Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings facilitate electronic authentication services for banking and other industries. Authentication services, often using Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology, are used to confirm the identity of the sender of data and to ensure that the data that was received is identical to the data that was sent. Embodiments of the present invention provide authentication services that may be used by a variety of configurations of entities requesting data authentication and entities responding to those requests. Embodiments of the present invention also support compatibility with commercial data authentication standards, integration with third-party data authentication software such as Secude (for Identrus access), and systems to control data authentication risks.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to electronic transaction applications, and more particularly to systems, methods, and apparatuses that use Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) techniques to authenticate electronic signatures.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE RELEVANT ART  
         [0002]    The business of electronic authentication services has generally been structured by a Trust Model. The Trust Model typically involves participants with four Trust Roles. These roles are Subscribing Customer, Relying Customer, Relying Participant, and Issuing Participant.  
           [0003]    The Subscribing Customer is an entity that uses digital certificates to create electronic signatures. As is known in the art, a digital certificate is used with data to be signed to produce a PKI standard encrypted hash referred to as the message digest. The message digest together with the digital certificate forms the electronic signature of the data.  
           [0004]    The Relying Customer is an entity that desires to determine whether a digital certificate in question was used to sign a specific item of data and if the digital certificate itself is valid. The activity of determining whether a digital certificate was used to sign a specific item of data and if the digital certificate itself is valid is referred to herein as “cryptographic validity services” or “authentication.” 
           [0005]    The Relying Participant is an entity that responds to certificate status inquiries from Relying Customers.  
           [0006]    The Issuing Participant is an entity that creates digital certificates and provides them to Subscribing Customers.  
           [0007]    Several Trust Models exist. Typically, in the Two-Corner Trust Model, as depicted in FIG. 1, Issuing Participant  104 , Relying Customer  102 , and Relying Participant  103  are all the same entity. Subscribing Customer  101  presents an electronic signature to Relying Customer  102 /Relying Participant  103 /lssuing Participant  104 . Relying Customer  102 /Relying Participant  103 /Issuing Participant  104  checks the certificate status and informs Subscribing Customer  101  as to whether the signature is acceptable.  
           [0008]    Typically, in the Three-Corner Trust Model, as depicted in FIG. 2, Relying Participant  103  and Issuing Participant  104  are the same entity. Subscribing Customer  101  presents an electronic signature to Relying Customer  102 . Relying Customer  102  then submits a certificate status query to Relying Participant  103 /Issuing Participant  104 . Relying Participant  103 /Issuing Participant  104  checks the certificate status and informs Relying Customer  102  as to whether the certificate is valid. Relying Customer  102  then informs Subscribing Customer  101  as to whether the electronic signature is acceptable.  
           [0009]    Typically, in the Four-Corner Trust Model, as depicted in FIG. 3, Subscribing Customer  101  presents an electronic signature to Relying Customer  102 . Relying Customer  102  then submits a certificate status query to Relying Participant  103 . In this case a separate fourth party, Issuing Participant  104 , has issued the digital certificate used to create the electronic signature. Relying Participant  103  locates Issuing Participant  104  for the digital certificate and asks Issuing Participant  104  to check the certificate status. Issuing Participant  104  provides the certificate status information to Relying Participant  103 . Relying Participant  103  then informs Relying Customer  102  as to whether the certificate is valid. Finally, Relying Customer  102  informs Subscribing Customer  101  as to whether the electronic signature is acceptable.  
           [0010]    Note that references in this specification to a particular Trust Model entity may refer, as appropriate, to that particular Trust Model entity in combination with another Trust Model entity, or to that particular Trust Model entity not in combination with another Trust Model entity. For example, references to the Issuing Participant that issued a particular digital certificate will refer to a Relying Participant/Issuing Participant combination entity when that combination entity issued the particular digital certificate, even if it also serves additional functions (as in the Three-Cornered Trust Model), or will refer to an Issuing Participant entity when that uncombined entity issued the particular digital certificate (as in the Four-Cornered Trust Model).  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    Embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the specification, claims, and drawing facilitate the provision of cryptographic validity services for banking and other industries. Some embodiments of the present invention provide authentication services through an application programming interface to a Relying Customer Service Engine that is coupled to a Relying Participant Service Engine. Embodiments of the present invention also provide configurable risk-control, compatibility with commercial Identrus standards (Identrus is controlled by Identrus LLC, 140 East 45th Street, 16th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10017), and integration with third-party software such as Secude (manufactured by SECUDE Sicherhreitstechnologie, Informationssysteme Gmbh, DovivostraBell, 0-64293, Darnstade, Germany) for Identrus access.  
           [0012]    An object of the present invention is to facilitate the provision of electronic authentication services.  
           [0013]    In some embodiments of the present invention, a Validation Services Platform performs authentication on an Electronic Signature contained in a Validation Request by receiving the Validation Request from a Relying Customer Interface, formulating a Query responsive to the Validation Request, transmitting the Query to a Relying Participant Interface, receiving a Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface, formulating a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response, and transmitting the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface. The Relying Customer Interface may be in communication with a Relying Customer, and the Relying, Participant Interface may be in communication with a Relying Participant.  
           [0014]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part are obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may also be realized and attained by means of the methods, instrumentalities and combinations particularly set out in the appended claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0016]    In the accompanying drawing:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting the Two-Corner Trust Model for the authentication of electronic signatures.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting the Three-Corner Trust Model for the authentication of electronic signatures.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting the Four-Corner Trust Model for the authentication of electronic signatures.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting an embodiment of the Validation Services Platform of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a more detailed diagram depicting some of the entities that may communicate with the Validation Services Platform embodiment depicted in FIG. 4.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a more detailed diagram depicting the Validation Services Platform embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting the System API and Logging interface of an embodiment of the Relying Customer Service Engine of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting the Information API of an embodiment of the Relying Customer Service Engine of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a more detailed diagram depicting an embodiment of the Relying Customer Service Engine.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is diagram depicting an embodiment of the Policy Engine of the Relying Participant Service Engine of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a more detailed diagram depicting an embodiment of the Relying Participant Service Engine.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 is a flowchart depicting an embodiment of a method for performing cryptographic validity services of the present invention.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 13 is a flowchart depicting an additional embodiment of a method for performing cryptographic validity services of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0030]    Interpretation of Terms  
         [0031]    Unless otherwise noted in this specification or in the claims, all of the terms used in the specification and the claims will have the meanings normally ascribed to these terms by workers in the art. Certain terms specifically comprise the meanings associated with them as follows:  
         [0032]    1. Storage Device: A physical or virtual element for storing programs or data for manipulation by computer systems. Physical Storage Devices comprise memory modules, random access memory chips (RAM), various programmable memory chips, fixed and removable disk drives, and other computer storage devices as are known in the art. Virtual Storage Devices comprise virtual memory pages, virtual disks and other physical Storage Devices that are simulated by software, and other virtual storage elements as are know in the art.  
         [0033]    2. Processor: A physical or virtual element whose operation is controlled by one or more computer programs. Processors comprise general purpose computer systems, special purpose computer systems, distributed computer systems, processor chips, discrete electronic circuits, processors that are simulated by software, and other computer processing devices as are known in the art.  
         [0034]    3. Distributed Storage Array: One or more Storage Devices that are logically or physically coupled, or both. For example, a single Storage Device is a Distributed Storage Array. Another example of a Distributed Storage Array is a plurality of Storage Devices that are in physically different locations but are logically or physically coupled, or both.  
         [0035]    4. Distributed Processor Array: One or more Processors that are logically or physically coupled, or both. For example, a single Processor is a Distributed Processor Array. Another example of a Distributed Processor Array is a plurality of Processors that are in physically different locations but are logically or physically coupled, or both.  
         [0036]    5. Program: Instructions or data, or both, stored in a Distributed Storage Array, for controlling a Distributed Processor Array. For example, a Program may reside on a Distributed Storage Array consisting of a single Storage Device and may control a Distributed Processor Array consisting of a single Processor, where both the Storage Device and the Processor are components of a personal computer. In another example, a Program may reside on a Distributed Storage Array consisting of a plurality of geographically separated Storage Elements and may control a Distributed Processor Array consisting of a plurality of geographically separated Processors. In this example, the Storage Elements and Processors may be grouped to form a plurality of computer systems that are coupled through computer communications networks such as the Internet.  
         [0037]    6. Configuration Data. In embodiments of the present invention, Configuration Data comprises information for configuring the operation of the invention. Configuration Data may be provided to an entity of the present invention through an external source, for example using the System API described below or as an external data file, or Configuration Data may be built into the entity, for example as a configuration module as is know in the art. As used in this specification, the term “entity” refers to any object that may be placed in communication with any other object, and comprises, for example, persons, organizations, logical structures, physical structures, computer systems, and program modules. In some embodiments where the present invention comprises one or more entities in communication with other entities (within or outside the systems of the present invention), via computer communications networks such as the Internet, the Configuration Data may comprise, for example and as is known in the art:  
         [0038]    a. HOST names for each entity that will be placed in communication with an entity of the present invention.  
         [0039]    b. PORT numbers corresponding to each HOST.  
         [0040]    c. Security protocol information, as is known in the art, as required to make a secure encrypted connection to each HOST.  
         [0041]    d. Identification information necessary to identify each entity of the present invention to those entities with which it will be placed in communication. For example and as is known in the art, such identification information may comprise appropriate SSL Digital Certificates.  
         [0042]    e. Identification information necessary to authenticate, to entities of the present invention, those entities with which entities of the present invention will be in communication. For example and as is known in the art, such identification information may comprise appropriate identifying SSL Digital Certificates.  
         [0043]    To continue this example, and for some embodiments of the present invention, as depicted in FIG. 6, the present invention comprises Validation Services Platform  401 . Validation Services Platform  401  comprises two entities, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403 . These two entities are in communication via a computer communications network, e.g., the Internet, as denoted by Internet  507 , and Configuration Data as just described are used to establish a communications channel between the two entities. As depicted, Relying Participant Service Engine  403  internally contains Configuration Data, denoted as Configuration Data  613 . In some embodiments, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  obtains Configuration Data from Relying Customer Software Application  501  via a communications path denoted as Control and Configure Service  601 .  
         [0044]    7. Validation Request. In embodiments of the present invention, a Validation Request comprises an Electronic Signature and may further comprise, as described below, a copy of the data alleged to have been signed by the Electronic Signature. As is known in the art, each Electronic Signature comprises a Digital Certificate and a Message Digest. As is also known in the art, the Digital Certificate comprises a hierarchical Certificate Chain that further comprises the actual certificate allegedly used to sign the data (the Signing Certificate), and the Message Digest comprises a PKI standard encrypted hash of the data signed by the Electronic Signature. For example, as depicted in FIG. 5, Validation Request  520  comprises Electronic Signature  502  and Signed Data  503  (representing a copy of the data alleged to have been signed by Electronic Signature  502 ).  
         [0045]    8. Validation Response. In embodiments of the present invention, a Validation Response comprises a determination if the data alleged to have been signed by a particular Electronic Signature had, in fact, been validly signed by that Electronic Signature. For example, as depicted in FIG. 5, Validation Response  504  comprises a determination if Signed Data  503  had, in fact, been validly signed by Electronic Signature  502 . In another example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the Validation Response comprises:  
         [0046]    a. The SERVICE STATUS of the Validation Request, comprising:  
         [0047]    i. SUCCESSFUL if the Validation Request was processed and the Digital Certificate in the Electronic Signature was checked via an appropriate Issuing Participant.  
         [0048]    ii. ERROR if there was an error in the Validation Request format and/or in the Signed Data, or if the contents of the Electronic Signature were unrecognizable.  
         [0049]    iii. UNAVAILABLE if the Relying Participant Service Engine did not make successful contact with the appropriate Relying Participant or Relying Participant/Issuing Participant combination, or other technical failure occurred.  
         [0050]    iv. CACHED if the Verification Request was processed, but the appropriate Issuing Participant was not contacted to validate the Digital Certificate in the Electronic Signature, and the Digital Certificate was checked using a previously recorded and cached response.  
         [0051]    b. The SERVICE NAME of the Relying Participant (for example, BANKOFAMERICA AUTHENTICATION SERVICES) providing the validation.  
         [0052]    c. The SERVICE VERSION of the Relying Participant Service Engine, comprising an identification of the version of software implementing the Relying Participant Service Engine.  
         [0053]    d. The SIGNATURE VALIDITY determination, having the values VALID and INVALID, as provided by the present invention and indicating whether the Electronic Signature is valid for the Signed Data in the associated Verification Request.  
         [0054]    e. SIGNATURE DATA MATCH indicating whether the Electronic Signature actually matched the Signed Data.  
         [0055]    f. The SIGNING CERTIFICATE STATUS of the Digital Certificate used to create the Electronic Signature, for example, VALID, EXPIRED, REVOKED, etc.  
         [0056]    g. The ISSUING AUTHORITY CERTIFICATE STATUS of the Digital Certificate of the Authority which issued the Signing Digital Certificate.  
         [0057]    h. The SIGNING CERTIFICATE CONTENTS, providing the information contained in the signing Certificate allegedly used to sign the Signed Data which, in some embodiments, comprises:  
         [0058]    i. THE PKI Distinguished Name of this Digital Certificate.  
         [0059]    ii. THE PKI Distinguished Name of the authority which issued this Digital Certificate.  
         [0060]    iii. The PKI Common Name of this Digial Certificate.  
         [0061]    iv. The beginning and ending validity dates of this Digital Certificate.  
         [0062]    v. The Serial Number of this Digital Certificate.  
         [0063]    9. Query. One or more requests (which may be referred to as Certificate Status Requests) to a Digital Certificate verification facility to verify each of the certificates that was contained in the Certificate Chain of a Validation Request (see the Validation Request definition, above). In an embodiment of the present invention, third-party Secude Software in combination with Identrus Issuing Participant services (Identrus Services are controlled by Identrus LLC, 140 East 45th Street, 16th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10017) form the Digital Certificate verification facility. Other Digital Certificate verification facilities, for example, VeriSign, Inc., 1600 Bridge Parkway, Redwood Shores, Calif. 94065, may be used as is known in the art.  
         [0064]    10. Query Response. The response or responses to one or more Certificate Status Requests from a Digital Certificate verification facility.  
         [0065]    11. Relying Customer Interface. In some embodiments of the present invention, a Relying Customer Interface is the portion of the present invention that communicates with a Relying Customer. For example, in some embodiments as depicted in FIG. 6, the present invention comprises Validation Services Platform  401 . Communications between the Relying Customer, partially depicted in FIG. 6 by Relying Customer Software Application  501 , and Validation Services Platform  401 , comprise Control and Configure Service  601 , Validation Request  520 , and Validation Response  504 . These communications enter and exit Validation Services Platform  401  through a Relying Customer Interface, which, in some embodiments, comprises System API  603  and Information API  604 . As is known in the art, the Relying Customer Interface may be implemented in hardware, in software, or as a combination of hardware and software.  
         [0066]    12. Relying Participant Interface. In some embodiments of the present invention, a Relying Participant Interface is the portion of the present invention that communicates with a Relying Participant or with a Relying Participant/Issuing Participant combination. For example, in some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, the present invention comprises Validation Services Platform  401 . Communications between Validation Services Platform  401  and the Relying Participant/Issuing Participant combination, partially depicted in FIG. 6 by Secude Software  505 , Identrus Server  506 , Issuing Participant Indentrus Servers  508 , and Identrus Root Server  509 , are represented by the arrow between Relying Participant Service Engine  403  and Secude Software  505 . These communications enter and exit Validation Services Platform  401  through a Relying Participant Interface. As is known in the art, the Relying Participant Interface may be implemented in hardware, in software, or as a combination of hardware and software.  
         [0067]    13. System API. In some embodiments of the present invention, a System Application Programming Interface (API) provides a predefined set of functions for initializing and terminating the operation of the Relying Customer Service Engine of the present invention, and for recording status information for financial audits, billing, and maintenance. As is known in the art, an API is said to be “exposed” when entities external to the entity containing the API are able to make use of the API. For example, in some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, System API  603  is contained in the Relying Customer Service Engine  402  portion of Validation Services Platform  401 . Validation Services Platform  401  exposes System API  603  to Relying Customer Software Application  501 . Relying Customer Software Application  501  uses, as is known in the art, System API  603  to control and configure Relying Customer Service Engine  402  via the Control and Configure Service  601  path.  
         [0068]    14. Information API. In some embodiments of the present invention, the Information API provides a predefined set of functions for sending a Validation Request to systems or apparatus of the invention and for obtaining a Validation Response from systems or apparatus of the invention. For example, in some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, Information API  604  is contained in the Relying Customer Service Engine  402  portion of Validation Services Platform  401 . Valdation Services Platform  401  exposes Information API  604  to Relying Customer Software Application  501 . Relying Customer Software Application  501  uses, as is known in the art, Information API  604  to transmit Validation Request  520  to Validation Services Platform  401 , and to receive Validation Response  504  from Validation Services Platform  401 .  
         [0069]    15. Policy Engine. In some embodiments of the present invention, the Policy Engine determines if the Electronic Signature contained in a Validation Request is valid or invalid, based, for example, on examination of the Electronic Signature, a Query Response related to the Electronic Signature, and business policies provided by the Relying Participant. For example, in some embodiments depicted in FIG. 10, Policy Engine  610  is contained in Relying Participant Service Engine  403 . Business policies related to the acceptance of Electronic Signatures are provided to Policy Engine  610  as dataset Policy Data  611 . Policy Engine  610  converts, as is known in the art, Policy Data  611  to Policy tables  1005  which are internal to Policy Engine  610 . In some embodiments, this conversion occurs when Policy Engine  610  is initialized as part of the initialization of systems, apparatuses or methods of the present invention. In other embodiments, business policies of the Relying Participant are separately converted into Policy Tables  1005 , for example by a computer programmer, and are built into Policy Engine  610 . In some embodiments, Relying Participant Service Engine  403  provides Policy Engine  610  with the results of an examination of the Electronic Signature and with the Query Response related to the Electronic Signature for use, in conjunction with the business policies, in authenticating the Electronic Signature.  
         [0070]    16. Validation Services Platform. In some embodiments of the present invention, the Validation Services Platform performs authentication on the Electronic Signature contained in a Validation Request by receiving the Validation Request from a Relying Customer Interface, formulating a Query responsive to the Validation Request, transmitting the Query to a Relying Participant Interface, receiving a Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface, formulating a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response, and transmitting the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface. The Relying Customer Interface may be in communication with a Relying Customer and the Relying Participant Interface may be in communication with a Relying Participant.  
         [0071]    For example, in embodiments of the present invention depicted in FIG. 4, Validation Services Platform  401  comprises a Relying Customer Interface that is in communication with Relying Customer  102 , and comprises a Relying Participant Interface that is in communication with Relying Participant  103 .  
         [0072]    The Validation Services Platform may be implemented, as is known in the art, as software running on general purpose computers or special purpose computers, as hardware, or as combinations of software and hardware.  
         [0073]    17. Relying Participant Service Engine. In some embodiments of the present invention, the Relying Participant Service Engine performs authentication on the Electronic Signature contained in a Validation Request by receiving the Validation Request, formulating a Query responsive to the Validation Request, transmitting the Query to a Relying Participant Interface, receiving a Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface, formulating a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response, and transmitting the Validation Response. In some embodiments, the Relying Participant Service Engine performs as a server, as is known in the art, with one or more clients (for example, Relying Customer Service Engines) sending Validation Requests to the Relying Participant Service Engine. In some further embodiments of the present invention, the Validation Response is responsive to a Policy Engine. For example, in some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, Relying Participant Service Engine  403  receives Validation Request  520  from Relying Customer Service Engine  402  via an Internet-based communication channel, Internet  507 . Relying Participant Service Engine  403  formulates a Query, and transmits the Query to the Relying Participant Interface that is in communication with Secude Software  505 . Secude Software  505  sends a Query Response to the Relying Participant Interface. Relying Participant Service Engine  403  receives the Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface, formulates Validation Response  504  based on the Query Response and the operation of Policy Engine  610 , and transmits Validation Response  504  to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  via Internet  507 .  
         [0074]    The Relying Participant Service Engine may be implemented, as is known in the art, as software running on general purpose computers or special purpose computers, as hardware, or as combinations of software and hardware.  
         [0075]    18. Relying Customer Service Engine. In some embodiments of the present invention, the Relying Customer Service Engine coordinates communications between the Relying Customer and the Relying Participant Service Engine. In these embodiments, the Relying Customer Service Engine has a Relying Customer Interface which is in communication with a Relying Customer, and receives a Validation Request from the Relying Customer Interface and transmits the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface. The Relying Customer Interface may include a System API and may include an Information API. In further embodiments, a communication channel is established between the Relying Customer Service Engine and the Relying Participant Service Engine to transport the Validation Request and the Validation Response. In some embodiments, one or more Relying Customer Service Engines are clients, as is known in the art, of a single Relying Participant Service Engine that is a server.  
         [0076]    In some embodiments, the Relying Customer Service Engine performs consistency checking on the Validation Request. Consistency checking determines, for a particular Validation Request, if the Electronic Signature actually signed the Signed Data. In some embodiments, if the Electronic Signature was found not to have signed the Signed Data, then the Relying Customer Service Engine would send, to the Relying Customer Interface, a Validation Response noting that the Electronic Signature was not valid and would not invoke the Relying Participant Service Engine. If the Electronic Signature was found to have signed the Signed Data, then the Validation Request would be sent to the Relying Participant Service Engine for validation of the Validation Request&#39;s Digital Certificates.  
         [0077]    For example, in some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, the Relying Customer Interface of Relying Customer Service Engine  402  comprises System API  603  and Information API  604 . The Relying Customer Interface is in communication with Relying Customer Software Application  501 . A Validation Request  520  is sent to Information API  604  by Relying Customer Software Application  501 . Validation Request  502  is received by Relying Customer Service Engine  402  from Information API  604 . Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403  previously established an Internet based communication channel, Internet  507 , between Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403 . Relying Customer Service Engine  402  transmits Validation Request  520  to Relying Participant Service Engine  403  via Internet  507 , and receives Validation Response  504  from Relying Participant Service Engine  403  via Internet  507 . Relying Customer Service Engine transmits Validation Response  504  to Relying Customer Software Application  501  via Information API  604 .  
         [0078]    The Relying Customer Service Engine may be implemented, as is known in the art, as software running on general purpose computers or special purpose computers, as hardware, or as combinations of software and hardware.  
         [0079]    Detailed Description  
         [0080]    Acts performed by systems, methods, apparatus elements, and apparatus functions of the present invention may be implemented, as is known in the art, as software running on general purpose computers or special purpose computers, as hardware, or as combinations of software and hardware.  
         [0081]    As depicted in FIG. 4, Validation Services Platform  401  is an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, Validation Services Platform  401  is in communication with Relying Customer  102  and Relying Participant  103 . Relying Participant  103  may be in communication with Issuing Participant  104  or may be a Relying Participant/Issuing Participant combination. As depicted in FIG. 4, Relying Customer  102  and Relying Participant  103  may be located in close physical proximity to portions of Validation Services Platform  401 , while Validation Services Platform  401  may comprise components that are distributed over a wide geographical area and communicate via communication networks such as the Internet. In some embodiments, a portion of Relying Customer  102  is a computer program running on a computer system that also runs a portion of Validation Services Platform  401 .  
         [0082]    Typically, Subscribing Customer  101  creates an Electronic-Signature by signing certain data. Subscribing Customer  101  submits the Electronic Signature and the data to Relying Customer  102  as part of a commercial transaction. Relying Customer  102  generates a Validation Request from the Electronic Signature and data, as is known in the art, and transmits the Validation Request to Validation Services Platform  401 .  
         [0083]    In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 4, Validation Services Platform  401  has a Relying Customer Interface in communication with Relying Customer  102  and has a Relying Participant Interface in communication with Relying Participant  103 . Relying Customer  102  transmits the Validation Request to the Relying Customer Interface and Validation Services Platform  401  receives the Validation Request from the Relying Customer Interface. Validation Services Platform  401  formulates a Query responsive to the Validation Request and transmits the Query to the Relying Participant Interface. Relying Participant  103  receives and processes the Query, as is known in the art, and transmits a Query Response to the Relying Participant Interface. Validation Services Platform  401  receives the Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface, formulates a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response, and transmits the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface. Relying Customer  102  receives the Validation Response from the Relying Customer Interface. Responsive to the Validation Response, as is known in the art, Relying Customer  102  informs Subscribing Customer  101  as to the acceptance or rejection, for example, of the commercial transaction depending upon whether the Electronic Signature contained in the Validation Response was valid.  
         [0084]    In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 4, Validation Services Platform  401  comprises Relying Customer Service Engine  402  in communication with Relying Participant Service Engine  403 . In some embodiments, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  is in close physical proximity to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 . For example, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403  may be software modules running on the same computer system and communicating with each other as is known in the art. In other embodiments, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403  are physically distant. For example, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403  may be software modules running on different computer systems that are located in different cities, and communicating via computer communications networks such as the Internet as is known in the art. In some embodiments, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  contains the Relying Customer Interface and Relying Participant Service Engine  403  contains the Relying Participant Interface. In some embodiments, multiple Relying Customer Service Engines  402  communicate with a single Relying Participant Service Engine  403 .  
         [0085]    [0085]FIG. 5 is a more detailed depiction of some of the entities that may communicate with the Validation Services Platform  401  embodiment of the present invention that was depicted in FIG. 4. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 5, Relying Customer Software Application  501 , a portion of the Relying Customer, communicates with Validation Services Platform  401  via the Relying Customer Interface portion of Validation Services Platform  401 . Relying Customer Software Application  501  transmits Validation Request  520 , which is comprised of Electronic Signature  502  and Signed Data  503 , to the Relying Customer Interface, and receives Validation Response  504 .  
         [0086]    In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 5, a Relying Participant/Issuing Participant combination comprises Secude Software  505 , Identrus Server  506 , Issuing Participant-Identrus Server  508 , and Identrus Root Server  509 . As depicted in FIG. 5, Identrus Server  506 , Issuing Participant-Identrus Server  508 , and Identrus Root Server  509  communicate via Internet  507 . Secude Software  505  and the Identrus servers operate together, as is known in the art, to form a Digital Certificate verification facility. As is also known in the art, other Digital Certificate verification facilities could be substituted for the Secude Software/Identrus combination depicted in FIG. 5. In other embodiments, Validation Services Platform  401  could communicate with a plurality of Digital Certificate verification facilities of the same or of different types.  
         [0087]    In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 5, Validation Services Platform  401  communicates with Secude Software  505  via the Relying Participant Interface portion of Validation Services Platform  401 . Secude Software  505  receives a Query from the Relying Participant Interface, processes the Query in conjunction with the Identrus servers as is known in the art, formulates a Query Response, and transmits the Query Response to the Relying Participant Interface.  
         [0088]    [0088]FIG. 6 is a more detailed diagram depicting the Validation Services Platform  401  embodiment that was depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, Validation Services Platform  401  comprises Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , as described in connection with FIG. 4. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  comprises the Relying Customer Interface of Validation Services Platform  401 . In some embodiments, the Relying Customer Interface comprises System API  603  and Information API  604 . In some embodiments, Validation Services Platform  401  exposes System API  603  to Relying Customer Software Application  501 . Relying Customer Software Application  501  uses, as is known in the art, System API  603  to control and configure Validation Services Platform  401  via the Control and Configure Service  601  path. In some embodiments, Validation Services Platform  401  exposes Information API  604  to Relying Customer Software Application  501 . Relying Customer Software Application  501  uses, as is know in the art, Information API  604  to transmit Validation Request  520  to Validation Services Platform  401 , and to receive Validation Response  504  from Validation Services Platform  401 .  
         [0089]    In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, Relying Participant Service Engine  403  comprises the Relying Participant Interface of Validation Services Platform  401 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 6, Relying Participant Service Engine  403  includes Policy Engine  610 . As depicted in FIG. 6, some embodiments of Relying Participant Service Engine  403  include datasets such as Configuration Data  613 , for storing data relating to the configuration of Relying Participant Service Engine  403 ; Log Files  612 , for storing data relating to the operation of Relying Participant Service Engine  403 ; and Policy Data  611 , for storing data relating to the configuration of Policy Engine  610 .  
         [0090]    [0090]FIG. 7 is a diagram depicting the System API and Logging interface of some embodiments of the Relying Customer Service Engine of the present invention. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 7, Relying Customer Software Application  501  transmits configuration data, depicted as Config Data  705 , via System API  603  to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  for use in configuring Relying Customer Service Engine  402 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 7, Config Data  705  specifies the information that is to be logged, as is known in the art, and where the logged information is to be sent. In these embodiments, the logged information, referred to as Logging Data  715 , is transferred to logging programs, referred to as Log Routines  710 , that are contained in Relying Customer Software Application  501 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 7, Logging Data  715  is stored by Log Routines  710  externally from Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0091]    [0091]FIG. 8 is a diagram depicting the Information API of some embodiments of the Relying Customer Service Engine of the present invention. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 8, Relying Customer Software Application  501  transmits Validation Request  520 , comprising Electronic Signature  502  and Signed Data  503 , via Information API  604 , for processing by Relying Customer Service Engine  402 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 8, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  transmits Validation Response  504  to Relying Customer Software Application  501  via Information API  604 .  
         [0092]    [0092]FIG. 9 is a detailed diagram depicting some embodiments of the Relying Customer Service Engine of the present invention. As will be readily apparent to workers in the art, many other embodiments of the Relying Customer Service Engine may be employed and are within the scope of this invention. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 9, at the start of operation of Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , Relying Customer Software Application  501  provides Config Data  705  to Initialization Function  910  of Relying Customer Service Engine  402  via System API  603 . Initialization Function  910  initializes Relying Customer Service Engine  402  using the Configuration Data provided by Config Data  705 . As part of the initialization activity, Logging Function  915  is placed in communication with Logging Routines  710 , Secure Communication Function  925  establishes a secure communication channel with Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , and Secure Communication Function  925  obtains Authorization Key  920  from Relying Participant Service Engine  403 .  
         [0093]    Following initialization, data which is to be logged, denoted by Logging Data  715 , is collected by Logging Function  915  and transferred to Logging Routines  710  for storage. When Validation Request  520  is received by Information API  604 , it is sent to Signature Validation Procedure  905 . In some embodiments, Signature Validation Procedure  905  performs consistency checking on Validation Request  520  and, if the consistency check determines that Electronic Signature  502  was not properly used to sign Signed Data  503 , then Signature Validation Procedure  905  will send Validation Response  504  via Information API  604  to Relying Customer Software Application  501  without further processing. If the consistency check determines that Electronic Signature  502  was properly used to sign Signed Data  503 , or in those embodiments where no consistency checking is done by Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , then Signature Validation Procedure  905  provides Validation Request  520  to Secure Communication Function  925  for transmission to Relying Participant Service Engine  403  via Internet  507 . In some embodiments where consistency checking is performed by Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , Signed Data  503  is not included in Validation Request  520  when Validation Request  520  is transmitted to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 . In some embodiments, Secure Communication Function  925  transmits Authorization Key  920  with Validation Request  520  to Relying Participant Service Engine  403  to demonstrate that Validation Request  520  was provided by an authorized source without, for example, requiring a new exchange of Digital Certificates between Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403  as is known in the art.  
         [0094]    After Relying Participant Service Engine  403  processes Validation Request  520  and produces Validation Response  504 , Validation Response  504  is transmitted by Relying Participant Service Engine  403  to Secure Communication Function  925  via Internet  507 . Secure Communication Function  925  receives Validation Response  504  and provides it to Signature Validation Procedure  905 . Signature Validation Procedure  905  then transmits Validation Response  504  to Relying Customer Software Application  501  via Information API  604 .  
         [0095]    A detailed example of some embodiments of Relying Customer Service Engine  402  as depicted in FIG. 9 is provided as follows: System API  603  System API  603  performs the following activities, as are known to workers in the art:  
         [0096]    1. Start the operation of Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0097]    2. Stop the operation of Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0098]    3. Initialization, comprising:  
         [0099]    a. Read a file containing the Configuration Data, depicted as Config Data  705 .  
         [0100]    b. Provide Config Data  705  to Initialization Function  910 .  
         [0101]    c. Locate Logging Routines  710  and provide their location to Logging Function  915 . These Log Routines will be invoked by other elements of Relying Customer Service Engine  402  as required and will be presented with appropriate information to be recorded to a file for business or technical use.  
         [0102]    Information API  604   
         [0103]    Information API  604  performs the following activities, as are known to workers in the art:  
         [0104]    1. Validation Request Processing, comprising:  
         [0105]    a. Receive Validation Request  520  from Relying Customer Software Application  501 .  
         [0106]    b. Provide Validation Request  520  to Signature Validation Procedure  905 .  
         [0107]    2. Validation Response Processing, comprising:  
         [0108]    a. Receive Validation Response  504  from Signature Validation Procedure  905 .  
         [0109]    b. Transmit Validation Response  504  to Relying Customer Software Application  501 .  
         [0110]    c. Invoke Logging Function  915  to record processing of Validation Request  520  and associated Validation Response  504 .  
         [0111]    Initialization Function  910   
         [0112]    Initialization Function  910  performs the following activities, as are known to workers in the art:  
         [0113]    1. Initialization, comprising:  
         [0114]    a. Receive Config Data  705  from System API  603 .  
         [0115]    b. Store Config Data  705 .  
         [0116]    c. Invoke initialization activity of Secure Communication Function  925 .  
         [0117]    Secure Communication Function  925   
         [0118]    Secure Communication Function  925  performs the following activities, as are known to workers in the art (In some embodiments, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  will be able to communicate with Relying Participant Service Engine  403  using an existing secure communication channel, and alternative communication protocols may be used, as is known in the art. For example, if Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403  are software modules running on the same computer system, then secure facilities provided by the computer system may be employed for communication between the software modules and some of the following activities would be simplified as is known in the art):  
         [0119]    1. Initialization, comprising:  
         [0120]    a. Open a secure network connection with Relying Participant Service Engine  403 .  
         [0121]    b. Identify Relying Customer Service Engine  402  to Relying Participant Service Engine  403  by presenting a Digital Certificate for Relying Customer Service Engine  402  as provided with Config Data  705 .  
         [0122]    c. Receive an authentication response from Relying Participant Service Engine  403  containing the alleged Digital Certificate of Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , and Authorization Key  920 .  
         [0123]    d. Verify that the alleged Digital Certificate of Relying Participant Service Engine  403  matched a copy of the Digital Certificate of Relying Participant Service Engine  403  as provided with Config Data  705 .  
         [0124]    e. Store Authorization Key  920 . Authorization Key  920  will be presented to Relying Participant Service Engine  403  by Secure Communication Function  925  each time Validation Request  520  is communicated to Relying Participant Service Engine  403  to provide quick, low-overhead authorization without requiring an exchange of Digital Certificates.  
         [0125]    f. Invoke Logging Function  915  to record the establishment a secure communication channel to Relying Customer Service Engine  403 .  
         [0126]    2. Validation, comprising:  
         [0127]    a. Receive Validation Request  520  from Signature Validation Procedure  905 .  
         [0128]    b. Format Validation Request  520  and Authorization Key  920  for secure transmission to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 .  
         [0129]    c. Transmit Validation Request  520  and Authorization Key  920  to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 . In some embodiments, if Signature Validation Procedure  905  performs consistency checking then Signed Data  503  is not included in Validation Request  520  when Validation Request  520  is transmitted to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 .  
         [0130]    d. Receive Validation Response  504  from Relying Participant Service Engine  403 .  
         [0131]    e. Decrypt Validation Response  504 .  
         [0132]    f. Transmit decrypted Validation Response  504  to Signature Validation Procedure  905 .  
         [0133]    g. Invoke Logging Function  915  to record transmission of Validation Request  520  and reception of Validation Response  504 .  
         [0134]    3. Handle Exceptions, comprising recover from communications errors as is known in the art; request new Authorization Key  920  from Relying Paticipant Service Engine  403  if communication with Relying Participant Service Engine  403  must be reestablished.  
         [0135]    Logging Function  915   
         [0136]    Logging Function  915  performs the following activities, as are known to workers in the art:  
         [0137]    1. Write Logging Data  715  to Logging Routines  710  that were located as part of the Initialization activity of System API  603 .  
         [0138]    Signature Validation Procedure  905   
         [0139]    Signature Validation Procedure  905  performs the following activities, as are known to workers in the art:  
         [0140]    1. Validation Request Processing, comprising:  
         [0141]    a. Receive Validation Request  520  from Information API  604 .  
         [0142]    b. Encode Electronic Signature  502  and, in some embodiments, Signed Data  503  in a Base64 format, as is known in the art, for eventual transmission via the Internet using a Secure HTTP network connection.  
         [0143]    c. In some embodiments, perform consistency checking as follows to determine if Electronic Signature  502  actually signed Signed Data  503  (known commercial toolkits such as the RSA BSAFE CRYPTO-J tools manufactured by RSA Security Corporate Headquarters: 20 Crosby Drive, Bedford, Mass. 01730, may be used to facilitate operations on encrypted materials):  
         [0144]    (i) Open Electronic Signature  502  and extract the following information:  
         [0145]    (1) Digital Certificate used to create the Signature (Signing Certificate).  
         [0146]    (2) Message Digest for the Signed Data.  
         [0147]    (3) All of the Digital Certificates in the Certificate Chain.  
         [0148]    (ii) Open the Signing Certificate and extract the following information:  
         [0149]    (1) The Distinguished Name of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0150]    (2) The Distinguished Name of the authority which issued the Signing Certificate.  
         [0151]    (3) The Common Name of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0152]    (4) The beginning and ending validity dates of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0153]    (5) The Serial Number of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0154]    (6) The Public Key of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0155]    (iii) Determine if Electronic Signature  502  actually signed Signed Data  503 :  
         [0156]    (1) Compute a Message Digest for Signed Data.  
         [0157]    (2) Decrypt the Message Digest in Electronic Signature  502 , using the Public Key from the Digital Certificate of Electronic Signature  502 .  
         [0158]    (3) Determine if the Message Digest for the Signed Data is identical to the Message Digest in Electronic Signature  502 .  
         [0159]    (4) If the Message Digests are not identical then set the SIGNATURE DATA MATCH field to NO in Validation Response  504 , transmit Validation Response  504  to Relying Customer Software Application  501  via Information API  604 , and do not send Validation Request  520  to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 .  
         [0160]    (5) If the Message Digests are identical then continue the transmission of Validation Request  520  to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , and set the SIGNATURE DATA MATCH field to YES in Validation Response  504 .  
         [0161]    d. Invoke Secure Communication Function  925  to transmit Validation Request  520  and Authorization Key  920  to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 .  
         [0162]    2. Validation Response Processing, comprising:  
         [0163]    a. Receive Validation Response  504  from Secure Communication Function  925 .  
         [0164]    b. Decode Validation Response  504 .  
         [0165]    c. Transmit Validation Response  504  to Relying Customer Software Application  501  via Information API  604 .  
         [0166]    d. Invoke Logging Function  915  to record the processing of Validation Request  520  and Validation Response  504 .  
         [0167]    [0167]FIG. 10 is a diagram depicting a Policy Engine of some embodiments of the Relying Participant Service Engine of the present invention. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 10, Relying Participant Service Engine  403  comprises Policy Engine  610 . In some embodiments of the present invention which are not depicted in FIG. 10, a Policy Engine is located in other portions of the invention where the Validation Response can be made responsive to the Policy Engine. Regardless of location, in some embodiments, the Policy Engine participates in the formulation of Validation Responses by making final determinations as to whether Electronic Signatures are valid. In some embodiments, the Policy Engine&#39;s determinations are based on policies provided by a Relying Participant. These policies may also require the Policy Engine to add other information to the Validation Response. For example, in some embodiments, the Policy Engine includes receipt numbers, and billing and administrative information, in Validation Responses.  
         [0168]    In some embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 10, policy information is provided to Policy Engine  610  by the Relying Participant in the form of a policy data file, depicted as Policy Data  611 . Policy Engine  610  converts Policy Data  611  to an internal format depicted as Policy Tables  1005 . Policy Engine  610  then uses Policy Tables  1005  in processing Validation Responses. In some embodiments not depicted in FIG. 10, policy decision rules are built into the Policy Engine, and Policy Data and the corresponding Policy Tables are not used.  
         [0169]    For example, in some embodiments of Policy Engine  610  depicted in FIG. 10, Policy Engine  610  performs the following activities, as are known to workers in the art:  
         [0170]    1. Policy Definition, comprising:  
         [0171]    a. Translate the information contained in Policy Data  611  into Policy Tables  1005 . In some embodiments, this information comprises:  
         [0172]    (i) A list of the names of Relying Customers whose Validation Requests will be processed.  
         [0173]    (ii) For each listed Relying Customer or, in some embodiments, for all listed Relying Customers, the policies to be applied. For example, and as is known in the art, such policies comprise:  
         [0174]    (1) Previously accessed and cached validation information to be used to validate an Electronic Signature if real-time validation information is not available.  
         [0175]    (2) Specified additional processing to be conducted in order to validate an Electronic Signature. For example, a special software module must run to validate the Electronic Signatures presented by a particular Relying Customer.  
         [0176]    (3) Instructions to provide a receipt number with each Validation Response.  
         [0177]    b. Check Policy Tables  1005  for internal consistency.  
         [0178]    c. Invoke a Logging Function (for example, Logging Function  1115  as depicted in FIG. 11) to record the Policy Definition processing.  
         [0179]    2. Policy Decision, comprising:  
         [0180]    a. Examine a Validation Response.  
         [0181]    b. Locate the policies in Policy Tables  1005  that apply to the Validation Response, for example, the policies for the particular Relying Customer responsible for the Validation Request that resulted in the Validation Response.  
         [0182]    c. Evaluate the Validation Response with the applicable policies to determine if the Electronic Signature related to the Validation Response will be declared Valid or Invalid.  
         [0183]    d. As determined by the evaluation, provide a result of Valid or Invalid for the SIGNATURE VALIDITY portion of the Validation Response.  
         [0184]    e. Provide a receipt number for the SIGNATURE RECEIPT NUMBER portion of the Validation Response.  
         [0185]    f. Invoke a Logging Function (for example, Logging Function  1115  as depicted in FIG. 11) to record the processing of the Validation Response.  
         [0186]    [0186]FIG. 11 is a detailed diagram depicting some embodiments of the Relying Participant Service Engine of the present invention. As will be readily apparent to workers in the art, many other embodiments of the Relying Participant Service Engine may be employed and are within the scope of this invention. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11, Relying Participant Service Engine  403  is initialized for service by Initialization Function  1125 . Initialization Function  1125  obtains Configuration Data for Relying Participant Service Engine  403  from a dataset depicted as Configuration Data  613 , and makes the Configuration Data available to Secure Communication Function  1105 , Signature Validation Procedure  1110 , and Logging Function  1115 . In some embodiments, Configuration Data  613  is built into Relying Participant Service Engine  403 . In alternative embodiments, Configuration Data  613  is provided by an entity external to Relying Participant Service Engine  403  as is known in the art. For example, the Relying Participant may provide Configuration Data  613 .  
         [0187]    In some embodiments, as part of the initialization activity, Signature Validation Procedure  1110  establishes a secure communication channel with a Digital Certificate verification facility. In some embodiments, and for example, as depicted in FIG. 11, the Digital Certificate verification facility comprises Secude Software  505 , Identrus Server  506 , Issuing Participant-Identrus Server  508 , and Identrus Root Server  509 . As depicted in FIG. 11, Identrus Server  506 , Issuing Participant-Identrus Server  508 , and Identrus Root Server  509  communicate via a computer communication network such as the Internet, which is depicted as Internet  507 .  
         [0188]    In some embodiments, data relating to the activities performed by Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , denoted by Logging Data  1120 , including for example activities that occurred during initialization, are collected by Logging Function  1115  and transferred to Log Files  612  for storage.  
         [0189]    Following initialization, in some embodiments, a Relying Customer Service Engine, depicted in FIG. 11 as Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , establishes a secure communication channel with Secure Communication Function  1105 . In some embodiments, the secure communication channel comprises a computer communication network such as the Internet, and is depicted as Internet  507  in FIG. 11. In some embodiments, Secure Communication Function  1105  generates an Authorization Key and sends the Authorization Key to Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0190]    When a Validation Request is received by Secure Communication Function  1105  from Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , the Validation Request is sent to Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In some embodiments, Signature Validation Procedure  1110  performs consistency checking on the Validation Request, and the Validation Request will include both an Electronic Signature and Signed Data that was allegedly signed by the Electronic Signature. If the consistency check determines that the Electronic Signature was used to properly sign the Signed Data, or if no consistency checking is performed, then Signature Validation Procedure  1110  formulates a Query based on the Digital Certificates contained in the Validation Request. If the consistency check determines that the Electronic Signature was not used to properly sign the Signed Data, then, in some embodiments, Signature Validation Procedure  1110  will send a Validation Response to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  via Secure Communication Function  1105  without further processing of the Validation Request, while, in other embodiments, Signature Validation Procedure  1110  will proceed to formulate a Query based on the Digital Certificates contained in the Validation Request.  
         [0191]    After Signature Validation Procedure  1110  formulates a Query, Signature Validation Procedure  1110  transmits the Query to a Digital Certificate verification facility for processing. The Digital Certificate verification facility responds by transmitting a Query Response to Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In some embodiments, information in the Query Response related to the status of individual Digital Certificates is cached in Relying Participant Service Engine  403  for use when a Digital Certificate verification facility is temporarily unavailable.  
         [0192]    When Signature Validation Procedure  1110  receives the Query Response, or, in some embodiments, when Signature Validation Procedure  1110  determines that the Digital Certificate verification facility is unavailable, Signature Validation Procedure  1110  formulates a Validation Response based on the Query Response and the Validation Request. In some embodiments, if a Digital Certificate verification facility was unavailable, the Validation Response is also formulated based on any cached information concern the status of the individual Digital Certificates that were contained in the Validation Request. In some embodiments, the Validation Response is also formulated based on determinations made by a Policy Engine, depicted in FIG. 11 by Policy Engine  610 .  
         [0193]    After Signature Validation Procedure  1110  formulates a Validation Response, Signature Validation Procedure  1110  transmits the Validation Response to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  via Secure Communication Function  1   105  and Internet  507 .  
         [0194]    A detailed example of some embodiments of Relying Participant Service Engine  403  as depicted in FIG. 11 is provided as follows:  
         [0195]    Initialization Function  1125   
         [0196]    Initialization Function  1125  performs the following actions, as are known to workers in the art:  
         [0197]    1. Initialization, comprising:  
         [0198]    a. Access Configuration Data  613 .  
         [0199]    b. Invoke Initialization activity of Signature Validation Procedure  1110 .  
         [0200]    c. Invoke Logging Function  1115  to record initialization activities.  
         [0201]    Logging Function  1115   
         [0202]    Logging Function  1115  performs the following activities, as are known in the art:  
         [0203]    1. Write Logging Data  1120  to Log Files  612 .  
         [0204]    Secure Communication Function  1105   
         [0205]    Secure Communication Function  1105  performs the following activities, as are known in the art (In some embodiments, as is known in the art, Relying Participant Service Engine  403  may establish secure communications with a plurality of Relying Customer Service Engines, with Relying Participant Service Engine  403  performing as a server and each Relying Customer Service Engine performing as a client. This configuration is commonly referred to in the art as a client/server architecture. In some embodiments, Relying Customer Service Engine  402  will be able to communicate with Relying Participant Service Engine  403  using an existing secure communications channel, and alternative communications protocols may be used, as is known in the art. For example, if Relying Customer Service Engine  402  and Relying Participant Service Engine  403  are software modules running on the same computer system, then secure facilities provided by the computer system may be employed for communication between the software modules and some of the following activities would be simplified as is known in the art):  
         [0206]    1. Initialization, comprising:  
         [0207]    a. Open a secure network connection with Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0208]    b. Receive a Digital Certificate from Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0209]    c. Verify that the Digital Certificate received from Relying Customer Service Engine  402  matches one of the Digital Certificates, provided in Configuration Data  613 , of Relying Customer Service Engines that are authorized to receive service from Relying Participant Service Engine  403 ; abort the initialization if no match with an authorized Relying Customer Service Engine is found.  
         [0210]    d. Generate an Authorization Key for Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0211]    e. Transmit an authentication response to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  containing the Digital Certificate of Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , provided in Configuration Data  613 , and the Authorization Key.  
         [0212]    f. Invoke Logging Function  1115  to record establishment of secure communications channel with Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0213]    2. Validation, comprising:  
         [0214]    a. Receive Validation Request and Authorization Key from Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0215]    b. Decrypt the Validation Request.  
         [0216]    c. Decrypt the Authorization Key.  
         [0217]    d. Verify that Authorization Key received from Relying Customer Service Engine  402  matches the Authorization Key that was transmitted to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  during execution of the Initialization Function of Secure Communication Function  1105 ; abort the Validation Function if the Authorization Keys do not match.  
         [0218]    e. Abstract the Electronic Signature and, in some embodiments, the Signed Data from the Validation Request.  
         [0219]    f. Decode the Electronic Signature and, in some embodiments, the Signed Data from Base64 format used for transmission.  
         [0220]    g. Transmit the Validation Request, comprising the decoded Electronic Signature and, in some embodiments, the decoded Signed Data, to Signature Validation Procedure  1110 .  
         [0221]    h. Receive a Validation Response from Signature Validation Procedure  1110  in response to the Validation Request.  
         [0222]    i. Format the Validation Response for secure transmission to Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0223]    j. Transmit the Validation Response to Relying Customer Service Engine  402 .  
         [0224]    k. Invoke Logging Function  1115  to record processing of Validation Request and Validation Response.  
         [0225]    3. Handle Exceptions, comprising recover from communications errors as is known in the art; generate and transmit a new Authorization Key to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  if communication with Relying Customer Service Engine  402  must be reestablished.  
         [0226]    Signature Validation Procedure  1110   
         [0227]    Signature Validation Procedure  1110  performs the following activities, as are known in the art:  
         [0228]    1. Initialization, comprising establish secure communication channel with Digital Certificate verification facility. As depicted in FIG. 11, the Digital Certificate verification facility comprises Secude Software  505 , Identrus Server  506 , Identrus Root Server  509 , and Issuing Participant-Identrus Server  508 , where communication between and among Identrus Server  506 , Identrus Root Server  509 , and Issuing Participant-Identrus Server  508  is conducted via Internet  507 .  
         [0229]    2. Validation Request Processing, comprising:  
         [0230]    a. Receive Validation Request from Secure Communication Function  1105 .  
         [0231]    b. In some embodiments, perform consistency checking as follows to determine if the Electronic Signature actually signed the Signed Data (known commercial toolkits such as the RSA BSAFE CRYPTO-J tools, manufactured by RSA Security with corporate headquarters at 20 Crosby Drive, Bedford, Mass. 01730, may be used to facilitate operations on encrypted materials):  
         [0232]    (i) Open Electronic Signature and extract the following information:  
         [0233]    (1) Digital Certificate Used to create the Signature (Signing Certificate).  
         [0234]    (2) Message Digest for the Signed Data.  
         [0235]    (3) All of the Digital Certificates in the Certificate Chain.  
         [0236]    (ii) Open the Signing Certificate and extract the following information:  
         [0237]    (1) The Distinguished Name of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0238]    (2) The Distinguished Name of the authority which issued the Signing Certificate.  
         [0239]    (3) The Common Name of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0240]    (4) The beginning and ending validity dates of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0241]    (5) The Serial Number of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0242]    (6) The Public Key of the Signing Certificate.  
         [0243]    (iii) Determine if Electronic Signature actually signed Signed Data:  
         [0244]    (1) Compute a Message Digest for the Signed Data.  
         [0245]    (2) Decrypt the Message Digest in Electronic Signature, using the Public Key from the Digital Certificate of Electronic Signature.  
         [0246]    (3) Determine if the Message Digest for the Signed Data is identical to the Message Digest in Electronic Signature.  
         [0247]    (4) If the Message Digests are not identical then set the SIGNATURE DATA MATCH field to NO in Validation Response and, in some embodiments, transmit Validation Response to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  via Secure Communication Function  1105 , and abort processing of the Validation Response.  
         [0248]    (5) If the Message Digests are identical then set the SIGNATURE DATA MATCH field to YES in the Validation Response.  
         [0249]    c. Verify that the Certificate Chain is properly chained, as is known in the art, such that, beginning with the Signing Certificate, each Digital Certificate was issued by the Digital Certificate above it in the chain, according to industry specifications, for example, provided by Identrus.  
         [0250]    d. Transmit a Query to a Digital Certificate verification facility, as is known in the art, to check the status of each Digital Certificate. As depicted in FIG. 11, the Digital Certificate verification facility is accessed by transmitting the Query to Secude Software  505 .  
         [0251]    e. Receive a Query Response from the Digital Certificate verification facility.  
         [0252]    f. Store the status of each Digital Certificate as obtained from the Query Response in a Certificate Database Cache.  
         [0253]    g. Set the SERVICE STATUS field in the Validation Response to SUCCESS.  
         [0254]    h. If the Digitial Certificate verification facility cannot be accessed, then attempt to validate the Signer Digital Certificate as follows:  
         [0255]    (i) Attempt to find the Signer Digital Certificate in the Certificate Database Cache. As is known in the art, Certificate Database Cache information may be indexed by information such as the Certificate Serial Number and the Certificate Distinguished Name.  
         [0256]    (ii) If the Signer Digital Certificate is found in the Certificate Database Cache, set the SIGNING CERTIFICATE STATUS field in the Validation Response to the value for that field stored for the Signer Digital Certificate in the Certificate Database Cache, and set the SERVICE STATUS field in the Validation Response to CACHED.  
         [0257]    (iii) If the Signer Digital Certificate is not found in the Certificate Database Cache, set the SERVICE STATUS field in the Validation Response to SERVICED UNAVAILABLE.  
         [0258]    i. In some embodiments, invoke the Policy Decision activity of Policy Engine  610 .  
         [0259]    j. Following processing by the Policy Decision activity of Policy Engine  610 , if any, transmit the Validation Response to Secure Communications Function  1105  for transmission to Relying Customer Service Engine  402  via Internet  507 .  
         [0260]    k. Invoke Logging Function  1115  to record the processing of the Validation Request and the corresponding Validation Response.  
         [0261]    [0261]FIG. 12 is a flowchart depicting an embodiment of a method for performing cryptographic validity services of the present invention. This method comprises the activities of receiving a Validation Request from a Relying Customer Interface, formulating a Query responsive to the Validation Request, transmitting the Query to a Relying Participant Interface, receiving a Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface, formulating a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response, and transmitting the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface.  
         [0262]    As depicted in FIG. 12, the activity of receiving a Validation Request from a Relying Customer Interface is accomplished by Receive Validation Request from Relying Customer Interface  1205 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 9 and discussed in reference to Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , Receive Validation Request from Relying Customer Interface  1205  is performed by Information API  604 , Signature Validation Procedure  905 , and Secure Communication Function  925 . In other embodiments, Receive Validation Request from Relying Customer Interface  1205  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0263]    As depicted in FIG. 12, the activity of formulating a Query responsive to the Validation Request is accomplished by Formulate Query responsive to Validation Request  1210 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Formulate Query responsive to Validation Request  1210  is performed by Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, Formulate Query responsive to Validation Request  1210  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0264]    As depicted in FIG. 12, the activity of transmitting the Query to a Relying Participant Interface is accomplished by Transmit Query to Relying Participant Interface  1215 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Transmit Query to Relying Participant Interface  1215  is performed by Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, Transmit Query to Relying Participant Interface  1215  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0265]    As depicted in FIG. 12, the activity of receiving a Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface is accomplished by Receive Query Response from Relying Participant Interface  1220 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Receive Query Response from Relying Participant Interface  1220  is performed by Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, Receive Query Response from Relying Participant Interface  1220  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0266]    As depicted in FIG. 12, the activity of formulating a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response is accomplished by Formulate Validation Response responsive to Query Response  1225 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Formulate Validation Response responsive to Query Response  1225  is performed by Signature Validation Procedure  1110  in conjunction with, in some embodiments, Policy Engine  610 . In other embodiments, Formulate Validation Response responsive to Query Response  1225  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0267]    As depicted in FIG. 12, the activity of transmitting the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface is accomplished by Transmit Validation Response to Relying Customer Interface  1230 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 9 and discussed in reference to Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , Transmit Validation Response to Relying Customer Interface  1230  is performed by Information API  604 , Signature Validation Procedure  905 , and Secure Communication Function  925 . In other embodiments, Transmit Validation Response to Relying Customer Interface  1230  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0268]    [0268]FIG. 13 is a flowchart depicting an embodiment of a method for performing cryptographic validity services of the present invention. This method comprises the activities of receiving a Validation Request from a Communication Channel, formulating a Query responsive to the Validation Request, transmitting the Query to a Relying Participant Interface, receiving a Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface, formulating a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response, and transmitting the Validation Response to the Communication Channel.  
         [0269]    As depicted in FIG. 13, the activity of receiving a Validation Request from a Communication Channel is accomplished by Receive Validation Request from Communication Channel  1305 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Receive Validation Request from Communication Channel  1305  is performed by Secure Communication Function  1105 . In other embodiments, Receive Validation Request from Communication Channel  1305  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0270]    As depicted in FIG. 13, the activity of formulating a Query responsive to the Validation Request is accomplished by Formulate Query responsive to Validation Request  1310 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Formulate Query responsive to Validation Request  1310  is performed by Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, Formulate Query responsive to Validation Request  1310  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0271]    As depicted in FIG. 13, the activity of transmitting the Query to a Relying Participant Interface is accomplished by Transmit Query to Relying Participant Interface  1315 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Transmit Query to Relying Participant Interface  1315  is performed by Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, Transmit Query to Relying Participant Interface  1315  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0272]    As depicted in FIG. 13, the activity of receiving a Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface is accomplished by Receive Query Response from Relying Participant Interface  1320 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Receive Query Response from Relying Participant Interface  1320  is performed by Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, Receive Query Response from Relying Participant Interface  1320  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0273]    As depicted in FIG. 13, the activity of formulating a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response is accomplished by Formulate Validation Response responsive to Query Response  1325 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Formulate Validation Response responsive to Query Response  1325  is performed by Signature Validation Procedure  1110  in conjunction with, in some embodiments, Policy Engine  610 . In other embodiments, Formulate Validation Response responsive to Query Response  1325  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0274]    As depicted in FIG. 13, the activity of transmitting the Validation Response to the Communication Channel is accomplished by Transmit Validation Response to Communication Channel  1330 . In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , Transmit Validation Response to Communication Channel  1330  is performed by Secure Communication Function  1105 . In other embodiments, Transmit Validation Response to Communication Channel  1330  is performed as is known in the art.  
         [0275]    In some embodiments, the activity of receiving a Validation Request from a Relying Customer Interface is accomplished by a Validation Request Receiver element. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 9 and discussed in reference to Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , the Validation Request Receiver element for receiving a Validation Request from a Relying Customer Interface comprises Information API  604 , Signature Validation Procedure  905 , and Secure Communication Function  925 . In other embodiments, the Validation Request Receiver element for receiving a Validation Request from a Relying Customer Interface is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0276]    In some embodiments, the Validation Request Receiver element for receiving a Validation Request from a Relying Customer Interface comprises a Consistency Checker element. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 9 and discussed in reference to Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , the Consistency Checker element comprises Signature Validation Procedure  905 . In other embodiments, the Consistency Checker element is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0277]    In some embodiments, the activity of receiving a Validation Request from a Communication Channel is accomplished by a Validation Request Receiver element. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , the Validation Request Receiver element for receiving a Validation Request from a Communication Channel comprises Secure Communication Function  1105 . In other embodiments, the Validation Request Receiver element for receiving a Validation Request from a Communication Channel is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0278]    In some embodiments, the activity of formulating a Query responsive to the Validation Request is accomplished by a Query Formulator element. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , the Query Formulator element comprises Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, the Query Formulator element is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0279]    In some embodiments, the Query Formulator comprises a Consistency Checker element. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , the Consistency Checker element comprises Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, the Consistency Checker element is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0280]    In some embodiments, the activity of transmitting the Query to a Relying Participant Interface is accomplished by a Query Transmitter element. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , the Query Transmitter element comprises Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, the Query Transmitter element is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0281]    In some embodiments, the activity of receiving a Query Response from the Relying Participant Interface is accomplished by a Query Response Receiver element. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , the Query Response Receiver element comprises Signature Validation Procedure  1110 . In other embodiments, the Query Response Receiver element is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0282]    In some embodiments, the activity of formulating a Validation Response responsive to the Query Response is accomplished by a Validation Response Formulator. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , the Validation Response Formulator element comprises Signature Validation Procedure  1110  in conjunction with, in some embodiments, Policy Engine  610 . In other embodiments, the Validation Response Formulator element is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0283]    In some embodiments, the activity of transmitting the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface is accomplished by a Validation Response Transmitter element. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 9 and discussed in reference to Relying Customer Service Engine  402 , the Validation Response Transmitter element for transmitting the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface comprises Information API  604 , Signature Validation Procedure  905 , and Secure Communication Function  925 . In other embodiments, the Validation Response Transmitter element for transmitting the Validation Response to the Relying Customer Interface is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0284]    In some embodiments, the activity of transmitting the Validation Response to the Communication Channel is accomplished by a Validation Response Transmitter. In some embodiments depicted in FIG. 11 and discussed in reference to Relying Participant Service Engine  403 , the Validation Response Transmitter element for transmitting the Validation Response to the Communication Channel comprises Secure Communication Function  1105 . In other embodiments, the Validation Response Transmitter element for transmitting the Validation Response to the Communication Channel is implemented as is known in the art.  
         [0285]    As described previously in this specification, the present invention may be implemented in hardware, in software running on general or special purpose computers, or as a combination of hardware and software. Software implementations may employ a wide variety of programming languages, such as Java, COBOL, C, C++, and other procedural languages as is known in the art. For example, an embodiment of Application Programming Interfaces of the present invention for the Java programming language is provided as follows:  
         [0286]    The Java API Specification  
         [0287]    1. Information API  
         [0288]    In this example and some embodiments of the present invention, the Information API defines the flow of information between a Relying Customer Software Application and systems, apparatuses or methods of the present invention. The Information API supports the PKCS7 signature validation functionality, as is known in the art. The PKCS7 signature validation functionality indicates to the Relying Customer Service Application that Identrus PKCS7 did or did not sign particular data, and that the PKCS7 contains or does not contain a valid Identrus signature, certificate status, and certificate chain status. The Information API also provides the Relying Customer Service Application with information about the contents of the PKCS7, as well as additional optional information.  
         [0289]    This service is provided by a single Java Class with the following specification:  
         [0290]    public class IdentrusValidation  
         [0291]    extends Object  
         [0292]    Constructor:  
         [0293]    public IdentrusValidation( ) throws IdentrusValidationException  
         [0294]    The constructor requires no arguments.  
         [0295]    Method to Check PKCS7 Status:  
         [0296]    public java.util.Properties checkStatus(String Base64PKCS7, byte[ ] signedData) throws IdentrusValidationException  
         [0297]    This method is used to check the status of an Identrus PKCS7 signature and its associated data.  
         [0298]    The input arguments are:  
         [0299]    Base64PKCS7—The PKCS7 signature in the same BASE64 String format output by the Identrus ISIL or the Identrus Plugin.  
         [0300]    SignedData—A byte array containing the data alleged to have been signed by the PKCS7.  
         [0301]    The output is a single util.Properties object which contains the following KEY-VALUE pairs:  
         [0302]    IDENTRUS_VALIDATION_VERSION Version Number of this IdentrusValidation Class.  
         [0303]    SIGNATURE_VALIDITY PKCS7 Signature IS/IS NOT valid as determined by this Relying Participant.  
         [0304]    SIGNATURE_DATA_STATUS PKCS7 Signature DOES/NOT match this data.  
         [0305]    SIGNING_CERT_STATUS Status of the Signing Cert.  
         [0306]    CA — 1_CERT_STATUS Status of the First CA Cert in this chain.  
         [0307]    CA_n_CERT_STATUS Status of the Nth CA Cert in this chain.  
         [0308]    SIGNING_CERT_DN Distinguished Name of the Signing Cert.  
         [0309]    SIGNING_CERT_SERIAL_NO Serial Number of the Signing Cert  
         [0310]    SIGNING_CERT_ISSUER DN of Issuer.  
         [0311]    SIGNING_CERT_NOT_VALID_BEFORE First Validity Date  
         [0312]    SIGNING_CERT_NOT_VALID_AFTER Last Validity Date  
         [0313]    Values returned for SIGNATURE VALIDITY  
         [0314]    SIGNATURE_IS_VALID Returned if Signature is Valid. Otherwise “NO”;  
         [0315]    Values returned for CERTIFICATE STATUS  
         [0316]    CERTIFICATE_GOOD Certificate is good.  
         [0317]    CERTIFICATE_UNRECOGNIZED Certificate contains unrecognized content or format.  
         [0318]    CERTIFICATE_NO_RESPONSE Information not currently available.  
         [0319]    CERTIFICATE_REVOKED Certificate has been revoked.  
         [0320]    CERTIFICATE_UNKNOWN Certificate is unknown to the responder.  
         [0321]    Values returned for SIGNATURE-DATA STATUS  
         [0322]    SIGNATURE_DATA_MATCH Signature matches the data. Otherwise “NO”;  
         [0323]    Class IdentrusValidationException  
         [0324]    Object  
         [0325]    | 
         [0326]    Exception  
         [0327]    | 
         [0328]    +—IdentrusValidationException  
         [0329]    public class IdentrusValidationException  
         [0330]    extends Exception  
         [0331]    Constructor:  
         [0332]    public IdentrusValidationException(String exceptionDiagnosticinformation){ } 
         [0333]    2. Policy API  
         [0334]    In this example and some embodiments of the present invention, the Policy API defines the flow of information between a Policy Engine and the Relying Participant Service Engine portion of the present invention. The general outline is a class:  
         [0335]    Interface IdentrusValidationPolicy { 
         [0336]    Public void policy(Properties pstatus, byte[ ] pkcs7, byte[ ] SignedData);  
         [0337]    } 
         [0338]    The method ‘policy’ is provided a Java Properties object containing all of the known information about the Digital Signature, Digital Certificates and Signed Data. The value for SIGNATURE_IS_VALID must be returned in the Properties object. Any additional values placed into the Properties object will also be returned to the Relying Customer Software Application that invoked the Information API.  
         [0339]    3. System API  
         [0340]    In this example and some embodiments of the present invention, the System API defines the flow of configuration and control information between a Relying Customer Software Application and the present invention.  
         [0341]    Class IdentrusValidation  
         [0342]    Object  
         [0343]    +—IdentrusValidation  
         [0344]    public class IdentrusValidation  
         [0345]    extends Object  
         [0346]    Constructor:  
         [0347]    public IdentrusValidation(Properties configPropertiesFile) throws IdentrusValidationException  
         [0348]    The constructor takes a single argument, the Configuration Properties File that, in some embodiments, is supplied by the Relying Participant. This Java Properties file contains configuration specific values such as the Domain Name Server (“DNS”) location of the Relying Participant&#39;s validation service, etc.  
         [0349]    public class IdentrusValidation  
         [0350]    extends Object  
         [0351]    Constructor:  
         [0352]    public IdentrusValidation(Properties configPropertiesFile) throws IdentrusValidationException  
         [0353]    The constructor takes a single argument, the Configuration Properties File that, in some embodiments, is supplied by the Relying Participant. This Java Properties file contains configuration specific values such as the DNS location of the Relying Participant&#39;s validation service, etc.  
         [0354]    System Initialization:  
         [0355]    public void init(String ConfigurationPropertiesFilename) throws IdentrusValidationException  
         [0356]    The init( ) method takes a single argument, the Configuration Properties File that, in some embodiments, is supplied by the Relying Participant. This Java Properties file contains configuration specific values such as the DNS location of the Relying Participant&#39;s validation service, etc.  
         [0357]    Register Policy Engine:  
         [0358]    public String registerPolicyEngine(IdentrusValidationPolicy policyObject)) throws IdentrusValidationException  
         [0359]    The registerPolicyEngine( ) method takes a single argument, the IdentrusValidationPolicy class that, in some embodiments, is supplied by the Relying Participant. This object conforms to the IdentrusValidationPolicy Interface defined in the Policy API&#39;s. After this invocation, the specified object will be invoked for each invocation of the Application API checkStatus( ).  
         [0360]    Register Log Record Handler:  
         [0361]    public String registerLogHandler(IdentrusLogRecordHandler LogRecordObject)) throws IdentrusValidationException  
         [0362]    The registerLogHandler( ) method takes a single argument, the IdentrusLogRecordHandler class that, in some embodiments, is supplied by either the Relying Participant or the Relying Customer, or both. This object conforms to the IdentrusLogRecordHandler Interface defined in the System API&#39;s. After this invocation, the specified object will be invoked each time an IRCF Logging Record is available so it may be recorded or transmitted by the LogRecordObject.  
         [0363]    Any number of objects may be IdentrusLogRecordHandler registered. Each registered IdentrusLogRecordHandler will be invoked for each log record.  
         [0364]    Interface IdentrusLogRecordHandler { 
         [0365]    Public void logRecord(String LogRecord);  
         [0366]    } 
         [0367]    It should be understood that the preceding is merely a detailed description of some examples and embodiments of this invention and that numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention.