System and method of providing electronic access to one or more documents

• US 20030105759A1
• Filed: 10/25/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: OʼConnor, Karen Ann, Robinson, John, Price, Susan Yonker, Wagner-Krankel, Dale Alan, Bess, Dwayne Lamarr, Brischke, Harold Allan, Tijerina, Jacob Garza, Joy, George Edward, Keller, Andrew Charles, Lewis, Rodney Ray, Moy, Curt Wayne, Connolly, Billy Ray Jr., McDaniel, James William, Young, Rita Maria
• Granted Patent: US 6,877,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method of providing electronic access to one or more documents. In one embodiment, a storage device retains eligibility information relating to each document. Eligibility information provides the system with information such as the document type, the applicable line of business, governmental regulations, time sensitive information, and security requirements. If a given document is determined to be eligible, the processing unit of the present invention retrieves one or more preference instructions provided by the customer. The preference instructions are reviewed to confirm 1) whether the customer has authorized electronic access to a given document and 2) the mode of electronic transmission favored by the customer. In one embodiment, the present invention is connected to a computer network such that the customer may be provided electronic access to his or her documents through a web interface.

Claims

1. A method of providing electronic access to one or more documents comprising the steps of:

providing a first storage device containing eligibility information for a plurality of said documents;

searching said first storage device for said eligibility information pertaining to a first of said documents;

utilizing said eligibility information, determining whether said first document is eligible for electronic access; and

if said first document is determined to be eligible, providing electronic access to said first document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said eligibility information is selected from the group consisting of content information, line of business information, security information, legal information, time sensitive information, and privacy information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional step of:

if said first document is not eligible for electronic access, printing a hard copy of said first document.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of:

receiving at least one preference instruction from a first customer requesting electronic access to one or more of said plurality of documents;

storing said preference instruction upon a second storage device;

searching said first customer'"'"'s preference instruction held upon said second storage device relating to said first document; and

utilizing said first customer'"'"'s preference instruction, confirming that electronic access to said first document was requested by said first customer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said first storage device and said second storage device are the same storage device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the additional step of:

providing at least one notification to said first customer indicating that electronic access to said first document has been provided.

7. The method of claim 4 or 5, further comprising the additional step of:

determining if said first customer has accessed said first document.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the additional step of:

if said first customer has not accessed said first document, providing one or more indications to said first customer that said first document has not been accessed.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the additional step of:

creating at least one record containing indication information relating to said first document.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the additional step of:

if said first customer has not accessed said first document within a pre-selected period of time after said indication is provided, providing a hard copy of said first document to said first customer.

11. The method of claim 1 or 4, wherein said electronic access to said first document is provided through a computer network.

12. The method of claim 1 or 4, wherein said electronic access to said first document is provided through an electronic transmission.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the additional step of:

displaying said first document upon one or more websites.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the additional steps of:

creating an audit file containing activity information; and

storing said audit file upon a third storage device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the additional step of:

generating an activity report describing said activity information within said audit file.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the additional step of:

displaying one or more display options upon said website.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said first document contains one or more data links.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the additional step of:

displaying said first document upon said website in image type format or non-image type format.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the additional steps of:

creating one or more summaries of said first document; and

displaying one or more of said summaries upon said website.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said data links provide said first customer with transaction information.

21. A computer system for providing electronic access to one or more documents comprising:

a first storage device containing eligibility information for a plurality of said documents; and

a processing unit coupled to said first storage device, for searching said first storage device for said eligibility information pertaining to a first of said documents, determining whether said first document is eligible for electronic access utilizing said eligibility information, and providing electronic access to said first document if said first document is determined to be eligible.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said eligibility information is selected from the group consisting of content information, line of business information, security information, legal information, time sensitive information, and privacy information.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said processing unit is for receiving at least one preference instruction from a first customer requesting electronic access to one or more of said plurality of documents, storing said preference instruction upon a second storage device coupled to said processing unit, searching said first customer'"'"'s preference instruction held upon said second storage device relating to said first document, and confirming that electronic access to said first document was requested by said first customer utilizing said first customer'"'"'s preference instruction.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein said first storage device and said second storage device are the same storage device.

25. The computer system of claim 24, wherein said processing unit is for providing at least one notification to said first customer indicating that electronic access to said first document has been provided.

26. The computer system of claim 23, wherein said processing unit is for determining if said first customer has accessed said first document.

27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein said processing unit is for providing, if said first customer has not accessed said first document, one or more indications to said first customer that said first document has not been accessed.

28. The computer system of claim 21 or 23, wherein said electronic access to said first document is provided through a computer network.

29. The computer system of claim 28, wherein said processing unit is for displaying said first document upon one or more websites.

30. The computer system of claim 29, wherein said processing unit is for displaying one or more display options upon said website.

31. The computer system of claim 29, wherein said first document contains one or more data links.

32. The computer system of claim 29, wherein said processing unit is for displaying said first document upon said website in image type format or non-image type format.

33. The computer system of claim 29, wherein said processing unit is for creating one or more summaries of said first document, and displaying one or more of said summaries upon said website.

34. The computer system of claim 31, wherein said data links provide said first customer with transaction information.