Use of Acceptance Methods for Accepting Email and Messages

• US 20080250106A1
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: George Leslie Rugg, Kenneth Thomas Fallon
• Original Assignee: George Leslie Rugg, Kenneth Thomas Fallon
• Inventors: Rugg, George Leslie, Fallon, Kenneth Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/695,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20080250106A1
• 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

An email and message management system invention that rejects all emails and messages unless the messages pass acceptance filter criteria. Without any filtering this invention will refuse to accept all incoming email and messages, whereas current systems accept all email messages without filtering aids. The invention uses several acceptance filtering methods including: a list of acceptable origin message addresses, a list of acceptable origin domain addresses, an algorithm criterion that allows messages based on wildcard type comparisons, a rules method that provides a means to use logic directives, and a method that allows the use of Pass Key Codes to automatically accept messages and to enhance message security. The invention includes an administrative function to set up and maintain the acceptance criteria, provide notification to users of rejected emails, message traffic monitoring for system quality control, and control of a network of the inventions.

Claims

1. The invention will allow email and message reception using acceptance methods whereas;

the invention, by default, will reject all email and messages unless the messages pass acceptance criteria filtering methods to include;

the email and message addresses contained in an authorized senders list and;

the domain addresses contained in an authorized domain name list and;

algorithms may be written and designated as acceptance criteria to authorize acceptance of emails and;

rules may be written and designated as acceptance criteria to authorize acceptance of emails whereas;

using methods claimed above, the invention can automatically add users to an authorized senders list.

2. The invention also provides Pass Key Codes where character sequences in messages or emails can be defined and/or enabled and designated as acceptance criteria for previously unauthorized senders, and to improve security whereas;

the invention can disable Pass Key Codes after predetermined intervals and;

the invention can disable Pass Key Codes after a predetermined number of uses and;

the invention can require that certain authorized users also use a specific Pass Key Code and;

systems may be set to require inclusion of valid Pass Key Codes to accept any email message and;

for high security enable automatic updates of randomly generated Pass Key Codes that are exchanged between users of the invention whereas;

using methods claimed above, users may have Pass Key Codes update at regular intervals.

3. The invention is compatible with email and message systems where:

The invention is complimentary and compatible with existing email systems installed on local workstations and;

the invention is compatible with existing internet-based email systems whereas;

the methods described above may be programmed into existing email applications that allow end-user programming and;

the invention may sit ahead of the email/message handler on the protocol stack to provide the filtering and the invention may reside on the user'"'"'s computer or at a service provider center where the accepted email/message is forwarded to the user'"'"'s email/message handler.

4. The invention provides an Administrative Function that sets up and maintains the lists and criteria for accepting email/messages, informs users of new unseen messages, periodically send a list of rejected emails for review by the user, and includes a quality control function whereas:

as a component, the quality control function can produce quality control reports to assist the user in measuring acceptance filter effectiveness and;

as a component, the quality control function can help to determine potential system security violations and;

as a component, the invention can issue commands through email or messages to other systems using the invention and exchange management information, control a network of the inventions and produce reports and;

the invention collects detailed log and statistical data to aid in management and control of the system.