Methods and apparatus for providing coverage for sender of transmission data

• US 7,908,340 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TranSurety LLC
• Original Assignee: TranSurety LLC
• Inventors: Cianciarulo, Krys, Weiseth, Thomas, Cardot, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAROT, BHARAT
• Application Number:
  US11/758,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709217-219, 709223-224, 709227-228, 709/237, 707 9- 10, 705 51- 53
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• 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 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods which afford a technical application for insuring, bonding, and underwriting a transmission of a data set, streaming data, and/or document over the Internet through TCP/IP and all other electronic media such as WAP, VOIP, fiber optic channels, microwave channels, and through standard electrical switches, electrical outlets and power lines. The present invention includes a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions to cause a system perform a method for insuring, bonding, and/or underwriting data transmission. The method includes enabling a first remote client coupled to a communications network to insure, bond, and/or underwrite a transmission of an electronic data set, streaming data, and/or document, with a selected coverage type for a selected coverage amount, from the first remote client to one or more second remote clients. The method includes charging a fee to an appropriate account for the selected coverage type and amount.

Claims

1. A computerized method for providing coverage for computerized transmission of data, the method comprising:

requesting coverage for transmission, from a sender computer to a server computer, of a set of data over a communications network, wherein the coverage specifies a payment amount to be paid if the transmission were to fail, and wherein, based on the coverage, the server computer provides a payment of the payment amount if the transmission fails;

causing, by the server computer, computerized payment of a fee to a specified account for the coverage of the transmission;

sending, from the sender computer, a status indication for logging that the transmission of the set of data is occurring; and

transmitting the set of data from the sender computer to a receiver computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting includes eliciting and receiving data and placing the received data in an on-line electronic form.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the eliciting and receiving of data includes eliciting and receiving information for an appropriate account and placing the received information in a number of data fields located on the on-line electronic form.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting includes selecting an amount of coverage per a coverage type.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing computerized payment of the fee includes causing computerized payment of a per-usage fee, and wherein the fee is based upon a size of the transmission, a monetary value of the transmission, and a liability amount of the transmission.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing computerized payment of the fee includes causing computerized payment of a flat periodic fee.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the set of data is one of a number of transmissions, and the causing computerized payment of the fee includes causing computerized payment of a flat periodic fee plus an additional fee when the number of transmissions exceeds a predetermined number.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a requestor configured to request coverage for transmission of a set of data over a communications network, wherein the coverage would provide a payment amount if the transmission were to fail;

a payment module operatively coupled to the requestor and configured to pay a fee for the coverage;

a status-indication unit operatively coupled to the requestor and configured to send a status indication for logging that the transmission of the set of data is occurring; and

a transmission unit operatively coupled to the requestor and configured to perform the transmission of the set of data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the requestor is configured to complete an on-line electronic form.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the requestor is configured to enter information for an appropriate account by filling out a plurality of data fields located on the on-line electronic form.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the requestor is configured to select an amount of coverage per a coverage type.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the payment module is configured to pay a per-usage fee, and wherein the fee is based upon a size of the transmission, a monetary value of the transmission, and a liability amount of the transmission.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the payment module is configured to pay a flat periodic fee.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmission of the set of data is one of a number of transmissions, and the payment module is configured to pay a flat periodic fee plus an additional fee when the number of transmissions exceeds a predetermined number.

15. An apparatus for providing coverage for computerized transmission of data, the apparatus comprising:

means for requesting coverage for transmission, from a sender computer, of a set of data over a communications network, wherein the coverage would provide a payment amount if the transmission were to fail;

means for paying a fee for the coverage;

means for sending, from the sender computer, a status indication for logging that the transmission of the set of data is occurring; and

means for performing the transmission of the set of data.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for requesting includes means for selecting an amount of coverage per a coverage type, and wherein the means for selecting includes an on-line electronic form.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for requesting includes means for entering information for an appropriate account by filling out a number of data fields located on the on-line electronic form.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for paying includes means for paying a per-usage fee, and wherein the fee is based upon a size of the transmission, a monetary value of the transmission, and a liability amount of the transmission.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for paying includes means for paying a flat periodic fee.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transmission of the set of data is one of a number of transmissions, and the means for paying includes means for paying a flat periodic fee plus an additional fee when the number of transmissions exceeds a predetermined number.