Trusted Delivery Server for Secure Electronic Mail
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional postal system for delivering financial statements, invoices, and other essential mail items is inefficient, costly, and environmentally harmful, with low uptake of electronic delivery due to security and trust concerns, despite its potential for reducing delays and resource consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for electronic delivery of essential mail items using a delivery server with a database to verify subscriber nominations and establish trusted communications channels with service providers, ensuring secure and controlled delivery, similar to the conventional postal system, with authentication and unique subscriber identifiers for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If electronic delivery system is implemented, then delivery speed and cost efficiency are improved, but security and trust reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a trusted delivery server as an intermediary between service providers and subscribers. This server acts as a secure mediator that verifies subscriber identities, manages electronic mailbox access, and controls document delivery. The trusted operator status of the delivery server provides the reliability and trust needed to overcome security concerns, while still enabling fast electronic delivery compared to conventional postal systems.
2Reliability
If conventional postal system is used, then security and trust are maintained, but delivery time increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical postal delivery system with an electronic information delivery system. Instead of physical mail being transported through postal networks, documents are transmitted electronically through a trusted delivery server. This substitution maintains security and trust through the trusted operator model while eliminating the time delays inherent in physical mail processing and delivery.
3Productivity
If electronic mail delivery is implemented, then cost is reduced and speed is improved, but security vulnerabilities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and verification actions before document delivery. The delivery server verifies subscriber identities, checks authorization credentials, and validates service provider credentials before allowing any document access or delivery. This preliminary security verification ensures that cost-effective electronic delivery does not compromise security, as all access is pre-authorized and monitored.
Data Source
AI summary
A delivery server, and a method of operating same for providing an trusted electronic mail service for the delivery of items to a subscriber. An associated database contains subscriber details. The server receives from the subscriber a nomination of at least one service provider from which the subscriber wishes to receive electronic mail items. The nomination is stored in the database in association with the subscriber details. A trusted communications channel is established between the delivery server and a service provider computer system, for example via the Internet or other public network. The delivery server receives essential mail data from the service provider via the communications channel, and verifies that the subscriber wishes to receive a corresponding electronic mail item, by comparison with subscriber details and nominations stored in the database. In the event that the verification is successful, the delivery server delivers the electronic mail item to the subscriber.