CLOUD-BASED COORDINATION OF CUSTOMER PREMISE SERVICE APPLIANCES

• US 20170223093A1
• Filed: 07/12/2016
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DocuSign Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DocuSign Incorporated
• Inventors: Peterson, Donald Grant, Fleischman, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 10,778,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are provided to provide cloud-based coordination of customer premise service appliances. A system can include a computing device comprising a communication module, a policy module, an appliance selection module, and a coordination module. The communication module receives a document request from a first client over a network connection, establishes a session with the first client in response to the document request, and receives metadata representing collected signatures at after completion of the electronic signature operation portion of the document request. The policy module manages a policy associate with a first account corresponding to the document request. The appliance selection module selects one of a plurality of document appliances. The coordination module controls a sequence of operations performed on the on-premise document appliance to service the document request, and instructs the on-premise document appliance to communicate results at the completion of the document request.

Claims

1. A method of operating a cloud-based document management service including an on-premise management appliance, the method comprising:

on a computing system within the cloud-based document management service platform performing operations including;

receiving a document management request from a first client over a network connection;

establishing, over the network connection, a session with the first client in response to the document management request;

accessing a policy associated with a first account corresponding to the document management request;

selecting, based at least in part on the policy and the document management request, one of a plurality of document management appliances, wherein the plurality of document management appliances include a cloud-based management appliance located within the cloud-based document management service platform and an on-premise management appliance located within a location not associated with [or directly controlled by] the cloud-based document management service platform;

upon selection of the on-premise management appliance, controlling a sequence of operations performed on the on-premise management appliance to service the document management request; and

receiving, from the on-premise management appliance, metadata representing verification of performance of at least a portion of sequence of operations in performance of the document management request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the sequence of operations performed on the on-premise management appliance includes establishing a communication session with the first client.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling the sequence of operations performed on the on-premise management appliance includes instructing the on-premise management appliance to request upload of a document associated with the document management request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the controlling the sequence of operations performed on the on-premise management appliance includes directing the on-premise management appliance to process the uploaded document, the processing including identification of at least one of data entry locations, approval indicators, and signature blocks within the document.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the directing the on-premise management appliance to process the uploaded document includes directing the on-premise management appliance to generate metadata describing identified data entry locations, approval indicators, and signature blocks;

and

wherein the metadata is associated with the document management request.

6. The method claim 3, wherein controlling the sequence of operations performed on the on-premise management appliance includes directing the on-premise management appliance to generate a rasterized image of the document for presentation in performance of operations necessary to satisfy the document management request.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein controlling the sequence of operations performed on the on-premise management appliance includes directing the on-premise management appliance to communicate with a second client, wherein communication includes at least a portion of the rasterized image.

8. The method claim 3, wherein controlling the sequence of operations performed on the on-premise management appliance includes directing the on-premise management appliance to encrypt the document according to the policy.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the document management request includes identification of a document, indication of a digital signature operation, and identification of one or more signors to be involved in applying a digital signature to the document in satisfaction of the document management request.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the document management request includes an indication of a security level associated with the document management request;

and

wherein selecting one of a plurality of document management appliances includes evaluating the security level against the policy and known security capabilities of each of the plurality of document management appliances.

11. A system comprising:

a cloud-based document management platform including;

a computing system for controlling document management processes, the document management processes including capturing and processing electronic signatures; and

a cloud-based document management appliance for performing document management processes;

a plurality of on-premise document management appliances, each on-premise document management appliance of the plurality of on-premise document management appliances located remotely within a location not associated with or controlled by the cloud-based document management platform; and

the computing system including a processor and a memory device, the memory device including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing system to perform operations including;

receiving a document management request from a first client over a network connection;

establishing, over the network connection, a session with the first client in response to the document management request;

accessing a policy associated with a first account corresponding to the document management request;

selecting, based at least in part on the policy and the document management request, a document management appliance from the cloud-based document management appliance or the plurality of on-premise document management appliances;

upon selection of a first on-premise management appliance of the plurality of on-premise management appliances, controlling a sequence of operations performed on the first on-premise management appliance to service the document management request; and

receiving, from the first on-premise management appliance, metadata representing verification of performance of at least a portion of sequence of operations in performance of the document management request.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions that cause the computing system to receive the document management request include instructions to receive a second document management request from the first client;

and

wherein the instructions to select a document management appliance include instructions to, in response to receiving the second document management request, evaluate the second document management request against the policy and select a second on-premise document management appliance of the plurality of on-premise document management appliances.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions that cause the computing system to receive the document management request include instructions to receive a second document management request from a second client associated with a second account on the cloud-based document management platform;

and

wherein the instructions to select a document management appliance include instructions to, in response to receiving the second document management request, evaluate the second document management request against a second policy associated with the second account and select a second on-premise document management appliance of the plurality of on-premise document management appliances.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions that cause the computing system to receive the document management request include instructions to receive a second document management request from the first client;

and

wherein the instructions to select a document management appliance include instructions to, in response to receiving the second document management request, evaluate the second document management request against the policy and select the cloud-based document management appliance to perform operations to satisfy the second document management request.

15. A system for operating a cloud-based document processing service including an on-premise document appliance, the system comprising:

a computing device operating within the cloud-based document processing service, the computing device including one or more processors executing;

a communication module to;

receive a document request from a first client over a network connection, the document request including at least one electronic signature operation,

establish a session with the first client in response to the document request, and

receive metadata representing collected signatures at after completion of the electronic signature operation portion of the document request;

a policy module to manage a policy associate with a first account corresponding to the document request;

an appliance selection module to select, based at least in part on analysis of the policy and the document request, one of a plurality of document appliances, wherein the plurality of document appliances includes a cloud-based document appliance located within the cloud-based document processing service platform and an on-premise document appliance located within a location not associated with the cloud-based document processing service platform; and

a coordination module to, upon selection of the on-premise document appliance, control a sequence of operations performed on the on-premise document appliance to service the document request, and instruct the on-premise document appliance to communicate results at the completion of the document request.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the coordination module is further to direct the on-premise document appliance to request upload of a document associated with the document request from the first client, and to process the uploaded document, the processing including identification of editable portions of the document and signature blocks.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed on a computing system within a cloud-based document management platform, cause the computing system to perform operations including:

receiving a document management request from a first client over a network connection;

establishing, over the network connection, a session with the first client in response to the document management request;

accessing a policy associated with a first account corresponding to the document management request;

selecting, based at least in part on the policy and the document management request, one of a plurality of document management appliances, wherein the plurality of document management appliances include a cloud-based management appliance located within the cloud-based document management platform and an on-premise management appliance located within a location not associated with or directly controlled by the cloud-based document management platform;

upon selection of the on-premise management appliance, controlling a sequence of operations performed on the on-premise management appliance to service the document management request; and

receiving, from the on-premise management appliance, metadata representing verification of performance of at least a portion of sequence of operations in performance of the document management request.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to control the sequence of operations include instructions to monitor communications between the on-premise management appliance and a plurality of clients including the first client, wherein the communications are triggered to satisfy at least a portion of the sequence of operations in performance of the document management request.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to control the sequence of operations include instructions to:

direct the on-premise management appliance to send an electronic signature request to a second client, the electronic signature request including a rasterized image of a document associated with the document request; and

obtain, from the second client, metadata corresponding to the second client applying an electronic signature to the document.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to control the sequence of operations include instructions to:

direct the on-premise management appliance to apply a digital signature to a completed signature package, wherein the completed signature package includes a representation of the document and the metadata representative of electric signatures applied by the second client; and

direct the on-premise management appliance to transmit the completed signature package to the cloud-based document management platform.