PCT
`INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`wo 97109682
`
`(51) International Patent Classification 6 :
`G06F 17/30
`
`Al
`
`(11) International Publication Number:
`
`(43) International Publication Date:
`
`13 March 1997 (13.03.97)
`
`WORLD INTELLECfUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION
`International Bureau
`
`..
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCT/IB96/00986
`
`(22) International Filing Date:
`
`30 August 1996 (30.08.96)
`
`(81) Designated States: CN, JP, European patent (AT, BE, CH, DE,
`DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE).
`
`Published
`With international search report.
`Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
`claims and to be republished in the event of the receipt of
`amendments.
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`08/523,005
`
`I September 1995 (01.09.95)
`
`us
`
`(71) Applicant: ELONEX PLC [GB/GB]; 2 Apsley Way, London
`NW2 7LF (GB).
`
`(72) Inventor: KIKINIS, Dan; 20264 Ljepava Drive, Saratoga, CA
`95070 (US).
`
`(74) Agents: FREED, Arthur, Woolf et a!.; Reginald W. Barker &
`Co., Chancery House, 53-64 Chancery Lane, London WC2A
`IQU (GB).
`
`(54) Title: SERVICE INDEPENDENT ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT SERVER
`
`(57) Abstract
`
`A retrieval and auditing system for electronic documents specifically addressed
`and forwarded over an Internet connection, including e-mail, voice-mail, and facsimile
`(FAX) documents, provides a gateway interface in a home page retrievable without
`regard to a particular Internet Service Provider granting access to the Internet. In a
`preferred embodiment a security protocol is required to launch the gateway from a
`home page, ensuring that the person granted access to specifically-addressed electronic
`documents is the addressee.
`
`Web Browser
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`1
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`

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`FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY
`
`Codes used to identify States party to the PCT on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international
`applications under the Per.
`
`AM
`AT
`AU
`BB
`BE
`BF
`BG
`BJ
`BR
`BY
`CA
`CF
`CG
`CH
`CI
`CM
`CN
`cs
`cz
`DE
`DK
`EE
`ES
`FI
`FR
`GA
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`Annenia
`Austria
`Australia
`Barbados
`Belgium
`Burkina Faso
`Bulgaria
`Benin
`Brazil
`Belarus
`Canada
`Central African Republic
`Congo
`Switzerland
`COle d'Ivoire
`Cameroon
`China
`Czechoslovakia
`Czech Republic
`Gennany
`Denmark
`Estonia
`Spain
`Finland
`France
`Gabon
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`GB
`GE
`GN
`GR
`HU
`IE
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`KR
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`LU
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`MC
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`MR
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`United Kingdom
`Georgia
`Guinea
`Greece
`Hungary
`Ireland
`Italy
`Japan
`Kenya
`Kyrgystan
`Democratic People's Republic
`of Korea
`Republic of Korea
`Kazakhstan
`Liechtenstein
`Sri Lanka
`Liberia
`Lithuania
`Luxembourg
`Latvia
`Monaco
`Republic of Moldova
`Madagascar
`Mali
`Mongolia
`Mauritania
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`MW
`MX
`NE
`NL
`NO
`NZ
`PL
`PT
`RO
`RU
`SD
`SE
`SG
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`SK
`SN
`sz
`TD
`TG
`TJ
`TT
`UA
`UG
`us
`uz
`VN
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`Malawi
`Mexico
`Niger
`Netherlands
`Norway
`New Zealand
`Poland
`Portugal
`Romania
`Russian Federation
`Sudan
`Sweden
`Singapore
`Slovenia
`Slovakia
`Senegal
`Swaziland
`Chad
`Togo
`Tajikistan
`Trinidad and Tobago
`Ukraine
`Uganda
`United States of America
`Uzbekistan
`Viet Narn
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`W097/09682
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`PCT/IB96/00986
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`- 1 -
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`Service Independent Electronic Document Server
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`Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention is in the area of electronic
`data-transmission services and is particularly relevant to Internet users
`who need service-independent access to their electronic documents.
`
`Background of the Invention
`
`By using an Internet service provider such as CompuServe, MCL
`Prodigy, America On-line, NetCom, or any one of a number of such
`on-line services, many computer owners and users, individuals as well
`as businesses, gain access to the Internet communication system. This
`Internet service has exhibited remarkable growth worldwide in recent
`years partly due to introduction of an information-locating software tool
`called the World Wide Web (WWW), also known in the art simply as
`the Web.
`The Web is a graphical interface. It is based on index and text
`searches and facilitates access to world-wide computer-stored data, also
`known in the art as hypermedia, which may represent text, sound,
`graphics, video, or mixtures of these. Web access is available through a
`growing number of service providers, some of which are listed above.
`Web systems typically feature software utilities called browsers,
`which help users in searching through on-line information. A browser
`interprets the Web's hypertext markup language and provides a graphical
`on-screen interface including screen buttons and data-entry and display
`fields, which aid a user in finding, selecting, viewing and transmitting
`information. A browser also facilitates exchange of electronic
`documents by one user with other users anywhere in the world.
`Electronic documents on the Web may take many different
`forms, among them electronic mail (e-mail), voice mail (v-mail), faxes,
`scanned documents, electronically created documents, software, sound
`recordings, and video recordings.
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`Typically, Internet users who permit public access to their own
`data bases for commercial or educational purposes use a home page a
`gateway to their information resources. A home page is a graphical
`interface unique to an individual user, and it functions in part as a table
`of contents. For example, a computer manufacturer may provide a home
`page on the Internet WWW with active selection areas (buttons)
`directing control and display to such as product information, prices,
`system product capabilities, and other web sites. Buttons and the like on
`one web page also can cause control to jump to another web page. A
`home page is created with the hypertext markup language.
`E-mail is an Internet service separate from individual home
`pages. E-mail differs from horne pages, browsers, and the like in that it
`uses different protocols and languages. Internet service providers such
`as CompuServe Information Service, MCI Mail, Genie, America
`On-line, NetCom, and others typically provide access to e-mail via a
`menu or icon which switches control to an e-mail utility.
`Because an e-mail gateway doesn't provide direct access to the
`Internet service, users cannot access e-mail through a Web server or
`access and browse the Internet through an e-mail server. Users typically
`access their e-mail by means of a dialed-up telephone connection to a
`local e-mail service provider, and therefore, no long-distance telephone
`charges are associated with e-mail service.
`Up to the date of the present invention, users cannot access their
`e-mailboxes without using the service of their e-mail provider, and
`therefore, they cannot take advantage of all what the Web has to offer.
`What is clearly needed is a system that enables Internet subscribers to
`access their e-mail anywhere in the world using the facilities of the Web,
`independent of service provider. Such a system may take the form of a
`customized home page which operates in conjunction with a special
`gateway interface inserted between a standard Internet server and
`electronic document servers. The home page in this configuration
`provides both a pathway and a security barrier through which internet
`subscribers can access their mailboxes at their e-mail service provider.
`
`Summary of the Invention
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`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an Internet
`home page interface is provided comprising indicia identifying the home
`page owner; and an on-screen active selection area for access to an
`electronic document data base containing electronic documents
`addressed specifically to the home page owner. Selecting the on-screen
`active selection area launches control routines connecting the user
`through an on-screen window to an electronic data base containing
`documents addressed specifically to the home page owner. The home
`page owner may activate the on-screen window and select and review
`stored documents therethrough.
`Also in a preferred embodiment a user is required to practice a
`security protocol to activate the on-screen window providing access to
`the specifically-addressed electronic documents. The security protocol
`can be as simple as a password entered and verified. The specifically(cid:173)
`addressed electronic documents may be e-mail documents, facsimile
`(FAX) documents, voice mail files, or other sorts of electronic
`documents sent to a specific recipient. The invention provides a unique
`electronic document auditing system usable from any station providing
`Internet access, regardless of the service provider controlling such
`access.
`
`The present invention provides a means for an Internet user to
`access electronic documents over the Internet, such as e-mail and
`specifically addressed to the user, even though access to the Internet
`user's usual Internet Service Provider is not available. The advantage is a
`dramatic saving (long distance phone charges) and convenience for the
`user.
`
`Brief Description of the Drawings
`
`Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating incompatibility of Web
`service with e-mail service as it exists in the current art.
`Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating how Internet users may
`remotely access their e-mail using the facilities of the Web independent
`of provider. according to an embodiment of the present invention.
`Fig. 3 illustrates a sample set of windows providing a user
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`interface through a Web browser according a preferred embodiment of
`the present invention.
`Fig. 4 is a flow diagram depicting a sequence of steps for
`accessing electronic documents by means of a link feature of a
`home-page according an embodiment of the present invention.
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`Description of the Preferred Embodiments
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`Fig. 1 is a block diagram of point-to-point communication links
`illustrating typical nodes in a Web system and the incompatibility of
`Web service with e-mail service as it is known in the art. A first user
`station 15 comprises a computer system 31, a high-speed modem 29, and
`Internet communication software having well known elements of such
`communication software including a browser tool 33 and an e-mail tool
`3 7. A local Internet service provider (ISP) 11, usually commercially
`operated, comprises a Web server 19, an e-mail server 21, and an
`Internet port 45 that provides access to the Internet 43. E-mail server 21
`runs an e-mail program 23 and maintains a set of client mailboxes 25.
`A remote ISP 13 comprises, but is not limited to, a Web server
`39, an Internet port 47, and an e-mail server which is not shown. Web
`server 3 9 maintains a set of data bases 41 one of which is a data base 51
`owned by a company named abc.inc.
`A second user station 17 comprises a computer system 57, a
`high-speed modem 59, and Internet communication software having the
`well known elements of such communication software including a
`browser tool 53. User station 17 is called a kiosk in the art, and the
`Internet service associated with user station 17 is transparent to users.
`That is, user station 17 seems directly connected to Internet 43 by means
`of an Internet port 49 using point-to-point (PPP) or serial-line interface
`protocols (SLIP).
`Since file-transfer protocols (FTP), document languages, and gateway
`interfaces for e-mail and the Web differ significantly, users cannot
`access e-mail documents by means of browser 33, nor can they navigate
`the Internet from e-mail window 37. To illustrate the difference between
`3 5 Web and e-mail communication, three different communication
`situations are described below.
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`To retrieve e-mail documents from one of mailboxes 25, an
`Internet subscriber working at station 15 using computer 31 logs on to
`ISP 11 by means of modem 29 using a telephone line 27 and invokes
`e-mail window 37. The subscriber, using various screen buttons in
`e-mail window 25, may access messages contained in one of mailboxes
`25, and by using text fields may view, edit compose and deliver e-mail
`messages to a remote service provider.
`To access Internet 43, a subscriber working at station 15 invokes
`browser window 33 instead of e-mail window 37. Browser window 33
`comprises buttons, graphics, and text fields that enable the subscriber to
`navigate the internet and retrieve and display multimedia documents. To
`access data base 51 at remote provider 13, for example, the subscriber
`may enter a universal resource locator (URL) for data base 51 in an
`address field 35 of browser 33. The subscriber, using various screen
`buttons associated with browser 33, may view or retrieve information
`contained in data base 51. It will be apparent to one with skill in the art
`that there are many possible variations in the implementation of entering
`a URL for a remote data base.
`User station 17, described above as a kiosk, provides persons
`with Internet access while away from customary equipment. Such
`kiosks, for example, may be placed in places of public concentration,
`such as airline terminals.
`As also described above a kiosk user may invoke browser 53 and
`connect via the Internet 43 to ISP 13, where access may be made to such
`as data base 51 that belonging to company abc .inc. Kiosk users,
`however, cannot access mailboxes 25 at ISP 11 by means ofbrowser 53.
`Kiosk users may only access the mailboxes by means of a dial-up
`telephone connection, most likely long distance, with ISP 11.
`In summary, in current art as illustrated above, subscribers to ISP
`11 may access mailboxes 25 through the ISP's e-mail server, or, by using
`the ISP's Web server, they may access a remote data base 51 (or a large
`number of other remote data bases of which data base 51 is a single
`example). The same subscribers, however, cannot access mailboxes 25
`from a remote kiosk 17, nor can they access the Internet by using an
`ISP's e-mail server. As a result, e-mail subscribers cannot take
`advantage of all what the Web has to offer.
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`The present invention cooperates with the conventional facilities
`of the World Wide Web to realize real-time remote access to any kind of
`electronic document, including e-mail. The invention includes a home
`page that operates in conjunction with suitable gateway interfaces
`inserted between an Internet server and various electronic document
`servers.
`Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating how Internet users may
`remotely retrieve an electronic documents of all sorts from their
`mailboxes using the facilities of the Web and a system according to an
`embodiment of the present invention.
`In the system of Fig. 2, user station 53 comprises, a high-speed
`modem 61, and a computer system 63 having well-known elements of
`such a computer system, including a Web-browser 65 and PPP or SLIP
`communication software (not shown). Also in the system, a kiosk 55
`comprises a high-speed modem 105, and a computer system 107 having
`the well known elements of such a computer system, including a
`Web-browser 109 and PPP or SLIP communication software (not
`shown). An ISP 51 comprises a Web server 59 having access to the
`Internet 99 through an Internet port 97, and communication software
`(not shown) to support communication protocols and languages.
`Computer system 63 located in user station 53 communicates with Web
`server 59 by means of modem 61 and telephone line 83 using
`communication protocols such as PPP or SLIP.
`A second ISP 57, located physically distant from the site of user
`station 53 and kiosk 55, comprises a Web server 67 and a set of
`electronic document servers 69. Both Web server 67 and document
`servers 69 have access to Internet 99 through an Internet port 101. Each
`server of electronic document servers 69 runs software that supports a
`specific application. Illustrated are an e-mail program 79, a fax program
`81, a voice-mail program 85 and various other programs 87 including
`video and graphics.
`Web server 67 runs unique control routines according to an
`embodiment of the present invention that supports a set of data bases 71.
`Each data base belongs to (or is assigned to or associated with) a
`different client. A single data base of set 71 includes a home page 73,
`individualized to a specific client, that provides software links to various
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`lower-order data bases maintained by electronic document server 69.
`Examples of such lower-order data bases are an e-mail data base 89, a
`fax data base 91, a voice mail data base 93, and other electronic
`documents in data base 95. Home page 73 is created with hypertext
`markup language (HTML ), as are other home pages, and provides access
`to data bases 89, 91, 93, and 95 as described below through software
`links. Those with skill in the art will recognize that the technology of
`HTML is old in the art, and that this portion of the present invention
`may be implemented with little difficulty by those with skill in the art,
`using well known techniques.
`A path is provided from Web server 67 to data bases 89, 91, 93,
`and 95 by means of software links programmed into a client's home
`page. Each link uses a common gateway interface (CGI) to translate
`HTML into a particular data base language. Shown in Fig. 2 are CGis
`77, 78, 80, and 82leading to programs 79, 81, 85, and 87, which in turn
`access data bases 89, 91. 93, and 95 respectively.
`A subscriber may use the facilities of the Web to access his or
`her home page on ISP 57 from anywhere on Earth, and then use the link
`features in the home page to access the electronic document data bases.
`At the access station, such as a kiosk, the subscriber can retrieve and
`read e-mail messages, faxes, listen to voice mail, and further receive
`other sorts of electronic documents, such as videos or audio files. If the
`access station (kiosk) has a printer, floppy drive, and other pertinent
`equipment, the subscriber may also make suitable copies of electronic
`documents.
`Fig. 3 shows an example set Ill of windows accessible in a
`home page for accessing electronic documents by using the facilities of a
`Web browser such as Web browser 109 at kiosk 55 (Fig. 2) according to
`an embodiment of the present invention. A user invokes browser 1 09
`and enters a URL for his or her home page 73 in field 113 of browser
`1 09. An initiation signal then causes control to retrieve home page 73
`and display it as an interface to data and other Web destinations.
`Operation to this point are conventionaL and well-known in the art.
`Home page 73, however, is different than conventional home pages, as
`described above with reference to Fig. 2, having on-screen links to
`electronic documents reserved for the home page "owner", such as e-
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`mail and faxes.
`As an example, home page 73 in Fig. 3 has a button 117 labeled
`v-mail, for voice mail. By selecting button 117 a user is linked to data
`base 93 (Fig. 2) through CGI 80 and voice mail program 87. This
`feature is unique to embodiments of the present invention. A voice mail
`window 125 is invoked having common elements of such a voice mail
`window including, but not limited to, a text field 123, and a set of
`function buttons 121. As is common in the art with such windows,
`function buttons 121 enable users to list, replay, save, delete, record and
`deliver voice mail messages.
`Similarly, in the embodiment of the present invention described
`with reference to Fig. 3, subscribers. using the link buttons 118, 120, and
`122 access their e-mail, fax, and other electronic documents.
`In another embodiment of the present invention. a traveling
`Internet user may use his or her home page 73 to link to other data bases,
`such as a personal multi-lingual dictionary featuring pronunciation, a
`spelling checker, or a thesaurus; or indeed, almost any other sort of
`digital data or control routines.
`There are well known methods implemented in the art to restrict
`access to home pages and data bases. The same methods may be used to
`protect electronic document data bases from unwanted access. For
`example, access to electronic document data bases may be restricted by
`requiring a user to provide a password and user name before access to a
`home page or a specific electronic document data base is granted. A
`software routine, embedded in each of the various electronic document
`programs 79, 81, 85, and 87 (Fig. 2) may determine the validity of an
`entered password. If a password is valid, a user is granted access to a
`desired electronic data base. Otherwise, a rejection message may be
`displayed in window 123 (Fig. 3).
`In the event that a user accesses his electronic document data
`bases from a computer other than his own, a method may be
`implemented to prevent an electronic document from being saved on a
`peripheral device without permission of the owner. Data base protection
`may be implemented with little difficulty by those with skill in the art,
`using well-known equipment and techniques.
`Fig. 4 is a logic flow diagram illustrating a sequence of steps for
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`accessing electronic documents by means of link features of a
`home-page according to embodiments of the present invention.
`Beginning at step 124, a telephone dial-up procedure connects an
`Internet user to an ISP. The ISP may be one to which the user
`subscribes (a local ISP), in which case there will likely be at least a link
`for e-mail for the user; or the ISP may be a provider associated with a
`kiosk anywhere on Earth. At step 125, if the ISP is one to which the
`user subscribes, the dialed ISP expects the user to enter a user name and
`a password, which are then evaluated. If not, there is no need for
`identification.
`When logged on, the user launches a Web browser at step 127.
`The browser, at step 129, initiates HTML. The user may now branch
`from control juncture 13 0 in one of several ways. For example, the user
`may choose to browse the Internet at step 14 3, enter a URL for his or her
`home page and jump at step 131, or exit at step 145.
`If the user launches his home page, he may, at step 13 3, launch a
`desired electronic document access system, which establishes CGI. A
`password or other security ID may be required at this point. At step 137,
`the user may view, edit, save, compose, forward or deliver electronic
`documents. Continuing with step 139, users may exit an electronic
`document program. At step 140 the user may exit the home page and
`return to the browser to browse the Internet at step 143. Of course, it
`may not be required to exit an electronic document program to exit the
`home page.
`It will be apparent to those with skill in the art that there will be
`many alterations that might be made in the embodiments of the
`invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of
`the invention. There are, for example, many designs one might use for a
`home page interface, and many known methods of affording a user
`selection to alternative control pathways. Programming, too, is highly
`individualistic, and there are therefore many code combinations that
`might perform the same or similar functions. Arrangement and nature of
`electronic document databases can vary considerable, as well. There are
`similarly many sorts of variations one might make while staying within
`the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the inventor intends
`that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims below.
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`What is claimed is:
`
`1. An Internet home page interface comprising:
`indicia identifying the home page owner; and
`an on-screen active selection area for access to an electronic
`document data base containing electronic documents addressed
`specifically to the home page owner;
`wherein selecting the on-screen active selection area launches
`control routines connecting the user through an on-screen window to an
`electronic data base containing documents addressed specifically to the
`home page owner, and wherein the home page owner may activate the
`on-screen window and select and review stored documents therethrough.
`
`2. An Internet home page as in claim 1 wherein a user is required to
`practice a security protocol to activate the on-screen window providing
`access to the specifically-addressed electronic documents.
`
`3. An Internet home page as in claim 2 wherein the security protocol is
`entry and verification of a password.
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`4. An Internet home page as in claim 1 wherein the specifically(cid:173)
`addressed electronic documents are e-mail documents.
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`5. An Internet home page as in claim 1 wherein the specifically-
`addressed electronic documents are facsimile (FAX) documents.
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`6. An Internet home page as in claim 1 wherein the specifically(cid:173)
`addressed electronic documents are voice mail files.
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`7. An electronic document auditing system comprising:
`a computerized station including a video monitor and video
`driving apparatus;
`an electronic communication link to a remote server;
`a home page interface stored at the remote server, assigned to a
`home page owner, and accessible from the computerized station through
`the remote server;
`
`12
`
`

`
`W097/09682
`
`PCT/IB96/00986
`
`- 11 -
`
`an electronic document data base at the remote server containing
`documents specifically addressed to the home page owner; and
`a gateway to the electronic document data base launchable from
`the home page interface;
`wherein a home page owner may remotely access the home page
`from the computerized station, display the home page on the video
`monitor, launch the gateway, providing an on-screen window, and
`retrieve and audit the specifically-addressed electronic documents from
`the electronic document data base through the on-screen window.
`
`8. An electronic document auditing system as in claim 7 wherein a user
`is required to practice a security protocol to launch the gateway
`activating the on-screen window providing access to the specifically(cid:173)
`addressed electronic documents.
`
`9. An electronic document auditing system as in claim 8 wherein the
`security protocol is entry and verification of a password.
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`I 0. An electronic document auditing system as in claim 7 wherein the
`specifically-addressed electronic documents are e-mail documents.
`
`2 0
`
`11. An electronic document auditing system as in claim 7 wherein the
`specifically-addressed electronic documents are facsimile (FAX)
`documents.
`
`12. An electronic document auditing system as in claim 7 wherein the
`specifically-addressed electronic documents are voice mail files.
`
`13. An Internet Service Provider (ISP) comprising:
`an Internet port;
`a web server providing access to a subscriber's home page;
`a common gateway Interface (CGI) coupled to the subscriber's
`home page through an on-screen selection mechanism;
`an electronic document program operable through the CGI; and
`an electronic document data base wherein electronic documents
`addressed to the home page owner are received and stored;
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`13
`
`

`
`wo 97/09682
`
`PCT !IB96/00986
`
`- 12 -
`
`wherein a home page accessed and displayed presents the on(cid:173)
`screen selection mechanism to a user, and selection of the selection
`mechanism activates a window through which the electronic documents
`in the electronic data base and addressed to the home page owner may
`be retrieved and examined.
`
`14. An ISP as in claim 13 wherein a user is required to practice a
`security protocol to launch the CGI activating the on-screen window
`providing access to the specifically-addressed electronic documents.
`
`15. An ISP as in claim 14 wherein the security protocol is entry and
`verification of a password.
`
`5
`
`10
`
`16. An ISP as in claim 13 wherein the specifically-addressed electronic
`documents are e-mail documents.
`
`15
`
`17. An ISP as in claim 13 wherein the specifically-addressed electronic
`documents are facsimile (FAX) documents.
`
`2 0
`
`18. An ISP as in claim 13 wherein the specifically-addressed electronic
`documents are voice mail files.
`
`19. A method for accessing and auditing specifically-addressed
`electronic documents over the Internet, comprising steps of:
`(a) gaining Internet access through a computerized station
`including a video monitor and video driving apparatus;
`(b) retrieving and displaying a home page stored in a memory at
`a remote server;
`(c) launching a common gateway interface (CGI) to an electronic
`document program by selecting an active screen area in the displayed
`home page;
`(d) interacting with a window presented in response to step (c) to
`retrieve and audit the specifically-addressed electronic documents
`through the window.
`
`20. The method of claim 19 further comprising a step for performing a
`
`2 5
`
`3 0
`
`35
`
`14
`
`

`
`wo 97/09682
`
`PCT /IB96/00986
`
`- 13 -
`
`security protocol as a necessary step to launching the CGI.
`
`21. The method of claim 20 wherein the security protocol comprises
`entering a verifying a password.
`
`5
`
`22. The method of claim 19 wherein step (d) comprises retrieving and
`auditing e-mail documents.
`
`23. The method of claim 19 wherein step (d) comprises retrieving and
`auditing facsimile (FAX) documents.
`
`1 0
`
`24. The method of claim 19 wherein step (d) comprises retrieving and
`auditing facsimile voice mail documents .
`
`•
`
`15
`
`

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`17
`
`

`
`wo 97/09682
`
`3/4
`
`PCT IIB96/00986
`
`113
`
`117
`
`Web Browser
`
`109
`
`ABC
`
`Home Page
`
`http:P/www.home.com
`
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`Home Page
`
`73
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`
`18
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