Method and apparatus for anonymous group messaging in a distributed messaging system

A communication system comprising:

• a plurality of nodes comprising a group node and a plurality of successive nodes, each of said nodes comprising at least one communications module for sending and receiving electronic messages;
• a. a group messaging agent located at said group node, said group messaging agent comprising:
• at least one group storage location for storing group identification information including the group identity and the identities of member of said group members, wherein said group is maintained in the context of a messaging account at said group node,
• a group membership resolution module to retrieve group information from said at least one group storage location for messaging, and
• a group message distribution module to convert a single group message addressed to a group into a plurality of individual messages and to deliver one individual message to each group member, wherein the identities of the group members are kept undisclosed to one another and group message routing information is attached for successive group message exchanges;
• and
• b. a plurality of messaging agents, one at each of said successive nodes, to exchange electronic group messages anonymously with said plurality of locations at a plurality of message nodes by transmitting group messages to said group messaging agent identified by said group message routing information, where said group message is distributed to said plurality of locations at said plurality of message nodes.

A method for delivery of group messages, said messages having at least a sender address field and a recipient address field for addressing said messages, to a plurality of group message locations, one of said message locations comprising the group owner having group information including a group identifier, the identities of members of said group, and group routing information, comprising the steps of:

• a. initial group message delivery comprising the steps of:
• preparing a group message at a sending location, said group message addressed to the group using said group identifier in the recipient address field;
• routing said group message to the group owner from said sending location;
• said group owner preparing a plurality of single messages, one addressed to each of said members of said group, each of said single messages comprising group message routing information in the message header;
• and
• sending said plurality of single messages to said members of said group from said group owner location;
• and
• b. group message replying comprising the steps of:
• extracting said group message routing information from the group message received at one of said plurality of group message locations,
• sending a group reply message from the group message location to the group messaging agent at the group owner location indicated by the group message routing information;
• said group owner preparing a plurality of single messages, one addressed to each of said members of said group, each of said single messages comprising said group message routing information in the message header;
• and
• sending said plurality of single messages to said members of said group from said group owner location.