Patent ID: 6366950
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of maintaining a user identification database that indicates when users are in communication with a network, the method comprising the acts of:associating in a computer accessible storage medium electronic mail addresses, processor-embedded identifiers and status information; receiving a first electronic message from a first computer, the first electronic message containing an electronic mail address and a copy of the processor embedded identifier existing in the first computer; using the first electronic mail address to access the corresponding processor-embedded identifier stored in the storage medium; comparing the processor-embedded identifier from the first computer with the processor-embedded identifiers of the storage medium; modifying the status information in the storage medium to indicate that the first electronic mail address is authentic when the processor-embedded identifier from the first computer matches a processor-embedded identifier of storage medium; receiving a second electronic message from a second computer, the second electronic message requesting authentication of the first electronic mail address; comparing the first electronic mail address with the electronic mail addresses stored in the storage medium; and sending a third message to the second computer that indicates whether the first electronic mail address is authentic.