Secured Data Object Generation via Nested Timestamps

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical practices lack a secure and reliable method for objectively documenting medical procedures and treatments, which can lead to disputes between patients and medical staff, and existing technologies do not adequately prevent manipulation of video recordings used as evidence.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that generate a secured data object by nesting time stamps and using advanced or qualified timestamps to secure a data stream, ensuring the integrity and authenticity of the data, particularly in medical contexts and other sensitive areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If video recordings are used to document medical procedures, then objective evidence is obtained, but the risk of manipulation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevidence reliabilityVSAvoidmanipulation risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous data stream is divided into discrete data objects at specific time intervals. Each data object is independently hashed and timestamped, creating segmented verification units that can be individually validated without requiring verification of the entire continuous stream, thus preventing manipulation between segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Hash values and time stamps are generated and stored immediately when each data object is created, before any potential manipulation can occur. This preliminary cryptographic sealing ensures that the original state of the data is preserved and any subsequent alterations can be detected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If continuous video streaming is recorded, then complete documentation is achieved, but storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedocumentation completenessVSAvoidstorage space
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of storing redundant cryptographic data for the entire continuous video stream, the system extracts and stores only the essential verification elements (hash values and time stamps) for discrete data objects. This selective extraction maintains documentation integrity while significantly reducing storage requirements compared to storing complete continuous stream verification data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If frequent time stamps are generated, then data integrity is enhanced, but processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidprocessing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system generates hash values and time stamps at periodic intervals rather than continuously. This periodic action maintains data integrity by regularly sealing data objects while avoiding the excessive processing overhead of continuous cryptographic operations on every single data point in the stream.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP2672419B1Method for producing a secured data object and system
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 TIMEPROOF
  • EP2672419B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2672419B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The method involves generating a data representation value at an end of an interval (2) with an interval length. A timestamp assigned to the respective data representation value is received. The data representation value is stored together with the timestamp. An interval representation value is generated at an end of another interval (3) having another interval length, which is greater than the former interval length. Another time stamp assigned to respective interval representation value is received. The interval representation value is stored together with the latter time stamp. The timestamp is an electronic timestamp. An independent claim is also included for a system with a data processing device.