Apparatus, System, and Method for Electronically Signing Electronic Transcripts

Abstract

A method for electronically signing an electronic transcript. The method includes obtaining an image of a court reporter's signature which may be incorporated into an electronic transcript. A hash operation performed on the electronic transcript to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript. The representation of the contents of the electronic transcript is recorded/time stamped by a digital notary service, from which a notary record of the time stamping is obtained from the digital notary service. The notary record is digitally signed, and an electronically signed electronic transcript is formed by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript and with the data identifying the user. In this manner, an electronic transcript with an electronic signature is created. The electronic transcript may be viewed, with the image displayed in the viewer having an image of the court reporter's signature.

1 . A method for electronically signing an electronic transcript, comprising: 
 obtaining an electronic transcript;    obtaining signature location information including at least one of a page number and a line number within the transcript where a signature image is to appear;    incorporating said signature image into the electronic transcript;    associating said signature image with said signature location information;    performing a modification detection operation on the electronic transcript to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript;    providing for the recording and time stamping by a digital notary service of the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript;    obtaining a notary record from the digital notary service of the time stamping;    digitally signing the notary record; and    forming an electronically signed electronic transcript by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said performing a modification detection operation comprises: 
 performing a first hash operation on the electronic transcript to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript;    concatenating data to the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript, said data identifying a user; and    performing a second hash operation on the data concatenated to the representation, the second hash operation generating a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript and the data.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said first and second hash operations comprise a RIPEMD-160 hash operation.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said data includes a user name uniquely identifying the user.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said data includes a unique identifier which uniquely identifies the transcript.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said signature image is obtained by scanning a signature into an image file.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said associating step comprises: incorporating said signature image into said electronic transcript at the location indicated by said signature location information.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said associating step comprises: 
 incorporating said signature image data into said electronic transcript at the end of the electronic transcript; and    incorporating a pointer into said electronic transcript at the location indicated by said signature location information.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said incorporating step comprises concatenating said signature image data to said electronic transcript and said associating step comprises concatenating said location information to said electronic transcript.  
   
   
       10 . A method for electronically signing an electronic transcript, comprising: 
 receiving a signature document having a signature thereon from a user;    scanning said signature into a signature image file;    receiving an electronic transcript;    receiving signature location information including at least one of a page number and a line number within the electronic transcript where a signature image is to appear when the electronic transcript is displayed on a viewer;    incorporating the electronic transcript, signature image file and signature location information into an electronic transcript file;    performing a hash operation on the electronic transcript file to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    providing for the recording and time stamping by a digital notary service of the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    obtaining a notary record from the digital notary service of the time stamping;    digitally signing the notary record; and    forming an electronically signed electronic transcript by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript file.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hash operation is a RIPEMD-160 hash operation.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said performing a hash operation comprises: 
 performing a first hash operation on said electronic transcript file to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    concatenating data to the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file, said data identifying a user; and    performing a second hash operation on the data and the representation, the second hash operation generating a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file and the data.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said data includes a user name uniquely identifying the user.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said data includes a recipient's name.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said data includes a unique identifier which uniquely identifies the transcript.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a viewer, when displaying the electronic transcript, is operable display the signature image at the signature image location.  
   
   
       17 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer useable medium and computer readable code embodied on said computer useable medium for causing electronically signing an electronic transcript by a user, the computer readable code comprising:    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the receiving of an electronic transcript;    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the receiving of signature location information including at least one of a page number and a line number within the electronic transcript where a signature is to appear;    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the incorporating the electronic transcript, a signature image file and signature location information into an electronic transcript file;    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the performing a hash operation on the electronic transcript file to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the providing for the recording and time stamping by a digital notary service of the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the obtaining a notary record from the digital notary service of the time stamping;    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the digitally signing the notary record; and    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the forming an electronically signed electronic transcript by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript file.    
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the performing a hash operation comprise: 
 computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the performing a first hash operation on said electronic transcript file to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the concatenating data to the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file, said data identifying the user; and    computer readable program code devices configured to cause the computer to effect the performing a second hash operation on the data concatenated to the representation, the second hash operation generating a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file and the data.    
   
   
       19 . An electronically signed electronic transcript comprising an electronic transcript file, and a digitally signed notary record, said signed electronic transcript obtained by: 
 receiving an electronic transcript;    receiving signature location information including at least one of a page number and a line number within the electronic transcript where a signature image is to appear when the electronic transcript is displayed on a viewer;    incorporating the electronic transcript, a signature image file and the signature location information into the electronic transcript file;    performing a hash operation on the electronic transcript file to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    providing for the recording and time stamping by a digital notary service of the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    obtaining a notary record from the digital notary service of the time stamping;    digitally signing the notary record; and    forming the electronically signed electronic transcript by bundling the digitally signed notary record with the electronic transcript file.    
   
   
       20 . The electronically signed electronic transcript of  claim 19 , wherein said step of performing a hash operation comprises: 
 performing a first hash operation on said electronic transcript file to generate a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file;    concatenating data to the representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file, said data identifying a user; and    performing a second hash operation on the data and the representation, the second hash operation generating a representation of the contents of the electronic transcript file and the data.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said signature image is obtained by scanning a notarize copy of a signature.