Patent ID: 8279479

Claim:
A method implemented by a programmed network-server based computer system, the method comprising: the programmed network-server based computer system receiving, on behalf of an intended recipient, an authenticated image file from a stand-alone network scanner device via a path across a global Internet, wherein the authenticated image file includes particular scanned document data sufficient to enable reproduction of a particular scanned document originally scanned by a particular sending user using the stand-alone network scanner device, and further includes authentication data that identifies the particular sending user as having authenticated himself/herself at the stand-alone network scanner device as being associated with the particular scanned document; the programmed network-server based computer system storing archival data associated with the authenticated image file, wherein the archival data is accessible at a future date and time in order to enable verification at the future date and time that the particular sending user is associated with the authenticated image file, to enable reproduction of the particular scanned document, and to provide a verification that the reproduction of the particular scanned document is substantially identical to the particular scanned document as it was originally scanned by the particular sending user using the stand-alone network scanner device; the programmed network-server based computer system transmitting information related to the authenticated image file to a remote computerized device associated with the intended recipient; the programmed network-server based computer system providing a first remotely accessible user interface for use by the particular sending user, to enable the particular sending user to access the particular document; and the programmed network-server based computer system providing a second remotely accessible user interface for use by the intended recipient to access the particular document.