Systems and methods for distributed electronic signature documents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9634975-B2
Application number	US-201414179507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2014
Priority date	Jul 18, 2007
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a report describing the status of an electronic envelope. The electronic envelope includes a first electronic document to be distributed for electronic signature and an electronic signing template defining a set of at least one task that must be performed by an executor of the first electronic document to complete the electronic signature. The first electronic document is subject to a workflow including a plurality of events. The method includes receiving from a monitoring entity a selection of an identifier of an event of the plurality. The progress of the first electronic document through the workflow is monitored. That the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document is determined. In response to determining that the at least one event has occurred, the monitoring entity is notified of such.

First claim

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

1. A method for providing a report describing a status of an electronic envelope including a first electronic document to be distributed for electronic signature, the first electronic document being subject to a document-execution workflow comprising a plurality of events, the method comprising:
generating, for display on a display device coupled to a client device, a graphical user interlace enabling selection of reporting events from a plurality of events, the graphical user interlace including selectable identifiers of the plurality of events including envelope sent, envelope delivered, and envelope signed;
receiving, via user input received through the graphical user interface, an electronic selection of an identifier, of the selectable identifiers, of at least one event of the plurality of events monitoring progress of the first electronic document through the workflow;
determining that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document; and
in response to determining that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document, updating a reporting graphical user interface to reflect that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document, wherein the reporting graphical user interface includes information on the electronic envelope, a signer, a sender, and a status.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic document includes an embedded activatable control, and wherein determining that the at least one event has occurred includes receiving an indication that the embedded activatable control has been activated.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving the indication that the embedded activatable control has been activated includes receiving an indication that a user has clicked a button in the first electronic document.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic envelope includes a second electronic document to be distributed for electronic signature, and further comprising:
monitoring the progress of the second electronic document through the workflow;
determining that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the second electronic document; and
in response to determining that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the second electronic document, updating the reporting graphical user interlace to reflect that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the second electronic document.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the graphical user interface to a display device, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to receive a selection of one or more users to notify when it is determined that the at least one event has occurred.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one event comprises completion of the electronic signature of the first electronic document.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by a signing service that is configured to facilitate transactions.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving from the signing service a selection of a first destination of a plurality of destinations to be notified that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document.

9. A system, comprising:
an electronic envelope including a first electronic document to be distributed over a network for electronic signature, the first electronic document being subject to a document-execution work flow comp rising a plurality of events including the at least one task; and
a signing service computer that is configured to:
generate, for display on a client device, a graphical user interlace enabling selection of reporting events from a plurality of events, the graphical user interface including selectable identifiers of the plurality of events including envelope sent, envelope delivered, and envelope signed;
receive, via user input received through the graphical user interlace, an electronic selection of an identifier, of the selectable identifiers, of at least one event of the plurality of events monitor, over a network, progress of the first electronic document through the workflow;
determine that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document; and
in response to determining that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document, updating a reporting graphical user interlace to reflect that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document, wherein the reporting graphical user interlace includes information on the electronic envelope, a signer, a sender, and a status.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a client device that is configured to display the graphical user interface and display the updated reporting graphical user interface reflecting that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the client device is further configured to embed into the first document an activatable control; and
the signing service computer is further configured to determine that the event has occurred in response to receiving an indication that activated user has clicked a button in the first electronic document.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the electronic envelope includes a second electronic document to be distributed for electronic signature, and the signing service computer is further configured to:
monitor the progress of the second electronic document through the workflow;
determine that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the second electronic document; and
in response to determining that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the second electronic document, update a reporting graphical user interlace to reflect that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the second electronic document.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the signing service computer is further configured to generate the graphical user interface to a display device associated with the client device, wherein the identifier selection is provided by a user of the client device via the graphical user interface.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one event comprises completion of the electronic signature of the first electronic document.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the signing service computer is further configured to receive a selection of a first destination of a plurality of destinations to be notified that the at least one event has occurred with respect to the first electronic document.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a computer, enable the computer to perform steps for providing a report describing a status of an electronic envelope including a first electronic document to be distributed for electronic signature, the first electronic document being subject to a document-execution workflow comprising a plurality of events including the at least one task, the steps comprising:
generating, for display on a display device coupled to a client device, a graphical user interlace enabling selection of reporting events from a plurality of events, the graphical user interlace including selectable identifiers of the plurality of events including envelope sent, envelope delivered, and envelope signed;
receiving from a monitoring entity an electronic selection of an identifier of at

Assignees

• Docusign Inc

Inventors

• Mccabe Andrew D
• Gonser Jr Thomas H

Classifications

• G06F21/64 Primary

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

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G06F21/645

  using a third party · CPC title

• H04L51/18 Primary

  Commands or executable codes · CPC title

• H04L51/34

  Electricity · mapped topic