Patent ID: 9363084
Filing Date: 2016-06-07
CPC Classification: G06Q,H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method for distinguishing a given email message having content and being sent to one a recipient from a given sender from unwanted and unsolicited email messages comprising, in combination, the steps performed by or on behalf of said given sender of said given mail message comprising: processing said content of said given email message to form an encrypted digital signature which authenticates the content of said given email message and a sender identifier that identifies said given sender and further manifests a legally binding promise by said given sender that said given email message conforms to one or more rules of good conduct which prohibit the transmission of said unwanted and unsolicited email messages including a promise by said given sender that said given email message is being sent to said recipient in response to a prior request received from said recipient or a permission granted by said recipient, said step of processing said content of said given message to form an encrypted digital signature comprising, in combination, the substeps of: adding metadata to said content of said given email message that manifests said legally binding promise and includes said sender identifier that identifies said given sender, obtaining a pair of encryption key values comprising a private key and a public key, processing said content of said given email message including said metadata employing a hash function to form condensed digest of said content; encrypting said digest using said private key to form a digital signature, and transmitting said digital signature with said given email message to said recipient whereby said recipient may decrypt said digital signature using said public key to authenticate said message, to confirm the identity of said given sender and to verify the existence of said legally binding promise.