Method and system for processing electronic documents

• US 6,609,200 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Financial Services Technology Consortium, International Business Machines Corporation, Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation), Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Clareon Corp., Financial Services Technology Consortium, International Business Machines Corporation, Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation), Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Palmer, Elaine, Chang, Sheveling, Virkki, Jyri, Hibbert, Chris, Kravitz, Jeffrey, Anderson, Milton, Jaffe, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/750,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20010018739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 713/156, 713/160, 713/161, 713/164, 713/165, 713/170, 713/175, 713/176, 713/181, 705/67, 380/51, 380/54, 380/216
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/042 characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/04 by paper currency

Abstract

The invention includes a markup language according to the SGML standard in which document type definitions are created under which electronic documents are divided into blocks that are associated with logical fields that are specific to the type of block. Each of many different types of electronic documents can have a record mapping to a particular environment, such as a legacy environment of a banking network, a hospital'"'"'s computer environment for electronic record keeping, a lending institution'"'"'s computer environment for processing loan applications, or a court or arbitrator'"'"'s computer system. Semantic document type definitions for various electronic document types (including, for example, electronic checks, mortgage applications, medical records, prescriptions, contracts, and the like) can be formed using mapping techniques between the logical content of the document and the block that is defined to include such content. Also, the various document types are preferably defined to satisfy existing customs, protocols and legal rules.

Claims

1. A markup language for authenticating a document, the markup language in the form of program code embodied on a computer-readable medium, the markup language comprising instructions to

determine a document type by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document, the document being human readable and machine readable,

separate the document into blocks,

assign a digital signature to one or more of the blocks, and,

insert at least one of a start-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tag at an end of the blocks.

2. The markup language of claim 1, wherein the start-tag and the end-tag enclose the contents of the blocks.

3. The markup language of claim 1, wherein the instructions to assign a digital signature comprise instructions to generate a signature block and bind the blocks with the signature block.

4. The markup language of claim 3, wherein the instructions to bind the blocks comprise instructions to digitally sign the signature block.

5. The markup language of claim 3, wherein the instructions to generate a signature block comp se instructions to

generate a digital hash of the contents of the blocks,

generate a combined digital hash of the names of the blocks and the digital hashes of the contents of the blocks, and

incorporate at least one of the digital hash of the contents of the blacks and the digital hash of the names of the blocks into the signature block.

6. The markup language of claim 3, wherein the instructions to generate a signature block comprise instructions to

generate a digital hash of e contents of the blocks, and

incorporate the digital hash of the contents of the blocks into the signature block.

7. The markup language of claim 6, wherein comprising instructions to digitally sign the digital hash of the contents of the blocks to generate a hash signature.

8. The markup language of claim 7, further comprising instructions to incorporate the hash signature into the signature block.

9. The markup language of claim 3, wherein the instructions to generate a signature block comprise instructions to

generate a digital hash of the contents of the blocks,

generate a combined digital hash of the names of the blocks and the digital hashes of the contents of the blocks,

digitally sign the combined digital hash to generate a hash signature, and

incorporate at least one a the digital hashes of the contents of the blocks, the names of the blocks, and the bash signature into the signature block.

10. The markup language of claim 9, wherein the instructions to generate a digital hash of the contents of the blocks comprise instructions to insert at least one of a start-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tag at an end of the blocks.

11. The markup language of claim 10, wherein the start-tag and the end-tag enclose the content of the blocks.

12. The markup language of claim 10, further comprising instructions to transmit the document from a first programmable digital computer to a second programmable digital computer.

13. The markup language of claim 12, further comprising instructions to accept the document when identified elements of the document type are provided by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document.

14. The markup language of claim 12, further comprising instructions to identify at the second compute the document type by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document and verify the signature block.

15. The markup language of claim 14, further comprising instructions to append a digital signature to the document.

16. The markup language of claim 15, further comprising instructions to append a certificate to the document to provide a relationship between an owner of the signature and a public key of the owner.

17. The markup language of claim 14, further comprising instructions to verify cryptographically sign certificates appended to the document.

18. A system for authenticating a document, comprising:

a first programmable digital computer, the first programmable digital computer including,

a definition module to determine a document type by the constituent parts of the document and the structure oft document, the document being human readable and machine readable;

a block module to separate the document into blocks, the block module comprising a tag module to insert at least one of a start-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tag at an end of the blocks; and

a signature module to assign a digital signature to one or more of the blocks.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the start-tag and the end-tag enclose the contents of the blocks.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the signature module comprises:

a generate module to generate a signature block; and

a join module to bind the plurality of blocks with the signature block.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the generate module comprises:

a hash module to generate a digital hash of contents of the blocks and a combined digital hash of names of the blocks and e digital hashes of the contents;

a digital signature module to digitally sign the combined digital hash to generate a hash signature; and

a finalizing module to incorporate at least one of the digital hashes of the contents of the blocks, the names of the blocks, d the hash signature into the signature block.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the join module comprises a second digital signature module t digitally sign the signature block.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the hash module comprises a tag module to insert at least one of a tart-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tag at an end of the blocks.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the start-tag and the end-tag enclose the contents of the blocks.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the first programmable digital computer further includes:

a parser to identify the document type by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document; and

an authenticator to verity e signature block of the document.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the parser comprises an acceptance module to accept the document when identifying elements of the document type are provided by the constituent parts f the document and the structure of the document.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the authenticator comprises an appending module to append a digital signature to the document.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the appending module comprises a certifier module to append a certificate to the document providing a relationship between an owner of the digital signature and a public key of the owner.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the first programmable digital computer further includes a verified module to verify cryptographically signed certificates appended to the document.

30. A markup language for processing a document, the markup language in the form of program code embodied on a computer-readable medium, the markup language comprising instructions to

determine a document type by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document, the document being human readable and machine readable, the document associated with blocks and at least one of a start-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tag at an end of the blocks, and

verify a signed portion of e document.

31. The markup language of claim 30, further comprising instructions to append a digital signature to the document.

32. The markup language of claim 31, further comprising instructions to append a certificate to the document to provide a relationship between an owner of the signature and a public key of the owner.

33. The markup language of claim 30, further comprising instructions to verify cryptographically signed certificates appended to the document.

34. The markup language of claim 30, further comprising instructions to accept the document when identifying elements of the document type are provided by the constituent parts of the document and the stricture of the document.

35. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to process a document, comprising:

a typing module to determine a document type by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document, the document being human readable and machine readable, where the document is associated with blocks and at least one of a start-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tag at an end of the blocks; and

,

a verification module to verify a signed portion of the document.

36. The program storage device of claim 35, further comprising a signature module to append a digital signature to the document.

37. The program storage device of claim 36, further comprising a certification module to append a certificate to the document to provide a relationship between an owner of the digital signature an a public key of the owner.

38. The program storage device of claim 35, further comprising a cryptographic module to verify cryptographically signed certificates appended to the document.

39. The program storage device of claim 35, further comprising an acceptance module to accept the document when identifying elements of the document type are provided by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document.

40. A system for processing a document, comprising:

a programmable digital computer, the programmable digital computer including,

a parser to determine a document type by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document, the document being human readable and machine readable, where the document is associate with blocks having at least one of a start-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tag at an end of the blocks; and

an authenticator verify a signed portion of the document.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the parser comprises an acceptance module to accept the document when identifying elements of the document type are provided by the constituent parts of the document and the structure of the document.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the authenticator comprises an appending module to append a digital signature to the document.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the appending module comprises a certifier module to append a certificate to the document providing a relationship between an owner of the digital signature and a public key of the owner.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the first programmable digital computer Thither includes a verifier module to verify cryptographically signed certificates appended to the document.

45. A markup language for authenticating a document the markup language in the form of program code embodied on a computer-readable medium, the markup language comprises instructions to

parse a document into fields, the document being human readable and machine readable,

associate the fields with blocks and at least one of a start-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tap at an end of the blocks, and

assign a digital signature of at least one of the blocks.

46. Th markup language of claim 45, wherein the document type includes at least one of a loan application, a contract, a medical record, a prescription, a transcript, a notarized document, and a financial instrument.

47. The markup language of claim 45, wherein the blocks include data associated with a transaction.

48. The markup language of claim 45, wherein the blocks are associated with a logical purpose.

49. The markup language of claim 45, wherein the instructions to assign a digital signature to at least one of the blocks comprise instructions to generate a signature block and bind the signature block with at least one other block.

50. The markup language of claim 45, further comprising instructions to record data associated with the document.

51. Th markup language of claim 45, wherein the blocks include at least one of a type block, a header block, a logged data block, and a contents block.

52. The markup language of claim 51, wherein the header block includes data associated with the version of e document.

53. The markup language of claim 51, wherein the logged data block includes data for storage on a data base.

54. The markup language of claim 51, wherein the contents block includes data associated with a signature.

55. The markup language of claim 53, wherein data for storage include at least one of transaction dates and transaction parties.

56. The markup language of claim 54, wherein data associated with a signature include at least one of a document and a portion of a document.

57. The markup language of claim 51, wherein the type block includes data associated with the document type.

70. The markup language of claim 51, wherein the type block includes data associated with the document type.

58. A system for authenticating a document, the system comprising:

a first programmable digital computer, the first programmable digital computer including,

a parse module to parse the document into fields, the document being human readable and machine readable,

an association module to associate the fields with blocks and at least one of a start-tag at a beginning of the blocks and an end-tag at an end of the blocks, and

a signature module to assign a digital signature to at least one of the blocks.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the blocks include data associated with a transaction.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the blocks are associated with a logical purpose.

61. The system of claim 58, wherein the blocks include at least one of a type block, a header block, a logged data block, and a contents block.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the header block includes data associated with the version of the document.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein the logged data block includes data for storage on a database.

64. The system of claim 61, wherein the contents block includes data associated with a signature.

65. The system of claim 58, wherein the document type includes at least one of a Joan application, a contract, a medical record, a prescription, a transcript, a notarized document, and a financial instrument.

66. The system of claim 63, wherein data for storage include at least one of transaction dates and transaction parties.

67. The system of claim 64, wherein data associated with a signature include at least one of a document and a portion of a document.

68. The system of claim 58, wherein the signature module comprises a generate module to generate a signature block and join module to bind the signature block with at least one other block.

69. The system of claim 58, wherein the first programmable digital computer further includes a data storage and retrieval device to record data associated with the document.