System and method for granting deposit-contingent e-mailing rights

• US 20050144244A1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BuyerLeverage
• Original Assignee: BuyerLeverage
• Inventors: Landesmann, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,447 B2
• 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: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

An Email guarantee deposit method, system, and program product, with the method comprising in one embodiment, the steps of: receiving from a sender a request to send to a recipient an Email; receiving a deposit or an authorization to obtain a deposit of something of value; sending the Email to the recipient only if a deposit of authorization for a deposit is received; determining if the recipient has accepted the deposit; and if the recipient has accepted the deposit, then facilitating the disposal of the deposit. In an important alternate embodiment, a deposit can be required before an Email with a auditory or visual enhancement is provided, or before routing to a designated type of device occurs.

Claims

1. A method of regulating electronic communications, said method comprising:

a) receiving a communication from a sender for a designated recipient;

b) comparing sender identity indicia attached to said communication with stored sender identity indicia in a database under the control of said recipient;

c) presenting said communication to said recipient for acceptance or rejection, when said sender identity indicia are determined to be acceptable in step b);

d) sending a return message to said sender indicating that a bond must be posted when said sender identity indicia are not determined to be acceptable in step b), and that money associated with said bond shall be forfeited if said communication is presented to said recipient and said recipient rejects said communication;

e) dissolving said bond when said recipient accepts said communication;

f) causing the money associated with said bond to be forfeited when said recipient rejects said communication;

g) for each sender encountered by the system administering said method, counting the number of communications by the sender which are rejected by a recipient; and

h) disabling step f) when the number of rejected communications by system users has not exceeded a predetermined number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

i) disabling step h; and

j) increasing the amount of money required for said bond when the number of rejected communications by system users has exceeded a predetermined number.

3. A method of regulating electronic communications, said method comprising:

a) receiving a communication from a sender for a designated recipient;

b) comparing sender identity indicia attached to said communication with stored sender identity indicia in a database under the control of said recipient;

c) presenting said communication to said recipient for acceptance or rejection, when said sender identity indicia is determined to be acceptable in step b);

d) sending a return message to said sender indicating that a bond must be posted when said sender identity indicia is not determined to be acceptable in step b), and that money associated with said bond shall be forfeited if said communication is presented to said recipient and said recipient rejects said communication;

e) dissolving said bond when said recipient accepts said communication;

f) causing the money associated with said bond to be forfeited when said recipient rejects said communication;

disabling steps d) through f) when the sender is a subscriber to a system administering said method; and

banning a subscriber from said system if said subscriber sends more than a predetermined number of unsolicited communications to other subscribers.

4. A method of regulating electronic communications, said method comprising:

a) receiving a communication from a sender for a designated recipient;

b) comparing sender identity indicia attached to said communication with stored sender identity indicia in a database under the control of said recipient;

c) presenting said communication to said recipient for acceptance or rejection, when said sender identity indicia are determined to be acceptable in step b);

d) sending a return message to said sender indicating that a bond must be posted when said sender identity indicia are not determined to be acceptable in step b), and that money associated with said bond shall be forfeited if said communication is presented to said recipient and said recipient rejects said communication;

e) dissolving said bond when said recipient accepts said communication;

f) causing the money associated with said bond to be forfeited when said recipient rejects said communication;

g) enabling a recipient to declare himself/herself willing to receive commercial communications from senders approved by the system administering said method; and

h) disabling steps d) through f) for approved senders.

5. A system for regulating electronic communications, said system comprising:

at least a communication server adapted to receive a communication from a sender for a designated recipient;

a sender identity indicia database adapted to store sender identity indicia under the direction of the recipient corresponding to acceptable or unacceptable sender identities;

a comparator adapted to compare sender identity indicia attached to said communication with stored sender identity indicia database;

said communication server being further adapted to present said communication to said recipient for acceptance or rejection, when said sender identity indicia are determined to be acceptable according to the output and interpretation of said comparator;

said communication server being further adapted to send a return message to said sender indicating that a bond must be posted when said sender identity indicia are not determined to be acceptable, and that money associated with said bond shall be forfeited if said communication is presented to said recipient and said recipient rejects said communication;

a bond establisher adapted to enable communication senders to establish bonds; and

a counter adapted to, for each sender encountered by said system, counting the number of communications by the sender which are rejected by a recipient;

wherein said system is adapted to dissolve said bond when said recipient accepts said communication, said system is adapted to cause the money associated with said bond to be forfeited when said recipient rejects said communication, and said system is further adapted to forego forfeiting the money associated with said bond when the number of rejected communications by system users has not exceeded a predetermined number.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

wherein said system is not adapted to forego forfeiting the money associated with said bond when the number of rejected communications by system users has not exceeded a predetermined number, and said bond establisher is further adapted to increase the amount of money required for said bond when the number of rejected communications by system users has exceeded a predetermined number.

7. A system for regulating electronic communications, said system comprising:

at least a communication server adapted to receive a communication from a sender for a designated recipient;

a sender identity indicia database adapted to store sender identity indicia under the direction of the recipient corresponding to acceptable or unacceptable sender identities;

a comparator adapted to compare sender identity indicia attached to said communication with stored sender identity indicia database;

said communication server being further adapted to present said communication to said recipient for acceptance or rejection, when said sender identity indicia are determined to be acceptable according to the output and interpretation of said comparator;

said communication server being further adapted to send a return message to said sender indicating that a bond must be posted when said sender identity indicia are not determined to be acceptable, and that money associated with said bond shall be forfeited if said communication is presented to said recipient and said recipient rejects said communication;

a bond establisher adapted to enable communication senders to establish bonds; and

a system administrator adapted to ban a subscriber from said system if said subscriber sends more than a predetermined number of unsolicited communications to other subscribers;

wherein said system is adapted to dissolve said bond when said recipient accepts said communication, and said system is adapted to cause the money associated with said bond to be forfeited when said recipient rejects said communication, and wherein said communication server is adapted to forego sending said return message, and said system is further adapted to forego forfeiting the money associated with said bond when the sender is a subscriber to a system administering said method.

8. A system for regulating electronic communications, said system comprising:

at least a communication server adapted to receive a communication from a sender for a designated recipient;

a sender identity indicia database adapted to store sender identity indicia under the direction of the recipient corresponding to acceptable or unacceptable sender identities;

a comparator adapted to compare sender identity indicia attached to said communication with stored sender identity indicia database;

said communication server being further adapted to present said communication to said recipient for acceptance or rejection, when said sender identity indicia are determined to be acceptable according to the output and interpretation of said comparator;

said communication server being further adapted to send a return message to said sender indicating that a bond must be posted when said sender identity indicia are not determined to be acceptable, and that money associated with said bond shall be forfeited if said communication is presented to said recipient and said recipient rejects said communication; and

a bond establisher adapted to enable communication senders to establish bonds;

wherein said system is adapted to dissolve said bond when said recipient accepts said communication, and said system is adapted to cause the money associated with said bond to be forfeited when said recipient rejects said communication; and

wherein said system is further adapted to enable a recipient to declare himself/herself willing to receive commercial communications from senders approved by the system, said communication server is adapted to forego sending said return message, and said system is further adapted to forego forfeiting the money associated with said bond for approved senders.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said system if further adapted to pay a recipient who agrees to receive said commercial communications a fee from said sender.

10. A method of regulating electronic communications, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a communication from a sender for a designated recipient;

b) comparing sender identity indicia attached to said communication with stored sender identity indicia in a database under the control of said recipient;

c) presenting said communication to said recipient for acceptance or rejection, when said sender identity indicia is determined to be acceptable in step b);

d) sending a return message to said sender indicating that a bond must be posted when said sender identity indicia is not determined to be acceptable in step b), and that money associated with said bond shall be forfeited if said communication is presented to said recipient and said recipient rejects said communication;

e) dissolving said bond when said recipient accepts said communication; and

f) causing the money associated with said bond to be forfeited when said recipient rejects said communication.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein forfeiture of the money associated with said bond is in favor of a third party designated by said recipient, said third party being independent of said recipient.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein communication is via a wide area network (WAN).

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the amount of money required for said bond is established by the intended recipient of the communication.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

for each sender encountered by the system administering said method, counting the number of communications by the sender which are rejected by a recipient; and

disabling step f) when the number of rejected communications by system users has not exceeded a predetermined number.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

for each sender encountered by the system administering said method, counting the number of communications by the sender which are rejected by a recipient; and

increasing the amount of money required for said bond when the number of rejected communications by system users has exceeded a predetermined number.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein said communication is an electronic mail message.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein said communication is a facsimile transmission.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein said communication is a “

pop-up”

message encountered while said recipient is actively coupled to a wide area network.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein said communication is a third party content message encountered while said recipient is actively coupled to a wide area network.

20. The method of claim 10 wherein said communication is a telephone call.

21. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

providing the sender of a communication with the ability to indicate whether the communication is accompanied by a bond when the communication is initially sent; and

disabling step d) when the initially sent communication is accompanied by a bond.

22. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

disabling steps d) through f) when the sender is a subscriber to a system administering said method.

23. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

enabling a recipient to declare himself/herself willing to receive commercial communications from senders approved by the system administering said method;

disabling steps d) through f) for approved senders; and

paying a recipient who agrees to receive said commercial communications a fee from said sender.

24. The method of claim 10 wherein steps d) through f) are carried out via an Internet Service Provider (ISP) servicing said recipient.

25. The method of claim 10 wherein steps d) through f) are carried out via a clearinghouse entity.

26. A system for regulating electronic communications, said system comprising:

at least a communication server adapted to receive a communication from a sender for a designated recipient;

a sender identity indicia database adapted to store sender identity indicia under the direction of the recipient corresponding to acceptable or unacceptable sender identities;

a comparator adapted to compare sender identity indicia attached to said communication with stored sender identity indicia database;

said communication server being further adapted to present said communication to said recipient for acceptance or rejection, when said sender identity indicia is determined to be acceptable according to the output and interpretation of said comparator;

said communication server being further adapted to send a return message to said sender indicating that a bond must be posted when said sender identity indicia is not determined to be acceptable, and that money associated with said bond shall be forfeited if said communication is presented to said recipient and said recipient rejects said communication; and

a bond establisher adapted to enable communication senders to establish bonds;

wherein said system is adapted to dissolve said bond when said recipient accepts said communication, and said system is adapted to cause the money associated with said bond to be forfeited when said recipient rejects said communication.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein forfeiture of the money associated with said bond is in favor of a third party designated by said recipient, said third party being independent of said recipient.

28. The system of claim 26, further comprising a wide area network (WAN) adapted to facilitate communication.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein said system is adapted to enable the amount of money required for said bond to be established by the intended recipient of the communication.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein said bond automatically expires after a predetermined time.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication server is further adapted to transmit a confirmation message to a recipient who has rejected a communication, said confirmation message confirming that the money associated with said bond has been forfeited.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication is an electronic mail message.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication is a facsimile transmission.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication is a “

pop-up”

message encountered while said recipient is actively coupled to a wide area network.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication is a third party content message encountered while said recipient is actively coupled to a wide area network.

36. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication is a telephone call.

37. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication server is further adapted to provide the sender of a communication with the ability to indicate whether the communication is accompanied by a bond when the communication is initially sent, and said communication server is further adapted to forego sending said return message when the initially sent communication is accompanied by a bond.

38. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication server is adapted to forego sending said return message, and said system is further adapted to forego forfeiting the money associated with said bond when the sender is a subscriber to a system administering said method.

39. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication server and said bond establisher are subsumed by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) servicing said recipient.

40. The system of claim 26, wherein said communication server and said bond establisher are subsumed by a clearinghouse entity.

41. A method of regulating electronic communications, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication from a sender for a designated recipient; and

if said communication is accompanied by a posted bond, the amount of which is specified by said recipient, the recipient providing a guarantee that said communication will be accepted.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said guarantee is further defined by at least a minimum communication time specified by said recipient.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein said communication comprises a plurality of interactive e-mails between said sender and said recipient.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein said communication comprises at least one telephone call between said sender and said recipient.

45. A method for filtering messages comprising:

maintaining an authorization criteria for determining authorization status of a message from a sender;

receiving a message from the sender, the message having a message criteria;

determining whether the message is authorized or unauthorized based on a comparison of the message criteria with the authorization criteria;

notifying the sender of an unauthorized message that the unauthorized message is unauthorized when the message criteria does not satisfy the authorization criteria;

and notifying the sender of the unauthorized message how to attempt to satisfy the authorization criteria.

46. A method according to claim 45, further comprising accepting an item of specified value to permit the sender to attempt to satisfy the authorization criteria.

47. A method according to claim 45, wherein maintaining the authorization criteria further comprises maintaining a permissive list including information related to authorized messages.

48. A method according to claim 47, wherein maintaining the authorization criteria further comprises maintaining a preventative list including information related to unauthorized messages.

49. A method according to claim 45, further comprising:

accepting an item of specified value on deposit; and

permitting the sender to attempt to satisfy the authorization criteria.

50. A method according to claim 47, further comprising:

accepting an item of specified value on deposit; and

permitting the sender to attempt to be included on the permissive list.

51. A method according to claim 49, further comprising:

notifying an intended recipient of the sender that is attempting to satisfy the authorization criteria; and

permitting the intended recipient to accept or reject the attempt by the sender.

52. A method according to claim 51, further comprising permitting the intended recipient to transfer a portion of the item of specified value to a selected entity.

53. A method according to claim 51, wherein:

maintaining the authorization criteria further comprises maintaining a preventative list including information related to unauthorized messages; and

adding related information to the preventative list when the intended recipient rejects the attempt by the sender to satisfy the authorization criteria.

54. A method according to claim 53, further comprising identifying the sender as an unauthorized sender when the intended recipient rejects the attempt by the sender to satisfy the authorization criteria.

55. A method according to claim 51, further comprising adding the sender criteria to the permissive list when the intended recipient accepts the attempt by the sender such that the sender becomes an authorized sender.

56. A method for filtering messages between a sender and an intended receiver over a communication medium, the method comprising:

developing a permissive criteria for forwarding a message from the sender to the receiver;

determining whether to forward to the receiver the message from the sender based on the permissive criteria;

informing the sender that the message has not been forwarded when the permissive criteria is not satisfied; and

accepting an item of specified value to permit the sender to attempt to satisfy the permissive criteria.

57. A method for filtering messages according to claim 56, further comprising notifying the intended receiver that the sender is attempting to satisfy the permissive criteria.

58. A method for filtering messages according to claim 56, further comprising providing an option to the intended receiver to transfer the item of specified value to a selected entity.

59. A method for attempting to satisfy an authorization criteria in a message filter, comprising:

accepting an item of specified value from a sender attempting to satisfy the authorization criteria;

notifying an intended receiver that the sender is attempting to satisfy the authorization criteria;

permitting the intended receiver to selectively accept or reject the attempt by the sender to satisfy the authorization criteria; and

updating the authorization criteria in the message filter in accordance with the selection by the intended receiver.

60. A method according to claim 59, further comprising:

permitting the intended receiver to select a transfer option for the item of specified value; and

transferring the item of specified value in accordance with the selection by the intended receiver.

61. A system for filtering messages, comprising:

a message filter list including information related to authorized message senders;

a system processor including a message processor portion coupled between a message sender and an intended message recipient, the message processor portion being operable to process a message from the message sender based on the message filter list and determine whether the message is authorized; and

the system processor further including a notification processor portion coupled between the message sender and the intended message recipient, the notification processor portion being operable to notify at least one of the message sender and the intended message recipient of the determination that the message is unauthorized or that the message sender is attempting to become an authorized message sender, respectively.

62. A system according to claim 61, further comprising a message queue coupled to the system processor for holding the message from the message sender when the message processor portion determines that the message is unauthorized.

63. A system according to claim 61, further comprising a sender authorization request mechanism coupled to the system processor, the request mechanism being operable to transmit to the system processor a request by the message sender to become an authorized message sender when the message processor portion determines the message sender to be an unauthorized message sender.

64. A system according to claim 61, further comprising an intended recipient authorization mechanism coupled to the system processor, the authorization mechanism being operable to permit the intended recipient to authorize receipt of a message from an unauthorized message sender.

65. A system according to claim 61, further comprising a conditional transfer deposit mechanism coupled to the system processor, the deposit mechanism being operable to hold an item of value in escrow and release the item upon selection by the intended recipient.

66. A system according to claim 61, wherein the message filter list further comprises a permissive list and a preventative list, the permissive list including the information related to authorized message senders, and the preventative list including information related to unauthorized message senders.

67. A system according to claim 61, wherein the notification to the message sender includes information on how to apply to become an authorized message sender.

68. A system according to claim 64, wherein the message processor portion is further operable to update the message filter list based on the authorization by the intended recipient.

69. A processor device programmed to execute instructions for filtering messages, the instructions comprising:

a first code section for maintaining an authorization criteria for determining authorization status of a message from a sender;

a second code section for receiving a message from the sender, the message having a message criteria;

a third code section for determining whether the message criteria satisfies the authorization criteria based on a comparison of the message criteria with the authorization criteria;

a fourth code section for notifying the sender of an unauthorized message that the unauthorized message was not delivered; and

a fifth code section for notifying the sender of the unauthorized message how to apply for authorization status for the message.

70. A storage media capable of storing program instructions executable to filter messages, the program instructions comprising:

a first code section for maintaining an authorization criteria for determining authorization status of a message from a sender;

a second code section for receiving a message from the sender, the message having a message criteria;

a third code section for determining whether the message criteria satisfies the authorization criteria based on a comparison of the message criteria with the authorization criteria;

a fourth code section for notifying the sender of an unauthorized message that the unauthorized message was not delivered; and

a fifth code section for notifying the sender of the unauthorized message how to apply for authorization status for the message.

71. A communication network for transmitting and receiving messages, the network having one or more nodes comprising:

a message filter list including information related to authorized message senders;

a system processor including a message processor portion coupled between a message sender and an intended message recipient, the processor being operable to process a message from the message sender based on the message filter list and determine whether the message is authorized; and

the system processor further including a notification processor portion coupled between the message sender and the intended message recipient, the notification processor portion being operable to notify at least one of the message sender and the intended message recipient of the determination that the message is unauthorized or that the message sender is attempting to become an authorized message sender, respectively.