Method and system for selectively forwarding electronic-mail

• US 20040236837A1
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherwood, Amy L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A method for selectively forwarding e-mail comprising receiving a first e-mail message at a first receiving host system from an originator at a sending host system. The first e-mail message is addressed to a recipient at a first mailbox on the first receiving host system. A transfer list is searched for the first mailbox and a corresponding second mailbox address in response to a determination that the first mailbox is not active on the first receiving host system. The transfer list includes the first mailbox and the corresponding second mailbox address if the recipient had requested that the first mailbox and the corresponding second mailbox address be added to the transfer list via a first user interface screen from a second Internet service provider. Forwarding instructions are analyzed to determine if the first e-mail message should be forwarded to the second mailbox address. The analyzing is performed in response to the first mailbox and the second mailbox address being located on the transfer list. Input to the analyzing includes the identity of the originator and the forwarding instructions were created by the recipient via a second user interface screen from the second Internet service provider. The first e-mail message is forwarded to the second mailbox address in response to the analyzing resulting in a determination that the e-mail message should be forwarded to the second mailbox address. A second e-mail message is transmitted to the originator at the sending host system in response to the forwarding, wherein the second e-mail message includes the second mailbox address.

Claims

1. A method for selectively forwarding electronic mail, the method comprising:

receiving a first electronic mail message at a first receiving host system from an originator at a sending host system, wherein said first electronic mail message is addressed to a recipient at a first mailbox on said first receiving host system;

searching a transfer list for said first mailbox and a corresponding second mailbox address in response to a determination that said first mailbox is not active on said first receiving host system, wherein said transfer list includes said first mailbox and said corresponding second mailbox address if said recipient had requested that said first mailbox and said corresponding second mailbox address be added to said transfer list via a first user interface screen from a second Internet service provider;

analyzing forwarding instructions to determine if said first electronic mail message should be forwarded to said second mailbox address, wherein said analyzing is performed in response to said first mailbox and said second mailbox address being located on said transfer list, said input to said analyzing includes the identity of said originator and said forwarding instructions were created by said recipient via a second user interface screen from said second Internet service provider;

forwarding said first electronic mail message to said second mailbox address in response to said analyzing resulting in a determination that said first electronic mail message should be forwarded to said second mailbox address; and

transmitting a second electronic mail message to said originator at said sending host system in response to said forwarding, wherein said second electronic mail message includes said second mailbox address.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second mailbox address is located on a second receiving host system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first mailbox is provided by a first Internet service provider and said second mailbox is provided by said second Internet service provider.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first mailbox and said second mailbox are provided said second Internet service provider.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said forwarding is performed within a pre-selected time interval of said receiving.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said pre-selected time interval is one minute.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said forwarding includes notifying said recipient at said second mailbox address that said forwarding has occurred.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said forwarding instructions comprise excluded originators.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said forwarding instructions comprise included originators.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said forwarding instructions comprise excluded and included originators.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said originator is an individual.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said originator is a SPAM originator.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said first user interface screen and said second user interface screen are combined into a single user interface screen.

14. A system for selectively forwarding electronic-mail, the system comprising:

a network;

a storage device in communication with said network;

a first user system in communication with said network;

a sending host system in communication with said network;

a second receiving host system in communication with said network; and

a first receiving host system in communication with said network, said first receiving host system including application software to implement a method comprising;

receiving a first electronic mail message at said first receiving host system from an originator on said first user system in communication with said sending host system via the network, wherein said first electronic mail message is addressed to a recipient at a first mailbox on said first receiving host system;

searching a transfer list located on said storage device for said first mailbox and a corresponding second mailbox address in response to a determination that said first mailbox is not active on said first receiving host system, wherein said transfer list includes said first mailbox and said corresponding second mailbox address if said recipient had requested that said first mailbox and said corresponding second mailbox address be added to said transfer list via a first user interface screen from a second Internet service provider;

analyzing forwarding instructions located on said storage device to determine if said first electronic mail message should be forwarded to said second mailbox address at said second receiving host system, wherein said analyzing is performed in response to said first mailbox and said second mailbox address being located on said transfer list, said input to said analyzing includes the identity of said originator and said forwarding instructions were created by said recipient via a second user interface screen from said second Internet service provider;

forwarding said first electronic mail message to said second mailbox address in response to said analyzing resulting in a determination that said first electronic mail message should be forwarded to said second mailbox address; and

transmitting a second electronic mail message to said originator at said sending host system in response to said forwarding, wherein said second electronic mail message includes said second mailbox address.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said network includes the Internet.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said network includes a public switched telephone network.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said network includes a wireless network.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said first receiving system is provided by a first Internet service provider and said second receiving system is provided by said second Internet service provider.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein said first receiving system and said second receiving system are provided by said second Internet service provider.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein said first receiving system and said second receiving system are the same system.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein said application software includes a purchased electronic-mail application system.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein said searching and said analyzing are performed by application software located on said second receiving system.

23. The system of 14 further comprising a second user system in communication with said second receiving system via said network and wherein said searching and said analyzing are performed by application software located on said second user system.

24. A computer program product for selectively forwarding electronic mail, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

receiving a first electronic mail message at a first receiving host system from an originator at a sending host system, wherein said first electronic mail message is addressed to a recipient at a first mailbox on said first receiving host system;

searching a transfer list for said first mailbox and a corresponding second mailbox address in response to a determination that said first mailbox is not active on said first receiving host system, wherein said transfer list includes said first mailbox and said corresponding second mailbox address if said recipient had requested that said first mailbox and said corresponding second mailbox address be added to said transfer list via a first user interface screen from a second Internet service provider;

analyzing forwarding instructions to determine if said first electronic mail message should be forwarded to said second mailbox address, wherein said analyzing is performed in response to said first mailbox and said second mailbox address being located on said transfer list, said input to said analyzing includes the identity of the originator and said forwarding instructions were created by said recipient via a second user interface screen from said second Internet service provider;

forwarding said first electronic mail message to said second mailbox address in response to said analyzing resulting in a determination that said first electronic mail message should be forwarded to said second mailbox address; and

transmitting a second electronic mail message to said originator at said sending host system in response to said forwarding, wherein said second electronic mail message includes said second mailbox address.