Method and apparatus for applying revision specific electronic signatures to an electronically stored document

• US 9,542,374 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Barr, John Mathias, Park, Geon Hyuk, Gupta, Somit
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Maikhanh
• Application Number:
  US14/507,220
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to methods and systems for applying electronic signatures to an electronically stored document wherein the electronic signatures are associated with a specific revision of that electronically stored document (revision specific electronic signatures).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for electronically signing an electronically stored document that includes document content, comprising the steps of:

providing at least a first user and a second user remote access to the electronically stored document;

applying, by one or more processors, a first electronic signature to the electronically stored document to produce an initial signed version of the electronically stored document, wherein the first electronic signature includes information that associates the first electronic signature with the initial signed version of the electronically stored document, the first electronic signature verifies integrity of the document content of the initial signed version of the electronically stored document, and the first electronic signature includes a first cryptographic component;

subsequent to applying the first electronic signature to the electronically stored document, modifying, by the one or more processors, the document content of the initial signed version of the electronically stored document thereby producing a first revision of the electronically stored document;

subsequent to modifying the initial signed version of the electronically stored document, applying, by the one or more processors, a second electronic signature to the first revision of the electronically stored document, wherein the second electronic signature includes information that associates the second electronic signature with the first revision of the electronically stored document, the second electronic signature verifies integrity of the document content the first revision of the electronically stored document, and the second electronic signature includes a second cryptographic component; and

generating a revision history of the electronically stored document, wherein the revision history associates the first electronic signature with the initial signed version of the electronically stored document and associates at least the second electronic signature with the first revision of the first electronically stored document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the revision history also associates the first electronic signature with the first revision of the electronically stored document.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first revision of the electronically stored document includes both the first electronic signature and the second electronic signature.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic signature is associated with at least one of the first user or the second user and the second electronic signature is associated with at least one of the first user or the second user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic signature is associated with the first user and the second electronic signature is associated the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic signature and the second electronic signature are both associated with the same user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic signature is revoked upon modifying the electronically stored document.

8. A computer-implemented system for electronically signing an electronically stored document that includes document content and is accessible by the system, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memory devices for storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

provide at least a first user and a second user remote access to the electronically stored document;

apply a first electronic signature to the electronically stored document to produce an initial signed version of the electronically stored document, wherein the first electronic signature includes information that associates the first electronic signature with the initial signed version of the electronically stored document, the first electronic signature verifies integrity of the document content of the initial signed version of the electronically stored document, and the first electronic signature includes a first cryptographic component;

subsequent to application of the first electronic signature to the electronically stored document, modify the document content of the initial signed version of the electronically stored document thereby producing a first revision of the electronically stored document;

subsequent to modification of the document content of the initial signed version of the electronically stored document, apply a second electronic signature to the first revision of the electronically stored document, wherein the second electronic signature includes information that associates the second electronic signature with the first revision of the electronically stored document, the second electronic signature verifies integrity of the document content of the first revision of the electronically stored document, and the second electronic signature includes a second cryptographic component; and

generate a revision history of the electronically stored document, wherein the revision history associates the first electronic signature with the initial signed version of the electronically stored document and associates at least the second electronic signature with the first revision of the first electronically stored document.

9. The m computer-implemented system method of claim 8, wherein the revision history also associates the first electronic signature with the first revision of the electronically stored document.

10. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the first revision of the electronically stored document includes both the first electronic signature and the second electronic signature.

11. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the first electronic signature is associated with at least one of the first user or the second user and the second electronic signature is associated with at least one of the first user or the second user.

12. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the first electronic signature is associated with the first user and the second electronic signature is associated the second user.

13. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the first electronic signature and the second electronic signature are both associated with the same user.

14. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the first electronic signature is revoked upon modifying the electronically stored document.

15. A non-transitory computer storage medium having computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

providing at least a first user and a second user remote access to an electronically stored document that includes document content;

applying a first electronic signature to the electronically stored document to produce an initial signed version of the electronically stored document, wherein the first electronic signature includes information that associates the first electronic signature with the initial signed version of the electronically stored document, the first electronic signature verifies integrity of the document content of the initial signed version of the electronically stored document, and the first electronic signature includes a first cryptographic component;

subsequent to applying the first electronic signature to the electronically stored document, modifying the document content of the initial signed version of the electronically stored document thereby producing a first revision of the electronically stored document;

subsequent to modifying the document content of the initial signed document, applying a second electronic signature to the first revision of the electronically stored document, wherein the second electronic signature includes information that associates the second electronic signature with the first revision of the electronically stored document, the second electronic signature verifies integrity of the document content of the first revision of the electronically stored document, and the second electronic signature includes a second cryptographic component; and

generating a revision history of the electronically stored document, wherein the revision history associates the first electronic signature with the initial signed version of the electronically stored document and associates at least the second electronic signature with the first revision of the first electronically stored document.

16. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the revision history also associates the first electronic signature with the first revision of the electronically stored document.

17. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first revision of the electronically stored document includes both the first electronic signature and the second electronic signature.

18. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first electronic signature is associated with at least one of the first user or the second user and the second electronic signature is associated with at least one of the first user or the second user.

19. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first electronic signature is associated with the first user and the second electronic signature is associated the second user.

20. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first electronic signature and the second electronic signature are both associated with the same user.

21. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first electronic signature is revoked upon modifying the electronically stored document.