System and method for transferring electronic information

• US 20030005288A1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Stern, Edith H., Yu, Philip Shi-lung, Moskowitz, Paul A., Grey, William, Boies, Stephen J., Dinkin, Samuel, Greene, David P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,934,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system to transfer electronic information includes reception of a command to transmit a file of electronic information. In response to the received command, the file of electronic information is automatically copied to create a copied file of electronic information, the copied file is transmitted, and the file of electronic information is rendered unusable. By rendering the file of electronic information unusable after copying the file, no additional usable copies of the file will remain. As a result, a degree of protection is provided to any copyright interest in the electronic information embodied therein.

Claims

1. A method for transferring electronic information, comprising:

receiving a command to transmit a portion of a file of electronic information; and

in response to the received command, automatically copying the portion of the file of electronic information to create a copied file of electronic information, transmitting the copied file, and rendering the portion of the file of electronic information unusable.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

determining whether the portion of the file of electronic information should be automatically copied and rendered unusable.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the determining step is based on an electronic tag associated with the portion of the file of electronic information.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable; and

transmitting a certificate certifying that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the file is received from an entity, and

wherein the certificate is transmitted to the entity.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the certificate is transmitted to an owner of a copyright in the file of electronic information.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the rendering step comprises erasing the portion of the file of electronic information.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic information comprises at least one of an image, text, multimedia, a movie, audio, music, software, news, weather, sports news, and data.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of automatically copying comprises at least one of creating an electronic mail message, copying to electronic storage, copying to magnetic storage, and copying to optical storage.

34. A method according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the file of electronic information is the entire file of electronic information.

10. A method for providing a file of electronic information, comprising:

providing a file of electronic information;

receiving a copy of a portion of the file of electronic information; and

receiving a certificate certifying that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the file is provided to a consumer in fulfillment of a subscription.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the portion of the file of electronic information is erased in order to render the file unusable.

13. A method according to claim 10, further comprising providing the certificate to an owner of a copyright in the portion of the file of electronic information.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the file of information comprises a tag indicating that the portion of the file should be rendered unusable if the portion of the file is copied.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the electronic information comprises at least one of an image, text, multimedia, a movie, audio, music, software, news, weather, sports news, and data.

17. A medium according to claim 16, the process steps comprising:

a step to determine whether the portion of the file of electronic information should be automatically copied and rendered unusable.

18. A medium according to claim 17, wherein the determining step is based on an electronic tag associated with the portion of the file of electronic information.

19. A medium according to claim 16, the process steps further comprising:

a step to determine that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable; and

a step to transmit a certificate certifying that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable.

20. A medium according to claim 19, wherein the file is received from an entity, and

wherein the certificate is transmitted to the entity.

21. A medium according to claim 19, wherein the certificate is transmitted to an owner of a copyright in the portion of the file of electronic information.

35. A method according to claim 10, wherein the portion of the file of electronic information is the entire file of electronic information.

36. A medium according to claim 16, wherein the portion of the file of electronic information is the entire file of electronic information.

16. A medium storing processor-executable process steps to transfer electronic information, the process steps comprising:

a step to receive a command to transmit a portion of a file of electronic information; and

in response to the received command, steps to automatically copy the portion of the file of electronic information to create a copied file of electronic information, to transmit the copied file, and to render the portion of the file of electronic information unusable.

22. A medium storing procesor-executable process steps to provide a file of electronic information, the process steps comprising:

a step to provide a file of electronic information;

a step to receive a copy of a portion of the file of electronic information; and

a step to receive a certificate certifying that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable.

23. A medium according to claim 22, wherein the file of information comprises a tag indicating that the portion of the file should be rendered unusable if the portion of the file is copied.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, the storage device further storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:

determine whether the portion of the file of electronic information should be automatically copied and rendered unusable.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the determining step is based on an electronic tag associated with the portion of the file of electronic information.

27. An apparatus according to claim 24, the storage device further storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:

determine that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable; and

transmit a certificate certifying that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the file is received from an entity, and

wherein the certificate is transmitted to the entity.

29. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the certificate is transmitted to an owner of a copyright in the portion of the file of electronic information.

37. A medium according to claim 22, wherein the portion of the file of electronic information is the entire file of electronic information.

38. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the portion of the file of electronic information is the entire file of electronic information.

24. An apparatus for transferring electronic information, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

receive a command to transmit a file of electronic information; and

in response to the received command, automatically copy a portion of the file of electronic information to create a copied file of electronic information, transmit the copied file, and render the portion of the file of electronic information unusable.

30. An apparatus for providing a file of electronic information, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device in communication with said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

provide a file of electronic information;

receive a copy of a portion of the file of electronic information; and

receive a certificate certifying that the portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the file of information comprises a tag indicating that the portion of the file should be rendered unusable if the portion of the file is copied.

39. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the portion of the file of electronic information is the entire file of electronic information.

32. A system for transferring electronic information, comprising:

a subscription device comprising;

a first processor; and

a first storage device in communication with the first processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the first processor to;

transmit a file of electronic information according to a subscription; and

receive a certificate certifying that a portion of the file of electronic information has been rendered unusable; and

a consumer device comprising;

a second processor; and

a second storage device in communication with the second processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by the second processor to;

receive the file of electronic information;

receive a command to transmit a portion of the file of electronic information;

determine whether the portion of the file of electronic information should be automatically copied and rendered unusable;

automatically copy the portion of the file of electronic information to create a copied file of electronic information;

transmit the copied file;

render the portion of the file of electronic information unusable; and

transmit the certificate to the subscription device.

33. A system according to claim 32, wherein the copied file is transmitted to the subscription device.

40. A system according to claim 32, wherein the portion of the file of electronic information is the entire file of electronic information.