Method, system, and apparatus for providing self-destructing electronic mail messages
First Claim
1. A method for providing self-destructing electronicmail messages, comprising:
- receiving a request to send a self-destructing electronic mail message, the request comprising a message body and a time period within which the self-destructing electronic mail message should be destroyed;
determining if an intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application supports receiving self-destructing electronic mail messages;
if the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application does not support self-destructing electronic mail messages, notifying a sender that the intended recipient'"'"'s mail server does not support self-destructing electronic mail messages;
determining if the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail address is located on a network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain;
providing a security warning message in response to determining that the electronic mail address is located on the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, the security warning message indicating that the self-destructing electronic mail message is in the process of being sent to the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain;
receiving a response to the security warning message;
canceling, in response to an indication that a user did not select to proceed with transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message to the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, the electronic mail message to the intended recipient whose electronic mail address is located on the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain;
transmitting, in response to an indication that the user selected to proceed with transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message to the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, the request to an electronic mail client application; and
destroying all instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message after the time period has elapsed, wherein the all instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message comprises a plurality of electronic copies of the self-destructing electronic mail message stored in at least one of the following;
computer system memory and a mass storage device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus for providing a self-destructing e-mail messages are described. An e-mail client application provides a user interface through which the sender of an e-mail message can enter the message and a time period for destruction of the message. Once the sender has provided this information, the e-mail client application sends a request to an e-mail server application to transmit the self-destructing e-mail message. The e-mail client application may also receive self-destructing e-mail messages. When a self-destructing e-mail message is received, the destruction date associated with the e-mail message is identified and the message is destroyed at the specified time. The e-mail client application can also limit the number and type of operations that may be performed on a self-destructing e-mail. An e-mail server application is also provided that receives requests from the e-mail client application to transmit self-destructing e-mail messages and perform other functions.
511 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for providing self-destructing electronic
mail messages, comprising: -
receiving a request to send a self-destructing electronic mail message, the request comprising a message body and a time period within which the self-destructing electronic mail message should be destroyed; determining if an intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application supports receiving self-destructing electronic mail messages; if the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application does not support self-destructing electronic mail messages, notifying a sender that the intended recipient'"'"'s mail server does not support self-destructing electronic mail messages; determining if the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail address is located on a network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain; providing a security warning message in response to determining that the electronic mail address is located on the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, the security warning message indicating that the self-destructing electronic mail message is in the process of being sent to the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain; receiving a response to the security warning message; canceling, in response to an indication that a user did not select to proceed with transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message to the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, the electronic mail message to the intended recipient whose electronic mail address is located on the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain; transmitting, in response to an indication that the user selected to proceed with transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message to the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, the request to an electronic mail client application; and destroying all instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message after the time period has elapsed, wherein the all instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message comprises a plurality of electronic copies of the self-destructing electronic mail message stored in at least one of the following;
computer system memory and a mass storage device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 24, 25)
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5. A method for providing self-destructing electronic mail messages, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to transmit a self-destructing electronic mail message comprising a message body and a time period within which all instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message should be destroyed, wherein the all instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message comprises a plurality of electronic copies of the self-destructing electronic mail message stored in at least one of the following; computer system memory and a mass storage device; determining if an intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application supports receiving self-destructing electronic mail messages; if the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application does not support self-destructing electronic mail messages, notifying a sender that the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application does not support self-destructing electronic mail messages; determining if the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail address is located on a network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain; providing a security warning message in response to determining that the electronic mail address is located on the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, the security warning message indicating that the self-destructing electronic mail message is in the process of being be sent to the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain; receiving a response to the security warning message; canceling, in response to an indication that a user did not select to proceed with transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message beyond to the network the sender'"'"'s home domain, the electronic mail message to the intended recipient whose electronic mail address is located on the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain; and transmitting, in response to an indication that the user selected to proceed with transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message beyond to the network the sender'"'"'s home domain, the self-destructing electronic mail message only to an electronic mail server application configured to provide self-destructing electronic mail messages. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for providing self-destructing electronic mail messages, the system comprising:
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an electronic mail server application, comprising; means for receiving a request to transmit a self-destructing electronic mail message, means for transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message to an electronic mail client application, and means for causing all instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message to be destroyed after a period of time specified in the request, wherein the all instances of the self-destructing electronic mail message comprises a plurality of electronic copies of the self-destructing electronic mail message stored in at least one of the following;
computer system memory and a mass storage device,wherein the electronic mail server application determines if an intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application supports receiving self-destructing electronic mail messages, and if the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server application does not support self-destructing electronic mail messages, notifying a sender that the intended recipient'"'"'s electronic mail server does not support self-destructing electronic mail messages; and an electronic mail client application, comprising; means for canceling, when a response to a security warning message indicates that a user did not select to proceed with transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message to a network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, an email address for the intended recipient that is located on the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain; means for transmitting, when a response to the security warning message indicates that a user selected to proceed with transmitting the self-destructing electronic mail message to the network beyond the sender'"'"'s home domain, the request to the electronic mail server application, the request comprising an electronic mail message body, and means for specifying a period of time within which the self-destructing electronic mail message should be destroyed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification