SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR RECIPIENT CONTROLLED COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20100287237A1
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Great Adventure Series 103 of Allied Security Trust I (Allied Security Trust)
• Original Assignee: Daniel Gross, Erwin Gross
• Inventors: Gross, Erwin, Gross, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A communication system is provided in which users associate handling data identifying how messages are to be processed with contact data. Handling data for the identified contacts in the contact data then dispatched to those contacts. Subsequently when messages are dispatched from the locations identified by the contact data a sender of a message selects handling data to be associated with a message being dispatched. Upon receipt of a message associated with handling data the message is then processed in the manner identified by the handling data.

Claims

1. A server for controlling processing of data communicated between a first computer and a second computer among a plurality of computers connected to a communication network, the server comprising:

generation means for generating a group of processing criteria for recipient controlled communication with the first computer;

means for selecting a first subset of processing criteria from the group of processing criteria, wherein the means for selecting the first subset of processing criteria is adapted to identify which processing criteria are to be available to the second computer;

means for associating contact data with the first computer, the contact data comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record comprising an address of one of the plurality of computers and a set of processing criteria that are associated with the one of the plurality of computers, the associating means comprising means for storing and accessing the contact data, wherein one contact record of the plurality of contact records corresponds to the second computer;

means for utilizing the one contact record to associate the first subset of processing criteria with the second computer;

means for selecting a second subset of processing criteria from the first subset of processing criteria for a communication from the second computer to the first computer, wherein the means for selecting the second subset of processing criteria is adapted to identify which processing criteria are to apply to the communication;

means for associating the communication with the second subset of processing criteria; and

means for processing the communication in accordance with the second subset of processing criteria.

2. A server configured to communicate with a plurality of user terminals over a network, and to receive a plurality of messages dispatched by the user terminals, the server comprising:

storage means for storing;

category data for identifying a plurality of categories that are associable with the messages;

a respective plurality of lists of subsets of the user terminals that are associated with the categories; and

a plurality of subroutines, each of which is associated with one of the categories and is for defining how a message among the messages and associated with the one of the categories is to be processed,

wherein a sending terminal of the user terminals for dispatching the message to the server is a member of a corresponding one of the lists of the subsets of the user terminals associated with the one of the categories,

wherein the subroutines comprise a subroutine for storing the message in a specific location or a subroutine for forwarding the message to a selected group of the user terminals.

3. The server of claim 2, further configured to provide a receiving terminal of the user terminals with the capability to add or remove the receiving terminal from the selected group of the user terminals.

4. The server of claim 3, wherein the storage means is further for storing a user status of the receiving terminal, and wherein the server is further configured to process the message with the subroutine for storing the message in the specific location or with the subroutine for forwarding the message to the selected group of the user terminals, depending on the user status of the receiving terminal.

5. A network comprising the server of claim 2 and the plurality of user terminals coupled to the server, wherein the user terminals are configured to generate and dispatch the messages to the server.

6. The network of claim 5, wherein the server is further configured to provide a receiving terminal of the user terminals with the capability to add or remove the receiving terminal from the selected group of the user terminals.

7. The network of claim 6, wherein the storage means is further for storing a user status of the receiving terminal, and wherein the server is further configured to process the message with the subroutine for storing the message in the specific location or with the subroutine for forwarding the message to the selected group of the user terminals, depending on the user status of the receiving terminal.