IP Library Granted Patent US 11,811,949
Granted Patent B2
US 11,811,949 · App. 17/520,696 · Granted Nov 7, 2023

File validation using a blockchain

Inventors: Gregory J. Alger (Long Beach, WA); Duane R. Wald (Surprise, AZ); Andrew Mintner (Seattle, WA); Donald Grant Peterson (Commerce City, CO); Taiga Matsumoto (Redmond, WA); Damon Dean (Oakland, CA); Drew Ashlock (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: DocuSign, Inc.
H04L9/3247G06F7/24G06F7/36H04L9/0643H04L9/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,811,949
App. No.
17/520,696
Granted
Nov 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for validating documents using a blockchain data. Multiple documents can be included in the validation process using a merge and hash process and a summary terms document. Validation can be performed by hashing and merging operations, followed by comparing hash values.

Claims (50)

1. A method comprising:

generating a plurality of document hashes by generating a document hash for each file in an envelope using a hash operation, the envelope comprising two or more electronically signed documents;

concatenating the document hashes in an order based on one or more characteristics of the files in the envelope to produce a concatenated document hash;

generating an envelope hash by performing the hash operation on the concatenated document hash;

transmitting the envelope hash to a validation server for storage;

receiving, by the validation server, a validation request from a client device, the validation request specifying an electronically signed document of the envelope;

generating a new envelope hash by performing the hash operation on the envelope containing the specified electronically signed document;

retrieving the envelope hash from the validation server; and

validating that the specified electronically signed document of the envelope is one of the one or more electronically signed documents based on the new envelope hash matching the envelope hash.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more electronically signed documents are a collection of files of an agreement between at least two users of a network service.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein concatenating the document hashes comprises:

sorting the plurality of document hashes in the order based on one or more characteristics of the files; and

merging the plurality of document hashes in the order.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the order ranks the plurality of document hashes based on their value.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of document hashes is sorted from greatest to least value.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of document hashes is sorted from least to greatest value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two or more electronically signed documents comprise a first signed document for an agreement between a set of user profiles of a network service, and a second signed document for a different agreement between a different set of user profiles of the network service.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of document hashes comprise a first tracking hash generated from the first signed document, and a second tracking hash generated from the second signed document.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the envelope hash to a validation server comprises transmitting the envelope hash to a receive address of a smart contract on the blockchain.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the order is specified by a summary document in the envelope, the summary document having no signature tab.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processors of a client device; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

generating a plurality of document hashes by generating a document hash for each file in an envelope using a hash operation, the envelope comprising two or more electronically signed documents;

concatenating the document hashes in an order based on one or more characteristics of the files in the envelope to produce a concatenated document hash;

generating an envelope hash by performing the hash operation on the concatenated document hash;

transmitting the envelope hash to a validation server for storage;

receiving, by the validation server, a validation request from a client device, the validation request specifying an electronically signed document of the envelope;

generating a new envelope hash by performing the hash operation on the envelope containing the specified electronically signed document;

retrieving the envelope hash from the validation server; and

validating that the specified electronically signed document of the envelope is one of the one or more electronically signed documents based on the new envelope hash matching the envelope hash.

12. The system claim 11 , wherein the two or more electronically signed documents are a collection of files of an agreement between at least two users of a network service.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein concatenating the document hashes comprises:

sorting the plurality of document hashes in the order based on one or more characteristics of the files; and

merging the plurality of document hashes in the order.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the order ranks the plurality of document hashes based on their value.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of document hashes is sorted from greatest to least value.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of document hashes is sorted from least to greatest value.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the two or more electronically signed documents comprise a first signed document for an agreement between a set of user profiles of a network service, and a second signed document for a different agreement between a different set of user profiles of the network service.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein transmitting the envelope hash to a validation server comprises transmitting the envelope hash to a receive address of a smart contract on the blockchain.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the order is specified by a summary document in the envelope, the summary document having no signature tab.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

generate a plurality of document hashes by generating a document hash for each file in an envelope using a hash operation, the envelope comprising two or more electronically signed documents;

concatenate the document hashes in an order based on one or more characteristics of the files in the envelope to produce a concatenated document hash;

generate an envelope hash by performing the hash operation on the concatenated document hash;

transmit the envelope hash to a validation server for storage;

receive, by the validation server, a validation request from a client device, the validation request specifying an electronically signed document of the envelope;

generate a new envelope hash by performing the hash operation on the envelope containing the specified electronically signed document;

retrieve the envelope hash from the validation server; and

validate that the specified electronically signed document of the envelope is one of the one or more electronically signed documents based on the new envelope hash matching the envelope hash.

Assignments (2)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 23, 2025
From: DOCUSIGN, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 071337/0240 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2021
From: ALGER, GREGORY J.; WALD, DUANE R.; MINTNER, ANDREW; PETERSON, DONALD GRANT; MATSUMOTO, TAIGA; DEAN, DAMON; ASHLOCK, DREW
To: DOCUSIGN, INC.
Reel/Frame 058066/0026 →