# US 2013/0159720 A1 · Mobile solution for signing and retaining third-party documents

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- Number: US 2013/0159720 A1
- Document ID: US20130159720A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/595,876
- Filed: 2012-08-27
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-25
- Assignees: DocuSign, Inc.
- Inventors: Thomas H. Gonser; Donald G. Peterson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159720A1

## CPC

- H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures}
- G06F 21/32: using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
- G06F 21/645: {using a third party}
- G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management
- H04L 63/126: {the source of the received data}
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Techniques for signer-initiated electronic document signing via an electronic signature service using a mobile or other client device are described. Example embodiments provide an electronic signature service (“ESS”) configured to facilitate the creation, storage, and management of documents and corresponding electronic signatures. In some embodiments, when a signer user receives an electronic signature document on a mobile device, the signer may use a client module executing on the mobile device to import the document into the ESS. Once the document is imported into the ESS, the signer can access, review, and sign the document at the ESS via the mobile device. After signing the document, the signer can use the mobile device to cause the ESS to provide the signed document to one or more recipients.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for facilitating electronic signatures on a client device operated by a signer, comprising in the client device:
receiving an electronic signature document;
in response to an input received from the signer, causing the received electronic signature document to be stored at a remote electronic signature service;
providing access to the electronic signature document stored at the remote electronic signature service; and
causing an electronic signature of the signer to be stored in association with the electronic signature document stored at the remote electronic signature service.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the remote electronic signature service to provide the stored electronic signature document to a recipient.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein causing the remote electronic signature service to provide the stored electronic signature document to a recipient includes transmitting from the remote electronic signature service to the recipient a copy of the stored electronic signature document as an attachment to an email.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein causing the remote electronic signature service to provide the stored electronic signature document to a recipient includes transmitting from the remote electronic signature service to the recipient a copy of the stored electronic signature document as a fax.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein causing the remote electronic signature service to provide the stored electronic signature document to a recipient includes transmitting from the remote electronic signature service to the recipient an email including an identifier of the stored electronic signature document, the identifier configured to facilitate access to the stored electronic signature document at the remote electronic signature service.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the client device is a mobile device and includes an email client that is configured to, in response to the input received from the signer, transmit the electronic signature document to the remote electronic signature service.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising using a Web browser executing on the client device to access the electronic signature document stored at the remote electronic signature service and to cause the electronic signature of the signer to be stored in association with the electronic signature document.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically populating form fields in the electronic signature document based on prior form entries made by the signer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising installing a code module on the client device, the code module configured to transparently import documents obtained from an email client of the client device into the remote electronic signature service.

### Claim 10

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having contents that, when executed by a client device, facilitate electronic signatures via the client device by performing a method comprising in the client device:
receiving an electronic signature document;
in response to an input received from the signer, causing the received electronic signature document to be stored at a remote electronic signature service;
providing access to the electronic signature document stored at the remote electronic signature service; and
causing an electronic signature of the signer to be stored in association with the electronic signature document stored at the remote electronic signature service.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the contents are instructions that, when executed, cause the client device to perform the method.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein providing access to the electronic signature document includes, after the electronic signature document is stored at the remote electronic signature service, automatically causing a Web browser of the client device to access an electronic signature service application hosted by the remote electronic signature service, the application configured to facilitate review, modification, and signature by the signer of the electronic signature document.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising in response to the storage of the electronic signature of signer, automatically causing an email client of the client device to prepare an outgoing email message that includes an attached file that represents electronic signature document including the electronic signature of the signer.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein receiving the electronic signature document includes receiving an email message that includes the electronic signature document, and further comprising:
determining an email address based on a source address field of the received email message; and
including the email address in a destination address field of the outgoing email message.

### Claim 15

A computing system configured to facilitate electronic signatures, comprising:
a client device having a processor and memory; and
a module stored on the memory that is configured, when executed by the processor, to:
receive an electronic signature document;
in response to an input received from the signer, cause the received electronic signature document to be stored at a remote electronic signature service;
provide access to the electronic signature document stored at the remote electronic signature service; and
cause an electronic signature of the signer to be stored in association with the electronic signature document stored at the remote electronic signature service.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computing system of claim 15, wherein the module includes software instructions for execution in the memory of the computing system.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computing system of claim 15, further comprising an electronic signature service that is remote from the client device and that is configured to perform electronic signature management functions and to provide access to the electronic signature management functions via a Web browser executing on the client device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computing system of claim 15, wherein the client device is a smart phone or a tablet computer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The computing system of claim 15, wherein the client device does not include PDF conversion or manipulation software.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The computing system of claim 15, wherein the module is configured to, after storage of the electronic signature of the signer, transmit a signed copy of the electronic signature document via email to an originator of the electronic signature document.