Method, system and program product for electronically executing contracts within a secure computer infrastructure

• US 7,363,509 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2004
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Penn, Michael A., Harrison, John R., Wexler, Gary D., Roy, Kakan, Sandler, Michael B., Kwok, Thomas Y., Nguyen, Thao N., Lam, Linh Hue, Farquharson, Aston G., Cammarota, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ELLEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/761,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20050160278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 713/189, 713/161, 713/169
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services

Abstract

Under the present invention, a customized contract is created based on the needs of the parties and is then stored within a secure computer infrastructure. Security within the computer infrastructure is typically provided through encryption such as 128 bit encryption. Moreover, all actions taken with respect to the contract (e.g., approval, execution, etc.) occur within the infrastructure and are recorded so that a record can be provided. Any party taking action will first be authenticated before access to the infrastructure is granted. In order for the contract to be electronically executed, both the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner must first deliberately approve the contract. Once approval has been obtained, the contract can be electronically executed by both parties. After execution is complete, a final image of the contract is generated that includes the electronic signatures and the date of execution.

Claims

1. A method for electronically executing contracts within a secure computer infrastructure, comprising:

obtaining contract information from a receiving contract partner;

creating a contract within the secure computer infrastructure based on the contract information;

requesting approval of the contract within the secure computer infrastructure from an originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner, the requesting including communicating an electronic approval notification to the originating contract partner and communicating an electronic approval notification to the receiving contract partner after approval by the originating contract partner, wherein the electronic approval notifications contain a hyperlink to the secure computer infrastructure;

requesting, after receiving approval from the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner, execution of the contract within the secure computer infrastructure from the receiving contract partner and the originating contract partner after the contract is approved by the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner, the requesting including communicating an electronic execution notification to the originating contract partner and communicating an electronic execution notification to the receiving contract partner, wherein the electronic execution notifications contain a hyperlink to the secure computer infrastructure; and

generating a final image of the contract within the secure computer infrastructure after the contract is executed by the receiving contract partner and the originating contract partner.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving login information from the originating contract partner;

authenticating the login information;

providing the originating contract partner with access to the contract within the secure computer infrastructure if the login information is authenticated; and

receiving an approval determination from the originating partner.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving login information from the receiving contract partner;

authenticating the login information;

providing the receiving contract partner with access to the contract within the secure computer infrastructure if the login information is authenticated; and

receiving an approval determination from the receiving partner.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving login information from the originating contract partner;

authenticating the login information;

providing the originating contract partner with access to the contract within the secure computer infrastructure if the login information is authenticated; and

receiving an execution determination from the originating partner.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving login information from the receiving contract partner;

authenticating the login information;

providing the receiving contract partner with access to the contract within the secure computer infrastructure if the login information is authenticated; and

receiving an execution determination from the receiving partner.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking all actions taken by the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner in a database according to time, date and an IP address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure computer infrastructure is secured using encryption.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the receiving contract partner prior to the obtaining step, wherein the registering step comprises:

obtaining profile information for the receiving contract partner;

communicating a URL corresponding to the secure infrastructure to the receiving contract partner; and

providing login information to the receiving contract partner upon selection of the URL.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the registering step further comprises checking a credit of the receiving contract partner.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a status of the contract is indicated as “

Submitted”

after the contract is generated, wherein the status is indicated as “

New”

after approval by the originating contract partner, wherein the status is indicated as “

Ready to Sign”

after approval by the receiving contract partner, wherein the status is indicated as “

Signed”

after execution by the receiving contract partner, wherein the status is indicated as “

Countersigned”

after execution by the originating contract partner, and wherein the status is indicated as “

Complete”

after the final image is generated.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an issue list from the receiving contract partner if approval of the contract by the receiving contract partner is not obtained.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising blocking out comments input by the receiving contract partner is approval of the contract by the receiving contract partner is obtained.

13. A program product stored on a recordable medium for electronically executing contracts within a secure computer infrastructure, which when executed, comprises:

program code for creating a contract within the secure computer infrastructure based on contract information obtained from a receiving contract partner;

program code for requesting and receiving approval determinations for the contract within the secure computer infrastructure from an originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner, wherein program code for approving communicates separate electronic approval notifications to the originating contract partner and to the receiving contract partner, wherein the electronic approval notifications each contain a hyperlink to the secure computer infrastructure;

program code for, after receiving approval from the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner, requesting and receiving execution determinations for the contract within the secure computer infrastructure from the receiving contract partner and the originating contract partner after the contract is approved by the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner, wherein the program code for executing communicates separate electronic execution notifications to the originating contract partner and to the receiving contract partner, wherein the electronic execution notifications each contain a link to the secure computer infrastructure; and

program code for generating a final image of the contract within the secure computer infrastructure after the contract is executed by the receiving contract partner and the originating contract partner.

14. The program product of claim 13, further comprising program code registering the receiving contract partner, wherein the program code for registering obtains profile information for the receiving contract partner, and communicates a URL corresponding to the secure infrastructure to the receiving contract partner.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program code for registering further checks a credit of the receiving contract partner.

16. The program product of claim 13, further comprising program code for authenticating login information for the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner.

17. The program product of claim 13, further comprising program code for securing the secure computer infrastructure using encryption.

18. The program product of claim 13, further comprising program code for tracking all activities by the originating contract partner and the receiving contract partner within the secure computer infrastructure according to time, date and IP address.

19. The program product of claim 13, further comprising program code for maintaining a status of the contract, wherein a status of the contract is indicated as “

Submitted”

after the contract is generated, wherein the status is indicated as “

New”

after approval by the originating contract partner, wherein the status is indicated as “

Ready to Sign”

after approval by the receiving contract partner, wherein the status is indicated as “

Signed”

after execution by the receiving contract partner, wherein the status is indicated as “

Countersigned”

after execution by the originating contract partner, and wherein the status is indicated as “

Complete”

after the final image is generated.