# US 8,275,993 B2 · Author signatures for legal purposes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,275,993 B2 - Document ID: US8275993B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/848,845 - Filed: 2010-08-02 - Published: 2011-04-07 - Granted: 2012-09-25 - Earliest claimed: 2003-05-20 - Assignees: Adobe Systems Incorporated - Inventors: James D. Pravetz; Krish Chaudhury; Sunil C. Agrawal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8275993B2 ## CPC - G06F 21/64: Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for establishing trust in an electronic document. An electronic document is received. State dependent content in the electronic document is identified. The state dependent content is content that is renderable to have a several appearances. The electronic document is presented to a user, which includes disclosing the presence of any identified state dependent content in the electronic document. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method, comprising: identifying state dependent content in an electronic document, wherein the state dependent content is associated with a plurality of appearances; replacing at least a portion of the state dependent content with state independent content having a single appearance; digitally signing the electronic document to generate a signed electronic document including a digital signature corresponding to a person associated with an attestation; and creating a second electronic document, wherein the second electronic document includes the state dependent content, wherein the replacing at least the portion of the state dependent content with state independent content having a single appearance comprises replacing at least the portion of the state dependent content in the second electronic document with state independent content having a single appearance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of appearances is based on one or more of an environment in which the electronic document is opened and an action that occurs while the electronic document is open. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the single appearance of the state independent content is associated with the content included in the electronic document. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the single appearance is based on one or more of an environment in which the electronic document is opened and an action that occurs while the electronic document is opened. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the single appearance is equal to one of the plurality of appearances associated with the portion of the state dependent content. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying state dependent content further comprises: presenting a disclosure of the state dependent content. ### Claim 7 A computer-implemented method, comprising: identifying state dependent content in an electronic document, wherein the state dependent content is associated with a plurality of appearances; replacing at least a portion of the state dependent content with state independent content having a single appearance; digitally signing the electronic document to generate a signed electronic document including a digital signature corresponding to a person associated with an attestation; receiving the attestation corresponding to the state dependent content; and associating the attestation with the electronic document before digitally signing the electronic document. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the state dependent content in the electronic document comprises TrueTypeFont content. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of appearances is based on one or more of an environment in which the electronic document is opened and an action that occurs while the electronic document is open. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the single appearance of the state independent content is associated with the content included in the electronic document. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the single appearance is based on one or more of an environment in which the electronic document is opened and an action that occurs while the electronic document is opened. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the single appearance is equal to one of the plurality of appearances associated with the portion of the state dependent content. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein identifying state dependent content further comprises: presenting a disclosure of the state dependent content. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the state dependent content in the electronic document comprises TrueTypeFont content. ### Claim 15 A system comprising: a computer-readable medium encoding an electronic document; a display device; and processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising: identifying state dependent content in the electronic document, wherein the state dependent content is associated with a plurality of appearances; replacing at least a portion of the state dependent content with state independent content having a single appearance; digitally signing the electronic document to generate a signed electronic document including a digital signature corresponding to a person associated with an attestation; receiving the attestation corresponding to the state dependent content; and associating the attestation with the electronic document before digitally signing the electronic document. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of appearances is based on one or more of an environment in which the electronic document is opened and an action that occurs while the electronic document is open. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the single appearance of the state independent content is associated with the content included in the electronic document. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the single appearance is based on one or more of an environment in which the electronic document is opened and an action that occurs while the electronic document is opened. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the single appearance is equal to one of the plurality of appearances associated with the portion of the state dependent content. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein identifying state dependent content further comprises: presenting a disclosure of the state dependent content. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the state dependent content in the electronic document comprises TrueTypeFont content. ### Claim 22 A system comprising: a computer-readable medium encoding an electronic document; a display device; and processor electronics configured to perform operations comprising: identifying state dependent content in the electronic document, wherein the state dependent content is associated with a plurality of appearances; replacing at least a portion of the state dependent content with state independent content having a single appearance; digitally signing the electronic document to generate a signed electronic document including a digital signature corresponding to a person associated with an attestation; and creating a second electronic document, wherein the second electronic document includes the state dependent content, wherein the replacing at least the portion of the state dependent content with state independent content having a single appearance comprises replacing at least the portion of the state dependent content in the second electronic document with state independent content having a single appearance. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of appearances is based on one or more of an environment in which the electronic document is opened and an action that occurs while the electronic document is open. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the single appearance of the state independent content is associated with the content included in the electronic document. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the single appearance is based on one or more of an environment in which the electronic document is opened and an action that occurs while the electronic document is opened. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the single appearance is equal to one of the plurality of appearances associated with the portion of the state dependent content. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein identifying state dependent content further comprises: presenting a disclosure of the state dependent content. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The system of claim 22, wherein the state dependent content in the electronic document comprises TrueTypeFont content.