Proxy email method and system

• US 7,627,633 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rechterman, Barbara J., Coffman, Joshua T., Parsons, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B
• Application Number:
  US10/526,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,650 Days
• Field of Search: 709/214, 709/225, 709/226, 709/205, 709206-207, 709/202, 709/217, 709/219, 709/238, 726/6, 726/22, 726/12, 718/1, 379/88.22, 717/174, 717/175
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212

Abstract

A system and method of proxy (60) domain name registration permits a would-be domain name registrant anonymity. A registrar (24) affords customers (20) the opportunity to use the proxy registration. If the customer seeking registration of a domain name requests, the registrar obtains contact information needed for registration from a proxy entity established for this purpose. The registrar completes the registration of the domain name with the appropriate registry (22) (i.e. “.com, .net” etc.). The contact information published in WHOIS (27) is that of proxy entity. Contractually the customer is afforded control over the domain name. Emails intended for the customer are received by the proxy entity who may filter them if the customer requests. Emails sent by the customer are sent to the proxy entity who in turn send them to the indicated addressee.

Claims

1. A proxy email computer installation including:

(a) a database in computer memory associating a customer'"'"'s identification, a customer'"'"'s actual email address and a customer'"'"'s proxy email address;

(b) an email server having an ability to receive a first email message at the customer'"'"'s proxy email address;

(c) computer executable code on a computer usable storage medium or media providing;

(i) first programming to retrieve a customer'"'"'s actual email address from the database upon receipt of the first email message to the customer'"'"'s proxy email address;

(ii) second programming to forward a second email message to the customer'"'"'s actual email address, wherein the second email message is formed from the first email message; and

(d) a connection to a communication link forwarding the second email message to the customer'"'"'s actual email addresses.

2. The proxy email computer installation according to claim 1, wherein the email server is set up to receive all incoming proxy emails to a common catch-all account, and the email computer installation further comprises an email address management system that periodically checks for new emails for any customer.

3. The proxy email computer installation according to claim 2, wherein the first programming to retrieve a customer'"'"'s actual email address includes programming to check email addresses of all addressed and copied parties for a proxy email address being served by the proxy email server whenever a new email is found by the email address management system.

4. The proxy email computer installation according to claim 3, wherein the second programming comprises programming to copy the content of the first email message into the second email message, the second email message comprising an email message from the proxy computer installation to the customer at the customer'"'"'s actual email address.

5. The proxy email computer installation according to claim 4, further comprising programming in computer executable code on a computer usable storage medium or media to effect deletion of an email once addresses of all addressed and copied parties have been checked for proxy email addresses of customers and any content has been copied to an email to the actual email addresses of any customers whose proxy email addresses have been found.

6. A proxy email computer installation including:

(a) a database in computer memory storing customer information in association with a proxy email address, wherein the customer information includes a customer'"'"'s actual email address;

(b) an email server to receive an email intended for a customer at the proxy email address;

(c) computer executable code on a computer-usable storage medium or media providing;

(i) first programming to detect the email received at the email server intended for the customer;

(ii) second programming for retrieving the customer'"'"'s actual email address from the database upon receipt of the email;

(iii) third programming to forward the email to the customer'"'"'s actual email address; and

(d) a connection to a communication link for forwarding the email to the customer'"'"'s actual email address.

7. The proxy email computer installation according to claim 6, further comprising:

(e) a filtering software in computer-executable code on a computer-usable storage medium or media for preventing an objectionable email being forwarded to the customer.

8. The proxy email computer installation according to claim 7, further comprising, in said database, an indication of customer'"'"'s choice or choices for an email filtering.

9. The proxy email computer installation according to claim 8, wherein the customer'"'"'s choice or choices includes one of:

(i) no filtering;

(ii) blocking all emails addressed to the proxy email address associated with the customer'"'"'s information; and

(iii) blocking objectionable emails addressed to the proxy email address associated with the customer'"'"'s information.

10. The proxy email computer installation according to claim 9, wherein the blocked objectionable email is selected from the group consisting of SPAM, bulk email, advertising, pornography and code to interfere with a computer'"'"'s workings.

11. A computer program for proxy email address management comprising in computer-executable code on a computer usable storage medium or media:

(a) first programming establishing a database for storing customer information in association with a proxy email address, wherein the customer information includes a customer'"'"'s actual email address;

(b) second programming to identify a first email intended for a customer addressed to the proxy email address;

(c) third programming to retrieve the customer'"'"'s actual email address;

(d) fourth programming to copy content of the first email to a second email; and

(e) fifth programming operative to send the second email to the customer'"'"'s actual email address.

12. The computer program in a computer-executable code on a computer usable storage medium or media according to claim 11, further comprising sixth programming to identify a third email from the customer, and seventh programming for copying content of the third to a fourth email for the customer'"'"'s intended recipient.

13. The computer program in a computer-executable code on a computer usable storage medium or media according to claim 11, further comprising sixth programming for filtering out objectionable emails.

14. The computer program in a computer-executable code on a computer usable storage medium or media according to claim 13, further comprising seventh programming for receiving a customer'"'"'s choice or choices of filtering and for storing the choice or choices in the database, and eighth programming to recognize the customer'"'"'s choice or choices and filter or not filter emails to the customer based on the customer'"'"'s choice or choices.