Message filtering method

• US 20050169274A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: IdeaFlood, Inc.
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,835,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL

Abstract

A message filtering method makes use of a database in which domain names of a network, such as the Internet, are associated with IP addresses, or with geographic locations. Electronic messages are tested for authenticity by comparing domain names and IP addresses for a message being tested with information in the database. If the sender information in the message does not have the same associations as information in the database, the message may be blocked, flagged as spam, or subjected to further filtering.

Claims

1. A method for filtering electronic messages, comprising:

reading sender information for an electronic message, wherein the sender information comprises a domain name and an IP address according to an Internet protocol;

comparing the sender information to a database of Internet address information; and

filtering the electronic message based on a relationship between the sender information and Internet address information from the database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering step further comprises filtering the message based on whether the sender information matches an Internet address for a trusted sender contained in the database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering step further comprises determining a geographic location associated with the sender information using the database, and filtering the electronic message if the domain name and the IP address of the sender information are not associated with a consistent geographic location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering step further comprises filtering the electronic message if the IP address and domain name of the sender information are not associated with each other in the database of Internet address information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding information to the database by looking up an IP address for a web page associated with a domain.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding information to the database by looking up an IP address associated with MX records for a domain.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding information to the database by looking up an IP address associated with an owner for a domain.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding information to the database by associating certain IP addresses with an identifier signifying that the certain IP addresses belong to a trusted message sender.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the adding step further comprises providing an interface configured to permit prospective message senders to apply for trusted sender status to be associated with an IP address.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising requiring a substantial delay between receipt of an application for trusted status and granting of trusted status.