System and method for the electronic management and execution of transaction documents

• US 8,145,911 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2010
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stewart Title Company (Stewart Information Services Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Stewart Title Company (Stewart Information Services Corporation)
• Inventors: Ross, Darren G., Epperson, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFFMAN, BRANDON S
• Application Number:
  US12/776,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]

Abstract

One aspect of the invention is a method for generating a certified electronic document that includes receiving identification information associated with a signatory user from a computer. From the same computer, identification information associated with a notary user is also received. At least one electronic document that requires certification is identified on a display. A first user command is received from the computer identifying the assent of the signatory user to the execution of the at least one electronic document. A second user command is received from the computer identifying the assent of the notary user to the certification of the at least one electronic document. Official indicia associated with the notary user is applied to the at least one electronic document to create at least one certified document.

Claims

1. A method for electronically executing an electronic document, comprising:

receiving, from a first computer, first identification information associated with a first signatory user;

receiving, from a second computer, second identification information associated with a second signatory user;

identifying at least one unexecuted electronic document that requires execution by the first and second signatory users;

receiving a first user command from the first computer identifying the assent of the first signatory user to the execution of the at least one unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a second user command from the second computer identifying the assent of the second signatory user to the execution of the at least one unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a third user command from the first computer identifying the presence of a notary user with the first signatory user;

in response to receiving the first user command and the second user command, electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document by applying official electronic notarization indicia associated with the notary user to the at least one unexecuted document to create at least one electronically executed document, the official electronic notarization indicia certifying the presence of the notary user at the execution of the at least one executed and certified electronic document by the first user and identifying the notary user as a registered and valid notary meeting at least one jurisdictional requirement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document comprises:

applying a first electronic signature associated with the first signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

applying a second electronic signature associated with the second signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document comprises:

applying a first digital certificate associated with the first signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

applying a second digital certificate associated with the second signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving the first user command comprises identifying that the first user used an input device associated with the first computer to click on a first signature box within the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

receiving the second user command comprises identifying that the second user used an input device associated with the second computer to click on a second signature box within the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electronically capturing a representation of a signature of the first user; and

electronically capturing a representation of a signature of the second user, and

wherein electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document comprises applying the electronically captured representations of the signatures of the first and second users to the at least one unexecuted document to create the electronically executed document.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second computers are located at a common location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second users perform execution duties concurrently such that the first and second user commands are received substantially concurrently.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second users perform execution duties independently of each other at different times such that the first and second user commands are received at different times.

9. The method of claim 1, further, wherein the third user command identifies the assent of a notary user to the certification of the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the third user command identifying the assent of a notary user to the certification of the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

11. A method for electronically executing an electronic document, comprising:

receiving, from a single computer, first identification information associated with a first signatory user;

receiving, from the single computer, second identification information associated with a second signatory user;

receiving, from the single computer, third identification information associated with a notary user;

identifying, on a display, at least one unexecuted electronic document that requires execution by the first and second signatory users;

receiving a first user command from the single computer identifying the assent of the first signatory user to the execution of the at least one unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a second user command from the single computer identifying the assent of the second signatory user to the execution of the at least one unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a third user command from the single computer identifying the presence of a notary user with the first signatory user;

in response to receiving the first user command and the second user command, electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document by applying official electronic notarization indicia associated with the notary user to the at least one unexecuted document to create at least one electronically executed document, the official electronic notarization indicia certifying the presence of the notary user at the execution of the at least one executed and certified electronic document by the first user and identifying the notary user as a registered and valid notary meeting at least one jurisdictional requirement.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document comprises:

applying a first electronic signature associated with the first signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

applying a second electronic signature associated with the second signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document comprises:

applying a first digital certificate associated with the first signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

applying a second digital certificate associated with the second signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

receiving the first user command comprises identifying that the first user used an input device associated with the first computer to click on a first signature box within the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

receiving the second user command comprises identifying that the second user used the input device associated with the first computer to click on a second signature box within the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

electronically capturing a representation of a signature of the first user; and

electronically capturing a representation of a signature of the second user, and

wherein electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document comprises applying the electronically captured representations of the signatures of the first and second users to the at least one unexecuted document to create the electronically executed document.

16. A method for electronically executing an electronic document, comprising:

receiving, from a computer, identification information associated with a signatory user;

identifying, on a display, a first unexecuted electronic document that requires execution by the first signatory user;

identifying, on the display, a first signature location within the first unexecuted electronic document;

receiving, from the computer, a first user command identifying the assent of the signatory user to have a later captured signature applied to the first unexecuted electronic document at the first signature location;

identifying, on the display, at least one additional signature location within the first unexecuted electronic document;

for each at least one additional signature location, receiving, from the computer, at least one additional user command identifying the assent of the signatory user to have the later captured signature applied to the first unexecuted electronic document at the first signature location;

at some time after the first user command and the at least one additional user commands are received from the computer, using an electronic signature pad to electronically capture a representation of a handwritten signature of the signatory user;

in response to capturing the signature of the signatory user, creating a first executed document by applying the electronic signature of the signatory user to the first signature location and to each at least one additional signature location within the first unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a second user command from the first computer identifying the presence of a notary user with the signatory user; and

in response to receiving the second user command, electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document by applying official electronic notarization indicia associated with the notary user to the at least one unexecuted document to create at least one electronically executed document, the official electronic notarization indicia certifying the presence of the notary user at the execution of the at least one executed and certified electronic document by the user and identifying the notary user as a registered and valid notary meeting at least one jurisdictional requirement.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the first user command comprises identifying that the first user used an input device associated with the computer to click on the first signature location within the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a notary user command from a notary user, the user command identifying the assent of the notary user to the certification of the first unexecuted electronic document; and

in response to receiving the third user command, applying official notarization indicia associated with the notary user to the first unexecuted electronic document, the official notarization indicia certifying the presence of the notary user at the execution of the first unexecuted electronic document by the signatory user and identifying the notary user as a registered and valid notary meeting at least one jurisdictional requirement.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

at some time prior to electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user, identifying, on a display, a second unexecuted electronic document that requires execution by the first signatory user;

at some time prior to electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user, identifying, on the display, a signature location within the second unexecuted electronic document; and

at some time prior to electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user, receiving, from the computer, a user command identifying the assent of the signatory user to have a later captured signature applied to the second unexecuted electronic document at the signature location, and

at some time after electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user, creating a second executed document by applying the electronic signature of the signatory user to the signature location within the second unexecuted electronic document.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program of instructions for generating a certified electronic document when executed by a computer, the program of instructions operable to cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving, from a first computer, first identification information associated with a first signatory user;

receiving, from a second computer, second identification information associated with a second signatory user;

identifying at least one unexecuted electronic document that requires execution by the first and second signatory users;

receiving a first user command from the first computer identifying the assent of the first signatory user to the execution of the at least one unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a second user command from the second computer identifying the assent of the second signatory user to the execution of the at least one unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a third user command from the first computer identifying the presence of a notary user with the first signatory user; and

in response to receiving the first user command and the second user command, electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document by applying official electronic notarization indicia associated with the notary user to the at least one unexecuted document to create at least one electronically executed document, the official electronic notarization indicia certifying the presence of the notary user at the execution of the at least one executed and certified electronic document by the first user and identifying the notary user as a registered and valid notary meeting at least one jurisdictional requirement.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

apply a first electronic signature associated with the first signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

apply a second electronic signature associated with the second signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

apply a first digital certificate associated with the first signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

apply a second digital certificate associated with the second signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

receive the first user command comprises identifying that the first user used an input device associated with the first computer to click on a first signature box within the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

receive the second user command comprises identifying that the second user used an input device associated with the second computer to click on a second signature box within the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

electronically capture a representation of a signature of the first user; and

electronically capture a representation of a signature of the second user, and

wherein electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document comprises applying the electronically captured representations of the signatures of the first and second users to the at least one unexecuted document to create the electronically executed document.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the first and second computers are located at a common location.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the first and second users perform execution duties concurrently such that the first and second user commands are received substantially concurrently.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the first and second users perform execution duties independently of each other at different times such that the first and second user commands are received at different times.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the third user command identifying the assent of a notary user to the certification of the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program of instructions for generating a certified electronic document when executed by a computer, the program of instructions operable to cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving, from a single computer, first identification information associated with a first signatory user;

receiving, from the single computer, second identification information associated with a second signatory user;

receiving from the single computer, third identification information associated with a notary user;

identifying, on a display, at least one unexecuted electronic document that requires execution by the first and second signatory users;

receiving a first user command from the single computer identifying the assent of the first signatory user to the execution of the at least one unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a second user command from the single computer identifying the assent of the second signatory user to the execution of the at least one unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a third user command from the single computer identifying the presence of a notary user with the first signatory user; and

in response to receiving the first user command and the second user command, electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document by applying official electronic notarization indicia associated with the notary user to the at least one unexecuted document to create at least one electronically executed document, the official electronic notarization indicia certifying the presence of the notary user at the execution of the at least one executed and certified electronic document by the first user and identifying the notary user as a registered and valid notary meeting at least one jurisdictional requirement.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

apply a first electronic signature associated with the first signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

apply a second electronic signature associated with the second signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

apply a first digital certificate associated with the first signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

apply a second digital certificate associated with the second signatory user to the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein:

receiving the first user command comprises identifying that the first user used an input device associated with the first computer to click on a first signature box within the at least one unexecuted electronic document; and

receiving the second user command comprises identifying that the second user used the input device associated with the first computer to click on a second signature box within the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

electronically capture a representation of a signature of the first user; and

electronically capture a representation of a signature of the second user, and

wherein electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document comprises applying the electronically captured representations of the signatures of the first and second users to the at least one unexecuted document to create the electronically executed document.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the third user command identifying the assent of a notary user to the certification of the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program of instructions for generating a certified electronic document when executed by a computer, the program of instructions operable to cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving identification information associated with a signatory user;

identifying, on a display, a first unexecuted electronic document that requires execution by the first signatory user;

identifying, on the display, a first signature location within the first unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a first user command identifying the assent of the signatory user to have a later captured signature applied to the first unexecuted electronic document at the first signature location;

identifying, on the display, at least one additional signature location within the first unexecuted electronic document;

for each at least one additional signature location, receiving at least one additional user command identifying the assent of the signatory user to have the later captured signature applied to the first unexecuted electronic document at the first signature location;

at some time after the first user command and the at least one additional user commands are received from the computer, electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user;

in response to capturing the signature of the signatory user, creating a first executed document by applying the electronic signature of the signatory user to the first signature location and to each at least one additional signature location within the first unexecuted electronic document;

receiving a second user command from the first computer identifying the presence of a notary user with the signatory user; and

in response to receiving the second user command, electronically executing the at least one unexecuted document by applying official electronic notarization indicia associated with the notary user to the at least one unexecuted document to create at least one electronically executed document, the official electronic notarization indicia certifying the presence of the notary user at the execution of the at least one executed and certified electronic document by the user and identifying the notary user as a registered and valid notary meeting at least one jurisdictional requirement.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein receiving the first user command comprises identifying that the first user used an input device to click on the first signature location within the at least one unexecuted electronic document.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

receive a notary user command from a notary user, the user command identifying the assent of the notary user to the certification of the first unexecuted electronic document; and

in response to receiving the third user command, apply official notarization indicia associated with the notary user to the first unexecuted electronic document, the official notarization indicia certifying the presence of the notary user at the execution of the first unexecuted electronic document by the signatory user and identifying the notary user as a registered and valid notary meeting at least one jurisdictional requirement.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the program of instructions is further operable to cause the computer to:

at some time prior to electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user, identify, on a display, a second unexecuted electronic document that requires execution by the first signatory user;

at some time prior to electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user, identify, on the display, a signature location within the second unexecuted electronic document; and

at some time prior to electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user, receive a user command identifying the assent of the signatory user to have a later captured signature applied to the second unexecuted electronic document at the signature location, and

at some time after electronically capturing the electronic signature of the signatory user, create a second executed document by applying the electronic signature of the signatory user to the signature location within the second unexecuted electronic document.