Method and apparatus for certified electronic mail messages
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a method for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
- using an interactive receiver to generate a certified email message from the sending account;
sending the certified email message to a mail server configured to store certified email messages;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, from the receiving account to the mail server, notification of an action taken upon the certified email message; and
selectively notifying the sending account of the action taken on the certified email message by the receiving account.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system allows users to send certified electronic mail messages. A server receives an electronic mail message designated for certified delivery. The server forwards the electronic mail message to a receiving account. Any action taken upon the message by the receiving account is conveyed to the server, which forwards that information to the sender.
191 Citations
19 Claims
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1. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a method for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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using an interactive receiver to generate a certified email message from the sending account;
sending the certified email message to a mail server configured to store certified email messages;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, from the receiving account to the mail server, notification of an action taken upon the certified email message; and
selectively notifying the sending account of the action taken on the certified email message by the receiving account.
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2. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a method for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server that is configured to store certified email messages a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification of an action taken by the receiving account upon the certified email message;
storing the notification in a database associated with the mail server; and
selectively notifying the sending account of the action taken on the certified email message by the receiving account, whereby the interactive receiver is operative to receive broadcast information.
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3. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a method for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server that is configured to store certified email messages a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification that the certified email message was filtered by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account that the certified email message was filtered by the receiving account.
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4. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a method for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server configured to receive certified email messages a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification that the certified email message was replied to by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account that the certified email message was replied to by the receiving account.
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5. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a method for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server, configured to receive certified email messages, a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification that the certified email message was forwarded by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account that the certified email message was forwarded by the receiving account.
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6. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a method for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server, configured to store certified email messages, a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification that the certified email message was saved by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account that the certified email message was saved by the receiving account.
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7. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, an apparatus for providing certified email comprising:
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a memory having program instructions, and a processor configured to use the program instructions to perform the steps of;
using an interactive receiver to generate a certified email message from the sending account;
sending the certified email message to a mail server that is configured to store certified email messages;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification of an action taken upon the certified email message by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account of the action taken on the certified email message by the receiving account.
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8. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, an apparatus for providing certified email comprising:
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a memory having program instructions, and a processor configured to use the program instructions to perform the steps of;
receiving at a mail server, that is configured to store certified email messages, a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message in a storage device associated with the mail server;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification of an action taken upon the certified email message by the receiving account;
storing the notification in a database associated with the mail server; and
selectively notifying the sending account of the action taken on the certified email message by the receiving account, whereby the interactive receiver is operative to receive broadcast information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing certified email, by:
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using an interactive receiver to generate a certified email message from the sending account;
sending the certified email message to a mail server;
storing the certified email message;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, from the receiving account to the mail server, notification of an action taken upon the certified email message; and
selectively notifying the sending account of the action taken on the certified email message by the receiving account.
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14. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification of an action taken upon the certified email message by the receiving account;
storing the notification in a database associated with the mail server; and
selectively notifying the sending account of the action taken on the certified email message by the receiving account, whereby the interactive receiver is operative to receive broadcast information.
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15. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification that the certified email message was filtered by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account that the certified email message was filtered by the receiving account.
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16. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification that the certified email message was replied to by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account that the certified email message was replied to by the receiving account.
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17. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification that the certified email message was forwarded by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account that the certified email message was forwarded by the receiving account.
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18. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, a computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing certified email comprising the steps of:
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receiving at a mail server a certified email message from the sending account;
storing the certified email message;
receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification that the certified email message was saved by the receiving account; and
selectively notifying the sending account that the certified email message was saved by the receiving account.
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19. In a system for sending and receiving email using an interactive receiver and having at least one sending account and at least one receiving account, an apparatus for providing certified email comprising:
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means for generating a certified email message from the sending account;
means for sending the certified email message to a mail server capable of storing certified email messages;
means for storing the certified email message at the mail server;
means for receiving a request from the receiving account to access the certified email message;
means for delivering the certified email message from the mail server to the receiving account;
means for receiving, by the mail server from the receiving account, notification of an action taken upon the certified email message by the receiving account; and
means for selectively notifying the sending account of the action taken on the certified email message by the receiving account.
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Specification