Method and apparatus for providing automatic e-mail filtering based on message semantics, sender's e-mail ID, and user's identity

• US 20020116641A1
• Filed: 02/22/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mastrianni, Steven J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,941,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and apparatus for providing context-aware automatic e-mail filtering and reply generation based on message semantics, sender'"'"'s e-mail ID, and the user'"'"'s identity is provided. In one embodiment, e-mail received from objectionable sources as determined by the sender'"'"'s ID or the IP address from which the e-mail originate are deleted. In other embodiments, e-mail containing objectionable content as determined by the presence of objectionable words or phrases or by an objectionable score determined by assigning weights to various words and phrases that exceeds a threshold value. Other embodiments allow for attachments to be forwarded to a parent or system administrator and approval received from the parent or system administrator prior to allowing access to the attachment by the recipient.

Claims

1. A method of filtering electronic mail, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic mail message;

determining a recipient identification; and

applying filtering definitions to the electronic mail message based on the recipient identification.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein applying filtering definitions comprises, responsive to a determination that the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source, deleting the electronic mail message without presentation of the electronic mail message to a user.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the determination that the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source is made based on a sender'"'"'s user name.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the determination that the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source is made based on the IP address from which the electronic mail originated.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein applying filtering definitions to the electronic mail message comprises, responsive to a determination that the electronic mail message contains objectionable content, deleting the electronic mail message with presentation of the electronic mail message to a user.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the determination that the electronic mail message contains objectionable content is based on a determination that an objectionable phrase is present within the electronic mail message.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the determination that the electronic mail message contains objectionable content is based on a determination that an objectionable score calculated by assigning weights to certain objectionable words and phrases exceeds a threshold value.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein applying filtering definitions comprises, responsive to a determination that the electronic mail message contains an attachment, forwarding the attachment to a screening user and preventing access to the attachment by the recipient until the screening user has authorized access.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein applying filtering definitions comprises, responsive to an indication that the electronic mail message contains content appropriate for a different recipient, forwarding the electronic mail message to the different recipient.

10. A computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for filtering electronic mail, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving an electronic mail message;

second instructions for determining a recipient identification; and

third instructions for applying filtering definitions to the electronic mail message based on the recipient identification.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein applying filtering definitions comprises, responsive to a determination that the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source, deleting the electronic mail message without presentation of the electronic mail message to a user.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the determination that the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source is made based on a sender'"'"'s user name.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the determination that the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source is made based on the IP address from which the electronic mail originated.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein applying filtering definitions to the electronic mail message comprises, responsive to a determination that the electronic mail message contains objectionable content, deleting the electronic mail message with presentation of the electronic mail message to a user.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the determination that the electronic mail message contains objectionable content is based on a determination that an objectionable phrase is present within the electronic mail message.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the determination that the electronic mail message contains objectionable content is based on a determination that an objectionable score calculated by assigning weights to certain objectionable words and phrases exceeds a threshold value.

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein applying filtering definitions comprises, responsive to a determination that the electronic mail message contains an attachment, forwarding the attachment to a screening user and preventing access to the attachment by the recipient until the screening user has authorized access.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein applying filtering definitions comprises, responsive to an indication that the electronic mail message contains content appropriate for a different recipient, forwarding the electronic mail message to the different recipient.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the second component within the semantic engine comprises a objectionable mail deletion component which, responsive to a determination that the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source, deletes the electronic mail message without presentation of the electronic mail message to a user.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the objectionable mail deletion component uses a sender'"'"'s user name to determine whether that the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source.

22. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the objectionable mail deletion component uses the IP address from which the electronic mail originated to determine whether the electronic mail message originated from an objectionable source.

23. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the second component within the semantic engine includes an objectionable mail deletion component which, responsive to a determination that the electronic mail message contains objectionable content, deletes the electronic mail message after presentation of the electronic mail message to a screening user.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the second component within the semantic engine includes an objectionable phrase determination component which makes a determination of whether the electronic mail message contains objectionable content based on a determination that an objectionable phrase is present within the electronic mail message.

25. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the second component within the semantic engine determines whether the electronic mail message contains objectionable content based on a determination of whether an objectionable score calculated by assigning weights to certain objectionable words and phrases exceeds a threshold value.

26. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the second component within the semantic engine, in response to determining that the electronic mail message contains an attachment, forwards the attachment to a screening user and prevents access to the attachment by the recipient until the screening user has authorized access.

27. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the second component within the semantic engine, responsive to an indication that the electronic mail message contains content appropriate for a different recipient, forwards the electronic mail message to the different recipient.

19. An electronic mail filtering system, the system comprising:

a network interface which receives an electronic mail message; and

a semantic engine having a first and a second component;

wherein

the first component determines a recipient identification; and

the second component applies filtering definitions to the electronic mail message based on the recipient identification.