System and method for integrating paper-based business documents with computer-readable data entered via a computer network

• US 6,189,009 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comfidex Corp.
• Original Assignee: The Voice.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Stratigos, William N., Mann, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): DO, THUY T
• Application Number:
  US09/384,525
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/8, 707/9, 707/10, 395/614, 395/200, 395/500, 209/3, 705/23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

In an Internet-based process, a method of integrating paper-based business documents requiring an original signature with electronic data about those documents, and for later retrieving the data entered by the end user to create the documents is characterized by the steps of having the end user enter all required information for creating the required document, saving the gathered data in a database, associating the saved data with a unique identification code, and printing the unique identification code on the paper-based document when it is printed by the end user. The method can further include verification steps for the business client to independently verify the information entered, certification steps for the end user to certify the information entered, and fraud detection elements to protect against altered information on the documents. The printed paper-based document is signed by the end user, and submitted with supporting documentation. When the document is received by the business client, the business client inputs the identification code which is then used to access the stored data, and populate the business client'"'"'s own database with all of the data used to create the original documents. All data entry is completed and verified by the end user, thus virtually eliminating data entry by the business client.

Claims

1. A system for electronically generating a paper-based document customized for an individual end user, and for integrating said document with data used to create said document, said system including a computer system comprising:

a computer network;

a data entry computer connected to said computer network;

a transactional network site connected to said computer network, said transactional network site being accessible to said data entry computer through said computer network, said transactional network site having document creation software that is programmed to interactively request personalized document creation data from the end user, and uses said data provided by said end user to create a document that is to be printed for the end user;

software means for generating a unique identification code, for associating said gathered personalized document creation data with said unique identification code, and for generating a printable rendition of said identification code, said printable rendition of said identification code being provided to said document creation software for printing on said document;

a network accessible database for storing said data and said unique identification code associated with said data;

a printer for printing said document, said printed document including said personalized data and said unique identification code;

a business client network site connected to said computer network, said business client network site having means for reading said unique identification code, said business client network site using said identification code for automatically accessing said data within said network accessible database and for automatically processing said accessed data.

2. The network system of claim 1 wherein said printable rendition of said identification code comprises a bar code including said identification code.

3. The network system of claim 2 wherein said software means includes means for generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

4. The network system of claim 1 where said printable rendition of said identification code comprises an alphanumeric string of characters.

5. The network system of claim 4 wherein said software means includes means for generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

6. The network system of claim 1 wherein said software means includes means for generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

7. In the system of claim 1, said network accessible database comprising a database connected to said transactional network site, said business client network site using said unique identification code for automatically retrieving said data from said network accessible database.

8. In the system of claim 1, said network accessible database comprising a first database connected to said transactional network site, said system further comprising a second database connected to said business client network site, said data and said unique identification code being automatically stored in said first and second databases.

9. A method of electronically generating a paper-based document that requires an original signature of an end user and integrating said document with electronic data used to create said document, said method comprising the steps of:

providing access to a transactional network site via a computer network, said transactional network site having document creation software that interactively requests personalized document creation data from an end user for use in creating said document and uses said data provided by said end user to create a document that is to be printed for said end user, signed by said end user, and returned to a business client;

gathering said personalized document creation data from said end user and entering said data through said computer network;

assigning said gathered data a unique identification code;

storing said gathered data and said unique identification code in a network accessible database;

generating a printable rendition of said unique identification code;

electronically generating a printable rendering of said document to be submitted by said end user to a business client, said document including said gathered data, and said printable rendition of said unique identification code;

printing said document;

signing said printed document;

submitting said signed document to said business client;

inputting said identification code from said submitted document; and

accessing said gathered data from said network accessible database using said identification code.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of creating and generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of having said end user acknowledge the correctness of the gathered data prior to printing of the document.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of gathering said data is completed in a plurality of separate on-line sessions wherein a first portion of said data is entered and saved in a first session, and a second portion of said data is entered in a second session.

13. In the method of claim 9, said network accessible database comprising a database connected to said transactional network site, said step of accessing said gathered data comprising retrieving said data from said network accessible database.

14. In the method of claim 9, said network accessible database comprising a first database connected to said transactional network site, said system further comprising a second database connected to said business client network site, said data and said unique identification code being automatically stored in said first and second databases, said step of accessing said gathered data comprising accessing said data from said second database.

15. A method of electronically generating a paper-based document that requires an original signature and integrating said document with data used to create said document, said method comprising the steps of:

providing access to a transactional network site via a computer network, said transactional network site having document creation software that requests data from an end user, and uses said data entered by said end user to create a document that is to be printed, signed by said end user, and returned to a business client;

gathering said data from said end user wherein said end user enters said data through said computer network;

assigning said gathered data a unique identification code;

storing said gathered data and said unique identification code in a network accessible database;

generating a printable rendition of said unique identification code;

electronically generating a completed rendering of said document including said gathered data, and said printable rendition of said unique identification code;

printing said completed rendering of said document;

signing said printed document;

returning said signed document to said business client;

inputting said identification code from said returned document;

accessing said network accessible database using said identification code; and

retrieving said gathered data from said network accessible database.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of validating said gathered data prior to electronically generating a completed rendering of said document.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said step of validating said data includes checking said gathered data for required information and the validity of said gathered data prior to electronically generating a completed rendering of said document.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of creating and generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of creating and generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of presenting said electronically generated rendering of said document to the end user in preview mode, and requiring the end user to validate the correctness of the information on the document prior to printing thereof.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of creating and generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of creating and generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein said step of gathering said data is completed in a plurality of separate on-line sessions wherein a first portion of said data is entered and saved in a first session, and a second portion of said data is entered in a second session.

24. A method of electronically generating a paper-based document that requires an original signature of an end user and integrating said document with electronic data used to create said document, said method comprising the steps of:

providing access to a transactional network site via a computer network, said transactional network site having document creation software that interactively requests personalized data from an end user for use in creating said document and uses said data as provided by said end user to create a document that is to be printed for said end user and returned to a business client;

gathering personalized data from said end user;

entering said data through said computer network;

assigning said gathered data a unique identification code;

storing said gathered data and said unique identification code in a network accessible database;

generating a printable rendition of said unique identification code;

electronically generating a printable rendering of said document to be submitted by said end user to a business client, said document including said gathered data, and said printable rendition of said unique identification code;

printing said document;

submitting said signed document to said business client;

inputting said identification code from said submitted document; and

accessing said gathered data from said network accessible database using said identification code.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of creating and generating a printable rendition of a fraud detection element for printing on said document.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of having said end user acknowledge the correctness of the gathered data prior to printing of the document.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein said step of gathering said data is completed in a plurality of separate on-line sessions wherein a first portion of said data is entered and saved in a first session, and a second portion of said data is entered in a second session.

28. In the method of claim 24, said network accessible database comprising a database connected to said transactional network site, said step of accessing said gathered data comprising retrieving said data from said network accessible database.

29. In the method of claim 24, said network accessible database comprising a first database connected to said transactional network site, said system further comprising a second database connected to said business client network site, said data and said unique identification code being automatically stored in said first and second databases, said step of accessing said gathered data comprising accessing said data from said second database.