Patent attributes
Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, related to techniques for creating a chain of transfer for a digital document in which every transferor and transferee participates in the transfer. A first entity, e.g., an offeror with current control of the document, generates an offeror certificate associated with the digital document, and encrypts the offeror certificate with the offeror's private key. The offeror transmits the encrypted offeror certificate to a second entity, e.g., an offeree that will be the subsequent controller of the document. The offeree generates an offeree certificate from the offeror certificate, encrypts the offeree certificate with the offeree's private key, and transmits the encrypted offeree certificate to the offeror. When the offeror receives the offeree certificate, the offeror adds the offeree to a chain of transfer for the document and generates a transfer certificate for the offeree.
