LOCATION AWARE SELECTION OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES

• US 20150213568A1
• Filed: 01/29/2014
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaufman, Marc, Follis, Benjamin David
• Application Number:
  US14/167,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20150213568A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

Techniques for generating a document according to location-specific and other requirements may be provided. For example, an electronic signature service may be executed by a computing device to provide a service for generating a document that meets various location-specific and other requirements. The documents may be associated with number of users. The electronic signature service may determine locations of the users and may determine applicable requirements based on the users and the locations. Further, the electronic signature service may modify the document and/or a workflow associated with the document to meet the applicable requirements.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a computing service configured to facilitate electronic signatures for electronic documents, location information associated with a user requested to electronically sign an electronic document;

determining, by the computing service, one or more requirements for electronically signing the electronic document, the one or more requirements based at least in part on the location information;

modifying, by the computing service, the electronic document based at least in part on the one or more requirements; and

allowing, by the computing service, the user to electronically sign the modified electronic document in accordance with the one or more requirements.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user is a sender of the electronic document, wherein the location information is determined by the computing service based at least in part on a geographic location of a computing device operated by the user, and wherein the one or more requirements include jurisdictional requirements associated with the geographic location.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user is a signer of the electronic document, wherein the one or more requirements include jurisdictional requirements associated with the location information of the signer, and further comprising generating, by the computing service, the electronic document prior to determining the location information.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing service, a pre-authorization describing an allowable modification to the electronic document;

determining, by the computing service, whether the pre-authorization authorizes the electronic document to be modified according to a required modification, the required modification being based at least in part on the one or more requirements;

when the pre-authorization authorizes the electronic document to be modified according to the required modification, automatically modifying, by the computing service, the electronic document based at least in part on the required modification; and

when the pre-authorization prohibits the electronic document from being modified according to the required modification, generating, by the computing service, a notification indicative of the required change.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computing service, second location information;

determining, by the computing service based at least in part on the second location information, one or more second requirements for electronically signing the electronic document;

determining, by the computing service, whether the one or more second requirements conflict with the one or more requirements;

when the one or more second requirements conflict with the one or more requirements, generating, by the computing service, a notification indicative of the conflict; and

when the one or more second requirements are compatible with the one or more requirements, modifying, by the computing service, the electronic document based at least in part on the one or more second requirements.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computing service, a workflow describing a plurality of actions to be performed in conjunction with the electronic signing of the electronic document;

performing, by the computing service, a first action of the workflow prior to allowing the user to electronically sign the modified electronic document; and

performing, by the computing service, a second action of the workflow post allowing the user electronically sign the modified electronic document.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein actions of the workflow are specified by the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein an action of the workflow specified by the user is modified by the computing service based at least in part on the one or more requirements.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein actions of the workflow are based at least in part on the one or more requirements.

10. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor and bearing instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to at least;

determine a workflow for allowing a first user to electronically sign an electronic document;

determine a first location of the first user and a first requirement associated with the first location, the first requirement applicable for electronically signing the electronic document;

modify the workflow or the electronic document to satisfy the first requirement; and

present the electronic document to the first user for electronically signing the electronic document, the presented electronic document satisfying the first requirement based at least in part on the modification to the workflow or to the electronic document.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to:

determine a second location associated with a second user, the second user being requested to electronically sign the electronic document;

determine, based at least in part on the second location, a second requirement for the electronic document to be valid; and

determine whether a conflict exists between the first requirement and the second requirement.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to:

modify, based at least in part on the second requirement, the workflow or the electronic document when the conflict is non-existing; and

notify the first user or the second user when the conflict exists.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first user specifies actions of the workflow and content of the electronic document, and wherein the workflow or the electronic document is modified based at least in part on the second requirement.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to:

determine a first authorization from the first user for an allowable modification prior to determining the first requirement, wherein modifying the workflow or the electronic document is automatic if the modification meets the allowable modification, and wherein modifying the workflow or the electronic document further comprises receiving an authorization from the first user prior to the modification when the modification does not meet the allowable modification.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computing device, configure the computing device to perform operations comprising:

provide an interface to a user for electronically signing an electronic document;

determine a location of the user;

determine one or more requirements for electronically signing the electronic document based at least in part on the location of the user;

update the electronic document or a workflow for electronically signing the electronic document to meet the one or more requirements; and

allow, based at least in part on the update, the user to electronically sign the electronic document by way of the interface.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the interface is further configured to allow the user to identify an additional location, and further comprising instructions that, when executed on the computing device, configure the computing device to update the one or more requirements based at least in part on the additional location.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed on the computing device, configure the computing device to update the one or more requirements based at least in part on an location associated with an additional user.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the additional location is available prior to updating the one or more requirements.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the location of the user is associated with a first requirement for accepting an electronic signature of the user, and wherein the location of the additional user is associated with a second requirement for accepting an electronic signature of the additional signature, and further comprising instructions that, when executed on the computing device, configure the computing device to:

modify the electronic document based at least in part on the first requirement and the second requirement.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed on the computing device, configure the computing device to allow, based at least in part on the one or more requirements, the additional user to electronically sign the electronic document by way of the interface.