Method and system for encrypting data delivered over a network

• US 20070116284A1
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adknowledge
• Original Assignee: Adknowledge
• Inventors: Esclamada, Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 8,209,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0414 during transmission, i.e. party's identity is protected against eavesdropping, e.g. by using temporary identifiers, but is known to the other party or parties involved in the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for delivering e-mail, typically with time relevant content, to users, whose e-mail addresses are encrypted. Specifically, the e-mails are administered by a host or home server that is transparent to the e-mail addresses of the computers and e-mail clients, that electronic communications are being sent to and received from.

Claims

1. A method for providing content into electronic communications comprising:

receiving encrypted data corresponding to an address of a recipient;

providing an electronic communication with the encrypted data and a communication identifier corresponding to the encrypted data;

decrypting the encrypted data to obtain the address of the machine associated with the recipient and sending the electronic communication to the machine, such that the machine is associated with the communication identifier of the electronic communication; and

,

receiving at least one indicator that the electronic communication has been opened by the machine associated with the communication identifier and providing content to the opened electronic communication in response to receiving the at least one indicator that the electronic communication has been opened.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing content to the opened electronic communication includes assembling the content for the electronic communication at a time proximate to the time the electronic communication was opened.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronic communication includes at least one electronic mail and the communication identifier includes an electronic mail identifier.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein sending the electronic communication includes, sending data for a body of the electronic communication when the electronic communication is opened, at least one request, and at least one web bug.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one indicator includes the at least one web bug.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein assembling the content for the electronic communication includes extracting at least one keyword from the at least one request and obtaining the content for the opened electronic communication based on the at least one keyword.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining the content for the opened electronic communication based on the at least one keyword includes obtaining at least one listing in text format from at least one source, the at least one listing associated with at least one entity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one listing includes data for directing a browser associated with the opened electronic communication to at least one target web site.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein obtaining the at least one listing in text format includes, linking to at least one search engine to obtain the at least one listing based on the at least one keyword.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one listing in text format is converted into at least one image and the at least one image is sent to the open electronic communication for placement therein.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the data includes a string for accessing a redirect uniform resource locator for the browser, the redirect uniform resource locator associated with the communication identifier and including at least one address for at the least one target web site.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the string includes a click uniform resource locator (URL) provided in the electronic communication.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one target web site includes at least one web site associated with the at least one entity associated with the at least one listing.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one keyword is selected from the group consisting of single and multiple words.

15. A method for providing content into electronic communications comprising:

receiving encrypted address data corresponding to a recipient, and creating an electronic communication including the encrypted address data;

sending the electronic communication including the encrypted address data, for decryption, for sending the electronic communication to the address of the recipient;

receiving an indicator that the electronic communication was opened;

opening a connection between the machine associated with the opened electronic communication and a content obtaining device; and

,

providing content to the opened electronic communication through the connection.

16. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising:

closing the connection between the machine and the content obtaining device when the body of the opened electronic communication has been built.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing content to the electronic communication includes obtaining listings based on at least one key word, and providing redirect uniform locators to target web sites associated with each listing, when the redirect uniform resource locator is activated.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic communication includes a data string activatable by activating a link in the opened electronic communication, to open a connection between the machine and the content obtaining device, the data string including data for activating redirect uniform resource locators to direct the browsing application of the user, that has activated the link, to the target web site.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the data string includes a click uniform resource locator, provided in the electronic communication, the click uniform resource locator including the address for the location of the redirect uniform resource locator, an electronic mail identifier, and a mailing identifier.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the electronic communication includes electronic mail.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein content is provided in real time when the electronic communication is opened.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the encrypted address data is encrypted with a one-way encryption application.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the encrypted address data is encrypted with a two-way encryption application.

24. A system for providing content into electronic communications comprising:

a first component for receiving encrypted address data corresponding to a recipient, and providing the encrypted address data to an electronic communication;

a second component for creating electronic communications including the encrypted address data, and for sending the electronic communication including the encrypted address data, for decryption, for sending the electronic communication to the address of the recipient;

a third component for obtaining content for opened electronic communications; and

,

a fourth component for receiving an indicator that the electronic communication was opened, and for opening a connection between the machine associated with the opened e-mail and the third component, such that content is obtained for the opened electronic communication through the connection.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first component, the second component, the third component and the fourth component are located on a host server.

26. The system of claim 25, additionally comprising:

an encryption device including a functionality for sending encrypted address data to the host server.

27. The system of claim 26, additionally comprising:

a decryption device for the encryption device, including a functionality for sending an electronic communication to a machine associated with the intended recipient of the decrypted address data.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the first component includes a module with electronic mail functionality.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the third component for obtaining content is configured for obtaining listings for targeted web sites.

30. A computer-usable storage medium having a computer program embodied thereon, for causing a suitably programmed system to provide content to electronic communications, by performing the following steps, when such program is executed on the system, the steps comprising:

receiving encrypted address data corresponding to a recipient, and creating an electronic communication including the encrypted address data;

sending the electronic communication including the encrypted address data, for decryption, for sending the electronic communication to the address of the recipient;

receiving an indicator that the electronic communication was opened;

opening a connection between the machine associated with the opened electronic communication and a content obtaining device; and

,

providing content to the opened electronic communication through the connection.

31. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the steps additionally comprise:

closing the connection between the machine and the content obtaining device when the body of the opened electronic communication has been built.

32. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the step of providing content to the electronic communication includes obtaining listings based on at least one key word, and providing redirect uniform locators to target web sites associated with each listing, when the redirect uniform resource locator is activated.

33. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the electronic communication includes an electronic mail.