Method and system for secure transfer of electronic information

• US 7,788,485 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John M. Connell
• Original Assignee: John M. Connell
• Inventors: Connell, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, VIRGINIA T
• Application Number:
  US10/913,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 713155-157, 713175-176, 713/178, 713/180, 713151-153, 709/206
• US Class Current: 713/157
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data

Abstract

A method and system for secure transfer of electronic information. The method and system allow secure transfer of electronic information, such as electronic mail (e-mail) using digital certificates.

Claims

1. A method for securely transferring electronic information, comprising:

creating secure electronic information on a source network device with one or more processors using a root digital certificate and a personal digital certificate transferred to the source network device from a secure electronic information server with one or more processors via a communications network;

adding an electronic link to the secure electronic information to route the information through the secure electronic information server, wherein the electronic link generates one or more electronic messages that are securely sent to the source network device to indicate the secure electronic information was received on a destination network device and wherein the electronic link allows the secure electronic information to be identified, sent and routed without storing the secure electronic information with the added link on the secure electronic information server, and wherein the electronic link is specially formatted to generate one or more other electronic messages when the secure electronic information is accessed on the destination network device;

sending the secure electronic information to the destination network device with one or more processors via the communications network using the electronic link to route the secure electronic information through the secure electronic information server, wherein the secure electronic information with the added electronic link is not stored on the secure electronic information server and wherein the secure electronic server does not record any identifying information about the source network device and the secure electronic information with the added electronic link;

receiving via the communications network a secure certified receipt on the source network device, wherein the secure electronic information server generates the secure certified receipt using the electronic link when the destination network device accesses the secure electronic information, wherein the secure certified receipt indicates the secure electronic information was received and accessed on the destination network device and includes a secure timestamp and date.

2. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the steps of the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the root and personal digital certificates are X.509 digital certificates.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the root digital certificate is a public key digital certificate and the personal digital certificate is a private key digital certificate.

5. The method of claim 1 where the secure electronic information includes secure electronic mail and secure electronic documents.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the secure electronic documents include secure electronic legal documents.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications network includes the Internet.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic link is a Hyper Text Markup Language link or a Domain Name System link.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the secure certified receipt includes an indication of a time period between when the secure electronic information was sent from the source network device and when it was accessed on the destination network device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the secure electronic information server includes a digital certificate authority.

11. A secure electronic information system, comprising in combination:

a secure electronic information server with one or more processors on a communications network for providing secure digital certificates to one or more source network devices with one or more processors, for accepting secure electronic information created with the provided secure digital certificates from the one or more source network devices, for routing the secure electronic information created using the secure digital certificates, wherein the secure electronic information includes an electronic link added to the secure electronic information, wherein the electronic link allows the secure electronic information to be identified, sent and routed without storing the secure electronic information with the added electronic link on the secure electronic information server, wherein the secure electronic information server does not record any identifying information about the secure electronic information with the added electronic link or the one or more source network devices and wherein the electronic link is specially formatted to generate one or more messages when the secure electronic information is received and one or more other messages when the secure electronic information is accessed on a destination network device with one or more processors, for sending and routing secure certified electronic acknowledgement receipts using the electronic link added to the secure electronic information when the secure electronic information is accessed and reviewed and for producing electronic reports and electronic audit trails for accepted and transmitted secure electronic information;

a secure electronic document signer for allowing a plurality of signers to electronically sign a secure electronic document created using secure digital certificates obtained from the secure electronic information server, wherein the electronic link is added to secure electronic document signed by the plurality of signers and is sent to the destination network device via the secure electronic information server; and

a secure electronic vault on the secure electronic information server for uploading secure documents other than the secure electronic information including the added electronic link, from the one or more source network devices, for storing the secure documents, for granting access to the secure documents to other users who have obtained secure digital certificates from the secure electronic information server and other users who have not obtained secure digital certificates from the secure electronic information server, and for sending an electronic mail message to a target network device with one or more processors that has been granted access to a selected secure document in the secure electronic vault, the electronic mail message including another electronic link to securely link the target network device back to the secure electronic vault on the secure electronic information server to access the selected secure electronic document.