Transfer server of a secure system for unattended remote file and message transfer

• US 7,584,277 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bottomline Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bottomline Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Campbell, Eric, Lemanis, Maris N, Maloney, Robert Jr., Mintzer, Andrew, Hoffman, Robert F
• Primary Examiner(s): Neurauter, Jr.; George C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belani; Kishin G
• Application Number:
  US10/879,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/218, 709/219, 709/232
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A web server system provides for the secure exchanging files with a remote transfer server over an open network such as the Internet. The transfer server operates a plurality of transfer methods. Exemplary transfer methods comprise: i) a log-on method comprising steps for returning a session ID to an authenticated transfer client; ii) an active event keys method comprising steps for returning each of a plurality of event keys associated with the transfer client; iii) a read event method comprising steps for returning event parameters associated with an event key, iv) an upload method comprising steps for receiving and storing a binary object in an object storage and associating the binary object with an object ID value in an ownership table; v) a process binary object method comprising steps for determining data elements within the binary contents of the file an loading the data elements into an application table in accordance with the loading rules; and vi) a set owner method comprising steps for associating the identification of a second transfer client with the object ID value in the ownership table.

Claims

1. A web services transfer server for exchanging files with a transfer client over an open network, the web services transfer server comprising:

a processor executing a plurality of transfer methods, the transfer methods comprising;

a log-on method operated in response to receiving a log-on method call from the transfer client, the log-on method call comprising authentication credentials of the transfer client, the log-on method comprising steps for returning a session ID to the transfer client if the authentication credentials match those of an authorized transfer client;

a read event method operated in response to a read event method call from the transfer client, the read event method call comprising the session ID, the read event method comprising steps for returning event parameters associated with the event, the event parameters comprising an identification of a file;

an unload method operated in response to receiving an upload method call from the transfer client, the upload method call comprising the session ID, the identification of the file, and a binary object, the upload method comprising steps for storing the binary object in an object storage, associating the binary object with an object ID value, and returning the object ID value to the transfer client; and

a process binary object method operated in response to receiving a process bins object method call from the transfer client, the process binary object method call comprising the session ID, the object ID value, and loading rules, the process binary object method comprising steps invoking an application function identified in the loading rules for determining data elements within the binary contents of the file and loading the data elements into an application table in accordance with the loading rules;

The web services transfer server further comprising;

a user ID table, the user ID table comprising a plurality of records, each record associating identification of a transfer client with the session ID returned to the transfer client;

an event key table, the event key table comprising a plurality of records, each record associating an event key value with identification of the transfer client that is to execute the event;

an event parameter table, the event parameter table associating each event key value with the event parameters for the event;

wherein the log-on method further comprises recording the session ID with identification of the transfer client in the user ID table;

wherein the server further operates an event key method in response to receiving an event key method call from the transfer client, the event key method call comprising the session ID, the event key method comprising steps for looking up, in the event key table, the event key value associated with the transfer client and providing the event key value to the transfer client, the event key value being for an upload event associated with the transfer client; and

wherein the read event method call further comprises the event key value; and

the steps of returning the event parameters associated with the event comprise looking up, in the event parameter table, the event parameters associated with the event key value.

2. The web services transfer server of claim 1, wherein:

the event key method further comprises steps for looking up, in the event table, at least two event key values associated with the transfer client and providing the at least two event key values to the transfer client, the at least two event key values including an event key value for each of at least two upload events associated with the transfer client; and

wherein each of at least two read event method calls further comprise one of the event key values; and

the steps of returning event parameters associated with the event comprise returning the event parameters associated with the event key value.

3. A web services transfer server for exchanging files with a transfer client over an open network, the web services transfer server comprising:

a processor executing a plurality of transfer methods, the transfer methods comprising;

a log-on method operated in response to receiving a log-on method call from the transfer client, the log-on method call comprising authentication credentials of the transfer client, the log-on method comprising steps for returning a session ID to the transfer client if the authentication credentials match those of an authorized transfer client;

a read event method operated in response to a read event method call from the transfer client, the read event method call comprising the session ID, the read event method comprising steps for returning event parameters associated with the event, the event parameters comprising an identification of a file;

an upload method operated in response to receiving an upload method call from the transfer client, the upload method call comprising the session ID, the identification of the file, and a binary object, the upload method comprising steps for storing the binary object in an object storage, associating the binary object with an object ID value, and returning the object ID value to the transfer client; and

a set owner method operated in response to receiving a set owner method call from the transfer client, the set owner method call comprising the session ID, the object ID value, and a destination group identifier value, the set owner method comprising steps for associating the destination group identifier value with the object ID value in an ownership table;

the web services transfer server further comprising;

a user ID table, the user ID table comprising a plurality of records, each record associating identification of a transfer client with a group identifier and with the session ID returned to the transfer client;

an event key table, the event key table comprising a plurality of records, each record associating an event key value with identification of the transfer client that is to execute the event;

an event parameter table, the event parameter table associating each event key value with the event parameters for the event;

wherein the log-on method further comprises recording the session ID with identification of the transfer client in the user ID table;

wherein the server further operates an event key method in response to receiving an event key method call from the transfer client, the event key method call comprising the session ID, the event key method comprising steps for looking up, in the event key table, the event key value associated with the transfer client and providing the event key value to the transfer client, the event key value being for an upload event associated with the transfer client; and

wherein the read event method call further comprises the event key value, and the steps of returning the event parameters associated with the event comprise looking up, in the event parameter table, the event parameters associated with the event key value.

4. The web services transfer server of claim 3, wherein:

the event key method operated in response to receiving an event key method call, the event key method call comprising the session ID, the event key method comprising further comprising steps for looking up, in the event table, at least two event key values associated with the transfer client and providing the at least two event key values to the transfer client, the at least two event key values including an event key value for each of at least two upload events associated with the transfer client; and

wherein each of at least two read event method calls further comprise one of the event key values and the steps of returning event parameters associated with the event comprise returning the event parameters associated with the event key value.

5. The web services transfer server of claim 3, further comprising:

a check availability method operated in response to receiving a check availability method call from a second transfer client, the check availability method call comprising a second session ID provided to the second client, the check availability method comprising steps for returning the object ID value associated, in the ownership table, with the destination group identifier value that matches the group identifier associated, in the user ID table, with the second transfer client; and

a download method operated in response to receiving a download method call from the second transfer client, the download method call comprising the second session ID and the object ID value, the download method comprising steps for returning, to the second transfer client, the binary object that is associated with the object ID value.

6. A method of operating a web services transfer server for exchanging files with a transfer client over an open network, the method comprising:

operating a log-on method in response to receiving a log-on method call from the transfer client, the log-on method call comprising authentication credentials of the transfer client, the log-on method comprising steps for returning a session ID to the transfer client if the authentication credentials match those of an authorized transfer client;

operating a read event method in response to a read event method call from the transfer client, the read event method call comprising the session ID, the read event method comprising steps for returning event parameters associated with the event, the event parameters comprising an identification of a file;

operating an upload method in response to receiving an upload method call from the transfer client, the upload method call comprising the session ID, the identification of the file, and a binary object, the upload method comprising steps for storing the binary object in an object storage, associating the binary object with an object ID value, and returning the object ID value to the transfer client; and

operating a process binary object method operated in response to receiving a process binary object method call from the transfer client, the process binary object method call comprising the session ID, the object ID value, and loading rules, the process binary object method comprising steps invoking an application function identified in the loading rules for determining data elements within the binary contents of the file and loading the data elements into an application table in accordance with the loading rules;

the method further comprising operating an event key method in response to receiving an event key method call from the transfer client, the event key method call comprising the session ID, the event key method comprising steps for looking up, in an event key table, an event key value associated with the transfer client and providing the event key value for each upload event associated with the transfer client, the event key table comprising a plurality of records, each record associate identification of a transfer client with an event key value; and

wherein the read event method call further comprises the event key value; and

the steps of returning the event parameters associated with the event comprise looking up, in an event parameter table, the event parameters associated with the event key value, the event parameter table associating each event key value with event parameters for the event.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the event key method further comprises steps for looking up, in the event table, at least two event key values associated with the transfer client and providing the at least two event key values to the transfer client, the at least two event key values including an event key for each of at least two upload events associated with the transfer client; and

wherein each of at least two read event method calls further comprise one of the event key values and the steps of returning event parameters associated with the event comprise returning the event parameters associated with the event key value.

8. A method of operating a web services transfer server for exchanging files with a transfer client over an open network, the method comprising:

operating a log-on method in response to receiving a log-on method call from the transfer client, the log-on method call comprising authentication credentials of the transfer client, the log-on method comprising steps for returning a session ID to the transfer client if the authentication credentials match those of an authorized transfer client;

operating a read event method in response to a read event method call from the transfer client, the read event method call comprising the session ID, the read event method comprising steps for returning event parameters associated with the event, the event parameters comprising an identification of a file;

operating an upload method in response to receiving an upload method call from the transfer client, the upload method call comprising the session ID, the identification of the file, and a binary object, the upload method comprising steps for storing the binary object in an object storage, associating the binary object with an object ID value, and returning the object ID value to the transfer client; and

operating a set owner method in response to receiving a set owner method call from the transfer client, the set owner method call comprising the session ID, the object ID value, and a destination group identifier value, the set owner method comprising steps for associating the destination group identifier value with the object ID value in an ownership table;

the method further comprising operating an event key method in response to receiving an event key method call, the event key method call from the transfer client, the event key method call comprising the session ID, the event key method comprising steps for looking up, in an event key table, an event key value associated with the transfer client and providing the event key value to the transfer client, the event key value being for an upload event associated with the transfer client, the event key table comprising a plurality of records, each record associating an event key value with identification of the transfer client that is to execute the event; and

wherein the read event method call further comprises the event key value and the steps of returning the event parameters associated with the event comprise looking up, in an event parameter table, the event parameters associated with the event key value, the event parameter table associating each event key value with the event parameters for the event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the event key method operated in response to receiving an event key method call further comprises steps for looking up, in the event table, at least two event key values associated with the transfer client and providing the at least two event key values to the transfer client, the at least two event key values including an event key value for each of at least two upload events associated with the transfer client; and

wherein each of at least two read event method calls further comprise one of the event key values and the steps of returning event parameters associated with the event comprise returning the event parameters associated with the event key value.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

operating a check availability method in response to receiving a check availability method call from a second transfer client, the check availability method call comprising a second session ID provided to the second client, the check availability method comprising steps for returning the object ID value associated, in an ownership table, with the destination group identifier that matches a group identifier associated, in a user ID table, with the second transfer client, the user ID table comprising a plurality of records, each record associating identification of a transfer client with a group identifier and with the session ID returned to the transfer client; and

operating a download method in response to receiving a download method call from the second transfer client, the download method call comprising the second session ID and the object ID value, the download method comprising steps for returning, to the second transfer client, the binary object that is associated with the object ID value.