Method and system for reducing the proliferation of electronic messages

• US 20080196092A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Original Assignee: DLB Finance & Consultancy BV, HITD Information Technology BV
• Inventors: Benschop, Henderik Reinout, Benschop, Dirk Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2005 Temporarily overriding a service configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42034 Calling party identification service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

A method and system for reducing the proliferation of electronic messages is disclosed. An electronic message or a portion thereof is transmitted by the server system. A spam notification signal may be received related to the electronic message or the portion thereof. Access to said electronic message is restricted solely in response to receiving the spam notification signal.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the proliferation of electronic messages in a server system comprising one or more servers for distributing said electronic messages, the method comprising:

providing at least one electronic message or a portion thereof;

receiving at least one spam notification signal related to said electronic message or said portion thereof, and

restricting access to said electronic message solely in response to receiving said at least one spam notification signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said server system is arranged for transmitting said electronic messages to at least a first user device and a second user device, further comprising:

providing said at least one electronic message or said portion thereof to said first user device;

receiving a spam notification signal related to said electronic message or said portion thereof from said first user device, and

restricting access to said electronic message or said portion thereof for said second user device solely in response to receiving said spam notification signal.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving said electronic message by said server system from a third user device and wherein users of said first, second and third user devices are centrally registered.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein each of said users is provided with a unique login code comprising a user address and a user-specific password for accessing the server system.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising receiving and transmitting said electronic message and possibly said spam notification signal in a secured manner.

6. The method according to claim 3 in a server system comprising at least a first server and a second server, further comprising:

receiving said electronic message at said first server;

storing said electronic message at said first server

transmitting a portion of said electronic message to said second server;

receiving said portion of said electronic message at said second server;

providing said portion of said electronic message from said second server to said first user device;

providing said electronic message from said first server to said first user device in response to selecting said portion of said electronic message.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising receiving said spam notification signal at said first server.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising providing multiple copies of said electronic message, wherein the number of copies of said electronic message is less than the number of addressees of said electronic message.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising storing said electronic message only once at said first server.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising deleting the electronic message at the first server and/or the portion of the electronic message at the second server in response to said spam notification signal.

11. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

receiving said electronic message

receiving said spam notification signal from said first user device for said electronic message;

storing a sender identification of a sender of said electronic message for which said spam notification signal was received;

receiving or having received one or more other electronic messages from said sender;

restricting access to at least one of said other electronic messages for at least one of said first user device and said second user device using said sender identification.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein restricting access to said other electronic messages includes at least one of:

restricting access to said other electronic messages for a particular time period;

restricting access to a part of said other electronic messages; and

restricting access to said other electronic messages for addressees of said other electronic messages in dependence of a communication history between said sender and said one or more addressees.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said time period or said part is determined by at least one of the following:

the number of spam notification signals received for electronic messages of a particular sender;

the number of times access has been restricted for electronic messages of said sender.

14. The method according to claim 2, wherein restricting said access for said second user device by said server system comprises at least one of:

preventing downloading of said electronic message or said portion thereof to said second user device;

preventing display of said electronic message or said portion thereof on said second user device.

15. The method according to claim 2, further comprising transmitting a warning message to a sender of said electronic message for which said spam notification signal was received.

16. The method according to claim 2, further comprising restricting access to said server system for a sender of said electronic message for which said spam notification signal was received.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein restricting access is dependent on at least one of the following:

the number of spam notification signals received for electronic messages of a particular sender;

the number of times access has been restricted for electronic messages of said sender; and

a communication history between said sender and the one or more addressees of said electronic message.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said method is performed independently from the operation of a spam filter, said spam filter using a spam rule set to detect electronic spam messages received by said system.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein said server system comprises an approval module allowing exchange of electronic messages between a sender and an addressee only if both the sender and the addressee have signaled approval for said exchange to said access module in advance.

20. A computer program comprising software code portions adapted for, when installed in and executed by an electronic system, performing the method according to claim 1.

21. A carrier containing the computer program of claim 20.

41. A user device comprising software code portions adapted to engage in the method according to claim 1 and/or to communication with the server system according claim 22.

42. A computer program for the user device of claim 41 comprising software code portions adapted for, when installed on and executed by a processor of the user device, to perform the method of claims 1 and or to communicate with the server system of claims 22.

22. A server system comprising one or more servers adapted for reducing the proliferation of electronic messages, wherein said server system comprises:

an electronic message receiver arranged for receiving an electronic message or a portion thereof;

an electronic message provider arranged for providing said electronic message or said portion thereof;

a spam notification receiver arranged for receiving at least one spam notification signal related to said electronic message or said portion thereof; and

an access restrictor arranged for restricting access to said electronic message solely in response to receiving said at least one spam notification signal.

23. The server system according to claim 22, wherein said server system is arranged for communicating with at least a first and a second user device via a network and wherein:

the electronic message provider is arranged for providing said electronic message or said portion thereof to said first user device;

the spam notification receiver is arranged for receiving a spam notification signal from said first user device; and

the access restrictor is arranged for restricting access to said electronic message for said second user device solely in response to receiving said spam notification signal from said first user device.

24. The server system according to claim 23, wherein the server system comprises a register storing a unique login code comprising a user address and a user specific password required for accessing the server system.

25. The server system according to claim 23, wherein said server system is further arranged for receiving said electronic message from a third user device and wherein said server system comprises means for securing communication with said first, second and third user device.

26. The server system according to claim 23, wherein said server system comprises at least a first server and a second server, wherein

said first server comprises:

an electronic message receiver for receiving said electronic message;

storage means for storing said electronic message;

a portion provider adapted for providing a portion of said electronic message on the basis of said received electronic message;

a transmitter for transmitting said portion of said electronic message to said second server, and

a transmitter for transmitting said electronic message to said first user device in response to receiving a request for said electronic message from said first user device;

and said second server comprises;

an electronic message portion receiver arranged for receiving said portion of said electronic message from said transmitter of said first server;

means for providing said first user device with said portion of said electronic message.

27. The server system according to claim 26, wherein said first server further comprises a spam notification signal receiver arranged for receiving said spam notification signal from said first user device.

28. The server system according to claim 22, wherein said server system is arranged for providing multiple copies of said electronic message, wherein the number of copies of said electronic message is less than the number of addressees of said electronic message.

29. The server system according to claim 26, wherein the system is arranged such that only the storage means of the first server stores said electronic message.

30. The server system according to claim 26, wherein the server system comprises an electronic message deleter and an electronic message portion deleter arranged for deleting the electronic message at the first server and the electronic message portion at the second server in response to said spam notification signal.

31. The server system according to claim 23, wherein said system further comprises a sender identification storage arranged for storing a sender identification of a sender of said electronic message for which said spam notification signal receiver received a spam notification signal, wherein said electronic message receiver is arranged to receive or have received other electronic messages and wherein said access restrictor is adapted for restricting access to at least one of said other electronic messages for at least one or said first user device and said second user device using said sender identification.

32. The server system according to claim 31, wherein said access restrictor is further adapted to perform at least one of:

restricting access to said other electronic messages for a particular time period;

restricting access to a part of said other electronic messages.

restricting access to said other electronic messages for addressees of said other electronic messages in dependence of a communication history between said sender and said one or more addressees.

33. The server system according to claim 32, wherein said server system further comprises at least one of:

a counter adapted for counting the number of spam notification signals received for electronic messages of a particular sender, and

a counter adapted for counting the number of times access has been restricted for electronic messages of said sender.

34. The server system according to claim 23, wherein said access restrictor is arranged to prevent at least one of the following:

downloading of said electronic message or said portion thereof to said second user device;

display of said electronic message or said portion thereof on said second user device.

35. The server system according to claim 22, wherein said server system further comprises a warning message transmitter adapted for sending a warning message to a sender of said electronic message for which said spam notification signal was received.

36. The server system according to claim 22, further comprising an access restrictor adapted to restrict access to said server system for a sender of said electronic message for which said spam notification signal was received.

37. The server system according to claim 36, further comprising an assessor module arranged to restrict access to the server system in dependence on at least one of the following:

the number of spam notification signals received for electronic messages of a particular sender;

the number of times access has been restricted for electronic messages of said sender; and

a communication history between said sender and the one or more addressees of said electronic message.

38. The server system according to claim 22, wherein said server system is adapted to operate independently from a spam filter, said spam filter using a spam rule set for detecting electronic spam messages.

39. The server system according to claim 22, further comprising an approval module adapted to allow exchange of electronic messages between a sender and an addressee only if both the sender and the addressee have signaled approval for said exchange to said access module in advance.

40. The server system according to claim 22, wherein one or more of said servers comprise a programmable database.

43. A communication system for exchanging electronic messages comprising a server system according to claim 22 and at least the first user device and a second user device.

44. An information exchange system, comprising a network of at least one server provided with a memory and a number of participants'"'"' stations, for example personal computers (pc'"'"'s), or (mobile) telephones or pda'"'"'s, which server is arranged for communication with participants'"'"' stations and which participants'"'"' stations are suitable for exchanging information, for example messages, with each other,

wherein

in connection with authentication and authorisation, each prospective participant of the information exchange system must have provided the administrator of the information exchange system with at least:

a) proof of his identity;

b) his declaration of agreement to the administrator'"'"'s General Terms and Conditions;

after verification of which said prospective participant is registered in the server as a registered participant;

a unique “

log-in code”

is composed for every registered participant and stored in the memory, which log-in code consists of a participant address, for example a name, a user ID or a “

box number”

, and at least one participant-specific password, which can function as an authorisation code, for example in the form of an alphabetical and/or numerical code;

communication takes place via secured network connections, for example on the basis of encryption, or via network connections that are essentially at least equal thereto;

each participant must send the aforesaid log-in code to the server upon logging in on the server, after which the server looks up said log-in code in the respective memory, and after having found it, grants the participant access if the log-in code as found and the log-in code received from the participant are fully identical;

the server stores all the information the participant has sent to the server in its memory once, wherein the server grants rights to the addressor and the addressee(s) to consult the server for said stored information, wherein one or more characteristics of said information, for example the subject and/or the sender, can be shown in an information survey, for example an “

in box”

or “

out box”

of the authorised participant(s), which information survey is available to the authorised participant(s) after they have logged in to the server, wherein an authorised participant can select from his information survey which addressed information he wishes to download from the server'"'"'s memory;

if a participant B downloads information from a participant A via the system, the server enables him to register the downloaded information as unwanted in the server, wherein the server, in the case that said information is registered as unwanted, can limit the authorised participant(s)'"'"' right to download this information and other information from participant A as well as participant A'"'"'s right to address,

so that only authorised and traceable participants can exchange information via secured connections and via the server without a limitation of their accessibility being previously configured in the system, wherein the participants themselves determine what is unwanted information, thus playing an active part in preventing the spreading thereof.

45. The information exchange system according to claim 44, wherein the system arranges for the system to be so configured for all the participants that any and all information addressed to them as participants cannot reach them and that, prior to the first communication within the system between two participants A and B, the two participants A and B will first have to go through an arrangement protocol.

46. An information exchange system according to claim 45, wherein, if A requests the server to enable communication with B, and B does not request the server to enable communication with A within a predetermined period, for example 1 day or 2 weeks, counting from the moment A made the request, the server will regard and register the communication as possibly unwanted for B and break off the arrangement protocol.

47. An information exchange system according to claim 45, wherein the system is so configured that if a participant A, who requests the server one or more times, for example 3 times or 10 times, within a predetermined period, for example 1 day or 2 weeks, to enable communication with one or more participants B, C, etc, and if one or more participants B, C, etc do not request the server to enable communication with A within said period, said participant A might be regarded as a potential source of spreading unwanted information, and that thus, and on the basis of registration by the server of one-sided communication requests from A, said requests from participant A may be subjected to a closer examination by the administrator, wherein the administrator has a possibility to terminate A'"'"'s connection, for example, if A appears to have evil intentions, such as the sending of spam.

48. An information exchange system according to claim 45, wherein the system is so configured that A and B individually have a possibility to configure the system to enable them to address information to each other and/or download each other via the system once only, or for a specific period of time.

49. An information exchange system according to claim 48, wherein the system is so configured that if a participant A repeatedly, for example twice, addresses information to another participant B, C, etc in the system within a predetermined period, for example 1 day or 2 weeks, and the communication arrangements made between A and the other participant B, C, etc allow this, and a number of participants, for example one or more participants B, C etc limit the arrangements made with A within the fixed period to such an extent that they cannot download information originating from A any more, the administrator will detect and regard participant A as a potential source of unwanted communication, in which case the communication requests from said participant A can be subjected to a closer examination by the administrator, with the administrator having a possibility to terminate A'"'"'s connection, for example, if A appears to have evil intentions, such as the sending of spam.

50. An information exchange system according to claim 48, wherein the system is so configured that if one or more participants B, C etc limit the arrangements made with regard to a participant A for a specific period, for example 1 day or 2 weeks, to such an extent that B, C etc cannot download information addressed by A any more, participant A will be detected by the server and may be regarded as a potential source of unwanted communication by the administrator, whereupon the administrator can exclude participant A as an unwanted participant.

51. An information exchange system according to claim 45, wherein the system is so configured that a participant A cannot address a box number other than one of the box numbers whose owners have allowed participant A to send them information.

52. An information exchange system according to claim 44, wherein the system is so configured that the server will interrupt participant A'"'"'s addressing activities after A has addressed a predetermined number of participants, for example 1 or 3, by presenting A with a choice to input a code generated by the server upon addressing information, after which A can resume his addressing activities again.

53. An information exchange system according to claim 44, wherein the system makes it possible for A to unilaterally set a temporary limitation of B'"'"'s rights towards A (for example a “

not accessible”

setting), which may for example indicate the duration of said temporary limitation, whilst B'"'"'s screen will automatically display the message “

not accessible from {date}-{date}”

when B wants to address information to A, so that B will know already before sending his information to the server that said information will not or cannot be forwarded to A for a predetermined period of time.

54. An information exchange system according to claim 48, wherein the system is so configured that the status and/or the content of the arrangements made with another participant in the address book will be shown on, for example, a participant'"'"'s display.

55. An information exchange system according to claim 48, wherein the system is so configured that participants can download a survey of all the arrangements, or only of selected arrangements, between the participants and/or of arrangements between participants that are about to end, for example, to their stations.

56. An information exchange system according to claim 44, wherein the server is arranged and programmed in such a manner that it enables a participant to receive information by landline or mobile telephone.

57. An information exchange system according to claim 44, comprising an auxiliary device made available to a participant, for example a card reader, or a (biometric) identification system, wherein exchange of information between said participant and the server is only possible after having gone through an alternative protocol by means of said auxiliary device.

58. An information exchange system according to claim 44, wherein the authorisation of a participant is only valid in the case in which a participant has paid a financial contribution to the administrator upon registration and/or at regular intervals and his payment(s) is (are) not in arrears to an extent that is unacceptable to the administrator.

59. An information exchange system according to claim 44, comprising an alternative log-on protocol, wherein proof of identity of an intended participant is based on information gathered by another, reliable instance, for example a financial institution, for example a credit card authorisation.

60. An information exchange system according to claim 44, wherein the server is provided with antivirus software or wherein the system behaves as an antivirus solution for information exchange.

61. An information exchange system according to claim 44, wherein the system supports applications from the group including:

(virtual) marketplace;

(virtual) auction place;

(virtual) financial institution;

newspaper, magazine;

advertising medium, for example product catalogue;

broadcasting medium, such as tv or radio;

search engine;

encyclopaedia;

chat room;

a multimedia centre, such as a tape and record library and/or a video shop;

photo album;

library;

telephone book or other information indices.

62. An information exchange system according to claim 44, wherein the server is so arranged that if A has addressed several participants B, C, etc for one information message, the server will allow only one participant B, C, etc at a time to download this information from the server.

63. An information exchange system according to claim 44, comprising specific software made available to a participant, for example a so-called “

client”

, wherein part of the information exchange process, for example encryption, compression, sorting and processing, takes place in the participant'"'"'s station.