Encrypted e-mail message retrieval system

• US 7,196,807 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mavenir Ltd. (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Goldstone, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Popovici; Dov
• Application Number:
  US10/058,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.13, 358/1.15, 358/402, 358/403, 358/404, 358/407, 358/434, 358/1.14, 358/1.1, 713/150, 713/152, 380/243
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00

Abstract

An electronic message retrieval system in which the electronic message, and any corresponding attachments, can be encrypted by the sender of the message and routed to the intended recipient, even if the intended recipient is in a mobile location or it is otherwise inconvenient for the recipient to receive the electronic message in the form in which it was sent. The system provides an alarm or indication to the intended recipient, wherever he or she is, that a message has been delivered, an indication of the subject of the message and who sent the message, and whether the message is encrypted. The intended recipient then has the choice of deferring retrieval of the message until a later time when he or she can log onto a secure system and decrypt the message conventionally, or providing the system with a password or “key” which will permit the system to decrypt the message, convert it into a format retrievable by the mobile recipient, i.e., audible format for phone delivery, facsimile data for fax delivery, etc., and deliver the message to the mobile recipient.

Claims

1. An electronic message retrieval system comprising:

a sender operable to transmit an encrypted electronic message, directed to a mobile device of a specified recipient, over a transmission medium;

a message retrieval device associated with the specified recipient operable to receive the encrypted electronic message and provide a notification message to the mobile device indicating receipt of the encrypted electronic message by the message retrieval device;

wherein

said mobile device being operable to receive the notification message from said message retrieval device and in response thereto provide a secret password to said message retrieval device to initiate decryption of the encrypted electronic message,

wherein said message retrieval device is further operable to convert the decrypted electronic message into a format that is compatible with the mobile device, and to transmit the converted decrypted electronic message to the mobile device.

2. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the format includes at least one of an audible format, a facsimile format, and a text format.

3. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message retrieval device comprises:

a converter device operable to convert the format of the decrypted electronic message into a format recognized by the mobile device; and

an output unit from which the converted decrypted electronic message is provided to the mobile device.

4. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said sender encrypts the electronic message in accordance with a specified electronic key and said message retrieval device decrypts the encrypted electronic message using said specified electronic key.

5. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a password transmission unit operable to transmit a password to said specified recipient.

6. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a password transmission path through which the secret password is transmitted to said recipient'"'"'s mobile device; and

a message transmission path, different from said password transmission path, through which said decrypted electronic message is provided to the recipient'"'"'s mobile device.

7. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said password is generated by the sender and communicated to the password transmission unit in a message different from the encrypted electronic message.

8. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a cell phone that is unable to decrypt the encrypted electronic message, and wherein a portion of said transmission medium is the Internet.

9. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said encrypted electronic message comprises an indication as to whether the encrypted electronic message can be converted into a different format.

10. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a secure device operable to receive and decrypt the encrypted electronic message, wherein said secure device is operable to receive messages in the same format as the format of the decrypted electronic message.

11. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said encryption is performed by the sender using a publicly accessible key associated with the recipient.

12. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said mobile device is operable to receive messages in a format different from the format of the decrypted electronic message.

13. An electronic message retrieval system comprising:

a sender operable to transmit an encrypted electronic message to a mobile device of a specified recipient that is unable to decrypt the encrypted electronic message;

a message retrieval device operable to receive the encrypted electronic message and provide a notification message to the mobile device when the encrypted electronic message is received by the message retrieval device, wherein said mobile device is operable to receive messages in a format different from the format of the encrypted electronic message, said message retrieval device comprising;

a decryption device operable to decrypt the encrypted electronic message upon receipt of a password from the mobile device;

a converter device operable to convert the decrypted electronic message into a format recognized by the mobile device;

said electronic message retrieval system further comprising;

a secure device operable to receive and decrypt the encrypted electronic message, wherein said secure device is operable to receive messages in the same format as the format of the encrypted electronic message.

14. An electronic message retrieval method comprising:

sending an encrypted electronic message over a communication network to a recipient'"'"'s message retrieving device;

notifying a recipient'"'"'s mobile device of receipt of the encrypted electronic message;

determining whether to defer retrieval of the encrypted electronic message or retrieve the encrypted electronic message immediately on the recipient'"'"'s mobile device; and

if it is determined that retrieval of the encrypted electronic message is to be deferred, receiving and decrypting said encrypted electronic message on a secure machine associated with the recipient;

or

if it is determined that retrieval of the encrypted electronic message is to be performed immediately, providing a password to the recipient'"'"'s message retrieving device to render the recipient'"'"'s message retrieving device operable to decrypt the encrypted electronic message, and converting the decrypted electronic message into a format compatible that is compatible with the recipient'"'"'s mobile device.

15. An electronic message retrieval system comprising:

a sender operable to transmit an encrypted electronic message over a communication network directed to a specified recipient'"'"'s mobile device that is unable to decrypt the encrypted electronic message;

a message retrieval device operable to receive the encrypted electronic message and provide a notification message to the mobile device when the encrypted electronic message is received by the message retrieval device;

a proxy device operable to receive the encrypted electronic message from the message retrieval device when the recipient'"'"'s mobile device provides a proxy instruction to said message retrieval device and operable to decrypt and transmit a decrypted electronic message to said recipient'"'"'s mobile device when the recipient provides a password to said proxy device.

16. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said proxy decrypts said encrypted electronic message by using a private key securely stored on said proxy.

17. An electronic message retrieval system as claimed in claim 15, said proxy device comprising:

a decryption device operable to decrypt an encrypted private key associated with the recipient and also decrypt the encrypted electronic message, wherein the decryption device is activated upon receipt of a password; and

a converter device operable to convert the decrypted electronic message into a format recognized by the mobile device.

18. An electronic message retrieval system comprising:

a sender operable to transmit an encrypted electronic message over a communication network directed to a specified recipient'"'"'s mobile device, wherein said encryption is performed using a publicly accessible key associated with the recipient;

a message retrieval device operable to receive the encrypted electronic message and provide a notification message to the recipient'"'"'s mobile device when the encrypted electronic message is received by the message retrieval device, wherein said recipient'"'"'s mobile device is operable to receive messages in a format different from the format of the encrypted electronic message received by the message retrieval device;

a proxy device operable to receive the encrypted electronic message from the message retrieval device when the recipient provides a proxy instruction, said proxy device comprising;

a decryption device operable to decrypt an encrypted private key associated with the recipient and also decrypt the encrypted electronic message, wherein the decryption device is activated upon receipt of a password; and

a converter device operable to convert the decrypted electronic message into a format recognized by the mobile device;

said electronic message retrieval system further comprising;

a secure device operable to receive and decrypt the encrypted electronic message, wherein said secure device is operable to receive messages in the same format as the format of the encrypted electronic message.

19. An electronic message retrieval system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising a third party authority operable to receive said encrypted electronic message from said proxy device and decrypt the encrypted electronic message using a public key corresponding to said proxy device.

20. An electronic message retrieval system in accordance with claim 19 wherein said third party authority is located in a legal jurisdiction other than a legal jurisdiction in which said recipient'"'"'s mobile device is located.

21. An electronic message retrieval system in accordance with claim 19 wherein said third party authority is operable to receive a reference designation corresponding to said encrypted electronic message along with said encrypted electronic message.

22. An electronic message retrieval system in accordance with claim 21 wherein said third party authority is operable to receive said reference designation corresponding to said encrypted electronic message from said specified recipient and said decryption of said encrypted electronic message is controlled in accordance with the reference designation received from said specified recipient.

23. An electronic message retrieval method comprising:

sending an encrypted electronic message over a communication network to a recipient'"'"'s message retrieving device, wherein said encryption is performed using a publicly accessible key associated with the recipient;

alerting the recipient'"'"'s mobile device of the receipt of the encrypted electronic message;

determining based on a message from the recipient'"'"'s mobile device whether to defer retrieval of the encrypted electronic message or retrieve the encrypted electronic message immediately; and

if it is determined that retrieval of the encrypted electronic message is to be deferred, receiving and decrypting said encrypted electronic message on a secure machine associated with the recipient;

or

if it is determined that retrieval of the encrypted electronic message is to be performed immediately, providing a password to a proxy device;

decrypting, in said proxy device, a private encrypted key associated with the recipient to render the proxy operable to decrypt the encrypted electronic message; and

converting the electronic message into a format compatible with the recipient'"'"'s mobile device from a format which is incompatible with the recipient'"'"'s mobile device.

24. An electronic message retrieval system comprising:

a sender operable to transmit an encrypted electronic message over a communication network directed to a specified recipient'"'"'s mobile device, wherein said encryption is performed using one of a plurality of publicly accessible keys associated with the recipient;

a message retrieval device operable to receive the encrypted electronic message and provide a notification message to the recipient'"'"'s mobile device when the encrypted electronic message is received by the message retrieval device, wherein said recipient'"'"'s mobile device is operable to receive messages in a format different from the format of the encrypted electronic message;

a proxy device operable to receive the encrypted electronic message from the message retrieval device when the recipient provides a proxy instruction, said proxy device comprising;

a decryption device operable to decrypt a plurality of encrypted private keys associated with the recipient and also decrypt the encrypted electronic message, wherein the decryption device is activated upon receipt of one of a plurality of passwords respectively associated with said encrypted private keys;

a converter device operable to convert the electronic message into a format recognized by the recipient'"'"'s mobile device; and

said electronic message retrieval system further comprising;

a secure device operable to receive and decrypt the encrypted electronic message, wherein said secure device is operable to receive messages in the same format as the format of the encrypted electronic message.

25. An electronic message retrieval method comprising:

sending an encrypted electronic message over a communication network to a recipient'"'"'s message retrieving device, wherein said encryption is performed using one of a plurality of publicly accessible keys associated with the recipient;

alerting the recipient'"'"'s mobile device of the receipt of the encrypted electronic message;

determining based on instructions from the recipient whether to defer retrieval of the encrypted electronic message or retrieve the encrypted electronic message immediately; and

if it is determined that retrieval of the encrypted electronic message is to be deferred, receiving and decrypting said encrypted electronic message on a secure machine associated with the recipient;

or

if it is determined that retrieval of the encrypted electronic message is to be performed immediately, providing one of a plurality of passwords to a proxy device, said provided password being associated with the publicly accessible key used to encrypt the message;

decrypting, in said proxy device and upon receipt of said password, a private encrypted key associated with the publicly accessible key used to encrypt the message to render the proxy operable to decrypt the encrypted electronic message; and

converting the electronic message into a format compatible with the recipient'"'"'s mobile device from a format which is incompatible with the recipient'"'"'s mobile device.

26. An electronic message retrieval system comprising:

a sender operable to transmit an encrypted electronic message, directed to a specified recipient'"'"'s mobile device, over a transmission medium;

the recipient'"'"'s mobile device being unable to decrypt the encrypted electronic message;

a message retrieval device operable to receive the encrypted electronic message and provide a notification message to the recipient'"'"'s mobile device indicating that the encrypted electronic message has been received by the message retrieval device, and to decrypt the encrypted electronic message; and

wherein the recipient'"'"'s mobile device is operable to receive said decrypted electronic message from said message retrieval device in a format that is different from a format of the encrypted electronic message.