System, method and article of manufacture for preventing the proliferation of unwanted electronic messages

• US 6,687,740 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neostar, INC.
• Inventors: Gough, James J., Gough, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, HIEU C
• Application Number:
  US09/401,028
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 740/920--20, 740/205-207, 740/217-218
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A system, method, and article of manufacture are provided for affording an application program with an electronic message to help preclude unwanted electronic messages from being sent on a network. First, at least one application program is initialized after an electronic message is selected by a user. Such application program is received with the electronic message on a network. After initialization, the application program is executed. The execution of the application program includes displaying text included with the electronic message, depicting indicia, and communicating an identifier of the electronic message on the network upon the selection of the indicia by the user for precluding unwanted electronic messages from being sent on the network.

Claims

1. A method for providing an application program with an electronic message to preclude unwanted electronic messages from being sent on a network, comprising:

initializing at least one application program after an electronic message is selected by a user, wherein the application program is received with the electronic message on a network; and

executing the application program after the initialization thereof, the execution of the application program including;

displaying text included with the electronic message,

depicting indicia,

communicating an identifier of the electronic message on the network upon the selection of the indicia by the user for precluding unwanted electronic messages from being sent on the network;

tracking an amount of the identifiers that were sent by a plurality of users who received the electronic message; and

precluding unwanted electronic messages from being sent on the network upon a predetermined amount of the identifiers being tracked.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the application program is executed on a network browser.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electronic message is selected on an electronic mail browser.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the identifier is generated by a server that sends the electronic message on the network to the user.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the identifier is stored in the application program.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising tracking an amount of the identifiers that were sent by a plurality of users who received the electronic message and precluding unwanted electronic messages from being sent on the network upon a predetermined amount of the identifiers being tracked.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sending of the unwanted electronic messages is precluded by preventing the transmission of any subsequent electronic messages from a source of the electronic message.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, and further comprising receiving content of the electronic message, wherein the sending of the unwanted electronic messages is precluded by preventing the transmission of any subsequent electronic messages having content substantially similar to the received content.

9. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing an application program with an electronic message to preclude unwanted electronic messages from being sent on a network, comprising:

a code segment for initializing at least one application program after an electronic message is selected by a user, wherein the application program is received with the electronic message on a network; and

a code segment for executing the application program after the initialization thereof, the execution of the application program including;

displaying text included with the electronic message,

depicting indicia,

communicating an identifier of the electronic message on the network upon the selection of the indicia by the user for precluding unwanted electronic messages from being sent on the network;

a code segment for tracking an amount of the identifiers that were sent by a plurality of users who received the electronic message; and

a code segment for precluding unwanted electronic messages from being sent on the network upon a predetermined amount of the identifiers being tracked.

10. The computer program as set forth in claim 9, wherein the application program is executed on a network browser.

11. The computer program as set forth in claim 9, wherein the electronic message is selected on an electronic mail browser.

12. The computer program as set forth in claim 9, wherein the identifier is generated by a server that sends the electronic message on the network to the user.

13. The computer program as set forth in claim 12, wherein the identifier is stored in the application program.

14. The computer program as set forth in claim 9, and further comprising a code segment for tracking an amount of the identifiers that were sent by a plurality of users who received the electronic message.

15. The computer program as set forth in claim 9, wherein the sending of the unwanted electronic messages is precluded by preventing the transmission of any subsequent electronic messages from a source of the electronic message.

16. The computer program as set forth in claim 9, and further comprising a code segment for receiving content of the electronic message, wherein the sending of the unwanted electronic messages is precluded by preventing the transmission of any subsequent electronic messages having content substantially similar to the received content.