Systems and methods for insuring data over the internet

• US 20020178083A1
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Protogo Incorporated, Synesi Group Incorporated, TranSurety LLC
• Original Assignee: Synesi Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Cianciarulo, Krys, Weiseth, Thomas, Cardot, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• 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

Systems and methods are provided 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 (wireless application protocol), VOIP (voice-over IP), 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 instruction 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 further includes charging a fee to an appropriate account for the selected coverage type and amount.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting data over a communications network, comprising:

a server;

a number of remote clients coupled to the server over the communications network; and

software means operative on the server and the remote client for;

enabling a user at a first remote client to transmit an electronic data set, a streaming data set, and/or an electronic document from the first remote client to one or more second remote clients, wherein a transmission of the electronic data set, the streaming data set, and/or the electronic document includes an insured transmission mechanism defining a selected coverage type and a selected coverage amount; and

charging an appropriate account a fee for the defined selected coverage type having the selected coverage amount.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network includes an Internet network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected coverage type includes a selected coverage type for insuring the transmission of the electronic data set, the streaming data set, and/or the electronic document with a selected coverage amount.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected coverage type includes a selected coverage type for bonding the transmission of the electronic data set, the streaming data set, and/or the electronic document with a selected coverage amount.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the selected coverage type includes a selected coverage type for underwriting the transmission of the electronic data set, the streaming data set, and/or the electronic document with a selected coverage amount.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the software means operative on the server and the remote client is further operable for providing a delivery verification to the server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the software means operative on the server allows the user at the first remote client to access, on-line, a website on the server and to optionally select a coverage type and a selected coverage amount for a transmission of the electronic data set, the streaming data set, and/or the electronic document by entering data into a defined set of data fields within a number of linked web pages.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the data entered in the defined set of data fields within the number of linked web pages defines a set of business rules or a contractual relationship for the transmission and is stored as a data structure in a business rules database.

9. A system for transmitting data over a communications network including the Internet, comprising:

a server;

a number of remote clients coupled to the server over the communications network; and

software means operative on the server and the remote client for;

enabling a user at a first remote client to transmit an electronic data set, a streaming data set, and/or an electronic document from the first remote client to one or more second remote clients, wherein a transmission of the electronic data set, the streaming data set, and/or the electronic document includes an insured transmission mechanism defining a selected coverage type and a selected coverage amount for the transmission, wherein the selected coverage type includes insuring the transmission, bonding the transmission, and/or underwriting the transmission; and

charging an appropriate account a fee for the defined selected coverage type having the selected coverage amount.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the software means includes optionality for independently selecting one of the selected coverage types and includes optionality for selecting any combination of the selected coverage types.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the software means includes optionality for selecting a number of different coverage amounts from within the selected coverage types.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the software means includes optionality for selecting different coverage types and different coverage amounts for a number of subsets of the electronic transmission of the data set, the streaming data, and/or the electronic documents.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the software means is further operable for securing the electronic transmission of the data set, the streaming data, and/or the electronic document.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein securing the electronic transmission of the data set, the streaming data, and/or the electronic document includes performing a duplication and replication function on the data set, the streaming data, and/or the electronic document within the system.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the software means is further operable for providing a delivery verification of the electronic data set, streaming data, and/or document to the first remote client.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected coverage type and the selected coverage amount for the transmission of the electronic data set, the streaming data set, and/or the electronic document are defined in a business rules data structure within the system, and wherein the business rules data structure is transparent to a user at the first remote client.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the system includes a computer readable medium and the software means includes computer executable instructions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the system further includes a database coupled to the server which has a data structure which tracks a number of client accounts for charging the appropriate account a fee for the defined selected coverage type and the selected coverage amount.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the system further includes a database coupled to the server which has a data structure which maintains a number of contractual relationships which define a set of business rules for a transmission.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the set of business rules further define a coverage relationship in which insuring, bonding, and/or underwriting functions are optionably divided into a subset of categories.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the software means includes optionality for providing a select coverage rider when a transmission does not fall within a pre-selected category.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the system further includes a database coupled to the server which has a marketing, a product, and a sales management data structure for identifying, analyzing, and tracking prospective use of the system.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the system further includes a database coupled to the server which has a financial data structure for tracking a number of business processes associated with insuring, bonding, and/or underwriting a transmission.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the software means further includes at least one program module or component coupled to the server for creating and populating a contractual relationship database for a user of the system.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the system further includes a database coupled to the server which has client policy management data structure.

18. A system for transmitting data over a communications network including the Internet, comprising:

a server;

a number of remote clients coupled to the server over the communications network; and

software means operative on the server and the remote client for;

enabling a user at a first remote client to transmit an electronic data set, a streaming data set, and/or an electronic document from the first remote client to one or more second remote clients, wherein a transmission of the electronic data set, the streaming data set, and/or the electronic document includes an insured transmission mechanism defining a selected coverage type and a selected coverage amount for the transmission, wherein the selected coverage type includes insuring the transmission, bonding the transmission, and/or underwriting the transmission;

logging the transmission in a database having a logging data structure and coupled to the server; and

charging an appropriate account a fee for the defined selected coverage type having the selected coverage amount.