System and method for embedding a written signature into a secure electronic document

• US 8,065,527 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eSignature Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Signatureware Corp.
• Inventors: Squitieri, Gene, Veluchamy, Suresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUIRGUIS, MICHAEL M
• Application Number:
  US11/687,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 726/2, 726/16, 382/119, 705/76
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials

Abstract

A system and method for embedding a written signature into a secure electronic document is disclosed. The method includes forming a placeholder electronic document containing content to be attested to by a signature. A signing individual can be selected from a signer list. A signature tag can be placed into the placeholder electronic document at a selected signature location. The signature tag is associated with the signing individual and defines the signature location for the signing individual to sign. The placeholder electronic document can be secured to form a secure electronic document having content configured to be uneditable. A signature can be captured with a signature capture device configured to enable the signing individual to write the signature to be embedded into the secure electronic document at the location indicated by the signature tag to mimic a real world experience of signing paper documents.

Claims

1. A method for embedding a written signature into a secure electronic document, comprising:

forming a placeholder electronic document containing content to be attested to by a signature;

selecting a signing individual from a signer list;

placing a signature tag into the placeholder electronic document at a selected signature location, wherein the signature tag is associated with the signing individual and defines the signature location within the placeholder electronic document for the signing individual to sign;

securing the placeholder electronic document to form the secure electronic document having content configured to be uneditable;

sizing an unsigned signature bounding box on a signature capture device based on a type of the signature tag at the signature location, wherein the signature bounding box is displayed independently of a display of the secure electronic document; and

capturing a signature with the signature capture device within the signature bounding box as the signature is written by the signing individual, the signature capture device being configured to enable the signing individual to write the signature to be embedded into the secure electronic document at the signature location indicated by the signature tag to mimic a real world experience of signing paper documents.

2. A method as in claim 1, further comprising placing a signature tag, wherein the type of the signature tag is one of a full signature tag, a notary tag and an initial tag.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein placing the signature tag further comprises obtaining the signature tag from a pool of signature tags, wherein each signature tag is associated with a unique identification number, the method further comprising returning the unique identification number to the pool for reuse when an associated signature tag is deleted.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the signature tag further comprises tag type information including one of a full signature tag type, a notary tag type and an initial tag type and tag state information including one of signed information and unsigned information.

5. A method as in claim 1, further comprising adding a plurality of signing individuals to the signer list to enable the signature tag to be associated with one of the plurality of signing individuals, and verifying that the plurality of signing individuals added to the list includes no duplicate names using a signer list module.

6. A method as in claim 5, further comprising placing a unique signature tag associated with the selected signing individual from the plurality of signing individuals at every location throughout the placeholder electronic document where the signing individual will sign.

7. A method as in claim 5, further comprising associating each of the plurality of signing individuals as one of a signer and a notary.

8. A method as in claim 7, further comprising embedding an electronic image comprising a notary stamp associated with the notary and the signature of the notary at the selected signature location indicated for the notary by the signature tag associated with the notary.

9. A method as in claim 1, further comprising configuring the secure electronic document such that the embedded signature can be saved in the secure electronic document.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein capturing a signature further comprises capturing a signature at a time a transaction takes place.

11. A method as in claim 2, wherein capturing a signature further comprises capturing initials from the signing individual at a selected location indicated by the initial tag.

12. A system for embedding a written signature into a secure electronic document, comprising:

an editing module configured to edit content in a placeholder electronic document, wherein the content is to be attested to by a signature;

a signer list module comprising a list of selectable signing individuals;

a tagging module for adding at least one signature tag associated with the selected signing individual to the placeholder electronic document, wherein each of the at least one signature tag defines a location for a signature within the electronic document and indicates the signing individual associated with the signature tag to sign at the location;

a secure document creation module for securing the content in the placeholder electronic document to form a secure electronic document containing content configured to be uneditable;

a secure document signer module to enable the secure electronic document to be viewed and to accept written signatures from the signing individuals at the signature tag location;

a signature capture device configured to enable the signing individual to write a signature at a transaction time for each of the at least one signature tag associated with the signing individual and further configured to size an unsigned signature bounding box based on a type of the signature tag at the location, wherein the signature bounding box is displayed independently of a display of the secure electronic document; and

a signature capture module configured to electronically embed the signature of the signing individual from bounds of the the signature bounding box on the signature capture device into the secure electronic document at a location of each of the at least one signature tag associated with the signing individual.

13. A system as in claim 12, wherein the signature capture module further provides a secure sign-in procedure to enable the signing individual to only sign at signature tags associated with the signing individual.

14. A system as in claim 12, wherein each separate signer is placed into an authorized signer list.

15. A system as in claim 12, wherein the signer list module enables each of the signing individuals to be identified as one of a signer and a notary.

16. A system as in claim 15, wherein the tagging module enables at least one signature tag associated with the signing individual identified as the signer to be placed in the placeholder electronic document, wherein the signature of the signing individual is one of a written signature and initials of the signing individual.

17. A system as in claim 15, wherein the tagging module enables at least one signature tag that is a notary tag associated with the signing individual identified as the notary to be placed in the placeholder electronic document, wherein the signature of the signing individual identified as a notary is embedded as an electronic image comprising a notary stamp associated with the notary and the signature of the notary at the selected signature location indicated for the notary by the notary tag in the secure electronic document.

18. A system as in claim 12, wherein at least one of the signature capture module and the signature capture device are configured to remotely communicate with the secure electronic document to enable a written signature to be obtained from a remote location at a time of a transaction.

19. A system as in claim 18, wherein the signature capture device is configured to remotely communicate with the secure electronic document signer module through at least one communication means selected from the group consisting of a local area network, a wide area network, an internet connection, a wireless connection, a wired connection, a telephone connection, and a broadband connection.

20. A system as in claim 12, further comprising an automatic scrolling module configured to automatically scroll from a first signature tag related to a signing individual to a next signature tag related to the signing individual after the signing individual'"'"'s signature is embedded at a location of the first signature tag in the secure electronic document.

21. A system as in claim 12, further comprising a tag navigation module configured to enable a preparing individual to review the at least one signature tag present in the placeholder electronic document and associated with the selected signing individual by selecting the signing individual and one of a next and a previous button.

22. A system as in claim 12, further comprising a tag navigation module configured to enable the signing individual to review before signing signature tags related to the signing individual present in the secure electronic document by selecting one of a next and a previous button.

23. A method for transmitting an electronic document for embedding a written signature, comprising:

forming a placeholder electronic document containing content to be attested to by a signature;

adding a signing individual to the signer list;

selecting a signing individual from a signer list to enable a selected signature location for the signing individual to be added to the placeholder electronic document;

placing at least one signature tag for the selected signing individual into the placeholder electronic document, wherein each of the at least one signature tag defines a location for a signature within the electronic document to sign at the location;

securing the placeholder electronic document to form a secure electronic document containing content configured to be uneditable and enabling the secure electronic document to accept written signatures from the signing individuals at the signature tag locations;

transmitting the secure electronic document to the at least one signing individual for the purpose of obtaining a signature; and

sizing an unsigned signature bounding box on a signature capture device based on a type of the signature tag at the signature location, wherein the signature bounding box is displayed independently of a display of the secure electronic document.

24. A method as in claim 23, further comprising obtaining a signature within the secure electronic document from the at least one signing individual using a signature capture device as the signature is written by the signing individual, the signature capture device being configured to enable the signing individual to inscribe their signature onto the signature capture device within the signature bounding box to allow the signing individual'"'"'s signature to be embedded into the secure electronic document at the signature tag that indicates a location for the signing individual'"'"'s signature.

25. A method for receiving an electronic document for embedding a written signature, comprising:

receiving a secure electronic document containing content configured to be uneditable and at least one signature tag;

selecting a signing individual from a signer list associated with the secure electronic document, wherein the signer list contains people selected to sign the secure electronic document;

advancing to the at least one signature tag in the secure electronic document related to the selected signing individual, wherein each signature tag defines a location within the electronic document for the selected signing individual to add the selected signing individual'"'"'s signature;

sizing an unsigned signature bounding box on a signature capture device based on a type of the signature tag at the location, wherein the signature bounding box is displayed independently of a display of the secure electronic document; and

obtaining a signature within the secure electronic document within the signature bounding box from the signing individual using the signature capture device as the signature is written by the signing individual, the signature capture device being configured to enable the signing individual to inscribe their signature onto the signature capture device to allow the signing individual'"'"'s signature to be embedded into the secure electronic document at the signature tag that indicates a location for the signing individual'"'"'s signature.

26. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for embedding a written signature into an electronic document, the computer readable program code means in the article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code configured to form a placeholder electronic document containing content to be attested to by a signature;

computer readable program code configured to select a signing individual from a signer list to enable a selected signature location for the signing individual to be added to the placeholder electronic document;

computer readable program code configured to place a signature tag into the placeholder electronic document at the selected signature location, wherein the signature tag is associated with the signing individual and defines the selected signature location within the placeholder electronic document for the signing individual;

computer readable program code configured to secure the placeholder electronic document to form the secure electronic document having content configured to be uneditable;

computer readable program code configured to capture a signature with a signature capture device as the signature is written by the signing individual and at a time of a transaction, the signature capture device being configured to enable the signing individual to write the signature to be embedded into the secure electronic document at a location indicated by the signature tag to mimic a real world experience of signing paper documents; and

computer readable program code configured to size an unsigned signature bounding box on the signature capture device before the signature is captured based on a type of the signature tag at the signature location, wherein the signature bounding box is displayed independently of a display of the secure electronic document.