Computer-implemented collaborative record-keeping system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for collaborative record-keeping comprising:
- a server node having a memory therein, the memory having a user-accessible section and a repository section, the user-accessible section having at least one personal scratch space, the personal scratch space being affiliated with a user and containing unsigned records created by that user acting as an author and a copy of records signed by that user acting as an author;
the repository section having at least one team library having at least one notebook therein, the notebook being affiliated with a user and containing records that have been signed by that user acting as an author and records that have been signed and witnessed, and at least one user node connectible to the memory of the server, the user node being operable in either an author mode or a witness mode, when operable in the author mode, the user node being connectible to the personal scratch space of a user for retrieval of an unsigned record for editing or subsequent signing by that user acting as an author, and the user node being connectible to both the personal scratch space of a user and a notebook of that user in the team library, for storage of a record signed by that user acting as an author in both the personal scratch space and in the notebook, wherein the signed record includes an author signature string derived from a hashed combination of at least a portion of the record, a first date/time stamp provided by the server, and a data string representative of the identity of that user acting as an author; and
when operable in the witness mode, the user node being connectible to the team library for retrieval of a signed record from a notebook in the team library for review by a user acting as a witness, and, after reviewing and witnessing the signed record, for storage of a signed and witnessed record in a notebook in the team library, wherein the signed and witnessed record includes a witness signature string derived from a hashed combination of a second date/time stamp provided by the server node and a data string representative of the identity of a user acting as a witness.
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Abstract
A computer-implemented system and method for collaborative record-keeping is characterized by an author signature string that is derived from a hashed combination of at least a portion of the record, a first date/time stamp provided by a server, and a data string representative of the identity of the author. A witness signature string derived from a hashed combination of a second date/time stamp provided by the server and a data string representative of the identity of the witness is also appended to the record. The signed and witnessed electronic record is stored in a write-protected and delete-protected manner.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for collaborative record-keeping comprising:
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a server node having a memory therein, the memory having a user-accessible section and a repository section, the user-accessible section having at least one personal scratch space, the personal scratch space being affiliated with a user and containing unsigned records created by that user acting as an author and a copy of records signed by that user acting as an author;
the repository section having at least one team library having at least one notebook therein, the notebook being affiliated with a user and containing records that have been signed by that user acting as an author and records that have been signed and witnessed, and at least one user node connectible to the memory of the server, the user node being operable in either an author mode or a witness mode, when operable in the author mode, the user node being connectible to the personal scratch space of a user for retrieval of an unsigned record for editing or subsequent signing by that user acting as an author, and the user node being connectible to both the personal scratch space of a user and a notebook of that user in the team library, for storage of a record signed by that user acting as an author in both the personal scratch space and in the notebook, wherein the signed record includes an author signature string derived from a hashed combination of at least a portion of the record, a first date/time stamp provided by the server, and a data string representative of the identity of that user acting as an author; and
when operable in the witness mode, the user node being connectible to the team library for retrieval of a signed record from a notebook in the team library for review by a user acting as a witness, and, after reviewing and witnessing the signed record, for storage of a signed and witnessed record in a notebook in the team library, wherein the signed and witnessed record includes a witness signature string derived from a hashed combination of a second date/time stamp provided by the server node and a data string representative of the identity of a user acting as a witness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for signing and authenticating a record using a computer network comprising a server node and at least one user node connected to the server, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) at a user node occupied by an author, creating a record;
b) applying a signature string to the created record, the signature string being derived by hashing a combination of at least a portion of the record, a date/time stamp provided by the server, and a data string representative of the identity of the author, thereby to create a signed record;
c) transmitting the signed record from the user node to the server; and
d) thereafter, storing the signed record in a memory in a write-protected manner. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21)
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11. A method for signing, witnessing and authenticating a record using a computer network comprising a server node and at least one user node connected to the server, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) at a user node occupied by an author, creating a record;
b) applying an author signature string to the created record, the author signature string being derived by hashing a combination of at least a portion of the record, a first date/time stamp provided by the server, and a data string representative of the identity of the author, thereby to create a signed record;
c) transmitting the signed record from the user node to the server;
d) thereafter, storing the signed record in a memory in a write-protected manner;
e) transmitting a copy of the signed record from the server node to a user node for witnessing by a witness;
f) appending to the signed and stored record a witness signature string derived by hashing a combination of a second date/time stamp provided by the server, and a data string representative of the identity of the witness;
thereby to create a witnessed record. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification