Method and apparatus for managing temporary E-mail addresses

• US 8,352,559 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooley, Shaun, Hernacki, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): KATSIKIS, KOSTAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/415,897
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages

Abstract

Method and apparatus for managing temporary e-mail addresses is described. All e-mail sent to a temporary e-mail address is initially forwarded to an actual e-mail address. In some examples, the temporary e-mail address is automatically deactivated in response to an event such that no e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address. A notification e-mail is sent to the actual e-mail address, the notification e-mail indicating that the temporary e-mail address has been deactivated and including one or more uniform resource locators (URLs) configured to manage the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address.

Claims

1. A method of managing a temporary e-mail address, where all e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is initially forwarded to an actual e-mail address, the method comprising:

deactivating the temporary e-mail address automatically in response to an event such that no e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address;

sending a notification e-mail to the actual e-mail address, the notification e-mail indicating that the temporary e-mail address has been deactivated and including one or more uniform resource locators (URLs) configured to manage the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address; and

storing, in a queue, one or more e-mails sent to the temporary e-mail address subsequent to the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address, wherein the one or more e-mails sent to the temporary e-mail address subsequent to the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address are accessible to a user of the temporary e-mail address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the URLs in the notification e-mail include a first URL configured to obtain the one or more e-mails stored in the queue.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a request in response to servicing the first URL; and

sending the one or more e-mails stored in the queue to the actual e-mail address in response to the request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the URLs in the notification e-mail include at least one URL for performing at least one of:

reactivating the temporary e-mail address or renewing terms of use for the temporary e-mail address.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the notification e-mail includes a text explanation of the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address including a reason for such deactivation.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a request in response to servicing the at least one URL; and

reactivating the temporary e-mail address in response to the request such that all e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the URLs include authentication data embedded therein.

8. An apparatus for managing a temporary e-mail address, where all e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is initially forwarded to an actual e-mail address, the apparatus comprising:

at least one computer processor;

electronic memory storing executable instructions causing the at least one computer processor to;

deactivate the temporary e-mail address automatically in response to an event such that no e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address;

send a notification e-mail to the actual e-mail address, the notification e-mail indicating that the temporary e-mail address has been deactivated and including one or more uniform resource locators (URLs) configured to manage the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address; and

electronic storage for storing, in a queue, one or more e-mails sent to the temporary e-mail address subsequent to the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address, wherein the one or more e-mails sent to the temporary e-mail address subsequent to the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address are accessible to a user of the temporary e-mail address.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the URLs in the notification e-mail include a first URL configured to obtain the one or more e-mails stored in the queue.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to:

receive a request in response to servicing the first URL; and

send the one or more e-mails stored in the queue to the actual e-mail address in response to the request.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the URLs in the notification e-mail include at least one URL for performing at least one of:

reactivating the temporary e-mail address or renewing terms of use for the temporary e-mail address.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the notification e-mail includes a text explanation of the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address including a reason for such deactivation.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the at least one computer processor to:

receive a request in response to servicing the at least one URL; and

reactivate the temporary e-mail address in response to the request such that all e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method of managing a temporary e-mail address, where all e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is initially forwarded to an actual e-mail address, the method comprising:

deactivating the temporary e-mail address automatically in response to an event such that no e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address;

sending a notification e-mail to the actual e-mail address, the notification e-mail indicating that the temporary e-mail address has been deactivated and including one or more uniform resource locators (URLs) configured to manage the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address; and

storing, in a queue, one or more e-mails sent to the temporary e-mail address subsequent to the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address, wherein the one or more e-mails sent to the temporary e-mail address subsequent to the deactivation of the temporary e-mail address are accessible to a user of the temporary e-mail address.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14,

wherein the URLs in the notification e-mail include a first URL configured to obtain the one or more e-mails stored in the queue.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a request in response to servicing the first URL; and

sending the one or more e-mails stored in the queue to the actual e-mail address in response to the request.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the URLs in the notification e-mail include at least one URL for performing at least one of:

reactivating the temporary e-mail address or renewing terms of use for the temporary e-mail address.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request in response to servicing the at least one URL; and

reactivating the temporary e-mail address in response to the request such that all e-mail sent to the temporary e-mail address is forwarded to the actual e-mail address.