Systems and methods for distributed electronic signature documents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10198418-B2
Application number	US-201414537713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Jul 18, 2007
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributed electronic signature documents. A method for distributed electronic signature documents includes creating a signing template that contains information about how a signable document is to be signed. A signable document is created to be distributed to a signer for signing. The signable document is electronically transmitted to the signer. A message is sent using an activatable control in the signing document to a web signing server to invoke the signing process. A browser window is opened on a signer's computer in order to execute the signing process.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method for distributed electronic signature documents comprising:
generating a signing template that contains information about how a document file is to be signed, the information further specifying locations within the document file for signatures of one or more users, the information further specifying whether content within the document file that is not modifiable by the one or more users;
storing the signing template on a server;
generating the document file to be emailed to the one or more users for signing, the document file displaying form fields configured to receive input information from the one or more users and an activatable control configured to initiate an upload, over a network, of the input information to the signing template stored on the server, the content specified by the signing template not being modifiable by the one or more users through the generated document file;
emailing the document file to the one or users over the network;
receiving, from a client device of one of the one or more users, input information input into the form fields of the document file; and
executing, in response to activation of the activatable control by the client device, an electronic signing process defined by the signing template stored on the server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the electronic signing process comprises:
merging, with the signing template, the input information uploaded from the client device through activation of the activatable control of the document file.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein executing the electronic signing process comprises:
causing presentation, on the client device, of a web browser displaying a modified version of the document file created from the merged signing template.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to activation of the activatable control displayed in the document file, causing presentation, on the client device, of a login web interface; and
authenticating a user from information input into the login web interface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the form fields and the activatable control are user interface (UI) elements of the document file that are displayable on a display device of the client device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the document file is a PDF (Portable Document Format) file, and wherein the activatable control contains a network link.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
in response to receiving a signature from the client device, automatically emailing the document file to an additional client device for an additional signature, the additional client device specified by a signing order in the signing template.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
validating the document file to ensure the content of the document file is not modified.

9. A system comprising:
one or more processors of a machine; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
generating a signing template that contains information about how a document file is to be signed, the information further specifying locations within the document file for signatures of one or more users, the information further specifying content the document file that not modifiable the one or more users;
storing the signing template on a server;
generating the document file to be emailed to the one or more users for signing, the document file displaying form fields configured to receive input information from the one or more users and an activatable control configured to initiate an upload, over a network, of the input information to the signing template stored on the server, the content specified by the signing template not being modifiable by the one or more users through the generated document file;
emailing the document file to the one or users over the network;
receiving, from a client device of one of the one or more users, input information input into the form fields of the document file; and
executing, in response to activation of the activatable control by the client device, an electronic signing process defined by the signing template stored on the server.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein executing the electronic signing process comprises:
merging, with the signing template, the input information uploaded from the client device through the activation of activatable control of the document file.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein executing the electronic signing process comprises:
causing presentation, on the client device, of a web browser displaying a modified version of the document file created from the merged signing template, and wherein
the document file is a PDF (Portable Document Format) file, and wherein the activatable control is a network link.

12. The system of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:
responsive to activation of the activatable control displayed in the document file, casing presentation, on the client device, of a login web interface; and
authenticating a user from information input into the login web interface.

13. The system of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:
validating the document file to ensure the content of the document file is not modified.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
generating a signing template that contains information about how a document file is to be signed, the information further specifying locations within the document file for signatures of one or more users, the information further specifying content the document file that is not modifiable the one or more users;
storing the signing template on a server;
generating a document file to be emailed to the one or more users for signing, the document file displaying form fields configured to receive input information from the one or more users and an activatable control configured to initiate an upload, over a network, of the input information to the signing template stored on the server, the content specified by the signing template not being modifiable by the one or more users through the generated document file;
emailing the document file to the one or users over the network;
receiving, from a client device of one of the one or more users, input information input into the form fields of the document file; and
executing, in response to activation of the activatable control by the client device, an electronic signing process defined by the signing template stored on the server.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 14 , wherein executing the electronic signing process comprises:
merging, with the signing template, the input information uploaded from the client device through activation of the activatable control of the document file.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein executing the electronic signing process comprises:
causing presentation, on the client device, of a web browser displaying a modified version of the document file created from the merged signing template.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 14 , the operations further comprising:
responsive to activation of the activatable control displayed in the document file causing presentation, on the client device, of a login web interfact;

Assignees

• Docusign Inc

Inventors

• Mccabe Andrew D
• Gonser Jr Thomas H

Classifications

• G06F21/64

  Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures · CPC title

• G06F40/174 Primary

  Form filling; Merging · CPC title

• G06Q10/10 Primary

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G06F17/243 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic