Certified Email System and Method

• US 20100324987A1
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustifi LLC
• Original Assignee: Trustifi Corporation
• Inventors: Kantor, Philip A., Bramson, Steven J., Benisti, Peter S., Chaltiel, Victor M. G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A certified email system for providing a time stamp for a presented file, particularly when the presented file is an email. Preferably a demanding party receives the email; generates a unique HASH; digitally signs the unique HASH; and sends the signed HASH and a time-stamp request call to a web services time-stamp conduit (WSTC). The WSTC receives the request and signed HASH from the demanding party and obtains a time stamp. The WSTC sends the time stamp back to the demanding party, which sends a time-stamp notification to the original sender of the email and, optionally, the recipient(s) of the email. Multiple branded or customized demanding servers can efficiently run using one web services time-stamp conduit.

An integrated detailed billing system capable of pass-through client billing, keyword search functionality, a multi-party content management system, and convenient web-based automated verification (file or HASH) services are provided.

Claims

1. A certified email system comprising at least one server configured to receive an email message from an email sender;

configured to obtain a time stamp from a Time Stamp Authority based on said email message; and

configured to use at least one billing-associable detail to provide detailed billing for a cost for said time stamp, wherein said email message is directed to an email recipient via a recipient electronic-delivery address associated therewith and directed to said at least one server via a TCC;

Address associated therewith, and wherein said receipt of said email message comprises a solicitation for said time stamp.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said Time Stamp Authority comprises a third-party Time Stamp Authority.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database configured to archive said file signature.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database configured to archive said email message.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database configured to archive said time stamp.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one server comprises:

at least one demanding party server configured to receive said email message, configured to prepare said email message for time-stamping, configured to use said at least one billing-associable detail to provide detailed billing for said cost for said time stamp; and

a web services time-stamp conduit configured to obtain said time stamp from said Time Stamp Authority.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one demanding party server comprises a mail server configured to receive said email message and configured to notify said email sender of said time stamp.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said mail server is further configured to notify said email recipient of said time stamp.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said mail server is further configured to notify said email recipient of an offer of a subsidized certified reply, wherein said email sender incurs any charge for said subsidized certified reply.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said mail server is further configured to provide a retrieval link to said email recipient, wherein said retrieval link allows said user to retrieve said obtained time stamp.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said TCC;

Address comprises at least one IDENTIFIER; and

said at least one billing-associable detail is derived from said at least one IDENTIFIER and is usable for said detailed billing.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one billing-associable detail is derived from email-transmission data; and

said at least one server is further configured to process said email-transmission data to determine said at least one billing-associable detail.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said email-transmission data comprise information in at least one address field of said email message.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a web-based corporate administrative console configured to allow manual cataloging by associating said email message with a client of a corporate account, wherein said at least one billing-associable detail is based on said manual cataloging.

15. A computing system, comprising:

a first demanding party server configured to receive a first email, to prepare said first email to generate first conduit-input data, and to transmit said first conduit-input data with one or more associated request calls;

wherein said first email has a first recipient electronic-delivery address associated therewith for transmitting said first email to a first recipient and has a first TCC;

Address associated therewith for transmitting said first email to said first demanding party server; and

a web services time-stamp conduit configured to receive said first conduit-input data and said one or more associated request calls from said first demanding party server and configured to act upon said one or more associated request calls.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein acting upon said one or more associated request calls comprises requesting a service from a first providing party.

17. The computing system of claim 16, wherein acting upon said one or more associated request calls further comprises requesting a service from a second providing party.

18. The computing system of claim 16, wherein:

receipt of said first email by said first demanding party server comprises a solicitation for a first time stamp;

said one or more associated request calls comprise a time-stamp request call;

said first providing party comprises a third-party Time Stamp Authority; and

acting upon said one or more associated request calls comprises requesting said first time stamp, receiving said first time stamp, and outputting said first time stamp to said first demanding party server.

19. The computing system of claim 15, wherein:

said one or more associated request calls comprise a verification call; and

acting upon said one or more associated request calls comprises verifying a first time stamp and outputting verification data to said first demanding party server.

20. The computing system of claim 15, further comprising a second demanding party server configured to receive a second email, to prepare said second email to generate second conduit-input data, and to transmit said second conduit-input data with a second associated request call;

wherein said second email has a second recipient electronic-delivery address associated therewith for transmitting said second email to a second recipient and has a second TCC;

Address associated therewith for transmitting said second email to said second demanding party server; and

wherein receipt of said second email by said second demanding party server comprises a solicitation for a second time stamp; and

wherein said web services time-stamp conduit is further configured to receive said second conduit-input data and said second associated request call from said second demanding party server and configured to act upon said second associated request call.

21. A system for verifying a time stamp, comprising:

a web server configured to provide a website accessible to an end user, wherein said website is operable for receiving a challenge file from said end user; and

a verification utility configured to compare said challenge file with said time stamp, configured to compare said challenge file to archived time-stamp-related data, and configured to return a content-verification result to said end user based on said comparison of said challenge file to said archived time-stamp-related data.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said website is configured with an operable upload function, and wherein receiving said challenge file comprises uploading said challenge file.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a mail server configured to receive emails, and wherein receiving said challenge file comprises receiving a verification-request email from said end user requesting verifying of said time stamp.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said challenge file is associated with a previously-time-stamped email;

and wherein said archived time-stamp-related data comprises;

body text from said previously-time-stamped email;

email header information associated with the transmission of said previously-time-stamped email; and

one or more attachments, if said previously-time-stamped email was originally sent with said one or more attachments.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said content-verification result comprises:

a “

complete match”

verification;

a “

body and attachments match”

verification, wherein, based on said comparison, discovered differences may be presented;

a “

body only match”

verification, wherein, based on said comparison, discovered differences may be presented;

an “

attachment only match”

verification, wherein, based on said comparison, discovered differences may be presented;

or

a “

no match”

verification, wherein, based on said comparison, discovered differences may be presented.