Simultaneous electronic transactions with visible trusted parties
First Claim
1. An electronic communications method between a first and a second party, with assistance from at least a trusted party, enabling an electronic transaction in which the first party has a message for the second party, comprising the steps of:
- having the first party transmit to the trusted party a custom version of the message intelligible to the second party but not by the trusted party;
in response, having the trusted party verify that the first party transmitted the custom version of the message and that the second party is the intended recipient thereof;
having the trusted party transmit to the second party information that identifies the first party and from which the second party can retrieve the message; and
having the trusted party transmit to the first party a sending receipt indicating that the message has been transmitted to the second party;
wherein at least one of the transmissions is carried out electronically and the first party does not communicate an encryption of the message directly to the second party to facilitate said electronic transaction.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A number of electronic communications methods are described involving a first and a second party, with assistance from at least a trusted party, enabling electronic transactions in which the first party has a message for the second party. The first party, the second party and the trusted party undertake an exchange of transmissions, at least one of which occurs electronically and in an encrypted manner, such that if all transmissions reach their destinations the second party only receives the message if the first party receives at least one receipt. Preferably, the identity of the first party is temporarily withheld from the second party during the transaction. At least one receipt received to the first party enables the first party to prove the content of the message received by the second party.
553 Citations
49 Claims
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1. An electronic communications method between a first and a second party, with assistance from at least a trusted party, enabling an electronic transaction in which the first party has a message for the second party, comprising the steps of:
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having the first party transmit to the trusted party a custom version of the message intelligible to the second party but not by the trusted party; in response, having the trusted party verify that the first party transmitted the custom version of the message and that the second party is the intended recipient thereof; having the trusted party transmit to the second party information that identifies the first party and from which the second party can retrieve the message; and having the trusted party transmit to the first party a sending receipt indicating that the message has been transmitted to the second party; wherein at least one of the transmissions is carried out electronically and the first party does not communicate an encryption of the message directly to the second party to facilitate said electronic transaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 38, 39)
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21. An electronic communications method between a first and a second party, with assistance from at least a trusted party, enabling an electronic transaction in which the first party has a message for the second first party, comprising the steps of:
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having the first party transmit to the trusted party a custom version of the message intelligible to the second party but not by the trusted party; in response, having the trusted party verify that the first party transmitted the custom version of the message and that the second party is the intended recipient thereof; having the trusted party transmit to the second party first information which determines the message but retains the message and the identity of the first party hidden from the second party; determining whether within a given time the second party transmits to the trusted party a return receipt indicating that the second party received the transmission of the first information from the trusted party; and if the second party transmits the return receipt to the trusted party, having the trusted party (i) transmit to the second party second information from which the second party, using the first and second information, can retrieve the message, and (ii) transmit to the first party a receipt that the second party has received the message; wherein at least one of the transmissions is carried out electronically and the first party does not communicate an encryption of the message directly to the second party to facilitate the electronic transaction. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 49)
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34. An electronic communications method between a first and a second party, with assistance from at least a trusted party, enabling an electronic transaction in which the first party has a message for the second party but wherein the first party does not communicate an encryption of the message directly to the second party to facilitate the electronic transaction, comprising the steps of:
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having the first party transmit to the trusted party a version of the message intelligible to the second party but not by the trusted party; in response, having the trusted party verify that the first party transmitted the version of the message and that the second party is the intended recipient thereof; having the trusted party transmit to the second party first information which determines the message but retains the message and the identify of the first party hidden from the second party; in response, determining whether within a predetermined time the second party transmits to the trusted party a return receipt indicating that the second party received the transmission of the first information from the trusted party; if the second party does not transmit the return receipt within the predetermined time, having the trusted party take action to deliver the message to the second party in a way to guarantee the generation of the return receipt. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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40. An electronic communications method between a first and a second party, with assistance from at least a trusted party, enabling an electronic transaction in which the first party has a message for the second party, comprising the step of:
having the first party, the second party and the trusted party undertake an exchange of transmissions, at least one of which occurs electronically and in an encrypted manner, but where the first party does not communicate an encryption of the message directly to the second party to facilitate the electronic transaction, such that if all transmissions reach their destinations the second party only receives the message if the first party receives at least one receipt. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
Specification