Method and apparatus for certifying messages transmitted by a facsimile device.

摘要

The invention relates to the methods which make it possible to certify the messages transmitted by fax, both on reception and on transmission. It consists in writing in a rectangular panel at the head of the message (203) the elements characteristic of the latter. A certifier apparatus (103) makes it possible to decode alphanumeric characters of this panel, to encrypt them (306) and to formulate an alphanumeric seal which is transmitted over the line of the fax machine (107) with the standard code of the fax signals. On reception, the seal (205) appears at the bottom of the message whilst the panel (204) again appears at the top of the message. In order to authenticate this seal, the receiver can turn to a server centre which will carry out the coding operation on the contents of the panel and will compare the result with the seal in order to authenticate the message. When the two ends (101), (102) are kitted out, the receiver fax machine (102) transmits to the transmitter fax machine (101) an acknowledgement of receipt containing the contents of the seal themselves coded, thus enabling the transmitter to authenticate reception in the same way as the receiver authenticated the message received. It makes it possible to confer the same legal status on a message transmitted by fax as on a message transmitted by telex. <IMAGE>