Processing of textual electronic communication distributed in bulk

• US 6,842,773 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Energetic Power Investment Limited
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Manber, Udi, Nakayama, David H., Lewin, Matthew E., Ralston, Geoffrey D., Jayachandran, Ravichandran Menon, Woods, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean, Frantz B.
• Application Number:
  US09/773,250
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/200, 709/201, 709/204, 379/8
• 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

The invention relates to processing of electronic text communication distributed in bulk. In one embodiment, a process for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk is disclosed. In the process, a first electronic and a second electronic submission are received. A first portion is extracted from the first electronic submission and a second portion is extracted from the second electronic submission. A first code is determined for the first portion and a second code is determined for the second portion. The first code is indicative of the first portion and the second code is indicative of the second portion. After the first code is compared to the second code, the second electronic submission is filtered in response to that comparison.

Claims

1. A method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk, the method comprising:

receiving a first electronic and a second electronic submission;

extracting a first portion from the first electronic submission and a second portion from the second electronic submission, wherein content of the first electronic submission influences extraction of the first portion and content of the second electronic submission influences extraction of the second portion, whereby locations for the first and second portions vary with content;

determining a first code for the first portion and a second code for the second portion, wherein the first code is indicative of the first portion and the second code is indicative of the second portion;

comparing the first code to the second code; and

filtering the second electronic submission in response to comparing the first code to the second code.

2. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 1, wherein the filtering of the second electronic submission comprises storing the second electronic submission in a bulk mail folder.

3. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 1, wherein the first portion is extracted from visible text in the first electronic submission.

4. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 1, the method further comprising:

modifying a count in response to the comparing of the first code with the second code;

determining if the count reaches a threshold;

comparing a third code associated with a third message; and

filtering the third message if the third code matches the second code.

5. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 1, wherein the first portion is related to the first code by one of a hash function, a checksum and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC).

6. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first and second codes is represented in less bits than a corresponding portion.

7. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second electronic submissions are chosen from the group consisting of an electronic mail message, a chat room comment, an instant message, a newsgroup posting, an electronic forum posting, a message board posting, and a classified advertisement.

8. A method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk, the method comprising:

receiving a first electronic submission;

extracting a first portion from the first electronic submission, wherein content of the first electronic submission influences extraction of the first portion;

determining at least a first code for the first portion, wherein the first code is indicative of the first portion;

receiving a second electronic submission;

extracting a second portion from the second electronic submission, wherein content of the second electronic submission influences extraction of the second portion;

determining at least a second code for the second portion, wherein the second code is indicative of the second portion;

comparing the first code with the second code;

modifying a count in response to the comparing of the first code with the second code;

determining if the count reaches a threshold; and

filtering subsequent electronic submissions similar to the first electronic submission in response to determining if the count reaches the threshold.

9. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 8, wherein the filtering subsequent electronic submissions comprises storing the subsequent electronic submissions in a bulk mail folder.

10. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second codes are each a number represented in a same number of bits.

11. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 8, wherein the first portion is related to the first code by one of a hash function, a checksum and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC).

12. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 8, wherein each of the first and second codes is represented in less bits than a corresponding portion.

13. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 8, wherein the first and second electronic submissions are chosen from the group consisting of an electronic mail message, a chat room comment, an instant message, a newsgroup posting, an electronic forum posting, a message board posting, and a classified advertisement.

14. A method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk, the method comprising:

receiving a first electronic submission;

extracting a first plurality of portions from the first electronic submission, wherein content of the first electronic submission influences extraction of the first plurality of portions;

determining a first plurality of codes for the first plurality of portions, wherein each of the first plurality of codes is indicative of its respective portion;

receiving a second electronic submission;

extracting a second plurality of portions from the second electronic submission, wherein content of the second electronic submission influences extraction of the second plurality of portions;

determining a second plurality of codes for the second plurality of portions, wherein each of the second plurality of codes is indicative of its respective portion;

comparing the first plurality of codes with the second plurality of codes;

modifying a count in response to the comparing of the first plurality of codes with the second plurality of codes;

determining if the count reaches a threshold; and

filtering similar electronic submissions in response to determining if the count reaches the threshold.

15. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 14, wherein the filtering similar electronic submissions comprises storing the similar electronic submissions in a bulk mail folder.

16. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 14, wherein the comparing the first plurality of codes with a second plurality of codes comprises determining if a percentage of the first plurality of codes exactly matches one of the second plurality of codes.

17. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 14, wherein each of the first plurality of portions is respectively related to its code by one of a hash function, a checksum and a cyclic redundancy check (CRC).

18. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 14, wherein the first and second electronic submissions are chosen from the group consisting of an electronic mail message, a chat room comment, an instant message, a newsgroup posting, an electronic forum posting, a message board posting, and a classified advertisement.

19. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 14, wherein the codes are each a number represented in a same number of bits.

20. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 14, wherein each code is represented in less bits than a corresponding portion.

21. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 14, wherein interrupting the first-listed extracting step when the first plurality of portions reaches a predetermined count.

22. The method for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk recited in claim 14, further comprising steps of:

determining if the first plurality of portions fails to reach a predetermined count;

extracting a third plurality of portions from the first electronic submission; and

replacing the first plurality with the third plurality.