Compliance archival data process and system

• US 6,317,751 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1998
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Merrill Lynch & Co. Incorporated
• Inventors: Myers, Rick, Yeger, David, Kliegman, Jay, Cicconi, Roger, Lawal, Gafar
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACK, LINH
• Application Number:
  US09/162,435
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104, 707/100, 707/101, 707/204, 709/203, 709/217, 709/201, 709/200
• US Class Current: 707/661
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A computer system for enhanced management and archiving of select data types includes algorithms for transforming the data types into special system recognized objects and associated meta-data. High volume archiving is accomplished at low costs and substantially facilitated retrieval. The system is particularly useful in managing electronic message systems for institutions complying with regulatory requirements.

Claims

1. A computer processing method for archiving data processed in a network environment, the method including the steps of:

(a) storing, on a server, files corresponding to a first data type;

(b) accessing the stored files and processing the stored files by extracting a subset of data available for characterizing the contents of the stored files to thereby generate characterizing data;

(c) processing the characterizing data into a known format and storing the processed characterizing data in a relational database;

(d) processing the stored files to conform to a file template; and

(e) storing the processed stored files in a non-volatile storage media,

wherein the stored files are processed utilizing an architecture comprising a core coding segment corresponding to the first data type.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said core coding segment is augmented by data type specific coding extensions.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein one of said extensions include e-mail specific functionality.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the e-mail characterizing data comprises sender, recipient, subject matter, when sent, number of attachments, message size, and an embedded unique identifier.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said unique identifier is used to prevent duplicate storage of e-mail messages.