Patent ID: 7730139
Filing Date: 2010-06-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of automatically processing an electronic mail message sent from a sending computer to a recipient computer, the method comprising the steps of: i) a trusted server generating a public encryption key to encrypt tags for inclusion in electronic mail messages, and a corresponding private encryption key stored on said trusted server; ii) said recipient computer determining one or more identification codes and corresponding actions which define how electronic mail messages will be automatically processed by said recipient computer and communicating said one or more identification codes and corresponding actions to said sending computer; iii) said sending computer, prior to sending said electronic mail message, selecting one of said one or more identification codes, based on said corresponding actions entering said selected identification code into computer-implemented means for generating an encrypted tag and receiving from said tag generating means an encrypted tag, wherein said encrypted tag contains said selected identification code which has been encrypted by said public encryption key; iv) said sending computer adding said encrypted tag to said electronic mail message to form a tagged electronic mail message; v) said sending computer forwarding said tagged electronic mail message to said trusted server; vi) said trusted server decrypting said encrypted tag using said private key; vii) said trusted server forwarding said decrypted tag and said electronic mail message to said recipient computer; and viii) said recipient computer automatically processing said electronic mail message based on said selected identification code and corresponding action; wherein said automatic processing step is selected from the group consisting of: a) storing said email according to said selected identification code; b) routing said email according to said selected identification code; and c) commencing a further processing application according to said selected identification code.