Methods, systems, computer program products, and data structures for limiting the dissemination of electronic email
First Claim
1. An e-mail sender client that is network connectable to an e-mail reader client so as to be capable of sending an e-mail message to the e-mail reader client, the e-mail sender client being configured to implement a method of transmitting the e-mail message in a way that discourages dissemination of information contained within the e-mail message, the e-mail sender client comprising:
- a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable media of the e-mail sender client; and
one or more computer-readable media having the computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions implement a method of transmitting an e-mail message comprising;
an act of accessing an e-mail message;
an act of setting an indicator indicating that one or more functions that limit the opportunity to disseminate e-mail messages are to be applied to the e-mail message;
an act of associating the indicator with the accessed e-mail message;
an act of encrypting the e-mail message; and
an act of dispatching the e-mail message to the e-mail reader client in encrypted form through the use of an e-mail server, wherein the e-mail server, prior to transmitting the e-mail message to the e-mail reader client, first determines that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the one or more functions, and such that the e-mail message is not transmitted to the e-mail reader client until the e-mail server first determines that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the one or more functions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An e-mail sender client accesses an e-mail message and sets an associated “eyes-only” indicator indicating that functions that limit the opportunity to disseminate e-mail messages are to be applied to the e-mail message. The e-mail sender client then encrypts the e-mail message, and dispatches the e-mail message to the e-mail reader client in encrypted form. Upon receipt, the e-mail server determines that the e-mail message has the eyes-only indicator set. In response, the e-mail server verifies that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the “eyes-only” functions and authenticates the user of the e-mail reader client as being an intended recipient. The e-mail server then transmits the encrypted e-mail message to the e-mail reader client. Upon receipt, the e-mail reader client determines that the e-mail message has an associated “eyes-only” indicator set, and then applies the appropriate “eyes-only” functions to the e-mail message.
42 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An e-mail sender client that is network connectable to an e-mail reader client so as to be capable of sending an e-mail message to the e-mail reader client, the e-mail sender client being configured to implement a method of transmitting the e-mail message in a way that discourages dissemination of information contained within the e-mail message, the e-mail sender client comprising:
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a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable media of the e-mail sender client; and
one or more computer-readable media having the computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions implement a method of transmitting an e-mail message comprising;
an act of accessing an e-mail message;
an act of setting an indicator indicating that one or more functions that limit the opportunity to disseminate e-mail messages are to be applied to the e-mail message;
an act of associating the indicator with the accessed e-mail message;
an act of encrypting the e-mail message; and
an act of dispatching the e-mail message to the e-mail reader client in encrypted form through the use of an e-mail server, wherein the e-mail server, prior to transmitting the e-mail message to the e-mail reader client, first determines that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the one or more functions, and such that the e-mail message is not transmitted to the e-mail reader client until the e-mail server first determines that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the one or more functions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An e-mail server that is network connectable to an e-mail sender client and to an e-mail reader client so as to be capable of receiving e-mail messages from the e-mail sender client and communicate e-mail message to the e-mail reader client, the e-mail server being configured to implement a method of discouraging dissemination of information contained within an e-mail message received from the e-mail sender client, the e-mail server comprising:
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a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable media of the e-mail server; and
one or more computer-readable media having the computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions implement a method of discouraging dissemination of information contained within an e-mail message received from the e-mail sender client, the method comprising;
an act of receiving an e-mail message in encrypted form;
an act of storing the e-mail message in encrypted form;
an act of determining that the e-mail message has an associated indicator indicating that one or more functions that limit the opportunity to disseminate e-mail messages are to be applied to the e-mail message;
an act of verifying that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the one or more functions; and
only after verifying that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the one or more functions, an act of transmitting the e-mail message to the e-mail reader client in encrypted form, such that the e-mail message is not transmitted to the e-mail reader client until the e-mail server first determines that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the one or more functions. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An e-mail reader client that is network connectable to an e-mail sender client so as to be capable of receiving an e-mail message from e-mail sender client, the e-mail reader client being configured to implement a method of discouraging dissemination of information contained within the e-mail message, the e-mail reader client comprising:
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a processor for processing computer-executable instructions stored on a computer-readable media of the e-mail reader client; and
one or more computer-readable media having the computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions implement a method of discouraging dissemination of information contained within the e-mail message, the method comprising;
an act of receiving an e-mail message in encrypted form from an e-mail server, wherein the e-mail message is only transmitted to the e-mail reader client from the e-mail server after the e-mail server has first determined that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing one or more functions that have been applied to the e-mail message by the e-mail sender that limit the opportunity to disseminate the e-mail message, and such that the e-mail reader will only receive the e-mail message from the e-mail server after the e-mail server has verified that the e-mail reader client is capable of implementing the one or more functions;
an act of storing the e-mail message in encrypted form;
an act of determining that the e-mail message has an associated indicator indicating that the one or more functions that limit the opportunity to disseminate e-mail messages are to be applied to the e-mail message; and
an act of implementing the one or more functions on the e-mail message. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification