Method, device, and computer program product for differentiated treatment of emails based on network classification

• US 8,572,718 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siegel, Steven A., Mullis, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lauzon, Thomas C
• Application Number:
  US12/646,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20110154474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 726/1, 726/12, 726/22, 713/153, 713/154
• US Class Current: 726/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

Method, device, and computer program product are provided for differentiated treatment of incoming and outgoing emails based on a network server. A server receives a query from a gateway, and the query includes information about an email received by the gateway. The server obtains rules for processing the email of the query. The server determines an identity for the email based on the rules for processing the email. The server transmits the identity to the gateway to cause the gateway to send the email having the identity to a post office server. The email having the identity is configured to cause the post office server to process the email based on the identity.

Claims

1. A method for differentiated treatment of incoming and outgoing emails of a subscriber, comprising:

receiving by a server a query from a gateway, the query including information about an email to the subscriber received by the gateway in which the email is to be transmitted to a post office server;

obtaining by the server rules of the subscriber for processing the email of the query, the rules being predefined by the subscriber in advance to process the email;

wherein the server is distinct from the post office server and distinct from the gateway;

determining by the server a determined classification identity for the email based on the rules for processing the email for the subscriber, determining the determined classification identity comprising determining whether a first classification identity applies, determining whether a second classification identity applies, determining whether a third classification identity applies, and determining whether all classification identities apply;

wherein the first classification identity causes the post office server to transmit the email to an instant messaging account for the subscriber, the second classification identity causes the post office server to transmit the email to an initially addressed email account and transmit copies of the email to other email accounts in addition to the initially addressed email account, and the third classification identity causes the post office server to transmit a text message to a cell phone;

transmitting by the server the determined classification identity to the gateway to cause the gateway to send the email having the determined classification identity to the post office server;

wherein the email having the determined classification identity is operative to cause the post office server to process the email based on the determined classification identity;

based on the subscriber making the change to the a network address book of the subscriber concerning a sender, centrally changing treatment of all incoming communications for the subscriber related to the sender including telephony, emails, text messaging, and social networking; and

based on the subscriber making the change to the network address book of the subscriber, causing all the classification identities to apply to the sender.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the server receives the query before the gateway sends the email to the post office server;

wherein the second classification identity causes the email to be routed to a particular folder which includes, a bank statements folder, a credit card statements folder, and a bills folder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined classification identity is

operative to cause the post office server to transmit the email according to instructions in a service profile.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined classification identity is

operative to cause the post office server to cancel an original destination for the email received by the gateway.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined classification identity is

operative to cause the post office server to transmit the email to destinations different from an original destination for the email.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined classification identity is

operative to cause the post office server to transmit the email to destinations in addition to an original destination for the email.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined classification identity is

operative to cause the post office server to transmit a copy of the communication to additional destinations along with an original destination;

wherein the additional destinations comprise;

text message accounts, different email accounts, set top boxes, and instant messaging accounts; and

wherein a result is operative to cause the gateway to transmit the copy of the communication to the additional destinations in a format suitable for each of the additional destinations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined classification identity is

operative to cause the post office server to provide the email in designated folders of a mailbox for an email address instead of placing the communication in an inbox for the email address;

and

wherein the inbox for the email address is an original destination for the communication received by the gateway.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein when the post office server is

operated by a service provider and when the email is to be transmitted to a user account provisioned by the service provider as the original destination of the email, wherein the determined classification identity is operative to cause the post office server to transmit the email to additional user accounts respectively provisioned by other service providers.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is operative to receive queries from a plurality of different gateways each operated by different service providers, in response to the plurality of different gateways respectively receiving emails that need processing;

and

wherein the server has a service provider as one of the different service providers, and a different service provider than any of the different service providers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to receiving a change to a user profile of the server, the server is operative to cause each of a plurality of different post office servers to change how the plurality of different post office servers process emails for a user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining by the server the determined classification identity for the email based on the rules for processing the email comprises:

determining the determined classification identity based on a sender email address.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined classification identity is included in the email in a header of the email by the gateway;

wherein the determined classification identity included in the email causes the post office server to utilize the determined classification identity to search a service profile to find a matching service profile that determines how to process the email; and

wherein the determined classification identity in the email causes the post office server to process the email based on instructions of the matching service profile.

14. An apparatus for differentiated treatment of incoming and outgoing communications, the apparatus comprising:

memory comprising computer-executable instructions for differentiated treatment of incoming and outgoing communications, and a user profile comprising rules predefined by a subscriber and

a processor executing the computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving by a query from a gateway, the query including information about an email for a subscriber received by the gateway in which the email is to be transmitted to a post office server;

obtaining rules for processing the email of the query from the user profile, the rules being predefined by the subscriber in advance to process the email;

wherein the processor is distinct from the post office server and distinct from the gateway;

determining a determined classification identity for the email based on the rules for processing the email for the subscriber, determining the determined classification identity comprising determining whether a first classification identity applies, determining whether a second classification identity applies, determining whether a third classification identity applies, and determining whether all classification identities apply;

wherein the first classification identity causes the post office server to transmit the email to an instant messaging account for the subscriber, the second classification identity causes the post office server to transmit the email to an initially addressed email account and transmit copies of the email to other email accounts in addition to the initially addressed email account, and the third classification identity causes the post office server to transmit a text message to a cell phone;

transmitting the determined classification identity to the gateway to cause the gateway to send the email having the determined classification identity to the post office server;

wherein the email having the determined classification identity is operative to cause the post office server to process the email based on the determined classification identity;

based on the subscriber making the change to the a network address book of the subscriber concerning a sender, centrally changing treatment of all incoming communications for the subscriber related to the sender including telephony, emails, text messaging, and social networking; and

based on the subscriber making the change to the network address book of the subscriber, causing all the classification identities to apply to the sender.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the determining the determined classification identity for the email based on the rules for processing the email comprises:

determining the determined classification identity based on a sender email address.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the determined classification identity is included in the email in a header of the email by the gateway;

wherein the determined classification identity included in the email causes the post office server to utilize the determined classification identity to search a service profile to determine how to process the email; and

wherein the determined classification identity in the email causes the post office server to process the email based on instructions, corresponding to the determined classification identity, stored in the service profile.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the query is received before the gateway sends the email to the post office server.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the determined classification identity is operative to cause the post office server to transmit the email according to instructions in a service profile.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for differentiated treatment of incoming and outgoing emails, the computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving by a server a query from a gateway, the query including information about an email for a subscriber received by the gateway in which the email is to be transmitted to a post office server;

obtaining rules for processing the email of the query from the user profile, the rules being predefined by the subscriber in advance to process the email;

wherein the server is distinct from the post office server and distinct from the gateway;

determining a determined classification identity for the email based on the rules for processing the email, determining the determined classification identity comprising determining whether a first classification identity applies, determining whether a second classification identity applies, determining whether a third classification identity applies, and determining whether all classification identities apply;

wherein the first classification identity causes the post office server to transmit the email to an instant messaging account for the subscriber, the second classification identity causes the post office server to transmit the email to an initially addressed email account and transmit copies of the email to other email accounts in addition to the initially addressed email account, and the third classification identity causes the post office server to transmit a text message to a cell phone;

transmitting the determined classification identity to the gateway to cause the gateway to send the email having the determined classification identity to the post office server;

wherein the email having the determined classification identity is operative to cause the post office server to process the email based on the determined classification identity;

based on the subscriber making the change to the a network address book of the subscriber concerning a sender, centrally changing treatment of all incoming communications for the subscriber related to the sender including telephony, emails, text messaging, and social networking; and

based on the subscriber making the change to the network address book of the subscriber, causing all the classification identities to apply to the sender.