Pay e-mail methods and systems

• US 20050198145A1
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Davis, Gary M.
• Application Number:
  US10/756,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20050198145A1
• 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 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A database can be compiled, which includes a list of pre-approved e-mail addresses from which e-mail messages thereof are approved for transmission to a particular e-mail recipient. Thereafter, a particular e-mail address is automatically compared to the database of pre-approved e-mail addresses, in response to transmitting an e-mail message from the particular e-mail address to the particular e-mail recipient. Next, an automatic offering can be provided by a clearinghouse to approve the particular e-mail address for transmission of the e-mail message and subsequent e-mail messages from the particular e-mail address to the particular e-mail recipient in return for a payment thereof if the particular e-mail address does not match a pre-approved e-mail address in the database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

compiling a database of pre-approved e-mail addresses from which e-mail messages thereof are approved for transmission to a particular e-mail recipient;

automatically comparing a particular e-mail address to said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses, in response to transmitting an e-mail message from a sender of said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient; and

automatically offering to approve said particular e-mail address for transmission of said e-mail message and subsequent e-mail messages from said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in return for a payment thereof if said particular e-mail address of said sender does not match a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically forwarding said e-mail message to a clearinghouse, which automatically offers to approve said particular e-mail address for transmission of said e-mail message and subsequent e-mail messages from said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in return for said payment thereof if said particular e-mail address does not match a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically forwarding said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient if said particular e-mail address of said sender matches a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically debiting an account associated with said sender of said particular e-mail address, in response to an acceptance by said sender of an offer to approve said particular e-mail address for transmission of said e-mail message and subsequent e-mail messages from said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in return for said payment thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically offering to transmit a name of said sender of said particular e-mail address and a subject of said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient if said particular e-mail address does not match a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising transmitting said name of said sender of said particular e-mail address and said subject of said e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in response to an acceptance by said sender of said particular e-mail address of said offering to transmit said name of said sender and said subject of said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising offering said particular e-mail recipient an option to participate in an openly published e-mail directory in which said e-mail directory contains electronic links for requesting access to said particular e-mail recipient.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising requiring said sender to verify an identity of said sender.

9. A method, comprising:

compiling a database of pre-approved e-mail addresses from which e-mail messages thereof are approved for transmission to a particular e-mail recipient;

automatically comparing a particular e-mail address to said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses, in response to transmitting an e-mail message from said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient;

automatically forwarding said e-mail message to a clearinghouse, which automatically offers to approve said particular e-mail address for transmission of said e-mail message and subsequent e-mail messages from a sender of said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in return for said payment thereof if said particular e-mail address does not match a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses;

requiring said sender to verify an identity of said sender;

automatically forwarding said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient if said particular e-mail address matches a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses and if said identity of said sender is verified;

automatically debiting an account associated with said sender of said particular e-mail address, in response to an acceptance by said sender of an offer to approve said particular e-mail address for transmission of said e-mail message and subsequent e-mail messages from said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in return for said payment thereof.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising automatically offering to transmit a name of said sender of said particular e-mail address and a subject of said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient if said particular e-mail address does not match a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting said name of said sender of said particular e-mail address and said subject of said e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in response to an acceptance by said sender of said particular e-mail address of said offering to transmit said name of said sender and said subject of said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising offering said particular e-mail recipient an option to participate in an openly published e-mail directory in which said e-mail directory contains electronic links for requesting access to said particular e-mail recipient.

13. A system, comprising:

a database of pre-approved e-mail addresses from which e-mail messages thereof are approved for transmission to a particular e-mail recipient;

a comparing module for automatically comparing a particular e-mail address to said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses, wherein said particular e-mail address is automatically compared to said database in response to transmitting an e-mail message from said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient; and

a clearinghouse associated with said database and said comparing module, wherein said clearinghouse automatically generates an offer to approve said particular e-mail address for transmission of said e-mail message and subsequent e-mail messages from said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in return for a payment thereof if said particular e-mail address does not match a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said clearinghouse automatically forwards said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient if said particular e-mail address matches a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said clearinghouse automatically debits an account associated with a sender of said particular e-mail address, in response to an acceptance by said sender of an offer to approve said particular e-mail address for transmission of said e-mail message and subsequent e-mail messages from said particular e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in return for said payment thereof.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said clearinghouse automatically provides a commission to a third-party in response to automatically debiting said account associated with said sender of said particular e-mail address.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said clearinghouse automatically offers to transmit a name of said sender of said particular e-mail address and a subject of said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient if said particular e-mail address does not match a pre-approved e-mail address in said database of pre-approved e-mail addresses.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said clearinghouse automatically transmits said name of said sender of said particular e-mail address and said subject of said e-mail address to said particular e-mail recipient in response to an acceptance by said sender of said particular e-mail address of said offering to transmit said name of said sender and said subject of said e-mail message to said particular e-mail recipient.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein said clearinghouse generates an offer to said particular e-mail recipient to participate in an openly published e-mail directory in which said e-mail directory contains electronic links for requesting access to said particular e-mail recipient.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein said clearinghouse provides a payment to an account associated with said particular e-mail recipient, in response to automatically debiting said account associated with said sender of said particular e-mail address.