Method and apparatus for transmitting electronic mail

• US 9,584,461 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EveryMD LLC
• Original Assignee: EveryMD LLC
• Inventors: Weyer, Frank Michael, Javaher, Troy Kurosh
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Application Number:
  US14/599,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 772 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/226
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/37 E-mail addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems

Abstract

The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for e-mail communications with members of a group of members. In one or more embodiments, a server computer system determines whether a sender of an incoming e-mail message addressed to a recipient member of the group is a member of the group. If the sender is a member of the group, the server computer system replaces the senders existing e-mail address in the incoming e-mail message with a created e-mail address created by the server computer system for the sender.

Claims

1. A method for providing e-mail communications between a recipient member of a group and a sender, said group comprising a plurality of members for each of which a first computer system has created an online presence, said created online presence for said recipient member comprising a first created e-mail address for said recipient member, said first created e-mail address comprising a name of said recipient member, said method comprising the steps of:

said first computer system receiving an incoming first e-mail message from a sending entity other than said first computer system comprising a first existing e-mail address of a first sender addressed to said first created e-mail address of said recipient member;

after receiving said first e-mail message from said sending entity other than said first computer system said first computer system determining that said first sender is a member of said group for whom said first computer system has created, prior to receiving said first e-mail message, a second created e-mail address for said first sender different from said first existing e-mail address and from said first created e-mail address, said second created e-mail address comprising a name of said first sender;

said first computer system modifying said incoming first e-mail message to create a first modified e-mail message comprising said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system delivering said first modified e-mail message to said recipient member;

wherein said step of said first computer system delivering said first modified e-mail message to said recipient member comprises said first computer system sending said first modified e-mail message to a second existing e-mail address of said recipient member different from said first created e-mail address of said recipient member.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message comprising said second existing e-mail address from a sending entity other than said first computer system member addressed to said second created e-mail address.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message comprising said second existing e-mail address from said recipient member addressed to said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system modifying said second incoming e-mail message to create a second modified e-mail message comprising said first existing e-mail address.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender, wherein said step of said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender comprises said first computer system sending said second modified e-mail message to said first existing e-mail address.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message comprising said second existing e-mail address from said recipient member addressed to said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system modifying said second incoming e-mail message to create a second modified e-mail message comprising said first existing e-mail address;

said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender;

said first computer system receiving a third incoming e-mail message addressed to said first created e-mail address from a second sender from a sending entity other than said first computer system, said third incoming e-mail message comprising a third existing e-mail address of said second sender;

after receiving said third incoming e-mail message from said sending entity other than said first computer system, said first computer system determining that said second sender is not a member of said group;

said first computer system forwarding said third incoming e-mail message to said recipient member without replacing said third existing e-mail address of said second sender.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said online presence created by said first computer system for each said member of said group comprises at least one of a created e-mail address comprising a name of said member or a webpage for said member.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said real name of said recipient member comprises a real last name of said recipient member.

8. A method for providing e-mail communications between a recipient member of a group and a sender, said group comprising a plurality of members for each of which a first computer system has created an online presence, said created online presence for said recipient member comprising a first created e-mail address for said recipient member, said first created e-mail address comprising a name of said recipient member, said method comprising the steps of:

said first computer system receiving an incoming first e-mail message from a sending entity other than said first computer system comprising a first existing email address of a first sender addressed to said first created e-mail address of said recipient member;

said first computer system determining from information in said first e-mail message

that said first sender is a member of said group for whom said first computer system has created, prior to receiving said first e-mail message, a second created e-mail address for said first sender different from said first existing e-mail address and from said first created e-mail address, said second created e-mail address comprising a name of said first sender;

said first computer system modifying said incoming first e-mail message to create a first modified e-mail message comprising said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system delivering said first modified e-mail message to said recipient member;

wherein said step of said first computer system delivering said first modified e-mail message to said recipient member comprises said first computer system sending said first modified e-mail message to a second existing e-mail address of said recipient member different from said first created e-mail address of said recipient member.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message from a sending entity other than said first computer system comprising said second existing e-mail address from said recipient member addressed to said second created e-mail address.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message comprising said second existing e-mail address from said recipient member addressed to said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system modifying said second incoming e-mail message to create a second modified e-mail message comprising said first existing e-mail address.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender, wherein said step of said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender comprises said first computer system sending said second modified e-mail message to said first existing e-mail address.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message comprising said second existing e-mail address from said recipient member addressed to said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system modifying said second incoming e-mail message to create a second modified e-mail message comprising said first existing e-mail address;

said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender;

said first computer system receiving a third incoming e-mail message addressed to said first created e-mail address from a second sender from a sending entity other than said first computer system, said third incoming e-mail message comprising a third existing e-mail address of said second sender;

said first computer system determining from information in said third incoming e-mail message that said second sender is not a member of said group;

said first computer system forwarding said third incoming e-mail message to said recipient member without replacing said third existing e-mail address of said second sender.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said online presence created by said first computer system for each said member of said group comprises at least one of a created e-mail address comprising a name of said member or a webpage for said member.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein said real name of said recipient member comprises a real last name of said recipient member.

15. A method for providing e-mail communications between a recipient member of a group and a sender, and for providing information about said members of said group, said group comprising a plurality of members for each of which a first computer system has created an online presence, said created online presence for said recipient member comprising a first created e-mail address for said recipient member, said first created e-mail address comprising a real name of said recipient member, said method comprising the steps of:

said first computer system storing information about said plurality of members in a database;

said first computer system receiving an incoming first e-mail message from a sending entity other than said first computer system comprising a first existing email address of a first sender addressed to said first created e-mail address of said recipient member;

after receiving said first e-mail message from said sending entity other than said first computer system, said first computer system determining from information in said first e-mail message and said information in said database

that said first sender is a member of said group for whom said first computer system has created, prior to receiving said first e-mail message, a second created e-mail address for said first sender different from said first existing e-mail address and from said first created e-mail address, said second created e-mail address comprising a real name of said first sender;

said first computer system modifying said incoming first e-mail message to create a first modified e-mail message comprising said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system delivering said first modified e-mail message to said recipient member;

wherein said step of said first computer system delivering said first modified e-mail message to said recipient member comprises said first computer system sending said first modified e-mail message to a second existing e-mail address of said recipient member different from said first created e-mail address of said recipient member.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message from a sending entity other than said first computer system comprising said second existing e-mail address from said recipient member addressed to said second created e-mail address.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message comprising said second existing e-mail address from said recipient member addressed to said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system modifying said second incoming e-mail message to create a second modified e-mail message comprising said first existing e-mail address.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender, wherein said step of said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender comprises said first computer system sending said second modified e-mail message to said first existing e-mail address.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

said first computer system receiving a second incoming e-mail message comprising said second existing e-mail address from said recipient member addressed to said second created e-mail address;

said first computer system modifying said second incoming e-mail message to create a second modified e-mail message comprising said first existing e-mail address;

said first computer system delivering said second modified e-mail message to said first sender;

said first computer system receiving a third incoming e-mail message addressed to said first created e-mail address from a second sender from a sending entity other than said first computer system, said third incoming e-mail message comprising a third existing e-mail address of said second sender;

after receiving said third incoming e-mail message from said sending entity other than said first computer system, said first computer system determining from information in said third incoming e-mail message and said information in said database that said second sender is not a member of said group;

said first computer system forwarding said third incoming e-mail message to said recipient member without replacing said third existing e-mail address of said second sender.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said online presence created by said first computer system for each said member of said group comprises at least one of a created e-mail address comprising a name of said member or a webpage for said member.