Communications addressing system

• US 5,930,479 A
• Filed: 10/21/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ellis B.
• Application Number:
  US08/734,285
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.68, 395/200.7, 395/200.55, 395/200.36, 380/23, 380/24, 380/25
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

A system and method is provided for sending and receiving authorized messages from a sender to a recipient in a network. The method and system makes use of a channelized address to send the message from the sender to the recipient. The channelized address comprises a common address portion that indicates the identity of the recipient in the network and a channel identifier portion for verifying that the message is authorized for delivery to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method for sending a message from a sender to a recipient in a network, comprising the step of:

using an address to send the message from the sender to the recipient wherein the address comprises a common address portion that indicates the identity of the recipient in the network and a channel identifier portion for verifying that the message is authorized for delivery to the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is an e-mail message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a packet telephone call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel identifier portion comprises a substantially unguessable portion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated using random number generation.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated using pseudorandom number generation.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated by a user selecting the unguessable portion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the channel identifier portion is controlled by the recipient.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel identifier portion comprises a channel class indicator indicative of a class of message to be treated by the recipient in a predetermined manner.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the channel identifier portion also comprises a substantially unguessable portion.

11. An improved address of the type having a hierarchy of names including a lowest-level name at the lowest level of the hierarchy, the improved address comprising a channel identifier part of the lowest-level name that includes at least a substantially unguessable channel identifier.

12. The improved address of claim 11, wherein the improved address is an e-mail address and the lowest-level name is a user name.

13. The improved address of claim 11, wherein the improved address is a telephone number for packet telephony.

14. The improved address of claim 11, wherein the channel identifier part further includes a channel class indicator which indicates at least how a recipient is to treat a received message which has the improved address.

15. The improved address of claim 14, wherein the channel class indicator indicates classes of messages that may be any one of public, private and send-only.

16. A system for authenticating a received message from a network, the message having an address attached to it, comprising:

a mail server for receiving and authenticating the message; and

a file available to the mail server for determining whether the message is an authorized message, wherein the determination is based upon a substantially unguessable portion of the address attached to the message.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the message is an e-mail message.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the message is a packet telephone call.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein establishing the substantially unguessable portion is controlled by a recipient of the message.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated using random number generation.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated using pseudorandom number generation.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated by a user selecting the substantially unguessable portion.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the substantially unguessable portion comprises a channel class indicator indicative of a class of message to be treated by the recipient in a predetermined manner.

24. The system of claim 16, further comprising a personal channel agent.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the personal channel agent automatically removes the substantially unguessable portion from the message before delivering the message to a recipient.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the personal channel agent accesses a database containing at least one or more substantially unguessable portions corresponding to one or more correspondents.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising a web browser for administering the personal channel agent.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising an administrative interface for administering the personal channel agent.

29. The system of claim 24, further comprising a user machine for displaying the message on a screen.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the user machine is a personal computer.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the user machine comprises a mail client for receiving the message.

32. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for changing the substantially unguessable portion so that a new substantially unguessable portion is established for determining whether the message is an authorized message.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the means for changing the substantially unguessable portion is a personal channel agent.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein a key is required for changing the substantially unguessable portion.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the key is provided by a recipient of the message.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein a first key and a second key are required to change the substantially unguessable portion.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the first key is provided by a sender of the message and the second key is provided by a recipient of the message.

38. A system for sending a message on a network to a recipient, comprising:

a personal channel agent for automatically including a substantially unguessable portion in a recipient'"'"'s address so that the recipient can determine whether the message is an authorized message that the recipient will receive.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the message is an e-mail message.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the message is a packet telephone call.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein establishing the substantially unguessable portion is controlled by the recipient.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated by the recipient'"'"'s personal channel agent using random number generation.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated by the recipient'"'"'s personal channel agent using pseudorandom number generation.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the substantially unguessable portion is generated by the recipient selecting the substantially unguessable portion.

45. The system of claim 38, wherein the substantially unguessable portion comprises a channel class indicator indicative of a class of message to be treated by the recipient in a predetermined manner.

46. The system of claim 38, wherein the system further comprises a mail server.

47. The system of claim 38, wherein the personal channel agent includes the substantially unguessable portion by referring to a database.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the database contains at least one or more substantially unguessable portions corresponding to one or more correspondents.

49. The system of claim 38, wherein the personal channel agent is administered using a web browser.

50. The system of claim 38, wherein an administrative interface is provided for administering the personal channel agent.

51. The system of claim 38, further comprising a user machine for inputting the message.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the user machine is a personal computer.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein the user machine comprises a mail client for transmitting the message to the personal channel agent.

54. The system of claim 53, further comprising a mail server for transmitting the message from the personal channel agent to the network.

55. A method of sending and receiving messages from one or more first correspondents to a second correspondent comprising the steps performed in a message transmission apparatus of:

the second correspondent forming a plurality of substantially unguessable extended addresses for messages sent from the one or more first correspondents to the second correspondent; and

providing a received message to the second correspondent only if an address to the second correspondent associated with the received message matches one of the plurality of extended addresses.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of automatically adding an extended address as a return address of a first message when the second correspondent sends the first message to a first correspondent.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising the step of the first correspondent storing the extended address from the first message.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising the step of the first correspondent automatically adding the extended address from the first message to the address to the second correspondent.

59. The method of claim 55 further comprising the step of a first correspondent automatically adding an extended address to the address to the second correspondent.

60. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of forwarding the received message to the second correspondent.

61. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of automatically removing an extended portion of one of the plurality of substantially unguessable extended addresses.

62. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of automatically removing any extended portions of any addresses.

63. The method of claim 55, wherein the extended address comprises an indication of a class of treatment for the messages.

64. The method of claim 55, wherein the messages are e-mail messages.

65. The method of claim 55, wherein the messages are telephone messages.

66. The method of claim 55 further comprising the step of associating each of one or more of the extended addresses with one or more destination addresses for the one or more first correspondents.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein a single extended address is associated with a single first correspondent.

68. The method of claim 67, further comprising the step of changing the single extended address to a new extended address.