitive information, then security is improved, but tracking capabilities for document spread are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the document into multiple components: encrypted content, unique identifier, and built-in functions. This segmentation allows the tracking information (unique identifier) to remain accessible while the sensitive content remains encrypted, resolving the contradiction between security and tracking capability
Solution Approach 2:
The unique identifier acts as an intermediary element that enables tracking without requiring decryption of the encrypted content. This intermediary allows the system to monitor document spread while maintaining the security benefits of encryption
2Reliability
If password-based encryption is used, then access control is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to password management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the access control mechanism from traditional password-based encryption and replaces it with built-in functions that are integrated into the document structure. This eliminates the need for separate password management while maintaining access control through the document's inherent functional restrictions
Solution Approach 2:
The document becomes self-sufficient with built-in functions that automatically enforce access controls and tracking without requiring external password management. The document self-manages its security and tracking requirements through its integrated structure
3Ease of operation
If normal copy routines are used, then ease of operation is improved, but tracking of copies is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates tracking mechanisms into the document structure before copying occurs. The unique identifier and built-in functions are预先 embedded in the document, enabling automatic tracking of copies without requiring any special action during the copying process itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the concept of copying the unique identifier and built-in functions along with the document content. This ensures that each copy retains the tracking capability, allowing the system to monitor the spread of copies while maintaining ease of operation
Data Source
AI summary
A method of storing and tracking digitally-encoded material includes associating a unique identifier with the digitally-encoded material, associating one or more built-in functions with the digitally-encoded material so that the unique identifier and the built-in functions are coupled to the digitally-encoded material. The built-in functions can govern transforms and rendering of the digitally-encoded material. The tracking is performed by associating a history of the digitally-encoded material with the digitally-encoded material. The history can be associated with the digitally-encoded material or kept in a database that communicates with the digitally-encoded material via the identifier. The built-in functions enable the digitally-encoded material to be stored in RAM in an encrypted form. A method for tracking can include encrypting a combination including the digitally-encoded material and the unique identifier and appending built-in function source code and the encrypted combination to form an executable entity executable independent of any particular operating system.