Method and apparatus for forwarding electronic mail for disabled accounts
First Claim
1. A system to forward electronic mails for disabled accounts in a data communication network, comprising:
- a server, within the data communication network, to receive data from a database, to host forwarding searches, and to perform forwarding actions; and
a database, in communication with the server within the data communication network, that enters, updates, and maintains source and destination electronic mail addresses for forwarding;
wherein the system is adapted to;
receive a registration of an electronic mail account of a user to forward to a new electronic mail address;
send a confirmation electronic mail with a required password to the user;
receive an electronic mail message from a sender that specifies the user'"'"'s electronic mail account as a recipient;
search for the new electronic mail address for the user for forwarding; and
forward the electronic mail message to the new electronic mail address.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for forwarding electronic mail from disabled accounts is disclosed. Users wishing to forward their electronic mail from one account to another register themselves on the system. Other users, who wish to send electronic mail to individuals in need of forwarding, send electronic mail to the system using the former electronic mail address of the recipients. The system'"'"'s server forwards the electronic mail if a new forwarding address is found, or forwards to the former electronic mail address if no new address is found. For resolved electronic mail that is forwarded by the system, the sender'"'"'s electronic mail address is transferred to the recipient who has the option of responding to the sender directly or through the system. The recipient'"'"'s current electronic mail address may be made unavailable to the sender. For unresolved electronic mail addresses, the sender receives a message describing the error encountered while attempting delivery.
18 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system to forward electronic mails for disabled accounts in a data communication network, comprising:
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a server, within the data communication network, to receive data from a database, to host forwarding searches, and to perform forwarding actions; and
a database, in communication with the server within the data communication network, that enters, updates, and maintains source and destination electronic mail addresses for forwarding;
wherein the system is adapted to;
receive a registration of an electronic mail account of a user to forward to a new electronic mail address;
send a confirmation electronic mail with a required password to the user;
receive an electronic mail message from a sender that specifies the user'"'"'s electronic mail account as a recipient;
search for the new electronic mail address for the user for forwarding; and
forward the electronic mail message to the new electronic mail address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electronic mail forwarding system for disabled accounts comprising a computer readable medium and a computer readable program code stored on the computer readable medium having instructions to:
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receive a registration of an electronic mail account of a user to forward to a new electronic mail address;
send a confirmation electronic mail with a required password to the user;
receive an electronic mail message from a sender that indicates the user'"'"'s electronic mail account as a recipient;
search a database for the new electronic mail address of the user for forwarding;
forward the electronic mail message to the new electronic mail address;
make available an electronic mail address of the sender to the user;
dispatch the electronic mail message to the user'"'"'s electronic mail account, if the new electronic mail address is not found; and
send an electronic mail message to the sender indicating that the sender'"'"'s electronic mail message to user is undeliverable. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of forwarding electronic mails for a disabled account over a data communication network, comprising:
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receiving a registration of an electronic mail account of a user to forward to a new electronic mail address;
receiving an electronic mail message from a sender that specifies the user'"'"'s electronic mail account as a recipient;
searching for the new electronic mail address of the user for forwarding;
forwarding the electronic mail message to the new electronic mail address;
providing an electronic mail address of the sender to the user;
forwarding the electronic mail message to the user'"'"'s electronic mail account, if the new electronic mail address is not found; and
sending an electronic mail message to the sender indicating that the sender'"'"'s electronic mail message to user is undeliverable. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification