Document transport, transfer and exchange: security and commercial aspects

This paper presents a brief overview of several technical issues concerning security and commercial aspects of the electronic handling and transfer of documents. After introducing a few basic notions and general definitions, we present a new digital envelope transfer protocol-based system, named TRANZIX, used in the context of generic "transport and transfer of value". We present the general concept of the innovative application that allows commercial exchange of electronic documents through digital transactions using customized electronic money. The system provides very strong protection based on public-key cryptography complemented with biometric protection based on handwritten signatures. Finally, a few targeted applications are overviewed, including the customized exchanges of documents through "mixed transfers of value".