Java based electronic signature capture method, device and system

• US 20050086483A1
• Filed: 10/20/2003
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Lal, Sunil, Singh, Prithipal, Subramanian, Srinivasan
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp

Abstract

A method for capturing an electronic signature of a user in a java based environment on a personal digital assistant. The method including prompting the user by an applet operating on the personal digital assistant, handling a canvas by the applet, and capturing an instance of the electronic signature on the canvas. The method further includes encoding by the canvas the instance of the electronic signature in a file and transferring the file by the canvas to the applet. A personal digital assistant including a screen sensitive to pressure for capturing a signature and an application adapted to capture the signature and attach the signature to a business object. In the personal digital assistant, the application further includes an applet adapted to prompt a user and adapted to handle a canvas. The canvas is adapted to capture an instance of the electronic signature and encode the instance in a file. The file is transferred by the canvas to the applet. A computer readable medium including a method for capturing an electronic signature of a user in a java based environment on a personal digital assistant.

Claims

1. A method for capturing an electronic signature of a user in a java based environment on a personal digital assistant, comprising:

capturing an instance of the electronic signature on the canvas;

encoding by a canvas the instance of the electronic signature in a file; and

transferring the file by the canvas to an applet.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising attaching a pointer to the file by the applet, the pointer pointing to a business object associated with the electronic signature.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising communicating by the personal digital assistant the file and the business object to a server.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising encoding the file and the business object prior to communicating the file and the business object to the server.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the file and the business object are encoded using an MD5 algorithm.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising comparing the file to at least one stored file by the server for consistency.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising producing a rejection message if the server determines that the file and the at least one stored file are not consistent.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising producing an acceptance message if the server determines that the file and the at least one stored file are consistent.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the file is a gif file.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prompting by the applet is in response to a delivery of an item, the electronic signature verifying receipt of the item.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the user by the applet operating on the personal digital assistant; and

handling the canvas by the applet.

12. A personal digital assistant, comprising:

a pressure sensitive screen; and

a processing system adapted to capture a signature entered via the screen and attach the signature to a business object maintained by the processing system.

13. The personal digital assistant according to claim 12, wherein:

the application includes an applet adapted to prompt a user and adapted to handle a canvas; and

the canvas is adapted to capture an instance of the electronic signature, encode the instance in a file, and transfer the file to the applet.

14. The personal digital assistant according to claim 13, wherein a pointer is attached to the file by the applet, the pointer pointing to a business object associated with the signature.

15. The personal digital assistant according to claim 13, wherein the personal digital assistant communicates the file and the business object to a server.

16. The personal digital assistant according to claim 15, wherein the personal digital assistant encodes the file and the business object prior to communicating the file and the business object to the server.

17. The personal digital assistant according to claim 15, wherein the server compares the file to at least one stored file for consistency.

18. A computer readable medium including a method for capturing an electronic signature of a user in a java based environment on a personal digital assistant, the method comprising:

providing a canvas by an applet;

prompting the user by the applet to sign the canvas;

capturing the electronic signature by the canvas;

encoding the electronic signature in the canvas in a .gif format to form a formatted electronic signature; and

transferring the formatted electronic signature to the applet from the canvas.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the method further comprises attaching a pointer to the file by the applet, the pointer pointing to a business object associated with the electronic signature.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the method further comprises communicating by the personal digital assistant the file and the business object to a server.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the method further comprises encoding the file and the business object prior to communicating the file and the business object to the server.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the method further comprises comparing the file to at least one stored file by the server for consistency.

23. A secure signature capturing method for mobile devices, comprising:

pursuant to a first application executing on a mobile device, capturing and encrypting a signature; and

pursuant to a second application executing on the mobile device, receiving the encrypted signature from the first application and attaching it to a document;

wherein unencrypted data representing the captured signature is inaccessible to any application other than the first application.

24. A network, comprising:

a mobile device adapted to capture a signature, encode the signature, and attach the encoded signature to a business object; and

a server adapted to receive the encoded signature attached to the business object from the mobile device;

wherein the server compares the encoded signature to a stored signature file.