Shared Ecosystem for Electronic Document Signing and Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Corporate entities face difficulties in maintaining aligned document signature systems across cooperating entities, including challenges with updating authorized signer databases, real-time changes, visibility, and standardization of document sharing and signing processes, which can lead to workflow divergence and increased liability.
Innovation Solution
A shared ecosystem for electronic document signing and sharing (DSS) that includes user and signer information databases, enabling secure authentication, visibility, and control of processes, with features like selective link transmission, unique settings and templates deployment, and access regulation using keys, along with an API for communication between entities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual sharing of signatory requirements and policies is used between entities, then flexibility in communication is maintained, but reliability of policy adherence deteriorates due to lack of enforcement and tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a shared ecosystem platform as an intermediary between corporate entities and counterparts. This platform includes centralized databases for signatory requirements, policies, and authorized signers that both parties access through standardized interfaces. The ecosystem mediates document signing by automatically validating signatory authority against stored policies, eliminating manual communication while ensuring reliable policy enforcement through systematic verification processes.
2Reliability
If authorized signer databases are maintained manually by entities, then control over signer lists is preserved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming updates and synchronization delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the authorized signer databases of multiple corporate entities into a shared ecosystem database. Instead of each entity maintaining separate manual lists, the system consolidates signer information in a centralized repository that all entities access through the platform. This merging eliminates redundant maintenance efforts, enables real-time synchronization across entities, and maintains authorization control through shared access protocols and validation rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing the shared database structure, access protocols, and validation rules before document signing operations begin. Authorized signer information is pre-validated and stored in the ecosystem database with associated policies and requirements. When documents need signing, the system automatically retrieves and validates against pre-stored signer authority information, eliminating the need for real-time manual updates during critical signing operations.
3Reliability
If real-time changes to document signature systems are implemented, then reliability against fraud is improved, but device complexity increases due to coordination requirements across multiple entities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal document signing ecosystem that serves multiple corporate entities and counterparts through a single standardized platform. The system performs multiple functions including centralized signer authentication, policy validation, document routing, and signature verification within one unified architecture. This universal approach allows real-time changes to be implemented system-wide through a single interface, preventing fraud across all entities without requiring complex bilateral coordination between each pair of organizations.
4Loss of information
If visibility and status tracking of submitted documentation is enhanced, then information completeness is improved, but loss of information decreases due to potential over-tracking and system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms within the shared ecosystem that automatically track and communicate the status of submitted documentation to all relevant parties. The system provides real-time feedback on document progression through various stages (submitted, under review, signed, rejected), maintains audit trails of all actions, and notifies users of status changes. This automated feedback loop ensures complete visibility of documentation status without requiring complex manual tracking systems, as the ecosystem inherently records and communicates all state changes through standardized feedback channels.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to an electronic document sharing and signing (DSS) ecosystem for electronic document authentication and authorization. The DSS ecosystem may preferably provide a communication platform between a first user information database associated with a first entity and a second user information database associated with a second entity. The DSS ecosystem may include a signer information database. The signer information database may be coupled to the first user information database and the second user information database. The signer information database may be configured to be readable by the first entity and writeable to by the first entity, and readable by the second entity but not writeable to by the second entity. The signer database may include a list of signatory names associated with the first entity, and a plurality of electronically signed documents. Each of the documents may include an electronic signature applied by a signatory whose name appears on the signatory list. The list of electronically signed documents may be accessible by the second entity.