Integrated on-line system with enchanced data transfer protocol

A computerized method for enchanced data transfer between a plurality of clients through a data transfer server in a TCP/IP network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing the server with a web server and a relational database;
• (b) registering a plurality of trading partners as clients through said web server, including establishing an electronic mailbox, assigning a unique mailbox ID, and a password for each client and recording the mailbox ID and password in said relational database;
• (c) listening for a client on a port dedicated to providing enhanced data transfer service;
• (d) receiving a header from a client, the header containing at least the client's mailbox ID and password and a session request;
• (e) validating the mailbox ID and password against said relational database;
• (f) creating a socket to socket connection with the client upon validating the mailbox ID and password;
• (g) when the session request is for receiving at least one data transfer, transferring the data to the client and recording the transfer in said relational database;
• (h) when the session request is for sending at least one data transfer, receiving a data transfer including a header, the header having a receiving client's mailbox ID;
• (i) sending the client an acknowledgement that the server has received the data transfer;
• (k) determining whether the receiving client is currently connected to the server, and if so, notifying the receiving client of a pending data transfer and transferring the data to the receiving client immediately and before disconnecting with the receiving client;
• (l) saving the data transfer in the receiving client's mailbox when the receiving client is not currently connected to the server;
• (m) recording the server's receipt of the data transfer, the server's transfer of data to a receiving client, and the server's mailbox storing of a data transfer in said relational database;
• and
• (n) terminating the socket to socket connection with the client.

A computerized method for transferring encrypted data between a sending client, a receiving client, and a server in a TCP/IP network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) negotiating a sender's initial header key between the sending client and the server;
• (b) negotiating a receiver's initial header key between the receiving client and the server;
• (c) the server receiving a header from a sending client having header data encrypted based upon the sender's header key, the header data having a data key;
• (d) the server decrypting the header and transmitting an acknowledgement to the sending client;
• (e) the server receiving a data transfer from the sending client, the data transfer being encrypted based upon the data key;
• (f) the server transmitting a second header to the receiving client, the second header having header data encrypted based upon the receiver's header key, the header data having the data key;
• and
• (g) the server transmitting the data transfer to the receiving client, the data transfer being encrypted based upon the data key
• whereby the data key is passed from the sending client to the server encrypted by the sending client's header key and from the server to the receiving client encrypted by the receiving client's header key, the data encrypted by the data key being transferred from the sending client to the receiving client without decryption by the server.