Lucent Technologies Inc.

At+t Corp.

Steven H Low

Nicholas Frank Maxemchuk

Lawrence P O'Gorman

John Thomas Brassil

Sanjoy Paul

The present invention is directed to a method of deterring the illicit copying of electronically published documents. It includes utilizing a computer system to electronically publish a plurality of copies of a document having electronically created material thereon for distribution to a plurality of subscribers and operating programming within the computer system so as to perform the identification code functions. The steps are to encode the plurality of copies each with a separate, unique identification code, the identification code being based on a unique arrangement of the electronically created material on each such copy; and, creating a codebook to correlate each such identification code to a particular subscriber. In some embodiments, decoding methods are included with the encoding capabilities. The unique arrangement of the electronically created material may be based on line-shift coding, word-shift coding, or feature enhancement coding (or combinations of these) and may be effected through bitmap alteration of document format file alteration.

Document copying deterrent method

A method is provided that deters the illicit copying of electronically published documents. It includes publishing a plurality of copies of electronically created material to be distributed to a plurality of subscribers. Each copy of subscriber's document has a unique identification code embedded in the document. The arrangement of the code on the document is based on the line-shifting and word-shifting techniques. This is to minimize the effects from noise and distortions on future illicit copies to simplify detection and decoding of the unique code. A codebook is created to correlate each unique code with each subscriber.

Document copying deterrent method using line and word shift techniques

Techniques for performing credit-card transactions without disclosing the subject matter of the transaction to the institution providing the credit card. The techniques include the use of a communications exchange so that information and funds may be transferred without the destination for the transfer knowing the source of the information or funds and the use of public key encryption so that each party to the transaction and the communications exchange can read only the information the party or the exchange needs for its role in the transaction. Also disclosed are techniques for authenticating a card holder by receiving personal information from the card holder, using the information to ask the card holder one or more questions, and using the answers to authenticate the card holder.

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Bridgewater, NJ, United States of America

Steven H Low