SYSTEM AND METHOD OF EFFICIENT E-MAIL LINK EXPIRATION
First Claim
1. A method for providing secure and efficient link expiration, comprising:
- determining an email address for a member that a link is to be sent;
generating a link by combining an encryption of the member'"'"'s email address and a unique member ID corresponding to the member;
determining an expiration date for the link;
applying a scaling factor to the expiration date to reduce the memory requirement for the expiration date;
including one of the expiration date with the reduced memory requirement or a key identifier corresponding to either the expiration date or the expiration date with the reduced memory requirement with the link;
sending an email message to the member'"'"'s email address, with the email message including the link embedded therein;
taking the member to a web site after receiving data corresponding to selection of the embedded link by the member;
decrypting the link;
determining if the link has expired based on the expiration date with the reduced memory requirement; and
determining if the link is valid if the link has not expired.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for providing secure and efficient link expiration that includes determining an email address for a member that a link is to be sent; generating a link by encrypting the member'"'"'s email address; determining an expiration date for the link; and applying a scaling factor to the expiration date. The method also includes combining the expiration date with the link; sending an email message to the member'"'"'s email address, with the email message including the link embedded therein; taking the member to a web site after receiving data corresponding to selection of the embedded link by the member; determining if the link has expired based on the expiration date with the reduced memory requirement; decrypting the link if it is determined that the link has not expired; and determining if the link is valid.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for providing secure and efficient link expiration, comprising:
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determining an email address for a member that a link is to be sent; generating a link by combining an encryption of the member'"'"'s email address and a unique member ID corresponding to the member; determining an expiration date for the link; applying a scaling factor to the expiration date to reduce the memory requirement for the expiration date; including one of the expiration date with the reduced memory requirement or a key identifier corresponding to either the expiration date or the expiration date with the reduced memory requirement with the link; sending an email message to the member'"'"'s email address, with the email message including the link embedded therein; taking the member to a web site after receiving data corresponding to selection of the embedded link by the member; decrypting the link; determining if the link has expired based on the expiration date with the reduced memory requirement; and determining if the link is valid if the link has not expired. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for providing secure and efficient link expiration, comprising:
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generating a web page form to obtain a member'"'"'s email address for the member after receiving data corresponding to a selection of a “
forgot password”
link;displaying a message indicating that an e-mail has been sent to the member'"'"'s e-mail address to allow the member to change the member'"'"'s password; determining an expiration date for the link; applying a scaling factor to the expiration date to reduce the memory requirement for the expiration date; generating the link by combining a hash of the member'"'"'s email address, a hash of the member'"'"'s password, a unique member ID corresponding to the member, and one of a key identifier corresponding to either the expiration date or the expiration date without reduced memory requirement, or the expiration date with the reduced memory requirement; sending a reset password email message to the member'"'"'s email address, with the reset password email message including the link embedded therein; taking member to an encrypted web site after receiving data corresponding to selection of the embedded link by the member; decrypting the link; determining if the link has expired; determining if the link is valid if it is determined that the link has not expired; allowing the member to update the member'"'"'s password if the link is determined to be valid and not expired; and recording the transaction in the member'"'"'s account. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for providing secure and efficient link expiration, comprising:
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means for determining an email address for a member that a link is to be sent; means for determining an expiration date for the link; means for representing the expiration date in a low resolution format; means for including with the link one of the expiration date in the low resolution format or a key identifier corresponding to either the expiration date or the expiration date in the low resolution format; means for generating the link by combining;
a hash of the member'"'"'s email address, a unique member ID corresponding to the member, and one of the expiration date in the low resolution format or the key identifier corresponding to either the expiration date or the expiration date in the low resolution format;means for sending an email message to the member'"'"'s email address, with the email message including the link embedded therein; means for taking the member to a web site after receiving data corresponding to selection of the embedded link by the member; means for decrypting the link; means for determining if the link has expired; and determining if the link is valid if the link has not expired. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A system for providing secure and efficient link expiration, comprising:
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a plurality of member server groups operatively coupled to a network, each of the plurality of member server groups comprising a first plurality of operatively coupled servers including an application server, a master data server and a plurality of replication data servers; each of the plurality of member server groups including an e-mail engine, at least one of the e-mail engines configured to; determine an email address for a member that a link is to be sent; determine an expiration date for the link; generate and encrypt a link that combines;
a hash of the member'"'"'s email address, a unique member ID corresponding to the member, and data associated with the expiration date;send an email message to the member'"'"'s email address, with the email message having the link embedded therein; decrypt the link; determine if the link has expired based on the data associated with the expiration date; determine if the link is valid if it is determined that the link has not expired; and an administrative server group operatively coupled to the network and to the plurality of member server groups, the administrative server group comprising a second plurality of operatively coupled servers including an application server, a master data server and a plurality of replication data servers. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification