Abstract:
A system and method for conducting an electronic signing ceremony is provided. The electronic signing ceremony may include a number of defined steps performed by one or more people on a number of documents in a predetermined order. An activity, such as providing a digital signature, may be associated with each document and/or page of each document. The electronic signing ceremony system and method consolidates and streamlines the process of originating, organizing, signing, verifying, storing, and retrieving multiple documents requiring multiple signatures from one or more people virtually anywhere and at any time.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/072,612, filed Apr. 1, 2008. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The following relates to a method and system for conducting an electronic signing ceremony, and more particularly an electronic signing ceremony system and method that can consolidate and streamline the process of originating, organizing, signing, verifying, storing, and retrieving multiple documents requiring multiple signatures virtually anywhere and at any time. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A detailed description and accompanying drawings are set forth below. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a simplified, exemplary computer system suitable for implementing one or more embodiments of the present application; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a simplified schematic hierarchy of a signing ceremony according to one or more embodiments of the present application; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a simplified, exemplary block diagram illustrating a signing ceremony system according to one or more embodiments of the present application; 
         FIG. 4  depicts an example of a graphical user interface (“GUI”) generated by a ceremony execution module according to one or more embodiments of the present application; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a simplified, exemplary schematic representation of a digital signature secure container according to one or more embodiments of the present application; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a simplified, exemplary schematic representation of an unsecure document container according to one or more embodiments of the present application; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a simplified, exemplary schematic representation of a signing ceremony container according to one or more embodiments of the present application; 
         FIG. 8  depicts an example of a GUI generated by a ceremony validation module according to one or more embodiments of the present application; and 
         FIG. 9  depicts an example of a fragmented and distributed signing engine according one or more embodiments of the present application. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present application are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the teachings of the present application. 
     The eSign Act of 2000 defines an electronic signature broadly to encompass a wide variety of different ways that two individuals have available when they want to meet and have an understanding. Non-limiting examples of electronic signatures identified in the eSign Act include a symbol, sound or process. According to the eSign Act, an electronic signature must attest to both the meeting of two minds and the willingness of two minds to meet. Handwritten signatures or electronic signatures (e.g., captured using a signature pad) have limited capabilities, since they can only partially attest to the former. The mathematics related to “digital signatures” are an improvement over handwritten signatures because it provides a certain and secure way to attest not only that two minds met and agreed on a subject but also when the meeting occurred. 
     The willingness of two minds to meet, which is often called “intent to sign,” has not been properly addressed to date because current systems revolve around the notion of an audit trail. As the word “audit” implies, an audit trail attests to what has happened during a signing session, i.e., an audit trail is nothing more than a reporting mechanism. In addition, an audit trail, by its nature, is a reflection of the signing session. If the signing session is a fragmented set of disjointed signing activities, the audit trail will also be fragmented, falling short from capturing intent properly. 
     The eSign Act focuses on the context of obtaining a digital signature as reinforcing or negating the validity of a digital signature. The systems on the marketplace today do not take advantage of this focus. Instead, the systems ensure the validity of a party&#39;s signature within a single page of a document. Other systems proceed to specify the type of signature or impose an order on how digital signatures are to be obtained, but within the confines of a single document. However, none of these systems take full advantage of the benefits of the eSign Act. 
     In light of the foregoing, there exists a need to provide a system and method of using the context of a signing ceremony to reinforce or negate the validity of a digital signature. 
     The electronic signing ceremony method and system embodiments described herein can be carried out using a computer. Moreover, the computer may be programmed, e.g., via the development of a computer program, to carry out the steps and functionality of the method and system embodiments disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 1  depicts an environment, computer system  10 , suitable for implementing one or more embodiments of the present application. Computer system  10  includes computer  12 , display  14 , user interface  16 , communication line  18  and network  20 . 
     Computer  12  includes volatile memory  22 , non-volatile memory  24  and central processing unit (“CPU”)  26 . Non-limiting examples of non-volatile memory include hard drives, floppy drives, CD and DVD drives, and flash memory, whether internal, external, or removable. Volatile memory  22  and/or non-volatile memory  24  can be configured to store machine instructions and other information. CPU  26  can be configured to execute machine instructions to implement functions of the present application, for example, executing an electronic signing ceremony according to one or more embodiments of the present application. Volatile memory  22  and/or non-volatile memory  24  can be configured to store data relating to a signing ceremony. 
     Display  14  can be utilized by the user of the computer  12  to view content relating to an electronic signing ceremony and to conduct the signing ceremony through a ceremony session. A non-limiting example of display  14  is a color display, e.g. a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) monitor or cathode ray tube (“CRT”) monitor. 
     The user input device  16  can be utilized by a user to input instructions to be received by computer  12 . The instructions can be instructions for receiving a digital signature of a user. The user input device  16  may be an electronic signature pad, a keypad, a microphone, or a fingerprint scanner. In other embodiments, the user input device  16  can be a keyboard having a number of input keys, a mouse having one or more mouse buttons, a touchpad or a trackball, or combinations thereof. 
     Computer  12  can be configured to be interconnected, wired and/or wirelessly, to network  20 , through communication line  18 , for example, a local area network (“LAN”) or wide area network (“WAN”), through a variety of interfaces, including, but not limited to dial-in connections, cable modems, high-speed lines, and hybrids thereof. Firewalls can be connected in the communication path to protect certain parts of the network from hostile and/or unauthorized use. 
     Computer  12  can support TCP/IP protocol which has input and access capabilities via two-way communication lines  18 . The communication lines can be an intranet-adaptable communication line, for example, a dedicated line, a satellite link, an Ethernet link, a public telephone network, a private telephone network, and hybrids thereof. The communication lines can also be intranet-adaptable. Examples of suitable communication lines include, but are not limited to, public telephone networks, public cable networks, and hybrids thereof. 
     In one embodiment, an electronic signing ceremony method and system is disclosed. The electronic signing ceremony may include a number of defined steps performed by one or more people on a number of documents in a predetermined order. A non-limiting example of an electronic signing ceremony is a mortgage transaction. For instance, a mortgage banker may create an electronic signing ceremony that includes a number of documents that are signed by the mortgage banker&#39;s customer, e.g., a home buyer and spouse. 
     As used in one or more embodiments, a step is an activity performed on a document. For example, a step may be the presentment and execution of a signature. As used in one or more embodiments, a signature is a digital way to bind a signer to a document. Non-limiting examples of signatures include an electronic signature, biometric signature, infometric signature, cryptographic signature, electronic sound, symbol, video, song or process. As used in one or more embodiments, a document means information in an electronic format. Non-limiting examples of documents include a loan application, a claim form, a lease agreement, and an insurance form. As used in one or more embodiments, a page is a well-defined part of a document. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a hierarchy  100  of a signing ceremony according to one or more embodiments. The ceremony, i.e., the top level of the hierarchy, includes a number of steps. For example, the number of steps may be a home loan application, as depicted by reference numeral  102  of  FIG. 2 . Each step, i.e., the second level of the hierarchy, comprises a document. For example, the documents may be a consent to electronically sign (“Esign”)  104 , a loan application  106 , and a consumer disclosure information statement  108 . Each document, i.e., the third level of the hierarchy, comprises a number of pages. For example, the number of pages may be the pages  110  of the consent to Esign document, the pages  112  of the loan application document, and the pages  114  of the consumer disclosure statement document. A number of actions, i.e., the bottom level of the hierarchy, are contained on one or more pages of each document. For example, one or more pages may contain a signature, which is an example of an action. One or more pages of the consent to Esign the document may include a lender signature  116 . One or more pages of the loan application may include a borrower signature  118 . One or more pages of the consumer disclosure statement may include a borrower signature  120 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a simplified, exemplary block diagram of an electronic ceremony system  130  according to one or more embodiments of the present application is shown. As seen therein, ceremony system  130  may include a ceremony template module  140 , a ceremony execution module  150 , and a ceremony validation module  160 . According to one or more embodiments, the modules  140 ,  150 ,  160  may be contained within the non-volatile memory  24 . 
     The ceremony template module  140  may include functionality to generate a ceremony template. A ceremony template can be used external to the signing ceremony system to generate an electronic ceremony for use with a ceremony execution module, as described in detail below. The ceremony template may be a document including one or more blanks that are filled in by the entity building the signing ceremony. For instance, the ceremony template may be a loan agreement document and the one or more blanks may be provided for a borrower&#39;s name and address. In one embodiment, the ceremony template document is a PDF document. The loan agreement template can be sent to a bank so that the bank may use its borrower database to provide the information in the one or more blanks. 
     In another embodiment, the ceremony template may include a number of documents, each having one or more blanks. The ceremony template may also include inputs for collecting and organizing documents, signers and signing devices by the bank or other entity responsible for such activities. As mentioned above, the result of utilizing the ceremony template is the generation of a signing ceremony that can be utilized by the ceremony execution module  150  during a ceremony session. As used in one or more embodiments, the ceremony session is a session in which a signing ceremony is executed. 
     As mentioned above, in one or more embodiments, the electronic ceremony system includes a ceremony execution module  150 . The ceremony execution module  150  may use a signing ceremony as the input to conduct a signing session, which may include reviewing and signing documents in a ceremony. The ceremony execution module  150  can also be configured to format data from the generated signing ceremony for display on a computer display via a graphical user interface (“GUI”).  FIG. 4  depicts an example of a GUI  200  generated by the ceremony execution module according to one embodiment of the present application. The GUI  200  may include a ceremony pane  202  and a page pane  204 . A ceremony page  206  may be displayed within the page pane  204 . The ceremony page  206  may correspond to one or more pages of each document. 
     The ceremony pane  202  may include a horizontal scroll bar  208  for scrolling content displayed within the ceremony pane  202 . As can be seen from  FIG. 4 , the content within ceremony pane  202  may include a number of documents  210 ,  212 ,  214  and  216 . Document  210 , displayed as an identification document, is shown in expanded format (signified by the “−” sign) so that the two pages of document  210  are displayed. It should be appreciated that the “−” sign can be clicked to collapse the document  210  into a single page icon. Document  212 , displayed as a quotation document, has been collapsed into such a format (signified by the “+” sign). Document  214 , displayed as a contract document, is shown in expanded format so that two pages of document  214  are displayed. Document  216 , also displayed as a contract document, is shown in expanded format so that three pages and a fourth fragmented page of document  216  is displayed. The horizontal scroll bar  208  can be utilized by the user to scroll over to view the rest of the pages of document  216 , as well as any other documents and pages thereof that are part of the signing ceremony. 
     Each document or page depicted within the ceremony pane  202  may include a header portion  218 , which includes the activity that is to be carried out on each document or page. Non-limiting examples of activities that can be carried out as depicted in  FIG. 4  include “sign” and “read,” which indicate an instruction to read the document or page, or an instruction to read and sign the document or page. In one or more embodiments, the activity is reading and initialing each document or page. Once the activity has been executed by the user, a status icon, which may comprise a checkmark  220 , may be displayed over the relevant document or page. The current document (and page thereof) in which the next action must be taken may be displayed as the left-most document (or page thereof) without a checkmark  220 . In one or more embodiments, the signing activities are pre-ordered, while the reviewing order can be established by user input. 
     The page pane  204  may include a vertical scroll bar  222  for vertically scrolling the content displayed within the page pane  204 . The content displayed within the page pane  204  may be the current page of the current document. 
     The GUI  200  thus described can provide the feature of presenting, reviewing and signing the documents in a signing ceremony in a pre-determined order, therefore establishing a sequence for presenting and signing documents. Beneficially, such GUI can display a road map, e.g., the ceremony pane  202 , that shows the stepwise progression of the signing ceremony in a pre-determined order. 
     In one or more embodiments, the ceremony execution module  150  may be configured to record certain data regarding a signing session as an executed ceremony. The recorded data may be stored in a secure database. In one or more embodiments, the executed ceremony includes each document in the signing ceremony, each digital signature within the signing ceremony, a date and time of signature for each digital signature, and the date and time at which each page viewing through the GUI  200  begins. 
     The contents of the ceremony container, e.g., digital signatures, signers and documents, are described below for developing an example of a ceremony container. 
     As used herein with respect to at least one embodiment, a digital signature is a secure container that contains a single document, e.g., hash, a single signer, e.g., credentials, and a timestamp bound together. Once it is created, a digital signature secure container may only be read and verified, or destroyed.  FIG. 5  depicts a schematic example of a digital signature secure container  300 . 
     As used herein with respect to at least one embodiment, a document is an unsecure container for one or more digital signatures. These documents are considered an unsecure container in that digital signature containers may be embedded and/or removed from the document at will. For example, a portable display format (“PDF”) document does not provide a mechanism to protect embedded digital signature containers from improper access, placement within the PDF document and removal from the PDF document.  FIG. 6  depicts a schematic example of an unsecure document container  400 . 
       FIG. 7  depicts an example of a ceremony container  500 , which includes a number of documents, a number of digital signatures, a date and time at which each page of each document is viewed, and a date and time of signing for each digital signature. The information stored in the ceremony container  500  allows for the capture of intent to sign information and the circumstances in which one or more digital signatures are obtained. 
     In one or more embodiments, the electronic signing ceremony system may include a ceremony validation module  160 . The ceremony validation module  160  may use an executed ceremony container as input to conduct a signing validation, which may include validating the steps and activities of the ceremony. 
     The ceremony validation module  160  may also be configured to format data from the ceremony container for display on a computer display via a GUI.  FIG. 8  depicts an example of a GUI  700  generated by the ceremony validation module according to one embodiment of the present application. The GUI  700  may include a ceremonies panel  702  and a selected ceremony panel  704 . The ceremonies panel  702  may include a list of ceremonies for one or more users of the signing ceremony system. The selected ceremony panel  704  may include a ceremony pane  706  and a page pane  708 . A ceremony page  710  may be displayed within the page pane  708 . The ceremony page  710  may correspond to one or more pages of each document. In one or more embodiments, the ceremony validation module  160  can be configured to display only the executed ceremony sessions of the user that is currently logged in. 
     The ceremony pane  706  can display each document (and each page of each document in one or more embodiments) within the selected signing ceremony. Each document (or each page thereof) may include a status icon generated from a plurality of icons depicting the status of the one or more activities associated with the document (or page thereof) based on the ceremony container of the selected signing ceremony. Non-limiting examples of status icons may include first checkmark  712 , second checkmark  714  and “x” icon  716 . The first checkmark  712  denotes that the document (or page thereof) has been viewed and the activity has been carried out in the pre-determined order of the signing ceremony. The second checkmark  714  denotes that the document (or page thereof) has been viewed but the activity has not been carried out according to the pre-determined order of the ceremony. The “x” icon  716  denotes that the document (or page thereof) has been viewed but the activity has not been carried out. 
     In one or more embodiments, the digital signatures and documents used within the signing ceremony described above can utilize the Adobe PDF DigSig standard, available from Adobe Systems Inc. Therefore, the digital signatures generated through the signing ceremony of one or more embodiments of the present application can be verified by the use of the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Furthermore, the signing ceremony system of one or more embodiments of the present application may support other digital signature standards as well. Non-limiting examples include the MISMO DigSig standard for the mortgage industry, the SAFE standard for the pharmaceutical industry, and the NAVA standard for the annuities industry. 
     According to another embodiment, a computer platform for developing digital signature software products, for example, electronic signature touch pad software products, is disclosed. The computer platform may include an operating system, services, applications, and a software development architecture. The software development architecture can be utilized to develop signing, authentication and signer identification applications. 
     The computer software platform of one or more embodiments includes the capability to develop one or more software applications for one or more digital signing devices including one or more of the following features: secure access to the Internet, secure transmission of data, secure local storage, and secure storage of the device&#39;s credentials for device authentication. The computer software platform includes a toolkit for developing software applications for one or more digital signature devices. 
     The computer software platform of one or more embodiments includes the capability to develop one or more software applications for one or more digital signing devices for capturing high-quality handwritten signatures, displaying one or more color images, and measuring bio-behavior, e.g., pressure, direction, velocity, etc. The computer software platform may be used to develop applications for smart phones, iPhones, PDAs, tablet-PCs, etc. The platform may be based on the Windows Mobile 6.0 operating system. Alternatively, the platform may be based on Windows XP and VISTA, Mac OS, Linux and Blackberry (Java), and digital signature pads. 
     The computer platform of one or more embodiments includes the capability to migrate developed software applications from a first digital device to a second digital device. For example, the first digital device may be a desktop computer and the second digital device may be a palm device. 
     In one or more embodiments, the computer platform includes a fragmented signing engine, which is generally referenced as system  800  in the schematic diagram of  FIG. 9 . The fragmented signing engine may include the capability of signing locally at a client site  802 , i.e., the site in which the signer is located. At the client site, the signer is allowed to use the signer&#39;s private key to sign. The fragmented signing engine functions partially at the server site  804  to hash and prepare a document for signing, and partially at the client site  802  to obtain and use the private key of the signer and to transmit the resulting digital signature back to the server site  804  to embed it into the document being signed. This distributed signing engine provides for signing mobility, i.e., mobility of the client site  802 . 
     Using the distributed and fragmented signing engine of one or more embodiments, user and signer authentication may be added using the PKI infrastructure of the client and of the server to provide mutual authentication. 
     While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.