Managing electronic messages
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a processor and memory that monitors electronic messages that are sent from senders to recipients, a method of determining whether an electronic message has been sent from an authorized sender, comprising:
- receiving an electronic message that includes information identifying a sender of the electronic message;
transmitting to the sender a first challenge message;
specifying a predetermined time after an event from which a first response to the first challenge message should be received for the purpose of requiring the sender to spend a certain amount of time and requiring a certain amount of computing resources of a system of the sender to prepare the first response to the first challenge message such that responding would be impractical for a bulk messaging system;
receiving the first response to the first challenge message;
when the first response to the first challenge message is correct and when the first response to the first challenge message is received after the predetermined time from the event, transmitting to the sender a second challenge message after a predetermined period of time has passed since transmitting the first challenge message, and specifying that receipt of the first response to the first challenge message and a second response to the second challenge message must be separated from each other by at least a requested interval for the purpose of requiring the sender to spend a certain amount of time and requiring a certain amount of computing resources of the system of the sender to prepare the second response to the second challenge message such that responding would be impractical for a bulk messaging system;
receiving the second response to the second challenge message; and
when the second response to the second challenge message is correct and when receipt of the first response and the second response are separated from each other by at least the requested interval, designating the sender as being authorized to send electronic messages to the recipient, the sender being designated as being authorized only when the sender provides appropriate responses to the first and second challenge messages.
15 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A recipient computer system may receive one or more electronic messages. The recipient computer system may send one, two, or more challenge messages to the sender of the electronic messages in determining whether to deliver the electronic message. The recipient computer system may accept or reject an electronic message based on the response, or lack of response, to the challenge messages. The recipient computer system may send two or more challenge messages at intervals. A sender computer system may record activity of the sender computer system for a recipient computer system to use in determining whether to deliver an electronic message. A sender computer system may provide a summary of that activity with an electronic message. A sender computer system may provide an authorization key for a recipient computer system to use in determining whether to deliver an electronic message. The authorization key may be generated by a third party.
164 Citations
13 Claims
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1. In a computer system having a processor and memory that monitors electronic messages that are sent from senders to recipients, a method of determining whether an electronic message has been sent from an authorized sender, comprising:
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receiving an electronic message that includes information identifying a sender of the electronic message; transmitting to the sender a first challenge message; specifying a predetermined time after an event from which a first response to the first challenge message should be received for the purpose of requiring the sender to spend a certain amount of time and requiring a certain amount of computing resources of a system of the sender to prepare the first response to the first challenge message such that responding would be impractical for a bulk messaging system; receiving the first response to the first challenge message; when the first response to the first challenge message is correct and when the first response to the first challenge message is received after the predetermined time from the event, transmitting to the sender a second challenge message after a predetermined period of time has passed since transmitting the first challenge message, and specifying that receipt of the first response to the first challenge message and a second response to the second challenge message must be separated from each other by at least a requested interval for the purpose of requiring the sender to spend a certain amount of time and requiring a certain amount of computing resources of the system of the sender to prepare the second response to the second challenge message such that responding would be impractical for a bulk messaging system; receiving the second response to the second challenge message; and when the second response to the second challenge message is correct and when receipt of the first response and the second response are separated from each other by at least the requested interval, designating the sender as being authorized to send electronic messages to the recipient, the sender being designated as being authorized only when the sender provides appropriate responses to the first and second challenge messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a computer system having a processor and memory that monitors electronic messages that are sent from senders to recipients, a method of determining whether an electronic message has been sent from an authorized sender, comprising:
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receiving an electronic message that includes information identifying a sender of the electronic message; transmitting to the sender a first challenge message; specifying a predetermined time after an event from which a first response to the first challenge message should be received for the purpose of requiring the sender to spend a certain amount of time and requiring a certain amount of computing resources of a system of the sender to prepare the first response to the first challenge message such that responding would be impractical for a bulk messaging system; receiving the first response to the first challenge message; when the first response is correct and when the first response to the first challenge message is received after the predetermined time from the event, transmitting to the sender a second challenge message, the second challenge message notifying the sender of a predetermined time after receiving the first response from which the sender can send a second response to the second challenge message such that receipt of the first response to the first challenge message and the second response to the second challenge message must be separated from each other by at least a requested interval for the purpose of requiring the sender to spend a certain amount of time and requiring a certain amount of computing resources of the system of the sender to prepare the second response to the second challenge message such that responding would be impractical for a bulk messaging system; receiving the second response to the second challenge message; and when the second response is received after the predetermined time from receiving the first response, and when the second response is correct, designating the sender as being authorized to send electronic messages to the recipient.
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13. In a computer system having a processor and memory that monitors electronic messages that are sent from senders to recipients, a method of determining whether an electronic message has been sent from an authorized sender, comprising:
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receiving an electronic message that includes information identifying a sender of the electronic message; transmitting to the sender a first challenge message, the first challenge message including instructions to the sender for responding to a first challenge in the first challenge message to generate a first response and for responding to a second challenge in the first challenge message to generate a second response, and specifying that receipt of the first response to the first challenge message and the second response to the first challenge message must be separated from each other by at least a requested interval for the purpose of requiring the sender to spend a certain amount of time and requiring a certain amount of computing resources of the system of the sender to prepare the first response and the second response to the first challenge message such that responding would be impractical for a bulk messaging system; receiving the first response to the first challenge message; receiving the second response to the first challenge message; and when receipt of the first response and the second response are separated from each other by at least the requested interval, and when the first response and the second response are correct, designating the sender as being authorized to send electronic messages to the recipient.
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Specification