Detailed Description
The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not limiting of the invention. It should be further noted that, for the convenience of description, only some of the structures related to the present invention are shown in the drawings, not all of the structures.
Example one
Fig. 1a is a flowchart of a currency circulation monitoring method based on a block chain according to a first embodiment of the present invention, fig. 1b is a schematic diagram of a currency circulation monitoring method based on a block chain according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 1c is a schematic diagram of a digital currency block chain network according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment can be suitable for recording the currency circulation condition, and is particularly suitable for monitoring fraudulent activities and illegal behaviors related to the currency circulation, for example, illegal activities such as money laundering, black money and the like can be monitored by recording the currency ownership and counting the account circulation amount, and judicial evidence is provided for fighting against illegal behaviors such as theft, money robbery and the like. The method can be executed by the currency circulation supervision system based on the block chain, which can be realized in a software and/or hardware manner and can be integrated on the electronic equipment.
Specifically, as shown in fig. 1a and 1b, the currency circulation monitoring method based on a block chain according to the embodiment of the present invention may include the following steps:
s110, generating a physical circulation record transaction request including physical currency circulation data, sending the physical circulation record transaction request to the block chain network, and enabling the block chain network to execute the currency circulation record transaction request to write the physical currency circulation data into the block chain.
The currency circulation is caused by commodity circulation and fund flow, and the currency movement as circulation means and payment means may include circulation means such as deposit, withdrawal, payment, and the like.
Physical currency, which may also be called physical currency to some extent, refers to currency having a value equal to that of a common commodity as currency. In the present embodiment, the physical currency mainly refers to currency, i.e. national-issued legal currency, such as rmb, which is the currency of china, and U.S. dollars, which is the currency of the united states. Specifically, the legal money issued by the country is divided into paper money and coins (metal money).
In order to meet the demand for social informatization and digitization, in the present embodiment, physical currency circulation data may be recorded when physical currency is circulated. Wherein the physical currency circulation data includes: the currency crown word number of the physical currency, the physical currency image, the currency holder identity information and the circulation time. The crown word number is the code on the paper money of the RMB, the "crown word" is two or three English letters printed on the paper money for marking the printing batch, arranged and printed according to certain rule by the bank note printer; the number is an Arabic numeral serial number printed behind the crown word and used for indicating the arrangement sequence of each banknote in the same crown word batch. The money holder can be an individual or a collective unit, and correspondingly, the identity information of the money holder can be the identity card number of the holder or the credit code of a legal person. Specifically, the physical currency circulation data may be acquired and entered into the blockchain in a variety of ways, such as by device input, manual entry, and the like.
And when physical currency circulation is carried out, generating a physical circulation record transaction request according to the acquired physical currency circulation data, and sending the physical circulation record transaction request to the block chain network. As can be appreciated, the physical currency records transaction request is for requesting a blockchain to record the physical currency transactions. After receiving the physical circulation record transaction request, the block chain network writes the physical currency circulation data into the block chain, and the paper currency and cash circulation process is completed.
The block chain is a comprehensive framework and a novel application mode of computer technologies such as distributed data storage, a consensus mechanism, an encryption algorithm, point-to-point transmission and the like. In the currency circulation supervision method based on the block chain, each node can record and track information related to physical currency and digital currency, user account information and currency crown numbers owned by the user account information and the user account information can be stored on the block chain, and changes of currency ownership are recorded and tracked, so that a supervisor can monitor and manage circulated currency in real time.
For ownership of physical currency, specifically when a note is issued in cash to a user at a bank or ATM machine, an associated record is made between the note's cash-in-place number and the currency-holding party account and the record is linked into a blockchain network based on a distributed ledger. The record helps identify the current owner of the note in cash and helps to verify that the note is in valid currency. Valid currency is relative to invalid currency, which includes: physical currency and counterfeit notes that have been damaged, revoked, and destroyed. When a user deposits a banknote cash into a bank, the corresponding digital currency associated with the banknote cash is dispensed and associated to the bank.
Due to the chronological recording of currency circulation activities in the blockchain, currency circulation data can be completely recorded by tracking currency in the blockchain distributed ledger. The data may be synchronously recognized into a multi-node blockchain network. Once currency generates circulation phenomena such as storage, extraction, transfer and the like, records are dynamically added to the account book of the block chain, so that real-time records are kept, and ownership change and authenticity of the currency are tracked.
S120, generating a digital circulation record transaction request comprising digital currency circulation data, sending the digital circulation record transaction request to the blockchain network, and enabling the blockchain network to execute the digital circulation record transaction request so as to write the digital currency circulation data into the blockchain.
The digital currency is virtual currency based on a node network and a digital encryption algorithm, digital representation of value and electronic currency.
The digital currency account is a carrier for storing digital currency and providing digital currency application functions, and can meet the requirements of safer and more convenient digital currency operation and application in the digital economy era. The digital currency account is associated with the user bank account, and the currency in the user bank account is converted into the equivalent digital currency in the digital currency account.
The digital currency account may be used for electronic collection of digital currency, storing transaction records. The equivalent digital currency in the digital currency account associated with the user bank account can be used for electronic transactions, payments, and the amount, status and user bank account are kept consistent in real time.
Illustratively, upon completing payment in digital currency in a digital currency account, there is a need to obtain digital currency circulation data sent by the payment device during the course of a digital currency circulation by a currency holder. Wherein the digital money circulation data includes circulation amount and circulation money holder identity information. And generating a digital circulation record transaction request according to the digital currency circulation data, and sending the transaction request to the blockchain network. As will be appreciated, the digital currency notes transaction request requests that the blockchain record the digital currency notes transaction. After receiving the transaction request of the digital circulation record, the block chain network writes the digital currency circulation data into the block chain, and the single-time digital currency circulation record is completed. The digital currency flow data in the digital currency flow record transaction request may be synchronously recognized into the multi-node blockchain network. Once the digital currency generates circulation phenomena such as storage, extraction, transfer and the like, records are dynamically added to the account book of the block chain, so that real-time records are kept, and ownership change of the digital currency is tracked. It is noted that the total amount of digital currency in the entire blockchain is equal to the generalized currency supply.
Based on the above technical solution, as shown in fig. 1c, preferably, the banking and financial administration can use the digital currency block chain network system to perform real-time monitoring and management on the physical currency and digital currency circulating, decide a currency policy and supply, and control the total amount of the currency.
Specifically, the currency data to be supervised is determined according to the currency supervision request of the supervision party. The crown word number of the currency can be used as a means for tracking currency circulation, and the currency to be supervised can be identified during inquiry and verification so as to determine the data of the currency to be supervised. And generating a supervision transaction request according to the currency data to be supervised, and sending a supervision transaction request comprising the currency data to be supervised to the blockchain network, so that the blockchain network inquires the currency data to be supervised. And acquiring a query result, and sending the query result of the currency data to be supervised to the supervisor so that the supervisor carries out supervision processing. The advantage of this arrangement is that tracking and associating physical and digital currencies through the distributed ledger can help banking and financial regulatory authorities identify the distribution and flow paths of currencies and direct the flow of funds.
Based on the above technical solution, it is preferable that the authorized entity, such as government agency, judicial agency, financial institution, public institution, commercial institution, company, user, etc., can access the digital currency blockchain network system. The Network in the system includes, but is not limited to, the internet, a mobile Network, a 5G (5th generation mobile networks, fifth generation mobile communication technology), a 4G (4th generation mobile networks, fourth generation mobile communication technology), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a LAN (Local Area Network), and the like. Each type of entity unit can acquire data information from the block chain only if authorization and legal permission exist, generates an inquiry transaction request according to the required data by combining respective requirements, and sends the inquiry transaction request comprising the required data to the block chain network so that the block chain network inquires the required data. And acquiring a query result, and sending the query result of the required data to the entity unit. The advantage of this arrangement is that the user can verify the authenticity of the banknote by accessing the blockchain network system; police and judicial authorities can utilize the block chain network system to assist case investigation, such as money theft, robbery, money laundering and fraud investigation.
According to the technical scheme of the embodiment, the circulation record transaction request comprising the currency circulation data is generated, and the circulation record transaction request is sent to the block chain network, so that the block chain network executes the currency circulation record transaction request to write the currency circulation data into the block chain, the unified tracking of physical currency and digital currency circulation links is realized, fraudulent activities and illegal behaviors related to currency circulation are reduced, the safety and the monitorability of currency circulation are ensured, and the social economy operation efficiency is improved.
Example two
Fig. 2 is a flowchart of a currency circulation supervision method based on a block chain according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is further optimized based on the above embodiments, and provides a specific description of how to supervise physical currency circulation.
Specifically, as shown in fig. 2, the method includes:
s210, acquiring physical currency circulation data sent by the financial equipment in the depositing and withdrawing process of a currency holder; the physical currency circulation data includes currency crown word numbers of the physical currency, physical currency images, currency holder identity information and circulation time.
The financial device may be an electronic device provided by a financial institution such as a bank and capable of recording a circulation behavior such as a deposit, a withdrawal, and a payment based on physical money, such as an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM), a Point of Sale (POS), a merchant, an enterprise, and the like, which may be equipped with a system-compatible device. The financial equipment can collect and input information such as the crown word number of the currency, the identity number of a holder or the credit code of a legal person, the circulation time and the like, and can realize the conversion and subsequent tracking of the currency. Optionally, the financial device may also mark physical currency that has been damaged, revoked, or destroyed, and may also effectively identify counterfeit currency.
Specifically, the physical currency circulation data may be acquired and entered into the blockchain in a variety of ways, such as by device input, manual entry, and the like. Alternatively, a scanning component or an image capturing component, such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR), code scanning, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), a camera, etc., may be employed to acquire data related to the physical currency. Illustratively, taking an ATM machine as an example, at the time of cash deposit, the ATM machine accepts the cash deposit, converts physical currency (cash) into an equivalent digital currency associated therewith, and establishes an appropriate tracking mechanism. In the process of accepting the deposit, physical currency circulation data such as the currency crown number, the physical currency image, the currency holder identity information, and the circulation time of the physical currency can be acquired. Specifically, the currency crown word number and the physical currency image of the physical currency can be acquired through an image acquisition device such as a camera of the ATM; acquiring the identity information of the money holder through account information of a depositor, or acquiring facial features of the money holder through a portrait acquisition device on an ATM (automatic teller machine), and comparing the facial features with a database to acquire the identity information of the money holder; the deposit time, i.e. the circulation time, is recorded.
S220, recognizing the physical currency image, and taking the currency crown word number, the image recognition result, the currency holding party identity information and the circulation time of the physical currency as physical currency circulation data.
And performing identification analysis on the acquired physical image to acquire data such as currency crown numbers or other identifiers, denominations and the like. The physical currency may be of any denomination, with large denominations being the key subject of supervision.
And S230, verifying the validity of the physical currency according to the physical currency circulation data, and verifying the identity of the currency holder.
Because the invalid currency cannot be legally circulated, in the process of circulating the physical currency, the validity of the physical currency needs to be checked, and the method specifically comprises the following steps: and judging whether the physical currency is counterfeit currency or not and is effective, and making corresponding digital marks on the physical currency subjected to actions of shredding, stamping and the like.
Various parameters of physical currency and printing technology are the basis for currency examination to judge the validity of the currency. The length, width and thickness are specified and float within a fixed range. The texture of the physical currency surface, ink magnetic lines, watermarks, etc. can also be used to verify the validity of the currency. Illustratively, validity detection of physical currency can be achieved by light transmittance, magnetic induction, ultraviolet scanning, thickness detection.
In this embodiment, the identity verification of the identity information of the money holder includes: in the deposit process of any currency holder, sending an inquiry transaction request including the currency prefix number of the physical currency to the blockchain network, so that the blockchain network inquires the identity information of the legal currency holder of the blockchain network according to the currency prefix number of the physical currency; and according to the identity information of the legal currency holder, carrying out identity verification on the currency holder.
The method has the advantages that if any physical currency holder detects that the identity information of the legal currency holder corresponding to the crown word number of the physical currency to be deposited does not accord with the identity information of the physical currency holder when the physical currency holder deposits the currency, the physical currency circulation abnormity can be found, judicial evidence is provided for illegal activities such as currency theft, robbery and the like, and the illegal activities can be effectively distinguished.
S240, if the verification is passed, generating a physical circulation record transaction request comprising physical currency circulation data.
And generating a physical circulation record transaction request according to the currency crown word number of the physical currency, the image recognition result, the currency holder identity information, the circulation time, the physical currency verification result and the currency holder identity verification result.
S250, sending a physical circulation record transaction request to the block chain network, and enabling the block chain network to execute the currency circulation record transaction request so as to write the physical currency circulation data into the block chain.
The technical scheme of the embodiment provides a concrete situation introduction for monitoring physical currency circulation, and promotes identification, recording and digitization of currency and use, popularization and application of digital currency by establishing the connection between the physical currency and a currency holder and acquiring physical currency circulation data. The physical currency and the identity of the holding party are verified, so that the abnormal circulation of the physical currency can be found in time, judicial evidence is provided for illegal activities such as currency theft, robbery and the like, the illegal activities can be effectively screened, and the illegal activities related to the physical currency are reduced to a certain extent.
EXAMPLE III
Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a currency circulation supervision method based on a blockchain according to a third embodiment of the present invention, which is further optimized based on the above embodiments, and gives a detailed description of how to supervise digital currency.
Specifically, as shown in fig. 3, the method includes:
s310, acquiring digital currency circulation data sent by a payment device in the process of digital currency circulation by a currency holder; wherein the digital money circulation data includes circulation amount and circulation money holder identity information.
The payment device can be an electronic device such as a POS machine which is compatible with a system and can record circulation behaviors such as transfer, payment and the like based on digital currency, wherein the electronic device is arranged in a merchant, a business and the like. The payment apparatus can read information such as the identity information of the money holder, the circulation amount and circulation time of the digital money. Meanwhile, identity information of merchants, businesses or individuals associated with the payment device is stored in the payment device.
Illustratively, when a user A pays 100 yuan to a merchant D through a POS machine, acquiring digital currency circulation data sent by the POS machine in the payment process of the user A, specifically comprising: the payment amount is 100 yuan and the identity information of the user A. When the payment transaction is completed through the POS, the total amount of the digital money associated in the digital money account of the user A is reduced by 100 yuan, and the total amount of the digital money associated in the digital money account of the merchant B is increased by 100 yuan.
In addition to the above technical means, preferably, in the course of detecting that the money holder conducts digital money transaction, the digital money account of the money holder is locked, and the digital money account of the money holder is prohibited from conducting other digital money transaction at the same time. The advantage of this arrangement is that the digital currency amount corresponding to the digital currency account is prevented from being abnormal due to the simultaneous digital currency transactions.
On the basis of the technical scheme, the digital currency account of the currency holder can be further encrypted to obtain the digital currency account cryptograph of the currency holder. The cryptocurrency is one of digital currencies, is a transaction medium created by using a cryptology principle to ensure transaction safety and control transaction units, is based on a block chain technology distributed accounting principle, and has the advantages of decentralization and non-tampering.
In this embodiment, a digital currency scheme option may be provided, the encrypted digital currency may be independent of the digital currency account, i.e., separate from the digital currency account, and the user transfers a portion of the currency in the digital currency account to the encrypted digital currency system, and under this option, the amount of the digital currency account is reduced by the amount of encrypted digital currency, and the encrypted digital currency pays independently and costs money.
S320, generating a digital currency circulation record transaction request comprising digital currency circulation data.
And generating a digital circulation record transaction request according to the circulation amount of the digital currency and the identity information of the circulation currency holder. Optionally, the digital circulation record transaction request may further include the identity information of the money holder after the change of the ownership of the money.
S330, sending the digital currency record transaction request to the blockchain network, and enabling the blockchain network to execute the currency record transaction request so as to write the digital currency circulation data into the blockchain.
After receiving the digital circulation record transaction request, the block chain network extracts the digital currency circulation data in the digital circulation record transaction request and writes the digital currency circulation data into the block chain for other node inquiry or monitoring and management of a monitoring mechanism.
In order to effectively supervise money, the blockchain network records the circulation process of money, records and tracks the ownership and transfer of money. Over time, a regulatory body such as a bank can count, account, and monitor all or almost all recorded currencies through the blockchain network.
According to the technical scheme, a specific situation introduction for monitoring digital currency is given, the ownership of the digital currency is monitored, tracked and updated in real time by recording the currency circulation amount and the identity information of the parties holding the circulation currency, the account currency circulation amount is counted, the digital currency circulation abnormality can be found in time, and illegal activities such as money washing and black money are attacked.
Example four
The system is suitable for executing the block chain-based currency circulation supervision method provided by the embodiment of the invention, can realize the unified tracking of currency circulation links, ensures the safety of currency circulation and improves the social and economic operation efficiency. As shown in fig. 4, the system includes a physical currency circulation supervision module 410, a digital currency circulation supervision module 420.
The physical currency circulation monitoring module 410 is configured to generate a physical circulation record transaction request including physical currency circulation data, and send the physical circulation record transaction request to the blockchain network, so that the blockchain network executes the currency circulation record transaction request to write the physical currency circulation data into the blockchain; the digital currency circulation supervision module 420 is configured to generate a digital circulation record transaction request including digital currency circulation data, and send the digital circulation record transaction request to the blockchain network, so that the blockchain network executes the digital circulation record transaction request to write the digital currency circulation data into the blockchain.
According to the currency circulation monitoring system based on the block chain, the circulation record transaction request including currency circulation data is generated, the circulation record transaction request is sent to the block chain network, the block chain network executes the currency circulation record transaction request to write the currency circulation data into the block chain, the identification, recording and digitization of currency are promoted, the use, popularization and application of digital currency are promoted, the unified tracking of physical currency and digital currency circulation links is achieved, fraud activities and illegal behaviors related to currency circulation are reduced, the safety and monitorability of currency circulation are guaranteed, and the social economy operation efficiency is improved.
Further, the physical currency circulation supervision module 410 specifically includes: the device comprises a physical data acquisition unit, an image recognition unit, a data verification unit and a physical request generation unit.
The system comprises a physical data acquisition unit, a money holding unit and a money distribution unit, wherein the physical data acquisition unit is used for acquiring physical money circulation data sent by a financial device in the process of depositing and withdrawing money by a money holding party; wherein the physical currency circulation data includes: the currency crown word number of the physical currency, the physical currency image, the currency holder identity information and the circulation time; an image recognition unit configured to recognize an image of the physical money and to take a money serial number, an image recognition result, money holder identity information, and a distribution time of the physical money as physical money distribution information; the data verification unit is used for verifying the validity of the physical currency according to the physical currency circulation data and verifying the identity of the identity information of the currency holder; and the physical request generating unit is used for generating a physical circulation record transaction request comprising physical currency circulation data if the verification is passed.
Preferably, the data checking unit is further specifically configured to send an inquiry transaction request including a currency prefix number of the physical currency to the blockchain network during the deposit process of any currency holder, so that the blockchain network inquires identity information of a legal currency holder of the blockchain network according to the currency prefix number of the physical currency; and according to the identity information of the legal currency holder, carrying out identity verification on the currency holder.
Preferably, the digital currency circulation monitoring module 420 specifically includes: a digital data acquisition unit and a digital request generation unit. The digital currency circulation data acquisition unit is used for acquiring digital currency circulation data sent by the payment equipment in the process of carrying out digital currency circulation by a currency holder; the digital currency circulation data comprises circulation amount and circulation currency holder identity information; the digital request generating unit is configured to generate a digital currency record transaction request including digital currency data.
Preferably, the digital currency circulation supervision module 420 is further specifically configured to lock the digital currency account of the currency holder and prohibit the digital currency account of the currency holder from performing other digital currency transactions simultaneously during the process of detecting that the currency holder performs digital currency transactions.
Preferably, the digital currency circulation monitoring module 420 is further specifically configured to encrypt the digital currency account of the currency holder to obtain a digital currency account cryptograph of the currency holder.
Preferably, the system further comprises a data supervision module, and the data supervision module specifically comprises: the device comprises a data confirmation unit, a data query unit and a result sending unit. The data confirmation unit is used for determining the currency data to be supervised according to the currency supervision request of the supervision party; the data query unit is used for sending a supervision transaction request comprising the currency data to be supervised to the blockchain network so as to query the currency data to be supervised by the blockchain network; and the result sending unit is used for sending the query result of the currency data to be supervised to the supervisor so as to enable the supervisor to carry out supervision processing.
The block chain based currency circulation supervision system provided by the embodiment of the invention can execute the block chain based currency circulation supervision method provided by any embodiment of the invention, and has corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of the execution method.
EXAMPLE five
Fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device 12 suitable for use in implementing embodiments of the present invention. The electronic device 12 shown in fig. 5 is only an example and should not bring any limitation to the function and the scope of use of the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 5, electronic device 12 is embodied in the form of a general purpose computing device. The components of electronic device 12 may include, but are not limited to: one or more processors or processing units 16, a system memory 28, and a bus 18 that couples various system components including the system memory 28 and the processing unit 16.
Bus 18 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures include, but are not limited to, Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, micro-channel architecture (MAC) bus, enhanced ISA bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus.
Electronic device 12 typically includes a variety of computer system readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by electronic device 12 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media.
The system memory 28 may include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as Random Access Memory (RAM)30 and/or cache memory 32. The electronic device 12 may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer system storage media. By way of example only, storage system 34 may be used to read from and write to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media (not shown in FIG. 5, and commonly referred to as a "hard drive"). Although not shown in FIG. 5, a magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk (e.g., a "floppy disk") and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk (e.g., a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical media) may be provided. In these cases, each drive may be connected to bus 18 by one or more data media interfaces. Memory 28 may include at least one program product having a set (e.g., at least one) of program modules that are configured to carry out the functions of embodiments of the invention.
A program/utility 40 having a set (at least one) of program modules 42 may be stored, for example, in system memory 28, such program modules 42 including, but not limited to, an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data, each of which examples or some combination thereof may comprise an implementation of a network environment. Program modules 42 generally carry out the functions and/or methodologies of the described embodiments of the invention.
Electronic device 12 may also communicate with one or more external devices 14 (e.g., keyboard, pointing device, display 24, etc.), with one or more devices that enable a user to interact with electronic device 12, and/or with any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable electronic device 12 to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication may be through an input/output (I/O) interface 22. Also, the electronic device 12 may communicate with one or more networks (e.g., a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), and/or a public network, such as the Internet) via the network adapter 20. As shown, the network adapter 20 communicates with other modules of the electronic device 12 via the bus 18. It should be understood that although not shown in the figures, other hardware and/or software modules may be used in conjunction with electronic device 12, including but not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data backup storage systems, among others.
The processing unit 16 executes various functional applications and data processing by running programs stored in the system memory 28, for example, implementing the block chain based currency circulation supervision method provided by the embodiment of the present invention.
EXAMPLE six
Embodiments of the present invention further provide a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, where the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements a block chain-based currency circulation monitoring method as provided in any of the inventive embodiments of this application.
Computer storage media for embodiments of the invention may employ any combination of one or more computer-readable media. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated data signal may take many forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may also be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C + + or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet service provider).
It is to be noted that the foregoing is only illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and the technical principles employed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, but is capable of various obvious changes, rearrangements and substitutions as will now become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in greater detail by the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include other equivalent embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is determined by the scope of the appended claims.