System and method for distributing electronic messages in accordance with rules
First Claim
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1. An electronic messaging system comprising:
- a first device capable of sending an electronic message;
a second device capable of receiving said electronic message;
a wide area network capable of accepting an electronic message directly or indirectly from said first device and capable of sending said electronic message to said second device or a computer network linked to said second device;
a set of rules defining which electronic messages should be sent to said second device;
a memory unit for storing said set of rules;
a wide area network distributor capable of applying said set of rules to said electronic message from said first device during transmission of said electronic message from an initial point of entry into said wide area network to said second device.
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Abstract
A system for managing electronic messages is disclosed. Recipients of electronic messages may define a set of rules for accepting incoming messages. These rules are applied by a message distributor at substantially the initial point of distribution so that delays in routing messages are reduced. Additionally, network traffic may be reduced because message routing is more direct.
280 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An electronic messaging system comprising:
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a first device capable of sending an electronic message;
a second device capable of receiving said electronic message;
a wide area network capable of accepting an electronic message directly or indirectly from said first device and capable of sending said electronic message to said second device or a computer network linked to said second device;
a set of rules defining which electronic messages should be sent to said second device;
a memory unit for storing said set of rules;
a wide area network distributor capable of applying said set of rules to said electronic message from said first device during transmission of said electronic message from an initial point of entry into said wide area network to said second device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for managing electronic messages, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first device capable of sending an electronic message;
providing a second device capable of receiving said electronic message;
providing a wide area computer network capable of accepting an electronic message directly or indirectly from said first device and capable of sending said electronic message to said second device or a computer network linked to said second device;
defining a set of rules for accepting electronic messages at said second device;
applying said set of rules to said electronic message during transmission of said electronic message from an initial point of entry into said wide area computer network to said second device, said application of rules being performed by a wide area computer network distributor; and
transmitting to said second device said electronic message that conforms to said set of rules, said transmission of said electronic message being performed by said wide area computer network. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronic messaging system comprising:
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a first device for sending an electronic message;
a second device for receiving an electronic message;
a wide area computer network for accepting electronic messages directly or indirectly from said first device and for sending electronic messages to said second device or a computer network linked to said second device;
a set of rules defining which electronic messages should be sent to said second device;
a memory unit for storing said rules;
a wide area computer network distributor for retrieving said rules from said memory unit, interpreting and applying said rules to said electronic message from said first device during transmission of said electronic message from an initial point of entry into said wide area computer network to said second device and for transmitting through said wide area computer network to said second device or a computer network linked to said second device said electronic messages in conformance with said rules. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for delivering electronic messages received at a wide area computer network, said method comprising the steps of:
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defining a set of rules to be applied to electronic messages addressed to an electronic message recipient, said set of rules defined by said electronic message recipient;
receiving an electronic message at said wide area computer network, said electronic message addressed to said electronic message recipient; and
distributing via a wide area computer network distributor said electronic message in accordance with said set of rules defined by said electronic message recipient.
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18. The method of 1 wherein the step of distributing said electronic message comprises the steps of retrieving said set of rules from a memory unit at said computer network, interpreting and applying said set of rules to said electronic message, and delivering one or more electronic messages to one or more electronic message recipients in accordance with said set of rules.
Specification