Abstract: A digital document delivery system and method for providing to a user an electronic primary document with associated secondary documents. The secondary documents can have relative priorities and are based upon user preference data. An electronic inserter, bill processing server and interactive bill presentation server are used to make the primary and secondary documents available for viewing by a user via the user's web browser, as well as to allow the user to interrogate the system and to respond to the primary document, such as to pay an account due as stated in the primary document. The digital document delivery system and method also notifies the user of the existence of a primary and secondary documents for viewing.

Abstract: A digital document delivery system and method for providing to a user an electronic primary document with associated secondary documents. The secondary documents can have relative priorities and are based upon user preference data. An electronic inserter, bill processing server and interactive bill presentation server are used to make the primary and secondary documents available for viewing by a user via the user's web browser, as well as to allow the user to interrogate the system and to respond to the primary document, such as to pay an account due as stated in the primary document. The digital document delivery system and method also notifies the user of the existence of a primary and secondary documents for viewing.

Abstract: Information stored at a resource remotely located across a network is automatically imported according to pre-defined selection criteria, formatted in a form usable by a local processing resource, stored in the formatted form, and provided to the local processing resource for use by it. In one embodiment, a mailing list manager has an import module coupled to a browser. The import module receives a set of user-defined information selection criteria. The import module commands the browser to establish a network connection to a remote network resource containing desired information. When the connection is established, the browser requests information from the remote network resource according to the selection criteria. Information received from the network resource is stripped of unnecessary information, formatted for use by the mailing list manager and stored in a database maintained by the mailing list manager.

Abstract: The present invention provides a way to access a secure environment by virtue of a right to access another secure environment. The present invention is directed to, in a general aspect, a method of authenticating membership for providing access to a secure environment. The environment for which access is requested can be a network environment, such as, for example, an Internet, containing a first secure domain and a second secure domain. Network connections can be made using TCP/IP protocols. Claimants inside and outside of the first secure environment are afforded access to the second secure environment. The first secure environment uses its own authentication information, such as a database of user names and passwords, for authenticating claimants. In order for an outside claimant to gain access to the second secure environment, the outside claimant must have previously been an inside claimant.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating print stream data containing a plurality of primary documents and information concerning associated customers to receive the documents, wherein the apparatus receives customer preference data that allow separation of the print stream data into an electronic primary document print stream and a hard copy primary document print stream. The print stream separator further generates a second output for the customers that are to receive their primary documents by electronic delivery, where this second output contains information regarding which of a plurality of secondary documents the customer should receive with the primary document. The priorities of these secondary documents may be based upon specific customer preference data for the specific customer receiving his or her primary document. Priorities for these secondary documents can also be included in this second output. A method corresponding to this apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A system and method for electronic printstream delivery including the steps of providing a database containing a plurality of electronic documents wherein at least some of the electronic documents have an associated barcode in an electronic printstream and splitting the electronic delivery printstream into a plurality of electronic documents. Once the electronic documents have been individually split from the electronic printstream the presence of electronic barcodes that are associated with at least some of the electronic documents are identified and interpolated. The electronic mail pieces are then generated using the information obtained from the identification of the electronic barcodes, wherein each electronic mail piece includes one of the plurality of electronic documents and at least some of the electronic mail pieces include respective electronic inserts. The electronic mail pieces are then delivered by an electronic delivery system.

Abstract: The invention is a method and system for creating an address object, in an object oriented development environment of a data processing system. The address object is utilized during the creation of a document within a data processing system. The method includes both the object creation environment and the method of object utilization. The method establishes an object creation function within the data processing system, and then instantiates the address object by registering an object class within the object creation function, and then naming the class. Instantiation of the object establishes a programming interface to the address object.

Abstract: A Mail Generation Computer (MGC) is connected to a Local Area Network (LAN) at a customer site having a mail generation facility. A desktop PC on the LAN, under user control, accesses the MGC and submits a mail job to the MGC via the LAN. The MGC responds to the request and calls various mail piece generation modules needed to implement the request, thus freeing the user's equipment for other uses. The invention includes a job coordinator module for the MGC, to call, run and coordinate the various modules. The system embodied in the server thus allows any user at the customer site to submit a job to a process implemented on the LAN, which generates a finished mail piece or pieces, thus freeing the user from control over each portion of the mail generation process and similarly freeing the user's equipment for implementing other tasks.

Abstract: The invention is a method of determining the contents of a selected data field. The steps begin by attaching, from an application program, a database to be mapped. Once the database is attached, a field identification module (FIM), will scan the contents of the database to determine a data field identifier for each of the data fields to be worked upon. The FIM will then compare each of the data field identifiers with a list of known identifiers stored in a repository and assess a first score in respect of the comparison wherein the score is representative of a probability that the comparison is an accurate comparison. When a first probability score has been determined, the FIM will sample the data field according to a pre-selected list of requirements and make a second comparison with the data field. The FIM will then assess a second score.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a dispenser for housing and dispensing on demand a predetermined amount of the semi-fluid contents of a compressible tube container, such as a toothpaste tube. The dispenser for automatically dispensing a semi-fluid material that can be caused to flow slowly from a compressible tube comprises:(a) a structure for holding the tube in a position such that the opening in the tube extends downwardly;(b) an arrangement for slidably closing the end of the opening in the tube;(c) a device for agitating upon manual command the tube and semi-fluid contents such that the contents are induced to flow;(d) the above recited arrangement withdrawing the slidable closure from the opening upon manual command to thereby permit the material to flow gradually out of the tube.