Systems and Methods for Automatically Updating Electronic Mail Access Lists

• US 20080120378A2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mindshare Design, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mindshare Design, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A system and method for permitting a sender to provide electronic mail (email) to a recipient, said method comprising providing a recipient email address to the sender; requesting of the recipient that the sender be allowed to send email to the recipient; determining whether the request is acceptable based on at least one of: 1) a sender identity verification method; 2) user input; and 3) third party information; adding the sender to an email access list if the request is acceptable; and wherein the email access is used to determine whether or not email from the sender is permitted to reach the recipient.

Claims

1. A method for permitting a sender to provide electronic mail (email) to a recipient, said method comprising:

providing a recipient email address to the sender;

requesting of the recipient that the sender be allowed to send email to the recipient;

determining whether the request is acceptable based on at least one of;

     1) a sender identity verification method;

     2) user input; and

     3) third party information;

adding the sender to an email access list if the request is acceptable; and

wherein the email access is used to determine whether or not email from the sender is permitted to reach the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing confirmation of the determination to the sender if the sender requested such confirmation.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the step of providing the recipient email address to the sender is a result of a Web-based interaction between the recipient and the sender.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the sender identity verification method can be used by the recipient to verify that an email message is from the sender.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the sender identity verification method is one of;

     1) an email header “

From”

address;

     2) a password;

     3) an Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

     4) a digital signature.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the request is provided to a Web browser.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the Web browser can identify the request based on a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the step of determining whether a request is acceptable utilizes at least one rule, wherein the at least one rule is evaluated against the request.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user for a decision regarding whether or not to accept the request.

10. A method for permitting a sender to provide electronic mail (email) to a recipient, said method comprising:

providing a recipient email address to the sender;

providing a petition to the recipient, wherein the petition includes a sender identity verification method;

determining whether the petition is acceptable based on at least one of;

     1) the sender identity verification method;

     2) user input; and

     3) third party information; and

adding the sender to an email access list if the petition is acceptable; and

wherein the email access list is used to determine whether or not email from the sender is permitted to reach the recipient.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing confirmation of the determination to the sender if the sender requested such confirmation.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the step of providing the recipient email address to the sender is a result of a Web-based interaction between the recipient and the sender.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the sender identity verification method can be used by the recipient to verify that an email message is from the sender.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the identity verification method is one of;

     1) an email header “

From”

address;

     2) a password;

     3) an Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

     4) a digital signature.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the petition is provided to a Web browser.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the Web browser can identify the petition based on a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the step of determining whether a petition is acceptable utilizes at least one rule, wherein the at least one rule is evaluated against the petition.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

prompting a user for a decision regarding whether or not to accept the petition.

19. A method for adding a sender to an electronic mail (email) access list for a recipient, said method comprising:

providing a recipient identifier to the sender;

providing a petition to the recipient;

determining whether to add the sender to the access list based on at least one of;

     1) user input;

     2) the petition; and

     3) third party information; and

adding the sender to the access list if it was so determined.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing confirmation of the determination to the sender if the sender requested such.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the recipient identifier is an email address of the recipient.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the petition includes a sender identity verification method.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein:

the identification method is one of;

     1) an email header “

From”

address;

     2) a password;

     3) an Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

     4) a digital signature.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the petition is provided to a Web browser.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein:

the Web browser can identify the petition based on a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the step of providing the identifier to the sender is a result of a Web-based interaction between the recipient and the sender.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein:

the step of determining whether to add the sender to the access list utilizes at least one rule, wherein the at least one rule is evaluated against the petition.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

prompting a user for a decision regarding whether or not to add the sender to the access list.

29. A method for accepting a communication from a sender, comprising:

determining if the communication includes an acceptable method to verify that an electronic mail (email) message is from the sender;

determining if the sender is already on an email access list;

determining whether to place the sender on the access list based on at least one of;

     1) user input;

     2) a sender identity verification method included in the communication; and

     3) third party information; and

adding the sender to the access list if it was so determined.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

providing confirmation to the sender of the determination of whether to place the sender on the email access list if the communication indicated such confirmation was required.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

prompting a user for a decision regarding whether to add the sender to the access list, wherein the prompting can be based on user preferences.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the step of determining whether to place the sender on the access list is based on the evaluation of at least one rule.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein:

the at least one rule can be specified in a natural language.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein:

the step of determining whether the communication includes an acceptable identity verification method is based on evaluation of at least one rule.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein:

the third party information includes whether or not the sender is trusted.

36. A system comprising:

means for providing a recipient email address to the sender;

means for requesting of the recipient that the sender be allowed to send email to the recipient;

means for determining whether the request is acceptable based on at least one of;

     1) a sender identity verification method;

     2) user input; and

     3) third party information; and

means for adding the sender to an email access list if the request is acceptable; and

wherein the email access is used to determine whether or not email from the sender is permitted to reach the recipient.

37. A system for adding a sender to an electronic mail (email) access list for a recipient, said system comprising:

the recipient including;

a petition processor to accept a petition and maintain an access list based on the petition;

a browser to accept the petition from the sender and automatically provide the petition to the petition processor; and

wherein the access list determines if the sender is permitted to provide email to the recipient;

the sender including;

a server; and

a petition generator coupled to the server, the petition generator to produce a petition.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein:

the petition processor can provide a confirmation to the sender.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein:

the petition processor executes on a first computing device;

the access list is maintained on a second computing device; and

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are not the same.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein:

the access list is accessible to the petition processor through a remote mail provider that is distinct from the recipient.

41. The system of claim 37 wherein:

the petition includes a sender identity verification method that can be used by the recipient to verify that an email message is from the sender.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein:

the sender identification method is one of;

     1) an email header “

From”

address;

     2) a password;

     3) an Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

     4) a digital signature.

43. The system of claim 37 wherein:

the browser can identify the petition based on a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type.

44. The system of claim 37 wherein:

the petition processor determines whether or not to accept a petition and add the sender to the email access list of the recipient.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein:

such determination is based on at least one of;

     1) input from a user;

     2) a sender identity verification method included in the petition; and

     3) third party information.

46. The system of claim 37 wherein:

the server provides the petition to the browser.

47. A system for adding a sender to an electronic mail (email) access list for a mail provider wherein the mail provider is accessed by a recipient, said system comprising:

the recipient including;

a browser to accept a petition from the sender;

the mail provider including;

a petition processor to accept the petition and maintain an access list based on the petition; and

wherein the access list determines if the sender is permitted to provide email to the recipient;

the sender including;

a server; and

a petition generator, wherein the petition generator can produce a petition.

48. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

an email proxy coupled to the browser, the proxy to accept the petition from the browser and provide the petition to the mail provider;

49. The system of claim 47 wherein:

the petition processor can provide a confirmation to the sender.

50. The system of claim 47 wherein:

the petition processor executes on a first computing device;

the access list is maintained on a second computing device; and

wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are not the same.

51. The system of claim 47 wherein:

the petition includes a sender identity verification method that can be used by the recipient to verify that an email message is from the sender.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein:

the sender identification method is one of;

     1) an email header “

From”

address;

     2) a password;

     3) an Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

     4) a digital signature.

53. The system of claim 47 wherein:

the browser can identify the petition based on a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME) type.

54. The system of claim 47 wherein:

the petition processor determines whether or not to accept a petition and add the sender to the email access list.

55. The system of claim 54 wherein:

such determination is based on at least one of;

     1) input from a user;

     2) a sender identity verification method included in the petition; and

     3) third party information.

56. The system of claim 47 wherein:

the server provides the petition to the browser.

57. A memory for storing data for access by an application program being executed on a computing device, comprising:

an email recipient identifier stored in the memory;

an email sender identifier stored in the memory;

an email sender identification method stored in the memory; and

wherein the sender identification method can be used to verify that email is from the sender.

58. The memory of claim 57, further comprising:

at least one additional sender identification method stored in the memory.

59. The memory of claim 57 wherein:

the recipient identifier is an electronic mail (email) address.

60. The memory of claim 57 wherein:

the sender identification method is one of;

     1) an email header “

From”

address;

     2) a password;

     3) an Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

     4) a digital signature.

61. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor cause a system to:

provide a recipient electronic mail (email) address to the sender;

request of the recipient that the sender be allowed to send email to the recipient;

determine whether the request is acceptable based on at least one of;

     1) a sender identity verification method;

     2) user input; and

     3) third party information; and

add the sender to an email access list if the request is acceptable; and

wherein the email access is used to determine whether or not email from the sender is permitted to reach the recipient.

62. A computer data signal embodied in a transmission medium, comprising:

a code segment including instructions to provide a recipient electronic mail (email) address to a sender;

a code segment including instructions to provide a petition to the recipient, wherein the petition includes a sender identification method, wherein the identification method can be used by the recipient to verify that an email message is from the sender;

a code segment including instructions to determine if the petition is acceptable based on at least one of;

     1) sender credentials;

     2) user input; and

     3) third party information;

a code segment including instructions to add the sender to an email access list if the petition is acceptable; and

wherein the email access is used to determine whether or not email from the sender is permitted to reach the recipient.

63. A method for generating a request that can be used to determine if a sender should be added to a recipient email access list:

including at least one sender identification method in the request, wherein the identification method is at least one of;

     1) an email header “

From”

address;

     2) a password;

     3) an Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

     4) a digital signature.

including a sender name in the request;

including a recipient name in the request;

providing the request to a processing that will make a determination of whether the sender should be added to the email access list.