Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02423493 2003-03-21
Business method implemented on the message exchange system
with geographically driven addressing
The present invention relates to Internet based information processing. More
particularly, the present invention relates to Internet based exchanging of
electronic
messages (emails), and also provides secure communication between users.
In the email service business model, email service providers (ESP) usually
operate
email service opened for messages from any other ESP. The ESP usually allows
subscribers to choose any available (not used by existed subscribers) word or
alphanumerical text as an email address identifier, followed by domain name of
the
ESP or Internet Service Provider (ISP). Usually service providers allowed the
use of
the email system without confirmation of subscriber's name and address and
without restriction by the account name or the number of allowed email
accounts.
This practice has lead to existing difficulties of creation of email
directories for
finding of the person or business's email address and is partially responsible
for the
wide spread of unsolicited emails or so-called "spam". This practice makes no
relation between user's name or street address and email address. Also it
doesn't
prevent users from creating multiple email addresses. Existing email systems
allow
users be anonymous, except the case for closed systems, where senders belongs
to
particular group, such as company, or ISP. These are some of the reasons why
emails are not used as the secure and trusted communication tool for all
population.
The present invention is disclosed in response to above-mentioned
shortcomings.
The present invention relates to a business method that employs closed
electronic
message system with the participation (subscription) open to everyone with
valid
postal address. The system allows exchange of emails among subscribers. The
system provides sender with real address (and optionally name) of the
recipient.
And vice versa the system also provides recipient with verifiable return
address of
the sender as the real person or the real business.
The present invention includes a platform allowing enforce rules of usage.
Such
rules guaranty limitation of unsolicited emails for the subscribers.
Other components include sending of the initial password by regular mail. This
is to
confirm existence of the real person or the business, and to ensure that email
messages will be send and received by person or business who resides at
particular
address. Another important purpose of using the regular mail for sending
initial
password are the cases were person or business is moving to different address
and a
new owners should start using existed email address and old owners should stop
using it.
Another component includes pre or post-paid system. A subscriber purchased a
voucher at store. It could be any store that sells postal stamps or phone
cards. The
subscriber enters unique number from the voucher to pay for usage.
Any subscriber could have a certain credit for 50 or 100 messages that will
ensure
that subscribers are able to use the system at any time of need. Possible
system for
payment is the system when senders are paying for sending of the message, but
recipients get messages for free. This is the additional reason why senders
are not
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CA 02423493 2003-03-21
encouraged to send massive amounts of unsolicited advertisements. Consumers
who are willing to receive such messages will have electronic mailboxes for
advertisements. Direct access to those consumers will be an efficient method
for
advertising. Another feature of this payment platform is the ability to
provide
sender of the business advertiser with the number of possible recipients in a
given
geographical location
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to
those
ordinary skilled in the art upon review of the following descriptions of
specific
embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the transfer of the initial password to
the
subscriber with simultaneous confirmation of subscriber's street address, as
well as
structure of the Email Service Provider Web Site and message exchange in
accordance with the present invention.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in
the
appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of
use,
further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by
reference to
the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Perspective subscribers use Computer (100) to connect through the Internet
(102) to
the Email Service Provider Web Site (104) from subscriber's Home (106) or from
any other Computer (100) having Internet connection. After subscriber has
provided it's street address, Letter with initial Password (108) is sent from
the
Email Service Provider Office (110) to subscriber's home (106) through Postal
Service (112). Optional way of providing subscriber with initial password is
the use
of the telephone service (114) after confirmation of the telephone number of
the
subscriber through telephone directory (White Pages). After obtaining the
initial
password subscribers are ready to use the system. Subscribers interact with
the
system through the User Interface (116) transmitted from Ernail Service
Provider
Web Site (104). Subscribers are entering their received initial Password
provided
by the Address and Initial Password Generation block (118). After that
subscribers
have an option to change their password at any time by themselves. Address and
the password entered by the user are checked by the Ilser Password / Payment
Validation block (120). Email Messages Database (122) stores all messages as
the
single copy, which helps to reduce overall size of the memory required for the
system, and simplifies operations. Encryption Block (124) provides additional
level
of security for the system. Internal Rules Check and Enforce Block (126)
watches
for violations of the internal rules of the usage of the system and limits
user's
ability to use the system in case of the violation. For instance violations
such as
sending unsolicited messages to multiple addresses or sending advertising
message
to the personal folder of the subscriber. Other components of the system
didn't
mentioned before are the Printer for Letters with initial password (128) and
Telephone Modem (130) for sending Initial Password by callimg to subscriber's
telephone number found in the telephone directory.
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