Secure and traceable security features for documents

Abstract

A system for providing document authenticity, securing, and tracing includes a mark, an invisible code and a serial number. A user desiring to create a secure, verifiable document can receive one or more codes or indicia to put on the physical document.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A secure document comprising:
 a first side;   a second side opposite the first side;   an emblem disposed on the first side, the emblem identifying that the document has security features;   an invisible code disposed on the first side, the invisible code comprising an encrypted identifier, wherein the invisible code is invisible to an un-aided human eye;   a computer readable code disposed on the first side, the computer readable identifier configured to be read by document processing equipment; and   document content disposed on the second side.   
     
     
         2 . The document of  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted identifier, when decrypted, comprises an identifier which is associated with secure document information stored in a secure document database. 
     
     
         3 . The document of  claim 2 , wherein the invisible code becomes visible when interrogated with electromagnetic radiation having a particular characteristic. 
     
     
         4 . The document of  claim 1 , wherein the invisible code encodes an electronic postmark. 
     
     
         5 . The document of  claim 1 , wherein the emblem is configured to be identified to document processing equipment that a secure document is being processed. 
     
     
         6 . The document of  claim 1 , further comprising an alphanumeric unique identifier disposed on the first side of the document. 
     
     
         7 . The document of  claim 6 , wherein the invisible code comprises a reference to or an association with the alphanumeric unique identifier. 
     
     
         8 . The document of  claim 6 , wherein the computer readable code is an encoded version of the alphanumeric unique identifier. 
     
     
         9 . The document of  claim 1 , wherein the computer readable code encodes document information. 
     
     
         10 . The document of  claim 9 , wherein the document information references at least one of a document creation date, a document originator, and a recipient identifier. 
     
     
         11 . The document of  claim 9 , wherein the document information comprises a delivery point for an intended recipient of the secure document. 
     
     
         12 . The document of  claim 1 , wherein the computer readable code and the invisible code include at least in part the same information. 
     
     
         13 . The document of  claim 1 , wherein the emblem is co-located with the invisible code on the first side of the document. 
     
     
         14 . The document of  claim 1 , wherein the document content is vital records information. 
     
     
         15 . The document of  claim 1 , wherein the document content is sports memorabilia. 
     
     
         16 . A system for authenticating a document comprising:
 a memory storing document information, a unique identifier associated with the document information, and a code associated with the document information;   an input device to receive the unique identifier or the code on a document being processed;   a user interface in communication with the memory and the input device;   a processor in communication with the input device, the memory, and the user interface, the processor configured to:
 receive the code or the unique identifier from the input device; 
 decode the inputted code or unique identifier; 
 query the memory using at least one of the unique identifier and the decoded code to obtain document information; and 
 cause the document information to be displayed on the user interface. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the document information displayed includes at least one of a document origination date, a document title, and a document owner. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the input device is a scanner configured to read the code from the document. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the code is an invisible code and the scanner is configured to interrogate the invisible code such that the invisible code can be read by the scanner. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the document information in the memory is updated to reflect a query when the code or the unique identifier is received in the processor.