E-mail policy compliance techniques

• US 7,277,695 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Postini, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Maggi, Brian, Irlam, Gordon Raymond, Petry, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehrpour; Naghmeh
• Application Number:
  US11/276,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/413, 455/414.1, 455/3.01, 455/461, 455/466, 455/503, 455410-411, 370/270, 370912-913, 709201-203, 709206-207, 709/319, 709/209
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• 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
• 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 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

According to the described embodiments, an intermediate electronic messaging service is inserted into a message delivery path connecting to an e-mail entity such as an ISP. A database is provided in the intermediate service, the database having user profiles associated with the users of the ISP or other e-mail entity. The intermediate service receives email message over the electronic message delivery path into which it has been inserted, where the e-mail messages comprise at least content and IP routing information. Within the intermediate service, at least one of the content and the IP routing information of the received e-mail message is examined, and the e-mail message is then delivered to a destination based on the examination and in accordance with a user profile in the database in the intermediate service.

Claims

1. A method of providing electronic messaging services in an e-mail network comprising an e-mail entity operable to send and receive messages on behalf of its users over electronic message delivery paths between the e-mail entity and e-mail sending and receiving servers, the method comprising:

inserting an intermediate service into at least one of the electronic message delivery paths by changing an MX record in a DNS database containing an IP address of an e-mail server of the e-mail entity to contain an IP address for the intermediate service;

providing a database in the intermediate service, the database having user profiles associated with the users of the e-mail entity;

receiving an e-mail message in the intermediate service over at least one of the electronic message delivery paths, the e-mail message comprising content and IP routing information;

examining at least one of the content and the IP routing information of the received e-mail message; and

delivering the e-mail message to at least one destination based on the examination and in accordance with a user profile in the database in the intermediate service.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the e-mail message to a quarantine area.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the quarantine area is associated with a user of the e-mail entity.

4. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising sending a notification upon the delivering of the e-mail to the at least one destination in accordance with the user profile.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the notification is sent to a user with whom the user profile is associated.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one destination is a quarantine area.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the e-mail message to a quarantine area and further comprising providing access to the quarantine area by a user.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the user can then, if desired, download messages from the quarantine area.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one destination is the user'"'"'s destination server.

10. A method according to claim 9, and further comprising sending a notification upon the delivering of the e-mail to the at least one destination in accordance with the user profile.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the notification is sent to a user with whom the user profile is associated.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic message path is between the e-mail entity and a sending e-mail server.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the destination is a device other than a wired device associated with a user of the e-mail entity who is an intended recipient of the received e-mail message.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the examining comprises examining the content of the received e-mail according to rules in the user profile.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the e-mail message to multiple destinations.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the multiple destinations is associated with a user of the e-mail entity who is an intended recipient of the received e-mail message.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the delivering further comprises delivering different portions or versions of the e-mail message to different ones of the multiple destinations.

18. A method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying a media part of the received e-mail message, modifying the e-mail message by substituting different electronic content for the media part, and delivering the modified e-mail message.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the different electronic content is derived from the media part.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the different electronic content is descriptive of the media part.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein the delivering comprises delivering less than all of the e-mail message that was received in the intermediate service.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the e-mail server whose MX record was substituted with the intermediate service'"'"'s IP address is a primary e-mail server for a user of the e-mail entity who is an intended recipient of the received e-mail message.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein the e-mail entity creates the user profile on which the delivering is based.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user profile on which the delivering is based is modifiable by a user of the e-mail entity who is an intended recipient of the received e-mail message.

25. A method according to claim 1, wherein the examining comprises determining whether the received e-mail message is good or bad in accordance with the user profile, and wherein good e-mail messages are addressed to be delivered to one or more addresses in accordance with information specified in the user profile.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising sending the good e-mail messages to an outbound e-mail server cluster within the intermediate service for the delivering.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the bad e-mail messages to a quarantine area.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising sending a notification e-mail message indicating that bad e-mail messages have been delivered to a quarantine area.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the notification is sent to a user with whom the user profile is associated.

30. A method of providing electronic messaging services in an e-mail network comprising an e-mail entity operable to send and receive e-mail messages on behalf of its users over electronic message delivery paths between the e-mail entity and e-mail sending and receiving servers, the method comprising:

inserting an intermediate service into at least one of the electronic message delivery paths by substituting an address for the intermediate service for an address for an e-mail server of the e-mail entity;

providing a database in the intermediate service, the database having user profiles associated with the users of the e-mail entity;

receiving an e-mail message in the intermediate service over at least one of the electronic message delivery paths, the e-mail message comprising content and IP routing information;

examining at least one of the content and the IP routing information of the received e-mail message to determine whether the e-mail message is good or bad according to at least one of the user profiles;

delivering the e-mail message to at least one destination in accordance with whether the e-mail message is determined to be good or bad.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the e-mail message to a destination specified in the at least one user profile.

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the e-mail message to a destination associated with a user of the e-mail entity.

33. A method according to claim 30, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the e-mail message to a quarantine area.

34. A method according to claim 30, and further comprising sending a notification upon the delivering of the e-mail message to the at least one destination.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the notification is sent to a user with whom the at least one user profile is associated.

36. A method according to claim 34, wherein the destination is a quarantine area.

37. A method according to claim 30, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the e-mail message to a quarantine area and further comprising providing access to the quarantine area by a user.

38. A method according to claim 37, wherein the user can then, if desired, download messages from the quarantine area.

39. A method according to claim 34, wherein the destination is the user'"'"'s destination server.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the notification is sent after delivery of the message to its destination.

41. A method according to claim 30, wherein the electronic message path is between the e-mail entity and an e-mail sending server.

42. A method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one destination is a device other than a wired device associated with a user of the e-mail entity who is an intended recipient of the received e-mail message.

43. A method according to claim 30, wherein the examining comprises examining the content of the received e-mail message according to rules in the at least one user profile.

44. A The method according to claim 30, wherein the delivering comprises delivering the e-mail message to multiple destinations.

45. A The method according to claim 44, wherein at least one of the multiple destinations is associated with a user of the e-mail entity who is an intended recipient of the received e-mail message.

46. A method according to claim 44, wherein the delivering further comprises delivering different portions or versions of the e-mail message to different ones of the multiple destinations.

47. A method according to claim 30, further comprising identifying a media part of the received e-mail message, modifying the e-mail message by substituting different electronic content for the media part, and delivering the modified e-mail message.

48. A method according to claim 47, wherein the different electronic content is derived from the media part.

49. A method according to claim 47, wherein the different electronic content is descriptive of the media part.

50. A method according to claim 30, wherein the delivering comprises delivering less than all of the e-mail message that was received in the intermediate service.

51. A method according to claim 30, wherein the e-mail server whose address was substituted with the address of the intermediate service is a primary e-mail server for a user of the e-mail entity who is an intended recipient of the received e-mail message.

52. A method according to claim 30, wherein the e-mail entity creates the at least one user profile.

53. A method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one user profile on which the delivering is based is modifiable by a user of the e-mail entity who is an intended recipient of the received e-mail message.

54. A method of providing electronic messaging services in an e-mail network comprising an e-mail entity operable to send and receive e-mail messages on behalf of its users over electronic message delivery paths between the e-mail entity and e-mail sending and receiving servers, the method comprising:

inserting an intermediate service into at least one of the electronic message delivery paths by substituting an address for the intermediate service for an address for a primary e-mail server of at least one of the users of the e-mail entity;

providing a database in the intermediate service, the database having user profiles associated with the users of the e-mail entity;

receiving an e-mail message in the intermediate service over at least one of the electronic message delivery paths, the e-mail message comprising content and IP routing information;

examining at least one of the content and the IP routing information of the received e-mail message to determine whether the e-mail message is good or bad according to rules set forth at least one of the user profiles;

delivering the e-mail message to a destination in accordance with whether the e-mail message is determined to be good or bad and according to a destination specified in the at least one user profile.