Systems and processes for obtaining and managing electronic signatures for real estate transaction documents

• US 8,650,038 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chris Alexander Peirson, William Howard Jr. Peirson
• Original Assignee: William Howard Jr. Peirson
• Inventors: Peirson, Chris Alexander, Peirson, William Howard Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vig, Naresh
• Application Number:
  US12/175,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20090025087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,035 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Systems and processes may obtain and manage electronic signatures for documents for real estate transactions. Documents for real estate transactions may be received and/or generated by the system. The documents may include metadata or software keys that are associated with signature blocks on the documents. The system may identify the signature blocks using the metadata or software keys and present the positions for signature by the user.

Claims

1. A method performed by one or more processors for managing real estate transaction documents, the method comprising:

receiving a request for access to real estate transaction documents;

presenting a first portion of the real estate documents including a first signature block and a second signature block;

blocking presentation of a second portion of the real estate transaction documents based on an identity of a user currently logged into a system for managing real estate transaction documents;

identifying the first signature block and the second signature block by presenting one or more signature indicators in the real estate transaction documents, wherein a signature indicator is associated with a signature block;

requesting signature of the first signature block of the first portion of the real estate transaction documents;

prior to receiving the requested signature, receiving a request to enter a signature of the second signature block of the first portion of the real estate transaction documents;

determining that the request to enter the signature of the second signature block prior to receiving the requested signature violates at least one rule prohibiting signature of the second signature block;

inhibiting signature of the second signature block while the first signature block is unsigned;

presenting a notification indicating that signature of the first signature block is required before a signature of the second signature block can be entered; and

receiving a signature of the presented portion of the real estate transaction documents, wherein the received signature is associated with at least the first signature block.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signature indicator includes metadata that identifies a portion of the real estate transaction document as a signature block.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the signature indicator may be text.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the real estate transaction documents.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating signed real estate transaction documents based on the received signature.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising generating the signed real estate transaction documents such that access is inhibited.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising storing the signed real estate transaction documents.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising transmitting the signed real estate transaction documents to a remote system for storage.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the signed real estate transaction documents are generated such that when the signed real estate transaction documents are accessed, information related to the access is stored in association with the signed real estate transaction documents.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising transmitting the signed real estate transaction documents to a device of a user that provided the signature of the presented portion of the real estate transaction documents.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising inhibiting signature by a notary public prior to receiving the signature of the presented portion of the real estate transaction documents.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether a user has consented to electronically signing the real estate transaction documents; and

inhibiting the signature of the presented portion if the user has not consented to the electronic signing.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the presented portion of the real estate transaction documents is determined based on an identity of a user currently logged into a system for managing real estate transaction documents, the method further comprising inhibiting signature of a third signature block based on the identity of the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rule prohibiting signature of the second signature block of the presented portion of the real estate transaction documents prior to receiving a signature in the first signature block is based on a specified sequence of signatures of the document retrieved from memory.

15. An article comprising machine-readable medium storing instructions for managing real estate transaction documents, the instructions operable to cause one or more data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for access to real estate transaction documents;

presenting a first portion of the real estate documents including a first signature block and a second signature block;

blocking presentation of a second portion of the real estate transaction documents based on an identity of a user currently logged into a system for managing real estate transaction documents;

identifying the first signature block and the second signature block by presenting one or more signature indicators in the real estate transaction documents, wherein a signature indicator is associated with a signature block;

requesting signature of the first signature block of the first portion of the real estate transaction documents;

prior to receiving the requested signature, receiving a request to enter a signature of the second signature block of the first portion of the real estate transaction documents;

determining that the request to enter the signature of the second signature block prior to receiving the requested signature violates at least one rule prohibiting signature of the second signature block;

inhibiting signature of the second signature block while the first signature block is unsigned;

presenting a notification indicating that signature of the first signature block is required before a signature of the second signature block can be entered; and

receiving a signature of the presented portion of the real estate transaction documents, wherein the received signature is associated with at least the first signature block.

16. The article of claim 15 wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising generating one or more signature indicators for the real estate transaction documents by identifying specified text in the real estate transaction documents.

17. The article of claim 15 wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising generating one or more signature indicators for the real estate transaction documents by identifying metadata in the real estate transaction documents.

18. A system for managing real estate transaction documents, the system comprising:

a memory storing real estate transaction documents; and

a document manager adapted to;

receive a request for access to real estate transaction documents;

presenting a first portion of the real estate documents including a first signature block and a second signature block;

block presentation of a second portion of the real estate transaction documents based on an identity of a user currently logged into a system for managing real estate transaction documents;

identify the first signature block and the second signature block by presenting one or more signature indicators in the real estate transaction documents, wherein a signature indicator is associated with a signature block;

request signature of the first signature block of the first portion of the real estate transaction documents;

prior to receiving the requested signature, receive a request to enter a signature of the second signature block of the first portion of the real estate transaction documents;

determine that the request to enter the signature of the second signature block prior to receiving the requested signature violates at least one rule prohibiting signature of the second signature block;

inhibit signature of the second signature block while the first signature block is unsigned;

present a notification indicating that signature of the first signature block is required before a signature of the second signature block can be entered; and

receive a signature of the presented portion of the real estate transaction documents, wherein the received signature is associated with at least the first signature block.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the document manager is further configured to generate signed real estate transaction documents based on the received signature by applying the received signature to the one or more signature blocks in the presented portion of the real estate transaction documents.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the memory stores rules based on at least one of government rules or industry standards;

and further comprising a rules engine configured to apply the rules to the real estate transaction documents.