System and method for message transmit-receive and document management

Abstract

A communication system and method transmits electronic mail among multiple users that are senders or recipients of the mail, or both. The system and method use and augment the Internet with a postal server and software linked to the Internet. The sender and recipient have terminals also linked to the Internet. The sender uses postal sender software to select transmission with certain premium services. The system and method include payment and accounting functions for use of the premium services. The system and method can operate with plural postal servers at one or more locations. Communications can utilize the postal server and software only for processing data about the message and / or its transmission. Communications among the Sender, Recipient, and postal server can create virtual intranet-like qualities. Transmitted electronic mail uses message data to identify the Sender, authenticate and verify the email, and direct its processing.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to communication systems and methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods that enable the public to send and receive e-mail and messages over the Internet with greater assurance of delivery, security, privacy, priority and manageability than conventional e-mail. Background technique [0002] The Internet has revolutionized information sharing. The growth of e-mail on the Internet has been surprisingly robust, and the forecast for future expansion is equally strong. Email usage is exploding due to the proliferation of computing devices of all kinds, and due to the availability and utilization of greater telecommunications bandwidth. It is estimated that in 2002, 31 billion e-mail messages were sent every day, this number is growing by more than 20% every year, and it is expected to exceed 60 billion / day in 2006. [0003] But this rapid growth of e-mail has created significant, mostly u...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

While some may find this service attractive, it presents the convenience that the sender cannot use his own mailbox (ie, his own email application) to mail the document

Second, the system is still largely a physical, non-electronic process, with all the limitations inherent in physical mail delivery

Third, the recipient cannot use his e-mail (ie, his e-mail application) to receive the document

Additionally, these partial services often involve cumbersome processes, including, for example, asking senders to leave their email application and log into the service provider's website

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