17 May 2016 – Two-time Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey can now add a new accomplishment to his list of lifetime achievements: patented inventor. The star of the popular “House of Cards” political drama and his long-time producing partner Dana Brunetti revealed last Friday that they were awarded U.S. Patent Number 9,306,887 B1 for “Systems and methods for implementing email delivery.”
Part of the patent abstract reads:
“The invention relates to systems and methods for managing emails where an email server that may comprise one or more computer systems, and which may be part of an email system, receives an email addressed to a specified first user. The email server may analyze the received email and access one or more electronic databases, which may comprise information related to one or more respective registered users of the email system. The databases may be stored on one or more computer-readable storage media operatively connected to the email server.”
The co-inventors said the email filtering patent, issued in April, was inspired by instances when Spacey would be CC’d rather than BCC’d in an email chain, which resulted in all recipients being aware of the star’s email address and would force the actor to constantly get a new email address lest he be deluged with project pitches and stalker emails. Speaking to Variety magazine, which broke the story, Brunetti said:
“With this system, he could put his email address on the side of a building and still get emails only from people he wanted. I also have my own frustration of people I don’t know easily contacting me at any time. Everyone has their phones attached to them now, and I feel it is intrusive for anyone to be able to get a message freely to anyone at any time as long as they have their address.”
Calling it akin to a “digital doorman at a velvet rope,” the patented email system sends unapproved email senders a note that they are not on the recipient’s approved list. Newly approved senders have to input a PIN before correspondence can take place while those who have already been emailed by the recipient are automatically added to the list of approved senders.
Spacey and Brunetti are credited as both the inventors and the assignees of the patent. Brunetti also said the invention has business applications, but the pair have yet to take the next step in development.
“Now we just need to get it built,” Brunetti said over the weekend via Twitter.
While unusual, it’s not unprecedented for Hollywood heavyweights to be awarded patents. “Titanic” and “Avatar” director James Cameron has a patent covering what is essentially an underwater dolly allowing a cameraman to easily maneuver a camera while being propelled by a submersible. The technology was developed during the filming of 1989 thriller “The Abyss,” according to news reports.
“Star Wars” director George Lucas has more than 10 patents covering action figures related to the legendary sci-fi franchise while the late actor Marlon Brando was awarded a handful of patents covering percussion instruments.