Patent ID: 7451321
Filing Date: 2008-11-11
Classification: G06F,H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling the digital signature process to allow controlled creation, modification, signature generation and signature verification of one or more subdocuments within a single cover document, each said subdocument differing from said cover document, comprising the steps of: creating a protected cover document for the creation, display and editing of one or more said subdocuments within said cover document; creating said subdocuments by reserving space within said cover document for each said subdocument and inserting subdocument content into said reserved space; controlling through said cover document selective access to all said subdocuments within said cover document for display, editing, signature generation or signature verification; creating through a menu associated with said cover document selective access to said subdocument for by selectively allowing write access to areas to be edited during the edit process and removing write access at the conclusion of editing, or by the means of presenting an unprotected copy of subdocument areas to be edited in a form suitable for editing and at the conclusion of editing replacing said subdocument areas by the edited copy; providing through a menu associated with said cover document for the transmission of a representation of said subdocument or of a range of said subdocuments together with the user's identifying information to an internal or external signature-generation program to allow creation of a digital signature for said subdocument or range of subdocuments and for the verification of said digital signature; and providing in said cover document a display and for storage of any digital signature thereby created, together with the information required or useful to use said digital signature.