Peer-to-peer email with video and advertising aspects
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for facilitating peer-to-peer email exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
- implementing a plurality of node computers in selective communication with one another, thereby forming a network, each of said node computers configured for sending an at least one email message to a select at least one of the other node computers;
implementing an at least one cache server in selective communication with the node computers and configured for temporarily storing at least a portion of the at least one email message; and
upon a sending user of a first one of the node computers desiring to send an email message, including any file attachments thereto, to an at least one receiving user of another one of the node computers;
determining whether the node computer of each of the at least one receiving user is online;
for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is online;
transmitting the email message and any file attachments thereto directly to the online node computer of said receiving user; and
upon receipt, storing the email message and any file attachments thereto in memory on the online node computer of said receiving user;
for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is not online;
transmitting the email message to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval;
transmitting any file attachments thereto having a size less than a predefined maximum size to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval;
storing any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size in memory on the node computer of the sending user;
upon the node computer of said receiving user subsequently going online, notifying said node computer of the existence and locations of the pending email message and any file attachments thereto; and
retrieving from at least one of the online node computer of the sending user, the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user the email message and any file attachments thereto and storing said email message and file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user; and
requiring each of the at least one receiving user to view advertising content prior to allowing access to the email message and any file attachments thereto.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A Peer-to-Peer (“P2P”) email and social networking system for use by plural users to exchange emails and attachments includes a mesh network that includes plural node computers, each running a P2P email client, and each constructed to transmit and receive emails. The emails are stored in mailboxes residing on each node computer, and may be encrypted during transmission, and may remain encrypted while stored at each node computer.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating peer-to-peer email exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
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implementing a plurality of node computers in selective communication with one another, thereby forming a network, each of said node computers configured for sending an at least one email message to a select at least one of the other node computers; implementing an at least one cache server in selective communication with the node computers and configured for temporarily storing at least a portion of the at least one email message; and upon a sending user of a first one of the node computers desiring to send an email message, including any file attachments thereto, to an at least one receiving user of another one of the node computers; determining whether the node computer of each of the at least one receiving user is online; for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is online; transmitting the email message and any file attachments thereto directly to the online node computer of said receiving user; and upon receipt, storing the email message and any file attachments thereto in memory on the online node computer of said receiving user; for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is not online; transmitting the email message to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; transmitting any file attachments thereto having a size less than a predefined maximum size to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; storing any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size in memory on the node computer of the sending user; upon the node computer of said receiving user subsequently going online, notifying said node computer of the existence and locations of the pending email message and any file attachments thereto; and retrieving from at least one of the online node computer of the sending user, the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user the email message and any file attachments thereto and storing said email message and file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user; and requiring each of the at least one receiving user to view advertising content prior to allowing access to the email message and any file attachments thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for facilitating peer-to-peer email exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
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implementing a plurality of node computers in selective communication with one another, thereby forming a network, each of said node computers configured for sending an at least one email message to a select at least one of the other node computers; implementing an at least one cache server in selective communication with the node computers and configured for temporarily storing at least a portion of the at least one email message; and upon a sending user of a first one of the node computers desiring to send an email message, including any file attachments thereto, to an at least one receiving user of another one of the node computers; determining whether the node computer of each of the at least one receiving user is online; for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is online; transmitting the email message and any file attachments thereto directly to the online node computer of said receiving user; and upon receipt, storing the email message and any file attachments thereto in memory on the online node computer of said receiving user; and for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is not online; transmitting the email message to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; transmitting any file attachments thereto having a size less than a predefined maximum size to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; storing any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size in memory on the node computer of the sending user; upon the node computer of said receiving user subsequently going online, notifying said node computer of the existence and locations of the pending email message and any file attachments thereto; retrieving from at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user the email message and any file attachments thereto, having a size less than the predefined maximum size, and storing said email message and file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user; upon determining that the node computer of the sending user is online, retrieving from the node computer of the sending user any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size and storing said file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user; and upon determining that the node computer of the sending user is not online, retrieving from the at least one online node computer of another receiving user any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size and storing said file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user; requiring each of the at least one receiving user to view advertising content prior to allowing access to the email message and any file attachments thereto; and selecting said advertising content based on at least one of a size of said file attachments, a popularity level of said file attachments, a subject matter of said file attachments, demographic information related to the sending user, demographic information related to the at least one receiving user, an at least one expressed interest of the sending user, an at least one expressed interest of the at least one receiving user, and a number of node computers on which said file attachments are currently stored.
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12. A system for facilitating peer-to-peer email exchange between a sending user and an at least one receiving user, the system comprising:
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a plurality of node computers in selective communication with one another, thereby forming a network, each of said node computers configured for sending an at least one email message to a select at least one of the other node computers; wherein, upon the sending user of a first one of the node computers desiring to send an email message, including any file attachments thereto, to the at least one receiving user of another one of the node computers, said node computers are configured for; determining whether the node computer of each of the at least one receiving user is online; for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is online; transmitting the email message and any file attachments thereto directly to the online node computer of said receiving user; and upon receipt, storing the email message and any file attachments thereto in memory on the online node computer of said receiving user; and for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is not online; transmitting the email message to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; transmitting any file attachments thereto having a size less than a predefined maximum size to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; storing any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size in memory on the node computer of the sending user; upon the node computer of said receiving user subsequently going online, notifying said node computer of the existence and locations of the pending email message and any file attachments thereto; and retrieving from at least one of the online node computer of the sending user, the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user the email message and any file attachments thereto and storing said email message and file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user; and requiring each of the at least one receiving user to view advertising content prior to allowing access to the email message and any file attachments thereto. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification