Throttling electronic communications from one or more senders

• US 20060136590A1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Assets LLC
• Original Assignee: America Online Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barrett, Joseph G., Muehl, Mark J., Palino, Todd M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• 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

Abstract

A number and/or frequency of electronic data communications received from a sender or group of senders during a period of time may be monitored (e.g., counted). When more than a threshold number of electronic communications are communicated by the sender during the period of time, an ability of the sender to communicate messages may be affected.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing indicia of multiple electronic messages sent by one or more subscribers during a period of time, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;

counting the number of electronic messages, from the multiple electronic messages, that are sent by a subscriber during the period of time;

inhibiting communications between the subscriber and a recipient based on results obtained when counting; and

determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM based on results obtained when counting.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising tracking the subscriber, as a result of determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, based on results obtained when counting, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are sent by the subscriber during the period of time.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages are sent by the subscriber during the period of time comprises determining a number of the electronic messages that are sent by the subscriber during the period of time and comparing the number to the threshold number.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein inhibiting communications comprises inhibiting the subscriber'"'"'s ability to communicate electronic messages conditioned on whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages is sent by the subscriber during the period of time.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein inhibiting communications comprises affecting an account.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein affecting an account comprises affecting an account of the subscriber.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein inhibiting communications comprises preventing the subscriber from sending more electronic messages.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein inhibiting communications comprises terminating one or more electronic messages currently being sent.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein inhibiting communications comprises delaying the subscriber from sending an electronic message to a recipient.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein inhibiting communications comprises inhibiting the subscriber'"'"'s ability to communicate electronic messages for a configurable period of time.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing indicia comprises accessing indicia of one or more of an email message, an instant message, or a text message.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing comprises accessing indicia of at least one electronic message having a first intended recipient and indicia of at least one electronic message having a second intended recipient that is different from the first intended recipient.

14. A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program comprising:

an accessing code segment for accessing indicia of multiple electronic messages sent by one or more subscribers during a period of time, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;

a counting code segment for counting the number of electronic messages, from the multiple electronic messages, that are sent by a subscriber during the period of time;

a threshold determining code segment for determining, based on results obtained when counting, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are sent by the subscriber during the period of time;

an inhibiting code segment for inhibiting communications between the subscriber and a recipient based on results obtained when counting the subscriber'"'"'s ability to communicate electronic messages conditioned on whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages is sent by the subscriber during the period of time; and

a code segment for determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM based on results obtained when counting.

15. A method comprising:

accessing indicia of electronic messages received from multiple machines during a period of time, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;

determining a number of electronic messages received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time;

determining that SPAM is being received from one or more of the multiple machines based on results obtained when determining the number of electronic messages received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time; and

inhibiting a messaging capability conditioned on results obtained when determining the number of electronic messages received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising tracking the one or more of the multiple machines based on the determination that SPAM is being received.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining, based on results obtained when determining the number of messages received, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein determining that SPAM is being received comprises determining that SPAM is being received from one or more of the multiple machines based on a determination of whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time.

19. The method of claim 15 werein inhibiting the messaging capability comprises inhibiting the messaging capability conditioned on whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages is received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein inhibiting a messaging capability comprises inhibiting a messaging capability of one or more of the multiple machines.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining multiple identifiers, such that the multiple identifiers include a separate identifier for each of the multiple machines, and each of the separate identifiers includes a screen name of a subscriber.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the screen names are all distinct.

23. The method of claim 15 wherein:

accessing indicia of electronic messages received from multiple machines comprises accessing indicia of electronic messages received from more than one online identity,

determining a number of messages received comprises determining a number of messages received cumulatively from the more than one online identities, and

the method further comprises determining whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are received cumulatively from the more than one online identities.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein inhibiting a messaging capability comprises inhibiting a messaging capability of one or more of the more than one online identities.

25. A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program comprising:

an accessing code segment for accessing indicia of electronic messages received from multiple machines during a period of time, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;

a number determining code segment for determining a number of electronic messages received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time;

a code segment for determining that SPAM is being received from one or more of the multiple machines based on results obtained when determing the number of electronic messages received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time; and

an inhibiting code segment for inhibiting a messaging capability conditioned on results obtained when determining the number of electronic messages received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time.