| TOPAZ SYSTEMS, INC. - Providing Electronic Signature Solutions for Digital Documents, Including Complete Software, Tools, Robust Hardware Pads, and Lifetime Support
Topaz Systems, Inc. was originally founded in 1990 as a company exclusively focused on electronic pen and sensor technology for handwriting and signature input to computers. Early adopters of this technology used our technology in pen-based computers such as those developed by GRiD systems, HP, IBM, Mitsubishi, Apple, etc. Logitech acquired us in 1993, and allowed Topaz to be spun-out as a separate corporation in 1995. Since 1995 Topaz has developed complete patented technology and solutions for handwritten electronic signatures.
Growth and awards
As a result of its very early vision in the field of electronic signatures, Topaz was fortunate to be able to grow rapidly and profitably, year-upon-year from 1995 until the present, along the way receiving many consecutive Los Angeles Technology Fast 50 awards from Deloitte and Touche and the American Electronics Association. In 2004, Topaz was named to the prestigious Inc 500 list recognizing the 500 most rapidly growing privately held companies in the United States. We received the Deloitte / AEA Fast 500 award in 2005, covering technology copies throughout the US, and a 4th consecutive Fast 50 award in 2006.
Corporate Mission, Commitment, and Stability
The mission of Topaz Systems is to provide and support legally-binding electronic signature technology for the benefit of our customers and partners. It is for this reason that Topaz invests heavily in R&D and ongoing patent work each year. Topaz products are covered under US patents including numbers: 5,120,908 "Electromagnetic position transducer," 5,122,623 "Electromagnetic position transducer having active transmitting stylus," 6,307,955 "Electronic Signature Management System," 6,972,754 "Touchpad stylus having isolated low-mass contact element," 7,123,143 "Wireless signature management system," D532,009 "Integrated signature pad and fingerprint reader," 7,190,815 "Method for Authenticating an Electronic Signature," and we have many additional significant eSign-related patents pending in the US and internationally. Early-on our vision was to develop a system for electronic signatures that allowed compatibility with the existing legal system and court framework. Electronic transactions using handwritten signatures are our only business, and we are the leader.
Topaz is the only company to our knowledge which provides the techniques, tools and training for forensic document examiners to authenticate electronic signatures in a court of law. Our patented techniques of secure capture, linkage, and visual signature comparison, use biometric cues and analysis, including the use of paper exemplars for authentication. Our IP and product portfolio are unique in the industry, allowing electronic signatures to be truly legally binding.
Since our mission is to provide this capability broadly in the marketplace for use across all areas of business, we have developed a very wide range of signature pads for use in virtually every application. These include 6 standard, 5 LCD, 3 clipboard, and several specialty, kiosk and wireless products. In addition, our software is provided in virtually all popular native development formats including ActiveX, .NET, Java, J2Me, C Library, Linux, Unix, terminal servers, TabletPCs, etc. Most importantly, we also provide free unlimited support to ISVs, SIs, and developers in their task of providing legally-binding electronic signatures into the broader enterprise framework.
With annual sales in excess of $20 million and growing, Topaz is financially sound and debt-free, routinely showing very strong financial ratios, and being profitable with consecutive sales growth every year since 1995. Since we are privately-and closely-held, Topaz can direct our attention solely to our customers and their needs rather than being pulled each quarter by the winds of change and the demands of the stock market. Topaz has always been committed to satisfying the promises to our customers, rather than the promises made to hit a certain profit number each quarter. Companies and individuals that rely on our promises, include hundreds of thousands of individual end-users and thousands of corporations of all sizes, dozens of which are large, household-name companies.
Summary of Unique Benefits Provided by Topaz electronic signature products:
o Topaz electronic signatures are natural and easy to use.
Large 4 inch minimum signing width on all Topaz products assures natural capture.
Choose Ink-on-paper, or E-Ink on LCD, or mix and match.
Uniform biometric signature capture performance over the surface of Topaz pads.
o Topaz pads provide high calculated MTBF and expected lifetime.
o Integrated SigPlus software tools do not expose signature data across API boundaries.
ActiveX, .NET, Java, and a C Library, and run on Windows, Linux, Terminal servers, OS/2
o All pad-internal sample rates at over 1000 3D and 4D biopoints (TM) per second.
o Sample rate and tablet model and serial number can be verified and integrity-checked
US patent 6,307,955
o Optional pressure sensing is done in the pen, and is therefore independent of pad wear or technology.
o Topaz provides signatures that are truly capable of authentication.
o The authentication tools and the fundamental patents and IP for this are owned by Topaz.
o SigAnalyze (tm)
o SigCompare (tm)
o Topaz LCD displays are large enough to display text that is easy to read.
Bright Transflective screen, large programmable fonts.
o Topaz owns the fundamental IP and patent protection in both hardware and software.
5,120,908 "Electromagnetic position transducer".
5,122,623 "Electromagnetic position transducer having active transmitting stylus"
6,307,955 "Electronic Signature Management System".
6,972,754 "Touchpad stylus having isolated low-mass contact element".
7,123,143 "Wireless signature management system".
D532,009 "Integrated signature pad and fingerprint reader".
7,190,815 "Method for Authenticating an Electronic Signature".
The Dual-Technology Advantage:
Topaz provides signature pads with either rugged polycarbonate and tempered glass signing surfaces (Gem-series), or simple and lower-cost pressure touchpad-based (Lite-series) products. All Topaz Gem pads and their Lite equivalents are plug-and-play compatible at both the hardware and software levels. This means that the hardware technology can be optimized for the application and environment, without the need for software changes or upgrade.
Topaz Electronic Signature Products are Natural and Easy-to-use:
The signing area and LCD display size are critical factors when considering the choice of an electronic signature pad. Based on research and experience, Topaz tablets have a minimum of 4 inches of active signing and display area width. Studies long-ago by Topaz of electronic signature requirements concluded that with only a 3" wide signing area, approximately 25% of normal signatures do not fit, including more than 10 of the original 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, president Dwight D. Eisenhower, president Andrew Jackson, and people from all walks of life. For this reason, and from feedback from early customers tests, Topaz discontinued the 3"-wide model years ago, and replaced it with the current LCD1x5, LCD4x3, LCD4x5, and standard 1x5, 4x5 and ClipGem formats. Authentication by forensic analysis is facilitated by signatures that are made naturally.
In choosing an LCD pad for the display of text, it is critical that the eyesight of the customers be taken into account compared to the spatial resolution of the LCD. In other words, it is the physical size of the LCD that is most important in presenting text to the signer. Small text on a palm-pilot-sized display limits their use in eSign applications. It is not the raw pixel resolution of the display that matters.
o A 4 inch wide area is needed to capture 100% of natural signatures
o Natural signatures are necessary for authentication.
o In displaying text on an LCD, it is the display size that matters.
o Small high-resolution PDA LCDs display less usable text in eSign applications than their larger counterparts.
Topaz Provides Signatures that are Truly Capable of Authentication:
The California regulations are typical of good practice in setting the requirements for electronic signature authentication. They specifically require authentication by experts with skills in forensic document examination. Topaz SigAnalyze and SigCompare tools fit these requirements, and the training program for document examiners is in operation. Topaz not only captures signatures, but also provides the basic tools, training and IP to assure they are capable of authentication. In real-time, or on-line applications, electronic-scoring methods of signature verification are useful in providing a measure of confidence that the signer is who they claim to be. However, none of these systems are foolproof or 100% accurate. For example, many vendors of scoring-verification systems quote false rejection rates (FRR) and false acceptance rates (FAR) which are based upon random signers, who are not trained forgers and do not have access to a paper copy of a valid signature. As the computer algorithms in these verification systems are set to attempt to defeat professional forgers, the FAR and FRR rates rise, and the inherent trade-off between the two become apparent. To optimize results using these systems, a method of "appeal" is needed so that a true signing is never rejected in actual practice. Topaz SigCompare software bridges this gap, by providing a tool for human intervention and judgment in signature authentication.
In addition, Topaz patent 7,190,815 "Method for Authenticating an Electronic Signature" gives our customers the added benefit of providing for the use of paper examplars by the document examiner should a signature come into question and electronic reference signatures are not available to the examiner. This bridge between the electronic and paper world of signature authentication is key to legal acceptance and validity and only Topaz and our customers have access to this critical technology.
Wide Variety of Solutions, Proven Field Reliability and Versatility
Topaz provides the widest variety of hardware and software solutions in the industry by a wide margin. If you need ink-on-paper, interactive-LCD, small and portable, large and versatile, more-rugged Kiosk-style, LCD-text and graphics, ClipBoard-style, or even low-cost touchpad capture, serial or USB, Topaz has the complete solution that you need. Our vast experience with e-signatures and associated applications may also help you to select the best solution for your needs. Add to that over 10 years of proven field reliability and you have the inspiration for the Topaz Perpetual Warranty and Hot-Swap programs. One Gem-Series tablet will literally last you for a lifetime of signatures.
If you like the freedom of being able to use multiple e-Sign platforms such as Acrobat, Word, Excel, Lotus Notes, Visual Basic, C++, Delphi, HTML, Web-based ASP signatures, or Java, all of the tools and applications you need are available at no cost for use with the tablet. There is not any more software that you ever have to buy, and you have automatic access to all future SigPlus eSignature software updates.
The complete Topaz solution provides both hardware and software, including both highly reliable and cost effective electromagnetic digitizing tablets and low-cost touchpad options. The hardware and software products will always be compatible. With Topaz there is no risk that hardware and software from different suppliers will be incompatible with each other or with the operating system in the future. Topaz software is not restricted by a license string and so it can be distributed widely and easily for use in your application.
Topaz products and innovative vertical-market software are available from distribution, and a large number of leading independent software vendors, value added resellers, and partners.
FACTORY:
Topaz Systems, Inc.
650 Cochran Street, Unit 6
Simi Valley, CA, 93065
Phone: (805) 520-8282
Fax: (805 520-0867
topaz_support@topazsystems.com
|
