Patent ID: 6253322
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
An electronic certification method to be applied to a system in which a service supplying unit is capable of being coupled to a plurality of service receiving units to one another through a communication network, the service supplying unit being used by a service supplier who supplies an authentication service, each of the service receiving units being used by a service receiver who receives the authentication service,the method comprising the steps of:transmitting contract information from the service supplying unit to the service receiving units of the service receivers who are contracting parties, respectively, the contract information including a content of a contract;causing each of the service receiving units having received the contract information to prepare one party-signed contract information by causing each service receiver to electronically sign the contract information and to transmit the one party-signed contract information to the service supplying unit;causing the service supplying unit to receive the one party-signed contract information transmitted from each of the service receiving units, to synthesize a plurality of received copies of one party-signed contract information into a single document, and then to prepare contract information signed by the service supplier by causing the service supplier to electrically sign the document;causing the service supplying unit to store the prepared service supplier-signed contract information; andtransmitting the service supplier-signed contract information from the service supplying unit to each of the service receiving units.