System and method for handling permits

Abstract

A system for handling permits, comprising means for reading a certificate, means for reading a permit and decision means for performing a predefined activity based on the results of the combined verification of the certificate and the permit. A method for handling permits, comprising the steps of (A) Approval of the issuance of a permit to a specific person, after that person was identified and following some decision routine; (B) The generation by the authorities involved of a message for a permit, which includes data items to indicate the identity of the permit issuing authority, the identity of the person to whom the permit was issued, the type of permit and to whom it is to be presented; (C) Encryption of the message by an authorized person to generate the permit, with the encryption using their private key; and (D) the permit is delivered to the person who has been identified with his/her certificate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for handling permits, comprising: 
 (A) means for reading a certificate, which is a digital document identifying a specific person, and wherein said certificate includes some information relating to that person, like a name or nickname, together with a public key assigned to that person, and optional additional information;    (B) means for reading a permit, which is a digital document including a statement or permission to do some activity, all linked to the person identified by said certificate; and    (C) decision means for performing a predefined activity based on the results of the combined verification of said certificate and said permit.    
     
     
         2 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 1   , wherein said permit further includes a permission to conditionally allow entry to restricted areas or the performance of specific activities, or declarations or statements or limitations, or a text and/or picture and/or a message in a multimedia environment, or a permission to issue secondary permits.  
     
     
         3 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 1   , further including means for generating secondary permits based on said permit presented thereto.  
     
     
         4 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 1   , wherein said permit further includes means to attest to its authenticity comprising an encryption with a private key of a permit issuer.  
     
     
         5 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 4   , wherein the means to attest to its authenticity comprise an addition of a digital signature, including a hash of the permit which is encrypted with a private key of said permit issuer.  
     
     
         6 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 1   , further including a data portion indicating the authority of said permit issuer to issue that permit.  
     
     
         7 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 1   , wherein said permit includes data items indicating: 
 (A) The identity of the person who issued the permit;    (B) The identity of the person to whom was the permit issued.    
     
     
         8 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 7   , wherein said permit further includes data items indicating: 
 (C) The type of permit, indicating the actions that are allowed by the permit;    (D) To whom it is to be presented.    
     
     
         9 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 7   , further including data items indicating: 
 (E) Serial number of permit;    (F) Date issued.    
     
     
         10 . The system for handling permits according to    claim 7   , further including data items indicating: 
 (G) Expiration date;    (H) Additional optional information.    
     
     
         11 . A method for handling permits, comprising the steps of: 
 (A) Approval of an issuance of a permit to a specific person by relevant authorities, after that person was identified with their certificate and following a decision routine at that location;    (B) Generation of a message for a permit by the relevant authorities, wherein the message includes data items to indicate: 
 (1) Who issued the permit;  
 (2) To whom was the permit issued;  
 (3) Type of permit, that is the action that is allowed by the permit; and  
 (4) To whom it is to be presented.  
   (C) Permit preparation by encrypting the message prepared in step (B) above or adding a digital signature to said message, by an authorized person using their private key for that facility; and    (D) Delivering the permit to the person who has been identified with his/her certificate, and whose details from that certificate are included in the permit as detailed in step (B)(2) above.    
     
     
         12 . The method for handling permits according to    claim 11   , wherein said permit further includes data items to indicate: 
 (5) Serial number of permit;    (6) Date issued.    
     
     
         13 . The method for handling permits according to    claim 11   , wherein said permit further includes data items to indicate: 
 (7) Expiration date;    (8) Additional optional information.    
     
     
         14 . A method for handling permits, comprising the steps of: 
 (A) a gatekeeper or a representative of an entity presents its “Permit to ask user's permit”, unconditionally, and asks for the “user's permit”;    (B) a user, if satisfied with the permit presented to him/her, presents two documents, that is his/her permit together with their certificate;    (C) the gatekeeper checks the validity of the permit and certificate, and the correspondence between data items therebetween. If the result of the gatekeeper's verification is positive, then a predefined action is performed, said action being related to said permit.    
     
     
         15 . The method for handling permits according to    claim 14   , wherein said permit is an entry pass, and said action is to approve the entry of said person to that facility.  
     
     
         16 . The method for handling permits according to    claim 14   , wherein said permit includes an electronic address, to implement an electronic paper with a letterhead, where a recipient may connect to the issuing firm using said electronic address.  
     
     
         17 . The method for handling permits according to    claim 16   , wherein said permit includes an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) stamp, to allow automatic permit verification.