Abstract: In an electronic filing system over a computer network, a central server sets the requirements for making submissions. These requirements include a time limit after the expiry of which, submissions will no longer be accepted. A gateway server polls the central server for the submission requirements, and establishes a directory in its own file system to which all potential submitters have write access until expiry of the time limit. On completion of its submission, a submitter generates evidence of the complete submission. The evidence can be in the form of a digitally signed message digest. The submitter may encrypt the evidence using the gateway server's public encryption key and then forwards the evidence to the gateway server. If the evidence is filed before expiry of the time limit, the gateway server permits the evidence to be written to the directory established for the submission requirements.

Abstract: In a token-based deadline enforcement system for electronic document submission, a submission requirements centre collects information on submission requirements (eg., deadlines for submitting bids in response to commercial tenders), from the processing environments that generate the requirements. A gateway to a network of potential submitters polls the information collected in the submission requirements centre, and generates tokens corresponding to current submission time limits. These tokens are available to all potential submitters until expiry of the corresponding time limit for the submission. On receiving a request for electronic submission from a submitting program, the gateway searches its records for the token corresponding to the submission type. If the token is located, it is returned to the submitting program for packaging with the submission.