Certified email system and method
First Claim
1. A system for verifying a time stamp, comprising:
- a time-stamping system comprising;
an accessible database;
a mail server configured for receiving a copy of an email sent from a message originator to at least one recipient;
wherein said email copy has at least one recipient electronic-delivery address associated therewith that directs transmission of said email to at least one recipient and has a time-stamp system email address associated therewith that directs transmission of said email copy to said time-stamping system; and
wherein receipt of said email copy comprises a solicitation for said time stamp; and
at least one processor for executing at least one application for performing the functions of;
receiving said email copy from said mail server;
preparing said email copy for obtaining said time stamp;
obtaining said time stamp;
establishing an account for an end user, wherein said end user is one of said message originator or one of said at least one recipients; and
archiving said time stamp and time-stamp-related data in association with said end user'"'"'s account;
wherein said time-stamp-related data comprise a body of said email copy, any email copy attachments, and email-transmission data from said email copy, wherein said email-transmission data comprise at least one of said recipient electronic-delivery address of said email copy, said time-stamp system email address of said email copy, a “
TO;
Address”
of said email copy, a “
CC;
Address”
of said email copy, a “
BCC;
Address”
of said email copy, a portion of an email header of said email copy, an Internet Protocol (IP) address from which said email copy was sent, or transmission data of said email copy;
a receiving server configured to receive input data from said end user, wherein said input data comprise at least one of at least a portion of said time-stamp-related data or a challenge file, wherein said challenge file comprises at least one of a purportedly time-stamped email, a portion of a purportedly time-stamped email, or a purportedly time-stamped file; and
a verification utility operable to receive said input data;
operable, upon receipt of said input data, to search for said input data within one or more of said time stamp, any additional time stamps associated with said end user'"'"'s account, or said archived time-stamp-related data associated with said end user'"'"'s account; and
operable to return a verification result to said end user based on said search.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
40 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A system for verifying a time stamp, comprising:
-
a time-stamping system comprising; an accessible database; a mail server configured for receiving a copy of an email sent from a message originator to at least one recipient;
wherein said email copy has at least one recipient electronic-delivery address associated therewith that directs transmission of said email to at least one recipient and has a time-stamp system email address associated therewith that directs transmission of said email copy to said time-stamping system; and
wherein receipt of said email copy comprises a solicitation for said time stamp; andat least one processor for executing at least one application for performing the functions of; receiving said email copy from said mail server; preparing said email copy for obtaining said time stamp; obtaining said time stamp; establishing an account for an end user, wherein said end user is one of said message originator or one of said at least one recipients; and archiving said time stamp and time-stamp-related data in association with said end user'"'"'s account;
wherein said time-stamp-related data comprise a body of said email copy, any email copy attachments, and email-transmission data from said email copy, wherein said email-transmission data comprise at least one of said recipient electronic-delivery address of said email copy, said time-stamp system email address of said email copy, a “
TO;
Address”
of said email copy, a “
CC;
Address”
of said email copy, a “
BCC;
Address”
of said email copy, a portion of an email header of said email copy, an Internet Protocol (IP) address from which said email copy was sent, or transmission data of said email copy;a receiving server configured to receive input data from said end user, wherein said input data comprise at least one of at least a portion of said time-stamp-related data or a challenge file, wherein said challenge file comprises at least one of a purportedly time-stamped email, a portion of a purportedly time-stamped email, or a purportedly time-stamped file; and a verification utility operable to receive said input data;
operable, upon receipt of said input data, to search for said input data within one or more of said time stamp, any additional time stamps associated with said end user'"'"'s account, or said archived time-stamp-related data associated with said end user'"'"'s account; and
operable to return a verification result to said end user based on said search. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14)
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7. A system for verifying a time stamp, comprising:
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a time stamp authority having a secure clock and a processor executing at least one application for performing the function of providing a time stamp; and a time-stamping system having an accessible database and a processor executing at least one application for performing the functions of; receiving a copy of an email from a message originator, said email copy having at least one recipient electronic-delivery address associated therewith that directs transmission of said email to at least one recipient and having a time-stamp system electronic-delivery address associated therewith that directs transmission of said email copy to said time-stamping system, wherein receipt of said email copy by said time-stamping system comprises a solicitation for said time stamp; extracting from said email copy at least one of said time-stamp system electronic-delivery address or email-transmission data from said email copy, wherein said email-transmission data comprise at least one of said recipient electronic-delivery address of said email copy, said time-stamp system email address of said email copy, a “
TO;
Address”
of said email copy, a “
CC;
Address”
of said email copy, a “
BCC;
Address”
of said email copy, a portion of an email header of said email copy, an Internet Protocol (IP) address from which said email copy was sent, or transmission data of said email copy;preparing said email copy for obtaining said time stamp; obtaining said time stamp for said email copy from said time stamp authority; establishing an account for an end user, wherein said end user is one of said message originator or one of said at least one recipients; associating said time stamp with said end user'"'"'s account; and archiving, in said database, said time stamp and time-stamp-related data in association with said end user'"'"'s account, wherein said time-stamp-related data comprise at least one of a body of said email copy, said email-transmission data of said email copy, or any email copy attachments; providing a search function operable to, upon receipt of said input data, search for said input data within one or more of said time stamp, additional time stamps associated with said end user'"'"'s account, or said time-stamp-related data associated with said end user'"'"'s account;
wherein said input data comprise at least one of a portion of said time-stamp-related data or a challenge file;
wherein said challenge file comprises one of a purportedly time-stamped email, a portion of a purportedly time-stamped email, or a purportedly time-stamped file; and
wherein said search function is operable to return a search result, based on said search. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification