US 12,015,718 B2
Method and system for signing and authenticating electronic documents via a signature authority which may act in concert with software controlled by the signer
Robert T. Oswalt, Decatur, GA (US)
Assigned to Signix, Inc., Chattanooga, TN (US)
Filed by Signix, Inc., Chattanooga, TN (US)
Filed on Nov. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/985,855.
Application 17/985,855 is a continuation of application No. 16/905,041, filed on Jun. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,516,016.
Application 16/905,041 is a continuation of application No. 15/852,029, filed on Dec. 22, 2017, granted, now 10,728,039, issued on Jul. 28, 2020.
Application 15/852,029 is a continuation of application No. 15/132,769, filed on Apr. 19, 2016, granted, now 9,853,818, issued on Dec. 26, 2017.
Application 15/132,769 is a continuation of application No. 14/334,255, filed on Jul. 17, 2014, granted, now 9,325,508, issued on Apr. 26, 2016.
Application 14/334,255 is a continuation of application No. 13/933,655, filed on Jul. 2, 2013, granted, now 8,819,813, issued on Aug. 26, 2014.
Application 13/933,655 is a continuation of application No. 12/794,458, filed on Jun. 4, 2010, granted, now 8,484,723, issued on Jul. 9, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/184,525, filed on Jun. 5, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2023/0120246 A1, Apr. 20, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04L 9/40 (2022.01); H04L 9/08 (2006.01); H04L 9/32 (2006.01)
CPC H04L 9/3247 (2013.01) [H04L 9/083 (2013.01); H04L 9/0861 (2013.01); H04L 9/3263 (2013.01); H04L 63/0823 (2013.01); H04L 63/123 (2013.01); H04L 2463/082 (2013.01)] 53 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for verifying the authenticity of a digital electronic signature associated with an electronic document, such that a relying party is enabled to rely on the fact that a signing party reliably signed the electronic document, comprising:
a certification authority computer system for generating a digital certification authority certificate certifying a cryptographic key pair of a certification authority private key and a certification authority public key for a signing party, identifying the signing party as subject, and including a policy allowing the signing party to issue a limited-use document signing certificate;
a signing party computer system including a storage device for storing the certification authority private key and the digital certification authority certificate as a certification authority component for use when issuing the document signing certificate for construction of a digital electronic signature of the signing party for a to be signed electronic document;
a signature authority computer system for signing the to be signed electronic document pursuant to a document signing request communicated from the signing party computer system, the to be signed electronic document obtained upon receiving the document signing request and, upon receiving a signing digital certificate from the certification authority component in response to a signature creation request communicated from the signature authority computer system to the certification authority component and a corresponding signing private key, creating the digital electronic signature on the to be signed electronic document for creating a signed electronic document;
the certification authority component on the signing party computer system, in response to the signature creation request by the signature authority computer system, certifying a signing public key under the digital certification authority certificate identifying the signing party as subject and thereby creating the signing digital certificate, and returning to the signature authority computer system the signing digital certificate; and
a communications network accessible for communicating between the signing party computer system and the signature authority computer system.