System and method for processing digital documents utilizing secure communications over a network

• US 20020091927A1
• Filed: 01/04/2002
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yozons Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Yozons Incorporated
• Inventors: Wall, David A.E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,360,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A system and method for processing communications between a sender computing device and at least one recipient computing device are provided. A sender establishes a secure communication with a document processing server and requests the processing of an electronic document, which can include the appending of a digital signature. The document processing server processes the electronic document and establishes secure communications with one or more designated recipients. The document processing server can implement sender specified recipient identity verification and provide further processing of the electronic document as designated by the recipients.

Claims

1. A method for processing communications between a sender and at least one recipient, the method comprising:

obtaining a request to transmit an electronic document to at least one recipient;

obtaining an electronic document corresponding to the request from the sender;

processing the electronic document, wherein processing the electronic document includes encrypting the electronic document with an encryption key corresponding to the designated at least one recipient;

establishing a communication channel with the designated at least one recipient; and

transmitting the processed electronic document to the designated at least one recipient;

wherein the sender and the designated at least one recipient do not exchange encryption keys.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining a request to transmit an electronic document includes obtaining a request via an Internet Web browser.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining an electronic document includes:

establishing a secure communication connection with the sender; and

obtaining an encrypted document.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein establishing a secure communication connection includes establishing a secure sockets layer communication channel.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining a request to transmit an electronic document includes obtaining a request to append an electronic signature corresponding to the sender to the electronic document.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein processing electronic document includes:

appending an electronic signature corresponding to the sender; and

encrypting the electronic signature corresponding to the sender with a sender specific encryption key.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein establishing a communication channel with the designated at least one recipient includes:

transmitting an electronic mail message to the designated at least one recipient, the electronic mail message including a unique identifier; and

obtaining a communication from the designated at least one recipient including the unique identifier.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the unique identifier is a hyperlink, and wherein establishing a communication channel includes obtaining a request to access a Web site corresponding to the hyperlink.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein establishing a communication channel with the designated at least one recipient includes obtaining an identity verification from the designated at least one recipient.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the identity verification includes a unique identifier submitted with a request.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the identity verification includes a password.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the identity verification includes verification from a third-party source.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting a verification corresponding to the identity of a sender to the designated at least one recipient.

14. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a request to append an electronic signature corresponding to the recipient to the electronic document;

logically associating an electronic signature corresponding to the designated at least one recipient; and

encrypting the electronic signature corresponding to the designated at least one recipient with a recipient specific encryption key.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

establishing a communication channel with a second designated recipient; and

transmitting the processed electronic document to the designated second recipient;

wherein the sender and the designated second recipient do not exchange encryption keys.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising:

obtaining a request to append an electronic signature corresponding to the second recipient to the electronic document;

logically associating an electronic signature corresponding to the second recipient; and

encrypting the electronic signature corresponding to the second recipient with a second recipient specific encryption key.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in any one of claims 1-16.

18. A computer system including a processor, a memory, and an operating system, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in any one of claims 1-16.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the sender computing device includes a browser application program operable to request a Web page for requesting the processing of the electronic document.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the browser application is operable to establish a secure communication channel with the document processing server without additional participation by a sender.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the secure communication channel is a secure sockets layer communication channel.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the secure communication channel is a transport layer security communication channel.

24. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the request to process the electronic document includes a request to append a signature corresponding to a sender to the electronic document.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the document processing server is further operable to:

logically associate the electronic signature corresponding to the sender to the electronic document; and

encrypting the electronic signature corresponding to the sender with a sender specific encryption key.

26. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the recipient computing device is operable to obtain electronic mail message including a unique identifier corresponding to a recipient and further operable to establish a secure communication channel with the document processing server.

27. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the recipient computing device includes a browser application operable to establish a secure communication channel with a document processing server without requiring additional participation by a recipient.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the browser application is operable to establish a secure sockets layer communication channel.

29. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein the browser application is operable to establish a transport layer security communication channel.

30. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the document processing server is further operable to verify the identity of the at least one recipient.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the identity verification is the possession of the unique identifier.

32. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the identity verification is the use of a password.

33. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the identity verification is the utilization of a third party verification service.

34. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the document processing server is further operable to transmit sender identity verification to the recipient computing device.

35. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the document processing server is further operable to:

append an electronic signature corresponding to the recipient to the electronic document; and

encrypt the electronic signature corresponding to the recipient with a recipient specific encryption key.

36. The system as recited in claim 35 further comprising at least two recipient computing devices corresponding to at least two identifiable communication channels.

38. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 37, wherein the interface component is operable to establish a Web browser based secure communication.

39. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 38, wherein the Web browser based secure communication is a secure sockets layer communication channel.

40. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 38, wherein the Web browser based secure communication is a transport layer security communication channel.

41. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 37, wherein the document processing component is operable to verify the identity of the recipient computing device.

42. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 41, wherein the identity verification includes the possession of a unique identifier.

43. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 41, wherein the identity verification includes the utilization of a password.

44. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 41, wherein the identity verification includes a third party verification service.

45. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 37, wherein the document processing component is operable to append an electronic signature corresponding to the recipient.

46. The computer-readable components as recited in claim 37, wherein the interface processing component is operable to establish communications with two or more recipient computing devices.

19. A system for processing communications, the system comprising:

a sender computing device operable to transmit a request to process an electronic document;

at least one recipient computing device corresponding to an identifiable communication channel; and

a document processing server, the document processing server operable to establish secure communications with the sender computing device and the at least one recipient computing device;

wherein the document processing server processes an electronic document and transmits the processed electronic document between the sender computing device and the recipient computing device without the sender computing device and the at least one recipient computing device exchanging encryption keys.

37. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components for processing communications between a sender and at least one recipient comprising:

an interface component operable to establish secure communication with the sender computing device and the recipient computing device without requiring the exchange of encryption keys between the sender computing device and the recipient computing device;

a document processing component operable to process document requests from the sender computing device and append at least an electronic signature corresponding to a sender.