System and method for regulating electronic messages

• US 9,306,890 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2015
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Michael Y
• Application Number:
  US14/660,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20150188865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 system for regulating e-mail comprises a database of information profiling legitimate e-mail usage. When an e-mail is received at the system, it is scrutinized relative to the information in the database. If the e-mail is found to be legitimate based upon this evaluation, it is delivered to the intended recipient. If, however, the e-mail appears on the basis of the evaluation to be the last in a series of illegitimate e-mails or otherwise has characteristics inconsistent with the profile of legitimate e-mail usage, the e-mail may not be delivered and the postmaster and administrator at the source of the e-mail is contacted.

Claims

1. A method for regulating electronic mail messages comprising:

maintaining, by a message server, a first profile comprising a first target statistics value associated with a first source;

receiving, by the message server, an electronic mail message from the first source;

incrementing, by the message server, an electronic mail statistics value based on receipt of the electronic mail message;

comparing, by the message server, the electronic mail statistics value to the first target statistics value to determine if the electronic mail statistics value exceeds the first target statistics value; and

taking a remedial action, by the message server, with respect to the electronic mail message if the electronic mail statistics value exceeds the first target statistics value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the message server, a second electronic mail message from a second source;

determining, by the message server, that the second source is unregistered;

incrementing, by the message server, a second electronic mail statistics value based on the second electronic mail message;

comparing the second electronic mail statistics value to a second target statistics value associated with unregistered sources to determine if the second electronic mail statistics value exceeds the second target statistics value; and

taking a remedial action if the second electronic mail statistics value exceeds the second target statistics value.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering, by the message server, the first source; and

creating, by the message server, the first profile associated with the first source.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first target statistics value specifies one of an acceptable volume of electronic mail messages that may be received, a size of an electronic mail message that may be received, a type of attachment that may be included in an electronic mail message, a number of recipients of an electronic mail message, and a number of hops that an electronic mail message received may have taken.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first target statistics value further specifies a number of electronic mail messages that may be received during normal processing hours and a number of electronic mail messages that may be received during off-peak hours.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating, by the message server, a set of statistics associated with the first source upon receiving additional electronic mail messages.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering, by the message server, the electronic mail message to a recipient.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying, by the message server, a sender of the electronic mail message that the electronic mail statistic value exceeds the first target statistics value.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store computer program instructions, the computer program instructions when executed on the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

maintaining a first profile comprising a first target statistics value associated with a first source;

receiving an electronic mail message from the first source;

incrementing an electronic mail statistics value based on receipt of the electronic mail message;

comparing the electronic mail statistics value to the first target statistics value to determine if the electronic mail statistics value exceeds the first target statistics value; and

taking a remedial action with respect to the electronic mail message if the electronic mail statistics value exceeds the first target statistics value.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

receiving a second electronic mail message from a second source;

determining that the second source is unregistered;

incrementing a second electronic mail statistics value based on the second electronic mail message;

comparing the second electronic mail statistics value to a second target statistics value associated with unregistered sources to determine if the second electronic mail statistics value exceeds the second target statistics value; and

taking a remedial action if the second electronic mail statistics value exceeds the second target statistics value.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

registering the first source; and

creating the first profile associated with the first source.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first target statistics value specifies one of an acceptable volume of electronic mail messages that may be received, a size of an electronic mail message that may be received, a type of attachment that may be included in an electronic mail message, a number of recipients of an electronic mail message, and a number of hops that an electronic mail message received may have taken.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first target statistics value further specifies a number of electronic mail messages that may be received during normal processing hours and a number of electronic mail messages that may be received during off-peak hours.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

updating a set of statistics associated with the first source upon receiving additional electronic mail messages.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

delivering the electronic mail message to a recipient.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions for regulating electronic mail messages, which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

maintaining a first profile comprising a first target statistics value associated with a first source;

receiving an electronic mail message from the first source;

incrementing an electronic mail statistics value based on receipt of the electronic mail message;

comparing the electronic mail statistics value to the first target statistics value to determine if the electronic mail statistics value exceeds the first target statistics value; and

taking a remedial action with respect to the electronic mail message if the electronic mail statistics value exceeds the first target statistics value.

17. The non-transitory computer readable computer of claim 16, the operations further comprising:

receiving a second electronic mail message from a second source;

determining that the second source is unregistered;

incrementing a second electronic mail statistics value based on the second electronic mail message;

comparing the second electronic mail statistics value to a second target statistics value associated with unregistered sources to determine if the second electronic mail statistics value exceeds the second target statistics value; and

taking a remedial action if the second electronic mail statistics value exceeds the second target statistics value.

18. The non-transitory computer readable computer of claim 16, the operations further comprising:

registering the first source; and

creating the first profile associated with the first source.

19. The non-transitory computer readable computer of claim 16, wherein the first target statistics value specifies one of an acceptable volume of electronic mail messages that may be received, a size of an electronic mail message that may be received, a type of attachment that may be included in an electronic mail message, a number of recipients of an electronic mail message, and a number of hops that an electronic mail message received may have taken.

20. The non-transitory computer readable computer of claim 19, wherein the first target statistics value further specifies a number of electronic mail messages that may be received during normal processing hours and a number of electronic mail messages that may be received during off-peak hours.