Method and system for secure transfer of electronic information

• US 20050033958A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John M. Connell
• Original Assignee: John M. Connell
• Inventors: Connell, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data

Abstract

A method and system for secure transfer of electronic information. The method and system allow secure transfer of electronic information, such as electronic mail (e-mail) using digital certificates.

Claims

1. A method for securely transferring electronic information, comprising:

creating secure electronic information on a source network device using a root digital certificate and a personal digital certificate transferred to the source network device from a secure electronic information server;

adding an electronic link to the secure electronic information to route the information through the secure electronic information server;

sending the secure electronic information to a destination network device using the electronic link to route it through the secure electronic information server;

receiving a secure certified receipt is received on the source network device, wherein the secure electronic information server generates the secure certified receipt using the electronic link when the destination network device accesses the secure electronic information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the steps of the method.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the root and personal digital certificates are X.509 digital certificates.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the root digital certificate is a public key digital certificate and the personal digital certificate is a private key digital certificate.

5. The method of claim 1 where the secure electronic information includes secure electronic mail and secure electronic documents.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the secure electronic documents include secure electronic legal documents.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications network includes the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic link is a Hyper Text Markup Language link or a Domain Name System link.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the secure certified receipt includes an indication of a time period between when the secure electronic information was sent from the source network device and when it was accessed on the destination network device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the secure electronic information server includes a digital certificate authority.

11. A method for securely transferring electronic information, comprising:

automatically digitally signing and encrypting electronic information on a source network device using a first set of secure digital certificates obtained from a secure electronic information server;

securely transmitting the digitally signed and encrypted electronic information from the source network device to a secure electronic information server via a communications network;

securely transmitting the digitally signed and encrypted electronic information from the secure electronic information server to a destination network device via the communications network, wherein the destination network device uses a second set of secure digital certificates obtained from the secure electronic information server to decrypt and verify the digital signing of the electronic information; and

securely receiving a certified electronic acknowledgement receipt on the source network device from the secure electronic information server acknowledging receipt and review of the electronic information on the destination network device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising a computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the steps of the method.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first and second digital certificates are X.509 digital certificates.

14. The method of claim 11 where the electronic information includes electronic mail and electronic documents.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the electronic documents include electronic legal documents.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the communications network includes the Internet.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the secure electronic information server includes a digital certificate authority.

18. A secure electronic information system, comprising in combination:

a secure electronic information server for providing secure digital certificates, for accepting secure electronic information created using the secure digital certificates, for transmitting accepted secure electronic information, for sending secure certified electronic acknowledgement receipts when secure electronic information is accessed and reviewed and for producing electronic reports and electronic audit trails for accepted and transmitted secure electronic information;

a secure electronic document signer for allowing a plurality of signers to electronically sign a secure electronic document created using secure digital certificates obtained from the secure electronic information server; and

a secure electronic vault on the secure electronic information server for uploading secure documents, for storing the secure documents and for granting access to the secure documents to other users who have obtained secure digital certificates from the secure electronic information server and other users who have not obtained secure digital certificates from the secure electronic information server.

19. A secure electronic information system, comprising in combination:

a secure electronic information server for providing secure digital certificates, for accepting secure electronic information created using the secure digital certificates, for transmitting accepted secure electronic information, for sending secure certified electronic acknowledgement receipts when secure electronic information is accessed and reviewed and for producing electronic reports and electronic audit trails for accepted and transmitted secure electronic information;

a secure electronic information agent for creating secure electronic information using secure digital certificates obtained from the secure electronic information server;

a secure electronic document signer for allowing a plurality of signers to electronically sign a secure electronic document created using secure digital certificates obtained from the secure electronic information server; and

a secure electronic vault on the secure electronic information server for uploading secure documents, for storing the secure documents and for granting access to the secure documents to other users who have obtained secure digital certificates from the secure electronic information server and other users who have not obtained secure digital certificates from the secure electronic information server.

20. A secure electronic information system, comprising in combination:

a means for providing secure digital certificates, for accepting secure electronic information created using the secure digital certificates, for transmitting accepted secure electronic information, for sending a secure certified electronic acknowledgement receipts when secure electronic information is accessed and reviewed and for producing electronic reports and electronic audit trails for accepted and transmitted secure electronic information;

a means for creating secure electronic information using secure digital certificates obtained from the secure electronic information server;

a means for allowing a plurality of signers to electronically sign a secure electronic document created using secure digital certificates obtained from the secure electronic information server; and

a means for uploading secure documents, for storing the secure documents and for granting access to the secure documents to other users who have obtained secure digital certificates from the secure electronic information server and other users who have not obtained secure digital certificates from the secure electronic information server.