Computer-implemented method and system for signing and issuing electronic certificate

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method and system for issuing an electronic certificate. The method comprises the following steps: receiving an electronic certificate request from an applicant, wherein the request comprises certificate information and applicant identity recognition; verifying the identity recognition of the applicant; identifying one or more related certificate issuing units from a plurality of certificate issuing units according to the certificate information; and after the certificate information is verified by the one or more related certificate signing and issuing units, signing and issuing the electronic certificate according to the request.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of electronic or digital certificates, and particularly, but not exclusively, to a method and system for issuing and managing electronic certificates. Background Art

[0002] Certificates have been used to establish the qualifications or creditworthiness of individuals, such as academic and professional credentials, and to verify the authenticity and origin of products, such as certificates of authenticity for commodities and luxury goods. In addition, certification marks, such as organic labels or agricultural product marks, serve as proof of quality and compliance with specific standards or regulations. Typically, these certificates are presented in paper form or marked directly on the product as evidence of its identity.

[0003] However, traditional methods of issuing certificates have inherent limitations. For example, paper certificates are easily forged and abused, which undermines their credibility and reliability. Although electronic or digital certificates offer advantages, such as accessibility and enhanced security, existing certificate providers often issue certificates in different formats, which makes the seamless storage and use of electronic certificates challenging. As a result, the widespread use and effectiveness of electronic certificates are often hindered.

[0004] A solution is needed to address these challenges and improve the process of issuing and / or managing electronic certificates.

[0005] Purpose of the Invention

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to mitigate or eliminate to some extent one or more problems associated with known systems and methods of issuing and / or managing certificates.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved system and method for issuing and / or managing certificates.

[0008] The above objects are achieved by the combination of features of the independent claims; the dependent claims disclose further advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0009] Those skilled in the art will derive other objects of the present invention from the following description. Therefore, the above object statements are not exhaustive, but are only used to illustrate many objects of the present invention. Summary of the invention

[0010] In a first major aspect, the present invention provides a computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate. The method comprises the following steps: receiving an applicant's request for an electronic certificate, wherein the request includes certificate information and an identification of the applicant; verifying the identification of the applicant; identifying one or more relevant certificate issuing units from a plurality of certificate issuing units based on the certificate information; and issuing the electronic certificate based on the request after the one or more relevant certificate issuing units verify the certificate information.

[0011] Preferably, the step of receiving a request from the applicant comprises receiving wireless communication information from a device of the applicant.

[0012] Preferably, the step of receiving the request from the applicant comprises scanning a QR code by the applicant's device and / or receiving the request by the applicant's device via short-range wireless communication.

[0013] Preferably, the method further comprises the step of transmitting the issued electronic certificate to the applicant's device.

[0014] Preferably, the step of verifying the certificate information by one or more relevant certificate issuing units comprises matching data related to the certificate information from one or more databases.

[0015] Preferably, the method further comprises the step of storing the issued electronic certificate in association with the applicant, wherein the stored electronic certificate is accessible by one or more of the applicant's device and / or the issuer's device.

[0016] Preferably, the plurality of certificate issuing units are independently operable by respective certificate issuers via devices of the corresponding issuers.

[0017] Preferably, the method further comprises the step of customizing the electronic certificate by each certificate issuer.

[0018] Preferably, the method further comprises the step of issuing bonus points to the applicant, wherein the bonus points are provided in the form of one or more of credit points, loyalty points, cash vouchers, vouchers and / or user ratings, grades or rankings.

[0019] Preferably, the issued electronic certificates are stored in categories according to the types of issued certificates, wherein the categories can be displayed on the applicant's device.

[0020] Preferably, the issued electronic certificates are stored according to the certificate information and / or applicant identification classification, wherein the classification can be displayed on the device of the issuer.

[0021] Preferably, the method further comprises the step of sharing the issued electronic certificate with one or more designated recipients and / or social media networks.

[0022] Preferably, the step of issuing the electronic certificate includes generating a QR code associated with the certificate.

[0023] In a second main aspect, the present invention provides a computer-implemented system for implementing the steps of the first main aspect for issuing an electronic certificate. The system includes a certificate request module and a certificate issuing module. The certificate issuing module includes a plurality of certificate issuing units. The certificate request module includes: a receiving module for receiving an applicant's request for issuing an electronic certificate, the request including certificate information and an applicant identification; a verification module for verifying the applicant identification; and an identification module for identifying one or more relevant certificate issuing units from a plurality of certificate issuing units of the certificate issuing module based on the certificate information.

[0024] Preferably, the certificate request module is adapted to receive a request for issuing an electronic certificate from a user device via wireless communication.

[0025] Preferably, the certificate request module is adapted to receive a request for issuing an electronic certificate via scanning a QR code and / or via short-range wireless communication.

[0026] Preferably, the multiple certificate issuing units of the certificate issuing module can be independently operated by each certificate issuer via the corresponding issuer's equipment.

[0027] Preferably, the system further comprises a storage module for storing the issued electronic certificate in association with the applicant.

[0028] Preferably, the system further comprises a reward module for issuing reward points to the applicant, wherein the reward points are provided in the form of one or more credit points, loyalty points, cash coupons, vouchers and / or user ratings, grades or rankings.

[0029] In a third main aspect, the invention provides a non-transitory computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions which, when implemented on a processor, perform the method of the first main aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The above and other features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments provided by way of example only in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which include:

[0031] Figure 1 is a block diagram schematic diagram illustrating a computer-implemented system for issuing an electronic certificate according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0032] Figure 2 It is shown by Figure 1 A flowchart of the method steps implemented by a specific computer system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following description is merely intended to illustrate preferred embodiments and is not intended to limit the combination of features necessary to implement the present invention.

[0034] References in this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearance of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are independent or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. In addition, various features are described that may be present in some embodiments but not in other embodiments. Similarly, various requirements are described that are required for some embodiments but not required for other embodiments.

[0035] It should be understood that the elements shown in the drawings can be implemented by various forms of hardware, software or a combination thereof. These elements are implemented by a combination of hardware and software on one or more appropriately programmed general-purpose devices that may include a processor, a memory and an input / output interface.

[0036] This specification illustrates the principles of the invention. It should therefore be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0037] In addition, all statements and specific examples thereof describing the principles, aspects and embodiments of the present invention herein are expected to include structural and functional equivalents thereof. In addition, it should be understood that such equivalents include currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, i.e. any element that performs the same function developed, and has nothing to do with structure.

[0038] Thus, for example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the block diagrams presented herein represent conceptual views of systems embodying the principles of the invention.

[0039] The functionality of the various elements or components shown in the drawings may be provided through the use of dedicated software, hardware, and hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functionality may be provided by a single dedicated processor, a single shared processor, or multiple separate processors (some of which may be shared). Moreover, the explicit use of the term "processor" should not be interpreted as referring exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include, but is not limited to, digital signal processor ("DSP") hardware, read-only memory ("ROM") for storing software, random access memory ("RAM"), and non-volatile memory.

[0040] In the appended claims, any element or component represented as a means for performing a particular function is intended to encompass any means of performing the function, including, for example: a) a combination of circuit elements that perform the function; or b) any form of software, thus including firmware, microcode, etc., combined with appropriate circuitry for running the software that performs the function. The invention as defined by the present claims resides in the fact that the functionality provided by the various described components is combined and concentrated in the manner required by the claims. It is therefore considered that any means capable of providing those functionalities are equivalent to those shown herein.

[0041] The present invention generally relates to a computer-implemented method and system for issuing and managing electronic certificates. Specifically, the present invention provides a computer-implemented platform for certificate applicants and certificate issuers, that is, for certificate applicants to request the issuance of electronic certificates from different certificate issuing authorities, and for one or more certificate issuing authorities, such as colleges, organizations, authorities and / or regulatory agencies to verify the request, and then issue the requested electronic certificate according to the applicant's request. The present invention allows multiple different electronic certificates across various fields to be issued for different purposes, and facilitates the effective electronic management of the issued certificates of certificate recipients and issuers. Specifically, the present invention enables applicants to conveniently submit certificate requests from electronic devices, such as via a designated application (APP), website and / or software program accessible by the device. The request preferably includes the applicant's identification information and certificate information, such as the type, nature and details of the certificate. Submitting the request electronically eliminates the need for the applicant to manually handle paperwork and interact with different certificate issuing authorities. The system then securely transmits the request to the appropriate certificate issuing authority, each of which can effectively process the request by verifying the details of the request information, and generates a corresponding electronic certificate with the required content in a predetermined format. The present invention also enables multiple certificate issuers of different company sizes, industries, natures and backgrounds to register in the system and operate independently in each certificate issuing unit of the system. Therefore, the present invention provides a comprehensive solution that simplifies the electronic certificate issuance process, thereby enhancing the versatility and flexibility of the issued certificates to meet a wide range of certificate issuance requirements. In addition, the present invention facilitates the storage, access and use of the issued certificates by the certificate recipients. Certificates are effectively organized and classified based on their type or category for easy access. This improvement improves the overall effectiveness of managing and maximizing the versatility and practicality of electronic certificates.

[0042] Reference Figure 1 , shows a simplified block diagram illustrating a technical implementation of a system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2The specific steps implemented by the system 100 are further shown. In this embodiment, the system 100 includes a computer-implemented platform 10 executed by a processor 20 of a computer device, which may be a local device and / or a remote server, such as a network server or a cloud server. Preferably, the platform 10 may communicate with a user's computer device 40, 50, for example, via a communication network, which may be, but not limited to, one or more desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, mobile phones, etc. The user's computer device 40, 50 may include, for example, an applicant device 40 that can be operated by a certificate applicant to submit a request to obtain an electronic certificate; and an issuer device 50 that can be operated by one or more certificate issuing authorities to process, manage and execute the request. In one embodiment, the platform 10 may be implemented as a computer program, software, application program (APP) and / or provided in the form of a network-based platform that can be operated on the user's computer device 40, 50. Optionally, the platform 10 may be connected to one or more external servers and / or databases 30 for accessing, retrieving and / or storing information or data, although this is not necessary for the implementation of the present invention. The communication network may include a wireless network, such as a wireless cellular network, a wired network, the Internet, or any combination of the foregoing.

[0043] The system 100 includes a plurality of functional blocks for performing its various functions. Preferably, the system 100 includes a certificate request module 110 for processing a certificate request from an applicant, and a certificate issuing module 120 for issuing an electronic certificate according to the applicant's request by one or more certificate issuing authorities.

[0044] Specifically, the certificate request module 110 includes a receiving module 130 adapted to wirelessly communicate with the applicant's device 40 to receive a request from the applicant to issue an electronic certificate. The request preferably includes certificate information and the applicant's identity, which can be provided in the form of text, image, audio and / or video input. Specifically, the certificate information may include details required for processing and issuing the certificate, which may include but is not limited to: the name and / or information of the certificate issuing authority, which may be an academy, association, organization, authority and / or regulatory agency; the type of certification, qualification, profession, achievement and / or award; the content of the certification, such as the purpose and significance of the certificate; and other details or descriptions required by the applicant. The applicant's identity may include, for example: personal identification of the applicant's name, age, gender, etc.; an image or photo of the applicant; experience, qualifications or creditworthiness related to the certification; and / or other information related to the applicant and / or the certification. In one embodiment, the applicant's identity may also include hardware feature information of the applicant's device 40 representing the applicant's identity. The hardware feature information may include but is not limited to the operating system type, hardware specifications, identification code and / or other hardware-related information, etc.

[0045] In one embodiment, the certificate request may be manually input by the applicant via the applicant's device 40, such as via a keyboard interface of the applicant's device 40. The request may also be input by uploading information from the applicant's device 40 and / or downloading information from various other sources (e.g., from the World Wide Web, an online database or storage device, such as based on data stored in a user's social media account and / or cloud, etc.). The input module 112 may optionally include an automation module 112 to automatically include the applicant's required identification details as part of the applicant's request, such as after verifying certain biometric data of the applicant, such as via fingerprint, facial or iris recognition on the applicant's device 40. In another embodiment, the encoded information of the request may be retrieved by scanning a QR code (e.g., a QR code or barcode) to obtain the request, such as by a scanning module 114 provided in the form of a scanner or camera of the applicant's device 40. For example, the QR code may be printed, attached or in any way associated with a product, such as a commodity or luxury product encoded with information about the origin or authenticity of the product, the details of which may be obtained by scanning the QR code using the applicant's device 40. In yet another embodiment, the applicant's device 40 configured with short-range wireless communication functionality can be used to obtain information for certificate request purposes from one or more corresponding wireless communication enabled devices via short-range wireless communication, which can be, but is not limited to, one or more of Near Field Communication (NFC) Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NearLink, LPWAAN, and Ultra Wideband (UWB), etc. For example, the applicant's device 40 with NFC functionality can be arranged to automatically receive authenticity information from a watch configured with an NFC chip simply by placing the device 40 at a detectable distance from the watch. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the device for obtaining or acquiring the requested information from the applicant and / or the applicant's device should not be limited to the described embodiments. On the contrary, any other practical means known to be used for receiving information from the applicant and / or the applicant's device manually, wired or wirelessly should also be covered without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention.

[0046] Then, the verification module 150 of the certificate request module 110 verifies the received request information, specifically the applicant's identity from the request. After confirming that the applicant's identity is valid by retrieving and matching with the data stored at the registration database 155, that is, verifying that the applicant's details have been pre-registered as a valid registered user in the system 100, the next step is for the identification module 160 of the certificate request module 110 to identify one or more certificate issuing units 122 from the multiple certificate issuing units (122i, 122ii, 122iii...122n) of the certificate issuing module 120 based on the requested certificate information. Each of the multiple certificate issuing units (122) is independently operated by a corresponding registered certificate issuing authority or issuer. For example, if the applicant's request includes information related to the issuance of a Taekwondo black belt certificate by ABC Taekwondo School to Mr. Jack Smith, the verification module 150 will first verify the applicant Jack Smith and the data stored in the registration database 155 as a valid registered user based on the personal identification information provided in the request. When the applicant information is successfully verified, the identification module 160 will identify one or more specific certificate issuing units based on the requested certificate information, in this example, the certificate issuing unit 122i registered and managed by ABC Taekwondo School. Then, the instruction to issue an electronic certificate for Jack Smith will be transmitted to the designated issuer device in real time.

[0047] 50i, which may be operated by the management of ABC Taekwondo School. It is important to note that each of the multiple certificate issuing units 122i to 122n is independently operated and managed by a respective certificate issuer via a corresponding issuer device 50i to 50n, and therefore, the information exchanged in connection with the request and the subsequent issued certificate cannot be shared or accessed in any way by the issuer or between issuers to ensure the privacy of the user and the credibility and reliability of the issued certificate.

[0048] ABC Taekwondo School, after receiving the notification of receiving the instruction at the issuer device 50i, will verify the certificate information by retrieving and matching with the data from one or more databases 30, which can be, for example, a list of details of black belt granters during a specific period, etc. Verification can involve verifying the identification and qualifications of the applicant associated with the request by matching the details with the school database, which can be an external database 30. After successful verification, the certificate issuing unit 122i will generate an electronic certificate in the name of the applicant Jack Smith based on the certificate information in a predetermined format. The issued certificate will be immediately transmitted directly to the applicant's device 40 via the issuing module 180 of the platform 10. In one embodiment, the certificate can be generated in the form of a document file, an image file, a two-dimensional code (such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code) and / or a document associated with a hyperlink for downloading an electronic certificate, etc. The electronic certificate can also issue a certificate with a two-dimensional code as part of the certificate content to facilitate obtaining further information related to the certification, such as information of the issuer company or college, a brief introduction or resume of the certificate granter, and / or other information related to an award or certificate.

[0049] The issued electronic certificates are preferably stored and organized by the type of certificates issued, and the classification can be displayed and accessed at the applicant's device 40. For example, the certificates can be organized under the categories of "Sports and Activities", "Academic", "Awards" and / or "Products" based on the nature of the certificates, wherein the user can customize the classification to facilitate the efficient management and use of electronic certificates. The issued certificates can optionally be shared by the applicant's device 40 via the platform 10 to one or more designated recipients and / or social media networks.

[0050] The certificate issuer, via operation at the certificate issuing unit 122, can customize the certificate, preferably by selecting a specific design or format of the certificate from a plurality of existing formats, modifying an existing format, and / or developing a new format based on a specific certificate request or preference. Other customizations, such as but not limited to the layout, size, shape, color, and content of the certificate, can also be implemented via the issuer's device according to the specific requirements of the applicant and / or the issuer's preferences. The customized or new certificate template can be stored in the corresponding certificate issuing unit 122 for future use by the issuer.

[0051] The issued certificates associated with the applicant's request, including certificate information and applicant identification, will be stored at each certificate issuing unit 122, where the stored certificates can be accessed by the corresponding issuer device 50. Specifically, different issued certificates can be stored according to the certificate information and / or applicant identification, and can be displayed and accessed on the issuer's device. In one embodiment, all information related to the certificate request and the issued certificate can also be stored in the storage module or the memory 140 of the platform 10 for centralized management by the system administrator.

[0052] In one embodiment, the certificate issuance module 120 may also include a reward module 170 for issuing reward points to applicants. The reward points may be provided in the form of one or more credit points, loyalty points, cash coupons, vouchers and / or user ratings, grades or rankings, depending on various conditions applied to the user or certificate grantor, which may include, for example, the number of certificates granted, the various different properties of the certificates granted, and / or the frequency of use of the platform 10, etc. The system 100 also enables applicants or grantors to share their ratings, grades or rankings on social media and / or redeem reward points in the form of cash coupons or vouchers, etc.

[0053] In yet another embodiment, a customer may request an electronic certificate associated with a luxury product. For example, the product may be a watch, the authenticity of which needs to be verified and authenticated by the customer and the product manufacturer. To this end, the customer (certificate applicant) may use his / her mobile phone 40 to scan a QR code provided in association with the watch, or receive information associated with the watch via NFC communication by placing his / her mobile device 40 at a detectable distance from the watch (assuming the watch is configured with NFC functionality). The information of the watch and the customer's information providing the identity of the applicant registered in his / her user account in the platform 10 will obtain the certificate information as a request. The receiving module 130 will receive the request. When the verification module 150 verifies the identity of the applicant, the identification module 160 will identify the certificate issuing unit 122ii for the leather forming the strap of the watch and the certificate issuing unit 122iii for the watch body from the plurality of certificate issuing units 122i to 122n of the certificate issuing module 120. The watch band manufacturer and the watch manufacturer will transmit separate request instructions to the identified certificate issuing units 122ii and 122iii for verification based on their product registration or database. After confirming the request details with the respective certificate issuers, the certificate issuing units 122ii and 122iii will independently issue two electronic certificates, or if the applicant requests, jointly authenticate the originality and authenticity of the watch (including the watch band and the watch body) in the form of a certificate. One or more certificates will be directly transmitted to the customer's user account accessible at his / her user device 40, and can be stored under the "Products" category at his / her user account according to the user's preferences. The electronic certificate can be forwarded or shared to one or more designated recipients as a document or QR code as proof of the authenticity of the watch. If the watch manufacturer has issued multiple certificates to the same customer, the relevant certificate issuing authority 122 can also issue reward points to the user, for example in the form of redeemable loyalty points, product vouchers, cash coupons and / or providing a certain level or ranking (such as VIP status) under the brand. Such reward points will be issued by the reward module 170 and transmitted to the user device 40.

[0054] For example, platform 10 may be applied to issue electronic certificates covering a variety of other applications, such as, but not limited to: electronic medical certificates, including sick leave certificates or other certificates issued by medical professionals to certify certain medical conditions of patients; education and training certificates of academic achievements, such as diplomas, degrees, course completion certificates, transcripts, and certificates of achievement; professional qualification certificates that verify personal skills and knowledge, such as IT professional certifications (e.g., Cisco certifications, Microsoft certifications), project management certifications (e.g., PMP certifications), financial certifications (e.g., CPA certifications), and various industry-specific certifications; compliance certificates indicating compliance with specific standards, regulations, or industry requirements, such as ISO certifications (e.g., ISO 9001 for quality management systems), GDPR compliance certificates, cybersecurity certifications, and environmental certifications; employment certificates used to verify employment details, such as employment history, job position, and tenure issued by employers to current or former employees for job applications, background checks, and career development; financial certificates related to financial products, transactions, or account statements, such as deposit certificates, investment certificates, tax certificates, proof of funds certificates, etc.; and legal certificates, such as certified electronic copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce certificates, and death certificates. Thus, the platform 10 provides flexibility, accessibility, and efficiency for a variety of applications for issuing electronic certificates, enabling integration with a variety of industries, departments, and organizations to facilitate instant verification and issuance of certificates.

[0055] In one embodiment, the platform 10 provides an accessible dashboard interface for each certificate issuer operating a respective certificate issuing unit 122. The dashboard interface provides various operational modules to facilitate the effective management of information and data related to the issuance of electronic certificates by the issuer, which may include but is not limited to the issuer's information settings; pending, accepted, and rejected certificate applications or requests; details of the certificate grantor; serial numbers of issued certificates, certificate template libraries; issuance and redemption of reward points; administrator access or permission levels; and / or other operational or management modules or functions. For example, the dashboard can be used to visualize data, such as in the form of lists or statistics for efficient operation and management to simplify the certificate issuance process.

[0056] In another aspect, the present invention also relates to a non-transitory computer-readable medium 140 storing machine-readable instructions which, when implemented on a processor 20, implement the steps of the method as described above.

[0057] The above system and various modules may be implemented at least in part by software. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above various modules may be implemented at least in part by using general-purpose computer equipment or using customized equipment.

[0058] Here, the various aspects of the systems and methods described herein can be executed on any device or apparatus including the system. The program aspects of the technology can be considered as a "product" or "article" usually in the form of executable code and / or related data, which is carried or embodied in a type of machine-readable medium. "Storage" type media include any or all of the memories of mobile stations, computers, processors, etc. or their related modules, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives, etc., which can provide storage for software programming at any time. All or part of the software can sometimes communicate through the Internet or various other telecommunications networks. For example, such communication can enable software to be loaded from one computer or processor to another computer or processor. Therefore, another type of medium that can carry software elements includes light waves, radio waves, and electromagnetic waves, such as through wired and optical landline networks and through various air links. Used on the physical interface between local devices. Physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless links, optical links, etc., can also be considered as media that carry software. As used herein, unless limited to tangible non-temporary storage media, terms such as computer or machine-readable media refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution.

[0059] Although the present invention is shown and described in detail in the drawings and the above description, it will be understood to be illustrative rather than restrictive in nature, and it should also be understood that only exemplary embodiments are shown and described, and they will not limit the scope of the present invention in any way. It is understood that any of the features described herein can be used in conjunction with any embodiment. The illustrative embodiments are not mutually exclusive, or do not exclude other embodiments not described herein. Accordingly, the present invention also provides an embodiment comprising one or more combinations of the above-mentioned illustrative embodiments. Modifications and changes of the present invention as proposed herein can be made without departing from its spirit and scope, and therefore such restrictions should only be imposed as shown in the appended claims.

[0060] In the following claims and the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the term "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. the presence of certain stated features, but does not exclude the presence or addition of other features in various embodiments of the invention.

[0061] It will be appreciated that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, this citation does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate, the method comprising the following steps: receiving a request for an electronic certificate from an applicant, the request including certificate information and applicant identification; Verifying the identity of the applicant; Identifying one or more relevant certificate issuing units from a plurality of certificate issuing units according to the certificate information; as well as After the certificate information is verified by the one or more relevant certificate issuing units, the electronic certificate is issued according to the request.

2. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 1, wherein: The step of receiving a request from an applicant includes receiving wireless communication information from a device of the applicant.

3. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 1, wherein: The step of receiving a request from the applicant includes scanning a QR code by the applicant's device and / or receiving the request by the applicant's device via short-range wireless communication.

4. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising the step of transmitting the issued electronic certificate to the applicant's device.

5. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 1, wherein: The step of verifying the certificate information by the one or more associated certificate issuing units includes matching data associated with the certificate information from one or more databases.

6. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the issued electronic certificate in association with the applicant, wherein: The stored electronic certificate may be accessible by one or more of the applicant's device and / or the issuer's device.

7. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of certificate issuing units may be independently operated by respective certificate issuers via devices of the corresponding issuers.

8. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 7, further comprising the step of customizing the electronic certificate by the respective certificate issuer.

9. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 1, further comprising the step of issuing reward points to the applicant, wherein: The reward points are provided in the form of one or more credit points, loyalty points, cash coupons, vouchers and / or user ratings, grades or rankings.

10. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 6, wherein: The issued electronic certificates are stored in categories according to the types of the issued certificates, wherein the categories can be displayed on the device of the applicant.

11. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 6, wherein: The issued electronic certificates are stored according to the certificate information and / or the applicant identification classification, wherein the classification can be displayed on the device of the issuer.

12. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 1, further comprising the step of sharing the issued electronic certificate with one or more designated recipients and / or social media networks.

13. The computer-implemented method for issuing an electronic certificate according to claim 1, wherein: The step of issuing an electronic certificate includes generating a QR code associated with the certificate.

14. A computer-implemented system for implementing the steps for issuing an electronic certificate as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising: A certificate request module and a certificate issuing module, wherein the certificate issuing module includes a plurality of certificate issuing units; in The certificate request module includes: A receiving module for receiving a request from an applicant for issuance of an electronic certificate, the request including certificate information and applicant identification; A verification module for verifying the identity of the applicant; an identification module for identifying one or more relevant certificate issuing units from a plurality of certificate issuing units of the certificate issuing module according to the certificate information; Wherein, the one or more relevant certificate issuing units are suitable for issuing an electronic certificate according to the request after verifying the certificate information.

15. The computer-implemented system of claim 14, wherein: The certificate request module is adapted to receive the request for issuance of an electronic certificate from a user device via wireless communication.

16. The computer-implemented system of claim 14, wherein: The certificate request module is adapted to receive the request for issuing an electronic certificate via scanning a QR code and / or via short-range wireless communication.

17. The computer-implemented system of claim 14, wherein: The plurality of certificate issuing units of the certificate issuing module may be independently operated by respective certificate issuers via devices of the corresponding issuers.

18. The computer-implemented system of claim 14, further comprising a storage module for storing the issued electronic certificate in association with the applicant.

19. The computer-implemented system of claim 14, further comprising a reward module for issuing reward points to the applicant, wherein: The reward points are provided in the form of one or more credit points, loyalty points, cash coupons, vouchers and / or user ratings, grades or rankings.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions which, when implemented on a processor, perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 13.

Images