E-mail filtering services and e-mail service enrollment techniques

• US 7,133,660 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Postini, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Maggi, Brian, Irlam, Gordon Raymond, Petry, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US10/965,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/466, 455/410, 455405-407, 455/413, 709201-207, 709239-240, 709/245, 370/230, 370352-356
• US Class Current: 455/403
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Disclosed are methods of managing the delivery, including in certain cases the blocking, of electronic messages based at least in part on an electronic message'"'"'s IP routing information. Also disclosed are methods of managing electronic messages with an intermediate service and the quarantining and user management of quarantined electronic messages and user profiles for the electronic massaging delivery parameters.

Claims

1. A method for providing e-mail management services for at least some users of an e-mail entity in an electronic massaging network in which electronic messages are delivered from sending servers to at least one destination server of the e-mail entity through an electronic message delivery path, the method comprising:

enrolling the e-mail entity in the e-mail management services by inserting an intermediate service into the electronic message delivery path ahead of the at least one destination server of the e-mail entity by changing a DNS entry associated with the at least one destination server to point to the intermediate service; and

posting an e-mail entity'"'"'s user'"'"'s junk mail to a user-accessible message center website where it is kept for a period of time.

2. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising allowing a user to edit a user profile via the message center website to govern the handling of the user'"'"'s messages by the electronic massaging service.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the user profile comprises parameters whereby the user may configure items selected from the group consisting of junk mail filtering and virus checking parameters;

message delivery conditions, and the user'"'"'s main e-mail system.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the e-mail entity self-enrolls itself with the electronic massaging service by inserting the intermediate service in the electronic message delivery path by changing its DNS entry associated with at least one destination server to point to the intermediate service.

5. The method in claim 1, wherein the enrollment between the e-mail entity and the provider of the electronic massaging service comprises tasks selected from the group consisting of:

automating assent to the terms and conditions of the electronic message service;

specifying billing information; and

designating electronic massaging service start and stop dates.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the provider of the electronic massaging service assigns at least one user name, at least one user password, and at least one user profile to a user of an e-mail entity enrolled in the electronic massaging service.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein for the delivered electronic message, the intermediate service is further operable to provide one or more value-added services selected from the group consisting of:

(a) performing value-added processing on the electronic message;

(b) applying user-selected junk e-mail filters on the electronic message;

(c) applying user-selected virus checkers for checking the electronic message and attachments in the electronic message;

(d) blocking junk e-mails based on content information;

(e) blocking junk e-mails based on IP routing information;

(f) delivering “

clean”

e-mail to the user'"'"'s e-mail server as normal; and

(g) holding “

suspected”

e-mails at a quarantine area, sending notification to the user, and allowing user disposition of the e-mail by accessing the message center website.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the IP routing information comprises an IP source address.

9. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising the sending of a notification e-mail to the user alerting them to the saving of an e-mail in the user'"'"'s message center website.