Method and apparatus for creating and editing electronic documents
First Claim
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing an executable program for creating electronic documents, where the program performs the steps of:
- generating an electronic document in a first document format type, in accordance with one or more user-specified parameters;
converting the electronic document from the first document format type into a second document format type, in accordance with a user instruction to finalize the electronic document, wherein a final version of the electronic document is stored in the second document format type, and wherein the second document format type includes a security feature that prevents modification of the final version of the electronic document; and
adding a signature to the final version of the electronic document, the signature identifying a party involved in a creation of the electronic document, wherein the adding comprises;
generating a signature file; and
temporarily removing the security feature from the final version of the electronic document while the signature file is added to the final version of the electronic document.
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Abstract
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for creating and editing electronic documents. One embodiment of the inventive method involves generating an electronic document in a first document format type, in accordance with one or more user-specified parameters, and converting the electronic document from the first document format type into a second document format type, in accordance with a user instruction to finalize the electronic document. In one embodiment, the first document format type is a structured document format type, such as hypertext markup language or extensible markup language, while the second document format type is a secure document format type such as portable document format.
35 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing an executable program for creating electronic documents, where the program performs the steps of:
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generating an electronic document in a first document format type, in accordance with one or more user-specified parameters; converting the electronic document from the first document format type into a second document format type, in accordance with a user instruction to finalize the electronic document, wherein a final version of the electronic document is stored in the second document format type, and wherein the second document format type includes a security feature that prevents modification of the final version of the electronic document; and adding a signature to the final version of the electronic document, the signature identifying a party involved in a creation of the electronic document, wherein the adding comprises; generating a signature file; and temporarily removing the security feature from the final version of the electronic document while the signature file is added to the final version of the electronic document.
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2. A system for creating electronic documents, the system comprising:
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hardware means for generating an electronic document in a first document format type, in accordance with one or more user-specified parameters; and hardware means for converting the electronic document from the first document format type into a second document format type, in accordance with a user instruction to finalize the electronic document, wherein a final version of the electronic document is stored in the second document format type, and wherein the second document format type includes a security feature that prevents modification of the final version of the electronic document; and hardware means for adding a signature to the final version of the electronic document, the signature identifying a party involved in a creation of the electronic document, wherein the hardware means for adding comprises; generating a signature file; and temporarily removing the security feature from the final version of the electronic document while the signature file is added to the final version of the electronic document. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. A method for creating electronic documents, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating an electronic document in a first document format type, in accordance with one or more user-specified parameters; converting the electronic document from the first document format type into a second document format type, in accordance with a user instruction to finalize the electronic document, wherein a final version of the electronic document is stored in the second document format type, and wherein the second document format type includes a security feature that prevents modification of the final version of the electronic document; and adding a signature to the final version of the electronic document, the signature identifying a party involved in a creation of the electronic document, wherein the adding comprises; generating a signature file; and temporarily removing the security feature from the final version of the electronic document while the signature file is added to the final version of the electronic document. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification