Method, System, and Apparatus for Providing Self-Destructing Electronic Mail Messages

• US 20130159436A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hartselle, William A., Short, Shannon M., Meadows, Vernon
• Granted Patent: US 8,725,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4025 where none of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. downloading a file in a parallel FTP session, initiating an email or combinational services

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for providing a self-destructing e-mail messages are described. An e-mail client application provides a user interface through which the sender of an e-mail message can enter the message and a time period for destruction of the message. Once the sender has provided this information, the e-mail client application sends a request to an e-mail server application to transmit the self-destructing e-mail message. The e-mail client application may also receive self-destructing e-mail messages. When a self-destructing e-mail message is received, the destruction date associated with the e-mail message is identified and the message is destroyed at the specified time. The e-mail client application can also limit the number and type of operations that may be performed on a self-destructing e-mail. An e-mail server application is also provided that receives requests from the e-mail client application to transmit self-destructing e-mail messages and perform other functions.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method for transmitting self-destructing electronic mail messages comprising:

receiving a request, at an electronic mail server, from a sender to send a self-destructing electronic mail message, the request identifying a time period after which the self-destructing electronic mail message is to be destroyed;

sending a security warning to the sender when an electronic mail address of an intended recipient of the self-destructing electronic mail message is located beyond a home domain of the sender;

sending the self-destructing electronic mail message to the electronic mail address of the intended recipient in response to input from the sender responsive to the security warning;

deleting any instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message that are being stored at the electronic mail server after the sending and after expiration of the time period.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the request comprises a designation that prevents an electronic mail client of an intended recipient in the home domain of the sender from performing a prohibited operation that results in duplication of contents of the self-destructing electronic mail message.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the prohibited operation comprises forwarding the self-destructing electronic mail message to another recipient.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the prohibited operation comprises printing the self-destructing electronic mail message.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein the prohibited operation comprises copying contents of the self-destructing electronic mail message into a memory and pasting the contents of the self-destructing electronic message from the memory into a new document.

36. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

receiving a request from the intended recipient in the home domain of the sender to read the self-destructing electronic mail message.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising:

determining whether the self-destructing electronic mail message can be destroyed after the self-destructing electronic mail message is closed.

38. An apparatus for transmitting self-destructing electronic mail messages, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request from a sender to send a self-destructing electronic mail message, the request identifying a time period after which the self-destructing electronic mail message is to be destroyed;

sending a security warning to the sender when an electronic mail address of an intended recipient of the self-destructing electronic mail message is located beyond a home domain of the sender;

sending the self-destructing electronic mail message to the intended recipient in response to input from the sender responsive to the security warning;

deleting any instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message that are being stored at the electronic mail server after the sending and after expiration of the time period.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the request comprises a designation that prevents an electronic mail client of an intended recipient in the home domain of the sender from performing a prohibited operation that results in duplication of contents of the self-destructing electronic mail message.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the prohibited operation comprises forwarding the self-destructing electronic mail message to another recipient.

41. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the prohibited operation comprises printing the self-destructing electronic mail message.

42. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the prohibited operation comprises copying contents of the self-destructing electronic mail message into a memory and pasting the contents of the self-destructing electronic message from the memory into a new document.

43. The apparatus of claim 38, the operations further comprising:

receiving a request from the intended recipient in the home domain of the sender to read the self-destructing electronic mail message.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, the operations further comprising:

determining whether the self-destructing electronic mail message can be destroyed after the self-destructing electronic mail message is closed.

45. A computer readable medium storing computer program instructions for transmitting self-destructing electronic mail messages, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request, at an electronic mail server, from a sender to send a self-destructing electronic mail message, the request identifying a time period after which the self-destructing electronic mail message is to be destroyed;

sending a security warning to the sender when an electronic mail address of an intended recipient of the self-destructing electronic mail message is located beyond a home domain of the sender;

sending the self-destructing electronic mail message to the intended recipient in response to input from the sender responsive to the security warning;

deleting any instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message that are being stored at the electronic mail server after the sending and after expiration of the time period.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 45 wherein the request comprises a designation that prevents an electronic mail client of an intended recipient in the home domain of the sender from performing a prohibited operation that results in duplication of contents of the self-destructing electronic mail message.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 46 wherein the prohibited operation comprises forwarding the self-destructing electronic mail message to another recipient.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 46 wherein the prohibited operation comprises forwarding the self-destructing electronic mail message to another recipient.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 45, the operations further comprising:

receiving a request from the intended recipient in the home domain of the sender to read the self-destructing electronic mail message.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 49, the operations further comprising:

determining whether the self-destructing electronic mail message can be destroyed after the self-destructing electronic mail message is closed.