Abstract:
A system, method, and computer readable medium for a business to securely distribute potentially large collections of document folders ( 180 ) to recipients ( 140 ). The system comprises a sending device ( 160 ) for sending the document folders ( 180 ) and temporarily storing the document folders ( 180 ) on a network ( 120 ) of interconnected computers ( 170 ), a destination computer ( 170 ) for accumulating the sent document folders ( 180 ) destined for a particular recipient ( 140 ), and a receiving device ( 130 ) for receiving the accumulated document folders ( 180 ) from the destination device ( 170 ). The method comprises the steps of sending the document folders ( 180 ) to a network ( 120 ) of interconnected computers ( 170 ); notifying each recipient ( 140 ) of an electronic document folder ( 180 ) by means of an indirect reference to the electronic document folder ( 180 ); selecting a destination location ( 170 ) for the electronic document folder ( 180 ) using data supplied by the recipient ( 140 ); and accumulating the electronic document folders ( 180 ) at the destination location ( 170 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to distribution of collections of large documents in electronic form, and more particularly, to a business method for secure document folder distribution. 
   2. Description of Background Art 
   The expanded popularity of the Internet has brought new problems to Internet users. As users conduct more business over the Internet, they need to send collections of large documents. Electronic mail has become a popular and widespread means for communicating electronically via interlinked computers. Files, including electronic image files, may be attached to electronic mail messages. Small documents may be sent easily through the Internet as file attachments. Larger documents and collections of larger documents of more than 5 MB, however, are more difficult to send reliably through the Internet without losing the benefit of security. 
   Furthermore, sending collections of large documents of more than 5 MB over the Internet is very time-consuming and takes up a lot of network resources. For example, if a sender wants to transmit the same document to ten recipients, he needs to attach ten electronic image files to electronic mail messages, thereby significantly increasing the delivery time. 
   What is needed, therefore, is a method and system that allows a sender to send collections of large documents to possibly multiple recipients in a short period of time. 
   DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
   The present invention is a system, method, and computer readable medium for a business to securely distribute document folders ( 180 ) to recipients ( 140 ). The system comprises a sending device ( 160 ) for sending the document folders ( 180 ) and temporarily storing the document folders ( 180 ) on a network ( 120 ) of interconnected computers ( 170 ), a destination computer ( 170 ) for accumulating the sent document folders ( 180 ) stored on the network ( 120 ), and a receiving device ( 130 ) for receiving the sent document folders ( 180 ) from the destination computer ( 170 ). 
   The method comprises the steps of sending the document folders ( 180 ) to a network ( 120 ) of interconnected computers ( 170 ); notifying each recipient ( 140 ) of the sent document folders by means of an indirect reference to the electronic document folders ( 180 ); selecting a destination location ( 170 ) for the electronic document folders using data supplied by each recipient ( 140 ); and accumulating the electronic document folders ( 180 ) at the destination location ( 170 ). 
   An advantage of the present invention is that it allows distributing collections of large documents of more than 5 MB to multiple recipients ( 140 ) in a short period of time without overly consuming network ( 120 ) resources. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other more detailed and specific objects and features of the present invention are more fully disclosed in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is flow chart illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates an example of a database record  222  provided by a recipient  140  to retrieve an electronic document folder  180 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of a seal  302  attachment system usable in the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating an administrative subsystem  410 , a billing subsystem  420 , and a billing database  430  located on a server  170  of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating billing database  430 . 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing an example of a billing record  510 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating an operation of billing subsystem  420 . 
       FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating an operation of administrative subsystem  410 . 
       FIG. 9  shows an overview of a client registration process according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention is a system, method, and computer readable medium for a business to securely distribute document folders  180  to recipients  140 . 
   The configuration depicted in  FIG. 1  includes at least one, and preferably a plurality of, senders  110 ; at least one document folder  180  that sender  110  wants to send to at least one recipient  140 ; a sending device  160 ; document folders in electronic form  190 ; a network  120  of interconnected computers  170 ; at least one destination computer  170 ; at least one receiving device  130  associated with each destination computer  170 ; an optional notification device  135 ; one or more recipients  140 ; and an optional seal engine  150 . More than one recipient  140  can be associated with each receiving device  130 . Each document folder  180  contains at least one, and typically a plurality of, documents  178 . 
   A sender  110  is a person who wishes to send a document folder  180  to one or more recipients  140 . Sender  110  inputs the document folders  180 , which may be in paper or electronic form, into a sending device  160 . The sending device  160  can be a scanner, a Web-enabled personal computer, a facsimile machine, or any other device which can process documents  178  and output them in electronic form  190 . The electronic document folders  190  are sent to the network  120 , where they are temporarily stored. 
   The purpose of the network  120  is to distribute and process the documents  178 . Sending the document folders  180  to network  120  avoids a single point of failure. In the event any particular computer  170  in the network  120  fails, the continuous operation of the overall network  120  is not compromised; the network  120  is tolerant to software and hardware problems or faults. Each interconnected computer  170  in the network  120  is typically a server computer, including a processor and a memory. The memory includes instructions capable of being executed by the processor to perform the functions described below. Each server  170  can also include a computer readable medium for storing these instructions. 
   One server  170 , e.g., the server  170  shown on  FIG. 1  as containing database  175 , may be entrusted with certain supervisory functions. This computer  170  notifies recipients  140  of document folder  180  delivery. This server  170  optionally records an acknowledgment of document folder  180  delivery and makes said acknowledgment available to sender  110 . One or more servers  170  may also process sent document folders  180  to convert them into a different format or formats (such as a page description language) to assure they work optimally with each receiving device  130 ; perform an optional authentication process; and/or perform administrative and billing functions. 
   One or more computers  170  accumulate sent document folders  180  for delivery to recipients  140 . These computers  170  are known as destination computers  170  or destination locations  170 . More than one recipient  140  can select the same destination computer  170 . Conversely, each recipient may retrieve document folders  180  from more than one destination computer  170 . Each destination computer  170 , which can be any server  170  in the network  120 , is preferably located at a partnership business facility that has agreed to participate in the business of securely distributing document folders  180  to recipients  140 . The partnership business facility can be any facility providing printing or photocopying services to clients (e.g., Kinko&#39;s). 
   When a recipient  140  wishes to retrieve electronic document folders  180 , the recipient  140  provides to the notifying server  170  information from the indirect reference to the electronic document folders  180  that was contained in the notification to the recipient  140 , and possibly other data  222 . This data  222  supplied by recipient  140  is recorded in database  175 , which is located on at least one of the servers  170 . 
   At least one receiving device  130  is associated with each destination computer  170 , preferably co-located at the same partnership business facility. Receiving device  130  can be a Web-enabled personal computer; a Web-enabled printer, such as kiosk printer, connected to network  120 ; a Web-connected digital copier that has a built-in personal computer with Internet connection; or an Internet appliance, which could be a Web-enabled television. 
   The system further optionally includes one or more separate notification devices  135  to assist recipient  140  in receiving notifications of sent electronic document folders  180 . Alternatively, notification of sent documents  178  can be made through a destination computer  170  and/or a receiving device  130 . Notification device  135  can be a Web-enabled personal computer, a Web-enabled Internet appliance, a cellular telephone, or any other device capable of sending messages to recipients  140 . Receiving notification via notification device  135  advantageously gives recipients  140  timely knowledge of when a sender  110  has sent document folders  180 . 
   Optional seal engine  150  is co-located with at least one computer  170 . Engine  150 , which may be embodied in hardware, firmware, and/or software, encodes information and attaches a seal  302  to documents  178  based upon instructions conveyed from senders  110  and/or recipients  140 . Seal engine  150  is used for authentication purposes to assure that a document  178  which apparently came from a sender  110  is a document actually sent by the sender  110 . The seal  302  is a digital collection of information which may be encoded into the image  190  of the document  178 . The information contained in seal  302  provides surety and guards against forgery. 
   The system is described above in connection with the Internet as network  120 . However, a wide variety of networks  120 , including local area networks (LANs), wide-area networks (WANs), and intranets can be used instead. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates that the method of the present invention starts  200  by a sender  110  sending one or more document folders  180  to the network  120 , at step  203 . The sender  110  typically forwards the document folders  180  to sending device  160 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the sender  110  scans the document folders into a scanner  160  (or the sender instructs the business to scan the document folders into the scanner  160  for him). In an alternative embodiment, the sender  110  forwards the documents  178  to the network  120  from his personal computer  160 . Device  160  typically converts the documents  178  into images  190 . Information in the document folders  180  is distributed, e.g., by being broken up into packets, into the network  120 , where it is temporarily stored. 
   The clients of the business (anyone from the group of senders  110  and recipients  140 ) have an option of specifying a date of expiration of the document folders  180  stored on the network  120 . Also, the business and one or more clients  110 ,  140  can mutually agree upon the period of time the document folders  180  can be stored on the network  120  at no cost to the client  110 ,  140 . It should be noted that a given document folder  180  might comprise only one document  178  or a plurality of documents  178 . The documents  178  can be in different file formats, such as audio, video, or formats having printable representation. One of the best modes of carrying out the present invention is sending documents  178  having printable representation, so that remote recipients  140  can conveniently print the sent documents  178  at a convenient destination location  170 . 
   The document folders  180  can be sent to the network  120  using virtual private network (VPN) security. A VPN is a network that is constructed using public wires to connect nodes. There are a number of VPN systems that enable one to create networks using the Internet as the medium for transporting data. These systems use encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access the network  120  and that the data cannot be intercepted. 
   Once the document folders  180  have been temporarily stored on the network  120 , the documents  178  are typically converted into a page description language or format  190  (in step  204  of  FIG. 2 ) by one of the computers  170 . Converting a document  178  into page description format (PDF) does not allow a recipient  140  to change the format and content of the received document  178 . This feature provides for portability and commonality of format and can mask some anomalies of technology on the reception end. PDF captures formatting information from a variety of desktop publishing applications, making it possible to send formatted documents and have them appear on the recipient&#39;s monitor or printer  130  as the sender  110  intended them. Alternatively, conversion to PDF can be done by sending device  160  prior to transmitting the documents  180  onto the network  120 . 
   In step  205 , one of the computers  170  notifies recipient  140  of a sent document folder  180  by means of providing an indirect reference to the document folder  180 . An indirect reference to the electronic document folder  180  can be a folder code containing information needed to retrieve the document folder  180 . This information can be, for example, a document number. 
   A folder code may be a privacy code or mediacard data. A privacy code can be automatically sent to recipient  140  via e-mail when the document  178  is available for access from the network  120 . This privacy code may be a simple set of numbers and may be viewed on a simple display  130 ,  135 , such as found on many cellular phones. The privacy code, which arrives in an encrypted form, helps to ensure that unauthorized users cannot access the sent document folders  180 . To read an encrypted file, recipient  140  must have access to a password that enables recipient  140  to decrypt it. The encryption and decryption can be performed using symmetric key (secret key) or asymmetric key (public key) cryptography. 
   When public key cryptography is used, two keys are used—a public key known to everyone and a private or secret key known only to the recipient  140  of the message. When a sender  110  wants to send a secure document to a recipient  140 , the sender  110  uses the recipient&#39;s public key to encrypt the message. Recipient  140  then uses his or her private key to decrypt it. At least one server  170  located on the network  120  has a table of clients&#39; names and their corresponding public keys. When the designated server  170  sends a notification message to a recipient  140 , recipient  140  can decrypt the message using his or her private key. 
   A folder code can also be mediacard data. A mediacard is an electronic device that contains electronic memory. A mediacard preferably should be delivered to a recipient  140  prior to document folder  180  retrieval. Such a mediacard may be created using a networked transmission of mediacard data as part of the mediacard delivery process. 
   It should be noted that the document folder  180  retrieval need not be based on privacy code or mediacard data. Any data providing an indirect reference to electronic document folders  180  can be used in the delivery process. 
   The indirect reference notification can arrive at notification device  135  or receiving device  130 . The notification can be in the form of e-mail if device  135  is a Web-enabled personal computer, or via voice mail if device  135  is a cellular telephone, or by a combination of e-mail and voice mail. The notification message informs recipient  140  that at least one document folder  180  has been sent to that recipient  140  and is ready for pickup. 
   Once the notification arrives at device  135 , a designated computer  170  selects a destination location or locations  170  for the electronic document folders  180  using data provided by each recipient  140 , in step  206 . Such data can include document  178  reception address data, and/or additional document  178  reception data. 
   Document  178  reception address data can be path information and/or method for network document folder  180  delivery. An example of document  178  reception address data is:
         ftp:/avistadel.com/doc/print/tty.prn (see  FIG. 2A )       

   Additional document  178  reception data can include document  178  reception location data (data used for improving the document  178  delivery experience through the knowledge of the geographical location of the receiving equipment  130  and the destination location  170  of the receiving equipment  130 ) and/or receiving device  130  capabilities (screen/printer capabilities of the receiving device  130 , such as text/graphics, color or black and white representation). 
   In step  207 , the process proceeds by a designated computer  170  optionally automatically modifying information contained in document folders  180  for best recipient  140  use with regard to receiving device  130  capabilities. For example, if the receiving device  130  is a black and white printer, the business may have decided that it is desirable to modify document  178  data to remove any color information contained in document images  190  for fastest transmission on the network  120 . Similarly, if the receiving equipment  130  has text, but not graphic capabilities, the business may have decided that it is desirable to modify the document  178  data so that only text is included. 
   Recipient  140  or sender  110  may optionally (in step  208 ) request authentication of documents  178  to assure that recipient  140  takes delivery of an actual document  178  sent by sender  110 , and not a forged document. When the authentication process is included, seal  302  is attached to a document  178  by seal engine  150 . The seal  302  is a digital collection of information which may be encoded into document image  190 . 
   In step  210 , a designated computer  170  causes the sent document folders  180  to accumulate on destination computer  170  using data  222  provided by recipient  140 . When recipient  140  requests the designated computer  170  to deliver the sent document folders  180 , he or she may select the destination computer  170  to be used. 
   To retrieve the sent document folders  180 , recipient  140  is prompted in step  212  by the designated computer  170  to enter information from the indirect reference notification. For example, this information may be a document number. The business may impose a requirement that recipient  140  provide this information in encrypted form. 
   In step  214 , recipient  140  takes document delivery based on all the information and data  222  submitted, using receiving device  130 . 
   Once recipient  140  takes delivery of document folders  180 , the process ends in step  216 . 
     FIG. 2A  illustrates an example of typical data  222  provided by recipient  140  to optimize and tailor the retrieval of electronic document folders  180 . This data  222  supplied by recipient  140  is sent to database  175 , which is located on at least one of the servers  170 . An exemplary data record  222  has the following fields: sender&#39;s name, recipient&#39;s name, document  178  reception address data, and additional document  178  reception data. The latter field is broken into two subfields: receiving device  130  capabilities and document  178  reception location data. 
   The document  178  reception address data can include path information and/or method for network document folder  180  delivery. 
   The document  178  reception location  170  data is particularly useful when the document  178  may be sent to several destination servers  170  throughout the world. The document  178  reception location  170  data is used for improving the document  178  delivery experience by using the geographical location of the receiving device  130  and the network  120  location of the receiving device  130 . The preferred destination server  170  for document  178  delivery may be determined using this location data. 
   Recipient  140 , using notification device  135  and/or receiving device  130 , is prompted in step  212  to provide any document  178  reception address data and any additional document  178  reception data before the destination location  170  is selected for the document folders  180  delivery. This data  222  is recorded in database  175 . The exemplary database record  222  shown in  FIG. 2A  includes a sender&#39;s name=“SMITH”; a recipient&#39;s name=“WARREN”; document  178  reception address data=“ftp:/avistadel.com/doc/print/tty.prn; receiving device  130  capabilities=“color, 300 dpi, pdf”; document  178  reception location data=73 DX STREET, BESTTOWN, CA 59959, and the Internet address of the nearest server  170  to the receiving location  130 : 333.444.555.66. Once recipient  140  provides the above data  222 , the designated computer  170  (typically computer  170  co-located with database  175 ) selects the destination location  170  for the document folder  180  delivery. Some or all of the data  222  can be provided to the designated supervisory computer  170  automatically by receiving device  130 . Alternatively, data  222  can be hand-entered into receiving device  130  or notification device  135 , by recipient  140 . 
     FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a seal  302  attachment system. When the authentication step  208  is included, seal  302  is attached to the document  178  by seal engine  150 . The seal  302  is a digital collection of information which may be encoded into a document image  190 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the attached seal  302  includes information contained in the sent document  178 , such as a portion of image  190  of the sent document  178 , as well as information not contained in the sent document  178 , which information might include one or more pieces of key information, such as a file size, a date and time of transmission, a protocol identification, such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and information known only by a recipient  140 , such as the recipient&#39;s mother&#39;s maiden name. 
   In the illustrated example, sender  110  wants to send a title transfer document  300  to a recipient  140 . As a result of the authentication procedure, seal engine  150  attaches seal  302 , encoding a complete representation of the original document  178  as well as information not contained in the sent title transfer document  300 . Such information includes the following: a file size of 7 MB, a date of transmission Aug. 24, 2000, a time of transmission 3:24 P.M. Pacific Daylight Savings Time, protocol information TCP/IP, and “Watson” as the recipient&#39;s mother&#39;s maiden name. The latter information is useful for authentication because only an intended recipient  140  is likely to know this information. The printed title transfer document  304  that is sent to recipient  140  has the attached seal  302 . The seal  302  embodiment of the present invention advantageously allows assuring that the received document  178  is an authentic one. 
     FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating an administrative subsystem  410 , a billing subsystem  420 , and a billing database  430  that are typically located on at least one server  170  (for example, the server  170  co-located with database  175 ). It should be understood that the architecture shown in  FIG. 4  is an example only and is not to be construed in a limiting sense. 
   A sender  110  may periodically deliver document folders  180  to the same group of recipients  140 . As such, it is advantageous for the business to register clients  110 ,  140  and keep client  110 ,  140  accounts in one database  430 . The administrative subsystem  410  is a system for registering clients  110 ,  140  and managing system resources based on client  110 ,  140  requests. The administrative subsystem  410  communicates with billing subsystem  420 . The billing subsystem  420  detects monetizing (billing) events generated by the administrative subsystem  410 . The billing subsystem  420  can be programmed to charge clients  110 ,  140  differently for different monetizing events, such as a recipient  140  taking delivery of document folders  180  when the document folders  180  are sent C.O.D. (cash on delivery). A client  110 ,  140  has an option of specifying a date of expiration of the document folders  180  temporarily stored on network  120 . The billing subsystem  420  then charges clients  110 ,  140  when the document folders  180  are stored beyond the period of time agreed upon by the business and the client  110 ,  140 . The billing subsystem  420 , in turn, communicates with billing database  430 , which may be part of database  175  or a separate database. Billing database  430  maintains and adjusts client  110 ,  140  accounts based on information received from billing subsystem  420 . Once a monetizing event occurs, that information along with a client  110 ,  140  name is submitted to billing database  430  to adjust the account of the client  110 ,  140 . 
     FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating billing database  430 . Billing database  430  contains billing records  510 . Each billing record  510  provides billing information about a particular client  110 ,  140 . 
     FIG. 6  is a block diagram showing an example of a billing record  510 , in which billing record  510  has the following two fields: client  110 ,  140  name and client  110 ,  140  billing information. The client  110 ,  140  billing information may include a client  110 ,  140  account number, the entity to whom the bill is to be sent, and how the client  110 ,  140  takes responsibility for the payment. When a monetizing event occurs, a memorandum of that event along with the client  110 ,  140  name is forwarded to the billing database  430 , which, in turn adjusts the client  110 ,  140  account. 
     FIG. 7  is a flow chart showing the operation of billing subsystem  420 . The process starts in step  700 . In step  702 , a periodic query asks whether billing event has taken place. The event could be any monetizing event, such as sending a document folder  180 , sending a document folder  180  C.O.D, storing a document folder  180  on destination computer  170  beyond the agreed-upon period of time, or requesting transmitting a document folder  180  with authentication so that a seal  320  is attached. Once a monetizing event occurs in step  702 , the administrative subsystem  410  sends information regarding the event including the client&#39;s name to the billing subsystem  420 , in step  704 . The billing subsystem  420  forwards all this information to the billing database  430 , in step  706 . The billing database  430  adjusts the client&#39;s account based on the information received from the billing subsystem  420 , in step  708 . The process ends in step  710 . If the determination in step  702  is negative so that no monetizing event has taken place, the process loops to the end  710  and the client&#39;s account is not adjusted. 
     FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating one operation of administrative subsystem  410 . The administrative process includes registering clients  110 ,  140  and maintaining client  110 ,  140  resources. In step  802 , the process starts. First, a client  110 ,  140  registers with the business by filling out a registration form in step  804 . Filling out the registration form, which may be, for example, a form presented on the World Wide Web, may require providing the client&#39;s name, address, and password for authorization purposes. In step  806 , an authorization process takes place. Specifically, the business verifies whether a client  110 ,  140  is who he claims he is. This verification can be accomplished, for example, by sending an e-mail to the client  110 ,  140  and requesting a response, or by a human being calling the prospective client  110 ,  140  on the telephone. The process allows the client  110 ,  140  to submit new client information in step  807 , if needed to complete the registration requirements as defined by the business. All the information submitted by the client  110 ,  140 , including the client&#39;s name and address, is forwarded in step  808  to the billing database  430 . The process ends at step  810 . 
     FIG. 9  shows an overview of a typical client registration process (step  804  described above). In display  902 , the client  110 ,  140  is asked to register with the business. To do so, the client  110 ,  140  fills out a form, in this case an online form. The client  110 ,  140  may be prompted by software contained in the administrative subsystem to enter his name and address, and select a password. Further, in display  904 , the client is prompted to re-enter his password for authentication purposes. In other embodiments, a non-password based authorization check might be used. The client&#39;s password is an important piece of information, which is used during the client  110 ,  140  authentication process to ensure that only clients  110 ,  140  registered with the business can send and receive document folders  180 . Once the client  110 ,  140  provides all identification information, a message in displayed in  905  informing the client  110 ,  140  to submit his registration information, e.g., by clicking on a “submit” button on his computer screen. In display frame  906 , the client  110 ,  140  is notified that all of his registration information will be submitted to billing database  430 . 
   The above description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims. From the above discussion, many variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art that would yet be encompassed by the spirit and scope of the present invention.