Obtaining consent for electronic delivery of compliance information

• US 20020055898A1
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Horizon Technology Funding Co. LLC (Horizon Technology Finance Management LLC)
• Original Assignee: Horizon Technology Funding Co. LLC (Horizon Technology Finance Management LLC)
• Inventors: Burakoff, Stephen V., Fein, Robert A., Simmel, Sergiu S.
• Application Number:
  US10/035,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20020055898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes

Abstract

A method and related system obtains consent from an individual for computer-aided delivery of compliance information. Initially, a computer-readable data storage device is provided to the individual. The device stores the compliance information and computer-executable instructions. By inserting the device into a computer, the instructions are executed and the individual is prompted by the computer to consent to the computer-aided delivery of additional compliance information. Once consent is indicated, it is communicated from the individual'"'"'s computer to another computer such as a server over, for example, a modem connection. Having secured the individual'"'"'s consent, the additional compliance information can be delivered to the individual'"'"'s computer as, for example, a file attachment to an email message.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining consent for computer-aided delivery of compliance information, the method comprising:

electronically providing computer-executable instructions for obtaining consent from an individual for subsequent computer-aided delivery of additional compliance information to the individual;

prompting, by execution of the instructions on a first computer, the individual for consent to the subsequent computer-aided delivery of the additional compliance information to the individual;

communicating the individual'"'"'s consent from the first computer to a second computer, the second computer connected to the first computer over a network; and

transmitting additional compliance information from the second computer to the first computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer-executable instructions includes instructions for providing a first set of compliance information to the individual.

3. A system for obtaining consent from a user for computer-aided delivery of compliance information, the system comprising:

a sending computer arrangement programmed to send software to a user device, the software comprising computer executable instructions; and

the user device programmed to;

execute the computer executable instructions,

prompt the user to consent to the computer aided delivery of compliance information, and

communicate the consent to a second device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the second device is the sending computer arrangement.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the software is sent in a message over a network.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the computer executable instructions allow the user to consent by replying to the message.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the computer executable instructions allow the user to consent by following a link in the message.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the computer executable instructions allow the user to consent by executing a form included in the message.

9. The system of claim 3 wherein the sending computer arrangement is further programmed to send compliance information to the user device.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein the sending computer arrangement is further programmed to send a notification about the compliance information to the user device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the notification comprises a message sent over a network.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the notification contains a link to a location of the compliance information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the location of the compliance information is a web page.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the web page is stored in the sending computer arrangement.

15. The system of claim 3 wherein the compliance information comprises one or more additions or changes to a mutual fund prospectus.

16. The system of claim 3 wherein the second device stores the communicated consent.

17. The system of claim 3 wherein the sending computer arrangement comprises a server.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the destination address is located at a second client system and the hyperlink is transmitted from the server system to the second client system via the Internet.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the destination address is located at a second client system, the method further comprising:

under control of the second client system;

receiving the hyperlink from the server system, and

accessing the server system via the hyperlink.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

under control of the server system;

detecting an access to the server system by the second client system via the hyperlink;

determining whether or not the hyperlink is valid; and

when the hyperlink is determined to be valid;

identifying a specific compliance information record from the hyperlink,

retrieving the specific compliance information record from the compliance information database, and

causing the specific compliance information record to be displayed on the second client system.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving an access request to access the compliance information database via a received hyperlink;

determining whether the received hyperlink is valid; and

when the received hyperlink is determined to be valid, identifying a specific compliance information record from data in the received hyperlink and providing the specific compliance information record to a source of the received hyperlink.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the first client system communicates with the database server system over the Internet.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the first client system communicates with the database server system over an intranet.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises at least one of:

receiving the access instruction over the Internet; and

sending the hyperlink over the Internet.

18. A computer-implemented method of providing an entity with compliance information stored in a compliance information database, the method comprising:

(a) identifying a specific compliance information record in the compliance information database to be provided; and

(b) directing a database management function to send a hyperlink to the entity pointing to the specific compliance information record.

19. A method of providing access to a compliance information database, the method comprising:

under control of a first client system;

sending an access instruction message; and

under control of a server system;

receiving the access instruction message from the first client system,

identifying a specific compliance information record within the access instruction message,

identifying a destination address within the access instruction message,

creating a hyperlink pointing to the specific compliance information record in the compliance information database, and

transmitting the hyperlink to the destination address.

23. A computer-implemented method of providing compliance information stored in a compliance information database, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction that identifies a specific compliance information record in the compliance information database;

creating a hyperlink pointing to the specific compliance information record; and

sending the hyperlink to a destination address.

25. A system for sharing compliance information data stored in a compliance information database, the system comprising:

a first client system operative to;

search the compliance information database,

identify a specific compliance information record,

identify a destination address, and

send an access instruction message with respect to the specific compliance information record and destination; and

a database server system operative to;

receive the access instruction message,

determine the specific compliance information record and destination address from the access instruction message,

create a hyperlink pointing to the specific compliance information record in the compliance information database, and

send the hyperlink to the destination address.

28. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program instructions on the computer-readable medium, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by a computer, direct the computer to perform a method of sharing compliance information data stored in a compliance information database, the method comprising;

receiving an access instruction,

identifying a specific compliance information record and a destination address in the access instruction,

creating a hyperlink pointing to the specific compliance information record, and

sending the hyperlink to the destination address.

30. A system for sharing compliance information data stored in a compliance information database, the system comprising:

a database server system operative to;

receive an access instruction message;

determine a specific compliance information record and destination address from the access instruction message;

create a hyperlink pointing to the specific compliance information record in the compliance information database; and

send the hyperlink to the destination address.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein a first client system sends the access instruction message to the database server system over the Internet.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first client system sends the access instruction message to the database server system over an intranet.

33. A method of obtaining consent for electronic delivery of compliance information, the method comprising:

(a) identifying a specific compliance information record in the compliance information database to be provided; and

(b) directing a database management function to send a hyperlink to the entity pointing to the specific compliance information record.