Image signatures with unique watermark ID

• US 20020049614A1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bindu R. Rao, Marion R. Rice
• Original Assignee: Bindu R. Rao, Marion R. Rice
• Inventors: Rao, Bindu R., Rice, Marion R.
• Application Number:
  US09/823,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049614A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A healthcare network that is used by doctors, patients, nurses, home healthcare agencies, hospitals, etc. employs digital signatures for providing secure access to documents and other information. It also employs watermarked electronic image signatures to authenticate the documents and other information. When a user, such as a doctor, signs a document, such as a patient'"'"'s documents, a watermarked electronic image signature of the user is selectively employed, along with the user'"'"'s digital signatures that are based on public and private keys, to authenticate the user and determine the identity of the signer. Such a mechanism makes it possible to employ the watermarked electronic image signature as proof of the user having signed the document. In addition, when the document is printed or viewed on the screen, the inclusion of the electronic image signature on the display or the insertion of the watermarked electronic image signature in the printed output helps confirm the fact that the document has been previously signed, while also providing information about the signer'"'"'s identity.

Claims

1. A healthcare network comprising:

a document database that stores at least one patient document having a digital signature of a signor;

a web server communicatively coupled to the document database;

a computer, communicatively coupled to the web server, running browser software used to review the at least one patient document;

at least one web page, selectively delivered by the web server to the computer, that displays the at least one patient document and at least an indication of the digital signature; and

the computer responding to input via the at least one web page by at least causing generation of a watermark ID based on at least information regarding the signor.

2. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the generation is further based on at least one of information regarding the patient document and information regarding the patient.

3. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the digital signature comprises an electronic image signature.

4. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the healthcare network selectively verifying the authenticity of the at least one patient document using the watermark ID.

5. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the healthcare network selectively verifying the authenticity of the at least one patient document using the watermark ID and the digital signature.

6. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the computer responding to input via the at least one web page by causing merger of the watermark ID with the digital signature.

7. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the computer displays the watermark ID with or without the digital signature.

8. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the watermark ID comprises a barcode.

9. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the computer responding to input via the at least one web page by at least causing association of the watermark ID with the at least one document.

10. The healthcare network of claim 1 wherein the computer responding to input via the at least one web page by at least causing, using the at least an indication of the digital signature, an electronic image signature to be obtained from a database.

11. A method of verifying the authenticity of a patient document in a healthcare network comprising:

retrieving a patient document from a document database having a digital signature of a signor;

generating a watermark ID based on at least information regarding the signor; and

displaying the watermark ID on a screen for review.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the generation is further based on at least one of information regarding the patient document and information regarding the patient.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the digital signature comprises an electronic image signature.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising merging the watermark ID with the digital signature.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying the digital signature with the watermark ID.

16. The healthcare network of claim 11 wherein the watermark ID comprises a barcode.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising associating the watermark ID with the patient document.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising obtaining an electronic image signature from a database.

19. A patient management system comprising:

a user interface;

a patient document that has a digital signature of a signor; and

a processor that responds to the user interface by generating a watermark ID using at least information regarding the signor.

20. The patient management system of claim 19 wherein the generation is further based on at least one of information regarding the patient document and information regarding the patient.

21. The patient management system of claim 19 wherein the digital signature comprises an electronic image signature.

22. The patient management system of claim 19 wherein the processor merges the watermark ID with the digital signature.

23. The patient management system of claim 19 wherein the processor causing display of the watermark ID with or without the digital signature.

24. The patient management system of claim 19 wherein the watermark ID comprises a barcode.

25. The patient management system of claim 19 wherein the processor associates the watermark ID with the patient document.