Electronic information system enabling email-based transactions with forms

• US 10,305,839 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Clover Leaf Environmental Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Killoran, Jr., John P., Von Damm, Gina Katharine
• Primary Examiner(s): Katsikis, Kostas J
• Application Number:
  US15/354,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20170142057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A method and apparatus for improving digital transaction using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). The method includes determining to whether an alert related to a task is sent to a registered individual, on a condition that the alert related to the task should be sent, generating an email message, wherein the email includes at least one mailto link and a form for the registered individual to complete, transmitting the email message to the registered individual, receiving a response email from the registered individual, authenticating the email message and decoding a token, and updating an information database.

Claims

1. A method for improving security of a digital transaction using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), the method comprising:

determining to whether an alert related to a task is sent to a registered individual;

on a condition that the alert related to the task is to be sent, generating an email message, wherein the email includes at least one mailto link, a token, and a form for the registered individual to complete;

transmitting, using SMTP, the email message to the registered individual;

receiving, using SMTP, a response email from the registered individual responsive that includes information entered by the registered individual in the form, wherein the response email is generated by the registered individual selecting the mailto link and includes the token; and

authenticating the response email; and

on a condition that the response email is authenticated, decoding the information that the registered individual entered in the form using the token to determine responses of the registered individual; and

performing the digital transaction by updating an information database with the responses of the registered individual.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a result message to be sent to the registered individual.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising sending, using SMTP, the result message to the registered individual.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the result message is responsive to the registered individual'"'"'s response email.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether the result message was successfully delivered to the registered individual.

6. A method for improving security of a digital transaction using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), the method comprising:

determining to whether an alert related to a task is sent to a registered individual;

on a condition that the alert related to the task is to be sent, generating an alert message, wherein the alert message includes a first mailto link;

transmitting the alert message to the registered individual;

receiving, using SMTP, a first response from the registered individual, wherein the first response is generated by the registered individual selecting the first mailto link;

transmitting, using SMTP, a form message to the registered individual, wherein the form message includes a second mailto link, a token and a form for the registered individual to complete;

receiving, using SMTP, a second response from the registered individual, wherein the second response is generated by the registered individual selecting the second mailto link and includes information entered by the registered individual in the form;

authenticating the second response; and

on a condition that the second response is authenticated, performing the digital transaction by updating an information database with the information entered by the registered individual in the form based on the token.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising generating a result message to be sent to the registered individual.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising sending the result message to the registered individual.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the result message is responsive to the second response.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising determining whether the result message was successfully delivered to the registered individual.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the alert message is an Short Message Service (SMS) message.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the alert message is a social media message.

13. A system for improving security of a digital transaction using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), the system comprising:

a network interface that is communicatively coupled to a client device of a registered individual;

a memory that stores an information database; and

a processor that is communicatively coupled to the network interface and the memory;

wherein the processor;

determines whether an alert related to a task is sent to the registered individual,

on a condition that the alert related to the task is to be sent, generates an alert message, wherein the alert message includes a first mailto link,

transmits, via the network interface, the alert message to the client device of the registered individual,

receives, using SMTP via the network interface, and a first response from the registered individual, wherein the first response is generated by the registered individual selecting the first mailto link on the client device,

transmits, using SMTP via the network interface, a form message to the registered individual, wherein the form message includes a second mailto link, a token and a form for the registered individual to complete on the client device,

receives, using SMTP via the network interface, a second response from the registered individual, wherein the second response is generated by the registered individual selecting the second mailto link and includes information entered by the registered individual in the form,

authenticates the second response, and

on a condition that the second response is authenticated, performs the digital transaction by updating the information database with the information entered by the registered individual in the form based on the token.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the alert message is an Short Message Service (SMS) message.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the alert message is a social media message.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor further generate a result message to be sent to the registered individual.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the processor further sends, via the network interface, the result message to the registered individual.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the processor further determines whether the result message was successfully delivered to the registered individual.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the alert message is a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the alert message is a social media message.