Transfer server of a secure system for unattended remote file and message transfer

• US 7,568,219 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bottomline Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bottomline Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Hoffman, Robert F., Campbell, Eric, Lemanis, Maris N, Maloney, Robert Jr., Mintzer, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lemma; Samson B
• Application Number:
  US10/879,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20050066194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5, 713/155, 713/165, 713/168, 713/170
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A web server system provides for the secure exchanging files with a remote transfer server over an open network such as the Internet. The transfer server operates a plurality of transfer methods. Exemplary transfer methods comprise: i) a log-on method operated comprising steps for returning a session ID to an authenticated transfer client; ii) an active event keys method comprising steps for returning each of a plurality of event keys associated with the transfer client; iii) a read event method comprising steps for returning event parameters associated with an event identified by its event key, iv) a create binary object event comprising steps for extracting data from an application database, storing a binary object of the extracted data, and recording the binary object in an ownership table, v) a check availability method for determining whether a binary object matching a class exists; and vi) an download method comprising steps for sending a message to the transfer client which includes a binary object identified in a request from the transfer client.

Claims

1. A web services transfer server for exchanging files with a transfer client over an open network, the web services transfer server comprising:

a processor executing a plurality of transfer methods coded to computer readable medium, the transfer methods comprising;

a log-on method operated in response to receiving a log-on method call from the transfer client, the log-on method call comprising a user ID and authentication credentials of the transfer client, the log-on method comprising steps for, if the authentication credentials match those of an authorized transfer client;

i) generating a session ID for assignment to the transfer client;

ii) writing the session ID to a session ID field of a record of a user ID table associated with the transfer client; and

iii) returning the session ID to the transfer client;

a retrieve active event key method operated in response to receiving a retrieve active event key method call from the transfer client, the retrieve active event key method call comprising the session ID, the event key method comprising steps for;

i) retrieving the user ID associated with the session ID from the user ID table;

ii) retrieving an event key value associated with the user ID from an event key table; and

iii) providing the event key value to the transfer client;

a read event method operated in response to receiving a read event method call from the transfer client, the read event method call comprising the session ID and the event key value, the read event method comprising steps for;

i) retrieving event parameters associated with the event key in an even parameter table, the event parameters comprising identification of a file and rules for creating a binary object; and

ii) returning the event parameters to the transfer client;

a create binary object method operated in response to receiving a create binary object method call from the transfer client, the create binary object method call comprising the session ID and the rules for creating a binary object, the create binary object method comprises steps for;

i) calling a data processing function for extracting data from an application database and formatting the data into a file in accordance with the rules;

ii) storing the file as a binary object in an object storage;

iii) creating a record in an ownership table associating the binary object with a class value and identification of the binary object, and

iv) returning the class value to the transfer client;

a check availability method operated in response to receiving a check availably method call from the transfer client, the check availability method call comprising the session ID and the class value, the check availability method comprising steps for;

i) comparing the class value to each record of the ownership table to determining if the binary object with its class value matching the class value provided in the method call exits; and

ii) returning a binary object ID identifying the binary object;

a download method operated in response to receiving an download method call from the transfer client, the download method call comprising the session ID and the binary object ID, the download method comprising steps for providing a response message to the transfer client, the response message comprising the binary contents of the binary object associated with the binary object ID.

2. The web services transfer server of claim 1, wherein the event parameters further identify a download directory associated with the transfer client to which the binary object is to be stored as a file with the file name.

3. The web services transfer server of claim 2, wherein the event parameters further comprise a printer ID of a printer associated with the transfer client and to which the transfer client is to send the file following download.

4. A method of operating a web service server for exchanging files with a transfer client over an open network, the method comprising:

operating a log-on method in response to receiving a log-on method call from the transfer client, the log-on method call comprising a user ID and authentication credentials of the transfer client, the log-on method comprising steps for, if the authentication credentials match those of an authorized transfer client;

i) generating a session ID for assignment to the transfer client;

ii) writing the session ID to a session ID field of a record of a user ID table associated with the transfer client; and

iii) returning the session ID to the transfer client;

operating a retrieve active event key method in response to receiving a retrieve active event key method call from the transfer client, the retrieve active event key method call comprising the session ID, the event key method comprising steps for;

i) retrieving the user ID associated with the session ID from the user ID table;

ii) retrieving an event key value associated with the user ID from an event key table; and

iii) providing the event key value to the transfer client;

operating a read event method in response to receiving a read event method call from the transfer client, the read event method call comprising the session ID and the event key value, the read event method comprising steps for;

i) retrieving event parameters associated with the event key in an event parameter table, the event parameters comprising identification of a file and rules for creating a binary object; and

ii) returning the event parameters to the transfer client;

operating a create binary object method in response to receiving a create binary object method call from the transfer client, the create binary object method call comprising the session ID and the rules for creating a binary object, the create binary object method comprises steps for;

i) calling a data processing function for extracting data from an application database and formatting the data into a file in accordance with the rules;

ii) storing the file as a binary object in an object storage;

iii) creating a record in an ownership table associating the binary object with a class value and identification of the binary object, and

iv) returning the class value to the transfer client;

operating a check availability method in response to receiving a check availably method call from the transfer client, the check availability method call comprising the session ID and the class value, the check availability method comprising steps for;

i) comparing the class value to each record of the ownership table to determine if the binary object with its class value matching the class value provided in the method call exists; and

ii) returning a binary object ID identifying the binary object;

operating a download method in response to receiving an download method call from the transfer client, the download method call comprising the session ID and the binary object ID, the download method comprising steps for providing a response message to the transfer client, the response message comprising the binary contents of the binary object associated with the binary object ID.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the event parameters further identify a download directory associated with the transfer client to which the binary object is to be stored as a file with the file name.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the event parameters further comprise a printer ID of a printer associated with the transfer client and to which the transfer client is to send the file following download.