System and method for regulating electronic messages

• US 20060010220A1
• Filed: 07/27/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,818,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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 e-mail, comprising:

receiving an e-mail;

identifying a source of the e-mail;

updating aggregate e-mail statistics maintained for the source to reflect receipt of the e-mail;

comparing the aggregate e-mail statistics to target e-mail statistics; and

if the aggregate e-mail statistics are not acceptable in comparison to the target e-mail statistics, taking a remedial action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a source of the e-mail comprises identifying the domain name from which the e-mail was received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein updating aggregate e-mail statistics maintained for the source to reflect receipt of the e-mail comprises updating a counter of the number of e-mails received from the source.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein comparing the aggregate e-mail statistics to target e-mail statistics comprises comparing the counter of the number of e-mails received from the source to a benchmark value for the counter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein taking remedial action comprises sending an e-mail to at least one of the postmaster and administrator at the source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein taking remedial action comprises returning the e-mail to the source.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying for the source, a corresponding source group having target e-mail statistics.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a profile of acceptable e-mail characteristics for e-mails received from the source;

comparing the e-mail to the profile of acceptable e-mail characteristics;

if the e-mail is not acceptable in comparison to the acceptable e-mail characteristics, notifying at least one of the postmaster and administrators at the source.

9. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for performing the method as recited in claim 1.

10. A method for regulating e-mail, comprising:

receiving an e-mail;

identifying a source of the e-mail;

updating aggregate e-mail statistics maintained for the source to reflect receipt of the e-mail;

identifying for the source, a corresponding source group having target e-mail statistics;

comparing the aggregate e-mail statistics with the source group target e-mail statistics; and

if the aggregate e-mail statistics do not fall within the source group target e-mail statistics, notifying at least one of the postmaster and administrator at the source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein updating aggregate e-mail statistics comprises updating a statistic tracking e-mail volume received from the source to reflect receipt of the e-mail,

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying a profile of acceptable e-mail characteristics for e-mails received from the source;

comparing the e-mail to the profile of acceptable e-mail characteristics;

if the e-mail is not acceptable in comparison to the acceptable e-mail characteristics, notifying administrators at the source.

13. A method for regulating e-mails, comprising:

maintaining statistics regarding e-mails that are received;

comparing the statistics regarding e-mails that are received to benchmark values; and

if the statistics regarding e-mails do not comply with the benchmark values, taking remedial action.

14. A method for regulating electronic messages, comprising:

receiving an electronic message;

identifying a source of the electronic message;

updating aggregate electronic message statistics maintained for the source to reflect receipt of the electronic message;

comparing the aggregate electronic message statistics to target electronic message statistics; and

if the aggregate electronic message statistics are not acceptable in comparison to the target electronic message statistics, taking a remedial action.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the electronic message is an e-mail.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the electronic message is an instant message.