MANAGING ELECTRONIC MESSAGES

• US 20120079050A1
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldman, Phillip York, Goldman, Susan Rayl, Landsman, Richard A., Logue, Jay, Heiner, Jeffrey N., Evans, John S., Migliore, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A recipient computer system may receive one or more electronic messages. The recipient computer system may send one, two, or more challenge messages to the sender of the electronic messages in determining whether to deliver the electronic message. The recipient computer system may accept or reject an electronic message based on the response, or lack of response, to the challenge messages. The recipient computer system may send two or more challenge messages at intervals. A sender computer system may record activity of the sender computer system for a recipient computer system to use in determining whether to deliver an electronic message. A sender computer system may provide a summary of that activity with an electronic message. A sender computer system may provide an authorization key for a recipient computer system to use in determining whether to deliver an electronic message. The authorization key may be generated by a third party.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A computer-implemented method of processing an electronic message prepared for at least one recipient, comprising:

receiving an electronic message that includes information indicating a manner in which the electronic message was created, the information indicating one or more of an amount of keyboard activity, an amount of mouse activity, an amount of user-interface activity, or an amount of time used in creating the electronic message;

analyzing, using a processor, the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created;

determining, using a processor, the manner in which the electronic message should be processed based on the analysis of the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created; and

processing the electronic message according to the determination of the manner in which the electronic message should be processed, wherein the processing comprises initiating a predetermined challenge-response protocol depending on the manner in which the electronic message was created.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the amount of time is an amount of time spent composing the electronic message.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the initiated protocol causes the electronic message or a sender of the electronic message to be authorized.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the initiated protocol causes at least one challenge message to be selected.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one challenge message requests at least one response.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one message requests that the at least one response be completed after a predetermined interval of time has elapsed.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one response comprises two responses, and wherein the at least one message requests that the two responses be provided so as to be separated from each other by a predetermined interval of time.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

sending the message;

receiving a response; and

determining whether the received response is correct.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising authorizing a sender of the message to send future electronic messages when the response is correct.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one challenge message includes one of a string of bytes, instructions for accessing a web page, or instructions for accessing an Internet resource.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising determining whether to send an additional challenge message based on the received response.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising limiting the number of responses from a particular computer, Internet Protocol (IP) address, range of IP addresses, or domain.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the protocol is initiated when the information indicates that the electronic message was generated manually.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the protocol is initiated when the information indicates that the electronic message was generated automatically.

35. A computer-implemented method of processing an electronic message prepared for at least one recipient, comprising:

receiving an electronic message that includes information indicating a manner in which the electronic message was created, the information indicating one or more of certain keyboard activity, certain mouse activity, or certain user-interface activity used in creating the electronic message;

analyzing, using a processor, the manner in which the electronic message should be processed based on the analysis of the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created; and

processing the electronic message according to the determination of the manner in which the electronic message should be processed.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the certain keyboard activity involves a content of keystrokes on a keyboard.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the certain keyboard activity involves a frequency of keystrokes on a keyboard.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the certain keyboard activity involves a pattern of keystrokes on a keyboard.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the certain user-interface activity involves a clicking of certain buttons of a user interface.

40. A system for processing an electronic message, the system comprising at least one processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configures the processor to:

receive an electronic message that includes information indicating a manner in which the electronic message was created, the information indicating one or more of an amount of keyboard activity, an amount of mouse activity, an amount of user-interface activity, or an amount of time used in creating the electronic message;

analyze the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created;

determine the manner in which the electronic message should be processed based on the analysis of the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created; and

process the electronic message according to the determination of the manner in which the electronic message should be processed, wherein the processing comprises initiating a predetermined challenge-response protocol depending on the manner in which the electronic message was created.