Method and system for delivering and accessing files

• US 20100106640A1
• Filed: 10/24/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1040 Bridge LLC
• Original Assignee: 1040 Bridge LLC
• Inventors: Meury, Herman
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• 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: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40

Abstract

A method and system for delivering and accessing files. The method and system may include the generation of a file for a first party by a second party. The file may be encoded in a machine readable format and may be may have its availability made known to the first party. The first party may then provide a payment to the second party via the web portal that allows them access to the document.

Claims

1. A method of delivering and accessing a file, comprising:

preparing a document by a first party for a client;

encoding the document as a computer-readable file;

assigning the file to the client;

assigning a monetary value to the file by the first party;

uploading the file to a database by the first party;

alerting the client that the file is available in the database;

submitting payment to the web portal for the file by the client; and

accessing the file by the client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing the accessing of the file by the second party until the second party has submitted payment for the file.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging into a web portal, by the first party, to upload the file to the database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

logging into a web portal, by the client, to access the file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first party registers with a web portal prior to uploading the file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the client registers with a web portal prior to submitting payment for the file.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

distributing a portion of the payment submitted by the client to the first party; and

retaining, by the web portal, a percentage of the payment submitted by the client as a service fee for use of the web portal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the service fee is a predetermined amount negotiated between the first party and the web portal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring ownership of the file to the client after the client has submitted payment for the file.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preventing the first party from altering the file after the client has submitted payment for the file.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the document is prepared specifically for the client by the first party.

12. A system for providing access to data, comprising:

a first party that contracts with a second party to prepare one or more documents;

a database that securely houses data;

one or more documents generated by the second party for the first party, the one or more documents encoded in a machine-readable format and uploaded to the database;

a web portal that facilitates the one or more documents to be uploaded to the database;

a notification that is sent to a first party after the one or more documents are uploaded to the database;

a display of information in the web portal regarding the one or more documents available to the first party; and

a payment mechanism available to the first party that facilitates access to the document.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the system guarantees payment to the second party by the first party for the one or more documents.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the web portal is a secure website.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the notification that is sent to the first party after the one or more documents are uploaded to the database is an email.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the email includes at least one of a website address, registration information for a web portal and information about the one or more documents.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the payment mechanism is one of an online credit card form, an electronic check and an online money transfer service.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a payment distribution mechanism that distributes any money paid by the first party to the second party at a predetermined rate.

19. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a tool on the web portal that facilitates the generation of reports for the second party about one of the second party and the one or more documents.

20. A method of delivering a document, comprising:

means for generating a document;

means for encoding the document in a machine-readable format;

means for uploading the document to a database;

means for securing the document in the database;

means for providing access to the document; and

means for transferring ownership of the document.