Secure Document Payload Encryption via Decentralized Key Distribution

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Data transferred over networks is vulnerable to interception and modification, leading to potential adverse consequences for senders and recipients, and existing methods for processing data from images or paper forms are error-prone and resource-intensive.

Innovation Solution

Systems and methods for encrypting data within electronic documents, using a Portable Document Format (PDF) or other standards, that include generating an encryption key to encrypt field input data and context data, and providing a payload with encrypted data and a non-encrypted identifier, allowing secure decryption by authorized users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If data is transferred over a network in electronic form, then communication efficiency is improved, but data security and vulnerability to interception worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoiddata interception vulnerability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by encrypting data before network transmission. The encryption process converts sensitive information into an unreadable format using cryptographic algorithms, creating a preemptive defense against interception. The encrypted data remains protected during transmission, and only authorized recipients with decryption keys can restore the original information, thus neutralizing the vulnerability to network interception while maintaining communication efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cryptographic keys as intermediaries to secure data transmission. The encryption key acts as a mediator that transforms plaintext into ciphertext, and the decryption key serves as another intermediary that restores the original data. This intermediary mechanism allows secure transmission over insecure networks by introducing cryptographic layers that protect the underlying data from unauthorized access during transit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If data is converted from image or paper form to computer-readable form, then data processing capability is improved, but error propagation susceptibility worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata processing capabilityVSAvoiderror propagation susceptibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing validation and error checking during the data conversion process from image or paper to computer-readable form. The system validates extracted data against expected formats, patterns, and business rules before storing or processing it. This preliminary validation prevents erroneous data from being propagated through subsequent processing stages, thereby maintaining high processing capability while reducing error propagation risks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If encryption is applied to all data fields, then data security is improved, but processing complexity and resource consumption worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by selectively encrypting only sensitive data fields rather than uniformly encrypting all data. The system identifies which fields contain sensitive information based on data classification rules, field types, or security policies, and applies encryption only to those specific fields. This selective approach maintains strong security for sensitive data while reducing overall processing complexity and resource consumption compared to full-data encryption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Loss of energy

If decentralized decryption is implemented, then network bandwidth consumption is reduced, but system security management complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork bandwidth consumptionVSAvoidsecurity management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing decryption operations into distributed segments across multiple client systems rather than centralizing them. Each client system performs decryption locally using stored cryptographic keys, eliminating the need to transmit large volumes of encrypted data across the network. This segmentation reduces network bandwidth consumption while the complexity of key management is mitigated through automated key distribution and storage mechanisms implemented in the system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11038677B2Systems and methods for encryption and authentication
Publication Date: 2021.06.15 RE FORMSNET
  • US11038677B2 patent drawing
  • US11038677B2 patent drawing
  • US11038677B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems and methods for encryption and authentication are disclosed. A system receives a document request over a network from a first computer system, the document comprising a plurality of fields configured to receive input data. The document is transmitted to the first computer system. Context data and the document, including field input data, are received from the first computer system. An encryption key is generated and used to encrypt the document field input data and the context data. A payload is generated including the encrypted document field input data, the encrypted context data, and a non-encrypted identifier linked to the key. The payload and an image of the document are provided to a second computer system. The document image is viewable using a portable document format viewer. A decryption key request including the identifier linked to the key is received. The decryption key is provided to the second computer system to decrypt the encrypted field input data and the encrypted context data.