Proxy email method and system

• US 7,870,214 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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): BAROT, BHARAT
• Application Number:
  US12/652,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 709202-207, 709/238, 709245-246
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/3015 Name registration, generation or assignment

Abstract

A system and method of proxy domain name registration permits a would-be domain name registrant anonymity. A registrar affords customers 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 (i.e. “.com, .net” etc.). The contact information published in WHOIS 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 sends them to the indicated addressee.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

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

(i) the customer'"'"'s proxy email address comprises an email address that differs from the customer'"'"'s actual email address and is stored in a WHOIS record for a domain name registered to the customer;

(ii) the customer'"'"'s actual email address is received during a proxy domain registration process;

or

(iii) the customer'"'"'s proxy email address is generated during or following the proxy domain registration process;

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

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

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

(ii) a 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.

2. The system 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 system further comprises an email address management system that periodically checks for at least one new email for the customer.

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

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

5. The system according to claim 4, further comprising a programming in the computer executable code to effect deletion of the first email message after the plurality of email addresses of all the addressed and copied parties have been checked for the customer'"'"'s proxy email address and the content has been copied to the second email message for the customer whose proxy email address has been found in the first email message.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable storage medium or media comprises the computer memory.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the email server comprises the computer usable storage medium or media.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a connection to a communication link forwarding the second email message to the customer'"'"'s actual email address.

9. A system, comprising:

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

(i) the proxy email address comprises an email address that differs from the customer'"'"'s actual email address and is stored in a WHOIS record for a domain name registered to the customer;

(ii) the customer'"'"'s actual email address is received during a proxy domain registration process;

or

(iii) the proxy email address is generated during or following the proxy domain registration process;

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

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

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

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

(iii) a third programming to forward the email to the customer'"'"'s actual email address.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a filtering software in the computer executable for preventing at least one objectionable email from being forwarded to the customer.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising, in said database, an indication of the customer'"'"'s choice or choices for an email filtering.

12. The system according to claim 11, 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 at least one customer information;

or

(iii) blocking at least one objectionable email addressed to the proxy email address associated with the at least one customer information.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one objectionable email that is blocked comprises at least one of a SPAM, a bulk email, an advertisement, a pornography or a code to interfere with a computer'"'"'s workings.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the computer usable storage medium or media comprises the computer memory.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the email server comprises the computer usable storage medium or media.

16. The system according to claim 9 further comprising a connection to a communication link for forwarding the email to the customer'"'"'s actual email address.

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

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

(i) the proxy email address comprises an email address that differs from the customer'"'"'s actual email address and is stored in a WHOIS record for a domain name registered to the customer;

(ii) the customer'"'"'s actual email address is received during a proxy domain registration process;

or

(iii) the proxy email address is generated during or following the proxy domain registration process;

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

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

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

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

18. The computer program according to claim 17, further comprising a sixth programming to identify a third email from the customer, and a seventh programming for copying a content of the third email to a fourth email for the customer'"'"'s intended recipient.

19. The computer program according to claim 17, further comprising a sixth programming for filtering out at least one objectionable email.

20. The computer program according to claim 19, further comprising a seventh programming for receiving the customer'"'"'s choice or choices of filtering and for storing the choice or choices in the database, and an 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.