Systems and methods for providing eletronic archiving

• US 20040128316A1
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Campbell, Leo J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,917,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2135 Metering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing secure electronic archiving of customer (120) data over a network (110). Electronic postmarks are used to track archival of the data, access request for the archived (101) data, and fulfillment of the access requests.

Claims

1. A method for providing secure archiving of an electronic file, comprising:

establishing an account for a customer;

receiving from the customer a storage request for archiving, wherein the storage request includes the electronic file and customer identification information;

creating a storage electronic postmark corresponding to the storage request, wherein the storage electronic postmark includes the electronic file; and

storing the electronic file together with the storage electronic postmark in a database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage electronic postmark includes the customer identification information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the customer identification information includes a digital certificate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the customer identification information further includes a name and password.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a storage request electronic postmark corresponding to the storage request, wherein the storage request electronic postmark includes the customer identification information; and

storing the storage request electronic postmark in the database.

6. A system for providing secure archiving of an electronic file, comprising:

means for establishing an account for a customer;

means for receiving from the customer a storage request for archiving, wherein the storage request includes the electronic file and customer identification information;

means for creating a storage electronic postmark corresponding to the storage request, wherein the storage electronic postmark includes the electronic file; and

means for storing the electronic file together with the storage electronic postmark in a database.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

means for creating a storage request electronic postmark corresponding to the storage request, wherein the storage request electronic postmark includes the customer identification information; and

means for storing the storage request electronic postmark in the database.

8. A system for providing secure archiving of an electronic file, comprising:

a component for establishing an account for a customer;

a component for receiving from the customer a storage request for archiving, wherein the storage request includes the electronic file and customer identification information;

a component for creating a storage electronic postmark corresponding to the storage request, wherein the storage electronic postmark includes the electronic file; and

a component for storing the electronic file together with the storage electronic postmark in a database.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a component for creating a storage request electronic postmark corresponding to the storage request, wherein the storage request electronic postmark includes the customer identification information; and

a component for storing the storage request electronic postmark in the database.

10. A method for providing access to a secured electronic file to a customer, the method comprising:

providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark;

receiving an access request from the customer for the electronic file, wherein the access request includes the customer identification information and information identifying the electronic file in the database;

verifying that the customer is allowed to access the electronic file based on the customer identification information and the information identifying the electronic file in the database;

retrieving the stored electronic file from the database; and

providing the retrieved electronic file to the customer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the customer identification information includes a digital certificate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the customer identification information further includes a name and password.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

creating an access request electronic postmark corresponding to the access request, wherein the access request electronic postmark includes the customer identification information; and

storing the access request electronic postmark in the database.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

creating an access electronic postmark; and

storing the access electronic postmark in the database.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the information identifying the electronic file in the database includes a filename.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of retrieving the stored electronic file from the database comprises:

extracting the stored electronic file from the storage electronic postmark.

17. A system for providing access to a secured electronic file to a customer, the system comprising:

means for providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark;

means for receiving an access request from the customer for the electronic file, wherein the access request includes the customer identification information and information identifying the electronic file in the database;

means for verifying that the customer may access the electronic file based on the customer identification information and the information identifying the electronic file in the database;

means for retrieving the stored electronic file from the database; and

means for providing the retrieved electronic file to the customer.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for creating an access request electronic postmark corresponding to the access request, wherein the access request electronic postmark includes the customer identification information; and

means for storing the access request electronic postmark in the database.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for creating an access electronic postmark; and

means for storing the access electronic postmark in the database.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for retrieving the stored electronic file from the database comprises:

means for extracting the stored electronic file from the storage electronic postmark.

21. A system for providing access to a secured electronic file to a customer, the system comprising:

a component for providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark;

a component for receiving an access request from the customer for the electronic file, wherein the access request includes the customer identification information and information identifying the electronic file in the database;

a component for verifying that the customer may access the electronic file based on the customer identification information and the information identifying the electronic file in the database;

a component for retrieving the stored electronic file from the database; and

a component for providing the retrieved electronic file to the customer.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a component for creating an access request electronic postmark corresponding to the access request, wherein the access request electronic postmark includes the customer identification information; and

a component for storing the access request electronic postmark in the database.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a component for creating an access electronic postmark; and

a component for storing the access electronic postmark in the database.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the component for retrieving the stored electronic file from the database comprises:

a component for extracting the stored electronic file from the storage electronic postmark.

25. A method for providing access to a secured electronic file to a third party, the method comprising:

providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark;

receiving from a customer a link request to permit access of the electronic file by the third party, wherein the link request includes information identifying the electronic file in the database, the customer identification information including the customer'"'"'s digital certificate, and the third party'"'"'s digital certificate;

authenticating the customer based on the customer identification information;

linking the customer'"'"'s digital certificate to the third party'"'"'s digital certificate, when the customer has been authenticated;

receiving an access request from the third party, wherein the access request includes identification information about the third party and the information identifying the electronic file in the database;

verifying that the third party may access the electronic file based on identification information about the third party;

retrieving the electronic file from the database; and

providing the retrieved electronic file to the third party.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the customer identification information further includes a name and password.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the identification information about the third party includes the third party'"'"'s digital certificate.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the identification information about the third party further includes a name and password.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

creating a link request electronic postmark corresponding to the link request; and

storing the link request electronic postmark in the database.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

creating an access request electronic postmark corresponding to the access request; and

storing the access request electronic postmark in the database.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

creating an access electronic postmark corresponding to the retrieval of the electronic file; and

storing the access electronic postmark in the database.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the information identifying the electronic file in the database includes a filename.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of retrieving the stored electronic file from the database comprises:

extracting the stored electronic file from the storage electronic postmark.

34. A system for providing access to a secured electronic file to a third party, the system comprising:

means for providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark;

means for receiving from a customer a link request to permit access of the electronic file by the third party, wherein the link request includes information identifying the electronic file in the database, the customer identification information including the customer'"'"'s digital certificate, and the third party'"'"'s digital certificate;

means for authenticating the customer based on the customer identification information;

means for linking the customer'"'"'s digital certificate to the third party'"'"'s digital certificate, when the customer has been authenticated;

means for receiving an access request from the third party, wherein the access request includes identification information about the third party and the information identifying the electronic file in the database;

means for verifying that the third party may access the electronic file based on identification information about the third party;

means for retrieving the electronic file from the database; and

means for providing the retrieved electronic file to the third party.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

means for creating a link request electronic postmark corresponding to the link request; and

means for storing the link request electronic postmark in the database.

36. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

means for creating an access request electronic postmark corresponding to the access request; and

means for storing the access request electronic postmark in the database.

37. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

means for creating an access electronic postmark corresponding to the retrieval of the electronic file; and

means for storing the access electronic postmark in the database.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for retrieving the stored electronic file from the database comprises:

means for extracting the stored electronic file from the storage electronic postmark.

39. A system for providing access to a secured electronic file to a third party, the system comprising:

a component for providing a database wherein the electronic file and customer identification information are stored with a storage electronic postmark;

a component for receiving from a customer a link request to permit access of the electronic file by the third party, wherein the link request includes information identifying the electronic file in the database, the customer identification information including the customer'"'"'s digital certificate, and the third party'"'"'s digital certificate;

a component for authenticating the customer based on the customer identification information;

a component for linking the customer'"'"'s digital certificate to the third party'"'"'s digital certificate, when the customer has been authenticated;

a component for receiving an access request from the third party, wherein the access request includes identification information about the third party and the information identifying the electronic file in the database;

a component for verifying that the third party may access the electronic file based on identification information about the third party;

a component for retrieving the electronic file from the database; and

a component for providing the retrieved electronic file to the third party.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

a component for creating a link request electronic postmark corresponding to the link request; and

a component for storing the link request electronic postmark in the database.

41. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

a component for creating an access request electronic postmark corresponding to the access request; and

a component for storing the access request electronic postmark in the database.

42. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

a component for creating an access electronic postmark corresponding to the retrieval of the electronic file; and

a component for storing the access electronic postmark in the database.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein the component for retrieving the stored electronic file from the database comprises:

a component for extracting the stored electronic file from the storage electronic postmark.

44. A method for creating a customer accessible database, comprising:

creating a first table for storing electronic postmark transactions;

storing the electronic postmark transactions in the first table;

creating a second table for storing an electronic file with a storage electronic postmark and;

storing the electronic file with the storage electronic postmark in the second table.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the electronic postmark transactions include at least one of storage request electronic postmark, access request electronic postmark, access electronic postmark, link request electronic postmark, link electronic postmark, and customer identification information.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the customer identification information includes a digital certificate.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the customer identification information further includes a name and password.

48. A system for creating a customer accessible database, comprising:

means for creating a first table for storing electronic postmark transactions;

means for storing the electronic postmark transactions in the first table;

means for creating a second table for storing an electronic file with a storage electronic postmark and;

means for storing the electronic file with the storage electronic postmark in the second table.

49. A method for accessing a customer accessible database having at least one of storage electronic postmark, storage request electronic postmark, access request electronic postmark, access electronic postmark, link request electronic postmark, link electronic postmark, and customer identification information, the system comprising:

creating a record including at least one of storage electronic postmark, storage request electronic postmark, access request electronic postmark, access electronic postmark, link request electronic postmark, and link electronic postmark;

storing the record in the database; and

retrieving the record from the database.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising extracting an electronic file from the retrieved record that includes the storage electronic postmark.

51. A system for accessing a customer accessible database having at least one of storage electronic postmark, storage request electronic postmark, access request electronic postmark, access electronic postmark, link request electronic postmark, link electronic postmark, and customer identification information, the system comprising:

means for creating a record including at least one of storage electronic postmark, storage request electronic postmark, access request electronic postmark, access electronic postmark, link request electronic postmark, and link electronic postmark;

means for storing the record in the database; and

means for retrieving the record from the database.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising means for extracting an electronic file from the retrieved record that includes the storage electronic postmark.