Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-18
2001-08-07
Choules, Jack (Department: 2777)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000, C709S200000, C709S219000, C709S232000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272485
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Generally, the present invention relates to the field of document transfer over a computer network. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for the automated transmission of documents and data over a computer network, including the Internet, in order to simplify the user tasks of retrieving and working with documents and data relating to retrieved documents.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
The prior art has long recognized the potential of computer networks for transfer of documents between a central document store and remote document users. Further, the prior art has recognized the desirability of the remote document user being able to work with any received document. That is, the user being able to readily print the received document on the user's local printer, and to edit the received document or to input data into the received document.
A few examples of document and data transfer include an individual downloading tax forms at home from a central IRS site, completing the downloaded tax forms and returning the completed tax form to an IRS processing center; a software retailer's offering downloadable updates for software; and a corporate sales manager distributing informational announcements to a field sales force. Prior art methods to accomplish these document and data transfers, however, are complex and often fraught with a plurality of steps and software applications that frustrate users and deter users from the end goal of document and data transfer.
As a specific example, consider downloading IRS documents. The IRS Web site offers many documents (forms, instructions, etc.) for downloading. To retrieve an available document one must first select a file format (e.g. PDF, PCL, PostScript, and SMGL). Most Internet users are not aware that PCL and PostScript refer to printer control languages, nor do they generally know how to view or print these documents. PDF documents are a specialized file format supported by Adobe (trademark) and require the use of a piece of secondary software, Adobe Acrobat Reader (trademark) to view the document.
At the IRS Web site, after a user selects a file format and the particular document the user desires, a new Web page is presented. The page may advise the user that the desired document is available in several formats depending on printer type and paper size. The Web page also advises the user that after receiving the file, the user must decompress the file by typing the filename and pressing enter; that the file must be run under DOS; for systems other than DOS, that PKUNZIP can be used to decompress the file. Many users find these steps impossible.
Users who do determine and select the appropriate document file to download are presented with yet another window asking if the file should be downloaded. If downloading is desired, the user must specify a path to store the file locally. After the file is downloaded the user must locate the document at the previously specified path and decompress the file using appropriate software.
In addition to this process being overwhelming, the resulting document may be of limited use. If the PDF format is used, that file may not be editable. PCL or PostScript files may only be printable on the printer and paper size for which the document file was specifically designed.
Thus, prior art systems require users to download and install special document reader programs and decompression programs. These programs take up hard drive space and add a further level of complexity to the document transfer process. Documents transferred via FTP or bulletin board sites present similar difficulties.
Further, document users, as exemplified by Internet users, often have disparate needs and capabilities. The prior art, while attempting to address the broad range of user needs and skills, has resulted in a variety of generally complex systems and methods to accommodate document transfer. This variety in sum results in computer network users being presented with expensive, complex, and difficult-to-learn alternatives. The absence of a flexible, easy-to-operate document transfer system often results in users simply abandoning the document transfer effort.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art systems by providing for automated transmission of documents and data over the Internet and over Intranets.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method of providing a remote user access to forms and other formatted or graphic documents across all major computing platforms without the need for secondary formatting software.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method of transferring selected formatted documents over a computer network.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel document transfer system utilizing a central service providing access to plural documents from remote user stations which allows a user to locate, retrieve and print fully formatted documents in user-designated formats.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel, non-technical system adapted to access formatted documents over a computer network which obviates the need to use specialized formats such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a document transfer system having an operating capability within an Internet browser to permit selection and retrieval of documents without the need to install a browser plug-in, helper applications, decompression programs, and to obviate the requirement for a user to specify a document save location through a ‘save’ window.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel method of transferring documents and related data between a central server and one or more remote users.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel method and system of providing for government agencies and other services or goods purchasers, procurement electronically over computer networks and to eliminate much of the required paper-form procurement documents of the prior art procurement methods.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from a perusal hereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention offers a user-friendly system that sends user-selected documents, which may also include related data, from a central server to a remote user automatically over a computer network utilizing a server gateway interface script to directly attach the selected document and any related data to an e-mail message directed to a designated e-mail address. The invention also provides for the return of documents and information from the user to the central server.
The documents may be of any format, including forms, instructional materials, newsletters, and databases. The server gateway interface may be the Common Gateway Interface (“CGI”). The related data may include user-personal information, form-specific data, and user preferences.
The invention includes a central server upon which the server gateway interface script and the available documents and data reside.
The documents are made available in plural formats, which may include but are not limited to Microsoft Word (trademark), Corel WordPerfect (trademark), Lotus 123 (trademark), Microsoft Excel (trademark), and ASCII Text.
An computer network document transfer system of the present invention includes a CGI sending script which instructs a network server to send an e-mail to a user e-mail address and to attach to the e-mail a user-selected document in a user-selected document format.
The present invention also includes a provision for a security screen to maintain, manage, rename, update and remove the available documents.
The various embodiments of the present invention include both methods and systems which provide user-friendly methods and systems that send user-selected docume
Channavajjala Srirama
Choules Jack
Creative Internet Applications, Inc.
Young & Thompson
LandOfFree
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