US6487599B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic document delivery system in which notification of said electronic document is sent a recipient thereof
Assignee: Tumbleweed Communications Corp
•
Filing: 1999-07-14
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Granted: 2002-11-26
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Expires: 2019-07-14
Abstract
Abstract An electronic document delivery system and methods of its use are provided. A document preferably in a portable format is forwarded to a remote server (e.g. using HTTP to “push” the document to the server). The server sends a generic notification of the document to an intended recipient and the recipient can download the document from the server using local protocols. In preferred embodiments, the invention is used for the controlled delivery of portable documents from a sender to a large number of recipients. Using a network of servers that route the documents and notifications in a store and forward manner while providing routing and accounting information back to the sender.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey C. Smith
- 👤 Jean-Christophe Bandini
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/60; G06F21/606; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/958; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/107; H; H04; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/224; H04L51/42; H04L63/00; H04L63/02; H04L63/0227; H04L63/0236; H04L63/04; H04L63/0428; H04L63/0435; H04L63/08; H04L63/0823; H04L63/083; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; G06F2221/00; G06F2221/21; G06F2221/2107; H04L2463/00; H04L2463/101; H04L51/06; H04L51/066; H04L51/23
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for delivering, on a server, a document from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving from the sender data for generating a document and an e-mail address of the recipient; b) generating a reference that allows identification of the document and the recipient: c) sending to the recipient an e-mail message that includes the reference; d) generating the document from the data and allowing the document to be transferred to the recipient when the reference is presented to the server, and e) generating one or more records indicating which document has been transferred to the recipient.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for delivering, on a server, a document from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving from the sender data for generating a document and an e-mail address of the recipient; b) generating a reference that allows identification of the document and the recipient: c) sending to the recipient an e-mail message that includes the reference; d) generating the document from the data and allowing the document to be transferred to the recipient when the reference is presented to the server, and e) generating one or more records indicating which document has been transferred to the recipient.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises: receiving from the sender delivery attribute data which specifies a manner in which delivery of the document is to be performed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the delivery attribute data specifies a level of security with which to deliver the document.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the reference includes a URL that identifies the server that has received the data for generating the document, and further includes information that identifies the recipient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the server includes two or more server computers.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for delivering, on a server, electronic information that is transferred from a sender to a recipients, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving from the sender the information and an e-mail addresses of the recipient; b) generating a reference, the reference uniquely identifying both the electronic information and the recipient; c) sending to the recipient an e-mail message including the reference; d) allowing the information to be transferred to the recipient when the reference is presented to the server; e) generating one or more records indicating which electronic information has been transferred to the recipients.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
98 words
A method for delivering, on a server, electronic information that is transferred from a sender to a recipients, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving from the sender the information and an e-mail addresses of the recipient; b) generating a reference, the reference uniquely identifying both the electronic information and the recipient; c) sending to the recipient an e-mail message including the reference; d) allowing the information to be transferred to the recipient when the reference is presented to the server; e) generating one or more records indicating which electronic information has been transferred to the recipients.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 wherein each reference includes a URL that identifies the server that has received the electronic information, and further identifies the recipient.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the server includes two or more server computers.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for transferring, via a server, data from a first party to a second party, the method comprising the steps of; a) receiving from the first party the data and an e-mail address of the second b) storing the data; c) generating a reference that is unique to the data and to the second party; d) sending to the second party an e-mail message that includes the reference; e) allowing the data to be transferred to the second party when the reference is presented to the server; and f) generating one or more records indicating which data have been transferred to the second party.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for transferring, via a server, data from a first party to a second party, the method comprising the steps of; a) receiving from the first party the data and an e-mail address of the second b) storing the data; c) generating a reference that is unique to the data and to the second party; d) sending to the second party an e-mail message that includes the reference; e) allowing the data to be transferred to the second party when the reference is presented to the server; and f) generating one or more records indicating which data have been transferred to the second party.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the server includes two or more server computers.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for tracking, on a server, an electronic document that is transferred by a sender to a recipient, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving from the sender data for generating the electronic document and an e-mail address of the recipient; b) generating a reference that allows identification of both the electronic document and the recipient; c) sending to the recipient an e-mail message that includes the reference; d) allowing the electronic document to be transferred to the recipient when the reference is presented to the server; and e) generating a record indicating which document has been transferred to the recipient.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for tracking, on a server, an electronic document that is transferred by a sender to a recipient, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving from the sender data for generating the electronic document and an e-mail address of the recipient; b) generating a reference that allows identification of both the electronic document and the recipient; c) sending to the recipient an e-mail message that includes the reference; d) allowing the electronic document to be transferred to the recipient when the reference is presented to the server; and e) generating a record indicating which document has been transferred to the recipient.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the server includes two or more server computers.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for tracking, on a server, data that is transferred from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving from the sender the data and a messaging address of the recipient; b) generating a reference that allows identification of the data and the recipient; c) sending to the recipient a message that includes the reference; d) allowing the data to be transferred to the recipient when the reference is presented to the server, and e) generating one or more records indicating which data have been transferred to the recipient.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
95 words
A method for tracking, on a server, data that is transferred from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising the steps of: a) receiving from the sender the data and a messaging address of the recipient; b) generating a reference that allows identification of the data and the recipient; c) sending to the recipient a message that includes the reference; d) allowing the data to be transferred to the recipient when the reference is presented to the server, and e) generating one or more records indicating which data have been transferred to the recipient.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for allowing an intended recipient to access electronic information stored on a remote server, the electronic information transferred to the remote sever from a sender, the method comprising the steps of: a) transmitting from the remote server a message to a recipient, the message including a reference that allows identification of both the intended recipient and the electronic information that were transferred to the remote server by the sender; b) receiving the reference from a web browser able to connect to the remote server in a manner that allows access to the electronic information; and c) providing the electronic information to the web browser, and generating one of more records indicating which electronic information have been accessed by the recipient.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
122 words
A method for allowing an intended recipient to access electronic information stored on a remote server, the electronic information transferred to the remote sever from a sender, the method comprising the steps of: a) transmitting from the remote server a message to a recipient, the message including a reference that allows identification of both the intended recipient and the electronic information that were transferred to the remote server by the sender; b) receiving the reference from a web browser able to connect to the remote server in a manner that allows access to the electronic information; and c) providing the electronic information to the web browser, and generating one of more records indicating which electronic information have been accessed by the recipient.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the message is an e-mail message.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the reference includes a URL that identifies the server on which the electronic information is stored, and further identifies the intended recipient.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the remote server includes two or more server computers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-11-25 | 2006-05-27 | 2006-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-11-25 | 2010-05-27 | 2010-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-11-25 | 2014-05-27 | 2014-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |