Patent ID: 7370206

Claim:
A computer implemented method, comprising: accessing a first electronic document using a user application, the first electronic document including embedded digital signature rights information and an embedded digital signature module, the digital signature module being operable to perform digital signature operations on the first electronic document; extracting the embedded digital signature rights information and the embedded digital signature module using the user application; authenticating the extracted digital signature rights information and the extracted digital signature module; using the digital signature module to perform one or more of the digital signature operations on the first electronic document in the user application where using the digital signature module to perform the one or more digital signature operations includes: receiving a request to perform a digital signature operation, determining whether the requested digital signature operation is authorized, and if the digital signature operation is authorized, using the digital signature module to perform the requested digital signature operation; identifying a second electronic document, the second electronic document being a document other than the first electronic document, the second electronic document being identified in the digital signature rights information of the first electronic document; and using the digital signature module to perform one or more of the digital signature operations on the second electronic document in the user application.