Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Multiple computer communication using cryptography – Particular communication authentication technique
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-13
2004-06-29
Peeso, Thomas R. (Department: 2132)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Multiple computer communication using cryptography
Particular communication authentication technique
C713S176000, C713S179000, C713S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06757826
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital graphic signature system for use in electronic commerce. The system comprises a document portion, including information relating to the document being executed, and a signature portion. The document portion and the signature portion may be encrypted and merged into a single object readily identifiable to an individual. The terminology “digital graphic signature” or “digigraphic signature” is utilized herein to describe the merged object.
The digital graphic signature system of the present invention may be advantageously utilized in electronic transactions, including transactions over the internet and network systems. The digital graphic signature system of the present invention may also be advantageously utilized in conjunction with information banking and virtual wallets.
The present invention also relates to a digital graphic signet that may be utilized to transmit a private communication.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the physical world, signatures are easily recognized, particularly by their owners. The authenticity of such physical signatures, however, may be difficult to verify.
In contrast, in the digital world, digital signatures are sufficiently verifiable to support non-repudiation, using modern public key crytpgraphic techniques. Such digital signatures however may not be in a form recognizable to humans. Thus a need exists for a digital signature system that permits an individual to visually recognize their own signature. In addition to this problem, there are several other problems that need addressing in the electronic commerce and electronic financial transaction worlds.
A first problem relates to provide information to a consumer regarding the substance of a digital document to be executed. This problem may be phrased as “How does a consumer know what he or she is signing when the “document” being presented is digital?”.
An additional problem relates to a consumer associating their digital signature with a digital document. This problem may be phrased as “How does a consumer recognize his or her own digital signature that has been associated with a digital document?”.
For financial institutions, merchants, vendors and/or others engaged in electronic and non-electronic commerce, problems arise when a consumer fails to remember they have executed a transaction. This situation may arise in part due to the length of time between the transaction and the consumer receiving a billing statement that includes the transaction. Many customer service calls are received from consumers requesting additional documentation regarding specific transactions on their billing statements. Often the consumers have good intentions and literally do not remember the transaction. Upon receipt of a document showing the nature of the transaction, and their signature, a consumer will generally be able to remember the transaction, or recognize the transaction as fraudulent. This process, however, is costly for institutions as it involves maintaining a customer service infrastructures, including personnel, document processing and mailing capabilities.
Problems and costs that exist today in the physical world are likely to become worse in the electronic transaction arena. A particular problem with many current technologies is that consumers are not provided with visual feedback of their signature executing a document or agreement. Also the data provided in billing for electronic transactions may not provide sufficient data for a consumer to recall a transaction.
The foregoing problems, and others, are addressed by the systems of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system that allows individuals to recognize their signatures on electronic documents, and provides information relating to the document, that may enable the individual to understand the document being signed and recall their execution of the document at a later date.
According to the present invention, a digital graphic (digigraphic) signature system comprises a graphic formed by combining details relating to the document being executed, and an individual's signature. The document details and the individual's signature may be encrypted utilizing conventional techniques to provide enhanced security. The digital graphic signature may be displayed through a user interface for inspection.
Document details that may be incorporated into the digigraphic signature include:
an abstract of the document being executed;
the body of the document being executed;
excerpts from the body of the document being executed; or
an individual's notes relating to the document being executed.
In general, it is believed advantageous for many purposes to include at least an abstract comprising a digest of what an individual is actually agreeing to by executing the document. The abstract may also include reference information, including but not limited to, the date, the parties involved, transaction reference numbers and the like. Preferably, the abstract is written in plain (non-legal) terms that are readily understandable to even relatively unsophisticated consumers. Generally, the abstract will be reduced to text for purposes of forming the digigraphic signature. However, for certain applications it may be advantageous for the abstract to include graphic or pictorial information.
For certain transactions, it may be advantageous to include the body of the document being executed, or excerpts from the body of the document being executed, in the digigraphic signature in addition to, or in place of an abstract. The document body, and/or excerpts will generally be reduced to text for purposes of forming the digigraphic signature. However, for certain applications it may be advantageous to include graphic or pictorial information.
As set forth above, document details may further comprise an personal memo area that allows an individual to record information of their own choosing about the document being executed. Preferably, the individual will enter information that will help them remember the transaction in the future. Such information could include, the purpose of the transaction, the nature of the transaction, as well as other details having significance to the individual.
A representation of an individual's signature may comprise graphical data generated from a graphic of the individual signature. An individual's signature graphic may be obtained by capturing the pen strokes utilized by an individual to sign their name, for example through the use of a graphics tablet. An individual's signature graphic may also be obtained by scanning a signature from a physical document. In general, prior to the translation and merging steps described below, an individual's signature graphic will be similar to the individual's signature on a physical document.
To produce a digital graphic signature, the document details data and the individual's signature data are merged. The merging process may include encrypting both sets of data utilizing conventional electronic encryption techniques. Different portions of the document details may be encrypted with public or private keys.
For example, it may be advantageous to encrypt document abstract data with a private key of the individual who is executing the document utilizing convention public key cryptographic techniques. The abstract could then be made accessible to the individual and the other party to the transaction.
The memo text data entered by an individual could be encrypted with a symmetric key known only to the individual. As explained below, this could provide an addition insurance to the individual that the document is not forged and assist them in remembering the transaction.
The document detail data and the individual's signature data may then be merged, for example utilizing color encoding. In this technique, each data stream is utilized as color values, for example in standard RGB (red, green, blue) color encoding. For example, each byte of an a
Citicorp Development Center Inc.
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
Marcou George T.
Peeso Thomas R.
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