Double opt-in.TM. method and system for verifying subscriptions to information distribution services
First Claim
1. A method for generating subscription address lists comprising the steps of:
- receiving a subscription request containing a particular subscriber address;
generating a token associated with the particular subscriber address;
sending a verification message containing the token to the particular subscriber address;
receiving a confirmation message;
parsing the confirmation message to extract a received token and a received subscriber address;
verifying that the received token is associated with the received subscriber address; and
adding the received subscriber address to a subscription address list in response to a successful verification of the confirmation message.
18 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A Double Opt-in™ method and system for generating electronic mail subscription address lists is disclosed. When a subscription request for a particular subscriber address is received, a unique token associated with the address is generated and a verification message containing the token is sent to the designated subscription e-mail address. The subscription is not considered valid until a confirmation message containing the token and associated subscription address is received in reply. When a confirmation message is received, it is processed to extract the received token and subscriber address. If the returned token is valid, the received subscriber address is added to one or more subscription address lists.
659 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for generating subscription address lists comprising the steps of:
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receiving a subscription request containing a particular subscriber address; generating a token associated with the particular subscriber address; sending a verification message containing the token to the particular subscriber address; receiving a confirmation message; parsing the confirmation message to extract a received token and a received subscriber address; verifying that the received token is associated with the received subscriber address; and adding the received subscriber address to a subscription address list in response to a successful verification of the confirmation message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for generating subscription address lists comprising:
- means for receiving a subscription request containing a particular subscriber address;
means for generating a token associated with the particular subscriber address; means for sending a verification message containing the token to the particular subscriber address; means for receiving a confirmation message; means for parsing the confirmation message to extract a received token and a received subscriber address; means for verifying that the received token is associated with the received subscriber address; and means for adding the received subscriber address to a subscription address list in response to a successful verification of the confirmation message. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
- means for receiving a subscription request containing a particular subscriber address;
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19. A method for electronically distributing a directed message to pre-selected e-mail addresses comprising the steps of:
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receiving a subscription request containing a particular subscriber e-mail address; generating a token associated with the particular subscriber e-mail address; sending a verification message containing the token to the particular subscriber e-mail address; receiving a confirmation message; parsing the confirmation message to extract a received token and a received subscriber e-mail address; verifying that the received token is associated with the received subscriber e-mail address; adding the received subscriber e-mail address to a subscription address list in response to a successful verification of the confirmation message; receiving said directed message; sending said directed message to at least one subscriber e-mail address contained in said subscription address list. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A system for generating subscription address lists comprising:
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a subscription solicitation system connected to a distributed computer network and receiving subscription requests each including a particular subscriber e-mail address; a primary computer system connected to said network and receiving said subscription requests; said primary computer system comprising; a token generator providing a token associated with the particular subscriber address; a verification message generator providing a verification message directed to the particular subscriber address and including said associated token; an electronic mail server receiving said verification message as input and directing said verification message to the particular subscriber address; a confirmation subsystem responsive to the receipt of a confirmation message by said electronic mail server to extract a received token and a received subscriber address from the confirmation message; a comparator receiving the received token and the token associated with the received subscriber address as inputs and providing a verification signal as output, said verification signal indicating a successful verification when said inputs are equal; and a mailing list generation subsystem receiving said verification signal and received subscriber address as input and appending the received subscriber address to a subscription address list when said verification signal indicates a successful verification. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification