US 7,610,339 B2 · Internet-based communications verification system

Abstract

A system is provided for the verified exchange of messages through an electronic message exchange system and for the verified archiving of such messages. More particularly, the message format of an initiating message, and optionally of subsequent messages in the exchange of messages, is structured to command the recipient of the message to accept or to express a lack of acceptance of the content of the transmitted message, or to reply in some other structured manner. The entirety of an exchange of messages between two (or more) parties, including the acceptance or non-acceptance of content at any stage of the exchange, is recorded in the secure archives of an authenticator, which facility can verify the authenticity, sequence, date, time and content of and parties to any exchange of messages sent within the inventive system, including acceptance or non-acceptance of content of a given message at any stage of the exchange.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A network-based system for providing verification of a series of messages exchanged between at least a sender station and a recipient station of the network, said system comprising an authenticator for:

i. routing, authenticating and storing at least three related identifiable telecommunicated messages in said series of messages exchanged between the sender station and the recipient station;
ii. authenticating said recipient station, and classifying the recipient station's response to an originating message in said series of messages, said response being selected at the recipient station from a group comprising at least (a) acceptance and rejection of the originating message, (b) response to a question in the originating message;
and (c) response to an offer or option included in the originating message;
iii. alerting the sender station to the receipt of the recipient's response to the originating message;
iv. generating and maintaining a unique message record for the series, including the originating message and of all subsequent messages in the series;
v. providing an authentic record of an agreement reached and defined by the series of messages;
and
vi. authenticating said sender station, and determining membership of a sender associated with said sender station and a recipient associated with said recipient station in an authorized class of parties to said messages, prior to routing said message to said recipient station.

5 more elements

A method of routing and verifying a sender's message and a recipient's response in an exchange of related identifiable telecommunicated messages exchanged between at least a sender station and a recipient station within a network, thereby to enable provision of an authentic record of the exchanged message, comprising centrally performing the following tasks:

a. receiving an originating message from a sender station;
b. authenticating the identity of said sender station and determining membership of a sender associated with said sender station in an authorized class of parties to said message;
c. authenticating the originating message and recording and storing the originating message in a message record uniquely associated with the exchange;
d. authenticating the identity of the recipient station, and determining membership of a recipient associated with said recipient station in an authorized class of parties to said message, and notifying the recipient station of the originating message and providing to the recipient station access to the contents of the message;
e. receiving, identifying, and recording the recipient's response to the originating message, the response being selected from and limited to a preselected group;
the group comprising acceptance, rejection, a request for clarification, and editing the original message;
f. storing the response in the message record;
g. alerting the sender station to the receipt of the response;
and
h. communicating to the sender station on demand the content of the response or of selected portions of the response.

7 more elements

A method of verifying a series of messages exchanged between at least a sender station and recipient station of a network thereby to enable provision of an authentic record of an agreement reached and defined by the message exchanged, and storing said series, comprising

a. authenticating the identity of said sender station and determining membership of a sender associated with said sender station in an authorized class of parties to said message;
b. routing, authenticating and storing of at least three related identifiable telecommunicated messages in the series of messages exchanged between the sender station and the recipient station after authenticating the identity of said recipient station and determining membership of a recipient associated with said recipient station in an authorized class of parties to said message;
c. classifying the recipient station's response to an originating message in said series of messages, said response being selected at the recipient station from a group comprising at least (i) acceptance and rejection of the originating message, (ii) a response to a question in the originating message;
and (iii) a response to an offer or option included in the originating message;
d. alerting the sender station to the receipt of the recipient's response to the originating message;
and
e. creating and storing a unique identifiable analog message record for the originating message and all subsequent messages in the series.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Internet-based communications verification system

Life of this patent

Internet-based communications verification system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20