Method and system for confirming proper receipt of e-mail transmitted via a communications network

• US 20020019852A1
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reuben Bahar
• Original Assignee: Reuben Bahar
• Inventors: Bahar, Reuben
• Application Number:
  US09/978,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20020019852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting

Abstract

A method and system for confirming proper receipt of an e-mail file sent by a sending party over a communications network such as the Internet and intended to be received by a target party. The e-mail file sent by the sending party is properly or improperly delivered to a recipient e-mail address and stored in a data storage location of a recipient computer system. When the accessing party, who may or may not be the intended target party, accesses either the e-mail file itself or an e-mail processing program or user account, various recipient information, including identity information associated with the accessing party, is discovered from the recipient computer system and included in a generated confirmation of receipt notice. The confirmation of receipt notice is subsequently and automatically return transmitted to the sending party. In one embodiment, an attachment file is transmitted together with the e-mail which operates to discover and obtain the recipient data, generate the confirmation of receipt notice, and transmit the confirmation of receipt notice to the sending party. In this manner, the sending party can determine whether the accessing party who actually received and was notified of the e-mail file was in fact the intended target party, and thereby determine whether delivery was proper.

Claims

1. A method of confirming proper receipt of e-mail, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an e-mail file which is intended by a sending party for transmission to a target e-mail address associated with a target party;

electronically transmitting the e-mail file from a first computer connected to a communications network and associated with the sending party;

delivering the e-mail file to a recipient e-mail address which is associated with a second computer connected to the communications network;

detecting a designated access event triggered by an accessing party and generally associated with e-mail retrieval from the recipient e-mail address;

upon a detection of the designated access event automatically executing the steps of;

providing notice of the delivered e-mail file to the accessing party,

discovering recipient data generally associated with the recipient e-mail address,

generating a confirmation of receipt notice containing the discovered recipient data, and

electronically transmitting the confirmation of receipt notice from the second computer to a return e-mail address associated with the sending party; and

comparing the discovered recipient data contained in the confirmation of receipt notice with intended delivery information associated with the target party, whereby the sending party may determine whether the e-mail file was properly delivered.

2. The method as in claim 1,

wherein the discovering step includes retrieving from the second computer a pre-recorded recipient data file containing pre-recorded recipient data.

3. The method as in claim 1,

further comprising the steps of:

obtaining accessing party identity information from the accessing party as a requisite condition for permitting access to the recipient e-mail address, and recording the accessing party identity information to an accessing party data file for resident storage in the second computer, and

wherein the discovering step includes retrieving the accessing party data file from the second computer, and the step of comparing the discovered recipient data includes determining whether the accessing party identity information is equivalent to or different from the intended target party, whereby the sending party may determine whether the accessing party triggering the access event was in fact the intended target party.

4. The method as in claim 1,

further comprising the steps of:

obtaining accessing party identity information from the accessing party as a requisite condition for operating a remote user computer, said remote user computer connected to the second computer via the communications network and operable by the accessing party to gain remote access to the recipient e-mail address, and recording the accessing party identity information to an accessing party data file for resident storage in the remote user computer, and

wherein the discovering step includes retrieving the accessing party data file from the remote user computer, and the step of comparing the discovered recipient data includes determining whether the accessing party identity information is equivalent to or different from the intended target party, whereby the sending party may determine whether the accessing party triggering the access event was in fact the intended target party.

5. The method as in claim 1,

wherein the discovering step includes electronically tapping a remote connection between the second computer and a remote user computer which is operable by the accessing party to gain remote access to the recipient e-mail address via the communications network, for obtaining remote access information associated with the remote connection between the second computer and the remote user computer.

6. The method as in claim 1,

further comprising the step of:

transmitting and delivering to the recipient e-mail address an executable attachment file in conjunction with the e-mail file, the executable attachment file having a first module for discovering the recipient data, a second module for generating the confirmation of receipt notice, and a third module for electronically transmitting the confirmation of receipt notice, and

upon the detection of the designated access event, automatically executing the first, second, and third modules of the executable attachment file.

7. The method as in claim 6,

wherein the executable attachment file has fourth and fifth modules transmitted and delivered therewith, the fourth module for detecting the designated access event, and the fifth module for providing notice of the delivered e-mail file to the accessing party, and

further comprising the steps of:

automatically executing the fourth module upon delivery of the attachment file to the recipient e-mail address, and

upon the detection of the designated access event, automatically executing the fifth module of the executable attachment file.

8. The method as in claim 1,

further comprising the step of determining, upon delivery of the e-mail file to the recipient e-mail address, whether the delivered e-mail file is of at least one designated file-type requiring a confirmation of receipt notice, and

wherein the detecting step occurs upon a determination that the delivered e-mail file is of the at least one designated file-type.

9. A method of confirming proper receipt of e-mail, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an e-mail file which is intended by a sending party for transmission to a target e-mail address associated with a target party;

electronically transmitting the e-mail file from a first computer connected to a communications network and associated with the sending party;

delivering the e-mail file to a recipient e-mail address associated with a second computer connected to the communications network;

detecting a designated access event triggered by an accessing party and generally associated with e-mail retrieval from the recipient e-mail address;

obtaining access event data of attendant conditions of the designated access event upon a detection of the designated access event;

upon obtaining the access event data, automatically executing the steps of;

providing notice of the delivered e-mail file to the accessing party,

generating a confirmation of receipt notice containing the access event data, and

electronically transmitting the confirmation of receipt notice from the second computer to a return e-mail address associated with the sending party; and

comparing the access event data contained in the confirmation of receipt notice with intended delivery information associated with the target party, whereby the sending party may determine whether the e-mail file was properly delivered.

10. The method as in claim 9,

wherein the step of obtaining the access event data includes interactively requesting and receiving input from the accessing party.

11. The method as in claim 9,

further comprising the steps of:

obtaining accessing party identity information from the accessing party as a requisite condition for permitting access to the recipient e-mail address, and recording the accessing party identity information to an accessing party data file for resident storage in the second computer, and

wherein the step of obtaining access event data includes retrieving the accessing party data file from the second computer, and the step of comparing the access event data includes determining whether the accessing party identity information is equivalent to or different from the intended target party, whereby the sending party may determine whether the accessing party triggering the access event was in fact the intended target party.

12. The method as in claim 9,

further comprising the steps of:

obtaining accessing party identity information from the accessing party as a requisite condition for operating a remote user computer, said remote user computer connected to the second computer via the communications network and operable by the accessing party to gain remote access to the recipient e-mail address; and

recording the accessing party identity information to an accessing party data file for resident storage in the remote user computer, and

wherein the step of obtaining access event data includes retrieving the accessing party data file from the remote user computer, and the step of comparing the access event data includes determining whether the accessing party identity information is the same as or different from the intended target party, whereby the sending party may determine whether the accessing party triggering the access event was in fact the intended target party.

13. The method as in claim 9,

wherein the step of obtaining access event data includes electronically tapping a remote connection between the second computer and a remote user computer which is operable by the accessing party to gain remote access to the recipient e-mail address via the communications network, for obtaining remote access information associated with the remote connection between the second computer and the remote user computer.

14. The method as in claim 9,

further comprising the steps of:

transmitting and delivering to the recipient e-mail address an executable attachment file in conjunction with the e-mail file, the executable attachment file having a first module for obtaining the access event data, a second module for generating the confirmation of receipt notice, and a third module for electronically transmitting the confirmation of receipt notice, and

upon the detection of the designated access event, automatically executing the first module for obtaining the access event data, and

upon obtaining the access event data, automatically executing the second and third modules of the executable attachment file.

15. The method as in claim 14,

wherein the executable attachment file has fourth and fifth modules transmitted and delivered therewith, the fourth module for detecting the designated access event, and the fifth module for providing notice of the delivered e-mail file to the accessing party, and

further comprising the steps of:

automatically executing the fourth module upon delivery of the attachment file to the recipient e-mail address, and

upon obtaining the access event data, automatically executing the fifth module of the executable attachment file.

16. The method as in claim 9,

further comprising the step of determining, upon delivery of the e-mail file to the recipient e-mail address, whether the delivered e-mail file is of at least one designated file-type requiring a confirmation of receipt notice, and

wherein the detecting step occurs upon a determination that the delivered e-mail file is of the at least one designated file-type.

18. The system as in claim 17,

further comprising a pre-recorded recipient data file resident in the second computer and containing the recipient data, and

wherein the third executable software means for discovering operates to retrieve the pre-recorded recipient data file from the second computer.

19. The system as in claim 17,

further comprising a remote user computer which is remotely connected to the second computer via the communications network and from which the accessing party may gain remote access to the recipient e-mail address, and

wherein the third executable software means operates to discover remote access information associated with the remote access of the recipient e-mail address from the remote user computer.

20. The system as in claim 19,

further comprising accessing party identifier means resident on the second computer for obtaining accessing party identification information from the accessing party as a requisite condition for permitting access to the recipient e-mail address, said accessing party identifier means subsequently recording the accessing party identity information to an accessing party data file for resident storage in the second computer, and

wherein the third executable software means for discovering recipient data operates to retrieve the accessing party data file from the second computer.

21. The system as in claim 19,

further comprising accessing party identifier means resident on the remote user computer for obtaining accessing party identification information from the accessing party as a requisite condition for operating the remote user computer, said accessing party identifier means subsequently recording the accessing party identity information to an accessing party data file for resident storage in the remote user computer, and

wherein the third executable software means for discovering recipient data operates to retrieve the accessing party data file from the remote user computer.

22. The system as in claim 19,

wherein the third executable software means for discovering recipient data operates to electronically tap the remote connection between the second computer and the remote user computer, for obtaining remote access information associated with the remote connection between the second computer and the remote user computer.

23. The system as in claim 17,

wherein the third, fourth, and fifth executable software means are third, fourth, and fifth modules, respectively, of an executable attachment file transmitted and delivered in conjunction with the e-mail file.

24. The system as in claim 23,

wherein the first and second executable software means are first and second modules, respectively, of the executable attachment file, with said first module automatically executing upon delivery of the executable attachment file to the recipient e-mail address.

17. A system for confirming proper receipt of e-mail transmitted over a communications network, said system comprising:

an e-mail file which is intended by a sending party for electronic transmission to a target e-mail address associated with a target party;

a first computer connected to the communications network and from which the sending party may electronically transmit the e-mail file;

a second computer connected to the communications network and associated with a recipient e-mail address, the second computer having a data storage location for storably receiving the e-mail file thereon upon delivery to the recipient e-mail address;

first executable software means for detecting a designated access event which is triggered by an accessing party and which is generally associated with e-mail retrieval from the recipient e-mail address;

second executable software means for providing notice of the delivered e-mail file to the accessing party;

third executable software means for discovering recipient data associated with the recipient e-mail address;

fourth executable software means for generating a confirmation of receipt notice containing the recipient data; and

fifth executable software means for electronically transmitting the confirmation of receipt notice from the second computer to a return e-mail address associated with the sending party,

wherein the second, third, fourth, and fifth executable software means are configured for automatic execution upon detection of the designated access event by the first executable software means,

whereby a comparative examination of the confirmation of receipt notice by the sending party permits the sending party to determine whether the e-mail file was properly delivered.

25. The system as in clam 17,

further comprising a sixth executable software means for determining whether the delivered e-mail file is of at least one designated field-type requiring a confirmation of receipt notice, and

wherein the first executable software means is automatically executed upon a determination that the delivered e-mail file is of the at least one designated file-type requiring a confirmation of receipt notice.