Patent ID: 6021202
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: G06F,G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
A method for allowing distributed production of an encrypted document, comprisingproviding a computer network having a first and a second workstation and being capable of transferring an electronic document between the workstations,providing each of the workstations with an editor capable of modifying an electronic document to include blocks of information including a content block representative of content, and a signature block representative of a signature signal associated with the content block, and having a hash operator for processing data to generate a hash signal,allowing a user at the first workstation to operate the respective editor to modify a first electronic document to include a first content block and an associated first signature block, and to employ the hash operator to generate a first hash signal as a function of the first content block and to insert the first hash signal within the first signature block and to generate a first signature hash signal as a function thereof,transferring the first electronic document to the second workstation,allowing a user at the second workstation to operate the respective editor to modify the first electronic document to include a second content block and an associated second signature block, and to employ the hash operator to generate a second hash signal as a function of the second content block and to insert the second hash signal within the second signature block and to generate a second signature hash signal as a function thereof,and allowing a third user to operate the editor to generate a third signature signal as a function of the first signature hash signal and the second signature hash signal.