E-mail protocol using assumed send and reply address and smart E-mail archiving by addressee and addressor

• US 7,231,427 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2001
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qiang Du
• Original Assignee: Qiang Du
• Inventors: Du, Qiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell; Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blair; Douglas
• Application Number:
  US09/956,512
• Time in Patent Office: 2,093 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/245, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

In an E-mail protocol between a sender and a receiver, an intermediate server subscribed to by either the sender or receiver assures masking of the primary E-mail address of a subscriber in E-mail messages between sender and receiver. The protocol also archives all messages passing through the intermediate server for the subscribing sender and/or receiver by addressee.addresses.

Claims

1. In an E-mail process between subscribing sender and non-subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing sender, the process comprising the steps of:

providing an intermediate server with an intermediate server domain name;

sending an E-mail message from the subscribing sender to the receiver with the address “

To”

format including a first “

To”

E-mail address including a user identifier, a user identifier sign, and the non-subscribing receiver'"'"'s domain name;

before sending concatenating a second delimiter and the intermediate server domain name to the end of the receiver'"'"'s address to address the E-mail to the intermediate server to generate a second “

To”

E-mail address, wherein the second “

To”

E-mail address includes the user identifier and the non-subscribing receiver'"'"'s domain name along with the second delimiter and the intermediate server domain name in a format such that the E-mail is sent to the intermediate server first instead of the first “

To”

E-mail address;

upon receipt at the intermediate server resending the E-mail;

before resending removing the sender'"'"'s primary E-mail address whereby the intermediate server domain name becomes the domain name address of the sender; and

before resending restoring the receiver'"'"'s primary address by the removal of the delimiter and the domain name of the intermediate server;

whereby masking of sender'"'"'s primary E-mail address is assured.

2. In an E-mail process between subscribing sender and non-subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing sender, the process according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

before sending concatenating a delimiter and the intermediate server domain name to the end of the receiver'"'"'s address to address the E-mail to the intermediate server by replacing the receiver'"'"'s user identifier sign with a second delimiter.

3. In an E-mail process between subscribing sender and non-subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing sender, the process according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

automatically opening a folder for each new receiver in a database accessible to the subscribing sender using the intermediate server; and

,

automatically storing a copy of all messages in the database in the folder for each receiver accessible to the subscribing sender using the intermediate server.

4. In an E-mail process between subscribing sender and non-subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing sender, according to claim 1 using the additional steps of:

resending the reply from the intermediate server to the subscribing sender,

before resending the reply from the intermediate server in the “

Reply to”

portion of the E-mail concatenating a delimiter and the intermediate server domain name to end of non-subscribing receiver'"'"'s address;

whereby reply from the non-subscribing receiver to the subscribing sender will pass through the intermediate server to assure masking of the primary E-mail address of the subscriber.

5. In an E-mail process between subscribing sender and non-subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing sender, according to claim 4 using the additional steps of:

before resending the reply from the intermediate server in the “

Reply to”

portion of the E-mail concatenating a delimiter and the intermediate server domain name to end of non-subscribing receiver'"'"'s address by replacing a receiver'"'"'s user identifier sign in the subscribing receiver'"'"'s address with a delimiter.

6. In an E-mail process between subscribing sender and non-subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing sender, the process according to claim 1 comprising the additional steps of:

before sending to the intermediate server replacing the user identifier sign in the receiver'"'"'s address with a third delimiter; and

before resending replacing said third delimiter with the user identifier sign.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein the user identifier sign is the “

@”

symbol.

8. In an E-mail process between non-subscribing sender and subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing receiver, the process comprising the steps of:

providing an intermediate server with an intermediate server domain name;

sending an E-mail message form the non-subscribing sender with the format including a receiver identifier, a first delimiter, and intermediate server domain name to address the E-mail to the receiver at the intermediate server;

upon receipt at the intermediate server resending the E-mail to the subscribing receiver;

before resending concatenating in the “

Reply to”

portion of the E-mail a second delimiter and the intermediate server domain name to the end of a first “

Reply to”

sender E-mail address, which includes a sender identifier, a sender'"'"'s user identifier sign, and a sender domain name, to generate a second “

Reply to”

E-mail address, wherein the second “

Reply to”

E-mail address includes the sender identifier and the sender domain name along with the second delimiter and the intermediate server domain name in a format such that a reply E-mail is sent to the intermediate server first instead of the first “

Reply to”

sender E-mail address; and

before resending, removing the subscribing receiver'"'"'s assumed E-mail address and using the subscribing receiver'"'"'s primary E-mail address substituted therefore;

whereby “

Reply to”

the receiver is assured through the intermediate server to masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing receiver in the event of sending a reply later.

9. In an E-mail process between non-subscribing sender and subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing receiver, the process according to claim 8 comprising the steps of:

automatically opening a folder for each new sender in a database accessible to the subscribing receiver using the intermediate server; and

,

automatically storing a copy of all messages in the database in the folder for each sender accessible to the subscribing receiver using the intermediate server.

10. In an E-mail process between non-subscribing sender and subscribing receiver, an intermediate server masks the primary E-mail address of the subscribing receiver, the process according to claim 8 comprising the additional step of;

before resending replacing the user identifier sign in the non-subscribing sender'"'"'s address in the “

Reply-to”

portion of the email with another delimiter.