# US 8,787,581 B2 · Teired key communication system and method in support of controlled vendor message processing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,787,581 B2 - Document ID: US8787581B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/848,634 - Filed: 2010-08-02 - Published: 2011-02-10 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-08-07 - Assignees: Eco-Mail Development, LLC - Applicants: Jay Maller - Inventors: Jay Maller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8787581B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising - G06F 21/60: Protecting data - G06Q 30/0258: {Registration} - G06Q 30/0261: {based on user location} - H04L 9/0825: {using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates} - H04L 9/083: {involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]} - H04L 9/321: {involving a third party or a trusted authority} - H04L 63/0435: {wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06)} - H04L 2209/56: Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash - H04L 2209/60: Digital content management, e.g. content distribution - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A computer-implemented system processes secure electronic documents from one or more content providers in accordance with subscriber instructions has a processor and modules operative within the processor. A monitoring module obtains a provider GUID, a subscriber GUID, and a transaction ID from public metadata associated with a transaction received from a particular content provider. A determination module determines any designees of the subscriber and contact information one or more of the subscriber and any designees. A transaction module distributes a transaction addressed to at least one of the subscriber and any designees. Each distributed transaction includes data that is used for management, tracking, and alerting. Also described is a station for constructing transactions for distribution to subscribers through such a system, and management of local-advertising to users of such a system. An end-to-end system and method are described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for managing transmission of encrypted electronic documents over a network between a content provider and a subscriber through a trusted resource, comprising: encrypting, at a content provider station, an electronic document that is to be sent to a particular subscriber using a symmetric key securely retained at the content provider; receiving, at a transaction management station, a key request from the content provider station that includes at least a respective identifier associated with the content provider and a respective identifier associated with the particular subscriber; using the respective identifiers, at the transaction management station, to determine a stored record of a relationship between the content provider and the particular subscriber; in response to determining the relationship, providing at the transaction management station an asymmetrically-encrypted, symmetric key (AESK); receiving, at the content provider station, the AESK that is provided by the transaction management station and that comprises the trusted resource in relation to the particular subscriber and the content provider; constructing, at the content provider station, a transaction that includes the encrypted electronic document, the AESK, and publicly inspectable metadata; distributing the transaction to the transaction management station; determining, at the transaction management station, a routing for the transaction using the publicly inspectable metadata; routing the transaction to at least one client station based on the determined routing; and unbundling the transaction, at the client station, by applying a private portion of an asymmetric key pair utilized to create the AESK, said private portion being associated with the particular subscriber and the content provider, wherein the content provider station, the transaction management station, and the client station are each machines having processors executing code so as to be configured to perform the steps set forth above. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the AESK received from the transaction management station comprises an encryption of the symmetric key using a public asymmetric key portion that has been established in relation to the particular subscriber and the content provider. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the public asymmetric key portion is securely retained at the transaction management station. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic document includes private metadata. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction management station archives each transaction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the unbundling step comprises influencing the display of the transaction at the client station on the basis of the public metadata. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic document includes private metadata, and wherein the unbundling step comprises influencing the display of the transaction at the client station on the basis of both the public metadata and the private metadata. ### Claim 8 A method for managing transmission of encrypted electronic documents over a network between a content provider and a subscriber through a trusted resource, the content provider using a symmetric key associated with each subscriber to encrypt an electronic document to be sent to a particular subscriber, the symmetric key being securely retained at the content provider, comprising: receiving, at a transaction management station, a key request from the content provider station that includes at least a respective identifier associated with the content provider and a respective identifier associated with the subscriber; using the respective identifiers, at the transaction management station to determine a stored record of a relationship between the content provider and the particular subscriber; in response to determining the relationship, providing at the transaction management station an asymmetrically-encrypted, symmetric key (AESK); forwarding the AESK from the transaction management station which comprises the trusted resource to the content provider, the AESK being correlated to the particular subscriber and the content provider; receiving, at the transaction management station, a transaction from the content provider that comprises the encrypted electronic document, the AESK, and publicly inspectable metadata; determining, at the transaction management station, a routing for the transaction using the publicly inspectable metadata; routing the transaction to at least one client station based on the determined routing; and enabling the client station to unbundle the transaction using a private portion of an asymmetric key pair utilized to create the AESK. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising encrypting the symmetric key using a public asymmetric key portion of the AESK that is correlated to the particular subscriber and the content provider. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the public asymmetric key portion is securely retained at the transaction management station. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising enabling the client station to take one or more actions on the electronic document after unbundling. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the electronic document includes private metadata. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the enabling step further comprises enabling the client station to influence the display of the transaction at the client station on the basis of the public metadata. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic document includes private metadata, and wherein the enabling step further comprises enabling the client station to influence the display of the transaction at the client station on the basis of both the public metadata and the private metadata. ### Claim 15 A system for managing transmission of encrypted electronic documents over a distributed computer network between a content provider and a subscriber through a trusted resource, comprising: a content provider station comprising a processor, a memory, and code executed in the processor, wherein the code causes the processor to: encrypt an electronic document that is to be sent to a particular subscriber using a symmetric key securely retained at the content provider; receive an asymmetrically-encrypted, symmetric key (AESK), the AESK correlated to the particular subscriber and content provider; construct a transaction that comprises the encrypted electronic document, the AESK, and publicly inspectable metadata; and distribute the transaction over the network; a transaction management station which comprises the trusted resource, comprising a processor, a memory, and code executed in the processor, wherein the code causes the processor to: receive a key request from the content provider station that includes at least a respective identifier associated with the content provider and a respective identifier associated with the subscriber; use the respective identifiers, at the transaction management station, to determine a stored record of a relationship between the provider and the particular subscriber; in response to determining the relationship, provide the AESK; forward the AESK to the content provider station over the network; receive the transaction from the content provider station over the network; determine a routing for the transaction using the publicly inspectable metadata; and route the transaction over the network; and a client station comprising a processor, a memory, and code executed in the processor, wherein the code causes the processor to: receive the transaction from a connection to the network; and unbundle the transaction by applying a private portion of an asymmetric key pair utilized to create the AESK, said private portion being associated with the particular subscriber and the content provider. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the AESK received from the transaction management station comprises an encryption of the symmetric key using a public asymmetric key portion that has been established in relation to the particular subscriber and the content provider. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the public asymmetric key portion is securely retained at the transaction management station. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic document includes private metadata. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein when the client station processor unbundles the transaction, it influences the display of the transaction at the client station on the basis of the public metadata. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the code further causes the processor to take one or more actions on the electronic document of the unbundled transaction.