Creating and verifying electronic documents

In a system requiring digital signatures for electronic documents, wherein the digital signatures are attached to the electronic documents and can become separated from the electronic document, an electronic document having an embedded digital signature, the electronic document comprising:

• a content portion;
• and
• a signature block for each person that will digitally sign the electronic document, wherein each signature block is separate and embedded in the electronic document before the electronic document is digitally signed, and wherein each signature block comprises:
• a signature element, the signature element comprising:
• a signature attribute that stores the digital signature of the person digitally signing the electronic document, wherein the digital signature of the person is placed in the signature attribute when the person digitally signs the document, wherein the digital signature is an encrypted hash of the electronic document;
• and
• a certificate attribute that stores a digital signature of a certificate authority.

In a system that includes electronic documents that are digitally signed, a method for validating an electronic document that is digitally signed with an embedded digital signature, the method comprising acts of:

• generating an electronic document, wherein the generated electronic document has content;
• embedding one or more digital signatures in corresponding signature blocks of the electronic document, wherein one of the corresponding signature blocks is added to the electronic document when one of the one or more digital signatures is generated;
• reconstructing the electronic document to a previous state using the corresponding signature blocks to identify data to remove from the electronic document, wherein the removed data corresponds to information added to the electronic document after the previous state, wherein removed data includes a digital signature;
• hashing the reconstructed electronic document to produce a hash result;
• and
• decrypting the removed digital signature to produce a signature result, wherein the electronic document is validated if the signature result matches the hash result.

A method for embedding a digital signature in an electronic document such that the digital signature cannot be separated from the electronic document, the method comprising acts of:

• generating content for the electronic content;
• for each person that will digitally sign the electronic document, embedding a signature block in the electronic document, wherein each signature block comprises:
• a signature element, the signature element comprising:
• a hashalgorithm attribute that identifies a hash for hashing the electronic document;
• a datetime attribute for time stamping the electronic document;
• a signature attribute for storing the digital signature of the signer;
• and
• a certificate attribute for storing a digital certificate of a certificate authority;
• generating a digital signature by a signer, wherein a portion of the signature block is filled before the digital signature is generated such that a hash of the electronic document includes the portion of the signature block;
• and
• storing the generated digital signature in the signature attribute of the signature block.

A method for using an electronic document in a transaction, the method comprising steps for:

• preparing an electronic document, the step for preparing an electronic document comprising acts of:
• entering content in the electronic document;
• embedding one or more digital signatures in the electronic document in corresponding signature blocks, wherein each corresponding signature blocks are added when a corresponding signer digitally signs the electronic document and wherein successive signature blocks are removed from the electronic document when reconstructing the electronic document to a previous state;
• performing a preliminary verification on the electronic document to ensure that the document will be recorded, wherein the preliminary verification ensures that the electronic document complies with particular validation rules;
• transmitting the electronic document from an origination server to a destination server, wherein the origination server and the destination server are identified in routing data included in the electronic document;
• processing the electronic document, the step for processing the electronic document comprising acts of:
• validating the electronic document;
• endorsing the electronic document by a recorder;
• digitally signing the electronic document by the recorder;
• and
• generating a receipt for the electronic document;
• and
• returning the recorded electronic document and the receipt to the origination server.