Patent Publication Number: US-2023133618-A1

Title: Online signature system, method and electronic apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/272,694, filed on Oct. 28, 2021. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to electronic signature technology, and more particularly, to an online signature system, method, and an electronic apparatus. 
     Description of Related Art 
     With the development of global e-commerce, many transactions are no longer limited to physical documents, and conventional paper documents are slowly being replaced by electronic files. In the case of paying attention to work efficiency, modes such as conventional handwritten signatures and stamps may no longer meet the requirements of the electronic age, thereby deriving the electronic signature technology. The electronic signature technology replaces the mode of conventional signatures with a pen on paper, allowing users to sign the electronic files on an electronic apparatus. 
     However, general electronic signature methods are often limited by the lack of software and hardware of a client apparatus, and good electronic signature results may not be obtained, such as insufficient resolution of signature strokes or insufficient fluency when signing. Therefore, how to enable the users to obtain the good electronic signature results in existing hardware and software architectures is one of the current issues to be solved. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure provides an online signature system, method, and an electronic apparatus, which integrates the video technology and the electronic signature technology, and solves the situation of highly relying on face-to-face signing. 
     An online signature system in the disclosure includes an electronic signature server and a remote conference server configured to establish a video connection between a first electronic apparatus and a second electronic apparatus, so that the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus perform a remote communication procedure. In a process of performing the remote communication procedure, the remote conference server transmits a signature task to the second electronic apparatus. The second electronic apparatus is connected to the electronic signature server based on the signature task, and the electronic signature server transmits an assignment file to the second electronic apparatus, so that the assignment file is displayed on a display of the second electronic apparatus. In response to receiving a signature object associated with the assignment file, the second electronic apparatus transmits the signature object to the electronic signature server. In response to receiving the signature object, the electronic signature server combines the signature object with the assignment file to obtain a signed file. 
     An online signature method in the disclosure includes the following. A video connection is established between a first electronic apparatus and a second electronic apparatus through a remote conference server, so that the first electronic apparatus and the second electronic apparatus perform a remote communication procedure. In a process of performing the remote communication procedure, a signature task is transmitted to the second electronic apparatus through the remote conference server. The second electronic apparatus is connected to an electronic signature server based on the signature task, and an assignment file is transmitted to the second electronic apparatus by the electronic signature server, so that the assignment file is displayed on a display of the second electronic apparatus. In response to the second electronic apparatus receiving a signature object associated with the assignment file, the signature object is transmitted to the electronic signature server through the second electronic apparatus. The signature object is combined with the assignment file through the electronic signature server to obtain a signed file. 
     An electronic apparatus for an online signature in the disclosure includes a display, a storage, and a processor. The storage includes a client application. The processor is coupled to the storage. The processor is configured to execute the client application to be connected to a remote conference server, so that the electronic apparatus and another electronic apparatus perform a remote communication procedure through the remote conference server, receive a signature task from the remote conference server in a process of performing the remote communication procedure, be connected to an electronic signature server based on the signature task, and display an assignment file transmitted by the electronic signature server on the display, and in response to receiving a signature object associated with the assignment file, transmit the signature object to the electronic signature server, so that the electronic signature server combines the signature object with the assignment file to obtain a signed file. 
     An online signature method in the disclosure includes the following. A client application is executed through an electronic apparatus to perform the following. A remote conference server is connected, so that the electronic apparatus and another electronic apparatus perform a remote communication procedure through the remote conference server. A signature task is received from the remote conference server in a process of performing the remote communication procedure. An electronic signature server is connected based on the signature task, and an assignment file transmitted by the electronic signature server is displayed on a display. In response to receiving a signature object associated with the assignment file, the signature object is transmited to the electronic signature server, so that the electronic signature server combines the signature object with the assignment file to obtain a signed file. 
     Based on the above, in the disclosure, through the integration of the video technology and the electronic signature technology, the electronic signature may be completed in the video process, providing a more convenient signature method. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic view of an architecture combining video technology and electronic signature technology according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a flowchart of an online signature method according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic flowchart of establishing a remote communication procedure according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic flowchart of an online signature method according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic view of an architecture combining video technology and electronic signature technology according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to  FIG.  1   , an online signature system  100  includes a remote conference server  110  and an electronic signature server  120 . The remote conference server  110  and the electronic signature server  120  are electronic apparatuses with computing functions and networking functions, and provide external services through a network  130 . The remote conference server  110  is configured to provide video connection services. The electronic signature server  120  is configured to provide electronic signature services. 
     The remote conference server  110  establishes a video connection between a first electronic apparatus E 1  and a second electronic apparatus E 2  through the network  130 , so that the first electronic apparatus E 1  and the second electronic apparatus E 2  perform a remote communication procedure. In addition, in other embodiments, the remote conference server  110  may also establish the video connection between the first electronic apparatus E 1  and the second electronic apparatuses E 2  at the same time. 
     In this embodiment, the remote conference server  110  provides two applications (APPs), namely, a client APP  140  and a main control APP  150  for users with different usage authorities to use. The main control APP  150  is used by a main controller (for example, used by a salesperson to indicate a signature task to be signed), and the client APP  140  is used by general users (i.e., signers). 
     When the first electronic apparatus E 1  is an apparatus used by the main controller, and the second electronic apparatus E 2  is an apparatus used by the general users, the main control APP  150  is installed in the first electronic apparatus E 1 , and the client APP  140  is installed in the second electronic apparatus E 2 . 
     The first electronic apparatus E 1  includes a processor  151 , a storage  153 , a communication element  155 , and a display  157 . The processor  151  is coupled to the storage  153 , the communication element  155 , and the display  157 . The storage  153  includes the main control APP  150 . 
     The second electronic apparatus E 2  includes a processor  141 , a storage  143 , a communication element  145 , and a display  147 . The processor  141  is coupled to the storage  143 , the communication element  145 , and the display  147 . The storage  143  includes the client APP  140 . 
     The processors  141  and  151  are, for example, central processing units (CPUs), physics processing units (PPUs), programmable microprocessors, embedded control chips, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or other similar apparatuses. 
     The storages  143  and  153  are, for example, any type of fixed or removable random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk, other similar apparatuses, or a combination of the apparatuses. In the second electronic apparatus E 2 , after the client APP  140  is installed, it is executed by the processor  141 . In addition, in the first electronic apparatus E 1 , after the main control APP  150  is installed, it is executed by the processor  151 . 
     The communication elements  145  and  155  may be chips or circuits using local area network (LAN) technology, wireless LAN (WLAN) technology, or mobile communication technology. A local area network is, for example, Ethernet. A wireless area network is, for example, Wi-Fi. The mobile communication technology is, for example, a global system for mobile communications (GSM), third-generation (3G) mobile communication technology, fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication technology, fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication technology, etc. 
     The displays  147  and  157  are, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma displays, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, etc. 
     In addition, both the remote conference server  110  and the electronic signature server  120  have components such as the processor, the storage, and the communication element (similar to the constitution of the above processors  141  and  151 , the storages  143  and  153 , and the communication elements  145  and  155 ). 
       FIG.  2    is a flowchart of an online signature method according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to  FIG.  2   , in step  5205 , through the video connection between the first electronic apparatus E 1  and the second electronic apparatus E 2  established by the remote conference server  110 , the first electronic apparatus E 1  and the second electronic apparatus E 2  perform the remote communication procedure. Specifically, the first electronic apparatus E 1  and the second electronic apparatus E 2  are respectively connected to the network  130  through the communication element  155  and the communication element  145  to establish the video connection through the remote conference server  110 . Furthermore, in this embodiment, the video connection is a peer-to-peer (P2P) video connection. After the remote conference server  110  establishes the video connection, video data is directly transmitted by the first electronic apparatus E 1  and the second electronic apparatus E 2  through the network  130  without going through the remote conference server  110 . 
     Next, in step S 210 , in a process of performing the remote communication procedure, the remote conference server  110  transmits the signature task to the second electronic apparatus E 2 . Here, the first electronic apparatus E 1  may be connected to the remote conference server  110  through the main control APP  150  to assign the signature task in advance. In the process of performing the remote communication procedure, since the second electronic apparatus E 2  has been connected to the remote conference server  110  through the client APP  140 , the remote conference server  110  may transmit the signature task to the second electronic apparatus E 2  accordingly. 
     Afterwards, in step S 215 , the second electronic apparatus E 2  is connected to the electronic signature server  120  based on the signature task, and the electronic signature server  120  transmits an assignment file to the second electronic apparatus E 2 , so that the assignment file is displayed on the display  147  of the second electronic apparatus E 2 . Here, the assignment file may be a file image, an entire electronic file, or a file in any file format. For example, the signature task may be implemented by using a uniform resource locator (URL) address. After the client APP  140  displays the URL address on the display  147 , the signer may click on the URL address through a mouse, a touch panel, a handwriting panel, etc. to enable the signature task accordingly. 
     Next, in step S 220 , the second electronic apparatus E 2  transmits a signature object to the electronic signature server  120  in response to receiving the signature object associated with the assignment file. For example, the second electronic apparatus E 2  receives an input through an input unit (such as the handwriting panel, the touch panel, or an image capturing apparatus) to generate the signature object. For example, in a case of using the handwriting panel or the touch panel for the input, the obtained signature object is a handwritten signature track. In a case of using the image capturing apparatus to for the input, the obtained signature object is a seal image or a handwritten signature image. After the second electronic apparatus E 2  receives the signature object, the processor  141  transmits the signature object to the electronic signature server  120  through the network  130 . 
     Then, in step S 225 , in response to receiving the signature object, the electronic signature server  120  combines the signature object with the assignment file to obtain a signed file. For example, the electronic signature server  120  merges the signature object into an assigned position of the assignment file. 
     The online signature system  100  may be applied to situations requiring signatures such as the securities business and insurance business. The salesperson may use the first electronic apparatus E 1  (or other electronic apparatuses) to log in to the electronic signature server  120  in advance to upload a contract template to the electronic signature server  120 . The contract template includes a template number, signature field, signature sequence, contract content field, etc. In addition, a document database  160  (refer to  FIG.  4   ) may be further disposed in the online signature system  100  for the salesperson to upload signature-related data to the document database  160  in advance. The signature-related data includes a contract number, content of contract documents, etc. 
     Afterwards, the user may schedule a conference through the client APP  140 , and perform the remote communication procedure with the salesperson through the client APP  140 . In the process of performing the remote communication procedure, the assignment file is received through the client APP  140 , and the signature object is transmitted to the electronic signature server  120  through the client APP  140 . In the process of performing the remote communication procedure, the remote conference server  110  may further drive a capturing function of the client APP  140 , so that the client APP  140  performs screen recording to obtain a conference video file. A more detailed description will be described below with  FIGS.  3  and  4   .  FIG.  3    is a schematic flowchart of establishing a remote communication procedure according to an embodiment of the disclosure.  FIG.  4    is a schematic flowchart of an online signature method according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG.  3   , in step  310 , the first electronic apparatus E 1  schedules the conference with the remote conference server  110  through the main control APP  150 . For example, the first electronic apparatus E 1  transmits a conference invitation to the remote conference server  110  through the main control APP  150 . Next, in step S 311 , the remote conference server  110  transmits a reservation notification to the corresponding client APP  140  of the second electronic apparatus E 2  according to the conference invitation of the first electronic apparatus E 1 . Afterwards, in step S 312 , the conference is confirmed to the remote conference server  110  through the client APP  140  of the second electronic apparatus E 2 . Then, in step S 313  and step  5315 , the remote conference server  110  transmits connection information to the first electronic apparatus E 1  and the second electronic apparatus E 2  respectively. In step S 317 , the first electronic apparatus E 1  performs the remote communication procedure through the main control APP  150  and the client APP  140  of the second electronic apparatus E 2 . 
     For example, before the salesperson is about to have a video conference with the user, the salesperson first sends the conference invitation to the remote conference server  110  through the main control APP  150  to make a reservation. After the reservation is made, the remote conference server  110  may transmit the connection information to the first electronic apparatus E 1  and the second electronic apparatus E 2  through a short message service or an email service. After receiving the connection information, the second electronic apparatus E 2  performs the remote communication procedure through the client APP  140  and the main control APP  150  of the first electronic apparatus E 1 . The process of performing the remote communication procedure is shown in  FIG.  4   . 
     Referring to  FIG.  4   , in step S 411 , the first electronic apparatus E 1  transmits a document notification to the remote conference server  110  through the main control APP  150 . For example, the document notification includes an assigned product number to indicate the content of the contract. Next, in step S 413 , in response to receiving the document notification from the first electronic apparatus E 1 , the remote conference server  110  transmits the document notification to the document database  160 . 
     In step S 415 , the document database  160  transmits the signature-related data corresponding to the document notification to the electronic signature server  120 . For example, the signature-related data includes the content of the contract document and the corresponding template number. Next, in step S 417 , the electronic signature server  120  retrieves the corresponding contract template based on the signature-related data, generates the assignment file and the signature task accordingly, and transmits the signature task to the remote conference server  110 . For example, the contract content field in the contract template is embedded into the content of the contract document to generate the assignment file. Here, the assignment file may be the file image (e.g., in a compression format such as JPG), the entire electronic file (e.g., in a portable document format (PDF), or the file in any file format. 
     In addition, the remote conference server  110  may further transmit a request for the signature task to the electronic signature server  120  in response to receiving the document notification from the first electronic apparatus E 1 . In response to receiving the signature task, the remote conference server  110  transmits the signature task to the first electronic apparatus E 1  based on the request in step S 419 , so that in step S 421 , the signature task is confirmed through the main control APP  150  of the first electronic apparatus E 1 . Moreover, after the main control APP  150  confirms the signature task, in step S 423 , the remote conference server  110  transmits the signature task to the second electronic apparatus E 2 . 
     In addition, before the remote conference server  110  transmits the signature task to the second electronic apparatus E 2 , it may further perform identity verification on the signer. For example, the remote conference server  110  transmits a verification code to an assigned address through the short message service or the email service. In response to a response received from the second electronic apparatus E 2  within an assigned time period conforming to the verification code, it is determined that an identity of the signer is correct, and the remote conference server  110  may transmit the signature task to the second electronic apparatus E 2 . If no response from the second electronic apparatus E 2  is received within the assigned time period, or the received response does not conform to the verification code, it is determined that there is a problem with the identity of the signer. Therefore, the remote conference server  110  prohibits transmitting the signature task to the second electronic apparatus E 2 . 
     In addition, the identity verification of the signer may further include the following operation. The remote conference server  110  issues an instruction to the second electronic apparatus E 2  to activate an image capturing function on the second electronic apparatus E 2  (such as driving a camera of the second electronic apparatus E 2 ) to obtain a verification image through the image capturing function. For example, the salesperson may issue the instruction through the main control APP  150  and send the instruction to the client APP  140  through the remote conference server  110 . Through the instruction, the user of the second electronic apparatus E 2  is required to provide an identity document in front of the camera for verification. 
     Afterwards, in step S 425 , the signature task is enabled by the second electronic apparatus E 2 . Here, in terms of implementing the signature task with the URL address, the client APP  140  displays a video interface for performing a video function on the display  147 , and displays the URL address behind the video interface, so that the signer may click on the URL address through the mouse, the touch panel, the handwriting panel, etc. to enable the signature task accordingly. 
     After the signature task is enabled, in step S 427 , the second electronic apparatus E 2  is connected to the electronic signature server  120  through the client APP  140 . Afterwards, in step S 429 , the electronic signature server  120  transmits the assignment file to the second electronic apparatus E 2  to present the assignment file through the video interface provided by the client APP  140  on the display  147 . 
     Afterwards, in step S 431 , the second electronic apparatus E 2  receives the input through the input unit to generate the signature object (the handwritten signature track, the seal image, or the handwritten signature image), and transmits the signature object to the electronic signature server  120 . 
     In addition, the main control APP  150  of the first electronic apparatus E 1  may be further set to as follows. On the display  157  of the first electronic apparatus E 1 , a dynamic image of a process of receiving the signature object through the client APP  140  in the second electronic apparatus E 2  is displayed in real time. Afterwards, the main control APP  150  transmits the dynamic image to the remote conference server  110 . The remote conference server  110  transmits the dynamic image and the conference video file to the electronic signature server  120 , and associates the dynamic image, the conference video file, and the signed file through the electronic signature server  120 . 
     In an embodiment, the remote conference server  110  may store the dynamic image and the conference video file in an image database  170 , and the electronic signature server  120  may store the signed file in the document database  160 . In another embodiment, the electronic signature server  120  may also combine the dynamic image, the conference video file, and the signed file into one file to be uploaded to the document database  160 . 
     Then, in step S 435 , the electronic signature server  120  combines the signature object with the assignment file to generate the signed file. Afterwards, in step S 437 , the electronic signature server  120  transmits the signed file to the document database  160 . 
     In addition, after obtaining the signed file, the electronic signature server  120  may further transmits a signature completion notification to the remote conference server  110 , so that the remote conference server  110  may update a progress status of the signature task. 
     After obtaining the signed file (or the combined file of the dynamic image, the conference video file, and the signed file), the electronic signature server  120  retrieves a specified feature from the signed file (or the combined file), and then transmits the specified feature to a certificate server. The specified feature includes a hash value or other information in the file. In addition, after obtaining a verified object from the certificate server, the electronic signature server  120  adds the verified object to the signed file. Here, the verified object is, for example, a digital certificate. A function of the digital certificate is to prove that the user listed in the certificate legally owns a public key listed in the certificate. The digital certificate includes a certificate number, a user name, the public key, an expiration date of the certificate, a time stamp, etc. 
     In an embodiment, the certificate server uses the public key infrastructure (PKI) technology to issue the digital certificate. The electronic signature server  120  adds the digital certificate to the completed signed file to protect the signed file from external changes or damages. Assuming that the signed file is a portable document format (PDF), if the signed file has been changed, a certificate exception notification will appear on a PDF reader. 
     The certificate server is, for example, a third-party certificate authority set up based on a PKI architecture. The PKI architecture includes users that are people or authorities using PKI, a certification authority (CA) that is people or authorities issuing the certificate, a repository that is a database for storing the certificate, and a registration authority (RA). After being checked by the third-party certificate authority, the signature object may be uniquely identified and non-repudiable. 
     In addition, the remote conference server  110  may activate the capturing function of the client APP  140  in the second electronic apparatus E 2  in the process of performing the remote communication procedure, so as to perform the screen recording in a background to obtain the conference video file. In step S 439 , in response to an end of the remote communication procedure, the remote conference server  110  transmits the conference video file to the image database  170 . 
     In addition, in order to ensure non-repudiation of the signed file, the electronic signature server  120  further uses blockchain technology, based on interaction between the client APP  140  and the electronic signature server  120 , to calculate a verification value corresponding to each of interactive operations and transmit the verification value to a blockchain server to protect the signed file from the external changes or damages, and ensure integrity of the signed file during transmission. If the user has doubts about the signed file, the user may apply to the electronic signature server  120  for comparison with the signed file on the blockchain server for confirmation. The verification value is, for example, the hash value. The blockchain server adopts IOTA technology, which is a distributed ledger technology (DLT), overcoming inefficiency of the current blockchain design and introducing a new consensus method in a decentralized peer-to-peer solution. 
     Through the above embodiment, when the salesperson conducts videoconferencing with the user, before signing, the salesperson may ask the user to hold up the identity document in front of the camera for verification through the video connection. In addition, the salesperson may issue an instruction of screen recording through the main control APP  150 , so that the remote conference server  110  may enable the screen recording at the same time. After the identity verified to be correct, the salesperson may specify the content of the contract and the corresponding contract template through the main control APP  150 , and after the electronic signature server  120  establishes the signature task, and the signature task is transmitted to the client APP  140  through the remote conference server  110 . Before the user completes the signature, the remote conference server  110  may further make a request. 
     In a process of the videoconferencing, the salesperson may guide the user to perform a signing operation through voice or text transmission, implementing a situation of videoconferencing like meeting and signing in person. After a video call is over, the finalized conference video file is saved in an assigned storage space (such as the image database  170 ) as required. 
     In addition, the electronic signature server  120  may further create an electronic audit trail to be stored in the document database  160  for downloading and checking. The electronic audit trail records a series of processing data. Through the electronic audit trail, the signature time of the signer and other changes may be clearly seen. 
     Based on the above, in the disclosure, through the integration of the video technology and the electronic signature technology, the electronic signature may be completed in the video process, solving the situation that relies heavily on the face-to-face signature. In addition, through the video recording storage and electronic audit trail, the integrity and non-repudiation of real people signing and the signature file are ensured.