SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DATA TRANSPORT

• US 20070016613A1
• Filed: 07/13/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Foresti, Stefano, Lamponi, Paolo, Stebbing, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

An integrated mail and file transfer (IMFT) system is a web-based data transport system including automatic and authenticated access mechanisms. The integrated mail and file transfer system includes an attachment filter, a message & file control server and data storage. The attachment filter receives emails, and for each email generates a metadata file and one or more content files. The metadata and content files are provided to the message & file control server for storage, indexing and further processing. The message & file control server includes a control module, an account creation module, a user interface module, an access control module, an attachment processing module, and a file store and database interaction module. These modules operate on the message & file control server to provide the functionality for automatically creating user accounts, automatically providing access to file, and automatically storing files and emails. The present invention also includes a number of novel methods including: a method for automatically creating an account and authentication, a method for accessing files via a web based transport system, a method for modifying the access to files, and method for processing emails and storing email bodies and attachments.

Claims

1. A system for data transport and storage, the system comprising:

a filter having an input and an output for removing a message component for persistent storage, the input of the filter coupled to receive a message, the filter generating a content file from the message;

a control server having an input and an output for controlling the storage of files and generating a modified message, the control server coupled to the filter; and

a data storage for persistently storing files, the data storage coupled to the control server.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a message server having an input and an output for sending and receiving message, the message server coupled to the filter.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the filter is an adapter for the message server.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a web server having an input and an output for sending web pages and files and receiving files and data, the web server coupled to the control server.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the control server generates a file representing the message component using the content file and a metadata file.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the modified message having at least one message component replaced by a link, and the control server includes a module for replacing a message body of the message with the link and creating the link corresponding to the message body.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the control server includes an access control module for setting access controls for a file stored in the data storage, the access control module coupled for communication with the data storage and a user.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the control server includes an account creation module to automatically create new accounts and provide authentication of users in response to receipt by the control server of a unique identification from a user, the account creation module coupled for communication with the data storage and a user.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the filter generates a metadata file from the message, and wherein the data storage persistently stores the metadata file.

10. A method for accessing a data transport system, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing the data transport system;

entering a unique identification into the data transport system;

sending a key to the unique ID; and

using an authentication link including the key to access the data transport system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein accessing the data transport system comprises serving an authentication page.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein accessing the data transport system comprises serving a message to the data transport system.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the unique identification is one from the group of an email address, an instant messaging ID, a government issued ID, Short Message Service number, and a telephone number.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein entering the unique identification into the data transport system comprises entering a unique ID into the authentication page provided by the data transport system using a web browser.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein sending the key includes generating a message, inserting the unique identification as a recipient address in the message, including the authorization link containing the key in a body of the message and sending the message.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein using the authentication link further comprises accessing a storage location on a web server of the data transport system using a web browser.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein using the authentication link further comprises downloading a file identified by the authentication link from the data transport system.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein using the authentication link further comprises rendering for presentation in a browser a file identified by the authentication link, and displaying the rendering in a web browser of a client device.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein sending the key to the unique identification includes generating a token with the unique identification and storing the token in the data transport system.

20. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether an account in the data transport system exists for the unique identification; and

setting up an account to access the data transport system using only the unique identification, if the account in the data transport system does not exist.

21. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

specifying a file with a file name that the unique identification is authorized to access; and

wherein the step of sending the key encodes the file name in the authentication link.

22. The method of claim 10, further comprising a step of serving a file that is accessible by the unique ID.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a file,

displaying a list of unique IDs with access to the file; and

modifying access to the file using input received from a user.

24. A method for accessing a data transport system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message;

extracting an address from the message;

entering the address into the data transport system;

sending a key to the address; and

using an authentication link including the key to access the data transport system.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein sending the key includes generating a response message, inserting the address as an addressee of the response message, including the authorization link containing the key in a body of the response message and sending the response message.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein using the authentication link further comprises accessing a storage location on a web server of the data transport system using a web browser.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein using the authentication link further comprises downloading a file identified by the authentication link from the data transport system.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether an account in the data transport system exists for the address; and

setting up an account to access a file in the data transport system using only the address, if the account in the data transport system does not exists.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

specifying a file with a file name that the address is authorized to access; and

wherein the step of sending the key encodes the file name in the authentication link.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of displaying a web page listing the files that are accessible by the address.

31. A method for processing message with a data transport system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message;

identifying a component from the message;

storing the component in a file in the data transport system; and

creating a link to the file.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the component is the body of the message.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising creating a new message having the component replaced by the link.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising one of from the group of storing the new message and sending the new message.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising monitoring a message stream for messages.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising extracting an address from a header of the message.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising associating the file with the extracted address.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising extracting metadata from the message.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising sending the new message and storing the file and the link in the data transport system.

40. The method of claim 31, further comprising storing the file and the metadata in the transport system.

41. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

temporarily storing the file in a message server; and

detecting a presence of the file in the message server.

42. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

creating a metadata file corresponding to the file; and

storing the metadata file in the data transport system.

43. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

maintaining a message log; and

removing the message from the message log when the new message is sent.

44. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of creating a link is performed using a hash of the file name to create a web link to the file stored on the data transport system.

45. The method of claim 31, further comprising determining a rule for identifying and storing a component;

and wherein the step of identifying, storing and creating the new message are performed according to the rule.

46. A method for controlling access to a data transport system, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing an authentication page provided by the data transport system;

entering a unique identification into the data transport system;

comparing the unique identification to a plurality of stored identifications;

determining at least one file corresponding to the stored identifications that match the unique identifications, and

serving a link to the determined file.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the unique identification is one from the group of an email address, an instant messaging ID, a government issued ID, Short Message Service number, a telephone number.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein entering the unique identification into the data transport system comprises entering an email address into the authentication page provided by the data transport system using a web browser.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising the step of allowing a user to access the determined file by selecting the link.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein the data storage includes a file, and the file has an associated access control list, the access control list including unique identifications that are permitted to access the file.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the step of determining comprises searching the access control list for the unique identification.