System and method of controlling a messaging system

• US 7,899,873 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adams, Thomas, Jackson, James, Yasrebi, Mehrad
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US12/123,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20090292777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/224, 709/225, 709/229, 709/245, 713/202, 713/170
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/37 E-mail addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5053 Lease time; Renewal aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Systems and methods of controlling a messaging system are provided. A particular method includes generating an n-times-use network address to access a control interface in response to receipt of a message addressed to a subscriber at a messaging system. The method further includes determining a notification address associated with the subscriber and generating a notification message addressed to the notification address. The notification message includes at least a portion of content of the message and the n-times-uses network address. The n-times-use network address is selectable a predetermined number of times at a browser application to send a control message to the control interface to control disposition of the message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a control interface of a messaging system, a control command addressed to a network address of the control interface;

determining whether the network address is valid after receiving the control command;

adding a source address of the control command to a list of blocked source addresses after a threshold number of invalid control commands have been received from the source address;

determining whether the network address has been accessed a predefined number of times;

storing a data record invalidating the network address when the network address has been accessed the predefined number of times;

authenticating the control command based on an authentication token of the network address;

determining, based on the network address, a message of the messaging system to which the control command pertains;

determining whether an expiration time of the network address has passed; and

sending a messaging system command to the messaging system when the network address has not been accessed the predefined number of times to perform an action with respect to the message based on the control command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a confirmation message to a subscriber of a messaging service supported by the messaging system, the confirmation message indicating that the action has been performed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a source address of the control command is authorized to control the messaging system before sending the messaging system command.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising performing a reverse domain name service (DNS) lookup with respect to the control command to determine the source address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises forwarding the message to an address specified in the control command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises a delete action.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises a save action to save the message at the messaging system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the control command specifies a folder at which the message is to be saved.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises a mark as read action.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging system comprises a unified messaging system.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to authenticate a control command addressed to a one-time-use network address of a control interface of a messaging system, wherein the one-time-use network address is associated with an authentication token;

instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine whether the one-time-use network address is valid after receiving the control command;

instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to add a source address of the control command to a list of blocked source addresses after a threshold number of invalid control commands have been received from the source address;

instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine whether the one-time-use network address has been previously accessed;

instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to store a data record invalidating the one-time-use network address when the one-time-use network address has been previously accessed;

instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine, based on the one-time-use network address, a message of the messaging system to which the control command pertains;

instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine whether an expiration time of the one-time-use network address has passed; and

instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send a messaging system command to the messaging system when the one-time-use network address has not been previously accessed to perform an action with respect to the message based on the control command.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send a confirmation message to a subscriber of a messaging service supported by the messaging system, the confirmation message indicating that the action has been performed.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine whether a source address of the control command is authorized to control the messaging system before sending the messaging system command.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a reverse domain name service (DNS) lookup with respect to the control command to determine the source address.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the action comprises forwarding the message to an address specified in the control command.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the action comprises a delete action.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the action comprises a save action to save the message at the messaging system.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the control command specifies a folder at which the message is to be saved.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the action comprises a mark as read action.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the messaging system comprises a unified messaging system.

21. A messaging system, comprising:

a control interface to receive a control command addressed to a network address of the control interface;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine whether the network address is valid after receiving the control command;

add a source address of the control command to a list of blocked source addresses after a threshold number of invalid control commands have been received from the source address;

determine whether the network address has been accessed a predefined number of times;

store a data record invalidating the network address when the network address has been accessed the predefined number of times;

authenticate the control command based on an authentication token of the network address;

determine, based on the network address, a message of the messaging system to which the control command pertains;

determine whether an expiration time of the network address has passed; and

send a messaging system command when the network address has not been accessed the predefined number of times to perform an action with respect to the message based on the control command.

22. The messaging system of claim 21, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to send a confirmation message to a subscriber of a messaging service supported by the messaging system, the confirmation message indicating that the action has been performed.

23. The messaging system of claim 21, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine whether a source address of the control command is authorized to control the messaging system before sending the messaging system command.

24. The messaging system of claim 23, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a reverse domain name service (DNS) lookup with respect to the control command to determine the source address.

25. The messaging system of claim 21, wherein the action comprises one of forwarding the message to an address specified in the control command, a delete action, and a mark as read action.

26. The messaging system of claim 21, wherein the action comprises a save action to save the message at the messaging system.

27. The messaging system of claim 26, wherein the control command specifies a folder at which the message is to be saved.

28. The messaging system of claim 21, wherein the messaging system comprises a unified messaging system.