US 2018/0018468 A1 · Validation and Authentication of Digital Documents Issued by an Architect

Abstract

A method and system for authenticating and validating electronic architectural documents. A document approved by a licensed architect has the architects digital seal and signature associated with or inserted into the document file. A hash function is performed to create an issued file with the digital seal and signature and a cryptographic hash. The issued document is distributed to a recipient, extracted to a local drive, and subsequently accessed for use in an architectural project. The cryptographic hash of the extracted file is compared to that of the accessed filed to determine if they are the same. If the same, the accessed document is validated and the digital seal and signature remain visible in the accessed document. If not, the accessed document is not validated and the digital seal and signature are removed from or hidden, indicating the document should not be used.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for validating electronically issued architectural documents comprising:

associating a digital seal and signature of a licensed architect with an electronic document approved by the architect;
performing a hash function on the document to create an issued document with the digital seal and signature and a cryptographic hash;
validating the issued document prior to using the document by comparing its cryptographic hash with a cryptographic hash of a comparison document;
removing or hiding the digital seal and signature from the issued document if the comparison fails.

1 more element

A system for validating electronically issued architectural documents comprising:

a user's computer, terminal, or other computing device connected to a communication network;
a first software component on the user's computer, terminal or other computing device for associating a digital seal and signature of a licensed architect with an electronic document approved by the architect the architect;
a recipient's computer, terminal, or other computing device connected to the communication network and configured to extract the issued document for validation and access the issued document for subsequent use in permitting, building inspection, construction, or fabrication if the accessed document passes validation;
and
a second software component on the recipient's computer, terminal, or other computing device or embedded in the accessed document for validating the accessed document by comparing data associated with the file of the accessed document to the data associated with the file of the extracted document and removing the digital seal and signature from the accessed document if the comparison fails.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Validation and Authentication of Digital Documents Issued by an Architect

Life of this patent

Validation and Authentication of Digital Documents Issued by an Architect

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20