E-mailer controller for privately and securely delivering...

Details E-mailer controller for privately and securely delivering... E-mailer controller for privately and securely delivering...

1999-11-24

2004-04-13

Vu, Viet D. (Department: 2154)

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput

Computer conferencing

Demand based messaging

C709S219000, C709S241000, C705S040000, C705S070000, C713S176000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06721783

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to e-mail systems and, more particularly, to a banking system having an e-mailer controller which privately and securely delivers bank notices, advices and mandated periodic statements via the Internet, a network or the like. Moreover, the present invention is related to a banking system having multi-mode delivery of bank notices, advices and mandated periodic statements.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, banks, credit unions or the like (hereinafter referred to as “banking institutions”) deliver to each of their customer's a mandated periodic statement of transactions (hereinafter referred to as a “mandated periodic statement”) affecting the customer's account and other bank notices and advices. However, the format of the mailed mandated periodic statement differs from one banking institution to another. For example, some banking institutions include the actual paper document of each cleared check itemized in the mandated periodic statement. Thus, after printing the mandated periodic statement, the envelop is stuffed with both the printed mandated periodic statement and the cleared checks. Nevertheless, other banking institutions do not provide the paper document of each clear check.
On the other hand, some banking institutions are equipped with a proof-of-deposit (POD) imaging system which scans at least the front view of cleared checks and stores the scanned image of such front view. Those banking institutions with a POD imaging system include, in their mailed mandated periodic statement, at least the front view of the scanned image of cleared checks. Hence, the mailed mandated periodic statement may be delivered to the customer either in a printed form or, alternately, an electronic form via a Compact Disk or the like. While such electronic form of the mailed mandated periodic statement has its advantages for long term storage and retrieval by the customer, the Compact Disk or the like is still mailed to the customer via the postal service. Thus, little cost savings have been incurred by the banking institutions to provide such alternative.
Several systems have been patented which are aimed at electronic statements.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,955, issued to Doggett et al., entitled “ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER INSTRUMENTS,” discloses that the payer's and payee's banks provide statements or reports to the payer and the payee, respectively, regarding their electronic check transactions. These statements may be generated electronically or on paper. Further, the payer's bank may include a copy of the electronic check with the payer's statement. It should be noted, that these checks are described in the Doggett et al. patent as similar to paper checks. However, the Doggett et al. patent does not teach that the statements are privately and securely e-mailed. Instead, the Doggett et al. patent illustrates the statements being provided to the payer (customer) in a manner separate and distinct from the Internet or the e-mail network.
Other feature described in the Doggett et al. patent include the Application Programming Interface (API) which processes ancillary electronic messages, such as acknowledgment of deposit, returned checks, and electronic statements. However, the electronic statements are not described as mandated periodic statements.
The Doggett et al. patent also describes the security and authentication procedures used when sending an electronic financial instrument. The Doggett et al. patent describes the use of electronic digital signatures and public key cryptography. As described, a consumer electronically receives a memorandum which may contain the payee's digital signature generated by the payee's secure authenticator using public key cryptography. The payer (customer) validates the payee's signature by using the payer's public key to verify the payee's digital signature and, thereby, authenticates the payee. Furthermore, digital representation of a verifiable certificate by an institution of authenticity of the instrument is appended to the instrument. Additionally, the Doggett et al. patent also describes creating and maintaining account certificates and bank certificates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,206, issued to Hilt et al., entitled “ELECTRONIC BILL PAY SYSTEM,” describes, in brief, “material” which refers to documents and/or information, whether paper-based (“postal mail”), electronic (e-mail, messages, packets, etc.) or other transfer medium. Furthermore, the “material” is described to include a statement which is sent from Bank C to confirm that a transaction has gone through. Otherwise, the Hilt et al. patent is essentially silent with respect to the method of transmission or contents of such statement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,787, issued to Simmons, entitled “ELECTRONIC CHECKBOOK WITH AUTOMATIC RECONCILIATION” discloses an Electronic Check Register (ECR) that can fit in the check book cover slot wherein the ECR communicates with a host Automatically Balanced Checking (ABC) system. The Simmons patent provides a statement that not only reflects all transactions (including those just prior the automatic reconciliation) but displays, on the statement, the full check image with (in addition to the usual check number, date and amount) complete Payee and Purpose of Payment information to allow the user to print up to the minute transactions. However, the full check image of the Simmons patent is not described as a pictorial image of the actual paper check and is illustrated as a printed line of text conveying the check number, date, amount, etc. Additionally, the Simmons patent discloses the use of electronic mail for the transmission of notifications regarding potential errors. Furthermore, the Simmons patent discloses a communication module with a modem permanently attached enabling the user to communicate with the host over a telephone line. Thus, the communications with the host are initiated by the user and not the banking institution.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,512, issued to Tognazzini, entitled “DIGITAL DELIVERY OF RECEIPTS” discloses sending electronically, via e-mail, a digital receipt of a transaction, such as, the result of a purchase using a vendor's system or a credit card company. The appendage of a digital signature to the digital receipt information is described as insuring authenticity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,528, issued to Hogan, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BILL DELIVERY AND PAYMENT OVER A COMMUNICATION NETWORK” discloses, in a second embodiment, a billing system which sends the user electronic bills in the form of electronic mail to their e-mail address. The user has the ability to view the electronic bill. Unlike the Hogan invention, the mandated periodic statement of the present invention includes pictorial images of cleared checks. Moreover, the Hogan patent is silent with respect to security and verification aspects of the e-mailed bills.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,089, issued to Bucci, entitled “METHOD FOR THE CONSOLIDATION SUMMARIZATION AND TRANSMISSION OF A PLURALITY OF MAILABLE MATERIALS” discloses a Universal Mail Transmittal Service which establishes a database of customer information, statements, bills, etc., for addressees from different subscribers. The Universal Mail Transmittal Service accumulates input records for each identified address which is later developed into a unitized transmission which can be printed. The unitized transmission is intended to include billing information from numerous institutions/subscribers. The Bucci patent further describes, as an option, electronically transmitting the accumulated information to end users by an appropriate modem, tape or disk. Although, the Bucci patent mentions in the “BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION” that banks and other institutions mail records, bills and other documents monthly, the use of the Universal Mail Transmittal Service by banks is not described.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,550, issued to Campbell et al., entitled “TRANSMISSION OF CHECK IMAGES BY WAY OF PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE NETWORK

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