System and method for verifying users' identity in a network using e-mail communication

• US 6,366,950 B1
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Sperling, David P., Scheussler, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/285,309
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]

Abstract

A communications network includes several computers connected to a communications medium. In one embodiment, a client computer has a unique identification number that is embedded within a processor. The client computer includes a client module which generates a message that includes the identification number and sends the message over the communications medium. Another computer receives the message and retrieves the identification number from the message. In addition, the computer processes the identification number and updates an identification database. The processing of the identification number and the updating of the identification database is triggered when the message is received.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining a user identification database that indicates when users are in communication with a network, the method comprising the acts of:

associating in a computer accessible storage medium electronic mail addresses, processor-embedded identifiers and status information;

receiving a first electronic message from a first computer, the first electronic message containing an electronic mail address and a copy of the processor embedded identifier existing in the first computer;

using the first electronic mail address to access the corresponding processor-embedded identifier stored in the storage medium;

comparing the processor-embedded identifier from the first computer with the processor-embedded identifiers of the storage medium;

modifying the status information in the storage medium to indicate that the first electronic mail address is authentic when the processor-embedded identifier from the first computer matches a processor-embedded identifier of storage medium;

receiving a second electronic message from a second computer, the second electronic message requesting authentication of the first electronic mail address;

comparing the first electronic mail address with the electronic mail addresses stored in the storage medium; and

sending a third message to the second computer that indicates whether the first electronic mail address is authentic.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

obtaining the status information that corresponds to the first electronic mail address; and

including the status information to the third message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of using the authenticated first electronic mail address to establish a communications link between the first and second computers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of modifying the status information includes indicating the first computer as active.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving the second electronic mail includes indicating the second computer as active in the storage medium.

6. The method of claim;

1, wherein the act of associating electronic mail addresses includes registering the first and second computers in a computer accessible database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the act of registering includes storing each processor-embedded identifier in the database together with the electronic mail address of the registering computer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of altering the processor-embodded identifier in the first computer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of altering includes encoding the processor-embedded identifier.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of altering includes hashing the processor-embedded identifier.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the act of using the communications link to initiate sending an order from the first computer to the second computer as part of a sales transaction.