Systems and methods for secure and certified electronic messaging

#The present invention relates generally to secure electronic messaging. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for secure electronic messaging from a plurality of users to one or more electronic mailboxes and the like using a combination of biometric security, a separate and secure network and email infrastructure, email management processes, and the addition of text, audio and visual format options to sending emails messages.

#The use of electronic mail (email) and attachments has grown substantially over the last few decades. Unfortunately, so have the problems of identity verification, security, privacy and proof of delivery; not to mention all the spam, viruses, and other harmful malware which has become the norm with using the popular, everyday email systems like Hotmail, AOL, Gmail and even Outlook. And, most use the “very public and very vulnerable” Internet as their worldwide network.

#Millions of these international email users receive emails and attachments from people they do not know or from people they are not certain as to whether “they are who they say they are”. The challenge is how does a recipient determine the legitimacy or know the true intentions of the sender in the world of the “Unvetted Public Internet”. Before a user opens their latest emails and/or attachments, they pause and worry; even when the senders' names are familiar to them, like a friend or their local banker. The questions—“is that really you?” and “what are your intentions?” haunts every recipient as they decide to either open or delete the latest entries in their Inbox. And, as spam filters try to assist, they often catch the good emails (with the bad) that users do want, causing them to continually review the contents of the spam log to identify and retrieve them for normal viewing.

#The present invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to the various drawings, in which like reference numbers denote like method steps and/or system components, respectively, and in which:

#FIG. 1 is a high-level network diagram of a message exchange between two users interacting in the Public Internet versus a Private, Bio-Enable Network according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a flowchart of various processes associated with creating, sending, and managing certified electronic messages according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

#In various exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods for secure electronic messaging from a plurality of users to one or more electronic mailboxes and the like using a combination of biometric security, a separate and secure network and email infrastructure, email management processes, and the addition of text, audio and visual format options to sending emails messages.

#Referring to FIG. 1, a high-level network diagram 100 illustrates a message exchange of two users 102, 104 interacting in the Public Internet 106 versus a Private, Bio-Enable Network 108 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this diagram 100, the users 102, 104 represent a person, organization, etc. with the ability to send electronic messages over the Internet 106. Electronic messages can include electronic mail (“email”), file exchange such as through email attachments or file transfer protocol (FTP), audio-visual messaging, instant messaging, text messaging, and the like. Disadvantageously, conventional message exchanges over the Public Internet 106 includes minimal security, unvetted senders/recipients, lack of bio-identify verification, limited proof of delivery, limited encryption, limited large file support, substantial virus/malware exposure, endless spam, and the like.

#The present invention provides a biometric-enabled, point-to-point encrypted, certified electronic messaging system over the Private, Bio-Enable Network 108 providing a worldwide community of users with the highest levels of identity verification, security and privacy, and proof of delivery when exchanging important, high-value email messages and files. Messages can be in text, audio and visual formats, with large attachments (e.g., up to four gigabytes in size, but larger sizes are also contemplated). Recipients can either read the sender's email text message, hear the sender speak the message, or watch (and hear) them speak.