Method, apparatus and system for regulating electronic mail

• US 20050193075A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: HyperSpace Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Larson, Michael J., Fahey, Christopher S., Curtis, Daniel B., Clarke, Christopher D., Haff, Maurice W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,626,655 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: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A Postal Authority regulated e-Mail messaging application is provided over a public network to a plurality of mailers and addressees using authenticated transaction records. The application transmits at least one e-Mail message through at least one e-Mail account configured for a specific class of service. The application creates transaction records relevant to the specific class of service based upon details of completed transactions. Electronic postmarks are obtained to authenticate transaction records. Authenticated transaction records are sent to the mailer. A unique identifier of an electronic postmark is embedded in the e-Mail message. The e-Mail message incorporating the unique identifier is sent to at least one addressee. Authenticated e-Mail messages and transaction records are created and protected from undetectable modification.

Claims

1. A device that provides a Postal Authority regulated e-Mail messaging application over a public network to a plurality of mailers and addressees, the device:

transmitting at least one e-Mail message through at least one e-Mail account configured for a specific class of service;

creating transaction records relevant to a specific class of service based upon details of completed transactions;

obtaining electronic postmarks to authenticate transaction records;

sending authenticated transaction records to the mailer;

embedding a unique identifier of an electronic postmark in the e-Mail message, and sending to at least one addressee the e-Mail message incorporating the unique identifier,

wherein authenticated e-Mail messages and transaction records are created and protected from undetectable modification.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each party may later present authenticated transaction records to the system for validation, the validation comprising submitting the transaction record to a verifier and returning details of the verification to the presenting party.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the addressees'"'"' terminal e-Mail servers may selectively accept e-Mail messages subject to the presence of a unique identifier of an electronic postmark.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the e-Mail account is established for a mailer whose identity has been verified by one of a Postal Authority and an agent of the Postal Authority.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is the electronic postmark.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a serial number for the corresponding electronic postmark.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is a graphical image in which the electronic postmark is embedded using stegonography.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the transaction record is a Certificate of Mailing providing proof that a message was submitted to an e-Mail server outside the control of the mailer.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the transaction record is a Certificate of Delivery providing proof that a message was delivered to an e-Mail system where the addressee is capable of receiving e-Mail.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the authenticated transaction record is embedded in the e-Mail message.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein an authenticated transaction record is sent in conjunction with the corresponding e-Mail message to at least one addressee.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein an e-Mail server electronically signs e-Mail messages using a Digital Certificate issued to the server as a digital identity.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the regulated e-Mail messaging application is invoked as a mail filter from an SMTP mail server.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier of the electronic postmark is embedded in a plurality of e-Mail messages.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein at least one e-Mail message containing the embedded unique identifier of the electronic postmark is sent to a plurality of addressees

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the mailing is preceded by delivery to an e-Mail system of at least one waybill listing the authenticated messages to be delivered to addressees having addresses at the e-Mail system.

17. A system that provides a Postal Authority regulated e-Mail messaging application over a public network to a plurality of mailers and addressees, the system:

transmitting at least one e-Mail message through at least one e-Mail account configured for a specific class of service;

creating transaction records relevant to the specific class of service based upon details of completed transactions;

obtaining electronic postmarks to authenticate transaction records, sending authenticated transaction records to the mailer;

embedding a unique identifier of an electronic postmark in the e-Mail message, and sending to at least one addressee the e-Mail message incorporating the unique identifier,

wherein authenticated e-Mail messages and transaction records are created and protected from undetectable modification.

18. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein each party may later present authenticated transaction records for validation, the validation comprising submitting the transaction record to a verifier and returning details of the verification to the presenting party.

19. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the addressees'"'"' terminal e-Mail servers may selectively accept e-Mail messages subject to the presence of a unique identifier of an electronic postmark.

20. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the e-Mail account is established for a mailer whose identity has been verified by one of a Postal Authority and an agent of the Postal Authority.

21. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the unique identifier is the electronic postmark.

22. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the unique identifier is a serial number for the corresponding electronic postmark.

23. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the unique identifier is a graphical image in which the electronic postmark is embedded using stegonography.

24. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the transaction record is a Certificate of Mailing providing proof that a message was submitted to an e-Mail server outside the control of the mailer.

25. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the transaction record is a Certificate of Delivery providing proof that a message was delivered to an e-Mail system where the addressee is capable of receiving e-Mail.

26. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the authenticated transaction record is embedded in the e-Mail message.

27. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein an authenticated transaction record is sent in conjunction with the corresponding e-Mail message to at least one addressee.

28. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein an e-Mail server electronically signs e-Mail messages using a Digital Certificate issued to the server as a digital identity.

29. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the regulated e-Mail messaging application is invoked as a mail filter from an SMTP mail server.

30. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the unique identifier of the electronic postmark is embedded in a plurality of e-Mail messages.

31. The messaging system of claim 30, wherein at least one e-Mail message containing the embedded unique identifier of the electronic postmark is sent to a plurality of addressees

32. The messaging system of claim 17, wherein the mailing is preceded by delivery to an e-Mail system of at least one waybill listing the authenticated messages to be delivered to addressees having addresses at the e-Mail system.

33. A computer readable medium that stores a Postal Authority regulated e-Mail messaging application operated over a public network for a plurality of mailers and addressees, the medium comprising at least one source code segment that:

transmits at least one e-Mail message through at least one e-Mail account configured for a specific class of service;

creates transaction records relevant to the specific class of service based upon details of completed transactions;

obtains electronic postmarks to authenticate transaction records;

sends authenticated transaction records to the mailer;

embeds a unique identifier of an electronic postmark in the e-Mail message; and

sends to at least one addressee the e-Mail message incorporating the unique identifier,

wherein authenticated e-Mail messages and transaction records are created and protected from undetectable modification.

34. The medium of claim 33, wherein each party may later present authenticated transaction records to the application for validation, the validation comprising submitting the transaction record to a verifier and returning details of the verification to the presenting party.

35. The medium of claim 33, wherein the addressees'"'"' terminal e-Mail servers may selectively accept e-Mail messages subject to the presence of a unique identifier of an electronic postmark.

36. The medium of claim 33, wherein the e-Mail account is established for a mailer whose identity has been verified by one of a Postal Authority and an agent of the Postal Authority.

37. The medium of claim 33, wherein the unique identifier is the electronic postmark.

38. The medium of claim 33, wherein the unique identifier is a serial number for the corresponding electronic postmark.

39. The medium of claim 33, wherein the unique identifier is a graphical image in which the electronic postmark is embedded using stegonography.

40. The medium of claim 33, wherein the transaction record is a Certificate of Mailing providing proof that a message was submitted to an e-Mail server outside the control of the mailer.

41. The medium of claim 33, wherein the transaction record is a Certificate of Delivery providing proof that a message was delivered to an e-Mail system where the addressee is capable of receiving e-Mail.

42. The medium of claim 33, wherein the authenticated transaction record is embedded in the e-Mail message.

43. The medium of claim 33, wherein an authenticated transaction record is sent in conjunction with the corresponding e-Mail message to at least one addressee.

44. The medium of claim 33, wherein an e-Mail server electronically signs e-Mail messages using a Digital Certificate issued to the server as a digital identity.

45. The medium of claim 33, wherein the regulated e-Mail messaging application is invoked as a mail filter from an SMTP mail server.

46. The medium of claim 33, wherein the unique identifier of the electronic postmark is embedded in a plurality of e-Mail messages.

47. The medium of claim 46, wherein at least one e-Mail message containing the embedded unique identifier of the electronic postmark is sent to a plurality of addressees.

48. The medium of claim 33, wherein the mailing is preceded by delivery to an e-Mail system of at least one waybill listing the authenticated messages to be delivered to addressees having addresses at the e-Mail system.

49. A method for providing a Postal Authority regulated e-Mail messaging application over a public network to a plurality of mailers and addressees, the method comprising:

transmitting at least one e-Mail message through at least one e-Mail account configured for a specific class of service;

creating transaction records relevant to the specific class of service based upon details of completed transactions;

obtaining electronic postmarks to authenticate transaction records;

sending authenticated transaction records to the mailer;

embedding a unique identifier of an electronic postmark in the e-Mail message; and

sending to at least one addressee the e-Mail message incorporating the unique identifier,

wherein authenticated e-Mail messages are created and protected from undetectable modification.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein each party may later present authenticated transaction records for validation, the validation comprising submitting the transaction record to a verifier and returning details of the verification to the presenting party.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the addressees'"'"' terminal e-Mail servers may selectively accept e-Mail messages subject to the presence of a unique identifier of an electronic postmark.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein the e-Mail account is established for a mailer whose identity has been verified by one of a Postal Authority and an agent of the Postal Authority.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the unique identifier is the electronic postmark.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein the unique identifier is a serial number for the corresponding electronic postmark.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the unique identifier is a graphical image in which the electronic postmark is embedded using stegonography.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein the transaction record is a Certificate of Mailing providing proof that a message was submitted to an e-Mail server outside the control of the mailer.

57. The method of claim 49, wherein the transaction record is a Certificate of Delivery providing proof that a message was delivered to an e-Mail system where the addressee is capable of receiving e-Mail.

58. The method of claim 49, wherein the authenticated transaction record is embedded in the e-Mail message.

59. The medium of claim 49, wherein an authenticated transaction record is sent in conjunction with the corresponding e-Mail message to at least one addressee.

60. The medium of claim 49, wherein an e-Mail server electronically signs e-Mail messages using a Digital Certificate issued to the server as a digital identity.

61. The medium of claim 49, wherein the regulated e-Mail messaging application is invoked as a mail filter from an SMTP mail server.

62. The medium of claim 49, wherein the unique identifier of the electronic postmark is embedded in a plurality of e-Mail messages.

63. The medium of claim 62, wherein at least one e-Mail message containing the embedded unique identifier of the electronic postmark is sent to a plurality of addressees.

64. The method of claim 49, wherein the mailing is preceded by delivery to an e-Mail system of at least one waybill listing the authenticated messages to be delivered to addressees having addresses at the e-Mail system.

65. A device that provides Postal Authority regulated e-Mail messaging over a public network to a plurality of mailers and addressees, the device:

transmitting at least one e-Mail message through at least one e-Mail account established for a mailer whose identity has been verified by one of a Postal Authority and an agent of the Postal Authority;

obtaining electronic postmarks to authenticate transaction records;

sending to the mailer a Certificate of Mailing providing proof that a message was submitted to an e-Mail server outside the control of the mailer;

sending to the mailer a Certificate of Delivery providing proof that a message was delivered to an e-Mail system where the addressee is capable of receiving e-Mail;

embedding a unique identifier of an electronic postmark in the e-Mail message as a graphical image in which the electronic postmark is embedded using stegonography, and sending to at least one addressee the e-Mail message incorporating the unique identifier,

wherein authenticated e-Mail messages and corresponding transaction records are created and protected from undetectable modification; and

wherein each party may later present authenticated e-Mail messages and transaction records for validation, the validation comprising submitting at least one of the message and the transaction record to a verifier and returning details of the verification to the presenting party.

66. The messaging system of claim 65, wherein the addressees'"'"' terminal e-Mail servers may selectively accept e-Mail messages subject to the presence of a unique identifier of an electronic postmark.

67. The messaging system of claim 65, wherein the authenticated transaction record is embedded in the e-Mail message.

68. The messaging system of claim 65, wherein the e-Mail servers electronically sign e-Mail messages using a Digital Certificate issued to the server as a digital identity.

69. The messaging system of claim 65, wherein the regulated e-Mail messaging application is invoked as a mail filter from an SMTP mail server.

70. The messaging system of claim 65, wherein the mailing is preceded by delivery to an e-Mail system of at least one waybill listing the authenticated messages to be delivered to addressees having addresses at the e-Mail system.