Apparatus, system and method for electronically signing electronic transcripts

• US 8,549,303 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2009
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GmbH (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: West Services
• Inventors: Fifield, Davin, Koch, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHREWSBURY, NATHAN K
• Application Number:
  US12/631,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20100122153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/158, 713/165, 713/166, 713/167, 713/171, 715/230, 715/255, 715/256, 715/268
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/645 using a third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

A method for electronically signing an electronic transcript. The method includes obtaining an image of a court reporter'"'"'s signature which may be incorporated into an electronic transcript. A hash operation performed on the electronic transcript to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript. The representation of the contents of the electronic transcript is recorded/time stamped by a digital notary service, from which a notary record of the time stamping is obtained from the digital notary service. The notary record is digitally signed, and an electronically signed electronic transcript is formed by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript and with the data identifying the user. In this manner, an electronic transcript with an electronic signature is created. The electronic transcript may be viewed, with the image displayed in the viewer having an image of the court reporter'"'"'s signature.

Claims

1. A method for electronically signing an electronic transcript,

comprising:

obtaining an electronic transcript representative of transcript data;

generating a first representation by performing a first hash operation on the electronic transcript;

appending data that is representative of a user to the first representation to form an appended first representation;

generating a second representation by performing a second hash operation on the appended first representation;

communicating the second representation to a digital notary service;

receiving from the digital notary service a digital notary record based on the communicated second representation; and

forming an electronically signed electronic transcript by bundling the digital notary record, the electronic transcript, and the data that is representative of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

fetching an electronic image of a signature of the user;

and

importing the electronic image of the signature of the user to the electronic transcript.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second hash operation comprises a RIPEMD-160 hash operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital notary record comprises a time stamp of the second representation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data that is representative of the user includes a user name that uniquely identifies the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data that is representative of the user also includes data uniquely identifying the electronic transcript.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining the electronic image of the signature of the user and storing the electronic image of the signature of the user,

wherein fetching the electronic image of the signature of the user comprises fetching the electronic image from storage.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein importing the electronic image of the signature of the user to the electronic transcript comprises:

identifying a signature location within one of a plurality of pages of the electronic transcript; and

merging the electronic image of the signature to the signature location.

9. A method for electronically signing an electronic transcript, comprising:

receiving a signature document having a signature thereon from a user;

scanning the signature into a signature image file, wherein the signature image file comprises an image of the signature;

receiving an electronic transcript comprising a plurality of pages, at least one of the pages to have a signature therein certifying the accuracy of the transcript;

receiving signature location information that indicates a location within the electronic transcript where the image of the signature is to appear when the electronic transcript is displayed on a viewer;

incorporating the electronic transcript, the signature image file and the signature location information into an electronic transcript file;

performing a first hash operation on the electronic transcript file to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;

concatenating data that identifies a user to the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file; and

performing a second hash operation on the data and the representation, the second hash operation generating a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file and the data;

providing for the recording and time stamping by a digital notary service of the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file and the data file;

obtaining a notary record from the digital notary service of the time stamping;

digitally signing the notary record; and

forming an electronically signed electronic transcript by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript file.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second hash operations are a RIPEMD-160 hash operation.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the data includes a user name uniquely identifying the user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the data includes a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the transcript.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying the electronic transcript with the image of the signature.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed on a computer cause the computer to:

receive an electronic transcript comprising a plurality of pages, at least one of the pages to have a signature therein;

receive signature location information that indicates a location within the electronic transcript where the signature is to appear when the electronic transcript is displayed on a viewer;

incorporate the electronic transcript, a signature image file and signature location information into an electronic transcript file, wherein the signature image file comprises an image of the signature;

perform a first hash operation on the electronic transcript file to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;

concatenate data that identifies a user to the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file; and

perform a second hash operation on the data concatenated to the representation, the second hash operation generating a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file and the data;

provide for the recording and time stamping by a digital notary service of the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file and the data;

obtain a notary record from the digital notary service of the time stamping;

digitally sign the notary record; and

form an electronically signed electronic transcript by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript file.