Electronic file management system

• US 6,651,061 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hara, Yoshinobu, Unchida, Jiyunji
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu M
• Application Number:
  US09/895,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 707/10, 707/4, 707/103.Z, 707/203, 379/265.09, 705/201, 709/203, 709/223, 709/227, 709/225, 709/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A secured as well as convenient system for information exchanging between enterprises using the Internet. An external server is divided into public Web server and a Web data management server, which connect to each other via a firewall. Data sent from browsers of outside users to the Web server are transferred to the Web data management server via the firewall. Thus, the firewall in the external server protects data supplied by outside users.

Claims

1. An electronic file management system comprising an external server installed in the outside and an internal server communicating with the external server wherein said external server comprises a public Web server which a browser can access via the Internet and a Web data management server which is connected to said public Web server via a firewall and said public Web server contains a Web site of an enterprise associated with the internal server, so that data which a browser accessing the Web site interactively sends to the public Web server, are sent to said Web data management server via said firewall,

wherein said public Web server is provided with a Web site of an enterprise, which includes a special-purpose page which users having a user ID and a user password issued by the enterprise, alone can browse, so that data supplied by the users are sent to said public Web server using said special-purpose page and

wherein if said external server receives said data normally, said external server issues a data ID unique to the file of the data, stores the data ID in a historical database and informs the user who has supplied the data, of the data ID.

2. An electronic file management system according to claim 1, wherein in response to sending of said data ID and a mark indicating withdrawal or replacement, from said special-purpose page or pages associated with said special-purpose page, said external server executes withdrawal or replacement process of the file of the data ID.

3. An electronic file management system according to claim 2, wherein at first said internal server temporally stores the data from the external server in a receiving database, and then transfers the data to a data storing database after a certain time has lapsed or after a certain amount of data have been stored in the receiving database.

4. An electronic file management system according to claim 3, wherein said internal server is provided with a historical database and the data stored in the historical database of said external server is transferred to the historical database of the internal server to be stored.

5. An electronic file management system according to claim 1, wherein said external server issues a data password associated with the data ID, together with said data ID, stores the data password in the historical database and informs the user who has supplied said data, of the data password.

6. A method for communication between an internal server of an enterprise and an external server installed in the outside of the enterprise, wherein said external server comprises a public Web server which a browser can access via the Internet and a Web data management server which is connected to said public server via a first firewall and said public Web server contains a Web site of the enterprise associated with the internal server and said external server is connected to said internal server via a second firewall, and wherein the Web site of the enterprise includes a special-purpose page which users having a user ID and a user password issued by the enterprise, alone can browse, so that data supplied by the users are sent to said public Web server using said special-purpose page, the method comprising the steps of:

storing data which a browser accessing the Web site interactively sends to said public Web server, in said public Web server,

issuing a data ID unique to the file of the data if said external server receives said data normally,

storing the data ID in a historical database,

informing the user who has supplied the data, of the data ID,

sending said data stored in said public Web server, to said Web data management server via said first firewall,

storing said data stored in said Web data server, and

sending said data stored in said Web data management server management server to said internal server via said second firewall.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of deleting said data stored in the public Web server after having transferred said data received from the browser, to said Web data management server.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of deleting said data received from the browser, stored in the Web data management server after having transferred said data received from the browser, to said internal server.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein in response to sending of said data ID and a mark indicating withdrawal or replacement, from said special-purpose page or pages associated with said special-purpose page, said external server executes withdrawal or replacement process of the file of the data ID.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein at first said internal server temporally stores the data from the server in a receiving database, and then transfers the data to a data storing database after a certain time has lapsed or after a certain amount of data have been stored in the receiving database.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said internal server is provided with a historical database and the data stored in the historical database of said external server is transferred to the historical database of the internal server to be stored.

12. A method according to claim 6, wherein said external server issues a data password associated with the data ID, together with said data ID, stores the data password in the historical database and informs the user who has supplied said data, of the data password.