Indirect disposable email addressing

• US 20040148358A1
• Filed: 01/28/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sharma, Vivek, Singh, Tarvinder P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• 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 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for reducing unsolicited electronic messages by using immutable email identities in place of traditional email addresses. Over any of various protocols, an address generation server receives an electronic message requesting a disposable address for an intended recipient having an immutable email identity. The request also includes a return address for the sender, which discourages unsolicited messages because most senders of unsolicited messages prefer to remain anonymous. After receiving the request, the address generation server creates the disposable electronic message address, which may be limited in use. A challenge must be completed before the address may be discovered or used. This challenge further discourages unsolicited electronic messages because it imposes a burden that many senders of unsolicited messages are unwilling to bear.

Claims

1. In a system for exchanging electronic messages between senders and recipients, a method of reducing unsolicited electronic messages for a recipient by creating one or more disposable electronic message addresses to avoid the need for sharing one or more permanent electronic message addresses, the method comprising acts of:

receiving at an address generation server, an electronic message comprising a request address for identifying an intended recipient and a return electronic message address corresponding to a sender of the received electronic message;

verifying that the intended recipient identified by the request address is known to the address generation server;

creating a disposable electronic message address for the intended recipient, wherein the disposable electronic message address is formatted so as to require a challenge of some form before the disposable electronic message address may be used, the challenge discouraging use of the disposable electronic message address for sending unsolicited electronic messages; and

sending the disposable electronic message address to the return electronic message address included in the received electronic message so that the sender may use the disposable electronic message address to send one or more electronic messages to the intended recipient.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic message comprises an electronic mail message.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the electronic mail message is initiated in response to a user selecting a “

mailfor”

uniform resource identifier in a web document.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the disposable address comprises a globally unique identifier.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the return electronic mail address represents a request for a disposable electronic message address corresponding to the sender, the method further comprising acts of:

receiving a sender'"'"'s challenge in response to sending the created disposable electronic message address to the return electronic message address included in the received electronic message;

completing the sender'"'"'s challenge to obtain a disposable electronic message addressed for the sender; and

sending the disposable electronic message address, created in response to the received electronic message, to the disposable electronic message address obtained for the sender by completing the received challenge.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the address generation server comprises an electronic message server that receives and processes electronic messages directed to the disposable electronic message address created for the intended recipient.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the received electronic message comprises a header identifying the received electronic message as a request for the disposable electronic message address of the intended recipient.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of sending a notification to the intended recipient that the electronic message for requesting the disposable electronic message address was received by the address generation server.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of adding the return electronic message address to an allow list associated with the disposable electronic message address to indicate that electronic messages received from the return electronic message address are authorized to use the disposable electronic message address.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the electronic message is electronically addressed to one or more recipients other than the intended recipient, the method further comprising an act of adding the electronic address of the one or more other recipients to the allow list.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the challenge comprises at least one of a computational challenge, a monetary challenge, and a human challenge.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic message is received from an electronic message server that receives electronic message directed to on or more disposable electronic message addresses created for the intended recipient because the sender identified by the return electronic message address is not authorized to use a previously created disposable electronic message address to which the electronic message was directed.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of assigning one or more expiry criteria to the disposable electronic message address.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the expiry criteria comprises at least one of a received electronic message count, an expiration time, and an inactivity time.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the return electronic message address is determined to be associated with a sender of unsolicited email, and wherein the disposable electronic message address is a null address at which received electronic messages may be deleted automatically, without interaction from the intended recipient.

16. For a system that exchanges electronic messages between senders and recipients, a computer program product comprising one or more computer readable media carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method of reducing unsolicited electronic messages for a recipient by creating one or more disposable electronic message addresses to avoid the need for sharing one or more permanent electronic message addresses, the method comprising acts of:

receiving at an address generation server, an electronic message comprising a request address for identifying an intended recipient and a return electronic message address corresponding to a sender of the received electronic message;

verifying that the intended recipient identified by the request address is known to the address generation server;

creating a disposable electronic message address for the intended recipient, wherein the disposable electronic message address is formatted so as to require a challenge of some form before the disposable electronic message address may be used, the challenge discouraging use of the disposable electronic message address for sending unsolicited electronic messages; and

sending the disposable electronic message address to the return electronic message address included in the received electronic message so that the sender may use the disposable electronic message address to send one or more electronic messages to the intended recipient.

17. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the electronic message comprises an electronic mail message.

18. A computer program product as recited in claim 17, wherein the electronic mail message is initiated in response to a user selecting a “

mailfor”

uniform resource identifier in a web document.

19. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the return electronic mail address represents a request for a disposable electronic message address corresponding to the sender, the method further comprising acts of:

receiving a sender'"'"'s challenge in response to sending the created disposable electronic message address to the return electronic message address included in the received electronic message;

completing the sender'"'"'s challenge to obtain a disposable electronic message addressed for the sender; and

sending the disposable electronic message address, created in response to the received electronic message, to the disposable electronic message address obtained for the sender by completing the received challenge.

20. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the address generation server comprises an electronic message server that receives and processes electronic messages directed to the disposable electronic message address created for the intended recipient.

21. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, further comprising an act of sending a notification to the intended recipient that the electronic message for requesting the disposable electronic message address was received by the address generation server.

22. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, further comprising an act of adding the return electronic message address to an allow list associated with the disposable electronic message address to indicate that electronic messages received from the return electronic message address are authorized to use the disposable electronic message address.

23. A computer program product as recited in claim 22, wherein the electronic message is electronically addressed to one or more recipients other than the intended recipient, the method further comprising an act of adding the electronic address of the one or more other recipients to the allow list.

24. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the challenge comprises at least one of a computational challenge, a monetary challenge, and a human challenge.

25. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, the method further comprising an act of assigning one or more expiry criteria to the disposable electronic message address.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the return electronic message address is determined to be associated with a sender of unsolicited email, and wherein the disposable electronic message address is a null address at which received electronic messages may be deleted automatically, without interaction from the intended recipient.

27. A computer program product as recited in claim 16, wherein the address generation server receives the electronic message from another server.

28. In a system for exchanging electronic messages between senders and recipients, a method of reducing unsolicited electronic messages for a recipient by creating one or more disposable electronic message addresses to avoid the need for sharing one or more permanent electronic message addresses, the method comprising steps for:

validating a received request for an electronic message address corresponding to an intended recipient identified in the request, wherein the request comprises a return electronic message address for the requestor;

in response to the received request, generating a response comprising a disposable electronic message address for the intended recipient and a challenge to complete before the disposable electronic message address may be used, thereby discouraging use of the disposable electronic message address for sending unsolicited electronic messages; and

returning the response to the requestor so that the requester may use the disposable electronic message address after completing the challenge to send one or more electronic messages to the intended recipient.

29. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the electronic message comprises at least one or an electronic mail message and a World Wide Web request.

30. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the request is received by address generation server that is separate from an electronic message server for receiving electronic messages that are directed to the disposable electronic message address for the intended recipient.

31. A method as recited in claim 28, further comprising a step for notifying the intended recipient of the request.

32. A method as recited in claim 28, further comprising a step for associating the requester with the disposable electronic message address.

33. A method as recited in claim 28, further comprising a step for associating one or more expiry criteria with the disposable electronic message address.

34. In a client system that connects to an electronic messaging system for exchanging electronic messages between senders and recipients, a method of sending an electronic message to a recipient without knowing the recipient'"'"'s one or more actual electronic message addresses, thereby allowing the recipient to reduce unsolicited electronic messages sent to the recipient, the method comprising acts of:

sending an initial electronic message to an address generation server, the initial electronic message comprising an address identifying the intended recipient and a return address for a sender of the electronic message;

receiving a response from the address generation server that includes a disposable electronic message address for the intended recipient and a challenge to be completed prior to using the disposable electronic message address, the challenge discouraging use of the disposable electronic message address for unsolicited electronic messages;

completing the challenge received in the response; and

sending one or more subsequent electronic messages to the intended recipient using the disposable electronic message address.

35. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the initial electronic message comprises at least one or an electronic mail message and a World Wide Web request.

36. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the initial electronic message comprises a header identifying the initial electronic message as a request for the disposable electronic message address of the intended recipient.

37. A method as recited in claim 34, wherein the challenge comprises at least one of a computational challenge, a monetary challenge, and a human challenge.

38. For a client system that connects to an electronic messaging system for exchanging electronic messages between senders and recipients, a computer program product comprising one or more computer readable media carrying computer executable instructions for implementing a method of sending an electronic message to a recipient without knowing the recipient'"'"'s one or more actual electronic message addresses, thereby allowing the recipient to reduce unsolicited electronic messages sent to the recipient, the method comprising acts of:

sending an initial electronic message to an address generation server, the initial electronic message comprising an address identifying the intended recipient and a return address for a sender of the electronic message;

receiving a response from the address generation server that includes a disposable electronic message address for the intended recipient and a challenge to be completed prior to using the disposable electronic message address, the challenge discouraging use of the disposable electronic message address for unsolicited electronic messages;

completing the challenge received in the response; and

sending one or more subsequent electronic messages to the intended recipient using the disposable electronic message address.

39. A computer program product as recited in claim 38, wherein the initial electronic message comprises at least one or an electronic mail message and a World Wide Web request.

40. A computer program product as recited in claim 38, wherein the initial electronic message comprises a header identifying the initial electronic message as a request for the disposable electronic message address of the intended recipient.

41. A computer program product as recited in claim 38, wherein the challenge comprises at least one of a computational challenge, a monetary challenge, and a human challenge.