Method and system for providing email

• US 20080133676A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Al Vistaunet, Charlie Recksieck, John Choisser
• Original Assignee: Al Vistaunet, Charlie Recksieck, John Choisser
• Inventors: Choisser, John, Vistaunet, Al, Recksieck, Charlie
• Application Number:
  US11/607,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133676A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method for providing an email from a user to a recipient includes: maintaining a first database of recipients including recipient identifiers and recipient email addresses and including an entry for the recipient; maintaining a second database of user descriptors not directly entered by the user; taking the email from the user, where the email is directed to at least one of the recipient identifiers; sending the email to the recipient; and sending at least one of the user descriptors to the recipient. The recipient email address is not revealed to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing an email from a user to a recipient, the method comprising:

maintaining a first database of recipients including recipient identifiers and recipient email addresses, said first database including an entry for the recipient;

maintaining a second database of user descriptors not directly entered by the user;

taking the email from the user, wherein the email is directed to at least one of said recipient identifiers;

sending the email to the recipient; and

sending at least one of said user descriptors to the recipient;

wherein no recipient email address is revealed to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said taking step comprises:

providing the user with at least one interface displayable in a standard web browser.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said taking step comprises:

providing the user with at least one interface displayable via a PDA, mobile phone, or handheld computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

at least one of said recipient identifiers is a categorical identifier applied to more than one recipient, and

the email is directed to at least one categorical identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said categorical identifier includes only recipients who have agreed to be identified by categorical identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

maintaining a third database of email descriptors;

calculating at least one usage pattern from said third database; and

sending said at least one usage pattern to the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

maintaining a third database of email descriptors, and

computing the likelihood based on said email descriptors that the email is a duplicate of a previously-sent email.

8. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising

notifying the recipient when the email is determined to be a likely duplicate of a previously-sent email.

9. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

computing the likelihood that the user is an automaton.

10. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

analyzing the email to identify objectionable content.

11. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising

maintaining a black-list database of unwanted network addresses, and

identifying unwanted senders by comparing a user characteristic to the black-list database.

12. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing the recipient with a local email inbox which receives only email drawn to the recipient'"'"'s recipient identifier in said first database;

wherein

said sending step sends the email to said local email inbox.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein

said sending step sends the email to the recipient'"'"'s email address.

14. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing the user with an interface for composing the email;

wherein

said taking step accepts the email by way of said interface.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein

said taking step accepts the email by way of another email application.

16. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing the user with an interface for searching said first database.

17. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

providing the user with an interface for browsing said first database.

18. An apparatus which provides an email from a user to a recipient, the apparatus comprising:

a first database of recipients including recipient identifiers and recipient email addresses;

a second database of user descriptors not directly entered by the user;

an email taker which takes an email from the user, wherein the email is directed to at least one recipient identifier;

an email sender which sends the email to the recipient and further sends at least one user descriptor to the recipient;

wherein no recipient email address is revealed to the user.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein

at least one of said recipient identifiers is a categorical identifier applied to more than one recipient, and

the email is directed to at least one categorical identifier.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said categorical identifier includes only recipients who have agreed to be identified by categorical identifier.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

a third database of email descriptors; and

an analyzer that computes at least one usage pattern from said third database;

wherein said email sender further sends said usage pattern to the recipient.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

a third database of email descriptors; and

an analyzer that computes the likelihood based on said email descriptors that the email is a duplicate of a previously-sent email.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

an automaton analyzer that computes the likelihood that the user is an automaton.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

an analyzer that computes if the email contains objectionable content.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

a local email inbox which receives only email drawn to the recipient'"'"'s recipient identifier in said first database;

wherein said sender sends the email to said local email inbox.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein

said sender sends the email to a recipient'"'"'s email address.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

an interface for composing the email;

wherein said taker accepts the email by way of said interface.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein

said taker takes the email by way of another email application.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

an interface for searching said first database.

30. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

an interface for browsing said first database.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, the apparatus further comprising:

a black-list database of unwanted network addresses, and

an analyzer that identifies unwanted senders by comparing a user characteristic to the black-list database.

32. A system for sending an email from a user to a recipient, the system comprising:

means for maintaining a first database of recipients including recipient identifiers and recipient email addresses, and including an entry for the recipient;

means for maintaining a second database of user descriptors not directly entered by the user;

means for taking the email from the user, wherein the email is directed to at least one of said recipient identifiers;

means for sending the email to the recipient; and

means for sending at least one of said user descriptors to the recipient;

wherein no recipient email address is revealed to the user.

33. A machine readable medium containing instructions for sending an email from a user to a recipient, the medium comprising:

instructions for maintaining a first database of recipients including recipient identifiers and recipient email addresses, and including an entry for the recipient;

instructions for maintaining a second database of user descriptors not directly entered by the user;

instructions for taking the email from the user, wherein the email is directed to at least one of said recipient identifiers;

instructions for sending the email to the recipient; and

instructions for sending at least one of said user descriptors to the recipient;

wherein no recipient email address is revealed to the user.