System and method for cleansing addresses for electronic messages

• US 20020087640A1
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cufer Asset Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Quine, Douglas B., Schumacher, Karl H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,839,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

A method for correcting an e-mail message that has been determined as being undeliverable via a remote e-mail correcting computer having a unique e-mail address including the steps of prescribing at least one domain name address in the remote e-mail computer by a subscriber and prescribing at least one format for formatting e-mail addresses intended to be sent to the at least one domain name address. A ser then sends to the remote computer an e-mail message addressed to an intended e-mail address that was determined undeliverable. The remote computer receives this e-mail message from the senders computer that was addressed to an intended e-mail address. The intended e-mail address is parsed from the e-mail message in the remote computer to determine if the domain name address of the e-mail message has been prescribed with the remote computer. And, if yes, a message is sent to the senders computer indicating the prescribed at least one format for the parsed domain name address if the parsed domain name address has been prescribed with the remote computer.

Claims

1. A method for correcting an e-mail message that has been determined as being undeliverable via a remote e-mail correcting computer having a unique e-mail address, the method comprising the steps of:

prescribing at least one domain name address in the remote e-mail forwarding computer by a subscriber;

prescribing at least one format for formatting e-mail addresses intended to be sent to the at least one domain name address;

sending from a user to the remote computer an e-mail message addressed to an intended e-mail address;

receiving at the remote computer from a senders computer the e-mail message addressed to the intended e-mail address;

parsing the intended e-mail address from the e-mail message in the remote computer to determine if the domain name address of the e-mail message has been prescribed with the remote computer; and

sending a message to the senders computer indicating the prescribed at least one format for the parsed domain name address if the parsed domain name address has been prescribed with the remote computer.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further including the step of prescribing a plurality of correct usemames for the prescribed domain name address in the remote computer.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 further including the step of determining in the remote computer if there is a closet match between one of the prescribed correct usernames with that of the username associated with the e-mail message sent to the remote computer.