Communication system for providing the delivery of an e-mail message

• US 9,537,813 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: regify SA
• Original Assignee: regify SA
• Inventors: Schmid, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): HENDERSON, ESTHER BENOIT
• Application Number:
  US14/446,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• 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

Abstract

A communication system includes a sender unit, a recipient unit and a control unit. The sender unit is adapted to generate an electronic message, to send the electronic message to the recipient unit, and to send a sending information message to the control unit indicating that the sender unit has sent the electronic message to the recipient unit. The recipient unit is adapted to receive the electronic message from the sender unit and to send a receipt information message to the control unit, the receipt information message indicating that a user of the recipient unit has received the electronic message.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a sender unit;

a recipient unit; and

a control unit,

wherein each of the sender unit, the recipient unit and the control unit comprises at least one of the group consisting of a server computer comprising a memory element, a client computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, and a mobile phone;

wherein the sender unit, the recipient unit and the control unit being communicatively coupled via a communication network;

wherein the sender unit is adapted to generate an electronic message to be transmitted to the recipient unit and to send a sending information message to the control unit indicating that the electronic message is transmitted to the recipient unit;

wherein the sender unit is adapted for mandatorily attaching a predetermined attachment to the electronic message, the predetermined attachment having a particular extension allowing a software installed on the recipient unit to automatically determine the type of message;

wherein the recipient unit is adapted to receive the electronic message and to send a receipt information message to the control unit, the receipt information message indicating that a user of the recipient unit has received the electronic message and that the electronic message comprises the predetermined attachment;

wherein the sender unit is adapted to generate the electronic message as an encrypted electronic message by encrypting electronic data;

wherein the sender unit is adapted to generate a fingerprint of the electronic message, the fingerprint allowing for unambiguous identification of the electronic message, and to send the fingerprint to the control unit;

wherein the sender unit is adapted to send a decryption key to the control unit as at least a part of the sending information message, the decryption key being adapted to decrypt the encrypted electronic message;

wherein the recipient unit is adapted to generate a fingerprint of the electronic message, the fingerprint allowing for unambiguous identification of the electronic message, and to send the fingerprint to the control unit;

wherein the control unit is adapted to compare the fingerprint generated by the recipient unit and the fingerprint generated by the sender unit;

wherein the control unit is adapted to trigger sending of the correct decryption key to the recipient unit only upon positive match of the fingerprints; and

wherein the control unit is adapted for rejecting delivering of the correct decryption key when the predetermined attachment to the electronic message is missing.

2. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the sender unit is adapted to notify an event that a user of the recipient unit has accessed the electronic message.

3. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the sender unit is adapted to notify an event that a user of the recipient unit has not accessed the electronic message during a time interval exceeding a predetermined threshold time interval.

4. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit comprises a first control entity communicatively coupled to the sender unit in a manner that a transmission of a sender message from the sender unit to the first control entity is indicative of an identity of the sender unit;

wherein the control unit comprises a second control entity communicatively coupled to the first control entity;

wherein the first control entity is adapted to forward the sender message to the second control entity in a manner that the second control entity is not aware of the identity of the sender unit.

5. The communication system according to claim 4,

wherein the sender message is the sending information message.

6. The communication system according to claim 4,

wherein the control unit comprises a third control entity communicatively coupled to the recipient unit in a manner that a transmission of a recipient message between the recipient unit and the third control entity is indicative of an identity of the recipient unit;

wherein the third control entity is communicatively coupled to the second control entity;

wherein the third control entity is adapted to exchange data with the second control entity in a manner that the second control entity is not aware of the identity of the recipient unit.

7. The communication system of claim 6,

wherein the recipient message comprises at least one of the group consisting of the receipt information message and a decryption key adapted to decrypt the encrypted electronic message.

8. The communication system according to claim 4,

wherein at least one of the group consisting of the first control entity and the third control entity is a provider unit.

9. The communication system according to claim 4,

wherein the first control entity and the third control entity are different provider units.

10. The communication system according to claim 4, adapted as an anonymous transaction management system, particularly as an anonymous clearing system.

11. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of the group consisting of the sender unit, the recipient unit and the control unit is adapted for preventing accessibility to information included in the electronic message in case that a predetermined attachment to the electronic message is lacking.

12. The communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the predetermined attachment comprises at least one of the group consisting of an identification of a user of the sender unit, an authentication of a user of the sender unit, an obligation of a user of the sender unit, and a logo characterizing a user of the sender unit.

13. The communication system according to claim 4,

wherein the first control entity is a provider unit and the second control entity is a clearing unit.

14. A communication method, comprising:

receiving a sending information message from a sender unit with a control unit, the sending information message indicating that an electronic message is transmitted from the sender unit to a recipient unit, wherein the electronic message is an encrypted electronic message generated by encrypting electronic data, the sender unit, the recipient unit and the control unit being communicatively coupled nodes in a communication network;

receiving, by means of the control unit from the sender unit, a fingerprint of the electronic message, the fingerprint allowing for unambiguous identification of the electronic message;

receiving, by means of the control unit from the sender unit, a decryption key as at least a part of the sending information message, the decryption key being adapted to decrypt the encrypted electronic message;

receiving, by means of the control unit from the recipient unit, a receipt information message, the receipt information message indicating that a user of the recipient unit has received the electronic message and that the electronic message comprises a predetermined attachment, the predetermined attachment having a particular extension allowing a software installed on the recipient unit to automatically determine the type of message;

sending a confirmation message from the control unit to the sender unit;

receiving, by means of the control unit from the recipient unit, a fingerprint of the electronic message, the fingerprint allowing for unambiguous identification of the electronic message;

comparing by means of the control unit, the fingerprint generated by the recipient unit and the fingerprint generated by the sender unit;

triggering, by means of the control unit, sending of the correct decryption key to the recipient unit only upon positive match of the fingerprints; and

rejecting delivering of the correct decryption key when a predetermined attachment to the electronic message is missing.

15. The communication method of claim 14,

wherein the sending information message includes a key, the control unit is adapted to provide the key to the recipient unit, and the recipient unit is adapted to provide access to the electronic message by decrypting the electronic message by means of the decryption key.

16. The communication method of claim 14, the confirmation message indicating that a user of the recipient unit has accessed the electronic message.

17. The communication method of claim 15,

wherein the control unit comprises a first control entity for receiving the sending information message and a second control entity;

the sending information message being indicative of an identity of the sender unit;

the method further comprising;

forwarding by the first control entity the sending information message to the second control entity in a manner that the second control entity is not aware of the identity of the sender unit.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including content configured to direct a processor in a communication system to perform a method, comprising:

receiving, with a control unit, a sending information message from a sender unit, the sending information message indicating that an electronic message is transmitted from the sender unit to a recipient unit, wherein the electronic message is an encrypted electronic message generated by encrypting electronic data, the sender unit, the recipient unit and the control unit being communicatively coupled nodes in a communication network;

receiving, with the control unit from the sender unit, a fingerprint of the electronic message, the fingerprint allowing for unambiguous identification of the electronic message;

receiving, with the control unit from the sender unit, a decryption key as at least a part of the sending information message, the decryption key being adapted to decrypt the encrypted electronic message;

receiving, with the control unit from the recipient unit, a receipt information message from the recipient unit, the receipt information message indicating that a user of the recipient unit has received the electronic message and that the electronic message comprises a predetermined attachment, the predetermined attachment having a particular extension allowing a software installed on the recipient unit to automatically determine the type of message; and

sending a confirmation message from the control unit to the sender unit;

receiving, with the control unit from the recipient unit, a fingerprint of the electronic message, the fingerprint allowing for unambiguous identification of the electronic message;

the control unit comparing the fingerprint generated by the recipient unit and the fingerprint generated by the sender unit;

the control unit triggering sending of the correct decryption key to the recipient unit only upon positive match of the fingerprints; and

the control unit rejecting delivering of the correct decryption key when the predetermined attachment to the electronic message is missing.

19. A control unit for a communication system, comprising:

a sender unit communicatively coupled to the control unit; and

a recipient unit communicatively coupled to the sender unit and the control unit, wherein each of the sender unit, the recipient unit and the control unit comprises at least one of the group consisting of a server computer comprising a memory element, a client computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant, and a mobile phone;

wherein the sender unit, the recipient unit and the control unit being communicatively coupled via a communication network;

wherein the control unit is adapted to receive a sending information message from the sender unit, the sending information message indicating that an electronic message is transmitted to the recipient unit, and is adapted to receive a receipt information message from the recipient unit, the receipt information message indicating that a user of the recipient unit has received the electronic message and that the electronic message comprises a predetermined attachment, the predetermined attachment having a particular extension allowing a software installed on the recipient unit to automatically determine the type of message;

wherein the electronic message is an encrypted electronic message generated by encrypting electronic data;

wherein the control unit is adapted to receive a fingerprint of the electronic message from the sender unit, the fingerprint allowing for unambiguous identification of the electronic message;

wherein the control unit is adapted for receiving from the sender unit a decryption key as at least a part of the sending information message, the decryption key being adapted to decrypt the encrypted electronic message;

wherein the control unit is adapted for receiving from the recipient unit a fingerprint of the electronic message, the fingerprint allowing for unambiguous identification of the electronic message;

wherein the control unit is adapted to compare the fingerprint generated by the recipient unit and the fingerprint generated by the sender unit wherein the control unit is adapted to trigger sending of the correct decryption key to the recipient unit only upon positive match of the fingerprints; and

wherein the control unit is adapted to reject delivering of the correct decryption key when the predetermined attachment to the electronic message is missing.