Universal Tag for Digital File Authenticity Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital files, such as contracts and intellectual property, are susceptible to unauthorized alterations and wrongful claims of ownership or creation, as conventional methods do not effectively verify the authenticity of the content or the creator, especially in a way that leaves no metadata footprint.
Innovation Solution
A universal tag is generated using a hash algorithm with input keys including a digital representation of the file, user data, and origin information, which is then registered on a distributed trust computing network like blockchain, serving as a source of truth for verifying the file's authenticity and rightful ownership.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional hacking techniques are used to alter documents or digital files, then the alteration can be made without leaving a footprint and without impacting metadata, but the authenticity and ownership of the digital file cannot be verified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by creating a universal tag that encapsulates the digital file's hash, metadata, and ownership information before any alteration occurs. This tag is registered on a distributed trust network in advance, establishing a baseline of authenticity that can be verified later without requiring complex continuous monitoring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal tag serves as an intermediary element between the digital file and the verification system. Instead of directly analyzing the entire file for tampering, the system uses the universal tag as a mediator that contains distilled verification information, simplifying the verification process while maintaining security.
2Reliability
If a universal tag is generated and registered on a distributed trust network, then the authenticity and ownership can be verified, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential verification information from the complex digital file and encapsulates it into a condensed universal tag. This tag contains only the critical elements (hash, metadata, ownership) needed for verification, separating the verification function from the file storage and reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal tag is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously provides file integrity verification, ownership validation, and tamper detection. By consolidating these multiple functions into a single tag structure, the system reduces overall complexity compared to having separate verification mechanisms for each function.
3Productivity
If digital files are stored without registration, then storage is simple and fast, but the files are susceptible to tampering and wrongful claims
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary registration of the universal tag with the distributed trust network before the digital file is stored or accessed. This advance registration establishes a secure reference point that protects the file from tampering without interfering with subsequent fast storage and retrieval operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing the entire digital file on the distributed trust network (which would slow access), the system creates and stores only a copy of the verification information in the universal tag. This copy contains the essential verification data while the original file remains accessible through normal storage channels, maintaining speed while providing protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A universal tag linked to the content of a data file for protecting the authenticity of the data file and/or the owner/creator of a digital file. The universal tag is linked to the content in the data file via one or more input keys/seeds that are used to generate the universal tag and rely on data associated with the content. Once generated, the universal tag is registered on a distributed ledger of at least on distributed trust computing network, which acts as a source of truth to validate the universal tag and, as such, validate (i) an authenticity of the data file, and/or (ii) the user associated with the data file (e.g., rightful possessor and/or creator of the digital file).