Patent Application for Method of Integrating Internet SMTP Messaging with Postal Services Figure 1 Hybrid Mail SMTP Handler

Patent Application for Method of Integrating Internet SMTP Messaging with Postal Services Figure 2 Authentication

Patent Application for Method of Integrating Internet SMTP Messaging with Postal Services Figure 3 SMTP Address Handler

Patent Application for Method of Integrating Internet SMTP Messaging with Postal Services Figure 4 Itemised Billing Information Message-id Customer-id  Date-time  Status  From-address  To-address  Number of pages printed & mail class  Cost

Patent Application for Method of Integrating Internet SMTP Messaging with Postal Services Figure 5 Enable browser & enter hybrid mail web service site Enter contact details, -address and credit or debit card Validate credit or debit card details Get customer-id web logon & Prompt for if user has no or cannot forward existing address OK Generate web logon [and optionally Request certificate Issue S-MIME X.509 certificate Update authentication profile if requested. Prompt whether certificate required for authentication? OK Welcome Well Done! Hybrid Mail Service Activation Subscriber Hybrid Mail System

Patent Application for Method of Integrating Internet SMTP Messaging with Postal Services Figure 6 Enable browser or -client Provide logon or trusted address and/or certificate authenticate Send message Analyse address type Generate message-id Generate charge-record Pass message to HM or fax-telephony.. gateway Return message-id Customer Care: track message-id raise & follow trouble-ticket-id on-line itemised billing maintain customer profile including B-party messaging preferences Support back-end subscriber profile, assurance & billing functions Usage of Hybrid Mail Subscriber Hybrid Mail System