System and method of dynamic management of spam

• US 20070156895A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Vuong, Thanh
• Granted Patent: US 7,849,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

There is disclosed a system and method of dynamically managing spam directed to a communications device. In an embodiment, a contact for each incoming message item is compared to contacts on a whitelist. If the contact is not found on the whitelist, the contact is added to a blacklist based on predetermined criteria. At a selected time, a summary of each message item corresponding to a contact on the blacklist is made available to the communications device. Based on this summary, a user selects contacts to transfer from the blacklist to the whitelist. The user selection is received, and any message items corresponding to a contact on the whitelist are transmitted to the communications device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing spam directed to a communications device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

comparing a contact for each incoming message item to contacts on a whitelist;

if the contact is not found on the whitelist, then adding the contact to a blacklist based on predetermined criteria;

at a selected time, making available to the communications device a summary of each message item corresponding to a contact on the blacklist;

receiving a user selection of a contact to transfer from the blacklist to the whitelist.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting to the communications device any message items corresponding to a contact on the whitelist.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing the user with a selection means for selecting a contact to transfer from the blacklist to the whitelist.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising storing in a temporary blacklist buffer any message items corresponding to a contact on the blacklist.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising, at a selected time, deleting from the temporary blacklist buffer any message items corresponding to a contact not selected by the user for transfer to the whitelist.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising, at a selected time, deleting from the temporary blacklist buffer any message items corresponding to a contact selected for deletion from the blacklist.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

adding any non-selected contact to a persistent spam blacklist;

rejecting further incoming message items with a contact corresponding to a contact on the persistent spam blacklist.

8. A communications device comprising:

(a) a main processor that controls the operation of the communications device;

(b) a communication subsystem connected to the main processor, the communication subsystem configured to send data to and receive data from a host system;

(c) a blacklist/whitelist module executable by the main processor for managing spam directed to the communications device by;

i) receiving a summary of each message item corresponding to a contact on a blacklist;

ii) providing a selection means operable by a user for selecting a contact for transfer from the blacklist to the whitelist;

iii) communicating the user selection to the host system.

9. The communications device of claim 8, wherein the selection means comprises an action field associated with each message item summary, the action field being selectable by a user action.

10. The communications device of claim 9, wherein the action field provides a visual indication of selection.

11. The communications device of claim 8, wherein the selection means comprises and action field associated with each message item summary, the action field having a plurality of selectable options.

12. The communications device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of selectable options includes selection of a contact for transfer to the whitelist, deletion of a contact from the blacklist, and maintaining a contact on the blacklist pending further review.

13. A computer readable medium storing computer code that, when loaded into a computing device, adapts the device to manage spam directed to a communications device, the computer readable medium including:

code for comparing a contact for each incoming message item to contacts on a whitelist;

code for adding the contact for the incoming message to a blacklist based on predetermined criteria, if the contact is not found on the whitelist;

code for making available to the communications device, at a selected time, a summary of each message item corresponding to a contact on the blacklist;

code for receiving a user selection of a contact to transfer from the blacklist to the whitelist.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further including:

code for transmitting to the communications device any message items corresponding to a contact on the whitelist.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further including code for providing the user with a selection means for selecting a contact to transfer from the blacklist to the whitelist.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further including code for storing in a temporary blacklist buffer any message items corresponding to a contact on the blacklist.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further including code for deleting from the temporary blacklist buffer, at a selected time, any message items corresponding to a contact not selected by the user for transfer to the whitelist.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further including code for deleting from the temporary blacklist buffer, at a selected time, any message items corresponding to a contact selected for deletion from the blacklist.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further including:

code for adding any non-selected contact to a persistent spam blacklist;

code for rejecting further incoming message items with a contact corresponding to a contact on the persistent spam blacklist.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further including:

code for automatically adding the contact for the incoming message to a whitelist based on the predetermined criteria.