Electronic file management system and method

• US 20020046253A1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hara, Yoshinobu, Uchida, Jiyunji
• Granted Patent: US 6,651,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A secured as well as convenient system for information exchanging between enterprises using the Internet. An external server is divided into public Web server and a Web data management server, which connect to each other via a firewall. Data sent from browsers of outside users to the Web server are transferred to the Web data management server via the firewall. Thus, the firewall in the external server protects data supplied by outside users.

Claims

1. An electronic file management system comprising an external server installed in the outside and an internal server communicating with the external server wherein

said external server comprises a public Web server which a browser can access via the Internet and a Web data management server which is connected to said public Web server via a firewall and

said public Web server contains a Web site of an enterprise associated with the internal server, so that data which a browser accessing the Web site interactively sends to the public Web server, are sent to said Web data management server via said firewall.

2. An electronic file management system according to claim 1, wherein said external server is connected to said internal server via a second firewall, so that said data stored in said Web data management server are sent to said internal server via said second firewall.

3. An electronic file management system according to claim 1, wherein after having transferred said data received from the browser, to said Web data management server, said public Web server deletes said data stored in the public Web server.

4. An electronic file management system according to claim 2, wherein after having transferred said data received from the browser, to said internal server, said Web data management server deletes said data received from the browser, stored in the Web data management server.

5. An electronic file management system according to claim 1, wherein said public Web server is provided with a Web site of an enterprise, which includes a special-purpose page which users having a user ID and a user password issued by the enterprise, alone can browse, so that data supplied by the users are sent to said public Web server using said special-purpose page.

6. An electronic file management system according to claim 5, wherein icons concerning businesses, already set to respective users, are displayed in said special-purpose page.

7. An electronic file management system according to claim 5, wherein if said external server receives said data normally, said external server issues a data ID unique to the file of the data, stores the data ID in a historical database and informs the user who has supplied the data, of the data ID.

8. An electronic file management system according to claim 7, wherein in response to sending of said data ID and a mark indicating withdrawal or replacement, from said special-purpose page or pages associated with said special-purpose page, said external server executes withdrawal or replacement process of the file of the data ID.

9. An electronic file management system according to claim 7, wherein said external server issues a data password associated with the data ID, together with said data ID, stores the data password in the historical database and informs the user who has supplied said data, of the data password.

10. An electronic file management system according to claim 8, wherein at first said internal server temporally stores the data from the external server in a receiving database, and then transfers the data to a data storing database after a certain time has lapsed or after a certain amount of data have been stored in the receiving database.

11. An electronic file management system according to claim 10, wherein said internal server is provided with a historical database and the data stored in the historical database of said external server is transferred to the historical database of the internal server to be stored.

13. An electronic file management system according to claim 12, wherein said external server and said internal server are connected by a private line and said authentication of an user is carried out using a user ID and a user password.

14. An electronic file management system according to claim 12, wherein when said shared database is accessed by users, a record of the access is made in a log file in said external server.

15. An electronic file management system according to claim 12, wherein operations of in-house users on said internal database are recorded in a log file in said internal server.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of deleting said data stored in the public Web server after having transferred said data received from the browser, to said Web data management server.

18. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of deleting said data received from the browser, stored in the Web data management server after having transferred said data received from the browser, to said internal server.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said external server and said internal server are connected by a private line and said authentication of a user is carried out using a user ID and a user password.

12. An electronic file management system provided with an internal server communicating via a firewall with an external server installed in the outside, the electronic file management system comprising:

a public Web server placed in the external server and connected to the Internet;

a shared database placed in the external server, which users can access by way of the Internet through authentication; and

an internal database placed in said internal server, which corresponds to said shared database, wherein

said shared database and said internal database are configured to match each other, based on information on changes in said shared database or said internal database.

16. A method for communication between an internal server of an enterprise and an external server installed in the outside of the enterprise, wherein said external server comprises a public Web server which a browser can access via the Internet and a Web data management server which is connected to said public server via a first firewall and said public Web server contains a Web site of the enterprise associated with the internal server and said external server is connected to said internal server via a second firewall, the method comprising the steps of:

storing data which a browser accessing the Web site interactively sends to said public Web server, in said public Web server,

sending said data stored in said public Web server, to said Web data management server via said first firewall,

storing said data in said Web data management server, and

sending said data stored in said Web data management server to said internal server via said second firewall.

19. A method for communication between an internal server of an enterprise sand an external server installed in the outside of the enterprise, wherein public Web server is placed in the external server and connected to the Internet, a shared database is placed in the external server and an internal database is placed in said internal server, which corresponds to said shared database, the method comprising the steps of:

authenticating a user'"'"'s access to the shared database and

matching said shared database and said internal database to each other, based on information on changes in said shared database and said internal database.