P2P Email System Decentralized Storage and Encryption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing email systems face inefficiencies such as high energy consumption, limitations on attachment sizes, lack of protection against malicious recipients, and inefficiencies in encoding attachments, which hinder the exchange of large files like HD videos, and are plagued by unsolicited advertising emails.
Innovation Solution
A Peer-to-Peer (P2P) email and social networking system that allows decentralized storage and encryption of emails, enables direct transmission and caching of large files, and integrates advertising based on user interests, allowing users to send and receive large files while viewing them in progress and generating revenue through advertisement display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If centralized SMTP server farms are used for email delivery, then email routing and delivery can be managed centrally, but energy consumption becomes excessively high (over two billion dollars annually)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized email server system into distributed peer nodes across the network. Instead of relying on centralized SMTP server farms, email messages are routed through multiple peer computers that form a distributed network, thereby eliminating the need for energy-intensive centralized server infrastructure while maintaining automated routing capabilities.
2Quantity of substance
If SMTP servers restrict attachment sizes to manage system resources, then server storage and processing loads are controlled, but users cannot exchange large video files
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the attachment size constraint from the traditional email protocol dimension to a new dimension by implementing a separate file transfer mechanism. Large video files are transferred through the peer-to-peer network using a different protocol layer that bypasses SMTP attachment size restrictions, allowing HD video exchange while maintaining standard email functionality for smaller attachments.
3Adaptability or versatility
If base64 encoding is used for email attachments, then compatibility with 7-bit email systems is improved, but CPU cycles and processing time are significantly consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the encoding/decoding processing step from the email transmission process. Instead of applying base64 encoding to all attachments, the system directly transmits files in their native format through the peer-to-peer network, eliminating the CPU-intensive encoding and decoding operations while maintaining compatibility through protocol translation at the network layer.
4Device complexity
If traditional email delivery methods are used, then simple protocols can be maintained, but users cannot play large video files during delivery or on large format displays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by initiating video playback before the complete file transfer is finished. The peer-to-peer system allows the recipient player to start playing the video file as it is being received, and the transfer continues in the background. This eliminates the waiting time associated with traditional email delivery while keeping the protocol relatively simple through incremental file transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A Peer-to-Peer (“P2P”) email and social networking system for use by plural users to exchange emails and attachments includes a mesh network that includes plural node computers, each running a P2P email client, and each constructed to transmit and receive emails. The emails are stored in mailboxes residing on each node computer, and may be encrypted during transmission, and may remain encrypted while stored at each node computer.