Technology enhanced communication authorization system

• US 20030236847A1
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Joseph C. Benowitz, Kyle J. Bunch
• Original Assignee: Joseph C. Benowitz, Kyle J. Bunch
• Inventors: Benowitz, Joseph C., Bunch, Kyle J.
• Application Number:
  US10/465,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20030236847A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection

Abstract

A method of authorizing communications includes receiving a communication from a sender, determining if the communication contains a valid authorization code, notifying the sender if a valid authorization code is not detected with instructions on obtaining a valid authorization code and providing the sender with a service for obtaining a valid authorization code in order to resend the communication with the valid authorization code. The method of authorizing communications also includes forwarding the communication to a recipient if a valid authorization code is detected and holding the communication in an unauthorized box if a valid authorization code is not detected.

Claims

1. A method of authorizing communications, comprising:

receiving a communication from a sender;

detecting if the communication contains a valid authorization code;

maintaining the communication in an unauthorized communication inbox of a receiver if the authorization code is not detected;

notifying the sender if a valid authorization code is not detected with instructions on obtaining a valid authorization code; and

allowing the sender to obtain a valid authorization code to place the communication in an authorized inbox of the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the authorization code to the receiver to place the communication from the unauthorized inbox to the authorized inbox.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said sending the authorization code is sent separately from the communication.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising resending the communication with the valid authorization code to place the communication in the authorized inbox of the receiver.

5. The method of claim 1, further including forwarding the communication to a recipient if a valid authorization code is detected.

6. The method of claim 1, further including detecting whether the sender is on an exclusion list before detecting if the communication contains a valid authorization code.

7. The method of claim 1, further including allowing the receiver to change at least one authorization code.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said allowing includes changing the type of the at least one authorization code.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said changing the type includes changing the at least one authorization code to one of a hierarchical code, a restricted use code, a miscellaneous code, an administrative code, and a limited use code.

10. The method of claim 1, further including forwarding the communication to an unauthorized box if a valid authorization code is not detected.

11. The method of claim 1, further including contacting an intended recipient of the communication to obtain an authorization code.

12. The method of claim 1, further including contacting an authorization code service to obtain a valid authorization code.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said service is a telephone-based service.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said service is a network-based service.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said network-based service is a web-based service.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said service is provided through email communication.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication is email.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said authorization code is contained at least in part of an intended recipient'"'"'s email address.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said email address comprises a static portion and a variable portion which includes the authorization code.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said authorization code is placed in any part of the email.

21. The method of claim 1, further including providing a user with the ability to change authorization codes.

22. The method of claim 1, further including requiring the sender to agree to at least one usage term before allowing the sender to obtain a valid authorization code.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of said detecting, maintaining, notifying and allowing is performed in a jurisdiction having laws particularly favorable to such usage terms.

24. The method of claim 1, further including requiring the sender to pay a fee before allowing the sender to obtain a valid authorization code.

25. The method of claim 1, further including requiring the sender to wait for a predetermined period of time before a valid authorization code can be used.

26. The method of claim 1, further including using said authorization code for at least one of sorting, authorizing, tracking and filing.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein said allowing the sender to obtain a valid authorization code includes requiring the sender to wait for a predetermined period of time before the sender can use the valid authorization code.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein said allowing the sender to obtain a valid authorization code includes limiting the sender to a predetermined to a predetermined number of authorization codes in a predetermined period of time.

29. The method of claim 1, further including linking said authorization code to a specific sender.

30. The method of claim 1, further including tying up a system of the sender for a predetermined period of time specified period of time before allowing the sender to obtain the valid authorization code.

31. A method of preventing email from reaching an inbox of a receiver, comprising:

providing codes to be embedded in an email;

verifying usage of valid codes in each received email message;

limiting access to email messages received without a valid code; and

notifying senders of email messages that have not included a valid code.

32. The method of claim 31, further including using an email address of a user to include the code.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said email address comprises a static portion and a variable portion which includes the code.

34. The method of claim 31, further including categorizing said codes into various groups.

35. The method of claim 31, further including using the code to create an inbox.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said categorizing allows for sorting of email.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said categorizing provides hierarchical access to potential recipients within an organization.

38. The method of claim 35, further including providing separate internal and external codes for restricting email within an organization.

39. The method of claim 31, further including allowing administrative control of said codes.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein said codes comprise restricted use codes, including restrictions on at least one of time and number.

41. The method of claim 31, further including providing access to change codes as desired.

42. The method of claim 31, further including breaking the code into at least two pieces, each piece used for a different purpose.

43. The method of claim 31, further including using various parts of the code for different purposes.

44. The method of claim 32, wherein said email address with the code included is compatible with existing email systems.

45. A method of filling a purchase order, comprising:

receiving an order from a purchaser via email;

determining whether the order is authorized;

sending a notice via email to the purchaser, the notice containing a valid authorization code and a form for paying for a product to be purchased; and

receiving the order form from the purchaser.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising verifying that the order form is complete.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising sending a confirmation of the completed order to the purchaser upon receipt of the order form.

48. The method of claim 45, further comprising including confirmation of inventory in the notice.

49. The method of claim 45, filling the order and sending the order to the purchaser upon receipt of a completed order form.

50. A method of limiting email from reaching a receiver, comprising:

receiving an email message from a sender;

checking for an authorization code accompanying the email;

forwarding the email to a receiver'"'"'s inbox if a valid authorization code is found;

sending a notice to the sender if a valid authorization code is not found, the notice providing instructions on obtaining a valid authorization code; and

allowing the sender to obtain a valid authorization code by following the instructions in the notice.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said allowing comprises providing an authorization code service for providing authorization codes.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said authorization code service is a telephone accessible service.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein said authorization code service is a web accessible service.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein said authorization code service requires a fee for obtaining a valid authorization code.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein said authorization code service requires the sender to agree to at least one usage term.

56. The method of claim 50, further including checking if the sender is on an exclusion list if an authorization code is not present and forwarding the email to a receiver'"'"'s inbox if the sender is on the exclusion list.

57. The method of claim 50, wherein the authorization code is contained in one of the email address, an attachment, the subject line, the cc:

line or the bc;

line.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said authorization code is part of the email address of the recipient.

59. The method of claim 58, further comprising stripping the authorization code from the email address to determine if the email is authorized.

60. A method of using codes received by an email system through an email communication, comprising:

obtaining a code;

inserting the code into an email communication;

sending the email communication to a recipient; and

using the code to begin a process external to the email system.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein said process comprises a purchasing process.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein said purchasing process includes a credit card charging process.

63. The method of claim 60, wherein said process comprises sending a purchase request form to a sender.

64. The method of claim 60, wherein said process comprises directing a sender to a secure purchase web page.

65. The method of claim 60, further including breaking the code into at least two pieces, each piece used to begin a different process.

66. The method of claim 60, further including using various parts of the code to begin different processes.

67. A method of distributing email, comprising:

providing at least one code to be embedded in an email address;

verifying usage of said at least one code in a received email message; and

distributing the email message according to the at least one code embedded in the email address.

68. The method of claim 67, further including providing the at least one code for use as the entire user name of the email address.

69. The method of claim 67, further including providing the at least one code for use as a portion of the user name of the email address.

70. The method of claim 67, further including sorting the email message according to the at least one code.

71. The method of claim 67, further including providing a plurality of said codes and categorizing said codes into various groups.

72. The method of claim 71, further including using said plurality of codes to create a plurality of inboxes.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein said categorizing allows for sorting of email.

74. The method of claim 71, wherein said categorizing provides hierarchical access to potential recipients within an organization.

75. The method of claim 67, further including providing separate internal and external codes for restricting email within an organization.

76. The method of claim 67, further including providing codes for administrative control of said distributing.

77. The method of claim 67, wherein said at least one code comprises at least one of a restricted use code.

78. The method of claim 67, further including providing access to change said at least one code.

79. A method of copying data into a list, comprising;

inserting a list of data into an email;

inserting a code into the email;

sending the email to a list manager; and

using the code to instruct the list manager to extract the list of addresses and insert into a destination list.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein the inserting the list of data is entered in at least one of a to:

line, a cc;

line, a bc;

line, a subject line, an attachment and a body of the email.

81. The method of claim 79, wherein the list of data comprises a list of email addresses.