ELECTRONIC MAIL SYSTEM WITH FUNCTIONALITY FOR SENDERS TO CONTROL ACTIONS PERFORMED BY MESSAGE RECIPIENTS
First Claim
1. A secure e-mail system, comprising:
- a server system that hosts a secure e-mail service, said secure e-mail service configured to store e-mail messages from senders, and providing functionality for addressees of said e-mail messages to securely retrieve the e-mail messages; and
a client component that communicates with the server system using a communications protocol that provides for encryption of messages, the client component providing functionality for users to send e-mail messages to recipients via the secure e-mail service, and to initiate retrieval of e-mail messages from the secure e-mail service;
wherein the client component and the secure e-mail service collectively provide functionality for a sender of an e-mail message to control whether a recipient of the e-mail message can forward the e-mail message to other users.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A secure e-mail system, comprising:
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a server system that hosts a secure e-mail service, said secure e-mail service configured to store e-mail messages from senders, and providing functionality for addressees of said e-mail messages to securely retrieve the e-mail messages; and
a client component that communicates with the server system using a communications protocol that provides for encryption of messages, the client component providing functionality for users to send e-mail messages to recipients via the secure e-mail service, and to initiate retrieval of e-mail messages from the secure e-mail service;
wherein the client component and the secure e-mail service collectively provide functionality for a sender of an e-mail message to control whether a recipient of the e-mail message can forward the e-mail message to other users. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-implemented method of controlling an e-mail conversation, comprising:
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receiving a parent e-mail message from a sender, and storing the parent e-mail message on a server system, said parent e-mail message addressed to at least a first recipient;
providing the first recipient access to the parent e-mail message from the server system;
receiving a child e-mail message generated by the first recipient by forwarding or replying to the parent e-mail message, said child e-mail message addressed to at least a second recipient;
storing the child e-mail message on the server system in association with the parent e-mail message, and providing the second recipient access to the child e-mail message from the server system;
subsequently, receiving, at the server system, a request from the sender of the parent e-mail message to terminate an e-mail conversation associated with the parent e-mail message; and
in response to the request to terminate the e-mail conversation, doing at least the following;
(a) blocking the first recipient from forwarding and replying to the parent message, (b) blocking the second recipient from forwarding and replying to the child message. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification