Message passing over secure connections using a network server

• US 6,714,982 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FMR LLC
• Original Assignee: FMR Corporation (FMR LLC)
• Inventors: McDonough, John C., OʼBrien, Erin D., McDonough, Suzanne K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US09/487,958
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200-203, 709/206-207, 709/217-219, 709/227-229, 713/150-151, 713/155-156, 713/200-202, 705/64-67
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Techniques for securely providing network services such as e-mail, chat, instant messaging, and e-commerce. Techniques can include establishing a first secure network connection through a publicly accessible network between a network server and a sender, through which a message is received. They can also include establishing a second secure network connection through a publicly accessible network between the network server and a recipient, thorough which the received message is forwarded. They can also include determining whether the recipient has an associated account on the network server.

Claims

1. A method comprising

receiving a message from a sender over a first secure network connection at a network server;

determining whether the message is addressed to a recipient having an associated account on the network server;

forwarding the message to the recipient over an unsecured network connection if the recipient does not have an associated account on the network server; and

forwarding the message to the recipient over a second secure network connection if the recipient has an associated account on the network server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure connection comprises a connection that encrypts the message prior to transmission over the network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the secure connection comprises a secure sockets layer connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the message comprises receiving the message via a type of HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the type of HTTP comprises HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure).

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving the message via a type of HTTP-comprises receiving the message from a web-browser.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure network connection is a first secure network connection, the method further comprising forwarding the message to the recipient over a second secure network connection if the recipient does have an associated account on the network server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender and recipient comprise web-browsers.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

storing the message using an indexing scheme without identification of the recipient; and

storing a correlation of index codes to particular users in a location separate from the message.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, at a network server, an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) e-mail message over a first secure sockets layer connection with a sender, the HTML message being transmitted by the sender using a web-browser invoking HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure);

determining whether the message is addressed to a recipient having an associated account on the network server;

forwarding the message to the recipient over an unsecured network connection if the recipient does not have;

an associated account on the network server; and

forwarding the message to the recipient over a second secure sockets layer connection with the recipient if the recipient has an associated account on the network server.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising,

storing the e-mail message using an indexing scheme without identification of the recipient; and

storing a correlation of index codes to particular users in a location separate from the e-mail message.

14. A computer program product, disposed on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a server to:

receive a message from a sender over a first secure network connection at a network server;

determine whether the message is addressed to a recipient having an associated account on the network server;

forward the message to the recipient over an unsecured network connection if the recipient does not have an associated account on the network server; and

forward the message to the recipient over a second secure network connection if the recipient has an associated account on the network server.