Asynchronous tamper-proof tag for routing e-mails and e-mail attachments
First Claim
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1. A method of automatically processing an electronic mail message sent from a sending computer to a recipient computer, the method comprising the steps of:
- i) a trusted server generating a public encryption key to encrypt tags for inclusion in electronic mail messages, and a corresponding private encryption key stored on said trusted server;
ii) said recipient computer determining one or more identification codes and corresponding actions which define how electronic mail messages will be automatically processed by said recipient computer and communicating said one or more identification codes and corresponding actions to said sending computer;
iii) said sending computer, prior to sending said electronic mail message, selecting one of said one or more identification codes, based on said corresponding actions entering said selected identification code into computer-implemented means for generating an encrypted tag and receiving from said tag generating means an encrypted tag, wherein said encrypted tag contains said selected identification code which has been encrypted by said public encryption key;
iv) said sending computer adding said encrypted tag to said electronic mail message to form a tagged electronic mail message;
v) said sending computer forwarding said tagged electronic mail message to said trusted server;
vi) said trusted server decrypting said encrypted tag using said private key;
vii) said trusted server forwarding said decrypted tag and said electronic mail message to said recipient computer; and
viii) said recipient computer automatically processing said electronic mail message based on said selected identification code and corresponding action;
wherein said automatic processing step is selected from the group consisting of;
a) storing said email according to said selected identification code;
b) routing said email according to said selected identification code; and
c) commencing a further processing application according to said selected identification code.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of automatically processing e-mails wherein the e-mail is tagged by the sender with a unique identifier so that the e-mail can be automatically routed or filed. The unique identifier is encrypted to protect it from unauthorized tampering or decoding to avoid misidentification or fraudulent labelling of the e-mails.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of automatically processing an electronic mail message sent from a sending computer to a recipient computer, the method comprising the steps of:
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i) a trusted server generating a public encryption key to encrypt tags for inclusion in electronic mail messages, and a corresponding private encryption key stored on said trusted server; ii) said recipient computer determining one or more identification codes and corresponding actions which define how electronic mail messages will be automatically processed by said recipient computer and communicating said one or more identification codes and corresponding actions to said sending computer; iii) said sending computer, prior to sending said electronic mail message, selecting one of said one or more identification codes, based on said corresponding actions entering said selected identification code into computer-implemented means for generating an encrypted tag and receiving from said tag generating means an encrypted tag, wherein said encrypted tag contains said selected identification code which has been encrypted by said public encryption key; iv) said sending computer adding said encrypted tag to said electronic mail message to form a tagged electronic mail message; v) said sending computer forwarding said tagged electronic mail message to said trusted server; vi) said trusted server decrypting said encrypted tag using said private key; vii) said trusted server forwarding said decrypted tag and said electronic mail message to said recipient computer; and viii) said recipient computer automatically processing said electronic mail message based on said selected identification code and corresponding action; wherein said automatic processing step is selected from the group consisting of; a) storing said email according to said selected identification code; b) routing said email according to said selected identification code; and c) commencing a further processing application according to said selected identification code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16)
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14. A data processing system for automatically processing electronic mail messages sent from a sending computer to a recipient computer, said data processing system comprising:
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i) a digitally-communicative network comprising said sending and receiving computers and a trusted server, said recipient computer comprising memory means for storing a public encryption key, and said trusted server comprising memory means for storing a corresponding private encryption key; ii) means associated with said receiving computer for selecting one or more identification codes and corresponding actions which define how electronic mail messages will be automatically processed by said receiving computer and communicating said one or more identification codes and corresponding actions to said sending computer; iii) means for generating an encrypted tag, wherein said encrypted tag contains one of said identification codes which has been encrypted by said public key; iv) means associated with said sending computer for, prior to sending said electronic mail message, selecting one of said one or more identification codes based on said corresponding actions, and entering said selected identification code into said means for generating an encrypted tag and receiving from said tag-generating means an encrypted tag, wherein said encrypted tag contains said selected identification code which has been encrypted by said public key; v) means in said sending computer for receiving an encrypted tag and adding said encrypted tag to an electronic mail message to form a tagged electronic mail message; vi) means in said sending computer for forwarding said tagged electronic mail message to said trusted server; vii) means in said trusted server for decrypting said encrypted tag using said private key; viii) means in said trusted server for forwarding said decrypted tag and said electronic mail message to said recipient computer; and ix) means in said recipient computer for automatically processing said electronic mail message based on said decrypted selected identification and corresponding action wherein said automatic processing step is selected from the group consisting of; a) storing said email according to said selected identification code; b) routing said email according to said selected identification code; and c) commencing a further processing application according to said selected identification code. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification