# US 8,788,600 B2 · Method, application, and article of manufacture for sending a correspondence with content that can be certified

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- Number: US 8,788,600 B2
- Document ID: US8788600B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/069,216
- Filed: 2011-03-22
- Published: 2011-07-14
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2006-06-12
- Assignees: GPX Holding, LLC
- Applicants: Edouard T. Zakarian; Serge Hairanian
- Inventors: Edouard T. Zakarian; Serge Hairanian
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788600B2

## CPC

- H04L 63/12: {Applying verification of the received information (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32)}
- G06F 21/645: {using a third party}
- G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
- H04L 51/10: Multimedia information
- H04L 51/234: for tracking messages
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Described herein is a method and system for certifying contents of a correspondence sent from a sender to a recipient. The method comprises: receiving by an information processor over a communication network an electronic file from a sending workstation associated with the correspondence; receiving over the communication network recipient information that represents the recipient of the correspondence; generating a formatted electronic document from the electronic file, the formatted electronic document including coded information for identifying the electronic document; storing a copy of the formatted electronic document in a database; outputting the formatted electronic document as a physical document; delivering the physical document to the recipient; and retaining the copy of the electronic formatted document stored in the database as a certification of the contents of the correspondence as embodied in the physical document sent to the recipient.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for certifying contents of a correspondence sent from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising:
receiving by an information processor over a communication network an electronic file from a sending workstation associated with the correspondence;
receiving over the communication network recipient information that represents the recipient of the correspondence;
generating a formatted electronic document from the electronic file, the formatted electronic document including coded information for identifying the electronic document;
storing a copy of the formatted electronic document including the coded information in a database;
outputting the formatted electronic document as a physical document;
delivering the physical document to the recipient; and
retaining the copy of the formatted electronic document including the coded information stored in the database as a certification of the contents of the physical document delivered to the recipient, wherein the copy of the formatted electronic document is an image of the formatted electronic document generated prior to delivery of the physical document to the recipient.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising providing by the information processor a graphical user interface of the workstation to upload the electronic file.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises graphical screen controls enabling a user to define parameters related to the correspondence.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the parameters include at least one of a paper color, paper size, paper type, and envelope type.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the coded information is formatted as a bar code.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the bar code is a 2D bar code.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically preparing the physical document to be inserted in an envelope with viewable mailing information.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the envelope comprises a transparent portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic file is generated by a virtual print driver accessed or installed on the workstation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the physical document comprises receiving cost estimate information from a plurality of couriers, and selecting one of the couriers from the plurality of couriers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprises enabling a user to review status information related to the correspondence.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the correspondence is sent by e-mail.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating a user of the service.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising performing optical character recognition on the formatted electronic document.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein retaining the copy of the electronic formatted document ensures compliance with at least one governmental regulation.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the receiving, generating, outputting, storing, delivering, and retaining are provided by an integrated mail and messaging center.

### Claim 17

A system for certifying contents of a correspondence sent from a sender to a recipient, the system comprising:
an information processor communicating over a communication network and operable to receive an electronic file and recipient information from a sending workstation associated with the correspondence, wherein the recipient information represents the recipient of the correspondence;
a formatting module to generate a formatted electronic document from the electronic file, the formatted electronic document including coded information for identifying the electronic document;
a database operable to store a copy of the formatted electronic document including the coded information;
an output device operable to output the formatted electronic document as a physical document;
a delivery module operable to deliver the physical document to the recipient; and
a retention module operable to retain the copy of the formatted electronic document including the coded information stored in the database as a certification of the contents of the physical document delivered to the recipient, wherein the copy of the formatted electronic document is an image of the formatted electronic document generated prior to delivery of the physical document to the recipient.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising a graphical user interface enabling a user of the workstation to upload the electronic file.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises graphical screen controls enabling a user to define parameters related to the correspondence.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the parameters include at least one of a paper color, paper size, paper type, and envelope type.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the graphical user interface further enables a user to review status information related to the correspondence.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the coded information is formatted as a bar code.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The system of claim 22, wherein the bar code is a 2D bar code.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising a centralized mailing and messaging center that substantially automatically prepares the physical document to be inserted in an envelope with viewable mailing information.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The system of claim 24, wherein the envelope comprises a transparent portion.

### Claim 26 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising a virtual print driver operable to generate the electronic file.

### Claim 27 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the delivery module receives cost estimate information from a plurality of couriers.

### Claim 28 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the correspondence is sent by e-mail.

### Claim 29 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising an optical character recognition module for performing optical character recognition on the formatted electronic document.

### Claim 30 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the retention module to provide compliance with at least one government regulation.

### Claim 31 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further comprising an e-commerce module operable to receive a fee for certifying contents of a correspondence sent from a sender to a recipient.

### Claim 32

A system for certifying contents of a correspondence sent from a sender to a recipient, the system for executing a method comprising:
receiving an electronic file via an integrated messaging center;
generating a formatted electronic document from the electronic file, the formatted electronic document including coded information for identifying the electronic document;
storing a copy of the formatted electronic document including the coded information in a database;
outputting the formatted electronic document as a physical document;
delivering the physical document to the recipient; and
retaining the copy of the formatted electronic document including the coded information stored in the database, wherein the retained copy ensures compliance with at least one governmental regulation, and further certifies the contents of the physical document, wherein the copy of the formatted electronic document is an image of the formatted electronic document generated prior to delivery of the physical document to the recipient.