Standardized Data Signing for Lower Network Traffic
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital signature methods are inefficient due to format-specific software requirements, separate storage of data items and signatures, computational expense, and excessive network traffic, especially for large data items, and require significant storage for repudiation prevention.
Innovation Solution
A system that transforms data items to a standardized format, removes non-significant content, creates a hash, and inserts or returns the signature independently, optimizing network usage and storage needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data items are signed in their original formats using format-specific software, then authentication and integrity are ensured, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts data items from various formats (PDF, XML, GIF, TIF, MP3) into a homogeneous standardized format before signing. This eliminates the need for format-specific software while maintaining authentication and integrity, as all data is processed through the same signing mechanism regardless of original format
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary standardized format that acts as a mediator between diverse data formats and the digital signature process. This intermediate representation layer allows universal signing capability without requiring separate software for each format
2Reliability
If the entire data item is transmitted for signing, then complete authentication is achieved, but network traffic increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential significant content from verbose data formats like XML for signing, while excluding redundant elements. This extraction process maintains authentication reliability by preserving the core data while dramatically reducing the amount of data transmitted over the network
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the data transmission process into two parts: the full data item is stored locally, while only the essential signature information and hash are transmitted. This segmentation reduces network traffic while maintaining complete authentication capability
3Adaptability or versatility
If data items and signatures are stored separately, then verification flexibility is improved, but computational expense and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the signature with the data item by embedding it within the standardized format structure. This combining approach maintains verification flexibility while reducing storage requirements, as the signature becomes an integral part of the data structure rather than a separate entity requiring additional storage space
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An apparatus is described. The apparatus comprises: communication circuitry configured to receive from a submitter, over a network, a data item of a first data type, wherein the data item comprises a plurality of components and the apparatus further comprises: processing circuitry configured to: sequentially receive the plurality of components of the data item and for each component in succession in the sequence, the processing circuitry is configured to: remove non-significant content from the component of the data item; generate a data item of a second data type from the sequentially received plurality of components; generate a hash of the generated data item; and provide the hash for signing.