Patent ID: 8090950

Claim:
A data processing system for distributing and authenticating documents, the data processing system comprising a plurality of document distribution devices each configured to generate an original hash value based on an electronic file containing a document to be distributed, wherein the document distribution devices collectively generate a plurality of original hash values; and a data communications network configured to communicate each of the original hash values to the recipient data processing apparatus before a predetermined event, the recipient data processing apparatus comprising a processor configured to generate hash values, the recipient data processing apparatus configured to: receive the original hash values from each of the plurality of document distribution devices via the data communication network, generate an original super hash value from the plurality of the original hash values received, and communicate the original super hash to the plurality of document distribution devices, wherein after the predetermined event, the plurality of document distribution devices are configured to: communicate each of the electronic files to the recipient data processing apparatus, wherein the recipient data processing apparatus is further configured to: generate a comparative hash value based on the electronic file containing the document received from each of the document distribution devices, generate a comparative super hash value from each of the comparative hash values, communicate the comparative super hash value to each of the document distribution devices, and determine whether or not each of the documents of the electronic files received from the document distribution devices have changed from a comparison of at least one of the original hash values and the comparative hash values, and the comparative super hash value and the original super hash value.