ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF DELIVERED ARTICLE BY INTENDED RECEIVER

• US 20090198503A1
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Morin, Eric J., Marcoux-Norton, Christopher M.
• Application Number:
  US12/025,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198503A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/346
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for acknowledging receipt of an article by an intended receiver are disclosed. A method may comprise: communicating a receiver identification to the intended receiver; providing a mechanism to request an actual receiver of the article to provide the receiver identification; in response to that the actual receiver provides the receiver identification, generating a digital signature based on a combination of the receiver identification and an identification of the article; and acknowledging the receipt of the article by the intended receiver based on the digital signature.

Claims

1. A method for acknowledging receipt of an article by an intended receiver, the method comprising:

communicating a receiver identification to the intended receiver;

providing a mechanism to request an actual receiver of the article to provide the receiver identification;

in response to that the actual receiver provides the receiver identification, generating a digital signature based on a combination of the receiver identification and an identification of the article; and

acknowledging the receipt of the article by the intended receiver based on the digital signature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital signature includes an encrypted portion containing the receiver identification and the article identification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the digital signature includes a plain text portion containing at least one of:

another identification of the intended receiver or another identification of the article.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating includes creating a URL that contains a variable of the combination of the receiver identification and the article identification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the acknowledging includes providing a mechanism for communicating the digital signature to a centralized server to acknowledge the receipt.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating mechanism requires a security login of an authorized individual to communicate the digital signature.

7. A system for acknowledging receipt of an article by an intended receiver, the system comprising:

means for communicating a receiver identification to the intended receiver;

means for requesting an actual receiver of the article to provide the receiver identification;

means, responsive to that the actual receiver provides the receiver identification, for generating a digital signature based on a combination of the receiver identification and an identification of the article; and

means for acknowledging the receipt of the article by the intended receiver based on the digital signature.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the digital signature includes an encrypted portion containing the receiver identification and the article identification.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the digital signature includes a plain text portion containing at least one of:

another identification of the intended receiver or another identification of the article.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the generating means creates a URL that contains a variable of the combination of the receiver identification and the article identification.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the acknowledging means includes a communication means for communicating the digital signature to a centralized server to acknowledge the receipt.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the communicating means requires a security login of an authorized individual to communicate the digital signature.

13. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium comprising:

computer usable program code which, when executed by a computer system, enables the computer system to;

communicate a receiver identification to an intended receiver of an article;

prompt a request for the receiver identification to an actual receiver of the article;

responsive to that the actual receiver inputs the receiver identification, generate a digital signature based on a combination of the receiver identification and an identification of the article; and

acknowledge the receipt of the article by the intended receiver based on the digital signature.

14. The program product of claim 13, wherein the digital signature includes an encrypted portion containing the receiver identification and the article identification.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the digital signature includes a plain text portion containing at least one of:

another identification of the intended receiver or another identification of the article.

16. The program product of claim 13, wherein the program code is configured to enable the computer system to create a URL that contains a variable of the combination of the receiver identification and the article identification.

17. The program product of claim 13, wherein the program code is configured to enable the computer system to communicate the digital signature to a centralized server to acknowledge the receipt.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein the program code is configured to enable the computer system to prompt a security login request for an authorized individual to communicate the digital signature.

19. A method for providing a system for acknowledging receipt of an article by an intended receiver, comprising:

at least one of;

creating, maintaining, deploying or supporting a computer infrastructure being operable to;

communicate a receiver identification to an intended receiver of an article;

prompt a request for the receiver identification to an actual receiver of the article;

responsive to that the actual receiver inputs the receiver identification, generate a digital signature based on a combination of the receiver identification and an identification of the article; and

acknowledge the receipt of the article by the intended receiver based on the digital signature.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the digital signature includes an encrypted portion containing the receiver identification and the article identification.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the digital signature includes a plain text portion containing at least one of:

another identification of the intended receiver or another identification of the article.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to create a URL that contains a variable of the combination of the receiver identification and the article identification.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to communicate the digital signature to a centralized server to acknowledge the receipt.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the computer infrastructure is operable to prompt a security login request for an authorized individual to communicate the digital signature.