JP7769491B2 - Remote Approval System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a remote approval system that allows users to sign signature objects online.

Conventionally, to eliminate the inconvenience of customers having to visit a financial institution to fill out and sign a contract when applying for a loan, contract systems have been known that perform online processes to authenticate customers and have them sign the contract (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

This contract system comprises a client terminal, a reading terminal, a contract server, a management server, and a certification authority server. The reading terminal is a device capable of reading the My Number card owned by the user. The user's personal information and electronic certificate containing the public key recorded on the My Number card are used to verify the identity of the customer pertaining to the contract. The contract is affixed with an electronic signature based on the electronic certificate issued by the certification authority server and based on the user's personal information, etc.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-078499

However, systems such as those described in Patent Document 1 require a certificate authority server, which creates the problem of making the system complicated.

The present invention aims to solve the above problems by providing a remote approval system with a simple configuration that allows users to sign signature targets online.

In order to achieve the above object, the remote approval system of the present invention comprises:
A remote approval system for a user to sign a signature object online, comprising:
a client terminal and a mobile terminal used by the user when executing the signature;
a web server that provides the user with services related to the execution of the signature;
the client terminal is equipped with a browser that displays an online signature screen managed by the web server and a QR code (registered trademark) transmitted from the web server;
The web server includes an application providing unit that provides a signature application to be installed on the mobile terminal in response to access from the mobile terminal, a code sending unit that sends to the client terminal a QR code embedded with a screen ID that identifies the online signature screen indicating the signature target accessed by the client terminal, and a signature verifying unit that verifies the identity of the user and the authenticity of the signature in response to a response from the user,
the mobile terminal comprises: an ID acquisition unit that acquires the screen ID by capturing an image of the QR code displayed on the client terminal; an IC data acquisition unit that acquires personal information identifying the user from an IC card owned by the user by reading or writing data to an IC chip built in the IC card via short-range wireless communication; a signature addition unit that generates signature information by applying an electronic signature to the screen ID using a signature function of the IC card and the short-range wireless communication ; and a data transmission unit that transmits the screen ID, the personal information, and the signature information to the web server using the signature application as personal identification data;
When installed on the mobile device, the signature application assists the user, performs data processing, and controls the mobile device to enable the ID acquisition unit, the IC data acquisition unit, the signature addition unit, and the data transmission unit;
The signature verification unit of the web server authenticates the user and the client terminal based on the data transmitted from the data transmission unit of the mobile terminal, and approves the signature by the user.

In this remote approval system,
the web server includes a hash value calculation unit that generates a hash value of the document to be signed;
the code transmission unit transmits a QR code in which the hash value is embedded in addition to the screen ID to the client terminal;
the ID acquisition unit acquires the screen ID and the hash value from the QR code;
The signature adding unit may generate the signature information by applying the electronic signature to both the screen ID and the hash value, or to the hash value instead of applying the electronic signature to the screen ID.

In this remote approval system,
The document to be signed is a document to be jointly signed by multiple participants in a video online conference, who act as the users;
The signature verification unit of the web server may include a signature notification unit that transmits information about the user whose signature has been verified to a client terminal of another user.

In this remote approval system,
The IC card may be a My Number card or an IC card issued by a public personal authentication service and recording an electronic certificate including the person's facial photograph data.

The remote approval system of the present invention allows for authentication of the user and the signing process by using a mobile terminal that acquires personal information from an IC card to send signature information and personal information to a web server, thereby enabling the realization of a system with a simple configuration.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a remote approval system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configurations and interrelationships of the client terminal, mobile terminal, and web server that make up the approval system. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the approval system. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen before signing that is displayed on the screen of a client terminal of a user (A) who is requesting approval for a signature in the approval system. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the screen of the client terminal in FIG. 4 after signing. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the configurations and interrelationships of a client terminal, a mobile terminal, and a web server that constitute a remote approval system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the approval system.

The following describes a remote approval system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the drawings.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the remote approval system 10 is a system that allows user A to sign an object online, and is composed of a client terminal 1A and a mobile terminal 3 that user A uses to confirm the object and execute the signature, as well as a web server 2. In this remote approval system 10, user A possesses his or her own IC card 4, which is used as a certificate of identity verification, etc.

In this embodiment, in addition to user A, who signs (for example, jointly) the signature object using the remote approval system 10, multiple users (four in this example, but the number can be zero or any number) B, C, D, and E participate using their respective client terminals 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E. Each of users B, C, D, and E possesses a mobile terminal 3 and their own IC card 4. Each of client terminals 1A-1E (collectively referred to as client terminal 1), web server 2, and mobile terminal 3 are connected to network 9, enabling data communication.

Here, the subject of a signature is, for example, a record that should be kept, such as a contract or minutes of a meeting. A signature is made by a party (a user in the remote approval system 10) who has responsibilities, obligations, rights, etc. regarding the subject of the signature to clearly state that fact. A signature is made by a person who is a true party and has the required qualifications and authority. Therefore, strict identity verification is required. Identity verification is usually performed by a third party or using official authentication (for example, a seal certificate or electronic signature).

By verifying the user's identity, the user is authenticated as a person qualified to sign, and the user's signature is approved by web server 2, which acts as an approval authority, making the user's signature process valid. Furthermore, since the person signing the subject of signature agrees with or approves of the contents of the subject of signature and then signs as proof of that approval, approval and signing by the user are essentially the same thing.

The client terminal 1A is equipped with a browser 11 that displays the signature target, the progress of the signature process, and the QR code 5 sent from the web server 2. The client terminal 1A can be a general-purpose PC (personal computer) that has browser 11 functionality and can connect to the network 9.

The client terminal 1 is equipped with a browser 11 that displays the online signature screen managed by the web server 2 and the QR code 5 sent from the web server 2.

The web server 2 is a server that provides users with services related to signature execution, and includes an application providing unit 21, a code sending unit 22, a signature verification unit 23, and a signature notification unit 24.

The application providing unit 21 provides the signature application 30 in an installable manner on the mobile device 3 in response to access from the mobile device 3.

The code sending unit 22 sends to the client terminal 1A a QR code 5 embedded with a screen ID: 3a that identifies the online signature screen indicating the signature target accessed by the client terminal 1A. The screen ID is not limited to information that identifies the signature target, but also includes information that identifies the user who requested the signature. Therefore, the QR code 5 is a code unique to user A, who requested and received it.

The signature verification unit 23 verifies the identity of user A and the authenticity of the signature based on the response from user A, and recognizes that the signature was made through proper procedures and authenticates it. More specifically, user A is authenticated as user A of client terminal 1A and his or her identity is verified based on identity verification data 3d sent from the mobile terminal 3. The identity verification data 3d includes screen ID 3a, personal information 3b, and signature information 3c.

The signature notification unit 24 sends a notification to the client terminal 1 of user A whose signature completion has been confirmed. The signature notification unit 24 also sends information about users whose signatures have been confirmed as completed on a signature target, which is a document to be signed jointly, to the client terminals 1 of other users. In this case, the signature target is, for example, a minutes or resolution document to be signed jointly by multiple participants in a video-based online conference.

The mobile terminal 3 includes a signature application 30, an ID acquisition unit 31, an imaging unit 32 (camera), an IC data acquisition unit 33, a signature addition unit 34, and a data transmission unit 35. The mobile terminal 3 also includes a browser as a user interface. Such a mobile terminal 3 may be a portable electronic device that can connect to the network 9, such as a smartphone or tablet.

The signature application 30 is application software downloaded and installed from the web server 2. The signature application 30 supports the user, processes data, and controls the hardware of the mobile terminal 3 to operate the ID acquisition unit 31, IC data acquisition unit 33, data transmission unit 35, etc.

The ID acquisition unit 31 captures an image of the QR code 5 displayed on the client terminal 1A using the imaging means 32, processes the data, and acquires the screen ID: 3a.

The IC data acquisition unit 33 acquires personal information 3b that identifies user A from the IC card 4 owned by user A. The IC data acquisition unit 33 reads or writes data from the IC chip built into the IC card 4 using near-field wireless communication (NFC).

The signature adding unit 34 uses the signature function of the IC card 4 to apply an electronic signature to the screen ID: 3a to generate signature information 3c. The signature function of the IC card 4 is, for example, a function to generate a ciphertext related to the document to be signed using a private key and a public key recorded on the IC card.

The data transmission unit 35 transmits the screen ID: 3a, personal information 3b, and signature information 3c as identity verification data 3d to the web server 2 using the signature application 30.

IC card 4 is a card with a built-in IC chip that can be read and written via near-field communication (NFC). The IC chip of IC card 4 stores authentication information used to authenticate the owner, User A, such as an electronic certificate (user authentication certificate, electronic signature certificate) and image data of the owner's photo on the card face. For example, an individual number card (My Number Card) issued under the public personal authentication service and available at a city, ward, town, or village office can be used as IC card 4.

When the IC data acquisition unit 33 performs short-range wireless communication with the IC card 4, user A is required to input a PIN code or the like. The fact that personal information and other data has been read from the IC card 4 means that a PIN code or the like that can only be known by the owner of the IC card 4 has been input. Therefore, user A, who is the operator of the mobile terminal 3, is recognized as the owner of the IC card 4. User A's identity is also confirmed by the personal identification data 3d.

The identity verification data 3d may also include facial photograph data obtained from the IC card 4. The facial photograph data can be used as comparison data for identity verification when an image of user A is sent to the web server 2 in the remote approval system and AI automatic facial image recognition processing is performed. If the IC card 4 is a My Number card, it contains resident registration data (name, address, etc.) as official personal authentication, allowing for highly reliable identity verification.

Under the operation and control of the signature application 30, which is application software for authentication, the data in the QR code 5 displayed on the screen of the client terminal 1A is read, and the data in the IC card 4 is read. Through these two operations, the two devices, the client terminal 1A and the mobile terminal 3, are associated, and the data between the devices is associated.

Next, we will explain user authentication performed in the remote approval system 10 in chronological order, with reference to the operational sequence of Figure 3 in addition to Figures 1 and 2. To complete signing after being authenticated by the web server 2, user A of client terminal 1A uses his/her mobile terminal 3 to request the web server 2 to provide, via download, the signature application 30 used for user authentication (S1).

When the mobile terminal 3 requests download of the signature application 30, the application providing unit 21 of the web server 2 transmits the signature application 30 to the mobile terminal 3. The mobile terminal 3 executes the download (S2). The signature application 30 is downloaded from the application providing unit 21 of the web server 2. Once the signature application 30 is installed in the mobile terminal 3, the ID acquisition unit 31, IC data acquisition unit 33, signature addition unit 34, and data transmission unit 35 become operational (S3).

User A operates the client terminal 1A to request the web server 2 to send a QR code 5 for signing (S4).

In response to access from client terminal 1A, the code sending unit 22 of the web server 2 generates a QR code 5 in which an online signature screen indicating the signature target and a screen ID identifying user A are embedded (S5), and sends it to client terminal 1A (S6).

The QR code 5 is displayed on the screen of the client terminal 1A by the browser 11 (S7).

In response to user A's operation, the mobile terminal 3 captures an image of the QR code 5 displayed on the screen of the client terminal 1A using the imaging means 32 (S8). The image data of the QR code 5 is decoded by the ID acquisition unit 31 of the mobile terminal 3, and the conference ID: 31a embedded in the QR code 5 is acquired (S9).

The IC data acquisition unit 33 of the mobile terminal 3 acquires user A's personal information 3b and electronic signature information from the IC card 4 in response to user A's operation (S10).

The signature addition unit 34 of the mobile terminal 3 uses the electronic signature information acquired by the IC data acquisition unit 33 and the signature function of the IC card 4 to add an electronic signature to screen ID: 3, generating signature information 3c (S11).

In response to user A's operation, the data transmission unit 35 of the mobile terminal 3 transmits the screen ID: 3a, personal information 3b, and signature information 3c to the web server 2 as identity verification data 3d (S12).

The signature verification unit 23 of the web server 2 receives the identity verification data 3d (screen ID: 3a, personal information 3b, and signature information 3c) sent from the mobile terminal 3 and verifies the identity of User A as User A of the client terminal 1A (S13).

Furthermore, having successfully verified the identity of user A based on the identity verification data 3d, the signature verification unit 23 authenticates user A as the true signer and sends a notification approving user A's signature to the mobile device 3, either via the signature notification unit 24 or directly from the signature verification unit 23 without going through the signature notification unit 24 (S14).

User A executes a signature using the signature app 30 on his mobile device 3 (S15) and sends a report to the web server 2 that he has executed the signature (S16), which the web server 2 confirms (S17).

The signature notification unit 24 of the web server 2 distributes a signature completion notification to client terminals 1B-1E in addition to client terminal 1A to notify other users B-E that the signature by approved user A has been executed and completed (S18). Note that the processes of S14, S15, and S16 may be executed on client terminal 1A, or on both the mobile terminal 3 and client terminal 1A.

(Example of a client terminal screen)
4 and 5 show screens 6 on the client terminal 1A of user A, showing examples of the screen before (FIG. 4) and after (FIG. 5) signing by user A. These screens are assumed to be examples of screens when, for example, the minutes of an online conference are completed by the secretariat and each person involved in the minutes signs online.

In this example, screen 6 is divided into a large document screen 61 on the upper left, a signature field screen 62 on the lower left, a user display screen 63 on the lower right, and a QR code display screen 64 on the upper right. The document to be signed is displayed on document screen 61.

The signature field screen 62 lists the names of the relevant parties who are required to sign. Users who have been authenticated and completed their signatures - in the example of Figure 5, two users, Suzuki Ichiro and Sato Yoshio - are given seals 6a and 6b indicating that their signatures have been completed. Such seals are added, for example, when the user executes the signature (S15) after receiving the authentication notification (S14), and a pre-registered seal is displayed in the signature display field 62. It is also possible to manually write a signature with a fingertip using the touch panel of the mobile terminal 3, and use this as a signing seal.

User display screen 63 displays a facial photograph of user A (for example, a facial photograph read from IC card 4). The image displayed on this user display screen 63 is not limited to user A; it may be an image of another user, for example, an image of a user selected by clicking on the name displayed on signature field screen 62, or the image may be a moving image of the user.

The QR code display screen 64 displays a QR code 5 with an embedded screen ID that uniquely identifies the signature target displayed on the document screen 61. This QR code 5 is the one that user A has requested from the web server 2 to sign, and includes a code that identifies user A and therefore client terminal 1A.

The remote approval system 10 of this embodiment allows for secure remote digital signatures that have undergone strict identity verification without distributing the data to be signed. Furthermore, a simple system configuration can be realized, as identity authentication is performed and the signature is approved by transmitting signature information and personal information to a web server 2 using a mobile terminal 3 that acquires personal information from an IC card 4.

Second Embodiment
A remote approval system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. As shown in Figure 6, the remote approval system 10 of this embodiment differs from the remote approval system 10 of the first embodiment in that the web server 2 further includes a hash value calculation unit 25.

As shown in FIG. 7, the operational sequence of this embodiment is as follows: the hash value calculation unit 25 of the web server 2 generates a hash value 3h for the document to be signed (S5). The code transmission unit 22 of the web server 2 then transmits the QR code 5, in which the screen ID: 3a and the hash value 3h are embedded, to the client terminal 1A (S6).

The ID acquisition unit 31 of the mobile terminal 3 also acquires the screen ID: 3a and hash value 3h from the QR code 5 (S9). The signature addition unit 34 of the mobile terminal 3 then digitally signs both the screen ID: 3a and the hash value 3h to generate signature information 3c (S11). In this step S11, it is also possible to digitally sign only the hash value 3h without digitally signing the screen ID: 3a, and generate signature information 3c.

In this embodiment, the identity verification data 3d sent by the data transmission unit 35 of the mobile terminal 3 to the web server 2 includes a digitally signed hash value 3h. The signature verification unit 23 of the web server 2 uses the digitally signed hash value 3h to verify the identity of user A (S13). Other operations are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

In the remote approval system 10 of this embodiment, a hash value 3h calculated from the data to be signed is embedded and displayed in a QR code 5. Using a mobile terminal 3 with an IC card reader function, the hash value 3h is extracted from the displayed QR code 5. After authenticating an IC card 4 capable of personal identification using a PIN code or the like, the hash value 3h is signed and transmitted to the web server 2, thereby linking the original data, hash value, personal identification, and signature.

In addition, the remote approval system 10 of this embodiment has a configuration in which the client terminal 1, which is the device that displays the QR code 5, and the mobile terminal 3, which is the device that issues the electronic signature, are separated.This makes it easy to configure a remote approval system by adding electronic signature and authentication functions to a display terminal such as a general-purpose PC (personal computer) that does not have an authentication function.Furthermore, this separate configuration increases security against eavesdropping, etc.

The present invention is not limited to the above configuration and can be modified in various ways. For example, instead of sending the QR code 5 data to the client terminal 1 and displaying it, the QR code 5 data can be sent directly to the mobile terminal, thereby creating a simple remote approval system 10 consisting of the mobile terminal 3 and web server 2.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E Client terminal 10 Approval system 11 Browser 2 Web server 21 Application supply unit 22 Code transmission unit 23 Signature verification unit 24 Signature notification unit 25 Hash value calculation unit 3 Mobile terminal 3a Screen ID
3d Personal identification data 3b Personal information 3c Signature information 3h Hash value 30 Signature application 31 ID acquisition unit 32 Imaging means 33 IC data acquisition unit 34 Signature addition unit 35 Data transmission unit 4 IC card 5 QR Code (registered trademark)

Claims (4)

A remote approval system for a user to sign a signature object online, comprising:
a client terminal and a mobile terminal used by the user when executing the signature;
a web server that provides the user with services related to the execution of the signature;
the client terminal is provided with a browser that displays an online signature screen managed by the web server and a QR code transmitted from the web server;
The online signature screen includes:
a document screen on which the document to be signed is displayed;
a signature field screen on which the names of the parties whose signatures are required are entered;
a user display screen that displays an image of the user or another user who is the predetermined related party;
a QR code display screen that displays the QR code,
the web server is an approval authority that identifies and manages the signature subject using the online signature screen, verifies the identity of the user, and approves the signature by the user;
an application providing unit that provides a signature application to the mobile terminal in an installable manner in response to access from the mobile terminal;
a code sending unit that identifies the online signature screen indicating the signature target accessed by the client terminal and sends to the client terminal a QR code in which a screen ID including information for identifying the user is embedded;
a signature verification unit that verifies the identity of the user and the authenticity of the signature in response to a response from the user,
The mobile terminal
an ID acquisition unit that captures the QR code displayed on the client terminal and acquires the screen ID;
an IC data acquisition unit that acquires personal information identifying the user from the IC card owned by the user by reading or writing to an IC chip built in the IC card via near-field wireless communication;
a signature adding unit that generates signature information by applying an electronic signature to the screen ID using the signature function of the IC card and the short-range wireless communication;
a data transmission unit that transmits the screen ID, the personal information, and the signature information as identity verification data to the web server using the signature application;
When installed on the mobile device, the signature application assists the user, performs data processing, and controls the mobile device to enable the ID acquisition unit, the IC data acquisition unit, the signature addition unit, and the data transmission unit;
The signature verification unit of the web server
authenticating the user and the client terminal based on data transmitted from the data transmission unit of the mobile terminal;
A remote approval system for approving a signature by the user. the web server includes a hash value calculation unit that generates a hash value of the document to be signed;
the code transmission unit transmits a QR code in which the hash value is embedded in addition to the screen ID to the client terminal;
the ID acquisition unit acquires the screen ID and the hash value from the QR code;
The remote approval system of claim 1, characterized in that the signature attachment unit applies the electronic signature to both the screen ID and the hash value, or to the hash value instead of applying the electronic signature to the screen ID, to generate the signature information. The document to be signed is a document to be jointly signed by multiple participants in a video online conference, who act as the users;
3. The remote approval system according to claim 1, wherein the signature verification unit of the web server includes a signature notification unit that transmits information about the user whose signature has been verified to a client terminal of another user. The remote approval system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the IC card is a My Number card or an IC card issued by a public personal authentication service that records an electronic certificate including the person's facial photograph data.