US 7,627,640 B2 · Messaging and document management system and method

Abstract

A communication system and method transmits electronic mail among multiple users that are senders or recipients of the mail, or both. The system and method use and augment the Internet with a postal server and software linked to the Internet. The sender and recipient have terminals also linked to the Internet. The sender uses postal sender software to select transmission with certain premium services. The system and method include payment and accounting functions for use of the premium services. The system and method can operate with plural postal servers at one or more locations. Communications can utilize the postal server and software only for processing data about the message and/or its transmission. Communications among the Sender, Recipient, and postal server can create virtual intranet-like qualities. Transmitted electronic mail uses message data to identify the Sender, authenticate and verify the email, and direct its processing.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A communication system that transmits electronic mail having a message content component and a message data component relating to the message content and/or its transmission, among multiple Sender and Recipient terminals and which both uses and augments the Internet, comprising:

an ePostal server and ePostal server software,
links connecting the Sender and Recipient terminals and said ePostal server and ePostal server software to the Internet, and
Sender ePostal software
(i) operable on at least the Sender terminal and
(ii) operable with conventional electronic mail application software also operating on the Sender terminal to
(iii) selectively provide access by the Sender terminal and said Sender Postal software to said ePostal server and ePostal server software for managing and processing the electronic mail transmitted from the Sender terminal in order to provide the communication system's premium mail services to the electronic mail,
(iv) begin processing of said premium mail services to the electronic mail, and
(v) facilitate the Sender terminal and said Sender ePostal software and said Postal server and ePostal server software communicating with one another, at least in part, using direct communications.

5 more elements

A method of communication for electronic mail, having a message content component and message data component relating to the message and/or its transmission, among multiple Sender and Recipient terminals that both uses and augments the Internet, comprising:

providing an ePostal server and ePostal server software;
linking the Sender and Recipient terminals to the Internet and said ePostal server and ePostal server software;
providing Sender ePostal software
(i) operating on the Sender terminal, and
(ii) operating with conventional electronic mail application software also operating on the Sender terminal,
(iii) to provide selectively access by the Sender terminal and said Sender ePostal software to said ePostal server and ePostal server software for managing and processing the electronic mail transmitted from the Sender terminal in order to provide the communication system's said premium electronic mail services to the electronic mail, and
(iv) to begin processing of said premium mail services to the electronic mail and
(v) using said electronic ePostal server and ePostal server software to process at least a part of the message data component of the transmitted electronic mail.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Messaging and document management system and method

Life of this patent

Messaging and document management system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39