Electronic signing apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a source device including;
an interface configured to;
receive an electronic document;
transmit the electronic document to a dedicated signing device; and
receive a signed electronic document from the dedicated signing device, the signed electronic document including the electronic document and an associated signature document including a digital image embedded with a digital watermark representing an encrypted one-way hash;
memory configured to store a public key assigned to the dedicated signing device;
a processor configured to;
calculate a one-way hash of the electronic document;
decode the digital watermark representing the encrypted one-way hash;
decrypt the encrypted one-way hash using the stored public key assigned to the dedicated signing device;
compare the decrypted one-way hash to the calculated one-way hash; and
wherein the dedicated signing device includes;
a signer interface configured to receive input from a signer;
an external interface configured to;
receive the electronic document from the source device;
transmit the signed electronic document to the source device, the signed electronic document including the electronic document and the associated signature document;
memory configured to store a private key assigned to the dedicated signing device; and
a processor configured to;
prevent alterations to the electronic document presented by the dedicated signing device;
alter a characteristic of the signature document based on the signer input, the signature document comprising an arbitrary digital representation;
calculate the one-way hash for the electronic document;
encrypt the one-way hash using the stored private key assigned to the dedicated signing device;
embed the digital watermark representing the encrypted one-way hash into the arbitrary digital representation, wherein the digital watermark is generated and embedded independent of any private key of the signer; and
associating the electronic document with the altered signature document as the signed electronic document.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatus, including computer program products, and systems implement and use techniques relating to electronic signatures. In one implementation, a one-way hash is calculated for an electronic document and a digital watermark representing the one-way hash is embedded in a signature document. Based on a user input, the signature document having the embedded digital watermark is altered, and the electronic document is associated with the signature document. The electronic document and the signature document together comprise a signed electronic document. The user input can include biometric information, such as a handwritten signature or a voice recording. For additional security, the one-way hash can be encrypted before a representation of the hash is embedded in the signature document.
11 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a source device including; an interface configured to; receive an electronic document; transmit the electronic document to a dedicated signing device; and receive a signed electronic document from the dedicated signing device, the signed electronic document including the electronic document and an associated signature document including a digital image embedded with a digital watermark representing an encrypted one-way hash; memory configured to store a public key assigned to the dedicated signing device; a processor configured to; calculate a one-way hash of the electronic document; decode the digital watermark representing the encrypted one-way hash; decrypt the encrypted one-way hash using the stored public key assigned to the dedicated signing device; compare the decrypted one-way hash to the calculated one-way hash; and wherein the dedicated signing device includes; a signer interface configured to receive input from a signer; an external interface configured to; receive the electronic document from the source device; transmit the signed electronic document to the source device, the signed electronic document including the electronic document and the associated signature document; memory configured to store a private key assigned to the dedicated signing device; and a processor configured to; prevent alterations to the electronic document presented by the dedicated signing device; alter a characteristic of the signature document based on the signer input, the signature document comprising an arbitrary digital representation; calculate the one-way hash for the electronic document; encrypt the one-way hash using the stored private key assigned to the dedicated signing device; embed the digital watermark representing the encrypted one-way hash into the arbitrary digital representation, wherein the digital watermark is generated and embedded independent of any private key of the signer; and associating the electronic document with the altered signature document as the signed electronic document. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, comprising:
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storing at a signing device a private key assigned to the signing device; receiving at the signing device an electronic document provided by a source device; preventing alterations to the electronic document presented by the dedicated signing device; generating a signature document by calculating a first one-way hash for the electronic document, encrypting the first one-way hash using the private key assigned to the dedicated signing device, and embedding a digital watermark representing the encrypted first one-way hash in a first image, wherein the digital watermark is generated and embedded independent of any private key of a signer; altering a characteristic of the signature document based on a signer input; associating the electronic document with the signature document, wherein the electronic document and the signature document together comprise a signed electronic document; storing at a server a plurality of public keys assigned to different signing devices including a public key assigned to the signing device; receiving, at the server, the signed electronic document comprising the electronic document and the signature document, the signer input including an electronic handwritten signature applied to the first image and the digital watermark; verifying an integrity of the digital watermark based, at least in part, on an integrity of the electronic handwritten signature applied to the image; decrypting, using the public key assigned to the dedicated signing device, the first one-way hash embedded in the first image in connection with at least determining the integrity of the digital watermark; calculating a second one-way hash for the electronic document; comparing the first one-way hash to the second one-way hash; and verifying contents of the signed electronic document based at least in part on the one-way hash comparison. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification