Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
MOBILE SOLUTION FOR IMPORTING AND SIGNING THIRD-PARTY
ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE DOCUMENTS
[0001]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for electronic
signatures and, more particularly, to methods and systems to facilitate signer-
initiated
electronic document signing using a mobile or other client device, such as by
capturing an
image of a document with a camera of the mobile device, and then importing the
image as an
electronic signature document into an electronic signature service for
signature and storage.
BACKGROUND
[0003] One existing approach to electronic signatures provides an electronic
signature "stamping" application for a mobile device. The signature
application allows a user
to open a document sent to them for signing and "stamp" a signature or other
data into the
document and return this by email. This approach suffers from a number of
drawbacks. As
one example, it only works with specific software applications for mobile
devices, and the
signing process is performed entirely in software on the mobile device. As
such, the document
must be manually moved from the email message into the device, manipulated,
and then
returned back to the device for email delivery.
[0004] Also, to produce such an application for multiple devices or platforms
requires that a largely redundant application be built for every platform, and
then only for
those platforms that have enough capability to actually manipulate PDFs. Not
all platforms or
devices can actually handle tasks like conversion of files, presentation of
files, managing
signature capture and placement and security. The inability of mobile devices
to universally
perform all such required functions severely limits the expansion of
electronic signature
services, particularly in the mobile device context.
[0005] Furthermore, such an application does not handle the case where a user
receives a hard copy of a document. For example, if a user receives a paper
copy of an
agreement, there is no convenient way for the user to import that document
into his mobile
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device and attach an electronic signature. The inability for mobile devices to
handle physical
documents further limits the expansion of electronic signature services.
SUMMARY
[0005a] According to one embodiment, the present disclosure describes a method
for
facilitating electronic signatures on a client device that is operated by a
signer and that is
communicatively coupled to a camera, comprising: by the client device,
capturing an image of
a signature document with the camera; transmitting the captured image of the
signature
document to a remote electronic signature service to be converted to an
electronic signature
document; displaying the converted electronic signature document via a user
interface on the
client device, the user interface associated with the remote electronic
signature service;
displaying, within the user interface, a signature elements menu including
options for adding
electronic signature elements to the converted electronic signature document;
generating,
in response to a selection within the signature elements menu, an electronic
signature control
within the converted electronic signature document to receive an electronic
signature of the
signer for the converted electronic signature document upon activation of the
electronic
signature control; in response to detecting activation of the electronic
signature control,
capturing the electronic signature of the signer in association with the
converted electronic
signature document; and causing an electronic signature of the signer to be
stored in
association with the electronic signature document stored at the remote
electronic signature
service.
[0005b] There is also described a non-transitory computer-readable medium
having
contents that, when executed by a client device, facilitate electronic
signatures via the client
device by performing a method comprising: capturing an image of a signature
document with
an image capture device that is communicatively coupled to the client device;
transmitting the
captured image of the signature document a remote electronic signature service
to be
converted to an electronic signature document; displaying the converted
electronic signature
document via a user interface on the client device, the user interface
associated with the
remote electronic signature service; displaying, within the user interface, a
signature elements
menu including options for adding electronic signature elements to the
converted electronic
signature document; generating, in response to a selection within the
signature elements
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menu, an electronic signature control within the converted electronic
signature document to
receive an electronic signature of the signer for the converted electronic
signature document
upon activation of the electronic signature control; in response to detecting
activation of the
electronic signature control, capturing the electronic signature of the signer
in association with
the converted electronic signature document; and causing an electronic
signature of a signer to
be stored in association with the electronic signature document stored at the
remote electronic
signature service.
10005c1 In a further aspect, there is described a computing system configured
to
facilitate electronic signatures, comprising: a client device that has a
memory and that is
communicatively coupled to an image capture device; and a module stored on the
memory
that is configured, when executed by the client device, to: capture an image
of a signature
document with the image capture device; transmit the captured image of the
signature
document to a remote electronic signature service to be converted to an
electronic signature
document; display the converted electronic signature document via a user
interface associated
with the remote electronic signature service; display, within the user
interface, a signature
elements menu including options for adding electronic signature elements to
the converted
electronic signature document; generate, in response to a selection within the
signature
elements menu, an electronic signature control within the converted electronic
signature
document to receive an electronic signature of the signer for the converted
electronic
signature document upon activation of the electronic signature control; in
response to
detecting activation of the electronic signature control, capture the
electronic signature of the
signer in association with the converted electronic signature document; and
cause an
electronic signature of a signer to be stored in association with the
electronic signature
document stored at the remote electronic signature service.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are
described in
detail below with reference to the following drawings:
[0007] FIGURE 1 illustrates an example block diagram of an example embodiment
of an electronic signature service;
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[0008] FIGURES 2A-2E illustrate user interface screens according to example
embodiments;
[0009] FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram of an example electronic signature client
process; and
100101 FIGURE 4 is a block diagram of an example computing system for
implementing an electronic signature service according to an example
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
10011] Embodiments described herein provide enhanced computer- and network-
based methods and systems for mobile and other client devices to facilitate
electronic
document signing. Example embodiments provide an electronic signature service
("ESS")
configured to facilitate the creation, storage, and management of documents
and
corresponding electronic signatures. Using at least some of the techniques
described herein, a
user (a "signer") can efficiently import a paper signature document into the
ESS with a client
device that has or is communicatively coupled to a camera or other image
capture device
(e.g., a scanner). First, the signer captures an image (e.g., taking a picture
or photo) of the
paper signature document. Then, using a browser or other client module
executing on the
client device, the signer can import the captured image into the ESS. The
signer can further
access, review, and sign the document via the mobile device, either before or
after the
document is imported into the ESS. After signing the document, the signer can
use the client
device to cause the ESS to provide access to the signed document to a
recipient, such as by
causing the ESS to email or otherwise transmit the signed document to the
recipient.
100121 FIGURE 1 illustrates an example block diagram of an example embodiment
of an electronic signature service. In particular, FIGURE 1 depicts an ESS 110
utilized by a
sender user 10 and a signer user 11 to facilitate an electronic signing of a
signature document.
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[0013] In the illustrated scenario, the sender 10 transmits a document (e.g.,
a contract
or agreement) to the signer 11, where it is received as paper document 19.
Transmitting the
document may include sending the document through the mail or courier service.
In other
embodiments, the document may be transmitted at least in part in electronic
form, such as by
transmitting the document via a facsimile machine/network (not shown) to the
signer 11, where
it is reproduced as the paper document 19. As another example, the sender 10
may utilize a
sender client device 160 to send an email with the document included as an
attachment to the
email. The transmitted document may be in any format, such as PDF, Microsoft
Word, HTML,
text, or the like. Upon receipt of the email or electronic transmission, the
signer 11 or some other
party then prints the transmitted document as paper document 19.
[0014] The signer 11 may then use the signer client device 161 to import the
document
into the ESS 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the signer client device 161
includes a
camera 162 and client logic 163 (e.g., a Web browser, email reader, a plug in,
a mobile
application). In other embodiments, the signer client device 161 is
communicatively coupled to a
separate camera or other input device (e.g., a scanner) operable to capture an
image of the paper
document 19. The signer 11 causes the client logic 163 to direct the camera
162 to capture an
image of the paper document 19. The captured document image data is then
stored or buffered in
the signer client device 161 as a bit map, a compressed image (e.g., JPEG,
GIF), PDF file, or the
like. The signer 11 can then review the captured document image data (e.g., to
determine image
quality), modify the image data (e.g., by adding additional pages of the paper
document 19
captured by the camera 162, by adding signature data), or the like.
[0015] When the user is satisfied that the paper document 19 has been
successfully
captured by the camera 162, the user causes the client logic 163 to import the
document image
data captured by the camera 162 to the ESS 110, where it is securely stored as
electronic
document 20. The ESS 110 may also convert the imported image data into a
standard or
preferred format for storage within the ESS 110. For example, if the captured
image data was
transmitted to the ESS 110 as a bit map or other image file, the data may be
converted to or
embedded within a PDF file by the ESS 110.
[0016] Once the document image data is imported into the ESS 110 and securely
stored
as document 20, the signer 11 can use the client device 161 to interact with
the ESS 110 and
perform various electronic signature-related operations. For example, the
signer 11 can access
and review the document by presenting and browsing the document using the
logic 163, a
browser, or some other client logic executing on the client device 161. Once
the signer 11 has
reviewed and/or modified the document to his satisfaction, he can provide
signature data which
is then securely stored by the ESS 110 as signature data 21 in association
with the document 20.
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Note that in some embodiments, the signer 11 can provide signature data at an
earlier time, such
as after the document 19 has been captured by the camera 162, but before the
captured image
data is imported into the ESS 110. In such cases, the signature data may be
transmitted from the
signer client device 161 during (or at about the same time as) the import of
the document image
data into the ESS 110.
[0017] Once the signer 11 has signed the document 20, the signer 11 can cause
the
ESS 110 to provide access to the signed document 20 a recipient. For example,
the signer 11
may return the signed document to the sender 10 or some other recipient.
Different approaches to
providing access to signed documents are contemplated. In the illustrated
embodiment, the signer
11 can cause the ESS 110 to notify the sender 10, such as by causing the ESS
110 to transmit
(e.g., in an email) a URL, link, or other identifier of the document 20 to the
sender client device
160. The sender 10 can then use a browser or other client logic executing on
the sender client
device 160 to access the signed document on the ESS 110. Such an approach may
be
advantageous for sensitive documents which may preferably not be transmitted
within an email
or via some other possibly insecure transmission facility. In other
embodiments, the ESS 110 can
transmit the signed document 20 via an email, fax, or other transmission
mechanism.
[0018] Note that the scenario described with respect to Figure 1 may be
modified in
various ways. For example, different users may perform the import and
signature operations
described with respect to the signer 11 in Figure 1. For example, a first user
may use a client
device (e.g., mobile phone) to capture an image of a signature document and
then import the
captured image into the ESS 110. The first user may then request (via the ESS
110) that a second
user provide a signature, such as by causing the ESS 110 to send an email
including a link that
can be used by the second user to review and sign the stored electronic
signature document.
[0019] Note also that at least some of the described techniques may be
employed in a
context where the client device does not include or otherwise use a camera.
For example, the
sender 10 may use the sender client device 160 to transmit a signature
document (e.g., a contract
or agreement) to the signer client device 161. For example, the sender 10 may
transmit an email
that includes a signature document (e.g., as an attachment or in the body of
the email itself).
Then, the signer 11 may use the logic 163 on the signer client device 161 to
import the received
signature document into the ESS 110 for secure storage and signature. In an
email-based
embodiment, the logic 163 may be or include a plug-in or extension to an email
client or other
type of email reader. As another example, the signer 11 may initially receive
a signature
document from a Web site, such as while accessing a Web site that originates
or otherwise
facilitates bank loans, credit card accounts, or the like. Upon receiving the
document (e.g., in a
Web browser of the signer client device 161), the signer 11 may use the logic
163 to import the
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document into the ESS 110 for secure storage and signature. In such an
embodiment, the logic
163 may be or include a plug-in executing in the context of a Web browser.
[0020] The ESS 110 may provide other or additional functions. For example, the
ESS
110 may provide or facilitate intelligent form-filling operations. In one
embodiment, when the
signer 11 repeatedly uses the ESS 110 to electronically sign documents, the
ESS 110 tracks form
data (e.g., names, addresses, telephone numbers) provided by the signer 11,
such that forms
within signature documents can be automatically populated with data elements,
thereby
increasing the efficiency of the signature process.
[0021] In some embodiments, the ESS 110 provides electronic identification
("ID")
cards that represent user identities. An ID can include or operate as a
container for information
about a corresponding user, including personal information (e.g., name,
address), a signature,
security settings (e.g., regarding sharing of personal information). In some
cases, the ESS 110
facilitates the creation of an ID for a user based on authentication
information or credentials
related to a social network (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) or other system (e.g.,
public email system).
For example, the user may use credentials for his account on a social network
(e.g., username
and password) to establish an ID card managed by the ESS 110, thereby
eliminating the need to
create yet another set of credentials that are specific to the ESS 110.
[0022] Typically, the signer client device 161 is a mobile device, such as a
smart
phone, tablet computer, personal digital assistant, or the like. However, the
techniques may be
equally applied in other contexts and/or to other types of computing devices,
including desktop
computers, kiosk systems, and the like. In particular, some embodiments
provide a module (e.g.,
plug-in, widget, extension) configured to perform some of the described
techniques in the
context of a desktop email client (e.g., Outlook), a hosted email service
(e.g., Google Mail,
Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail), or other application. In addition, the techniques may
generally be
deployed (e.g., as a signature module) in the context of any Web-based
information or e-
commerce service that has a need to obtain an electronic signature from a user
(e.g., to obtain
assent to terms and conditions, to enter into purchase/sale agreements, etc.).
[0023] In some embodiments, all or most of the above functions can be
performed with
a lightweight client (e.g., a Web browser) executing on the client device 161,
such that no or
minimal special purpose software need be installed on the client device 161 to
perform or access
the full spectrum of signature services provided by the ESS 110. In this
manner, described
techniques overcome many of the limitations of known approaches to
facilitating electronic
signatures on mobile devices. For example, in a known approach, a client must
install a special
purpose signature application (a "signature app") on a mobile phone to attach
electronic
signatures to documents. Unfortunately, this application is distinct from the
email client on the
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mobile phone, such that the user must manually move a received document into
the signature app,
attach a signature, move the signed document back to the email client, and
then transmit the signed
document to a recipient. Such processing may be inefficient, cumbersome, and
not user-friendly.
Moreover, many signature apps do not include features such as document
conversion, so they are
unable to attach signatures to various common document formats. Furthermore,
the diversity of mobile
phone platforms (e.g, iPhone, Android, Blackberry) means developing and
supporting distinct
applications for each platform. The described techniques, on the other hand,
are largely platform
independent, as the core functionality is provided by the ESS 110, but
accessed from diverse clients
using standard Web browsers.
[0024] In addition, U.S. Patent No. 8,838,980, and entitled "MOBILE SOLUTION
FOR
SIGNING AND RETAINING THIRD-PARTY DOCUMENTS," further describes embodiments of
an
ESS configured to facilitate electronic signatures via mobile or other client
devices. Techniques
described herein may be used in combination with one or more of those
described within U.S. Patent
No. 8,838,980.
[0025] FIGURES 2A-2E illustrate user interface screens according to example
embodiments. The illustrated user interface screens may be displayed by client
software executing on a
signer client device, such as the client logic 163 described above.
[0026] FIGURE 2A illustrates a log in screen 200 presented by a client device
operated by a
signer or other user. The screen 200 may be provided by a mobile client
device, such as a smart phone
or tablet computer. In other embodiments, the screen 200 may be part of a file
chooser/browser or
desktop computing system. The screen 200 displays a user name entry control
201, a password entry
control 202, and a sign in control 203. After the signer respectively provides
a user name and password
via controls 201 and 202, the signer selects control 203 to initiate an
authenticated session with the
ESS.
[0027] The screen 200 also includes controls (e.g. links) for recovering a
forgotten password
204, creating a new account 205, or signing in using social network
credentials 206. Upon selecting
control 205, the signer will be brought to an account creation screen. The
signer will be asked to enter
their email address, name, a password, and a password confirmation, and to
agree to the terms and
conditions of the ESS. If all are successful, a new account will be created
for the signer. In some
embodiments, the signer will be sent an activation email that informs the
signer that an account has
been created and that requests that the signer click on an included link to
activate the account.
[0028] Upon selection of control 206, the signer will be asked to provide
their credentials
for a social network (e.g., Facebook, Google+, Twitter) or other information
service
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(e.g., a free online email service). If the user does not have an account with
the ESS that is
associated with the provided credentials, the user will be prompted to create
an account, as
discussed above. If the user does have an associated account with the ESS, an
authenticated
session will be initiated (provided the correct credentials are provided).
[0029] FIGURE 2B illustrates a document browser screen 210. The screen 210 is
typically displayed upon successful log in, as discussed above. The screen 210
displays
indicators of documents available for signature on or via the client device.
In the illustrated
example, the screen 210 includes control 211, which identifies a document that
is available for
signature. The document may be stored on the client device or elsewhere (e.g.,
at the ESS). The
control includes buttons for signing or deleting the corresponding document.
If the user selects
the sign button, a signature screen will be presented, as discussed with
reference to FIGURE 2E,
below.
[0030] The screen 210 also includes a tabs control 212 that includes tabs for
accessing
different screens of the client software on the client device. The control 212
includes a My Does
tab 213 for accessing the screen 210, a Capture tab 214 for accessing an image
capture screen
220 (FIGURES 2C and 2D), and an Identity tab 215 for managing an electronic ID
card as
discussed with reference to FIGURE 1, above.
[0031] FIGURE 2C illustrates an image capture screen 220. The image capture
screen
220 facilitates the capture and import of an image of a paper document as
described herein. The
screen includes a take photo control 221 and a select existing photo control
222. Upon selection
of the control 221, the signer will be presented with the user interface to
the camera or other
image capture device of or associated with the client device. The signer can
then take one or
more photos of a paper signature document.
[0032] Upon selection of the control 222, the signer will be presented with a
photo
browser to select one or more photos previously taken and stored on the client
device. The
browser may be a custom browser tailored to the signature software or a native
or default photo
browser provided by the client device. Once the user has captured and/or
selected photos of the
paper signature document, the screen 220 will display the selected photos as
discussed with
reference to FIGURE 2D, next.
[0033] FIGURE 2D illustrates the image capture screen 220 after the signer has
selected one or more photos to import as an electronic signature document. The
screen 220 now
includes a tray control 223 which shows thumbnails of the photos selected by
the signer. In this
example, the signer has selected three photos, here labeled Photos 1, 2, and
3. The signer may
manipulate the photos, such as by reordering, resizing, cropping, adjusting
brightness or contrast,
or the like. Also visible now is a completion control 224, which can be
selected by the signer
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when he has arranged and/or manipulated the photos to his satisfaction. Upon
selection of the
completion control 224, the selected photos are transmitted to the ESS for
secure storage as an
electronic signature document. In other embodiments, the transmission of the
photos may be
delayed until after the signer has attached a signature, such as via a
signature screen described
with reference to FIGURE 2E, next.
[0034] FIGURE 2E illustrates a signature screen 230. The signature screen 230
is
presented in response to an indication that a user desires to sign a document.
For example, the
screen 230 may be presented in response to a user selection of the Sign button
of control 211
(FIGURE 2A) or the completion control 224 (FIGURE 2D).
[0035] The signature screen 230 displays a signature document 233 and includes
a
menu bar 231. The signature document 233 is a copy or other representation of
the images
captured and imported by the signer, as discussed above. The menu bar 231
includes an Add
control, a Finish control, and a More Options control. The Add control, when
selected, displays a
menu 232 of signature elements. The signature elements include a signature,
signer initials,
signer name, date signed, text, and checkbox. By selecting one of the
signature elements, the
user/signer can insert (e.g., drag and drop) the corresponding element into
the signature
document 233. In this example, the signer has selected and dragged a signature
element 234 onto
the document 233. The signature element 234 is an active control, which can be
selected (e.g.,
touched, clicked) by the signer to associate his signature with the document
233.
[0036] When the user has reviewed and signed the document 233, the user
selects the
Finish control of the menu 231. The Finish control causes a signature gathered
via the signature
element 234 to be securely stored in association with the document 233 by the
ESS 110. The
Finish control may also provide options or otherwise access functions for
providing the signed
document 233 to one or more recipients. For example, the Finish control may
automatically
invoke an email client on the signer's client device. The email client may be
automatically pre-
populated with a message that includes a copy of (e.g., as an attachment)
and/or reference to
(e.g., URL) the signed document 233.
[0037] Note that while the example of FIGURES 2A-2E are described with respect
to a
"signer" importing and signing a document, the illustrated scenario may
include multiple distinct
users. For example, a first user (an "importer") may capture an image of a
paper signature
document and import it as described with reference to FIGURES 2C and 2D. The
importer user
may then email or otherwise transmit the signature document to a second user
(a "signer"), who
then uses a user interface such as that shown in FIGURE 2E to sign the
document.
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[0038] FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram of an example electronic signature client
process.
The illustrated process may be performed by, for example, the logic 163
executing on the signer
client device 161.
[0039] The process begins at block 302, where it captures an image of a
signature
document with a camera of a client device. As shown in FIGURE 1, the signer
client device 161
typically includes a camera 162 that is used to capture an image (e.g., take a
photo) of a hard
copy (e.g., paper) signature document. In other embodiments, the signer client
device 161 may
be coupled to a scanner, separate camera, or other image capture device that
can be used to
capture an image of the signature document.
[0040] At block 304, the process causes the captured image to be stored at a
remote
electronic signature service as an electronic signature document. The signer
client device 161
includes logic 163 that uploads, imports, or otherwise transmits the captured
image to the
electronic signature service, where it is securely stored.
[0041] At block 306, the process causes an electronic signature to be stored
in
association with the stored electronic signature document. Typically, the
logic 163 will be
operated by the user to "attach" a signature to the document. Attaching a
signature may include
transmitting an indication that the user has signed (possibly along with other
data, such as date,
signature form, and the like) to the electronic signature service, thereby
causing the electronic
signature service to securely store the signer's signature in association with
the document.
[0042] FIGURE 4 is a block diagram of an example computing system for
implementing an electronic signature service according to an example
embodiment. In particular,
FIGURE 4 shows a computing system 100 that may be utilized to implement an ESS
110.
[0043] Note that one or more general purpose or special purpose computing
systems/devices may be used to implement the ESS 110. In addition, the
computing system 100
may comprise one or more distinct computing systems/devices and may span
distributed
locations. Furthermore, each block shown may represent one or more such blocks
as appropriate
to a specific embodiment or may be combined with other blocks. Also, the ESS
110 may be
implemented in software, hardware, firmware, or in some combination to achieve
the capabilities
described herein. In addition, the implementation techniques described herein
may also be used
to implement other aspects, including the client logic 163 of the signer
client device 161.
[0044] In the embodiment shown, computing system 100 comprises a computer
memory ("memory") 101, a display 102, one or more Central Processing Units
("CPU") 103,
Input/Output devices 104 (e.g., keyboard, mouse, CRT or LCD display, and the
like), other
computer-readable media 105, and network connections 106 connected to a
network 150. The
ESS 110 is shown residing in memory 101. In other embodiments, some portion of
the contents,
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some or all of the components of the ESS 110 may be stored on and/or
transmitted over the other
computer-readable media 105. The components of the ESS 110 preferably execute
on one or
more CPUs 103 and facilitate mobile electronic signature processes described
herein. Other code
or programs 130 (e.g., an administrative interface, a Web server, and the
like) and potentially
other data repositories, such as data repository 120, also reside in the
memory 101, and
preferably execute on one or more CPUs 103. Of note, one or more of the
components in
FIGURE 4 may not be present in any specific implementation. For example, some
embodiments
may not provide other computer readable media 105 or a display 102.
[0045] The ESS 110 includes a service manager 111, a user interface ("UI")
manager
112, an electronic signature service application program interface ("API")
113, and an electronic
signature service data store 115.
[0046] The ESS 110, via the service manager 111 and related logic, generally
performs
electronic signature-related functions for or on behalf of users operating a
sender client device
160 and/or a signer client device 161. In one embodiment, a signer operating
signer client device
161 imports (e.g., transmits, uploads, sends) a document to be electronically
signed into the ESS
110. As described above, importing a document may include capturing an image
of a paper
document, and then transmitting the captured image from the client device 161
to the ESS 110.
The ESS stores the document securely in data store 115. Secure document
storage may include
using cryptographic techniques to detect document tampering, such as
generating hashes,
message digests, or the like. The signer operating the signer client device
161 may then access,
review, and sign the document stored by the ESS 110. In some embodiments, the
ESS 110
transmits images or some other representation of the document to the signer
client device 161,
which in turn transmits an indication of the signer's signature (or intent to
sign) to the ESS 110.
The ESS 110 then securely stores the signer's signature in association with
the document in the
data store 115. After signing the document, the signer using signer client
device 161 can cause
the ESS 110 to provide the signed document to one or more recipients, such as
via email, fax, or
other mechanism.
[0047] The service manager 111 may perform other or additional functions, such
as
intelligent form filling as discussed above. Also, the service manager 111 may
provide (e.g.,
transmit) code modules that can be installed on the signer client device 161
and that are
configured to integrate the signer client device 161 with the ESS 110. As one
example, the code
module may be a mobile application (e.g., app) that is installed on the signer
client device 161.
As another example, the code module may extend the functionality of an email
client or other
application by adding a control (e.g., button, menu item, widget) that is
configured to import, in
response to selection or activation by a user, a received documents into the
ESS 110.
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[0048] The UI manager 112 provides a view and a controller that facilitate
user
interaction with the ESS 110 and its various components. For example, the UI
manager 112 may
provide interactive access to the ESS 110, such that users can upload or
download documents for
signature, review and modify documents, transmit or otherwise provide signed
documents to
recipients, and the like. In some embodiments, access to the functionality of
the UI manager 112
may be provided via a Web server, possibly executing as one of the other
programs 130. In such
embodiments, a user operating a Web browser (or other client) executing on one
of the client
devices 160 or 161 can interact with the ESS 110 via the UI manager 112.
[0049] The API 113 provides programmatic access to one or more functions of
the ESS
110. For example, the API 113 may provide a programmatic interface to one or
more functions
of the ESS 110 that may be invoked by one of the other programs 130 or some
other module. In
this manner, the API 113 facilitates the development of third-party software,
such as user
interfaces, plug-ins, news feeds, adapters (e.g., for integrating functions of
the ESS 110 into Web
applications), and the like. In addition, the API 113 may be in at least some
embodiments
invoked or otherwise accessed via remote entities, such as the third-party
system 165, to access
various functions of the ESS 110. For example, a hosted email service
executing on the system
165 may provide access to the electronic signature functionality of the ESS
110 via the API 113.
As another example, an e-commerce site (e.g., online store) executing on the
system 165 may
provide access to the electronic signature functionality of the ESS 110 via
the API 113, such as
by providing a signature control/widget configured, when selected by a user,
to initiate an
electronic signature process as described herein.
[0050] The data store 115 is used by the other modules of the ESS 110 to store
and/or
communicate information. The components of the ESS 110 use the data store 115
to record
various types of information, including documents, signatures, tracked form
entries, and the like.
Although the components of the ESS 110 are described as communicating
primarily through the
data store 115, other communication mechanisms are contemplated, including
message passing,
function calls, pipes, sockets, shared memory, and the like.
[0051] The ESS 110 interacts via the network 150 with client devices 160 and
161, and
third-party systems 165. The network 150 may be any combination of one or more
media (e.g.,
twisted pair, coaxial, fiber optic, radio frequency), hardware (e.g., routers,
switches, repeaters,
transceivers), and one or more protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP, Ethernet, Wi-Fi,
WiMAX) that
facilitate communication between remotely situated humans and/or devices. In
some
embodiments, the network 150 may be or include multiple distinct communication
channels or
mechanisms (e.g., cable-based and wireless). The client devices 160 and 161
include personal
computers, laptop computers, smart phones, personal digital assistants, tablet
computers, kiosk
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systems, and the like. The third-party systems 165 and client devices 160 and
161 may be or
include computing systems and/or devices constituted in a manner similar to
that of computing
system 100, and thus may also include displays, CPUs, other I/O devices (e.g.,
a camera),
network connections, or the like.
[0052] In an example embodiment, components/modules of the ESS 110 arc
implemented using standard programming techniques. For example, the ESS 110
may be
implemented as a "native" executable running on the CPU 103, along with one or
more static or
dynamic libraries. In other embodiments, the ESS 110 may be implemented as
instructions
processed by a virtual machine that executes as one of the other programs 130.
In general, a
range of programming languages known in the art may be employed for
implementing such
example embodiments, including representative implementations of various
programming
language paradigms, including but not limited to, object-oriented (e.g., Java,
C++, C#, Visual
Basic.NET, Smalltalk, and the like), functional (e.g., ML, Lisp, Scheme, and
the like),
procedural (e.g., C, Pascal, Ada, Modula, and the like), scripting (e.g.,
Pert, Ruby, Python,
JavaScript, VBScript, and the like), and declarative (e.g., SQL, Prolog, and
the like).
[0053] The embodiments described above may also use either well-known or
proprietary synchronous or asynchronous client-server computing techniques.
Also, the various
components may be implemented using more monolithic programming techniques,
for example,
as an executable running on a single CPU computer system, or alternatively
decomposed using a
variety of structuring techniques known in the art, including but not limited
to,
multiprogramming, multithreading, client-server, or peer-to-peer, running on
one or more
computer systems each having one or more CPUs. Some embodiments may execute
concurrently
and asynchronously, and communicate using message passing techniques.
Equivalent
synchronous embodiments are also supported. Also, other functions could be
implemented
and/or performed by each component/module, and in different orders, and by
different
components/modules, yet still achieve the described functions.
[0054] In addition, programming interfaces to the data stored as part of the
ESS 110,
such as in the data store 118, can be available by standard mechanisms such as
through C, C++,
C#, and Java APIs; libraries for accessing files, databases, or other data
repositories; through
scripting languages such as XML; or through Web servers, FTP servers, or other
types of servers
providing access to stored data. The data store 118 may be implemented as one
or more database
systems, file systems, or any other technique for storing such information, or
any combination of
the above, including implementations using distributed computing techniques.
[0055] Different configurations and locations of programs and data are
contemplated
for use with techniques described herein. A variety of distributed computing
techniques arc
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appropriate for implementing the components of the illustrated embodiments in
a distributed
manner including but not limited to TCP/IP sockets, RPC, RMI, HTTP, Web
Services (XML-
RPC, JAX-RPC, SOAP, and the like). Other variations are possible. Also, other
functionality
could be provided by each component/module, or existing functionality could be
distributed
amongst the components/modules in different ways, yet still achieve the
functions described
herein.
[0056] Furthermore, in certain embodiments, some or all of the components of
the ESS
110 may be implemented or provided in other manners, such as at least
partially in firmware
and/or hardware, including, but not limited to one or more application-
specific integrated circuits
("ASICs"), standard integrated circuits, controllers executing appropriate
instructions, and
including microcontrollers and/or embedded controllers, field-programmable
gate arrays
("FPGAs"), complex programmable logic devices ("CPLDs"), and the like. Some or
all of the
system components and/or data structures may also be stored as contents (e.g.,
as executable or
other machine-readable software instructions or structured data) on a computer-
readable medium
(e.g., as a hard disk; a memory; a computer network or cellular wireless
network or other data
transmission medium; or a portable media article to be read by an appropriate
drive or via an
appropriate connection, such as a DVD or flash memory device) so as to enable
or configure the
computer-readable medium and/or one or more associated computing systems or
devices to
execute or otherwise use or provide the contents to perform at least some of
the described
techniques. Some or all of the components and/or data structures may be stored
in a non-
transitory manner on tangible, non-transitory storage mediums. Some or all of
the system
components and data structures may also be stored as data signals (e.g., by
being encoded as part
of a carrier wave or included as part of an analog or digital propagated
signal) on a variety of
computer-readable transmission mediums, which are then transmitted, including
across wireless-
based and wired/cable-based mediums, and may take a variety of forms (e.g., as
part of a single
or multiplexed analog signal, or as multiple discrete digital packets or
frames). Such computer
program products may also take other forms in other embodiments. Accordingly,
embodiments
of this disclosure may be practiced with other computer system configurations.
[0057] It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more
modifications
besides those already described are possible without departing from the
inventive concepts
herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted
except in the spirit of the
appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the
claims, all terms
should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the
context. In particular,
the terms "includes," "including," "comprises," and "comprising" should be
interpreted as
referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner,
indicating that the
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referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or
combined with other
elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the
written
description and/or claims refer to at least one of something selected from the
group consisting
of A, B, C .... and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring at least
one element from the
group (A, B, C N), rather than A plus N, or B plus N, etc.
[0058]
[0059] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated
and
described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the
spirit and
scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited
by the disclosure
of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined
entirely by
reference to the claims that follow.
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