System for obtaining signatures on a single authoritative copy of an electronic record
First Claim
1. A method for creating a unique authoritative record, obtaining and validating a digital signature on the authoritative record, and upon successful validation creating a unique revised authoritative record, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a record in a secure environment, wherein the secure environment is connected to a network and comprises at least one server that stores and executes software;
generating identifying information;
generating a receipt, wherein the receipt includes a digital signature of a combination of the record and the appended identifying information;
generating supplemental information that includes a provable representation of the receipt;
prepending the receipt to a beginning of the record;
appending the identifying information and supplemental information to an ending of the record;
storing the record with prepended receipt and appended identifying information and supplemental information as the unique authoritative record;
receiving a request to sign the authoritative record;
computing a partially completed message digest of the authoritative record, wherein the partial message digest is related to a proper subset of the authoritative record;
sending the partial message digest and at least a complement of the proper subset of the authoritative record to a remote location;
completing the computation of the message digest, at the remote location, using the partial message digest, the complement of the proper subset and other identifying information;
creating a digital signature with the use of the message digest and a private key;
transmitting at least the digital signature and the other identifying information to the secure environment;
validating the digital signature in the secure environment, and upon affirmative validation;
revising the authoritative record with the digital signature and other information to create a revised authoritative record.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for maintaining control of a record which may have transferable value wherein the system provides for digitally signing a record in a partially-trusted distributed environment and allows a single unique authoritative copy to be held at a repository. The system meets the uniqueness and retainability requirements of current legislation relating to electronic transactions and allows electronic records to receive the same legal enforceability as paper documents. One or more secure servers along with maintenance control software provide the secure environment for parties wishing to complete electronic transactions to form legally enforceable agreements.
41 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for creating a unique authoritative record, obtaining and validating a digital signature on the authoritative record, and upon successful validation creating a unique revised authoritative record, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a record in a secure environment, wherein the secure environment is connected to a network and comprises at least one server that stores and executes software; generating identifying information; generating a receipt, wherein the receipt includes a digital signature of a combination of the record and the appended identifying information; generating supplemental information that includes a provable representation of the receipt; prepending the receipt to a beginning of the record; appending the identifying information and supplemental information to an ending of the record; storing the record with prepended receipt and appended identifying information and supplemental information as the unique authoritative record; receiving a request to sign the authoritative record; computing a partially completed message digest of the authoritative record, wherein the partial message digest is related to a proper subset of the authoritative record; sending the partial message digest and at least a complement of the proper subset of the authoritative record to a remote location; completing the computation of the message digest, at the remote location, using the partial message digest, the complement of the proper subset and other identifying information; creating a digital signature with the use of the message digest and a private key; transmitting at least the digital signature and the other identifying information to the secure environment; validating the digital signature in the secure environment, and upon affirmative validation; revising the authoritative record with the digital signature and other information to create a revised authoritative record. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for creating and validating at least one digital signature for an electronic authoritative record maintained in a secure environment, wherein control is maintained in the secure environment by software and at least one server, and a copy of the electronic authoritative record can be electronically transmitted to a remote location without losing any of the electronic authoritative record'"'"'s integrity, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving an electronic record in the secure environment; generating at least some identifying information; generating at least some first information comprising a receipt of the electronic record by the secure environment; defining a beginning information as all information prepended to a beginning of the record and comprising the first information; generating at least some second information comprising at least a provable representation of the first information, wherein the provable representation of the first information is mathematically related to the first information; defining an ending information as all information appended to an end of the record and comprising the identifying information and the second information; creating an authoritative record comprising the beginning information, the electronic record, and the ending information, wherein the beginning information is prepended to the beginning of the electronic record and the ending information is appended to the end of the electronic record; storing the authoritative record in the secure environment; making a perceivable copy of the authoritative record by copying only the electronic record and the ending information; transmitting the perceivable copy of the authoritative record to a remote location; receiving the perceivable copy at the remote location, and if desired digitally signing the authoritative record by; generating a partially complete message digest, at the secure environment, of the authoritative record, wherein the partial message digest is related to the beginning information; transmitting the partial message digest from the secure environment to the remote location, completing a message digest of the authoritative record at the remote location with the use of the partial message digest, the perceivable copy, and other identifying information; and, creating a digital signature at the remote location using the message digest and a private key to produce a digital signature of the authoritative record; transmitting at least the digital signature and the other identifying information from the remote location to the secure environment; receiving the digital signature and the other identifying information in the secure environment; validating the digital signature in the secure environment with the use of the digital signature, a corresponding public key of the private key, and a separately computed message digest of the combination of the authoritative record and the received identifying information in the secure environment, and upon affirmative validation of the digital signature; generating a revised authoritative record by prepending digital signature information comprising at least the digital signature to a beginning of the authoritative record, wherein the digital signature information is thereby included in the beginning information, appending signature information comprising at least the received identifying information and a provable representation of the digital signature information to an end of the authoritative record, wherein the ending information thereby includes the signature information; and, storing the revised authoritative record in the secure environment. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for creating a unique authoritative record, obtaining and validating a digital signature on the authoritative record, and upon successful validation creating a unique revised authoritative record, comprising:
- at least one server, connected to a network, that stores and executes software that creates a secure environment and at least one computer at a remote location that stores and executes at least a portion of the software, wherein the software provides for;
receiving a record in the secure environment; generating identifying information; generating a receipt, wherein the receipt includes a digital signature of the combination of the authoritative record and the appended identifying information; generating supplemental information that includes a provable representation of the receipt; prepending the receipt to a beginning of the record; appending the identifying information and the supplemental information to an ending of the record; storing, in the secure environment, the record with prepended receipt and appended identifying information and supplemental information as the unique authoritative record; receiving a request, from the remote location, to sign the authoritative record; computing a partially completed message digest, at the secure environment, of the authoritative record, wherein the partial message digest is related to a proper subset of the authoritative record; sending the partial message digest and at least a complement of the proper subset of the authoritative record to the remote location; completing the computation of the message digest, at the remote location, using the partial message digest and the complement of the proper subset, and other identifying information; creating a digital signature with the use of the message digest and a private key; transmitting at least the digital signature and the other identifying information from the remote location to the secure environment; validating the digital signature in the secure environment, and upon affirmative validation; revising the authoritative record with the digital signature and other information to create a revised authoritative record. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- at least one server, connected to a network, that stores and executes software that creates a secure environment and at least one computer at a remote location that stores and executes at least a portion of the software, wherein the software provides for;
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26. A system for creating and validating at least one digital signature on an electronic authoritative record that is maintained in a secure environment, wherein a copy of the electronic authoritative record can be electronically transmitted to a remote location without losing any of the electronic authoritative record'"'"'s integrity, the system comprising:
- at least one server, connected to a network, that stores and executes software that creates the secure environment and at least one computer at a remote location that stores and executes a portion of the software, wherein the software provides for;
receiving an electronic record in the secure environment; generating at least some identifying information; generating at least some first information comprising a receipt of the electronic record by the secure environment; defining a beginning information as all information prepended to a beginning of the record and comprising the first information; generating at least some second information comprising at least a provable representation of the first information, wherein the provable representation of the first information is mathematically related to the first information; defining an ending information as all information appended to an end of the record and comprising the identifying information and the second information; creating an authoritative record comprising the beginning information, the electronic record, and the ending information, wherein the beginning information is prepended to the beginning of the electronic record and the ending information is appended to the end of the electronic record; storing the authoritative record in the secure environment; making a perceivable copy of the authoritative record by copying only the electronic record and the ending information; transmitting the perceivable copy of the authoritative record to a person at the remote location; receiving the perceivable copy at the remote location, and if desired digitally signing the authoritative record by; generating a partially completed message digest, at the secure environment, of the authoritative record, wherein the partial message digest is related to the beginning information; transmitting the partial message digest from the secure environment to the remote location, completing a message digest of the authoritative record at the remote location with the use of the partial message digest, the perceivable copy, and other identifying information; and, creating a digital signature at the remote location using the message digest and a private key to produce the digital signature of the authoritative record; transmitting at least the digital signature and the other identifying information from the remote location to the secure environment; receiving the digital signature and the other identifying information in the secure environment; validating the digital signature in the secure environment with the use of the digital signature, a corresponding public key of the private key, and a separately computed message digest of the combination of the authoritative record and the received identifying information in the secure environment, and upon affirmative validation of the digital signature; generating a revised authoritative record by prepending digital signature information comprising at least the digital signature to a beginning of the authoritative record, wherein the digital signature information is thereby included in the beginning information, appending signature information comprising at least the received identifying information and a provable representation of the digital signature information to an end of the authoritative record, wherein the ending information thereby includes the signature information; and, storing the revised authoritative record in the secure environment. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
- at least one server, connected to a network, that stores and executes software that creates the secure environment and at least one computer at a remote location that stores and executes a portion of the software, wherein the software provides for;
Specification