Device, system, and method of accessing electronic mail

• US 8,281,372 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Joel Vidal
• Inventors: Vidal, Joel
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gao, Shu Chun
• Application Number:
  US12/642,179
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5, 709/206, 463/229
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords

Abstract

Device, system, and method of accessing electronic mail. For example, a computerized method includes: receiving an identifier of an email account, and a password; if the password matches a first reference password previously stored in association with said email account, then authorizing a substantially full access to said email account; if the password matches a second reference password previously stored in association with said email account, then authorizing a restricted access to said email account.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

creating an email account associated with a first reference password designated by a user;

during a session in which the user is logged-in to the email account by using the first reference password, receiving from the user a designation of a user-selected second reference password for said email account, wherein the second reference password comprises a single-use password;

receiving an identifier of an email account, and a password;

if the password matches a first reference password previously stored in association with said email account, then authorizing a full access to said email account;

if the password matches a second reference password previously stored in association with said email account, then authorizing a restricted access to said email account;

upon termination of a session of said restricted access to the email account, causing expiration of the second reference password and maintaining validity of the first reference password;

wherein the method is to be implemented by an electronic device comprising at least a hardware component.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing a read-only access to the email account, which authorizes reading of one or more email messages of said email account and un-authorizes composing of one or more email messages, deleting of one or more email messages, sending of one or more email messages, forwarding of one or more email messages, and replying to one or more email messages.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing only reading of one or more email messages of said email account and replying to one or more email messages of said email account,

wherein the replying comprises un-authorizing to add recipients to the one or more email messages to which a reply is sent,

wherein authorizing the restricted access comprises un-authorizing to delete one or more email messages and un-authorizing to forward one or more email messages.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing only (a) reading of one or more email messages of said email account, and (b) non-edited forwarding of one or more email messages of said email account.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing an access to said email account, and un-authorizing deletion of one or more email messages of said email account.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

restricting a number of email messages that can be sent from said user account in a login session.

7. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

restricting a number of email messages that can be read in said user account in a login session.

8. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

terminating said restricted access to the email account upon performance of a pre-defined number of email-related operations in said email account.

9. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

un-authorizing performance of at least one type of email-related operations in said email account.

10. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the restricted access comprises an access to said email account which authorizes performance of at least one type of email-related operations in said email account and limits the performance of said at least one type of email-related operations relative to said full access.

11. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

disabling a search function of said email account.

12. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

upon termination of a session of said restricted access to the email account, causing expiration of the second reference password and maintaining validity of the first reference password.

13. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

subsequent to initiation of a session of said restricted access to the email account, and prior to termination of said session of said restriction access to the email account, causing expiration of the second reference password and maintaining validity of the first reference password.

14. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

un-authorizing to modify the first reference password and un-authorizing to modify the second reference password;

wherein authorizing the full access to the email account comprises;

authorizing to modify the first reference password and authorizing to modify the second reference password.

15. The computerized method of claim 1,

wherein authorizing the full access to the email account comprises authorizing to modify one or more restrictions associated with the second reference password;

wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises authorizing to modify one or more restrictions associated with the second reference password.

16. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

tracking operations performed during a session of said restricted access on said email account;

making a log report of said operations unavailable for reviewing during said restricted access and during a subsequent restricted access session;

making said log report of said operations available for reviewing during a session of said full access to said email account.

17. The computerized method of claim 16, comprising:

sending said log report to at least one of;

(a) another email account, pre-designated during a session of said full access;

(b) a mobile phone, using a Short Message Service (SMS) message to a phone number pre-designated during a session of said full access;

(c) an Instant Messaging (IM) recipient, using an Instant Message to said IM recipient pre-designated during a session of said full access.

18. The computerized method of claim 16, comprising:

sending said log report upon occurrence of at least one of;

(a) elapse of a pre-defined time period since beginning of a session of said restricted access to the email account;

(b) logout from a session of said restricted access to the email account.

19. The computerized method of claim 1, comprising:

upon initiation of a session of said restricted access to the email account, sending a notification indicating commencement of said session of restricted access, to at least one of;

(a) another email account, pre-designated during a session of said full access;

(b) a mobile phone, using a Short Message Service (SMS) message to a phone number pre-designated during a session of said full access;

(c) an Instant Messaging (IM) recipient, using an Instant Message to said IM recipient pre-designated during a session of said full access.

20. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing viewing of content of one or more folders of said email account, and un-authorizing viewing of content of one or more other folders of said email account.

21. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

for at least one folder of said email account, authorizing viewing of only a portion of content of said folder.

22. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

for at least one folder of said email account, authorizing viewing of only a portion of content of said folder which corresponds to email messages exchanged within a pre-defined time-period preceding commencement of said restricted access to the email account.

23. The computerized method of claim 1, comprising:

upon an attempt to log-in to said email account, from a particular geographical area, by using the first reference password, authorizing access to said email account from a first said particular geographical area, and

upon an attempt to log-in to said email account, from said particular geographical area, by using the second reference password, un-authorizing access to said email account from a second, different, said particular geographical area.

24. The computerized method of claim 1, comprising:

upon an attempt to log-in to said email account, on a particular day-of-week, by using the first reference password, authorizing access to said email account during said particular day-of-week; and

upon an attempt to log-in to said email account, on said particular day-of-week, by using the second reference password, un-authorizing access to said email account during said particular day-of-week.

25. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing access to said email account during one or more time-slots, and un-authorizing access to said email account during one or more other time-slots.

26. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

un-authorizing to open a file attached to an email message in said email account.

27. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

un-authorizing to download a file attached to an email message in said email account.

28. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

un-authorizing to attach a file to an email message in said email account.

29. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

un-authorizing at least one of;

(a) viewing of an email address book associated with said email account;

(b) modifying said email address book associated with said email account.

30. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing to view only a portion of content of said email account which corresponds to results of a search query applied to said email account, wherein the search query is pre-designated during the full access to said email account.

31. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing only (a) to read one email message of said email account, and (b) to reply to said one email message,

wherein replying to said one email messaged comprises un-authorization to add a recipient to said one email message for which a reply is sent,

wherein, upon performing said replying to said one email message, the method further comprises;

terminating a session of the email account, and

causing expiration of the second reference password.

32. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

authorizing access to said email account for a predefined session length which is shorter than a pre-defined session length associated with said full access to the email account.

33. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises:

adding a mark to one or more email messages that are handled during the restricted access to the email account, and avoiding to add said mark to email messages that are handled during the full access to the email account.

34. The computerized method of claim 1,

wherein authorizing the restricted access to the email account comprises adding a first mark to one or more email messages that are handled during the restricted access to the email account,

wherein authorizing the full access to the email account comprises adding a second mark to one or more email messages that are handled during the full access to the email account.