System and method for conducting online visual identification of a person

• US 7,774,719 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Data Laboratory, LLC
• Original Assignee: Data Laboratory, LLC
• Inventors: Taylor, Michael Walsh
• Primary Examiner(s): Sax; Steven P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belousov; Andrey
• Application Number:
  US11/668,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 726/27, 713/155, 705/26, 705/76, 715/744, 715/810, 715/838, 715/839
• US Class Current: 715/838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for preventing unsolicited bulk email (UBE). Spammers sending UBE typically capitalize on the weakness of SMTP. The present invention affixes a subscriber key value to the local part of an email address. The email and associated key value are sent to a server where the subscriber key value, and subscriber and recipient email addresses are associated and stored into a database. Once stored, the email is sent to the ultimate recipient. A recipient is in possession of a subscriber key value can use this key value to sign an email they intend to send to the original subscriber/sender. Recipient will then send this signed email to a server where the association between the subscriber and the subscriber key value is verified. Once verified the email is sent to the subscriber. In some embodiments, the verification process is not controlled by a server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

eliciting and receiving, into a registration database, a plurality of personal information relating to a corresponding plurality of subscriber persons, wherein the plurality of subscriber persons includes a first person and a second person, wherein the personal information includes a name and an address of each of the plurality of subscriber persons;

eliciting and receiving an uploaded first photographic image of the first person into the registration database and associating the first photographic image of the first person with the personal information relating to the first person;

eliciting and receiving an uploaded second photographic image of the second person into the registration database and associating the second photographic image of the second person with the personal information relating to the second person;

displaying on a computer output device a plurality of photographic images of the subscriber persons including the first photographic image of the first person in a plurality of photo arrays including a first and a second photo array, and configuring the plurality of photo arrays to allow a user to distinguish the first person shown in the first photographic image from the second person shown in the second photographic image, wherein the first and second photographic images are in the first photo array;

eliciting and receiving input indicating a selection by the user of the first person from the first photo array; and

interpreting the user'"'"'s selection of the first person as at least part of an instruction to make a purchase of a good or service for the first person, wherein the user is not the first person.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on a computer output device a third person shown in a third photographic image to allow the user to distinguish the first person from the third person, wherein the first and third photographic images are contained in the second photo array.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interpreting of the user'"'"'s selection of the first person as at least part of an instruction to purchase a good or service for the first person is further based on the eliciting and receiving of input indicating the selection of the first person from among the photographic images in each of the plurality of photo arrays.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the plurality of photographic images takes place via a browser application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of input for the selection of the first person from the first photo array is performed using a keyboard input device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interpreting of the user'"'"'s selection of the first person as an instruction to make the purchase of the good or service for the first person is performed via a graphical user interface (GUI).

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the plurality of photographic images takes place via a browser application, wherein the interpreting of the user'"'"'s selection of the first person as an instruction to make the purchase of the good or service for the first person is performed via a graphical user interface (GUI), the method further comprising:

prompting the user from the GUI to select a particular good for purchase;

verifying an electronic payment for the selected good; and

based on the selection of the first image, selection of the particular good, and verification of the payment, performing a purchase of the good for delivery to the first person.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the plurality of photographic images takes place via a browser application, wherein the interpreting of the user'"'"'s selection of the first person is performed via a graphical user interface (GUI), the method further comprising:

based on the selection of the first image, forwarding an email to the first person.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the interpreting of the user'"'"'s selection of the first person is performed via an applet.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising

processing a payment for the purchase;

and

providing the good or service to the first person.

7. A computerized system comprising:

a registration database configured to store a plurality of personal information relating to a corresponding plurality of subscriber persons, wherein the plurality of subscriber persons includes a first person and a second person, wherein the personal information includes a name and an address of each of the plurality of subscriber persons, wherein the database also includes a plurality of images, and wherein the database associates the image of each one of the plurality of subscriber persons with the respective personal information of that subscriber person;

a registration user interface operatively coupled to the registration database and configured to elicit and receive, into the registration database, a first photographic image that is of the first person and a second photographic image that is of the second person;

a computer output device configured to display a plurality of photographic images of the subscriber persons including the first photographic image of the first person in a plurality of photo arrays including a first and a second photo array, wherein the plurality of photo arrays is configured to allow a user to distinguish the first person shown in the first photographic image from the second person shown in the second photographic image, and wherein the first and second photographic images are in the first photo array;

a purchase user interface operatively coupled to the registration database and configured to elicit and receive input indicating a selection by the user of the first person from the first photo array; and

an interpreter configured to interpret the user'"'"'s selection of the first person as at least part of an instruction to make a purchase of a good or service for the first person, wherein the user is not the first person.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising the computer output device configured to display a third person shown in a third photographic image to allow the user to distinguish the first person from the third person, wherein the first and third photographic images are in the second photo array.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the interpreter elicits and receives input indicating a selection by the user of the first person from each photo array in the plurality of photo arrays, and wherein the interpreter interprets the user'"'"'s selection of the first person in every one of the plurality of photo arrays as at least part of an instruction to purchase a good or service for the first person.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer output device is a computer monitor displaying images in a browser application configured to display the plurality of photographic images in the plurality of photo arrays.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the user interface includes a keyboard for selecting the first person from the first photo array.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the user interface includes a GUI that assists the interpreter in making the purchase.

23. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer output device is a computer monitor displaying images in a browser application configured to display the plurality of photographic images in the plurality of photo arrays, wherein the user interface includes a GUI that assists the interpreter in making the purchase, wherein the GUI is configured to prompt the user to select a particular good for purchase, the system further comprising:

a verifier unit operatively coupled to the computer output device and configured to verify an electronic payment for the selected good, wherein the interpreter is configured to purchase the selected good for delivery to the first person based on the selection of the first image, the selection of the particular good, and the verification of the payment.

13. A computerized apparatus comprising:

means for eliciting and receiving, into a registration database, a plurality of personal information relating to a corresponding plurality of subscriber persons, wherein the plurality of subscriber persons includes a first person and a second person, wherein the personal information includes a name and an address of each of the plurality of subscriber persons;

means for eliciting and receiving an uploaded first photographic image of the first person into the registration database and associating the first photographic image of the first person with the personal information relating to the first person;

means for eliciting and receiving an uploaded second photographic image of the second person into the registration database and associating the second photographic image of the second person with the personal information relating to the second person;

means for displaying on a computer output device a plurality of photographic images of the subscriber persons including the first photographic image of the first person in a plurality of photo arrays including a first and a second photo array, and configuring the plurality of photo arrays to allow a user to distinguish the first person shown in the first photographic image from the second person shown in the second photographic image, wherein the first and second photographic images are in the first photo array;

means for eliciting and receiving input indicating a selection by the user of the first person from the first photo array; and

means for interpreting the user'"'"'s selection of the first person as at least part of an instruction to make a purchase of a good or service for the first person, wherein the user is not the first person.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising means for displaying on a computer output device a third person shown in a third photographic image to allow the user to distinguish the first person from the third person, wherein the first and third photographic images are contained in the second photo array.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for interpreting the user'"'"'s selection of the first person as at least part of an instruction to purchase a good or service for the first person is further based on a means for eliciting and receiving input indicating the selection of the first person from among the photographic images in each of the plurality of photo arrays.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for displaying the plurality of photographic images in a plurality of photo arrays includes a browser.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for eliciting and receiving input indicating a selection by the user of the first person from the first photo array includes a keyboard input device.

18. The apparatus claim 13, wherein the means for interpreting the user'"'"'s selection of the first person as at least part of an instruction to make a purchase of the good or service includes a GUI.

19. The apparatus of claim 13,

wherein the means for displaying on a computer output device a plurality of photographic images of persons in a plurality of photo arrays further includes a third photo array;

wherein the first photo array includes a first five-by-five photo matrix, wherein the second photo array includes a second five-by-five photo matrix, and wherein the third photo array includes a third five-by-five photo matrix;

the apparatus further comprising;

means for allowing the user to distinguish the first person shown in the first photographic image from the second person shown in the second photographic image, wherein the first and second photographic images are contained in the first photo matrix; and

means for eliciting and receiving input indicating a selection by the user of the first person from the first, the second, and the third photo matrix.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for eliciting and receiving input indicating a selection by the user of the first person from the first photo matrix includes a keyboard input device.