US 2010/0250691 A1 · SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VERIFYING DELIVERY AND INTEGRITY OF ELECTRONIC MESSAGES

Abstract

Third party verification of the content and delivery of an electronic message such as an e-snail, is provided using a server that receives an e-mail sent or forwarded to a specified addressee, and “tags” the message to indicate that it is “registered” with the service provider. The server establishes a direct connection with the addressee's Mail User Agent (MUA), and transmits the tagged email to the addressee's MUA, as well as to the MUA's of any other addressees. After receiving responses from the receiving MUA's that the message was successfully received, the server creates and forwards an electronic receipt to the message originator. The system operators can provide independent third party verification that the receipt is a genuine product of their system and that the information pertaining to content and delivery of the message is accurate, without the need to archive either the original message or the receipt.

Claims31

Dependent claims

1-83. (canceled)

A method of transmitting a message from a sender to a recipient, comprising:

adding a particular indication to a message to be sent to a recipient, the particular indication identifying the message as requiring special processing;
transmitting the message to a server remote from the recipient;
transmitting the message from the server to the recipient through a first route if the message lacks the particular indication;
and
processing the message by the server in accordance with the particular indication.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/794,663Filed 4 Jun 2010

Priority

28 Jul 1999

Published

30 Sep 2010

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H04L 63/0442
Wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload: wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply…
H04L 51/18
Characterised by the inclusion of specific contents: commands or executable codes
H04L 51/23
Monitoring or handling of messages: reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
H04L 51/234
Monitoring or handling of messages: for tracking messages

Family

Application60/146,074Us provisional application · filed 28 Jul 1999

Application60/172,479Us provisional application · filed 17 Dec 1999

Application09/626,577Continuation · filed 27 Jul 2000

Application12/794,663Continuation

US 7,966,372 B1Related patent

US 8,504,628 B2Related patent

US 2010/0250691 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

System and method for verifying delivery and integrity of electronic messages

Life of this patent

System and method for verifying delivery and integrity of electronic messages

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31