Patent ID: 8194045

Claim:
An electronic contract disclosure unit (ECDU) for controlling a commercial transaction between individuals and generating an electronic record of the transaction, the ECDU comprising: a housing sized and configured to be located for convenient access by individuals involved in the commercial transaction; a computer; a digitizing display on the housing and coupled to the computer, the digitizing display including a video display for presenting images of documents and information and a digitizer for detecting written inputs related to the presented images; a first stylus for use by individuals to provide written inputs on the digitizing display in response to documents and information presented thereon; the computer being programmed to receive electronic documents and to cause images of those electronic documents and information associated with the commercial transaction to be presented on the video display in predetermined sequences, to receive responsive written inputs via the first stylus and the digitizer, and to ensure a complete response to presented documents before presenting subsequent documents for response; and a camera mounted on a support movable through a range of motion defining a variety of mounted positions, the camera being configured and oriented to capture a digital image of a physical document placed on the housing when the camera is in a first mounted position; the computer being further programmed to incorporate the digital image of the physical document into the electronic record of the commercial transaction.