Managing electronic messages

• US 8,073,916 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Migliore, Michael R., Evans, John S., Heiner, Jeffrey N., Logue, Jay, Landsman, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Kenny
• Assistant Examiner(s): Taha, Shaq
• Application Number:
  US12/537,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A recipient computer system may receive one or more electronic messages. The recipient computer system may send one, two, or more challenge messages to the sender of the electronic messages in determining whether to deliver the electronic message. The recipient computer system may accept or reject an electronic message based on the response, or lack of response, to the challenge messages. The recipient computer system may send two or more challenge messages at intervals. A sender computer system may record activity of the sender computer system for a recipient computer system to use in determining whether to deliver an electronic message. A sender computer system may provide a summary of that activity with an electronic message. A sender computer system may provide an authorization key for a recipient computer system to use in determining whether to deliver an electronic message. The authorization key may be generated by a third party.

Claims

1. In a computer system that monitors electronic messages that are sent from senders to recipients, a method of determining whether an electronic message has been sent from an authorized sender, comprising:

receiving an electronic message that includes information indicating the manner in which an electronic message was created, the information indicating one or more of an amount of keyboard activity or an amount of mouse activity used in creating the electronic message;

determining the manner in which the electronic message should be processed according to an analysis of the information indicating the manner in which an electronic message was created;

and processing the electronic message according to the analysis, the processing comprising;

initiating a first challenge-response protocol when the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created indicates that the electronic message was generated manually;

and initiating a second challenge-response protocol that is more intrusive than the first challenge-response protocol when the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created indicates that the electronic message was generated automatically.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the electronic message according to the analysis comprises selecting at least one challenge message based upon the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created, which information indicates that the electronic message was generated automatically.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, granting the sender of the electronic message authorization to send future electronic messages based upon the manner in which the electronic message was created, which information indicates that the electronic message was generated manually.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created is generated by a software module adapted to:

record pre-transmission mouse and keystroke activity of a sender computer; and

generate, from the recorded pre-transmission mouse and keystroke activity, the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created.

2. In a computer system that monitors electronic messages that are sent from senders to recipients, a method of determining whether an electronic message has been sent from an authorized sender, comprising:

receiving an electronic message that includes information indicating the manner in which an electronic message was created, the information indicating at least a portion of the amount of time spent in creating the electronic message and one or more of an amount of keyboard activity or an amount of mouse activity used in creating the electronic message;

determining the manner in which the electronic message should be processed according to an analysis of the information indicating the manner in which an electronic message was created;

and processing the electronic message according to the analysis, the processing comprising;

initiating a first challenge-response protocol when the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created indicates that the electronic message was generated manually;

and initiating a second challenge-response protocol that is more intrusive than the first challenge-response protocol when the information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created indicates that the electronic message was generated automatically.

6. A method of sending an electronic message, comprising:

a computer of a sender of an electronic message monitoring computer activity of the sender prior to transmission of the electronic message;

the computer generating a data structure that includes information indicating the computer activity of the sender prior to transmission of the electronic message, the information indicating one or more of;

an amount of keyboard activity used in creating the electronic message, an amount of mouse activity used in creating the electronic message, or an amount of time spent in creating the electronic message;

the computer attaching the data structure to the electronic message;

and the computer transmitting the electronic message and attached data structure to a recipient identified in the electronic message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a computer system associated with the recipient receives and processes the electronic message according to an analysis of the information indicating the computer activity of the sender prior to transmission of the electronic message.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

the computer receiving at least one challenge message from the computer system associated with the recipient, the at least one challenge message having been selected by the computer system associated with the recipient based upon the information indicating the computer activity of the sender prior to transmission of the electronic message; and

the computer responding to the at least one challenge message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein responding to the at least one challenge message includes one or more of:

performing at least one action specified in the at least one challenge message after a predetermined time specified in the at least one challenge message has elapsed from an event;

sending a string of bytes received in the at least one challenge message, or a transformation of a string of bytes received in the at least one challenge message, to the computer system associated with the recipient;

accessing a web page;

or receiving user input from the sender and sending the user input to the computer system associated with the recipient, the user input including a solution to a puzzle or information identified by the sender from a graphical image.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

the computer receiving a first challenge message from a computer system associated with the recipient, the first challenge message specifying a predetermined time after an event from which a first response to the first challenge message should be received by the computer system associated with the recipient;

and the computer sending the first response, after the predetermined time has elapsed, to the computer system associated with the recipient.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the event is at least one of a receipt of the electronic message or transmission of the first challenge message by the computer system associated with the recipient.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

the computer receiving a second challenge message from the computer system associated with the recipient, the second challenge message specifying that receipt by the computer system associated with the recipient of the first response to the first challenge message and a second response to the second challenge message must be separated from each other by at least a requested interval;

and the computer sending the second response, after the requested interval has elapsed from the sending of the first response, to the computer system associated with the recipient.

13. In a computer system that monitors electronic messages that are sent from senders to recipients, a method of determining whether an electronic message has been sent from an authorized sender, comprising:

receiving an electronic message intended for a recipient that includes information indicating the manner in which the electronic message was created;

determining the manner in which the electronic message should be processed according to an analysis of the information indicating the manner in which an electronic message was created;

and processing the electronic message according to the analysis, including, when the information indicates that the electronic message was generated automatically;

transmitting to the sender a first challenge message;

specifying a predetermined time after an event from which a first response to the first challenge message should be received such that responding to the first challenge message would be impractical for a bulk messaging system;

receiving the first response to the first challenge message;

if the first response to the first challenge message is correct and if the first response to the first challenge message is received after the predetermined time from the event, transmitting to the sender a second challenge message after a predetermined period of time has passed since transmitting the first challenge message and specifying that receipt of the first response to the first challenge message and a second response to the second challenge message must be separated from each other by at least a requested interval such that responding to the second challenge message would be impractical for a bulk messaging system;

receiving a second response to the second challenge message;

and if the second response to the second challenge message is correct, and if receipt of the first response and the second response are separated from each other by at least the requested interval, designating the sender as being authorized to send electronic messages to the recipient.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein one or both of the first or second challenge messages includes entertainment or information to engage the sender during a waiting period prior to the sender sending one or both of the first or second responses, respectively.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic message comprises a first electronic message, the method further comprising:

receiving a second electronic message intended for the recipient that includes a data structure indicating that a sender of the second electronic message is an authorized sender; and

delivering the second electronic message to the recipient without initiating a challenge-response protocol with the sender of the second electronic message.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the first challenge message and second challenge message identify an action to be performed as part of each of the first response and second response, wherein each action is to be performed either manually by the sender or automatically by a computer associated with the sender.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein one or both of the first or second challenge messages includes instructions to access a particular web page and a correct first or second response comprises the access of the particular web page by the sender, the method further comprising, monitoring access to the particular web page to determine whether the sender accesses the particular web page.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the event is at least one of a receipt of the electronic message or transmission of the first challenge message.