Throttling electronic communications from one or more senders

• US 7,788,329 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Assets LLC
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Muehl, Mark J., Palino, Todd M., Barrett, Joseph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Assistant Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Application Number:
  US11/330,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,692 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/232
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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

Abstract

A number and/or frequency of electronic data communications received from a sender or group of senders during a period of time may be monitored (e.g., counted). When more than a threshold number of electronic communications are communicated by the sender during the period of time, an ability of the sender to communicate messages may be affected.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving multiple electronic messages from multiple subscribers, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;

identifying, from among the received electronic messages, electronic messages from one of the subscribers;

changing the identified electronic messages to include an identifier of the subscriber;

counting the electronic messages that include the identifier; and

determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM based on results obtained when counting.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining, based on results obtained when counting, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are sent by the subscriber during a period of time.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages are sent by the subscriber during the period of time comprises determining a number of the electronic messages that are sent by the subscriber during the period of time and comparing the number to the threshold number.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising inhibiting the subscriber'"'"'s ability to communicate electronic messages conditioned on whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages is sent by the subscriber during a period of time.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein inhibiting communications comprises affecting an account.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein affecting an account comprises affecting an account of the subscriber.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing the subscriber from sending more electronic messages.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising terminating one or more electronic messages currently being sent.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising delaying the subscriber from sending an electronic message to a recipient.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising inhibiting the subscriber'"'"'s ability to communicate electronic messages for a configurable period of time.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying, from among the received electronic messages, electronic messages from one of the subscribers comprises identifying one or more of an email message, an instant message, or a text message, from one of the subscribers.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying, from among the received electronic messages, electronic messages from one of the subscribers comprises identifying at least one electronic message having a first intended recipient and at least one electronic message having a second intended recipient that is different from the first intended recipient.

13. A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program comprising:

a receiving code segment for receiving multiple electronic messages from multiple subscribers, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;

an identifying code segment for identifying, from among the received electronic messages, electronic messages from one of the subscribers;

a changing code segment for changing the identified electronic messages to include an identifier of the subscriber;

a counting code segment for counting electronic messages that include the identifier;

a threshold determining code segment for determining, based on results obtained when counting, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are sent by the subscriber during a period of time; and

a code segment for determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM based on results obtained when counting.

14. A method comprising:

receiving multiple electronic messages from multiple machines, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;

identifying, from among the received messages, electronic messages from a subscriber;

changing the identified electronic messages to include an identifier of the subscriber;

determining a number of electronic messages that include the identifier; and

determining that SPAM is being received from one or more of the multiple machines based on results obtained when determining the number of electronic messages that include the identifier.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining, based on results obtained when determining the number of electronic messages that include the identifier, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages include the identifier during a period of time.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein determining that SPAM is being received comprises determining that SPAM is being received from one or more of the multiple machines based on a determination of whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages include the identifier.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising inhibiting a messaging capability conditioned on whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages include the identifier.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising inhibiting a messaging capability of one or more of the multiple machines.

19. A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program comprising:

a receiving code segment for receiving multiple electronic messages from multiple machines, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;

an identifying code segment for identifying, from among the received messages, electronic messages from a subscriber;

a changing code segment for changing the identified electronic messages to include an identifier of the subscriber;

a number determining code segment for determining a number of electronic messages that include the identifier; and

a code segment for determining that SPAM is being received from one or more of the multiple machines based on results obtained when determining the number of electronic messages that include the identifier.