Obtaining consent for electronic delivery of compliance information

• US 7,885,872 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge Financial Solutions Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. (Broadridge Financial Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burakoff, Stephen V., Fein, Robert A., Simmel, Sergiu S.
• Primary Examiner(s): APPLE, KIRSTEN SACHWITZ
• Application Number:
  US11/804,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20070219821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 705/35, 283/17
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes

Abstract

A method and related system obtains consent from an individual for computer-aided delivery of compliance information. Initially, a computer-readable data storage device is provided to the individual. The device stores the compliance information and computer-executable instructions. By inserting the device into a computer, the instructions are executed and the individual is prompted by the computer to consent to the computer-aided delivery of additional compliance information. Once consent is indicated, it is communicated from the individual'"'"'s computer to another computer such as a server over, for example, a modem connection. Having secured the individual'"'"'s consent, the additional compliance information can be delivered to the individual'"'"'s computer as, for example, a file attachment to an email message.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining consent to computer-aided delivery of information, the system comprising at least one processor programmed to:

obtain a recipient'"'"'s consent to electronically deliver information of a first type to the recipient as the information of the first type becomes available, wherein the system enables the recipient to not consent to electronic delivery of information of a second type; and

after obtaining the consent and the information of the first type becoming available, make the information of the first type electronically accessible to the recipient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to obtain the recipient'"'"'s consent by sending the recipient a communication requesting consent over a computer communications link.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication is an email.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication is content presented on a web site accessible by the recipient.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein making information of the first type electronically accessible to the recipient comprises sending the recipient an email.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the email includes information of the first type.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the email includes a web address at which information of the first type is accessible.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein making information of the first type electronically accessible to the recipient comprises making the information accessible via a web site.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the information of the first type is sensitive information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the information of the first type is compliance information.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one storage element operable to store an indication of consent obtained from the recipient.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the information of the first type comprises documents from a first securities issuer, and the information of the second type comprises documents from a second securities issuer.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the information of the first type comprises a first type of compliance document, and the information of the second type comprises a second type of compliance document.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the information of the first type comprises information relating to a first security, and the information of the second type comprises information relating to a second security.

15. At least one computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon which, when executed by at least one computer, perform a method comprising:

(A) obtaining a recipient'"'"'s consent to electronically deliver information of a first type to the recipient as the information of the first type becomes available, the recipient being able to not consent to electronic delivery of information of a second type; and

(B) after obtaining the consent and the information of the first type becoming available, making the information of the first type electronically accessible to the recipient.

16. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein (A) comprises sending the recipient a communication requesting consent over a computer communications link.

17. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the communication is an email.

18. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the communication is content presented on a web site accessible by the recipient.

19. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein (B) comprises sending the recipient an email.

20. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the email includes information of the first type.

21. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the email includes a web address at which information of the first type is accessible.

22. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein (B) comprises making the information accessible via a web site.

23. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information of the first type is sensitive information.

24. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the information of the first type is compliance information.

25. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions defining:

(C) storing an indication of consent obtained from the recipient.

26. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information of the first type comprises documents from a first securities issuer, and the information of the second type comprises documents from a second securities issuer.

27. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information of the first type comprises a first type of compliance document, and the information of the second type comprises a second type of compliance document.

28. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information of the first type comprises information relating to a first security, and the information of the second type comprises information relating to a second security.