Junk mail rejection system
First Claim
1. A junk mail rejection system, comprising:
- a first mail distribution service center having a database in which a first electronic mail address of a subscriber is registered, receiving electronic mail transmitted to the first electronic mail address through a cable/wireless network, and transmitting the electronic mail to a terminal of the subscriber;
a second mail distribution service center having a database in which a second electronic mail address of the subscriber is registered, and receiving electronic mail to the second electronic mail address through a cable/wireless network; and
a third mail distribution service center having a database in which a third electronic mail address of the subscriber is registered, and receiving electronic mail to the third electronic mail address through a cable/wireless network,wherein said first mail distribution service center registers in the database one or more source electronic mail addresses as acceptable electronic mail addresses, associated with the first electronic mail address, from which electronic mail can be transmitted to a terminal of a subscriber among source electronic mail addresses of electronic mail addressed to the first electronic mail address, and comprises;
reception means for receiving electronic mail to the first electronic mail address;
reception enable means for determining whether or not a source electronic mail address of electronic mail received by said reception means is an acceptable electronic mail address registered in the database; and
distribution means for transmitting the electronic mail to a terminal of a subscriber only the case when the reception enable means determines that it is an acceptable electronic mail address;
said second mail distribution service center registers an electronic mail address of a transfer destination of a subscriber in the database associated with a second electronic mail address, and comprises reception means for receiving electronic mail to the second electronic mail address; and
transfer means for forwarding the electronic mail received by said reception means to a third mail distribution service center directly through a cable/wireless network, or through another center; and
said third mail distribution service center registers an electronic mail address of a transfer destination of a subscriber in the database associated with a third electronic mail address, and comprises reception means for receiving electronic mail to the third electronic mail address;
replacement means for replacing a source electronic mail address of the electronic mail received by said reception means with one of the acceptable electronic mail addresses; and
transfer means for forwarding the electronic mail whose source has been replaced by said replacement means to said first mail distribution service center directly through a cable/wireless network, or through another center.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To provide a junk mail rejection system which can effectively reject junk mail in electronic mail. When junk mail transmitted from many and unspecified persons is sent to a first electronic mail address registered in a first mail distribution service center, sources of the junk mail are not acceptable electronic mail addresses, and a reception enable unit rejects receiving the junk mail, thereby avoiding transmission of the junk mail to subscribers. On the other hand, the electronic mail transmitted from many and unspecified persons and not to be rejected by the reception enable unit is transmitted to a second electronic mail address. The electronic mail to the second electronic mail address received by a second mail distribution service center is forwarded to a third mail distribution service center, and a replacement unit replaces a source with an acceptable electronic mail address registered in the first mail distribution service center, and the electronic mail is transmitted to the first mail distribution service center. Since the source is set to an acceptable electronic mail address, the reception enable unit in the first mail distribution service center enables reception, and a subscriber can receive the electronic mail.
52 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A junk mail rejection system, comprising:
-
a first mail distribution service center having a database in which a first electronic mail address of a subscriber is registered, receiving electronic mail transmitted to the first electronic mail address through a cable/wireless network, and transmitting the electronic mail to a terminal of the subscriber; a second mail distribution service center having a database in which a second electronic mail address of the subscriber is registered, and receiving electronic mail to the second electronic mail address through a cable/wireless network; and a third mail distribution service center having a database in which a third electronic mail address of the subscriber is registered, and receiving electronic mail to the third electronic mail address through a cable/wireless network, wherein said first mail distribution service center registers in the database one or more source electronic mail addresses as acceptable electronic mail addresses, associated with the first electronic mail address, from which electronic mail can be transmitted to a terminal of a subscriber among source electronic mail addresses of electronic mail addressed to the first electronic mail address, and comprises;
reception means for receiving electronic mail to the first electronic mail address;
reception enable means for determining whether or not a source electronic mail address of electronic mail received by said reception means is an acceptable electronic mail address registered in the database; and
distribution means for transmitting the electronic mail to a terminal of a subscriber only the case when the reception enable means determines that it is an acceptable electronic mail address;said second mail distribution service center registers an electronic mail address of a transfer destination of a subscriber in the database associated with a second electronic mail address, and comprises reception means for receiving electronic mail to the second electronic mail address; and
transfer means for forwarding the electronic mail received by said reception means to a third mail distribution service center directly through a cable/wireless network, or through another center; andsaid third mail distribution service center registers an electronic mail address of a transfer destination of a subscriber in the database associated with a third electronic mail address, and comprises reception means for receiving electronic mail to the third electronic mail address;
replacement means for replacing a source electronic mail address of the electronic mail received by said reception means with one of the acceptable electronic mail addresses; and
transfer means for forwarding the electronic mail whose source has been replaced by said replacement means to said first mail distribution service center directly through a cable/wireless network, or through another center. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An intermediate mail distribution service center, provided between
a first mail distribution service center having a database in which a first electronic mail address of a subscriber is registered, receiving electronic mail transmitted to the first electronic mail address through a cable/wireless network, and transmitting the electronic mail to a terminal of the subscriber only when a source of the electronic mail has an acceptable electronic mail address permitted in advance for transmission to a terminal of the subscriber; - and
a second mail distribution service center having a database in which a second electronic mail address of the subscriber is registered, and receiving electronic mail to the second electronic mail address through a cable/wireless network, comprising; reception means for receiving electronic mail to a second electronic mail address received by said second mail distribution service center; replacement means for replacing a source of the electronic mail received by said reception means with the acceptable electronic mail address determined by said first mail distribution service center; and transfer means for allowing the electronic mail replaced by said replacement means to be transmitted to the first mail distribution service center. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- and
Specification