Document Validation System and Method

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of self-validating documents in supply chain management, documentation services and method for creating the same.

1 . A system for validating at least a portion of a certification document for at least one material, comprising:
 a computer-readable storage medium containing a certification document authoring program for creation of the certification document using a computer executing the certification document authoring program, the certification document including at least one dynamic control statement associated with the at least one material;   a storage device for storage of the certification document, wherein the storage device is configured to be accessible by at least one certification document recipient; and   a computer-readable storage medium containing a certification document validation program for accessing the at least one certification document stored at the storage device by the at least one certification document recipient and validating the at least one dynamic control statement by retrieving validation information relating to the at least one dynamic control statement from a dynamic source of validation information.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the certification document authoring program is configured to access a dynamic standard phrase database for generating the at least one control statement.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a recipient storage medium configured to store the at least one dynamic control statement accessible by the at least one recipient,   wherein the at least one dynamic control statement stored on the recipient storage medium is accessible for use in generating at least another certification document which includes the at least one dynamic control statement and is accessible by at least another recipient from the recipient storage medium.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein
 the at least one dynamic control statement is a hyperlink to the dynamic source of validation information,   the certification document validation program is configured to permit the at least one recipient to validate the at least one dynamic control statement by selecting the hyperlink to retrieve a source document associated with the at least one dynamic control statement.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein
 the certification document validation program is configured to compare a timestamp associated with the certification document to a time stamp associated with the retrieved source document.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the certification document includes at least a link to information associated with at least one of a radio frequency identification device and a bar code identification code.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein
 at least one of the certification document authoring program and the certification document validation program is configured such that selection of the link to the information associated with at least one of the radio frequency identification device and the bar code identification code generates a request which returns at least one of an index, a compilation, and a reference to changes, alerts, and/or product recalls relating to an item associated with the at least one of the radio frequency identification device and the bar code identification code.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein
 the dynamic source of validation information is located on at least one secure web server.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein
 the dynamic source of validation information returns a parameter of use.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one material is at least one of a chemical substance, a biological agent, a formulation and a finished article. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the certification document is at least one of a purchase order, an advance shipment notice, a notice of product recall, a material safety data sheet, an import notification, a customer notice and a bill of lading. 
     
     
         12 . An enterprise resource planning, comprising:
 a system for validating at least a portion of a certification document for at least one material, the certification document validating system including:
 a computer-readable storage medium containing a certification document authoring program for creation of the certification document using a computer executing the certification document authoring program, the certification document including at least one dynamic control statement associated with said at least one material; 
 a storage device for storage of the certification document, wherein the storage device is configured to be accessible by at least one certification document recipient; and 
 a computer-readable storage medium containing a certification document validation program for accessing the at least one certification document stored at the storage device by the at least one certification document recipient and validating the at least one dynamic control statement by retrieving validation information relating to the at least one dynamic control statement from a dynamic source of validation information. 
   
     
     
         13 . A method for validating at least a portion of a certification document for at least one material, comprising the acts of:
 accessing a certification document, said certification document including at least one dynamic control statement associated with the at least one material; and   validating the at least one dynamic control statement by retrieving validation information relating to the at least one dynamic control statement from a dynamic source of validation information.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the acts of:
 creating the certification document using a certification document authoring program;   storing the certification document at a storage device configured to be accessed by at least one certification document recipient.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein
 the at least one dynamic control statement includes information associated with parameters of use for the at least one material.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein
 the at least one dynamic control statement is a hyperlink to the dynamic source of validation information,   the validating act includes selecting the hyperlink to retrieve a source document associated with the at least one dynamic control statement.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein
 the source document is at least one of an index, a compilation, and a reference to changes, alerts, and/or product recalls relating to the at least one dynamic control statement.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein
 the at least one material is at least one of a chemical substance, a biological agent, a formulation and a finished article.