Systems and methods for electronic postmarking including ancillary data

• US 20040117684A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Chamberlain, Charles R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,121,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3235 Checking or certification of the authentication information, e.g. by comparison with data stored independently
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3236 Details of authentication information generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a method for performing electronic postmarking of data, including ancillary data is provided. The method includes receiving data from a sender. The method further includes selecting ancillary data. The method further includes generating an electronic postmark including the ancillary data. The method further includes forwarding the data with the electronic postmark including the ancillary data to a receiver.

Claims

1. A method for performing electronic postmarking of data, including ancillary data, comprising:

receiving data from a sender;

selecting ancillary data;

generating an electronic postmark including the ancillary data; and

forwarding the data with the electronic postmark to a receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting ancillary data includes receiving the ancillary data from the sender.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting ancillary data includes generating the ancillary data based on sender preferences.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the electronic postmark includes forwarding the data and the ancillary data to an electronic postmark server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the electronic postmark further comprises:

generating a hash of the data;

generating a time and date stamp;

generating a digital signature; and

attaching the ancillary data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ancillary data is one of an image, a hypertext link, a digital video, or a computer program.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering use of the ancillary data in the electronic postmark in a database, wherein the database may be used to authenticate the ancillary data.

8. A system for performing electronic postmarking of data, including ancillary data, comprising:

means for receiving data from a sender;

means for selecting ancillary data;

means for generating an electronic postmark including the ancillary data; and

means for forwarding the data with the electronic postmark to a receiver.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein means for selecting ancillary data includes means for receiving the ancillary data from the sender.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein means for selecting ancillary data includes means for generating the ancillary data based on sender preferences.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein means for generating the electronic postmark includes means for forwarding the data and the ancillary data to an electronic postmark server.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein means for generating the electronic postmark further comprises:

means for generating a hash of the data;

means for generating a time and date stamp;

means for generating a digital signature; and

means for attaching the ancillary data.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the ancillary data is one of an image, a hypertext link, a digital video, or a computer program.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for registering use of the ancillary data in the electronic postmark in a database, wherein the database may be used to authenticate the ancillary data.

15. A method of processing a message that includes a representation of an electronic postmark including ancillary data, said method comprising:

receiving the message from a sender;

generating the electronic postmark, wherein generating the electronic postmark further comprises;

generating a hash of the message;

generating a time and date stamp; and

generating ancillary data; and

attaching the electronic postmark to the message.