System and method for providing access to forms and maintaining the data used to complete the forms

• US 20040205534A1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Steven K. Koelle
• Original Assignee: Steven K. Koelle
• Inventors: Koelle, Steven K.
• Application Number:
  US10/141,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20040205534A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/507
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing a forms system that preferably allows easy access to a large number of forms, a user to electronically sign a form, authentication of the data has not changed after the form has been electronically signed, data conversion, and external data importation into a data file. A further embodiment of the invention preferably includes a method to incorporate signature capabilities into a form. Another aspect of the invention is consistent handling of data entered into forms by users.

Claims

1. A method for placing an signature on a form comprising:

receiving an signature request from a user,

verifying that the user has completed the user'"'"'s portion of the form after receiving the request from the user

retrieving the signature,

performing a security verification that the signature corresponds to the requesting user, and

adding the signature to the form.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising requesting a location of the signature prior to retrieving the signature.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said performing step includes

requesting entry of a password by the user,

receiving the entered password from the user,

comparing the entered password to the password associated with the signature such that if the passwords are unequal repeating the first three steps in this claim, else adding the signature to the form.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said performing step includes

requesting entry of a password by the user,

receiving the entered password from the user,

comparing the entered password to the password associated with the signature such that if the passwords are unequal returning to the form from that the user requested be signed, else adding the signature to the form.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein prior to the adding step performing the following:

displaying the retrieved signature to the user, and

receiving an acceptance from the user of the signature.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signature is an electronic signature.

7. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process performing the method recited in claim 1.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for the method recited in claim 1.

9. A method for displaying signature information without displaying the signature comprising:

determining whether a data to populate a form includes a signature, when the data includes a signature performing the following

pulling information regarding the signature, and

authenticating the populating data to verify no changes have occurred in data fields linked to the signature, and

when no changes have occurred displaying the signature information in place of the signature.

10. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process performing the method recited in claim 9.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for the method recited in claim 9.

12. A method for adding a signature functionality to a form comprising locating in the form signature template fields such that a signature field covers an area where a signature is to be located and an option for informing a form system to insert a signature in the signed field within the signature area of the form.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising placing the option over the signature field such that a user will associate selecting the option with obtaining the placement of a signature.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the option upon selection will activate a macro to find and place the signature within the signature field.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the signature template fields include a signed text field.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising prior to the locating step:

opening a form previously designed,

opening a template file, and

copying the signature template fields from the template file.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the locating step includes placing the copied signature template fields onto the form.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising linking data fields within the form to the signature field such that once the signature is placed within the signature field the signature will disappear upon a change being made in at least one linked data field.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the signature will disappear upon the form being saved.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the signature will disappear upon the form being updated.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the signature will disappear upon the form being printed.

22. The method according to claim 12, wherein the signature template fields include a control group having at least one box.

23. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process performing the method recited in claim 12.

24. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for the method recited in claim 12.

25. A method for providing information regarding a form to an user, comprising:

displaying an array of form buttons having a link to a form and an information link,

receiving a information request triggered by selection of the information link by the user, and

displaying information regarding the form to the user.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

offering the user an option to obtain additional information regarding a form,

receiving the notice of the selection of the option by the user,

retrieving additional information, and

displaying additional information to the user.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the retrieving step includes

pulling a website address from a database, and

opening a browser such that the browser pulls information from the website address.

28. A method for adding data to a data file for a particular form comprising:

receiving a request from a user to pull data from a source external to the current data file,

prompting the user for a location of the external data source,

receiving location information from the user,

pulling the external data based upon the location information, and

adding the external data to the current data file.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the current data file is an empty data file.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the external data is backup data.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the prompting step includes providing the user the opportunity to browser through directories to locate the external data.

32. The method according to claim 28, wherein the external data is contained within a data file with a name that is different from the form name.

33. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process performing the method recited in claim 28.

34. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for the method recited in claim 28.

35. A method for converting a data file for an old form replaced by a new form comprising:

renaming the data file for the old form,

creating a data file using the former name of the data file for the old form, and

translating the data from the data file for the old form to the data file for the new form.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising deleting the data file for the old form.

37. A system comprising:

means for providing a main interface,

means for allowing a user to access a form within three clicks beginning at the main interface,

means for displaying a form with at least one field that the user may fill with data, and

means for storing data entered into the fields of forms within said system.

38. The system according to claim 37, further comprising means for converting data entered for an out-of-date form to a data structure of a newer form that replaced the out-of-date form.

39. The system according to claim 37, further comprising means for the user to sign a form.

40. The system according to claim 39, further comprising means for a second user to sign the form signed by the first user.

41. The system according to claim 37, further comprising means for providing information about at least one form.

42. The system according to claim 37, further comprising means for adding external data to a data file associated with a form opened by the user.