A process and platform for achieving traceability of supplementary documents created by third parties from original documents via a blockchain system.
A blockchain system with smart contracts and digital fingerprints addresses traceability issues in document processing by multiple parties, ensuring continuous tracking and real-time authentication of documents.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DAVRON DIGITAL
- Filing Date
- 2021-09-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing systems fail to establish traceability of documents processed by multiple third parties, particularly when supplementary documents like translations or apostilles are added, due to compatibility issues between electronic signature software and lack of integration across different providers, making it difficult to verify authenticity and track the processing steps.
A blockchain-based system that integrates metadata from original and supplementary documents through smart contracts, using digital fingerprints and timestamps to create an audit trail, allowing verification of document authenticity and tracking of processing steps across multiple parties.
Ensures continuous tracking and verification of document processing, resolving compatibility issues and enabling real-time authentication of documents, even when processed by multiple parties with different electronic signature systems.
Smart Images

Figure 0007853287000008 
Figure 0007853287000009 
Figure 0007853287000010
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] In the present invention, the traceability of an attached document created by a third party from an original document is realized through a blockchain system.
[0002] The present invention can be generally applied to establish a provable traceability procedure in documents processed by multiple third parties. In particular, it is used when an authority having the legal right to confirm the authenticity of the presented document grants document authentication or an apostille.
[0003] The processing of a document as referred to in this document means any information processing in a digital document, and is a process belonging to a non-limiting group consisting of translation, authentication, apostille, attachment of an attached document, or other similar document processing.
Background Art
[0004] Normally, in the procedure for public authentication and apostille grant, various parties and third parties with different natures, such as companies, organizations, notaries, chambers of commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consulates, city halls, and legal translators, will check a digital document through multiple steps.
[0005] Electronic signatures are often carried out separately by each person. When a third party signs, they are not necessarily informed of the pre-processing and post-processing procedures, and the third parties do not consult with each other.
[0006] In addition, when physical processing is performed on a document, the actor of the processing scans and adds the document in question, making it even more difficult to confirm the authenticity compared to the original digital document.
[0007] The more the parties involved increase, the more difficult or impossible it becomes to track the entire process from document generation to disposal and prove that each processing step has been completed without problems.
[0008] When supplementary documents, such as translations or ancillary documents added to the original text, must be attached to the original document, establishing traceability becomes even more difficult.
[0009] Achieving traceability is further complicated and difficult due to the diversity of technical standards applied to electronic signatures and the differences between providers that must be resolved at the software level (very often incompatible between providers).
[0010] In fact, when multiple parties sign the same document using different electronic signature systems, compatibility issues can arise between the electronic signature software. For example, this problem can occur when different software is used for signing, when signatures are added later, or when a third party signs the contract.
[0011] In addition, when electronic signatures are applied sequentially by multiple parties, usage problems can arise when installing electronic signature software locally, downloading documents, signing on local terminals, and exporting signed documents.
[0012] Indeed, we are aware that processes already exist to effectively verify the authenticity of registered documents through document analysis, as well as processes to generate secure access related to transactions stored on the blockchain system.
[0013] However, these prior art processes cannot establish traceability of the authenticity of original documents that have been processed successively by multiple different third parties, nor can they establish inspection methods or means of proof when a third party attaches supplementary documents such as translations or apostilles to the original document. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0014] This invention aims to improve upon these shortcomings. [Means for solving the problem]
[0015] This invention relates to a processing process for establishing traceability of ancillary documents created by a third party from an original document via a blockchain system.
[0016] In the general definition of this invention, the traceability process consists of the following steps: - First, in the initialization process, the original document is registered and analyzed in order to obtain initialization metadata. This metadata consists of metadata specific to the original document (intrinsic metadata) and extrinsic metadata. Extrinsic metadata consists of the digital fingerprint of the original document, the digital fingerprint of the content of the original document, and the digital fingerprint of the metadata related to the original document. The initialization metadata is stored in the smart contract of the blockchain system. -The next step is processing by a third party, during which the third party creates ancillary documents. Both the ancillary documents created at this stage and the original document received by the third party for processing are electronically signed by the third party. This document is then marked and signed with a digital fingerprint for verification, consisting of the attached reference documents and their contents. Furthermore, there is a process for receiving submissions from third parties, which involves registering and analyzing the original document and signed ancillary documents sent by third parties, and obtaining acceptance data. This acceptance data includes metadata specific to the original document, digital fingerprints of the accepted original document, ancillary documents, reference documents, and their contents, as well as digital fingerprints of metadata related to the original document and ancillary documents. The acceptance metadata is stored in a separate smart contract within the blockchain system. - After both the initialization and reception processes, the smart contract is saved, which enables the acquisition of an audit trail and traceability of ancillary documents created by third parties from the original document.
[0017] Thanks to this invention, audit trails are acquired and integrated on the blockchain system, timestamps are applied and signatures are made, and if it is a public institution, the competent authority can access the audit trail and verify and certify the authenticity of ancillary documents created by third parties from the original document, as well as the state of the original document at each point in the processing procedure.
[0018] In execution mode, this process further involves sending the original document, metadata specific to the original document, and exogenous metadata to a third party. This exogenous metadata includes a digital fingerprint of the original document, a digital fingerprint of its content, and a digital fingerprint of the metadata related to the original document, all of which are stored in a smart contract within the blockchain system.
[0019] An advantage of the present invention is that the metadata acquired in this way during the initialization, transmission, and reception processes is stored in a database, which allows the metadata to be subsequently incorporated into a Merkle tree, and its root hash (Merkle root) to be stored in the blockchain system.
[0020] For example, unique metadata refers to data belonging to a group consisting of the record type, name, size, date, and user ID.
[0021] In reality, digital fingerprints are calculated using a selected hash function, such as SHA256.
[0022] In another execution mode, an attached document is a document belonging to a group of documents consisting of translations and digital documents that have been officially certified / apostille'd.
[0023] Another object of the present invention is to realize a platform for establishing the traceability of an attached document created by a third party from a related original document by using an interactive tool using a blockchain system.
[0024] As another aspect of the present invention, the platform includes the following functions. - A function of registering and analyzing an original document to obtain initialization metadata. The metadata here is composed of metadata unique to the original document and exogenous metadata. The latter consists of the digital fingerprint of the original document and its content and the digital fingerprint of the metadata related to the original document. - A function of receiving data sent from a third party. This function includes a function of registering and analyzing a signed original document and an attached document sent and received from a third party to obtain acceptance certification data. The acceptance certification data is composed of metadata unique to the original document and the digital fingerprints of the original document, attached document, reference document, and their respective contents, and the digital fingerprints of the metadata related to the original document and attached document. - A function of recording initialization metadata and acceptance metadata in respective smart contracts of the blockchain system.
[0025] In another execution mode of the present invention, one application module is installed on the platform, and this module can record document processing parameters desired by the user, perform at least one identification of the required processing, select at least one third party for each required database according to the type of required processing, and after the processed document is processed and recorded by the current third party, a subsequent third party can be additionally employed.
[0026] In the process according to the present invention, the life cycle from the generation to the disposal of the original document and all attached / supplementary documents added when one or more processes are performed on the document can be continuously and traceably tracked, it can be proved whether the process is being correctly executed in each step, and at the same time, a plurality of third parties are employed in the process steps, and problems due to differences in the criteria used by each third party can be solved.
[0027] The advantages of the present invention include that all information used in the unique process of the present invention is integrated into the smart contract stored on the blockchain system, whereby, at any point in the processing cycle, the metadata of all related documents and the recorded information regarding their digital fingerprints can be immobilized, and the information necessary for the audit trail can be integrally supplied to the organization verifying the authenticity of the documents.
[0028] The other features and advantages of the present invention will be clarified by the following detailed description and diagrams.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0029] [Figure 1] Illustrates all steps of the traceability process according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Illustrates the unique execution mode of the traceability process according to the present invention. [Figure 3] Illustrates the sub-steps in the initialization step according to the present invention. [Figure 4] Illustrates a specific example unique to the processing step according to the present invention. [Figure 5] Illustrates one of the execution modes in the sub-step of storing data on the block system according to the process of the present invention. [Figure 6] Illustrates the unique execution mode related to the unique metadata recovered during the execution of the process of the present invention. [Figure 7] Illustrates the hardware architecture of the platform of the present invention. [Figure 8]The functionality of the application module on the platform according to the present invention is illustrated in the diagram. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0030] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, in the traceability process of the present invention, a series of steps are realized in the following order. First is the initialization step S0, which aims to analyze, calculate, and record the information of the original document D1 in a transaction on the blockchain system B, and establishes the first stage of the traceability chain. The next processing step S1 is performed by a third party 100, in which the electronically signed original document D2 and the attached supplementary document DA are generated. After that there is a step S2 in which data is received from the third party 100, in which all of the documents D2 and DA generated in processing step S1 are recorded and analyzed, and the relevant digital fingerprint to be stored in the blockchain system B is calculated.
[0031] In the first step, initialization step S0, the user records a digital original document D1. Subsequently, the original document D1 is analyzed, and data related to the visualized content and initialization metadata of the document is obtained.
[0032] In practice, the data associated with the visualized content refers to data belonging to an unrestricted group consisting of text, images, digital objects integrated into document D1, and similar data.
[0033] In the execution mode of the present invention, a text recognition process is performed in a sub-step that analyzes the original document D1. This process makes it possible to extract any text content recognized in text format from the document.
[0034] As an unrestrictive example, text recognition processing refers to a group of processes that include "speech recognition" for original documents of audio and video type, and "visual OCR recognition" for documents of image type.
[0035] The retrieved metadata includes metadata specific to the original document D1 and extrinsic metadata of the original document D1.
[0036] Metadata MID1, which is unique to the original document D1, is data belonging to an unrestricted group consisting of the document name, size, digital signature data, certificate data, project identifier, title of supplementary documents, procedure number, etc.
[0037] Metadata specific to a document refers to data belonging to an unrestricted group, consisting of the document type, type of processing, the identifying name of the third party that signed it, any attached digital signatures and certificates, the validity of the certificate on the date of signing, title, author, company, date, location, source language, and issuing country.
[0038] However, if the document in question is an attached document to a processed document, the metadata specific to that document refers to data belonging to an unrestricted group consisting of the document type, destination language, destination country, the title of third party 100, the authority exercised by third party 100, the electronic signature and certificate of third party 100, the distinguished name of the third party who signed, the electronic signature and certificate granted, the validity of the certificate on the signing date, title, date, location, and the nature of the seal or stamp.
[0039] The exogenous metadata MED1 of the original document D1 is defined as metadata generated by an application, which performs the process of the present invention, and the exogenous metadata includes at least the timestamp of the user's recording, as well as the identifying name of the user who recorded the aforementioned original document D1.
[0040] In the sub-step of the initialization process S0 in the present invention, a selected digital fingerprint is calculated, and this digital fingerprint defines the exogenous metadata of the generated original document D1.
[0041] In practice, the digital fingerprint is calculated using the selected hash function.
[0042] For example, a digital fingerprint is calculated using the SHA256 hash function.
[0043] In the sub-step for calculating the initialization step S0 according to the present invention, the digital fingerprint HD1 of the original document, the digital fingerprint HB1 of the analyzed content, and the digital fingerprint HM1 of the unique metadata associated with the original document D1 are calculated.
[0044] In the final sub-step of initialization process S0, the digital fingerprints HD1, HB1, and HM1 thus calculated, along with the extracted unique metadata and generated exogenous metadata, are stored in a single transaction via a smart contract on a single blockchain system B.
[0045] [Table 1]
[0046] The traceability process of the present invention also includes a processing step S1 by a third party 100.
[0047] Third party 100 refers to all persons who have the authority to perform the selected process.
[0048] As a non-limiting example, Third Party 100 could be a notary public, a certified translator, a domestic or foreign government agency, or any other equivalent person qualified to certify the document.
[0049] Every act of electronically signing a document is verified through processing, and both the document itself and all other accompanying documents created are authenticated by an authorized third party.
[0050] As a non-exclusive example, the processing in question is a non-exclusive group of processes that include the affixing of an electronic signature by a third party who has made an oath on the original document D1, the creation of an attached document DA to the electronically signed original document D2, the translation and signing of the original document D1, the translation of the attached document DA, and the affixing of a public certification or apostille to at least one of the documents D1 being processed.
[0051] In fact, ancillary documents (DAs) are documents belonging to a group that includes translated documents, digitally certified documents, and digitally certified documents.
[0052] The electronic signatures applied to the original document D1 and its accompanying document DA allow for the integration of document-specific metadata, such as signature data and associated certificates.
[0053] [Table 2]
[0054] Furthermore, in processing step S1 according to the present invention, an auxiliary document DA is created by a third party 100, and an electronic signature is affixed by the third party 100 to both the auxiliary document DA thus created and the original document D1.
[0055] The resulting appendix then integrates a reference digital fingerprint HRA of the original reference document D1 to which the appendix is attached, and a digital fingerprint HRBA of the content of the original document D1 to which the appendix is attached and signed.
[0056] After being processed by the third party 100, the signed original document D2 and the signed annex document DA thus created are received in accordance with the receiving step S2 via an application that performs the process of the present invention.
[0057] In the execution mode of the present invention, processing step S1 includes a sub-analysis step that analyzes the original documents D1 and D2 in real time while they are being processed or modified, or while ancillary documents are being created, and acquires document-specific metadata for each document during processing and acquires extrinsic metadata for documents during processing and creation.
[0058] Processing step S1 further includes a second sub-step for calculation, in which, depending on the progress of the processing being performed, not only is the digital fingerprint of the document and its contents calculated during processing, but the digital fingerprint of the metadata specific to the document is also calculated during processing and generation.
[0059] Processing step S1 includes a third sub-step in which the unique metadata and extracted exogenous metadata are stored in the smart contract (B1) of the blockchain system (B). In this step, all calculated digital fingerprints are integrated, and this step is repeated depending on the progress of processing on the object document in processing step S1.
[0060] The advantage here is that metadata about the document being processed can be stored in a smart contract at multiple points in the processing cycle, making it possible to verify the document's status in real time.
[0061] The process of the present invention includes a step S2 for receiving a document created by a processing step S1 sent from a third party 100, and the step includes a first sub-step for simultaneously recording and analyzing the received signed original document D2 and signed supplementary document DA, and through this sub-step, data related to the visualized content of the aforementioned documents D2 and DA, unique metadata MID2 and MIDA, and related extrinsic metadata MED2 and MEDA can be obtained.
[0062] The recording of the signed original document D2 and the signed accompanying document DA is achieved by timestamping them upon receipt, and each timestamp is incorporated into MED2 and MEDA, which are the exogenous metadata for the respective documents D2 and DA.
[0063] [Table 3]
[0064] [Table 4]
[0065] For the signed original document D2, unique metadata MID2 is first extracted, including the name, size, assigned digital signature data, and certificate.
[0066] In the calculation sub-process of the receiving process S2, the digital fingerprint HD2 of the signed original document, the digital fingerprint HB2 of the thus analyzed content, and the digital fingerprint HM1 of metadata specific to the signed original document D2 are calculated, and these fingerprints are incorporated into the exogenous metadata of the signed original document D2.
[0067] For the signed attachment DA, the following are extracted: MIDA, which is unique metadata such as name, size, assigned electronic signature data and certificate; HRA, which is a reference digital fingerprint of the reference document D2 to which the attachment DA is combined; and HRBA, which is a digital fingerprint of the content of the original document D2 to which the attachment DA is attached.
[0068] In the calculation sub-process of the receiving process S2, the digital fingerprint HDA of the signed ancillary document, the digital fingerprint HBA of the ancillary document's content, and the unique metadata HMA collected from the ancillary document are calculated, and these fingerprints are incorporated into the extrinsic metadata of the ancillary document DA.
[0069] After the digital fingerprints of the signed original document D2 and its accompanying document DA are calculated, in the receiving process S2, a sub-process for storage is executed in the blockchain system (B) via a transaction by a second smart contract B2. This second smart contract B2 contains unique and exogenous metadata generated from the signed original document D2 and its annex DA.
[0070] [Table 5]
[0071] In the execution mode specific to this invention, in the receiving step S2, the metadata acquired in the initialization step S0 and the receiving step S2 are stored in a database and subsequently incorporated into the Merkle tree. The root digital fingerprint of this metadata is stored through transactions within the blockchain system B.
[0072] In the specific execution mode of the present invention, the storage step, which is a sub-step of the receiving step of the present invention, includes a sub-step for identifying the document to be tracked.
[0073] In the document identification sub-step, the digital fingerprint of the content of the original document D1 is compared for the first time with the digital fingerprint of the content of the signed original document D2. If there are no problems in this document identification step, the two documents are considered to be the same document.
[0074] In the control sub-process for identification, a second comparison is performed between the reference fingerprint HRA of reference document D2 to which supplementary document DA is attached and the digital fingerprint of the signed original document D2, as well as between the digital fingerprint HRBA of the content of the reference document to which supplementary document DA is attached and the digital fingerprint of the content of the signed original document D2.
[0075] If the comparison reveals no issues and the digital fingerprints are identical, then the presented supplementary document DA is correctly linked to the signed original document D2.
[0076] The control sub-process for identification allows for verification of the authenticity of the link between signed document D2 and annex document DA, while also clarifying the conformity of the traceability chain, and further, a traceability tree is formed.
[0077] The advantages of the present invention are that, in each stage of the analysis sub-process of documents D1, D2, and DA, text is extracted from the document in question, thereby detecting only the text present in the document, and handwritten signatures or stamps on the document are not recognized as text content. Furthermore, the unique execution mode of the present invention allows for the retention of a digital fingerprint of the same content even after processing such as signature, official authentication, and apostille, and in addition, depending on the applicable digitization conditions, it becomes possible to insert a digitized physical document that is not strictly identical to the original document.
[0078] In a specific execution mode of the present invention, a transmission step is added to the traceability process of the present invention after the initialization step S0 and precedes the processing step S1.
[0079] In the transmission process, the original document D1, metadata specific to the original document D1 MID1, extrinsic metadata MED1 of the original document D1, and metadata regarding the timestamp of the transmission action of the original document D1 to the third party 100 are sent to the third party 100. The extrinsic metadata here includes the digital fingerprint HD1 of the original document, the digital fingerprint HB1 of its content, and the digital fingerprint HM1 of the related metadata of the original document D1. The metadata regarding the timestamp of the transmission action of the original document D1 to the third party 100 is stored on blockchain system B via a transaction executed by the third smart contract B3.
[0080] [Table 6]
[0081] In the execution mode of the present invention, the transmission step further includes a control sub-step that controls the identification of the original document D1 to be transmitted, prior to the transmission of the original document D1 which is processed by the third party 100.
[0082] In this control sub-process, the digital fingerprint HD1 of the document being sent, the digital fingerprint HB1 of the content of the document being sent, and the digital fingerprint HM1 of the unique metadata associated with the original document D1 being sent are calculated.
[0083] The control sub-process includes a step of comparing the digital fingerprint HD1 of the document to be transmitted with the digital fingerprint HD1 of the original document D1, as well as a step of comparing the digital fingerprint HB1 of the content of the document to be transmitted with the digital fingerprint HB1 of the content of the original document D1.
[0084] If no problems are found after comparison, the document sent to the third party will be the original document D1.
[0085] [Table 7]
[0086] In the execution mode of the present invention, visual control of suitability is also performed in the control sub-process.
[0087] Visual control over conformance is achieved, for example, by comparing extracted visual content between the original document D1 and the signed original document D2, between the original document D1 and an attached document for the original document with an apostille or official certification, or between an attached document and another document whose content contains identifying elements.
[0088] For example, even if the original document D1 is physically stamped, signed, or imprinted by a third party 100 after processing and then digitized, it can still be compared to the original document D1. Specifically, the visualized content of both comparison targets is examined, and it is confirmed that at least a portion of their visualized content is identical.
[0089] In another mode of execution of the present invention, the traceability process is performed by a succession of third parties (100, 200).
[0090] The initialization process S0, processing process S1, and receiving process S2 are repeatedly performed by the next third party (200) based on the signed original document (D2) and signed supplementary document (DA) created by the previous third party (100).
[0091] In the unique execution mode of this invention, all sub-processes (B1, B2, B3) of storing data in a single smart contract via a transaction in blockchain system B are executed on a single smart contract that aggregates all the stored information.
[0092] An advantage of the present invention is that, by storing it in a single smart contract, any organization performing audit trail verification can obtain all the information necessary to verify the authenticity of the document on the same medium of blockchain system B.
[0093] In the selective execution mode of the present invention, the user can select which blockchain system B to use for the storage sub-process based on the backup parameters selected by the user when recording the original document D1.
[0094] By using blockchain system B to store the metadata targeted in this invention at any point in time during processing on at least one smart contract B1, it becomes possible to prove the state of data selected from a document or one or more documents, or the state of a combination of ancillary documents and documents. The stored information can be made immutable and traceable with the audit trail thus generated, and the audit trail can also be integrated during the sequential processing of documents.
[0095] Furthermore, by digitally fingerprinting the metadata unique to each of documents D1, D2, and DA, it is possible to immutate and prove the metadata and associated metadata, particularly regarding 100 electronic signatures (or more) of each third party, or to add a process of asynchronously and sequentially incrementing the signatures affixed to a single document or to a single document and at least one accompanying document combined with it.
[0096] This process prevents overwriting of previously applied signatures when one or more documents are signed by different software, and allows for individual tracking of each signature added to a document sequentially on the audit trail.
[0097] In the initial execution mode, the original document D1 is authenticated by a notary public and then sent to the first third party 100 for translation. The resulting translation is then signed, and documents D2 and DA are then sent to another third party 200 for official authentication. This third party 200 is a government agency, meaning the resulting documents are then sent to a second auxiliary third party 200, such as a consul, and the resulting documents undergo a process similar to hyper-official authentication.
[0098] In the second execution mode, the original document D1 is authenticated by a notary public and then sent to the first third party 100 for translation. The resulting translation is then signed, and documents D2 and DA are then sent to another third party 200 for apostille. This third party 200 is a government agency.
[0099] In practice, the recording sub-processes of the initialization process S0 and the reception process S2 are temporarily executed until the requested information is stored in the blockchain system B. This prevents the archiving of documents D1, D2, and DA, thus guaranteeing the confidentiality of these documents.
[0100] For example, documents D1, D2, and DA are files of the PDF type.
[0101] Thus, the audit trail of blockchain system B is continuously supplied by the third party (100,200) that continues to process the data, and continuous data related to each of the three parties 100,200 can be stored in each of the initialization process S0 and the receiving process S2, allowing the third party performing verification to access the authenticity verification tree from the original document D1.
[0102] As can be seen from Figures 6 and 7, the present invention also refers to a traceability platform for ancillary documents DA created by a third party 100 from the original document D1. This platform interacts with a blockchain system B to perform the traceability process.
[0103] The traceability platform according to the present invention, having a selected structure, has the following functions. - A function to record and analyze the original document D1. This retrieves initialization metadata consisting of metadata MID1 specific to the original document D1 and extrinsic metadata MED1. The extrinsic metadata includes the digital fingerprint HD1 of the original document, the digital fingerprint HB1 of its content, and the digital fingerprint HM1 of the metadata associated with the original document D1. - Receiving function S2 to receive transmissions from third parties. This includes the function to register and analyze the original document D2 and accompanying document DA received from third party 100 with signatures, and to obtain the following receiving data: metadata specific to the original document, the digital fingerprint HD2 of the received original document, the digital fingerprint HDA of its accompanying document, the digital fingerprint HRA of the reference document, the digital fingerprints HBA, HB2 and HBRA of the respective contents of these, in addition to the digital fingerprints HM2 and HMA of metadata related to the original document and accompanying document. - A function to record initialization metadata and acceptance metadata in the respective smart contracts of blockchain system B.
[0104] In actual use, the platform of the present invention is equipped with at least one web server, which is connectable to user equipment via a network and can receive and record at least one document belonging to a group consisting of the original document D1, the signed original document D2, and supplementary documents DA sent by the user or third parties 100 and 200.
[0105] In the execution mode of the present invention, the platform of the present invention is equipped with at least one application server, which enables the analysis of at least one document belonging to a group consisting of original document D1, signed original document D2, and accompanying document DA, and simultaneously enables the calculation of digital fingerprints HD1, HB1, HM1, HD2, HB2, HM2, HDA, HBA, and HMA required when executing the traceability process of the present invention.
[0106] The platform of the present invention also includes a storage module, enabling storage of smart contracts B1, B2, and B3 via transactions executed in blockchain system B.
[0107] The aforementioned storage module is equipped with at least one node server. This server forms a component of blockchain system B, which has a large number of interconnected nodes.
[0108] In one mode of implementation of the present invention, blockchain system B is a public blockchain system.
[0109] In another mode of implementation of the present invention, blockchain system B is a private blockchain system.
[0110] In the execution mode specific to the present invention, the platform in the present invention is further equipped with multiple databases.
[0111] Each database contains at least one list of third parties and can execute at least one of the selected processes 101 and 201. In addition to this list, it also contains information related to third parties A, B, and C, such as contact information and platform identification numbers.
[0112] In the unique execution mode of this invention, an application module is installed on the platform, which can select third parties in the processing procedure, guide the user, and provide all of these third parties with the original document D1 to be processed according to processing parameters that the user has defined and set in advance.
[0113] The application module on the platform of the present invention can first record processing parameters desired by the user for document D1.
[0114] For example, if the processing parameters are translation and certification by a government agency, then third parties A, B, and C selected for processing will perform the translation and official certification.
[0115] In fact, the application module of the platform of the present invention is capable of performing at least one of the processes 101 belonging to the group consisting of document translation, public authentication, and apostille granting, and identifying the content.
[0116] Based on the defined processing parameters, the application module can select at least one third party from A, B, and C to match each selected type of processing, execute the processing from the databases of third parties A, B, and C, and then recruit the next third party 200 after the processed documents D2 and DA have been processed and recorded by the current third party 100.
[0117] In the unique execution mode of the present invention, the platform of the present invention is also equipped with an API-type module, which employs at least one external electronic signature tool for third parties 100 and is configured to receive executable files applied to documents to be electronically signed by the third parties in the form of an inline frame (IFrame).
Claims
1. A method for tracing an attached document (DA) created by a third party (100) based on an original document (D1) to which an attached document is attached, which is executed by a computer, This method uses a blockchain system, In the initialization process (S0), A computer analyzes the digital data of the original document (D1) to obtain initialization metadata consisting of metadata specific to the original document (D1) (MID1) and metadata generated by the application performing the method, which is then aggregated into exogenous metadata (MED1) of the original document (D1). A process that uses a hash function to calculate the digital fingerprint (HD1, HB1) of the original document (D1) and its contents, and the digital fingerprint (HM1) of the unique metadata (MID1), The process of recording initialization metadata in a smart contract (B1) of the blockchain system (B) is executed. In processing step (S1), A computer processes the generation of digital data of an attached document (DA) from an received original document (D1) based on operations input from a third party's (100) terminal, A process that uses digital signature technology to electronically sign the original document (D1) and the attached document (DA) to generate a signed original document (D2) and a signed attached document (DA), The process involves integrating the reference digital fingerprint (HRA) and the content digital fingerprint (HRBA) into the external metadata (MEDA) of the accompanying document (DA). In the process of receiving data sent from a third party (100) (S2), The computer receives and analyzes a signed original document (D2) and a signed ancillary document (DA), and processes to obtain acceptance metadata consisting of metadata specific to the signed original document (D2) (MID2) and metadata specific to the signed ancillary document (DA) (MIDA), exogenous metadata of the signed original document (D2) (MED2) and exogenous metadata of the signed ancillary document (DA) (MEDA), which include a fingerprint of the received original document (HD2), a fingerprint of the ancillary document (HDA), a fingerprint of the reference document (HRA), and fingerprints of their respective contents (HBA, HB2, HBRA), and fingerprints of metadata related to the signed original document (D2) and the signed ancillary document (DA) (HM2, HMA). The process of storing the acceptance metadata in a smart contract (B1) of the blockchain system (B) is executed. The smart contract (B1) is saved at each processing stage of the initialization process (S0) and at each processing stage of the receiving process (S2). A traceability method characterized in that a computer performs a process to present information based on initialization metadata and acceptance metadata stored in a smart contract (B1) so that an audit trail and traceability of an accompanying document (DA) can be established from the original document.
2. The method according to Claim 1, After the initialization step (S0) and before the processing step (S1), The process further includes a transmission step in which the computer sends the original document (D1) and its unique metadata (MID1) to the aforementioned third party (100), The traceability method according to claim 1, characterized in that the information sent in the sending process is stored in a smart contract (B1) of a blockchain system (B).
3. The traceability method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that metadata acquired in each of the initialization step (S0), the sending step, and the receiving step (S2) is stored in a single database and subsequently incorporated into a Merkle tree, and the root hash of this Merkle tree is stored in a blockchain system (B).
4. The traceability method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the unique metadata (MID1, MID2, MIDA) is data belonging to a group consisting of document type, name, size, registration date, user identifier, electronic signature data, and certificates (single / multiple) attached to the electronic signature data.
5. The traceability method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the digital fingerprint (HD1, HB1, HM1, HD2, HB2, HM2, HDA, HBA, HMA) is calculated according to a selected hash function.
6. The traceability method according to claim 5, characterized in that the hash function uses SHA256.
7. The traceability method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the accompanying document (DA) is a document belonging to a group consisting of a translated document, a digital document including public authentication, or a digital document to which an apostille has been attached.
8. The traceability method according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the method is performed sequentially by a plurality of third parties (100, 200), the initialization step (S0), the processing step (S1), and the receiving step (S2) are repeatedly performed by subsequent third parties (200) using a signed original document and accompanying documents created by a preceding third party (100), and the audit trail of the blockchain system (B) is continuously provided by each processing of the successive third parties (100, 200).
9. A traceability system for establishing traceability of ancillary documents (DA) created by a third party (100) from an original document (D1), which interacts with a blockchain system (B), A registration and analysis means that registers and analyzes the original document (D1) and performs the process of obtaining initialization metadata, Receiving means that receives and analyzes a signed original document (D2) and an attached document (DA) transmitted from a third party (100), and processes to obtain unique metadata of the signed original document (D2) and the attached document (DA), as well as acceptance metadata including a digital fingerprint, A storage means that stores initialization metadata and acceptance metadata obtained by the receiving means in a smart contract (B1) of a blockchain system (B), and performs processing through a series of processes by multiple third parties (100, 200) to establish an audit trail and traceability of the attached documents (DA) from the original document based on the stored initialization metadata and acceptance metadata, A traceability system characterized by comprising the following:
10. A traceability system according to claim 9, It also includes an Application module, A traceability system characterized by an application module that records processing parameters of an original document (D1) as desired by the user, identifies at least one of the processing steps belonging to a group consisting of document translation, public authentication, or apostille application, selects at least one third party for each type of identified processing, and incorporates subsequent third parties after recording the documents processed by the current third party (D2, DA).
11. A traceability system according to claim 10, A traceability system characterized by incorporating a tool that interacts with multiple databases, each database storing a list of third parties that perform at least one selected process, and information related to those third parties.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Existence proof program and existence proof server for electronic data
JP2017098806A
Document management system, document management method, and document management program
JP2019121946A
Systems and methods for executing and delivering electronic documents
JP2020517034A
Blockchain-anchored smart documents
US20190356493A1
Traceability of edits to digital documents via distributed ledgers
US20200162236A1