System and method for a fee address system

• US 7,280,982 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2000
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yu, Philip Shi-Lung, Moskowitz, Paul Andrew, Boies, Stephen J., Dinkin, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer; Firmin
• Application Number:
  US09/542,367
• Time in Patent Office: 2,744 Days
• Field of Search: 705/52, 705/40, 705/67, 705/69, 713/201, 379/114
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3678 e-cash details, e.g. blinded, divisible or detecting double spending
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A system relating to a fee address is described. A method of directing mail to a public mailbox, determining a fee based upon the preferences of the mail recipient, receiving the fee and forwarding the mail to a private mailbox is also provided. Many different types of addresses can be employed, including for example, email, telephone, facsimile, pager, zip code and identification pin numbers. Fees may be determined by person, size, time or urgency.

Claims

1. An e-mail address system, comprising:

means for monitoring information sent by a sender and asynchronously received at a public fee address associated with an e-mail recipient, wherein the information is unsolicited by the e-mail recipient;

means for determining a fee for the information, wherein the fee is based upon a preferences record defined by the e-mail recipient;

means for collecting the fee from the sender into a first account;

means for forwarding the information received at the public fee address to a private e-mail address associated with the e-mail recipient; and

means for transferring the collected fee to a second account.

2. The address system of claim 1, wherein the second account belongs to a third party.

3. The address system of claim 1, wherein the fees are escalating based upon number of usages.

4. The address system of claim 1, wherein the fees are conditional.

5. The address system of claim 1, wherein the fees are a combination of fixed, variable and conditional for different senders.

6. The address system of claim 1 wherein the fee is waived for a sender.

7. The address system of claim 1 wherein the fee is based upon the urgency of the information.

8. The address system of claim 1 wherein the fees are selected from the group consisting of fixed, variable or conditional.

9. The address system of claim 1 wherein the fee is based on the size of the information.

10. The address system of claim 2 wherein the third party is a charity organization.

11. The address system of claim 2 wherein the third party is a company.

12. The address system of claim 2 wherein the third party is an individual.

13. The address system of claim 2 wherein the third party is a firm.

14. The address system of claim 1 wherein the fee varies for different senders.

15. The address system of claim 9 wherein the size of the information is based on word count.

16. The address system of claim 9 wherein the size of the information is based on number of bits.

17. The address system of claim 4, wherein the e-mail recipient elects to impose a fee.

18. An e-mail address system, comprising:

means for monitoring information sent by a sender and asynchronously received at a public fee address associated with an e-mail recipient, wherein the information is unsolicited by the e-mail recipient;

means for determining a fee for the information, wherein the fee is based upon a preferences record defined by the e-mail recipient and the fee is conditional;

means for collecting the fee from the sender; and

means for forwarding the information received at the public fee address to a private e-mail address associated with the e-mail recipient.

19. The address system of claim 18, wherein the e-mail recipient elects to impose a charge.

20. The address system of claim 18, wherein the e-mail recipient receives a portion of the collected fees.

21. A method of providing an e-mail fee address system, comprising:

receiving information sent by a sender at a public fee address in a computer, wherein the public fee address is associated with an e-mail recipient, and wherein the information is unsolicited by the e-mail recipient;

determining a fee for the information, wherein the fee is based upon a preferences record defined by the e-mail recipient and the fee increases as information size increases;

collecting the fee from the sender; and

forwarding the information from the public fee address to a private e-mail address associated with the e-mail recipient.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the information size is measured by word count.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the information size is measured in bits.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising transferring the collected fees to a third party.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the third party is a charity.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the third party is a firm.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the third party is an individual.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the third party is a company.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein the information is electronic mail.

30. A programmed computer for providing an e-mail fee address system, comprising:

a memory having at least one region for storing computer executable program code; and

a processor for executing the program code stored in memory, wherein the program code includes;

code to receive an e-mail sent by a sender to a public fee address associated with an e-mail recipient, wherein the e-mail is unsolicited by the e-mail recipient;

code to determine a fee for the e-mail, wherein the fee is based upon a preferences record defined by the e-mail recipient;

code to collect the fee from the sender into a first account;

code to forward the e-mail from the public fee address to a private e-mail address associated with the e-mail recipient; and

code to transfer the collected fee to a second account.

31. The programmed computer of claim 30 wherein the second account belongs to a third party.

32. The programmed computer of claim 30, wherein the fees are escalating based upon number of usages.

33. The programmed computer of claim 30, wherein the fees are conditional.

34. The programmed computer of claim 30, wherein the fees are a combination of fixed, variable and conditional for different senders.

35. The programmed computer of claim 30 wherein the fee is waived for a sender.

36. The programmed computer of claim 30, wherein the fee is based upon the urgency of the e-mail.

37. The programmed computer of claim 30 wherein the fees are selected from the group consisting of fixed, variable or conditional.

38. The programmed computer of claim 30, wherein the fee is based on the size of the e-mail.

39. The programmed computer of claim 31 wherein the third party is a charity organization.

40. The programmed computer of claim 31 wherein the third party is a company.

41. The programmed computer of claim 31 wherein the third party is an individual.

42. The programmed computer of claim 31 wherein the third party is a firm.

43. The programmed computer of claim 30 wherein the fee varies for different senders.

44. The programmed computer of claim 38, wherein the size of the e-mail is based on word count.

45. The programmed computer of claim 38, wherein the size of the e-mail is based on number of bits.

46. The programmed computer of claim 33, wherein the e-mail recipient elects to impose a fee.

47. Computer executable software code stored on a computer readable medium, the code for providing an e-mail fee address system, comprising:

code to receive a communication sent by a sender to a public fee address associated with an e-mail recipient, wherein the communication is unsolicited by the e-mail recipient;

code to determine a fee for the communication, wherein the fee is based upon a preferences record defined by the e-mail recipient;

code to collect the fee; and

code to forward the communication from the public fee address to a private e-mail address associated with the e-mail recipient.

48. A method of providing an e-mail fee address system, comprising:

receiving an e-mail sent by a sender to a public fee address in a computer wherein the public fee address is associated with an e-mail recipient, and wherein the e-mail is unsolicited by the e-mail recipient;

determining a fee for the e-mail, wherein the fee is based upon a preferences record defined by the e-mail recipient;

collecting the fee from the sender into a first account;

forwarding the e-mail from the public fee address to a private e-mail address associated with the e-mail recipient; and

transferring the collected fee to a second account.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the second account belongs to a third party.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the fees are escalating based upon number of usages.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the fees are conditional.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the fees are a combination of fixed, variable and conditional for different senders.

53. The method of claim 48 wherein the fee is waived for a sender.

54. The method of claim 48, wherein the fee is based upon the urgency of the e-mail.

55. The method of claim 48 wherein the fees are selected from the group consisting of fixed, variable or conditional.

56. The method of claim 48, wherein the fee is based on the size of the e-mail.

57. The method of claim 49 wherein the third party is a charity organization.

58. The method of claim 49 wherein the third party is a company.

59. The method of claim 49 wherein the third party is an individual.

60. The method of claim 49 wherein the third party is a firm.

61. The method of claim 48 wherein the fee varies for different senders.

62. The method of claim 56, wherein the size of the e-mail is based on word count.

63. The method of claim 56, wherein the size of the e-mail is based on number of bits.

64. The method of claim 51, wherein the e-mail recipient elects to impose a fee.