Systems and Methods for Displaying Electronic Mail Messages

• US 20080120556A1
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, James Carlton, Levine, David Alberto
• Granted Patent: US 8,484,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying an e-mail message are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes the act of classifying at least one recipient as trusted or suspect. The recipient is specified by the e-mail message. The method also includes the act of displaying the at least one recipient using a first visual cue if the classification is suspect. The method also includes the act of displaying the at least one recipient using a second visual cue if the classification is trusted. In one embodiment, a system includes a means for classifying at least one recipient as trusted or suspect, and an e-mail message display window. The recipient is specified by the e-mail message. The window is configured to display the at least one recipient using a first visual cue if the classification is suspect. The window is configured to display the recipient using a second visual cue if the classification is trusted.

Claims

1. A system for displaying an e-mail message having at least one recipient, the system comprising:

means for classifying at least one recipient, specified by the e-mail message, as trusted or suspect;

an e-mail message display window configured to display the at least one recipient using a first visual cue if the classification is suspect, and to display the recipient using a second visual cue if the classification is trusted.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the e-mail message display window is further configured to display the at least one recipient with a first visual appearance if the classification is suspect, and to display the recipient using a second visual appearance if the classification is trusted.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the e-mail message display window is further configured to display the at least one recipient with a first set of text attributes if the classification is suspect, and to display the at least one recipient with a second set of text attributes if the classification is trusted.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the e-mail message display window is further configured to display the at least one recipient with an icon if the classification is suspect.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one recipient is a plurality of recipients, and the e-mail message display window is further configured to display the plurality of recipients in a list which is sorted by classification.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database configured to store recipient information,

wherein the means for classifying further comprises a means for classifying the at least one recipient based on the recipient information in the database.

7. A method of displaying an e-mail message, the method comprising:

classifying at least one recipient, specified by the e-mail message, as trusted or suspect;

displaying the at least one recipient using a first visual cue if the classification is suspect; and

displaying the at least one recipient using a second visual cue if the classification is trusted.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the recipient comprises an e-mail address, and wherein classifying at least one recipient further comprises:

classifying the at least one recipient as trusted or suspect based on at least a portion of the recipient e-mail address.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the recipient is associated with information stored in a contact database, and wherein classifying at least one recipient further comprises:

classifying the at least one recipient as trusted or suspect based on the recipient information in the database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the recipient comprises an e-mail address having a domain name and a username, wherein classifying at least one recipient further comprises:

comparing the domain name of the recipient e-mail address with domain names in the contact database; and

classifying the at least one recipient as trusted or suspect based on a match between the recipient e-mail addresses and the domain names.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the recipient comprises an e-mail address having a domain name and a username, wherein classifying at least one recipient further comprises:

comparing the username of the recipient e-mail address with usernames in the contact database; and

classifying the at least one recipient as trusted or suspect based on a match between the recipient e-mail addresses and the usernames.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the at least one recipient using a first visual cue further comprises:

displaying the e-mail message in a message display window; and

displaying the recipient using a first visual clue in the message display window.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one recipient comprises a plurality of recipients, wherein each recipient is associated with an e-mail address, and displaying the at least one recipient using a first visual cue further comprises:

displaying the e-mail message in a message display window; and

displaying, in the message display window, the recipients in a hierarchy according to a domain name in the associated e-mail address of each recipient.

14. A computer-readable medium having a program stored thereon for displaying an e-mail message, the program comprising:

classifying at least one recipient, specified by the e-mail message, as trusted or suspect;

displaying the at least one recipient using a first visual cue if the classification is suspect; and

displaying the at least one recipient a second visual cue if the classification is trusted.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the recipient comprises an e-mail address, and wherein classifying at least one recipient further comprises:

classifying the at least one recipient as trusted or suspect based on the recipient e-mail address.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the recipient is associated with information stored in a contact database, and wherein classifying at least one recipient further comprises:

classifying the at least one recipient as trusted or suspect based on the recipient information in the database.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the recipient comprises an e-mail address having a domain name and a username, wherein classifying at least one recipient further comprises:

comparing the domain name of the recipient e-mail address with domain names in the contact database; and

classifying the at least one recipient as trusted or suspect based on a match between the recipient e-mail addresses and the domain names.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the recipient comprises an e-mail address having a domain name and a username, wherein classifying at least one recipient further comprises:

comparing the username of the recipient e-mail address with usernames in the contact database; and

classifying the at least one recipient as trusted or suspect based on a match between the recipient e-mail addresses and the usernames.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein displaying the at least one recipient using a first visual cue further comprises:

displaying the e-mail message in a message display window; and

displaying the recipient in the message display window.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising displaying the recipient with a first icon if the classification is suspect and a second icon if the classification is trusted.