Systems and methods for storing, delivering, and managing messages

A method of storing documents on behalf of a plurality of users and for providing the users access to the documents over a network operating on an Internet protocol, comprising:

• receiving the documents from the users, wherein the documents are of multiple types;
• associating the documents with their corresponding users;
• storing the documents for the plurality of users, the documents being stored based on associations with their corresponding users;
• assigning access control to the documents whereby individuals are defined to have certain access rights to the documents;
• creating in-boxes for individuals, an in-box for use in showing documents that an individual has been assigned certain rights;
• making in-boxes available to the individuals over the network operating on the Internet protocol, wherein individuals can use a browser to see their documents;
• receiving requests directed to the documents, the requests being sent through the network operating on the Internet protocol;
• checking the access control for the individuals to make sure that the individuals have the proper rights for the requests;
• and
• sending at least part of the documents associated with the requests to the individuals over the network in the Internet protocol;
• wherein individuals are able to access a plurality of documents of different types over the network in the Internet protocol using the browser.

A method of providing an electronic file delivery and storage service operating in an electronic computer data network including the Internet network, for sending the electronic file to a recipient, comprising:

• providing a server for uploading the electronic file from a sending computer and for downloading the electronic file to a receiving computer;
• providing a computer storage and database associated with the server;
• the server accepting a connection with the sending computer using an electronic data transmission protocol;
• the server receiving first recipient identifying information via the connection with the sending computer;
• the server uploading the electronic file via the connection with the sending computer, the electronic file transmitted over the connection using the electronic data transmission protocol;
• the server determining file identifying information for the electronic file;
• the server storing the electronic file in the computer storage, and associating in the database the electronic file with the file identifying information and the first recipient identifying information;
• the server generating a delivery notification for the recipient containing delivery notification information based on the file identifying information, and sending the delivery notification to the recipient using an address associated with the recipient based on the first recipient identifying information;
• the server accepting a connection with the receiving computer, initiated by the recipient in response to the delivery notification, using the Internet protocol;
• the server receiving second recipient identifying information via the connection with the receiving computer, using the Internet protocol;
• the server using the second recipient identifying information from the receiving computer to grant access to information associated with the recipient,
• the server transmitting to the receiving computer, via the connection with the receiving computer, the information associated with the recipient, using the Internet protocol;
• the server accepting a request from the receiving computer, via the connection with the receiving computer, initiated by the recipient in response to the transmitted information associated with the recipient, using the Internet protocol;
• the server accessing the electronic file from the computer storage in response to the request;
• and
• the server downloading at least a portion of the electronic file to the receiving computer via the connection with the receiving computer, using the Internet protocol.

A method of providing an electronic file delivery and storage service operating in an electronic computer data network including the Internet network, for sending the electronic file to a recipient, comprising:

• providing a server for uploading the electronic file from a sending computer and for downloading the electronic file to a receiving computer;
• providing a computer storage and database associated with the server;
• the server accepting a connection with the sending computer using an electronic data transmission protocol;
• the server receiving first recipient identifying information via the connection with the sending computer;
• the server uploading the electronic file via the connection with the sending computer, the electronic file transmitted over the connection using the electronic data transmission protocol;
• the server determining file identifying information for the electronic file;
• the server storing the electronic file in the computer storage, and associating in the database the electronic file with the file identifying information and the first recipient identifying information;
• the server generating a delivery notification for the recipient containing delivery notification information based on the file identifying information, and sending the delivery notification to the recipient using an address associated with the recipient based on the first recipient identifying information;
• the server accepting a connection with the receiving computer, initiated by the recipient in response to the delivery notification, using the Internet protocol;
• the server receiving second recipient identifying information and document identifying information via the connection with the receiving computer, using the Internet protocol;
• the server accessing the electronic file from the computer storage based on the second recipient identifying information and document identifying information;
• and
• the server downloading at least a portion of the electronic file to the receiving computer via the connection with the receiving computer, using the Internet protocol.

An electronic file delivery and storage service system operating in an electronic computer data network including the Internet network, adapted for sending an electronic file to a recipient, comprising:

• a server adapted for uploading the electronic file from a sending computer and adapted for downloading the electronic file to a receiving computer;
• a computer storage and database associated with the server;
• the server adapted for accepting a connection with the sending computer using an electronic data transmission protocol;
• the server adapted for receiving first recipient identifying information via the connection with the sending computer;
• the server adapted for uploading the electronic file via the connection with the sending computer, the electronic file transmitted over the connection using the electronic data transmission protocol;
• the server adapted for determining file identifying information for the electronic file;
• the server adapted for storing the electronic file in the computer storage, and adapted for associating in the database the electronic file with the file identifying information and the first recipient identifying information;
• the server adapted for generating a delivery notification for the recipient containing delivery notification information based on the file identifying information, and adapted for sending the delivery notification to the recipient using an address associated with the recipient based on the first recipient identifying information;
• the server adapted for accepting a connection with the receiving computer, initiated by the recipient in response to the delivery notification, using an Internet protocol;
• the server adapted for receiving second recipient identifying information via the connection with the receiving computer, using the Internet protocol;
• the server adapted for using the second recipient identifying information from the receiving computer to grant access to information associated with the recipient,
• the server adapted for transmitting to the receiving computer, via the connection with the receiving computer, the information associated with the recipient, using the Internet protocol;
• the server adapted for accepting a request from the receiving computer, via the connection with the receiving computer, initiated by the recipient in response to the transmitted information associated with the recipient, using the Internet protocol;
• the server adapted for accessing the electronic file from the computer storage in response to the request;
• and
• the server adapted for downloading at least a portion of the electronic file to the receiving computer via the connection with the receiving computer, using the Internet protocol.

An electronic file delivery and storage service system operating in an electronic computer data network including the Internet network, adapted for sending an electronic file to a recipient, comprising:

• a server adapted for uploading the electronic file from a sending computer and adapted for downloading the electronic file to a receiving computer;
• a computer storage and database associated with the server;
• the server adapted for accepting a connection with the sending computer using an electronic data transmission protocol;
• the server adapted for receiving first recipient identifying information via the connection with the sending computer;
• the server adapted for uploading the electronic file via the connection with the sending computer, the electronic file transmitted over the connection using the electronic data transmission protocol;
• the server adapted for determining file identifying information for the electronic file;
• the server adapted for storing the electronic file in the computer storage, and adapted for associating in the database the electronic file with the file identifying information and the first recipient identifying information;
• the server adapted for generating a delivery notification for the recipient containing delivery notification information based on the file identifying information, and adapted for sending the delivery notification to the recipient using an address associated with the recipient based on the first recipient identifying information;
• the server adapted for accepting a connection with the receiving computer, initiated by the recipient in response to the delivery notification, using an Internet protocol;
• the server adapted for receiving second recipient identifying information and document identifying information via the connection with the receiving computer, using the Internet protocol;
• the server adapted for accessing the electronic file from the computer storage based on the second recipient identifying information and document identifying information;
• and
• the server adapted for downloading at least a portion of the electronic file to the receiving computer via the connection with the receiving computer, using the Internet protocol.