Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REMOTELY ACCESSIBLE LEGACY DOCUMENT STORAGE AND
SERVICE APPARATUS
Backctround of the Invention
Technical Field
This invention relates to transfer of documents across a network and,
more particularly, to a remotely accessible document storage and service
apparatus and to various access devices for gaining access thereto.
Discussion of Related Art
Most people keep important and valuable personal and business-
related documents such as birth certificates, citizenship papers, baptismal
certificates, licenses, deeds, stock certificates, car titles, medical
records,
passports, school transcripts and admission papers, purchase receipts,
military discharge papers, birth, baptismal and death certificates, marriage
licenses, divorce papers, contracts, real estate assignments and related
papers, insurance policies, banking and financial records, intellectual
property
transfer agreements and patents, personnel records, court papers,
warranties, income tax returns, accounts receivable files, invoices, wills,
voice
prints, photos, fingerprints, family heirlooms, legal documents, etc. Such
documents will be called "legacy" documents hereafter. Legacy documents
will include documents originally created in digital form as well as scanned
documents. Many people try to keep such important legacy documents in a
secure location, such as a strongbox or ire resistant file cabinet in the home
or business. It is typically the case, however, that these documents are
scattered in the home or business in various "safe" locations. It will often
be
the case that such documents cannot easily be located when needed. An
inventory concerning such legacy documents may not even exist.
Videotapes, digital pictures or negatives and/or detailed lists of
valuable personal and/or business assets, such as art, jewelry, furniture,
etc.,
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may also be stored for insurance purposes and retrieval after a fire, floor,
hurricane or other natural disaster.
Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a remotely accessible
document storage service and apparatus for storing legacy documents for
users.
It is another object of the present invention to provide various access
devices for accessing the remotely accessible document storage service and
apparatus.
According to a 1~irst aspect of the present invention, an apparatus,
accessible over a network by a plurality of users, comprises a mass storage
device for storing customer legacy documents and a signal processor
connected to said mass storage device for receiving access requests over
said network for storing said customer legacy documents received over said
network in said mass storage device and for retrieving said customer legacy
documents from said mass storage device for sending said legacy documents
over said network, wherein each access request includes an access code for
authenticating said access request and wherein said signal processor grants
or denies said access request according to said access code.
In further accord with the first aspect of the present invention, in a case
where an access request is for access to a legacy document in the form of a
governmental document stored at a governmental entity which provides
electronic access to governmental documents, the signal processor transmits
an access request over the network to the governmental entity, wherein the
governmental entity retrieves the governmental document and transmits the
governmental document over the network with an electronic certification of
authenticity to the apparatus or to an access device of a user or an
authorized
third party requester.
In still further accord with the first aspect of the present invention, the
apparatus accessible over the network by a plurality of users further
comprises a service desk for receiving actual user legacy documents from
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users for scanning said actual user legacy documents and for providing said
actual user legacy documents in electronic form as scanned legacy
documents for storage in said mass storage device. Moreover, the actual
user legacy documents received at the service desk can be received by the
service desk for storage in safety deposit boxes rented by said users and
located within a facility for said apparatus. Furthermore, the service desk
may also include a printer for printing copies of the scanned legacy
documents for delivery via post or carrier to a designated recipient.
According still further to the first aspect of the present invention, the
access request may be from an authorized third party user (attorneys or
agents of the party) for accessing legacy documents of another user.
Still further in accord with the first aspect of the present invention, the
access request may be from an access device for an individual user or from a
community kiosk access device for use by plural users.
According still further to the first aspect of the present invention, the
apparatus is for use in the system including plural access devices including
access devices for individual users, government entities, community kiosks
and authorized third party users.
In accordance still further with the first aspect of the present invention,.
the access request may be for the apparatus to transmit a legacy document
over the network to a remote service desk for printing and delivery via post
or
carrier to a designated recipient. In that case, the remote service desk will
typically be located at or near a post or carrier hub.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, an
access device for accessing an apparatus over a network comprises a
computer connected to various input and output devices including means for
providing a digitally encoded legacy document, such as a scanner for
scanning a legacy document and for providing a scanned legacy document
signal to said computer, an access authorization entry means responsive to a
user input for providing an access authorization signal to said computer, a
communications device, such as a communications device, responsive to an
access request signal from said computer for transmitting said access
authorization signal and said scanned legacy document via said network to an
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apparatus for storing legacy documents of users. The means for providing a
digitally encoded legacy document need not be a scanner, but can be any
kind of device for receiving or originating a digital signal representation of
a
legacy document. The access device may further comprise a display or
printer for displaying or printing a legacy document retrieved over said
network from said apparatus in response to an access request signal from
said computer.
The access device may be for use by an individual user, a
governmental entity, or a plurality of individual users gaining access at a
community kiosk.
In further accord with the second aspect of the present invention, the
access device is for use by an authorized third party user for accessing
legacy documents of another user.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed
description of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Fig. 1 illustrates a remotely accessible document storage service and
apparatus, according to the present invention, accessible over a network by
various access devices.
Fig. 2A shows a flow chart executable in the remotely accessible
document storage apparatus of Fig. 1 for receiving and handling a retrieval
request.
Fig. 2B shows a flow chart executable in the remotely accessible
document storage apparatus of Fig. 1 for receiving and handling a storage
request.
Fig. 2C shows a flow chart executable in the remotely accessible
document storage apparatus of Fig. 1 for handling an enrollment request.
Fig. 2D shows a flow chart executable in the remotely accessible
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document storage apparatus of Fig. 1 for handling a request for a certificate
from a government entity.
Fig. 2E shows storage of warranty or service information and
notification of timed event information relating thereto to a user.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 shows a remotely accessible document storage service and
apparatus 10, according to the present invention. it is accessible over a
network 12 to a plurality of access devices 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 for storing and
gaining access to documents stored in the remotely accessible document
storage apparatus 10. The network may be any kind of network or
combination of networks known in the art.
The remotely accessible document storage apparatus 10 includes a
virtual safety deposit box 24, a service desk 26, and a plurality of safety
deposit boxes 28. The remotely accessible document storage apparatus 10
may be located at a facility that users may visit for the purpose of having
their
original legacy documents scanned and stored electronically in the virtual
safety deposit box. They may also rent and physically store the original
legacy documents in one of the safety deposit boxes 28. An attendant at the
service desk enrolls a new user as a user of the virtual safety deposit box
and
issues the new user an access authentication protocol such as a personal
identification number or other method of authentication such as voice print,
fingerprint, retinal scan or the like. A given enrolled user will hand over
one or
more legacy documents to the attendant at the service desk who will then
scan the legacy documents using a device 30, such as a scanner, and will
categorize the documents according to type. It should be realized that the
device 30 need not be a scanner but could be any kind of device for receiving
or originating a digital signal representation of a legacy document. The
various types available for categorization can be selected from a standard
list
provided by the service or may be supplied by the user. The digital signal
representations, such as scanned documents, are provided in electronic form
on a signal line 32 to a personal computer 34 where they are temporarily
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stored before being transferred to the virtual safety deposit box 24. Upon
receipt of a transfer command, the temporarily stored documents are
transferred on a signal line 36 to a signal processor 38 in the virtual safety
deposit box. The signal processor includes one or more inputloutput (I/O)
devices 40, 42, 44, 46 connected to a data, address, and control bus 48
which is also connected to a read only memory 50, random access memory
52 and central processing unit 54. This general purpose signal processor 38
is used to receive the documents stored on the PC 34 and transferred on the
line 36 via the I/O port 40 and to store same temporarily in the random access
memory 52. The user's "legacy" documents are then transferred from the
RAM 52 via I/O port 44 to one of a plurality of mass storage devices 56 where
they can reside indefinitely in a safe and secure environment. The legacy
documents stored on the mass storage device 56 are accessible and locally
manageable from a keyboard 58 and display 60 which are connected to the
signal processor via the I/O port 42. The virtual safety deposit box 24 is
remotely accessible to the access devices 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 by means of one
or more communications devices 62 connected to or connectable to the
network 12 by one or more signal lines 64. The communications devices 62
are connected to the signal processor 38 via the I/O port 46 by means of a
plurality of signal lines 66.
Likewise, the service desk includes a keyboard 68 and display 70
connected to the personal computer 34 by which access to the virtual safety
deposit box can be made by the attendant. Once a user has stored a legacy
document or a plurality of such documents in the virtual safety deposit box,
he
or she can return to the service desk at a later time and request the
attendant
to retrieve one or more of the stored legacy documents after giving the
attendant the requisite access authentication. This is symbolized in Fig. 1 by
a block 72 connected to the personal computer 34. This may be a fingerprint
scanner, a retinal scanner, or may simply constitute a keypad entry or
handing over of a personal identification number to the attendant who will
then enter same on the keyboard. The user and the attendant can together
pinpoint the desired document for retrieval over the line 36 from one of the
mass storage devices 56 via the signal processor 38 for printing on a printer
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74. The desired document, once printed, can then be handed over to the
user. Or, the user can designate a recipient and mailing address to the
attendant who can enter same on the keyboard for controlling the printer to
provide the printout to an inserter 76 under the control of the personal
computer 34 for inserting the printout in an envelope, finishing the envelope
for mailing and sending same to a Post Office or carrier by physical transfer
thereto as symbolized by a line 82. A recipient 83 at the mailing address
receives the printout by post or carrier, as designated. It should be realized
that the printer/inserter/finish devices can be located elsewhere than the
service desk.
The virtual safety deposit box 24 is remotely accessible to the various
access devices 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 via the network 12 as described below.
An individual user access device 14 is shown having a communications
device, such as a communications device, 84 connected via line 86 to the
network and by a line 88 to a personal computer 90 which may be utilized by
the individual user via a keyboard 92 and display 94. The individual user can
provide digital signal representations of legacy documents, e.g., by scanning
legacy documents using a device 96, such as a scanner, for providing
scanned, digitally encoded versions thereof on a signal line 98 to the
personal
computer 90 for a transfer on the signal line 88 to the communications
devices 84 for transfer on the line 86 to the network 12 and on the line 64 to
the virtual safety deposit box 24 where it is received and stored in a manner
similar to that already described for the service desk. This can be done
either
automatically as described subsequently in connection with Fig. 2B or it can
be done interactively between an attendant using the keyboard 58 and
display 60 and the individual user using the access device 14. It should be
realized that the device 96 can be any kind of device for receiving or
originating a digital signal representation of a legacy document. Before or
after providing the digital signal representations of legacy documents, the
individual user may apply a selected form of document authentication such as
a digital signature or some other form of electronic source certification to
the
scanned document. Prior to establishing a connection to the virtual safety
deposit box, the individual user may enter an access authorization code via
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the keyboard 92 or some other form of access authentication entered via an
access authentication device 102 connected to the personal computer 90.
Such may include voice prints, fingerprints, retinal scans and the like. The
purpose of such access authentication is for the apparatus 10 to ensure that
access is only granted to authorized users. It may be unidirectional or
interactive. The keyboard 92 or access authentication device 102 may also
be used for gaining different levels of access via different privilege codes
that
may be established under the control of the individual user in conjunction
with
the remotely accessible document storage service and apparatus.
When the individual user subsequently desires to retrieve a legacy
document from the virtual safety deposit box 24, access is gained using an
access authorization code or access authentication device as described and
the requested documents are retrieved from one of the mass storage devices
56 and transferred over the network 12 to the individual user access device
14 and printed on a printer 104. On the other hand, the individual user can
direct the remotely accessible document storage service to transfer the
retrieved document to another access device such as a remote service desk
22 similar to the service desk 26 except located at or near a central hub of a
overnight carrier for example. The remote service desk 22 can then print the
document, insert it into an envelope and physically transfer same as indicated
on a line 106 to a Post Office or carrier hub 108 for delivery to a recipient
83
designated by the user.
Referring now to Fig. 2A, a series of steps are illustrated for execution
by the signal processor 38 of Fig. 1 for handling retrieval requests, storage
requests, enrollment requests, and the like from users. It should be realized
that the steps shown are merely illustrative of one of many ways to carry out
the present invention, and that the various steps shown can be deleted,
augmented, rearranged, etc. After entering in a step 110, the signal
processor receives an access request from the network on a line 64 via the
communications devices 62 and the signal line 66. This will include access
authentication such as an access authorization code which is checked in step
114. If not authorized, as determined in a step 116, access is denied in a
step 118 and a return is made in a step 120. If authorized, the request is
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evaluated in a step 122. One evaluation could be whether the authorized
access request authorizes access to all legacy documents of the user or
whether the access request is limited by one of a plurality of possible
privilege
levels with different legacy document categories at each level. Privilege
levels can be embedded in access authorization codes to provide limited
access to third parties to specified categories of user legacy documents. A
step 124 determines if the access privilege is legitimate and if not, access
is
denied in the step 118 and a return made in step 120. If the access privilege
is identified and is satisfactory, a step 126 is executed in which it is
determined whether the access request is a retrieval request. If so, a step
128 is executed to retrieve the requested document or documents from
storage at the privileged level. A step 130 then determines if there is a
print
request and if so, it is determined whether the document is to be printed
locally, e.g., at the service desk 26 or remotely. If locally, the document is
sent to the service desk where it is printed in a step 134 and handled as
described above, for example, by insertion 76 and finishing 78 for transfer 82
to a carrier 80 for physical delivery to a designated recipient 83. If the
printing
is to take place remotely or if the printing is not requested, the retrieved
documents may be encrypted as indicated in a step 136 and transferred via
the network 12 to the authorized requester as indicated in a step 138. A
return is then made in the step 120.
If, on the other hand, the step 126 determines that the access request
is not a retrieval request, a series of steps illustrated in Fig. 2B may be
executed instead, for a storage request. First, a decision step 140 is
executed to determine if the access request is in fact a storage request. If
so,
the remotely accessible document storage service 10 responds to the
authorized user with a request to the user for transfer of electronic versions
of
legacy document to be stored. Such documents are then sent by the user to
the apparatus 10 via the network 12 and received as indicated in the step
142. If encrypted, they are decrypted in a step 144 and stored in one of the
mass storage devices 56 and indexed according to the user's preferences as
indicated in a step 146 after which a return is made in a step 148. If the
access request is determined in the step 140 not to be a storage request, a
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series of steps illustrated in Fig. 2C are executed instead, e.g., for an
enrollment request. A prospective user can obtain a temporary enrollment
access authorization code, e.g., by calling an 800 number of the remotely
accessible document storage service 10. A step 150 determines whether the
access request is an enrollment request and if so, executes an interactive
enrollment process in which the prospective user is given an access
authentication methodology to follow such as instructions on using permanent
access authorization codes or the like associated with a new account. The
user can specify categories of documents to be stored and, once enrolled, a
return is made in a step 154 and the enrolled user can now send documents
for storage over the network 12 as already described in connection with the
individual user access device 14 of Fig. 1.
If the access request evaluated in the decision step 150 is determined
not to be an enrollment request, another set of alternative steps as
illustrated
in Fig. 2D may be executed instead. For instance, a decision step 156 will be
executed to determine if the access request is a request from a user for
access to a government entity 16 such as illustrated in Fig. 1 for retrieving
a
certified government document such as a birth certificate from a state
government entity established for keeping records of this kind and issuing
certificates to persons entitled to receive same. If so, the remotely
accessible
document storage service 10 contacts the government entity 16 via the
network 12 and transmits the access request with authorization according to
the protocol established between the government entity 16 and the service
10. For instance, the protocol could require that the service 10 provide the
name, date of birth, place of birth, name of parents and a code indicating
authorization according to the protocol established between the service 10
and the government entity 16. The government entity can require the service
to establish proof of identity of the user during the enrollment process
during
which various vital statistics of the user are entered into the system. Such
could include social security number, photo I.D., electronic fingerprint,
retinal
scan, palm print, and the like and can likewise require the service 10 to
utilize
specified access authentication of these kinds for gaining access. In this
way,
the remotely accessible document storage service 10 can establish with
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virtual certainty the identity of various users requesting access to both
legacy
documents stored in the virtual safety deposit box 24 andlor requested and
retrieval from government entities 16. Once an access request with proper
access authentication is transmitted to the government entity 16 from the
service 10, the government entity 16 retrieves the desired document in
electronic form from its own storage system and affixes an electronic form of
document certification as indicated in a block 160. If it is not already in
electronic form, the certified document is~originated, e.g., by scanning, as
indicated in a block 160 and transferred on a line 164 to a personal computer
166 where it is temporarily stored prior to certification and transfer via the
network 12. An operator at the government entity may use a keyboard 168
and display 170 for interfacing with the personal computer 166 for controlling
the certification and transfer process indicated in Fig. 2D. Once the
certified
document is ready for transfer, the operator controls the transfer from the PC
166 to a communications device 172 which transfers the document or
documents on a fine 174 to the network 12 and then to the indicated recipient,
whether it be an individual user, authorized third party 20, remote service
desk 22 or for storage in the virtual safety deposit box 24. The certified
document could also be transferred directly to one of the users. In any event,
the document or documents are received as indicated in a step 160 in Fig. 2D
which assumes that the remotely assessable document storage service and
apparatus is the recipient. A determination is then made in a step 162 as to
whether the received documents are to be transferred via post or carrier 108
or not. If so, a transfer is made to a local service desk 26 or remote service
desk 22 for printout and physical transfer to the designated recipient 83. If
not, the step 138 of Fig. 2A may be executed for sending the document or
documents to an authorized requestor. On the other hand, as indicated
previously, the retrieved document may simply be stored in one of the mass
storage devices 56 of the virtual safety deposit box 24 of Fig. 1.
As also indicated previously, various access devices are contemplated
according to the present invention. In addition to the individual user access
device 14 and the government entity access device 16 already discussed
above, additional access devices may be employed as well, including but not
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limited to the community kiosk 18 shown in Fig. 1 and the authorized third
party user access device 20. These various devices may have a structure
similar to that already described in connection with the individual user
access
device 14 or the government entity access device 16. The community kiosk,
for example, may be located in a public building such as a Post Office or a
private carrier service or some other publicly accessible facility. The kiosk
18
may have a personal computer 176 having a keyboard 178 and display 180
connected thereto for community use. A user can enter access
authentication via the keyboard 178 or. via an access authentication device
182 to the PC 176. A scanner 184 may be used to scan legacy documents of
a user for electronic storage temporarily in the personal computer 176. Once
the user has finished scanning his or her legacy documents, the personal
computer 176 transfers them via a communications device 186 over a signal
line 188 to the network 12 for transfer on the line 64 to the remotely
accessible document storage apparatus. There, the steps already described
in connection with Fig. 2B for fulfilling a storage request are executed for
storing the legacy documents of the user at the kiosk in one of the mass
storage devices 56. On t9ie other hand, a user of the kiosk can request the
retrieval of a stored legacy document from the remotely accessible document
service and apparatus 10 via the network and the steps 128 et seq. of Fig. 2A
can be executed to retrieve and send a requested legacy document to an
authenticated requester at the community kiosk 18. Once received by the
personal computer 176, it can be printed on a printer 190 for use by the user
of the kiosk 18.
Authenticated third parties may use access devices such as the
access device 20 shown in Fig. 1 for retrieving legacy documents of other
users as authorized by said other users by granting privileged access to
selected categories of legacy documents. For instance, a user's attorney may
be authorized to access a will of the user for use in drafting a new will or
for
use after the death of the user for probate. In that case, it is even
contemplated that the remotely accessible document storage service 10 can
establish protocols with government entities 16, in the form of various
Probate
Courts for storing wills which will be recognized for purposes of probate upon
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retrieval from the virtual safety deposit box. Alternatively, the attorney 20
could utilize a keyboard 192 and display 194 at his location for accessing a
personal computer 196 which in turn establishes a connection by means of a
communications device 198 to the network 12 for accessing the desired
probate document stored in one of the mass storage devices 56 by his client
who is a user of the service 10 and who has authorized his attorney to access
a category of documents designated as probate documents using an access
authorization device 200 or a code entered by means of the keyboard 192
with the appropriate privilege level indicated for that category of documents.
The attorney would then print out the will on a printer 202 at his location or
direct that it be printed at a printer 204 at the government entity 16, in
this
case a Probate Court.
Finally, it should be realized that many uses of stored legacy
documents can be contemplated beyond simple storage and retrieval. For
instance, the legacy document could be warranty information on products
purchased by a user, such as warranty card information taken from a paper
warranty or encoded on a warranty card provided by the manufacturer and
preloaded onto the warranty card. The remotely accessible document
storage service could then be used to store proof of purchase and registration
information, to maintain warranty files for each user, to inform the user when
warranties are about to expire, or to enable the user to schedule
maintenance, to apply for extended warranty or other service options and to
alert customers to the availability of warranty or service contracts. These
various other options can be easily executed within the apparatus 10 of Fig.
1. For instance, instead of branching to a return step from the step 156 of
Fig. 2D after it is determined that access to a government entity is not
requested, a branch can instead be made to a subroutine illustrated at Fig.
2E, where a check is made that is shown in a step 206 for a need to send a
notification to a user, such as a timed event corresponding to expiration of a
warranty or service contract. If it is determined that it is time to send such
a
notification as indicated in a step 208, the notification is sent as indicated
in a
step 210, after which a return is made in a step 212. If it is not time to
send a
notification, a step 214 could be implemented to determine if a user is making
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an access request to enter timed event or warranty information. If so, a
branch can be made to the steps of Fig. 2B to execute storage of such
information. If not, a return can be made in the step 212. Thus, based on the
storage of documents of various kinds, many useful services can be provided
by the remotely-accessible document storage service and apparatus of the
present invention.
Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to
a best mode embodiment thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in
the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and additions
in the form and detail thereof may be made therein without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
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