Message filtering system

• US 8,352,557 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Shekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Divecha, Kamal B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mejia, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US12/189,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/200, 455/466
• 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 message filtering system is provided including a message management unit and a message monitoring unit in communication with the message management unit. The message management unit is configured to send and receive message over a network and to route messages to the message monitoring unit based on a message source, and the message monitoring unit is configured to parse the message and locate identifiers in the message and to re-route the message based on the identifier located in the message.

Claims

1. A message filtering system comprising:

a message management unit; and

a physically separate message monitoring unit in communication with the message management unit over a network, wherein, the message management unit includes;

a network interface configured to receive a message from a first communication device, the message intended to be delivered to a destination communication device;

a processor that executes instructions stored in memory to compare an address of the first communication device with a list of addresses stored in an address library to determine if the address of the first communication device is a restricted address,

the processor being further configured to prohibit communication of the message to the destination communication device if the address of the first communication device is a restricted address,

the processor being further configured to transmit the message to the message monitoring unit if the address of the first communication device is not a restricted address; and

the message monitoring unit includes;

a second network interface configured to receive the transmitted message from the message management unit;

a second processor that executes instructions to analyze the contents of the one transmitted message for a keywords identifier, the second processor being further configured to execute the following steps if a keyword identifier is identified;

routing a copy of the identified message to a second communication device in real time for delivery approval,

routing the message to the message management unit for delivery to the destination communication device if delivery approval is received from the second communication device,

storing the message in a message library associated with the message monitoring unit and prohibiting transmission of the message to the destination communication device if delivery approval is denied, and wherein;

the second processor is further configured, if no keyword identifier is identified, to route the message to the message management unit for delivery to the destination communication device and to mirror additional messages sent between the first communication device and the second communication device in the message library.

2. The message filtering system of claim 1, further comprising a keyword identifier library located on the message monitoring unit.

3. The message filtering system of claim 2, wherein the message monitoring unit is configured to compare the words of the message with the words contained in the keyword identifier library.

4. The message filtering system of claim 1, wherein the first communication device, second communication, and destination communication devices are one of a cellular phone, a personal data assistant, or a voice over internet protocol phone.

5. The message filtering system of claim 3, wherein the message monitoring unit automatically updates the keyword library with words similar to the words stored in the keyword library.

6. The message filtering system of claim 1, wherein the message monitoring unit stores a sending address of the first communication device that generated declined messages in a restricted address library which is effective to restrict further delivery of messages from the first communication device address to a destination address.

7. A method of filtering messages comprising the steps of:

providing a message management unit;

providing a physically separate message monitoring unit in communication with the message management unit over a network

receiving a short message service message from a first communication device addressed to a destination communication device with the message management unit;

comparing an address of the first communication device with a list of addresses stored in an address library to determine if the address of the first communication device is a restricted address;

prohibiting communication of the message to the destination communication device if the address of the first communication device is a restricted address;

transmitting the message to the message monitoring unit if the address of the first communication device is not a restricted address;

searching the message using a processor of the message monitoring unit for a keyword identifier;

if a keyword identifier is identified;

routing a copy of the identified message to a second communication device in real time for delivery approval,

routing the message to the message management unit for delivery to the destination communication device if delivery approval is received from the second communication device, and

storing the message in a message library associated with the message monitoring unit and prohibiting transmission of the message to the destination communication device if delivery approval is denied;

if a keyword identifier is not identified, routing the message to the message management unit for delivery to the destination communication device and mirroring additional messages sent between the first communication device and the second communication device in the message library.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of searching the message for a keyword identifier further comprises comparing the text of the message with a plurality of keywords identifiers stored in a keyword library on the message monitoring unit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first communication device, second communication, and destination communication devices are one of a cellular phone, a personal data assistant, or a voice over internet protocol phone.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of storing a sending address of the first communication device that generated the declined message in a restricted address library which is effective to restrict further delivery of messages from the first communication device address.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the message monitoring unit automatically receives and updates the keyword library with words similar to the words stored in the keyword library.