Asynchronous tamper-proof tag for routing e-mails and e-mail attachments

• US 20060168039A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I-Fax.com Incorporated
• Original Assignee: I-Fax.com Incorporated
• Inventors: Worthington, Cristian Alfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,139 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A method of automatically processing e-mails wherein the e-mail is tagged by the sender with a unique identifier so that the e-mail can be automatically routed or filed. The unique identifier is encrypted to protect it from unauthorized tampering or decoding to avoid misidentification or fraudulent labelling of the e-mails.

Claims

1. A method of automatically processing electronic mail messages sent from a sending computer to a recipient computer, the method comprising the steps of:

i) providing a public encryption key, and a corresponding private encryption key stored on a trusted server;

ii) said sending computer receiving an identification code which determines how the electronic mail message will be automatically processed by said receiving computer, wherein said identification code has been encrypted by said public key;

iii) said sending computer adding said encrypted identification code to an electronic mail message to form a tagged electronic mail message;

iv) said sending computer forwarding said tagged electronic mail message to said trusted server;

v) said trusted server decrypting said encrypted identification code using said private key;

vi) said trusted server forwarding said decrypted identification code and said electronic mail message to said recipient computer; and

vii) said recipient computer automatically processing said electronic mail message using said decrypted identification code.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sending computer receives said identification code prior to composing and sending said electronic mail message.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sending computer receives said identification code by visiting a website associated with said recipient computer, entering a value representative of how the electronic message is to be processed by said recipient computer, and receiving an encrypted identification code.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sending computer receives said identification code by visiting a website associated with said recipient computer, entering a value representative of how the message is to be processed by said recipient computer, and then causing said sending computer'"'"'s electronic mail program to launch with said identification code embedded in the electronic mail message.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sending computer receives said identification code by by visiting a website associated with said recipient computer, entering a value representative of how the electronic message is to be processed by said recipient computer, causing said identification code to display on said sending computer'"'"'s screen, and then copying and pasting said identification code into the electronic mail message.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sending computer receives said encrypted identification code by visiting a website associated with said recipient computer, entering a value to be represented in said encrypted identification code and causing an e-mail program to launch with said encrypted identification code embedded in the subject line of the electronic mail message.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sending computer receives said encrypted identification code by visiting a website associated with said recipient computer, entering a value to be represented in said encrypted identification code, causing said encrypted identification code to display on the sending computer'"'"'s screen, said sending computer then copying and pasting said encrypted identification code into the electronic mail message.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said encrypted identification code is provided with pre-determined delimiters for identifying said encrypted identification code.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said public key is stored on said recipient computer.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said recipient computer comprises a recipient web server and said public key is stored on said recipient'"'"'s web server.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein said trusted server decrypts said encrypted identification code using said private key by locating said encrypted identification code based on the location of said delimiters, extracting and decrypting said encrypted identification code.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said trusted server forwards said decrypted identification code and said electronic mail message to said recipient computer by saving the e-mail'"'"'s content in files associated with the decrypted identification code and forwarding said files to said recipient computer.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said trusted server forwards said decrypted identification code and said electronic mail message to said recipient computer by dividing said electronic mail message into its component parts and saving such component parts in files associated with the decrypted identification code and forwarding said files to said recipient computer.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said component parts comprise the electronic mail message subject line and body and attachments.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein said files associated with the decrypted identification code comprise an electronic mail text file and an electronic mail atachment file.

16. A data processing system for automatically processing electronic mail messages sent from a sending computer to a receiving computer, said data processing system comprising:

i) a digitally-communicative network comprising said sending and receiving computers and a trusted server, said receiving computer comprising memory means for storing a public encryption key, and said trusted server comprising memory means for storing a corresponding private encryption key;

ii) means associated with said receiving computer for receiving an identification code from said sending computer which determines how the electronic mail message will be automatically processed by said receiving computer and encrypting said identification code with said public key;

iii) means in said sending computer for receiving an encrypted identification code and adding said encrypted identification code to an electronic mail message to form a tagged electronic mail message;

iv) means in said sending computer for forwarding said tagged electronic mail message to said trusted server;

v) means in said trusted server for decrypting said encrypted identification code using said private key;

vi) means in said trusted server for forwarding said decrypted identification code and said electronic mail message to said recipient computer; and

vii) means in said recipient computer for automatically processing said electronic mail message using said decrypted identification code.

17. A data processing system according to claim 16 wherein said recipient computer comprises a recipient web server and said public key is stored on said recipient'"'"'s web server.