Method and apparatus for selective delivery and forwarding of electronic mail
First Claim
1. A method for distributing electronic mail messages addressed for delivery to an electronic mail address of an electronic mailbox, said method comprising:
- (a) forwarding a first subset of said messages to an alternate electronic mail address; and
(b) delivering a second subset of said messages to said mailbox.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for selectively delivering and forwarding electronic mail messages. A user having a certain electronic mailbox for receiving electronic mail messages provides an alternate electronic mail address of an alternate electronic mailbox. Criteria is established for determining whether an e-mail message addressed for delivery to the certain electronic mailbox will be delivered to that mailbox or forwarded to the alternate electronic mail address. The method is implemented by mail routing software running on a mail server. The mail routing software forwards mail messages meeting the criteria without delivering them to the electronic mailbox to which they were addressed. The method thereby lessens the burdens on the electronic mail system servicing the certain electronic mailbox and prevents delivery of inappropriate messages to the certain electronic mailbox while permitting retrieval of such messages via an alternate electronic mailbox. An apparatus for carrying out the inventive method is also provided.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for distributing electronic mail messages addressed for delivery to an electronic mail address of an electronic mailbox, said method comprising:
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(a) forwarding a first subset of said messages to an alternate electronic mail address; and
(b) delivering a second subset of said messages to said mailbox. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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20. A method for distributing electronic mail messages addressed to an electronic mail address of an electronic mailbox, said method comprising:
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(a) establishing an electronic mail account for a user, said account providing an electronic mailbox having an associated electronic mail address;
(b) storing an alternate electronic mail address for a user;
(c) receiving an electronic mail message addressed for delivery to said electronic mailbox;
(d) identifying a message characteristic associated with said mail message;
(e) comparing said message characteristic to routing criteria;
(f) delivering said mail message to said mailbox if said message characteristic corresponds with said routing criteria; and
(g) forwarding said mail message to said alternate electronic mail address if said message characteristic does not correspond with said routing criteria. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 24, 27)
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23. A mail server for distributing electronic mail messages addressed for delivery to an electronic mail address of an electronic mailbox, the mail server comprising:
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a central processing unit;
a memory operatively connected to said central processing unit;
a telecommunications device operatively connected to said central processing unit and capable of communicating via a communications network;
a first program stored in said memory and executable by said central processing unit for forwarding a first subset of said messages to an alternate electronic mail address; and
a second program stored in said memory and executable by said central processing unit for delivering a second subset of said messages to said mailbox.
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Specification