Transmitting reviews with digital signatures

An authoring workstation, comprising:

• means for recording a presentation document including a log of activities of a critical procedure;
• means for allowing the origin and integrity of the presentation document to be verified, including:
• means for producing a presentation document record including the presentation document;
• means for producing a digital fingerprint for the presentation document by hashing the presentation document record using a one-way hashing method;
• a private key of the presentation;
• means for producing a digital signature for the presentation document by encrypting the presentation fingerprint using the private key of the presentation;
• means for distributing the presentation document record, the presentation document signature, and a public key of the presentation whereby viewers of the presentation document can decrypt the presentation document, produce the presentation document fingerprint by hashing the presentation document record, compare the decryption with the fingerprint to verify the origin and integrity of the presentation document;
• means for providing the presentation document signature to an electronic notary, the electronic notary residing on a host system separate from the authoring workstation;
• means for receiving a time stamp and time stamp signature for the presentation document from the electronic notary, the presentation document time stamp including the stamping time at which the time stamp was produced and the presentation document signature, the presentation document time stamp signature being produced from a fingerprint of the presentation document time stamp using a private key of the electronic notary;
• and
• means for distributing the time stamp whereby viewers of the presentation document can decrypt the time stamp signature using the public key of the electronic notary, produce the time stamp fingerprint by hashing the time stamp, and compare the decryption with the fingerprint to verify the origin and integrity of the time stamp and the stamping time in the time stamp.

An auditor workstation, comprising:

• means for obtaining a first document record, a public key of a first document, a first document time stamp, a first document time stamp signature, a review document record, a public key of a review document of the first document, a review document time stamp, a review document time stamp signature, and a public key of an electronic notary, the electronic notary residing on a separate host system from the auditor workstation;
• means for decrypting the first document time stamp signature using the public key of the first document;
• means for reproducing a fingerprint of the first document using a one-way hashing method;
• means for comparing the first document fingerprint with the decryption of the first document signature and verifying the origin of the first document and that the first document has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• means for producing a fingerprint for the first document time stamp by hashing the time stamp using the one-way hashing method;
• means for decrypting the first document time stamp signature using the public key of the electronic notary;
• means for comparing the first document time stamp fingerprint with the decryption of the first document time stamp signature and verifying the origin of the first document time stamp and that the first document time stamp has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• means for decrypting the review document time stamp signature using the public key of the review document;
• means for reproducing a fingerprint of the review document using the one-way hashing method;
• means for comparing the review document fingerprint with the decryption of the review document signature and verifying the origin of the review document and that the review document has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• means for producing the fingerprint for the review document time stamp by hashing the time stamp using the one-way hashing method;
• means for decrypting the review document time stamp signature using the public key of the electronic notary;
• means for comparing the review document time stamp fingerprint with the decryption of the review document time stamp signature and verifying the origin of the review document time stamp and that the review document time stamp has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• and
• means for auditing the review of the first document.

A computer network, in which:

• the network comprises authoring means, including:
• means for an author to produce a first document selected from a group including:
• means for producing an image, means for producing a report, and means for producing a multimedia production for documenting the steps preformed during a critical procedure;
• means for producing a first document record containing the first document and none or more of:
• the identity of the author, the identity of the authoring workstation, the time of the authoring, the time of signing, the identification of other documents on which the first document depends, a sequence number of the document, and a title of the document;
• means for producing a fingerprint of the first document record using a one-way hashing method;
• a private key for encrypting the fingerprint of the first document to produce a first document signature and which can not be accessed by viewers of the first document;
• and a public key for decrypting the first document signature and which is accessible by viewers of the first document;
• means for producing a first document signature by encrypting the first document fingerprint using the private key for signing first document fingerprints;
• means for storing the first document record and the first document signature;
• means for providing the first document signature to an electronic notary, the electronic notary residing on a separate host system of the network;
• means for obtaining a time stamp and a time stamp signature from the electronic notary for the first document, the time stamp containing the first document signature and a digital time when the time stamp was produced, the first document time stamp signature being produced by encrypting a fingerprint of the first document time stamp using a private key of the electronic notary, the fingerprint of the review document time stamp being produced by hashing the first document time stamp using a one-way hashing method;
• means for storing the first document time stamp and the first document time stamp signature of the electronic notary;
• and
• means for distributing to viewers of the first document:
• the first document record, the public key the first document, the first document time stamp, and the first document time stamp signature;
• the network further comprises reviewing means, including:
• means for obtaining the first document record, the first document time stamp, the first document time stamp signature, the public key of the first document, and the public key of the electronic notary;
• means for decrypting the first document signature using the public key of the first document;
• means for reproducing the fingerprint of the first document using the one-way hashing method;
• and
• means for comparing the first document fingerprint with the decryption of the first document signature and verifying the origin of the first document and that the first document has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• means for producing the fingerprint for the first document time stamp by hashing the time stamp using the one-way hashing method;
• means for decrypting the first document time stamp signature using the public key of the electronic notary;
• and
• means for comparing the first document time stamp fingerprint with the decryption of the first document time stamp signature and verifying the origin of the first document time stamp and that the first document time stamp has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• means for automatically creating a review document while a human reviewer reviews the first document, the review document including a record log of the activities of the reviewer during the review, the means for creating the review document including one or more of:
• means for recording information indicating the periods of time for which a portion of the first document was displayed, means for recording information indicating the order in which multiple portions of the first document were displayed, means for recording information indicating the periods of time when the reviewer was looking at each of multiple respective windows or displays, means for recording information indicating the order in which the reviewer looked at respective windows or displays, means for recording information entered by the reviewer, configuration of the software of a review workstation, means for recording configuration of the hardware of a review workstation, means for recording information indicating image manipulations performed during the review;
• means for producing a review document record containing the review document and information for identifying the first document on which the review document is based, selected from information depending on:
• information in the first document record;
• information in the first document time stamp;
• and information in both the first document record and the first document time stamp, the review document record further containing none or more of:
• the identity of the reviewer, the identity of the reviewer workstation, the time of the review, a sequence number for the review, and a title for the review;
• means for producing a fingerprint of the review document record using a one-way hashing method;
• a private key for encrypting the fingerprints of review documents to produce a review signatures and which can not be accessed by viewers of the review document;
• and a public key for decrypting review signatures and which is accessible by viewers of the review document;
• means for producing a review document signature by encrypting the review document fingerprint using the private key for decrypting review signatures;
• means for storing the review document record and the review document signature;
• means for providing the review document signature to the electronic notary;
• means for obtaining a time stamp and a time stamp signature from the electronic notary for the review document, the time stamp containing the review document signature and a digital time when the time stamp was produced, the review document time stamp signature being produced by the electronic notary by encrypting a fingerprint of the review document time stamp using a securely held private key of the electronic notary, the fingerprint of the review document time stamp being produced by hashing the review document time stamp using a one-way hashing method;
• means for storing the review document time stamp and the review document time stamp signature of the electronic notary;
• and
• means for distributing to viewers of the review document:
• the review document record, the public key of the review signatures, the review document time stamp, and the review document time stamp signature;
• the network further comprises auditing means including:
• means for obtaining the first document record, the public key of the first document, the first document time stamp, the first document time stamp signature, the review document record, the public key of the review signature, the review document time stamp, the review document time stamp signature, and the public key of the electronic notary;
• means for decrypting the first document signature using the public key of the first document;
• means for reproducing the fingerprint of the first document using the one-way hashing method;
• means for comparing the first document fingerprint with the decryption of the first document signature and verifying the origin of the first document and that the first document has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• means for producing the fingerprint for the first document time stamp by hashing the time stamp using the one-way hashing method;
• means for decrypting the first document time stamp signature using the public key of the electronic notary;
• means for comparing the first document time stamp fingerprint with the decryption of the first document time stamp signature and verifying the origin of the first document time stamp and that the first document time stamp has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• means for decrypting the review document signature using the public key;
• means for reproducing the fingerprint of the review document using the one-way hashing method;
• means for comparing the review document fingerprint with the decryption of the review document signature and verifying the origin of the review document and that the review document has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• means for producing the fingerprint for the review document time stamp by hashing the time stamp using the one-way hashing method;
• means for decrypting the review document time stamp signature using the public key of the electronic notary;
• means for comparing the review document time stamp fingerprint with the decryption of the review document time stamp signature and verifying the origin of the review document time stamp and that the review document time stamp has not been altered since it was signed, depending on the comparison;
• and
• means for auditing the review of the first document;
• the network further comprises electronic notarizing means, including:
• means for obtaining a document signature from a customer;
• means for determining a stamping time;
• means for producing a time stamp containing the document signature and the stamping time and none or more of:
• the identity of the customer;
• a sequence number of the time stamp;
• and the identity of the electronic notary;
• means for producing a fingerprint of the time stamp by hashing the time stamp using a one-way hashing method;
• a private key of the electronic notary for encrypting information and which can not be accessed by viewers of the information;
• and a public key of the electronic notary for decrypting information that was encrypted using the private Key and which is accessible by viewers of the information;
• means for producing a time stamp signature by encrypting the time stamp fingerprint using the private key of the electronic notary;
• means for storing the time stamp and the time stamp signature;
• means for providing the time stamp and time stamp signature to the customer;
• and
• means for distributing the public key to viewers of the information.

A secure server, comprising:

• means for receiving through a secure channel, a first document from an author;
• means for producing a first document record including the first document;
• means for storing the first document record;
• means for providing a digital signature for the first document, the signature being formed by encrypting the first document fingerprint using a first document private key;
• a first document public key for viewers of the first document to use for decrypting the signature of the first document for reproducing the first document fingerprint;
• means for distributing the first document record, the first document signature, and the first document public key whereby viewers of the first document can decrypt the first document signature using the public key, produce the first document fingerprint by hashing the time stamp, and compare the decryption with the fingerprint to verify the origin and integrity of the first document;
• means for providing a time stamp and time stamp signature of an electronic notary for the first document, the electronic notary being on a host system different from the secure server;
• means for distributing the time stamp and the time stamp signature for the first document, whereby viewers of the first document can decrypt the time stamp signature using a public key of the electronic notary, produce the time stamp fingerprint by hashing the time stamp, and compare the decryption with the fingerprint to verify the origin and integrity of the time stamp and the stamping time in the time stamp for the first document;
• means for receiving through a secure channel, a review document;
• means for producing a review document record, the review document record including the review document and a log of the activities of a reviewer of the first document during a review of the first document;
• means for providing a digital signature for the review document, the signature being formed by encrypting the review document fingerprint using a review document private key, the signature including information for determining whether the review document is based on the first digital document;
• a review document public key for viewers of the review document to use for decrypting the signature of the review document for reproducing the review document fingerprint;
• means for distributing the review document record, the review document signature, and the review document public key whereby viewers of the review document can decrypt the review document signature using the review document public key, produce the review document fingerprint by hashing the review document record, and compare the decryption with the fingerprint to verify the origin and integrity of the review document and that the review document is based on the first document;
• means for providing a time stamp and time stamp signature of the electronic notary for the review document;
• means for distributing the time stamp and time stamp signature of the review document, whereby viewers of the review document can decrypt the time stamp signature using the public key of the electronic notary, produce the time stamp fingerprint by hashing the time stamp, and compare the decryption with the fingerprint to verify the origin and integrity of the time stamp and the stamping time in the time stamp of the review document.