Patent ID: 9338119
Filing Date: 2016-05-10
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method of handling electronic mail messages in an electronic mail system, the method comprising: establishing a secure connection between a client of a message sender and a first mail server of a message recipient in the electronic mail system, the first mail server of the message recipient being distinct from a second mail server associated with the message sender; participating in an authentication exchange to verify the identity of the client of the message sender; and upon successful verification of the identity of the client of the message sender, the client of the message sender depositing an electronic mail message with the first mail server of the message recipient; wherein the client of the message sender and the first mail server of the message recipient communicate one-to-one at an application layer of the electronic mail system; wherein the client of the message sender and the first mail server of the message recipient comprise respective end-points in the application layer; and wherein the client of the message sender depositing the electronic mail message with the first mail server of the message recipient does not require any server-to-server protocols between the first mail server of the message recipient and the second mail server associated with the message sender.