System and method for providing filtering email messages
First Claim
1. A method for filtering email messages for a user, comprising:
- obtaining from the user a first set of email addresses belonging to the user and a second set of email addresses; and
for each email address in the first set of email addresses;
according to an adaptively set schedule, accessing a mailbox corresponding to that email address;
identifying email messages in the accessed mailbox that include a recipient address matching one of the email addresses in the first set of email addresses;
accepting, rejecting or holding for user acceptance each identified email message according to a set of criteria including whether or not that identified email message is sent from an email address in the second set of email addresses; and
marking header information of each accepted email message with an authentication token generated using an authentication scheme that is based on a predetermined hash-function, the authentication token identifying application of the method of filtering.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for filtering email messages for a user, includes (a) obtaining from the user a first set of email addresses over which the user asserts authority and a second set of email addresses from which email messages are to be accepted; (b) obtaining from the email messages the sender and recipient email addresses; and (c) filtering the email messages directed to any one of the email addresses in the first set of email addresses according to the second set of email addresses. In one implementation, accepted email addresses are generalized from the second set of email addresses. Once a user'"'"'s email address is accepted, email from email addresses owned by the same sender are automatically accepted.
54 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for filtering email messages for a user, comprising:
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obtaining from the user a first set of email addresses belonging to the user and a second set of email addresses; and for each email address in the first set of email addresses; according to an adaptively set schedule, accessing a mailbox corresponding to that email address; identifying email messages in the accessed mailbox that include a recipient address matching one of the email addresses in the first set of email addresses; accepting, rejecting or holding for user acceptance each identified email message according to a set of criteria including whether or not that identified email message is sent from an email address in the second set of email addresses; and marking header information of each accepted email message with an authentication token generated using an authentication scheme that is based on a predetermined hash-function, the authentication token identifying application of the method of filtering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for a service that manages email messages in a mailbox for a user, comprising:
at a scheduled next access time; accessing the mailbox to fetch header information from email messages received into the mailbox since a previous access by the service to the mailbox; examining the header information of each email message to identify email messages that should be removed from the mailbox, based on information provided by the user, and based on whether or not an authentication mark indicating a previous authentication is included in the header information; removing from the mailbox the identified email messages; marking the header information of examined email messages remaining in the mailbox with an authentication token generated using an authentication scheme that is based on a predetermined hash-function, the authentication token identifying application of the method by the service; and setting the scheduled next access time, based in part on a number of the email messages examined. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
Specification