Certified email system and method

• US 8,341,023 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustifi LLC
• Original Assignee: Trustifi Corporation
• Inventors: Chaltiel, Victor M. G., Benisti, Peter S, Bramson, Steven J, Kantor, Philip A
• Primary Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US12/562,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

A certified email system for providing a time stamp for a presented file, particularly when the presented file is an email. Preferably a demanding party receives the email; generates a unique HASH; digitally signs the unique HASH; and sends the signed HASH and a time-stamp request call to a web services time-stamp conduit (WSTC). The WSTC receives the request and signed HASH from the demanding party and obtains a time stamp. The WSTC sends the time stamp back to the demanding party, which sends a time-stamp notification to the original sender of the email and, optionally, the recipient(s) of the email. Multiple branded or customized demanding servers can efficiently run using one web services time-stamp conduit.

An integrated detailed billing system capable of pass-through client billing, keyword search functionality, a multi-party content management system, and convenient web-based automated verification (file or HASH) services are provided.

Claims

1. An email certification system, comprising:

a first demanding party having an accessible first demanding party database and executing at least one first demanding party application for performing the functions of;

receiving a copy of an email having at least one recipient electronic-delivery address associated therewith for transmitting said email to at least one recipient and having a first demanding party address associated therewith for transmitting said email copy to said first demanding party;

wherein receipt of said email copy by said first demanding party comprises a solicitation for a time stamp;

preparing said email copy to produce conduit-input data, wherein said conduit-input data comprise data associated with said email copy;

associating said conduit-input data with said at least one request call, wherein said at least one request call comprises a time-stamp request call;

transmitting said conduit-input data and said at least one request call; and

a web services time-stamp conduit having an accessible time-stamp conduit database and executing at least one application for performing the functions of;

receiving said at least one request call;

receiving said conduit-input data;

acting upon said at least one request call;

outputting output data associated with said at least one request call;

wherein

said web services time-stamp conduit obtains said time stamp in response to said time-stamp request call; and

wherein said output data associated with said time-stamp request call comprise said time stamp.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a time-stamp authority having a secure clock and executing at least one application for performing the function of providing said time stamp to said web services time-stamp conduit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

acting, upon said at least one request call comprises requesting a first service from a first providing party; and

said first providing party comprises a third-party time stamp authority executing at least one application for performing the function of providing said time stamp to said web services time-stamp conduit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said first demanding party address comprises a TCC;

Address comprising at least one IDENTIFIER coded within the local part of said TCC;

Address, and wherein said IDENTIFIER comprises a message originator-created code;

said first demanding party is configured to extract email-transmission data from said email copy, wherein said email-transmission data comprise at least one of;

said “

TO;

Address,”

the “

FROM;

Address,”

said “

TCC;

Address,”

the email header, the message originator'"'"'s IP address, and transmission data of said email copy; and

said first demanding party is further configured to parse said TCC;

Address to determine said at least one IDENTIFIER.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

said first demanding party is configured to utilize said IDENTIFIER and said email-transmission data to provide categorization of said time stamp by associating said time stamp with a particular category of said message originator, wherein said category is derived from said IDENTIFIER and said email-transmission data; and

said first demanding party is configured to create an account for an end user and to archive said time stamp in association with said end user'"'"'s account and in association with said particular category.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one request call to said web services time-stamp conduit further comprises at least one service request call;

said first demanding party is configured to transmit said at least one service request call to said web services time-stamp conduit;

said web services time-stamp conduit is configured to act upon said at least one service request call by providing at least one of the following services;

performing a hash function, encrypting, decrypting, signing, archiving, providing a renewal of said time stamp, reporting historical record of said time stamp; and

said web services time-stamp conduit is configured to output said output data associated with said service request call to said first demanding party.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one request call of said web services time-stamp conduit further comprises at least one credit request call;

said first demanding party is configured to transmit said at least one credit request call to said web services time-stamp conduit;

said web services time-stamp conduit is configured to act upon said at least one credit request call by determining credit-related information; and

said web services time-stamp conduit is configured to output said output data associated with said at least one credit request call to said first demanding party, wherein said output data comprises said credit-related information.

8. The system of claim 1,

wherein said web services time-stamp conduit is configured to receive said at least one request call from a second demanding party.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a web server having access to the data of said first demanding party database and executing at least one application for performing the functions of;

creating an account for an end user wherein said end user is at least one of said message originator and said recipient;

providing a web-based console associated with said end user'"'"'s account and accessible to said end user; and

allowing viewing and retrieving of said time stamp through said web-based console.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

said web-based console allows management of a credit purchase option; and

said credit purchase option comprises at least one of a credit block purchase method, a pay-as-you-go purchase method, and a combined credit block/pay-as-you-go purchase method.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein:

said first demanding party address comprises a TCC;

Address comprising at least one IDENTIFIER coded within the local part of said TCC;

Address, and wherein said IDENTIFIER comprises a message originator-created code;

said first demanding party is configured to extract email-transmission data from said email copy, wherein said email-transmission data comprises at least one of;

said “

TO;

Address,”

the “

FROM;

Address,”

said “

TCC;

Address,”

the email header, the message originator'"'"'s IP address, and transmission data of said email copy; and

said first demanding party is further configured to parse said TCC;

Address to determine said at least one IDENTIFIER.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

said first demanding party is configured to utilize said IDENTIFIER and said email-transmission data to provide categorization of said time stamp by associating said time stamp with a particular category of said message originator, wherein said category is derived from said IDENTIFIER and said email-transmission data; and

said first demanding party is configured to create an account for an end user and to archive said time stamp in association with said end user'"'"'s account and in association with said particular category.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein said third-party time stamp authority comprises a secure clock.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said conduit input data associated with said email copy comprise a file signature prepared by applying a hash algorithm to said email copy to create a HASH value and by digitally signing said HASH value.