Controlling a document electronic-signing (E-signing) workflow based on criteria specified by a document sender

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10628596-B2
Application number	US-201615167694-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	May 27, 2016
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

An E-signing workflow enables an E-document to be signed by multiple parties including a document signer and a third-party, such as a guarantor. The E-signing workflow employs various online detours that enable addition of third parties to an E-document. The E-signing workflow enables a complete audit trail to be easily and automatically developed for a document sender and signers, and associated with a particular E-document. Privacy concerns are addressed by way of secure electronic communications that take place between the parties within the E-signing workflow. The E-signing workflow reduces reliance on e-mail for document execution insofar as most if not all relevant activities in the E-signing workflow take place within the workflow and result in storage of the E-document and all relevant information within the E-signing solution itself.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. In a digital medium environment including a computing device useable by an online electronic signature service provider that provides services to facilitate electronic signing (E-signing) of an electronic document (E-document), an improved E-signing method implemented by the computing device, the method comprising:
receiving, by the computing device, the E-document from a document sender, the E-document configured to define a contractual agreement between the document sender and at least one document signer;
transmitting, by the computing device, an E-signing request to the at least one document signer, the E-signing request including an indication of qualifying criteria specified by the document sender;
outputting, by the computer device, a user interface as part of an E-signing workflow, the user interface including:
a user interface portion configured to receive a document that establishes a first criterion of the qualifying criteria;
a first user interface instrumentality for the first criterion that is selectable to securely provide the document to the online electronic signature service provider; and
a second user interface instrumentality that is selectable to authorize the online electronic signature service provider to acquire a second criterion of the qualifying criteria on behalf of the at least one document signer;

receiving, by the computing device, the document and authorization for the online electronic signature service provider to acquire the second criterion on behalf of the at least one document signer;
pausing the E-signing workflow and transmitting, by the computing device, a request to a third party for the second criterion before the at least one document signer can sign the E-document;
receiving, by the computing device, the second criterion from the third party while the E-signing workflow is paused;
verifying, by the computing device, the second criterion while the E-signing workflow is paused; and
unpausing the E-signing workflow and transmitting, by the computing device, an invitation to the at least one document signer to E-sign the E-document.

2. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein transmitting the invitation comprises sending the at least one document signer an e-mail with a secure link to enable the E-document to be downloaded or viewed.

3. The method as described in claim 1 , further comprising creating an audit trail that describes events, event dates, and supporting documents associated with the E-document and storing the audit trail in a secure location.

4. The method as described in claim 1 , further comprising prior to the pausing, receiving, from the at least one document signer, a name and contact information of the third-party; and, responsive to receiving the name and contact information, performing the pausing.

5. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the third-party comprises a guarantor.

6. The method as described in claim 1 , wherein the qualifying criteria includes at least one of a credit score, a credit history check, a criminal background check, a residency record, or an income record.

7. The method as described in claim 1 , further comprising collecting audit trail information while the E-signing workflow is paused.

8. In a digital medium environment in which a computing device enables an online electronic signature service provider to facilitate electronic signing (E-signing) of an electronic document (E-document), one or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions that are stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving the E-document from a document sender, the E-document defining a contractual agreement between the document sender and at least one document signer;
transmitting an E-signing request to the at least one document signer, the E-signing request including an indication of qualifying criteria specified by the document sender;
outputting a user interface as part of an E-signing workflow, the user interface including:
a user interface portion configured to receive documents that establish a first criterion of the qualifying criteria;
a send button that is selectable to securely send the documents to the online electronic signature service provider; and
a user interface instrumentality that is selectable to authorize the online electronic signature service provider to acquire a second criterion of the qualifying criteria on behalf of the at least one document signer;

pausing the E-signing workflow;
receiving the documents and authorization for the online electronic signature service provider to acquire the second criterion on behalf of the at least one document signer while the E-signing workflow is paused;
receiving the second criterion from a third party while the E-signing workflow is paused;
unpausing the E-signing workflow; and
inviting the at least one document signer to E-sign the E-document.

9. The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 8 , wherein the qualifying criteria includes at least one of a credit score, a credit history check, a criminal background check, a residency record, or an income record.

10. The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 8 , wherein the third party is a guarantor.

11. The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 8 , further comprising creating an audit trail that describes events, event dates, and supporting documents associated with the E-document.

12. The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 11 , wherein the audit trail includes a creation date and at least one transaction identification.

13. The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 8 , wherein inviting the at least one document signer includes sending the at least one document signer an e-mail with a secure link to enable the E-document to be downloaded or viewed.

14. The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving the E-document having an E-signature from the at least one document signer; and
providing a copy of the E-document having the E-signature to the third party and the document sender.

15. A system comprising:
receiving an electronic document (E-document) from a document sender, the E-document defining a contractual agreement between the document sender and at least one document signer;
transmitting an electronic signature (E-signature) request to the at least one document signer, the E-signature request including an indication of qualifying criteria specified by the document sender;
outputting a user interface as part of an electronic signing (E-signing) workflow, the user interface including:
a user interface portion configured to receive documents that establish a first criterion of the qualifying criteria;
a send button that is selectable to securely send the documents to an online electronic signature service provider; and
a user interface instrumentality that is selectable to authorize the online electronic signature service provider to acquire a second criterion of the qualifying criteria on behalf of the at least one document signer;

means for pausing the E-signing workflow;
means for receiving the documents and authorization for the online electronic signature service provider to acquire the second criterion on behalf of the at least one document signer while the E-signing workflow is paused;
means for unpausing the E-signing workflow; and
creating an audit trail that descr

Assignees

• Adobe Inc

Inventors

• Kumar Divij
• Pandey Aditya Kumar

Classifications

• H04L51/08 Primary

  Annexed information, e.g. attachments · CPC title

• G06Q10/103

  Workflow collaboration or project management · CPC title

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G06F21/6209 Primary

  to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself · CPC title

• G06F21/645

  using a third party · CPC title