Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in
1 3
58 566
B1
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EP 1 358 566 B1
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION
(45) Date of publication and mentionof the grant of the patent:
26.09.2007 Bulletin 2007/39
(21) Application number: 01991184.1
(22) Date of filing: 14.12.2001
(51) Int Cl.:
H04L 12/58(2006.01) H04L 29/06(2006.01)
(86) International application number:
PCT/US2001/048705
(87) International publication number:
WO 2002/054268 (11.07.2002 Gazette 2002/28)
(54) SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AND ORGANIZING EMAIL
SYSTEM UND VERFAHREN ZUM STEUERN UND ORGANISIEREN VON EMAIL
SYSTEME ET PROCEDE DE COMMANDE ET D’ORGANISATION DU COURRIER ELECTRONIQUE (84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE TR
(30) Priority: 29.12.2000 US 751989
(43) Date of publication of application:
05.11.2003 Bulletin 2003/45
(73) Proprietor: Levosky, Michael P. Woburn, MA 01801 (US)
(72) Inventor: Levosky, Michael P. Woburn, MA 01801 (US)
(74) Representative: Exell, Jonathan Mark et al Williams Powell Morley House 26-30 Holborn Viaduct London EC1A 2BP (GB) (56) References cited: EP-A- 0 899 918 EP-A- 1 059 779 US-A- 5 987 508 US-B1- 6 212 265 US-B1- 6 343 311 US-B1- 6 351 523
• HALL R J: "HOW TO AVOID UNWANTED EMAIL" COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTING MACHINERY, ASSOCIATION FOR COMPUTING MACHINERY. NEW YORK, US, vol. 41, no. 3, March 1998 (1998-03), pages 88-95, XP000767817 ISSN: 0001-0782
• SPAMMOTEL.COM: "Welcome to
SpamMotel.com"[Online] 15 August 2000 (2000-08-15), XP002334105 Retrieved from the Internet: URL:http://web.archive.org/web/ 20001108235 700/spammotel.com/spammotel/ more.html> [retrieved on 2005-06-29]
• SPAMMOTEL.COM: "Frequently Asked
Questions"[Online] 15 August 2000 (2000-08-15), XP002334106 Retrieved from the Internet: URL: http://web.archive.org/web/20010203063 100/spammotel.com/spammotel/faq.html> [retrieved on 2005-06-29]
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 Description
BACKGROUND - FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a system and method for controlling unwanted Email and organizing Email in general.
BACKGROUND - DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART [0002] Email is now a universal means of communica-tion, augmenting, and sometimes replacing other tradi-tional forms of communication, including postal service, FAX, and voice communications. The ease of composing and the speed of transmitting Email, and the presence of the Internet in almost every corner of the world has promoted its use, which promises to become almost om-nipresent.
[0003] The ease of use and speed of transmission has created problems, however, which include the transmis-sion of unwanted messages, so-called "Spam", the equivalent of junk mail in postal service jargon. And unlike postal service junk mail, the transmission of Spam is vir-tually free for the senders, as most Internet Service Pro-viders provide unlimited usage for modest fees.
[0004] Many Email systems provide means to filter and block unwanted messages. As an example, consider the system used by hotmail.com®, Microsoft’s Website-based Email system, which can be accessed at http: //www.hotmail.com.
[0005] In hotmail.com’s blocking system, typical in-coming Email can be directed to the user’s Inbox if and only if :
(a) The Email address appears on the "To:" or "Cc:" line.
(b) The sender’s address appears in the user’s Hot-mail Address Book.
(c) It is from a user in the hotmail.com or msn.com domain.
(d) it is a Hotmail WebCourier or Special Offers Sub-scription, Hotmail Member Letter, or is from Micro-soft, MSN, or a Microsoft Passport partner site.
[0006] These blocking and filtering features are typical attempts to reject unwanted Email, or "Spam", but they have a number of drawbacks : For instance, many of these prior art systems blocking features do not allow Email communications which may be wanted by the re-cipient, although the recipient did not foresee communi-cations from the sender. In addition, the unwanted sender of Email may continually change his Email address, so that the recipient cannot block Spam from a particular sender simply by blocking a single address. And finally, the Email recipient is constantly in danger of revealing his Email address to new potential Spammers by sending Email messages to new recipients.
[0007] The present invention overcomes these
prob-lems by the simple expedient of never revealing his true Email address, but rather by using a series of alias ad-dresses which are first intercepted by an Alias Email serv-er before being forwarded to the recipient, and by pro-viding means for-the recipient to identify the circumstanc-es under which the alias Email addrcircumstanc-ess was issued, and to whom it was issued. When a particular alias Email address becomes the target of excessive Spam, the user can abandon that alias Email address, and create a new one.
[0008] In addition to controlling Spam, the current in-vention also provides a useful means for organizing Email messages in general. The invention provides a means to identify Email message as to a number of im-portant parameters not provided by normal Email sys-tems.
[0009] EP 0899918 discloses a system and method in which an alias source address for an electronic mail mes-sage is generated having a real source address and a destination address. An alias source address substitutor substitutes the alias source address for the real source address, removing the real source address from the e-mail message and thereby rendering the sender, located at the real source address, anonymous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is a general object of the current invention to provide a system and method to block unwanted Email form a user’s Email client program. It is a further object of the invention to provide the user with an unlimited number of alias Email addresses which can be used or discarded as they become available to Spammers.
[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the current invention, there is provided a method according to claim 1.
[0012] In accordance with a second aspect of the in-vention, the method includes a displaying of a log of a multiplicity of transactions to the user by the client control program, the log further including the time and date of each transaction, the alias Email address of each trans-action, and the identification information of the transac-tion.
[0013] According to a third aspect of the invention, the generating of the alias Email address further includes substantially random character generating.
[0014] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the system further includes the entering one or more ad-ditional physical Email addresses into the client control program, and receiving an additional alias Email address corresponding to each additional physical Email address.
[0015] According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the method includes entering a request by the client control program for one or more additional alias addresses cor-responding to each physical address, and receiving by the client control program an additional alias Email ad-dress corresponding to each such request.
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method further includes the entering a request by the client control program to suspend forwarding by the alias Email server to the Email client program of all Email ad-dressed to a particular alias Email address.
[0017] According to a seventh aspect of the invention, the method further includes the entering a request by the client control program to permanently discontinue receipt by the Email client program of all Email addressed to a particular alias Email address.
[0018] According to an eighth aspect of the invention, the method further includes the generating by the client control program of an alias Email address containing a user name.
[0019] According to a final aspect of the invention, the method further includes the filtering the Email at the Alias Email Server.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0020] These, and further features of the invention, may be better understood with reference to the accom-panying specification and drawings depicting the pre-ferred embodiment, in which:
Fig.1 depicts a block diagram of a popular prior art Email system.
Figure 2 depicts a block diagram of the current in-vention.
Figure 3 depicts the startup screen of the Client Con-trol Program of the current invention.
Figure 4 depicts a setup screen of the Client Control Program of the current invention
Figure 5 depicts a screen delivering an Alias Email address to the user of the current invention. Figure 6 depicts an Email message forwarded to the user by the Alias Email Server.
Figure 7 depicts the log produced by the Client Con-trol Program of the current invention.
Figure 8 depicts the screen of the Client Control Pro-gram used to filter or block unwanted Email messag-es.
Figure 9 depicts an input screen produced by an al-ternative embodiment of the Client Control Program of the current invention
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI-MENTS
[0021] The preferred embodiments are understood by first considering the prior art, as shown in Figure 1. This figure begins with an Email client, a program which sends and receives Email. Clients include programs such as Eudora®, and Microsoft’s Outlook Express®. Referring to this figure, the sender of the Email, using the Email client 2 sends and receives Email 1 using communication link 8, which connects the client to the Internet Service Provider 1 (ISP) 4. This ISP may include such major com-panies as America On Line® (AOL), or the Microsoft
Net-work (MSN®). The ISP then communicates with the Email server 6, using communication link 10, via com-munication link 10. The comcom-munications links are bi-di-rectional, with Emails being received and transmitted through the Email server. In turn, the Email server 6 is connected with other ISPs via other communications links.
[0022] The Email server 6 next transmits the Email to the recipient 12, who uses client software 12 to receive the Email. This communication 18, is usually done through the same or another ISP, shown as ISP 2 (14) in Figure 1. The communication as shown in Figure 1 is all bi-directional, so that the recipient, using receiver Email client 12, may send Email back to the sender client 2, in exactly the same manner as described above when the communication is from sender to receiver.
[0023] The Email address of the sender is included in the Email communication, so that the Email recipient may use the sender’s Email address for any purpose desired. The recipient may sell the sender’s Email address to third parties who collect Email addresses for the purposes of sending advertisements, or other communications to the sender, which the sender has not solicited. Such unso-licited Email messages are commonly known as "Spam".
[0024] The current invention avoids this problem by not revealing the Email sender’s true Email address, but by instead utilizing an alias address which directs Email responses to an alias server, which may or may not re-transmit the response Email to the original sender.
[0025] Referring now to Figure 2, the current invention utilizes an Alias Email server 100 as an intermediary be-tween the Email client 20 and the Email server 140. The client first communicates with the Alias Email server, which assigns the client with a new, unique alias Email address. This alias Email address is then used by the client when communicating with an Email recipient re-questing an Email address from the client.
[0026] It should be noted that this system operates only under conditions that the sender’s Email address is trans-mitted to the recipient by non-Email means. The sender may give his Email address to a recipient by letter, FAX, telephone, or by including it in a form contained within a WEB site requesting the sender’s Email address. Thus, the communication shown in Figure 2 is unidirectional only as between the Alias Email Server and the receiver Email client.. That is, the receiver Email client 12, may communicate Email messages to the Alias Email Server 100 by this method, but not vice-versa. The Alias Email server will only send messages to clients registered to use the service provided by the Alias-Email Server.
GENERATING THE ALIAS EMAIL ADDRESS [0027] The invention is implemented with the use of a client control program called "SpamMotel.exe", which re-sides on the client’s computer. When this program is started, it first displays the screen shown in Figure 3.
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an new account by clicking on SETUP button 228, which then displays the DIALOG window shown in Figure 4. Referring now to Figure 3, the user enters a user name, which may be anything the client desires, into box 220, and an actual (physical) Email address already in use in EMAIL ADDRESS box 202. The user must retype his Email address again in box 204, as an error reduction technique. The user may then make up a password, and type it into box 206, and repeat the same password in box 208. The user may check off a box to save the pass-word, providing different levels of security for each ac-count. The user then clicks on the CREATE NEW AC-COUNT button 222, and is then returned to the original screen, as shown in Figure 3.
[0029] Referring again to Figure 3, the information just entered is displayed. The pulldown list 320 shows the user name just created. However, the user may create a number of different profiles, having different user names, corresponding to a number of different physical Email addresses used. The corresponding physical Email address is shown in box 322, and the password in box 324, although each character of the password is rep-resented by an "x" in this screen. However, the user may change the password in box 324.
[0030] A message may be included to identify all Email associated with this user name by typing into box 326. In the example shown in Figure 4, the message "For com-puter components only" will appear on all Email forward-ed from the alias server associatforward-ed with this user name. In addition, one of four TYPES 334 is selected. These TYPES include FWD, SPAM, URGENT, and a custom type which will display a message which the user enters in box 332. This TYPE message will appear as the SUB-JECT of any Email forwarded by the Alias Email server.
[0031] The final step in the generation of a new alias Email address is done by clicking on the CREATE NEW ADDRESS button 340, which produces the screen shown in Fig. 5, in which a new window 400 appears.
[0032] Whenever the CREATE NEW ADDRESS
but-ton is depressed in the window shown in Figure 3, the Client Control Program sends the information entered so far into the Client Control Program to the Alias Email serv-er, which then enters this information into an alias user record in its master data file, and then generates a pseu-do-random string of 10 characters, followed by "@spam-motel.com", which constitutes the alias Email address corresponding to the user name 320, as shown in Figure 3. This alias Email address is then entered into the alias user record in the datafile, which also contains the re-mainder of the user information corresponding to this us-er name.
[0033] It is generally recommended that the user cre-ate a new address whenever a new Website request for an Email address is made, so that the user can distin-guish between responses from different vendors. Thus, additional alias Email addresses can be generated cor-responding to the same user name, with or without dif-ferent text features and TYPE selections. Thus, the
da-tabase may contain more than one alias user record cor-responding to the same user name. However, no two alias user records may contain the same alias Email ad-dress.
[0034] After a new address is created, the address is stored on the client system clipboard, so that it may be simply pasted into the appropriate box in any Web site form request from a correspondent requesting the Email address. In any event, the alias Email address is com-municated to a recipient wanting to use an Email address to communicated with the sender.
RECEIVING EMAIL HAVING THE ALIAS EMAIL AD-DRESS
[0035] Assuming that the recipient (or any other Email client having the alias Email address) now sends an Email message to the user at the address just created by the Client Control Program, the Email message is re-ceived by the Alias Email Server, and modified by incor-porating various information previously entered in the Cli-ent Control Program into the Email message. This mod-ified message is then forwarded by the Alias Email Server to the sender’s Email client 2. Figure 6. depicts an ex-ample of such a forwarded Email message.
[0036] Referring now to Figure 6, the actual message 18 sent by the recipient appears at the bottom on the screen. The screen contains other information concern-ing this message, however. First of all, the Alias Email address 410 appears next to the "To:" heading, indicating that the message was addressed to this Alias Email ad-dress by the recipient. Next, the "Subject" 412 of the mes-sage is the "custom" TYPE information entered by the user in box 332 as seen in Figure 3. This subject, "net shopping" in the present example, is followed by a colon (:), after which the subject information entered by the recipient, follows, in the case, the text "your order".
[0037] Then a block of information 420 appears, indi-cating that this message was forwarded by the Client Control Program, and including the time and date of the message, as well as the time and date that the Alias Email address was created. The total number of mes-sages forwarded and received 414 is shown. Finally, the "note", or "message" text previously entered by the user to identify this Alias Email address, shown as reference number 326 in Figure 3, appears, to remind the user fur-ther about this particular Alias Email address.
[0038] This message text may be indefinite in length, unlike the "subject" text transmitted by normal Email, which is severely limited in length. The message text in the current invention is not sent within the Email header block, as in normal Email, but is incorporated into the body of the Email when transmitted back to the user. Thus, this message may be quite extensive, and must be sufficient in length to adequately describe the nature of the circumstances of the creation of the alias in ques-tion. It is typically used to remind the user why this par-ticular Alias Email address was created and how it is
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 used.
USING THE "REPLY" FUNCTION
[0039] The invention allows for the user to reply to Emails, while still keeping his or her physical Email ad-dress from the sender.
[0040] This is done by taking the recipient’s original Email, as it first comes through the Alias Email server, and recording the recipient’s Email address in the Alias Email server. If the user has used the ’reply-to’ function based on current Email protocols, then that ’reply-to’ ad-dress is the one that is recorded.
[0041] A special return code is then inserted in the ’re-ply-to’ portion of the sender’s Email ’header’ information, overwriting any other information in that area of the head-er. SpainMotel’s current return code is of the form ABCD123ER~spammotel.com (8 characters of mixed letters and numbers)
[0042] Thus, when the user clicks on the reply button of his Email client program, it is the new return code that is automatically placed in the ’to’ header for purposes of replying. (This is handled this way by all current Email programs, based on current Email protocols and for-mats.)
[0043] With the new return code in place, when the user clicks on ’send’ in his Email client program, the reply is sent to the Alias Email server instead of going directly back to the recipient. Next, the Alias Email server strips all information which could identify the user’s physical Email address, and the user’s Alias Email address orig-inally given to the recipient used as the new ’replied-from’ address. Thus the privacy of the user’s real Email ad-dress is preserved.
[0044] The Alias Email server takes the further step of removing both the subject-line prefix that the user first set (the Fwd:, Spain:, Urgent:, or Custom:).
[0045] The Alias Email server also takes the further step of removing the information portion (memo, dates and times, etc.) from the body of the ’replied-to’ Email, before sending it back to the recipient. Communication may thus go "back and forth" a number of times while preserving the "alias" form of user’s email address.
USING THE LOG INFORMATION
[0046] The current invention allows the user to review the history of the various alias Email addresses created, and the messages received addressed to those alias Email addresses. A log is maintained on the Alias Email server of this history.
[0047] The log file is accessed either by clicking on the VIEW LOG button 342, as shown in the screen of Figure 3, or by accessing the Alias Email Server WEB site at www.spammotel.com. In either case, the screen shown in Figure 7 is displayed.
[0048] Referring now to Figure 7, the history is dis-played as a series of events, or transactions, each
asso-ciated with a particular alias Email address. Referring to the even shown in block 430, the date of the event is displayed, in this case 11/29/2000, and the time, in this case 9:09 AM. The number of messages received by the Alias Email server is shown, as well as the number of such messages forwarded to the sender’s physical Email address. Because the sender may chose to block or filter messages, the number received and the number for-warded need not be the same.
[0049] Still referring to block 430, the contents of the TYPE parameter, shown as reference number 334 in Fig-ure 3, and the message, shown as reference number 326 in Figure 3, is also displayed. And finally, the Alias Email address prefix is displayed.
[0050] The user may decide to block or suspend the forwarding of messages from the alias Email server by means of a check box 434, together with an action button, either the suspend button 440, or the resume button 436, which undoes the action of the suspend button. The user may also decide to filter message associated with a par-ticular alias Email address by clicking the FILTER button 442, which then displays the screen shown in Figure 8.
[0051] Referring now to Figure 8, the user of a partic-ular alias Email address 470 may set up filters to either allow only those Email messages containing certain char-acter combinations in the Email FROM header, or to re-ject those Email messages containing certain character combinations in the Email FROM header.
[0052] To use this feature, one of the check boxes 464, 468 must be checked, and the user enters the text string to be either accepted or rejected in the corresponding text box 460, 462. It should be noted that the Log Display, previously described, also allows the user to reject or suspend all mail addressed to a particular alias Email address in its entirety.
[0053] In order to make the log function more useful and convenient, a sort feature is incorporated into the log. Referring again to Figure 7, a pull-down list 441 is available to allow the user to select a basis for sorting. These include sorts according to the date of creation of the event or transaction, the date received by the user, the status of the transaction (i.e. whether reception is currently suspended, or resumed), and the total transac-tions received so far.
[0054] In addition to the sort feature in the log file, pro-visions are also included to allow the user to search the log file for a text string contained within the message or notes field, or within the subject line prefix line, as shown in Figure 6 as reference number 412.
ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT - ALIAS EMAIL SERV-ER INCORPORATED INTO EMAIL SSERV-ERVSERV-ER
[0055] A number of WEB-based Email sites exist, in-cluding Hotmail® and Yahoo! Mail.® In these sites, the user’s Email account is accessed by logging onto the appropriate Internet Site, http://www.hotmail.com in the case of Hotmail, and http://mail.yahoo.com, in the case
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of Yahoo! Mail. The functions of the Email server, in this case, exists on the host’s Internet Site, and no Email client program is required for the user to send and receive Email.
[0056] When using such a system, it is not necessary to have a separate Alias Email Server, as all the functions of the Alias Email Server may be incorporated into the host’s WebSite. The Alias Email Server may indeed be a separate program or process operating within the Email Server, or the functions may be otherwise incorporated into the Email Server.
[0057] In addition, the forwarding of the Email destined for the user and addressed to the user’s alias Email ad-dress is performed by the combined Email Server/Alias Email Server. Nevertheless, for such combined systems, the terms "Alias Email Server", and "forwarding" of the Email will be used, referring in this case to the functions, rather than to specific software modules or systems.
[0058] The nature of this alternative embodiment does not require a stand-alone client program, as previously mentioned. Control by the user may be implemented by means of a browser plug-in, or a proxy setting in the browser itself. However the functionality of the system, as seen by the user, will remain the same as if there were a client program resident on the client computer.
[0059] In addition, an Email client program may also be used when at a WEB site requesting an Email address, and when it would be inconvenient for the user to return to the WEB-based Email program to generate an Alias Email address.
[0060] This alternative embodiment also provides al-ternative methods for displaying the "notes" messages, and other information used to identify the alias email ad-dress, including time and date of creation, and other sta-tistical data shown in the log file display of Figure 7. These alternative display methods include pop-up windows, linked to other screens which are displayed when the user clicks on the link. Segmented screens, or screens containing separated windows, may also display this in-formation. The information may also be downloaded as a separate file.
SECOND ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT - DASH-MAIL
[0061] The preferred embodiment of the current inven-tion generates a random, or pseudo-random string of characters, which are used with the Alias Email server suffix, spammotel.com. The resultant alias Email ad-dress is therefore not immediately recognizable by the user, who may use the message FROM header to identify the source of the message, or the message text associ-ated with a custom TYPE 334, as shown in Figure 3.
[0062] Referring now to Figure 9, an alternative em-bodiment contains, a provision to allow the user to incor-porate his own name into the alias Email address. The screen shown in Figure 8 is produced in place of that of Figure 4 when a new alias Email address is requested
by the user.
[0063] This embodiment allows the user to issue an Alias Email address , and transmit it to the recipient, with-out the need to access a computer or similar device at the time of issuance. Under such circumstances, the user will enter the Alias Email address, and other information, into the Client Control Program at a later time.
[0064] As shown in Figure 8, the alias Email address is composed of three parts: a prefix, which may either be created by the user by typing it into box 480; or, as an alternative, the user may request a pseudo-random char-acter string, as in the preferred embodiment. The second part of the alias Email address is a "dash" (-) character, followed by the user name as entered into the Client Con-trol Program as part of the system setup. And the third part of the name, following the "@" sign, is the Alias Email Server address.
[0065] Thus, in the example previously used for user joedoe, the alias Email address might be "[email protected], in the case where the user wished to identify an alias Email address to be used in communicating with Amazon.com®. the well-known e-Commerce company.
[0066] It is important to note that incoming e-mails are checked against the database to determine whether there are existing entries (memos, etc.) for that Dashmail address. If no entry exists, the Email is flagged with an indicator in the subject line. This allows the user to spot the missing entry, and also allows for such e-mails to be diverted to a separate folder for review.
[0067] This is a key element of the dashmail embodi-ment.. Without this functionality, anyone could send an Email to the user and "get through". Its incorporation pro-vides means for blocking unwanted responses.
[0068] The default setting is to let everything through, that is, to be forwarded to the user. This is because the user may forget to make an entry or has not yet had time to make an entry before receiving e-mails to a given ad-dress.
[0069] The suggested protocols for the flags in the sub-ject line are:
(a) Fwd: Emails with entries. This may be changed by user to a custom prefix.
(b) fwd: Emails using the root name only, when the "from" address has been placed in a "friends and family" list.
(c) x-Fwd: Emails without entries, but with a prefix. Usually these are Emails for which the user will add an entry.
(d) xfwd: Emails using the root name only, not found in "friends and family" list.
[0070] The user may choose to block all e-mails con-taining either of the "x" flags.
[0071] The Dashmail alternative embodiment may use or accept alternate forms of address with the same basic function. These would most likely be the dash, the dot,
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and the underscore. And may also use the following form: [email protected]
instead of:
[0072] For users having access to their own domains, the form:
[email protected] may also be use.
[0073] While the invention has been described with ref-erence to specific embodiments, it will be apparent that improvements and modifications may be made within the purview of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A computer implemented method for control and or-ganization of email messages in a data communica-tions network, the data communicacommunica-tions network in-cluding:
an email client program (2) comprising a user email address, and residing on a user computer; a user email server (6) which communicates with the email client program (2) over the data com-munications network;
an alias email server (100) which communicates with the user email server (6) over the data com-munications network; and
a client control system which communicates with the alias email server (100) over the data communications network;
the method comprising:
accepting inputs of the user email address, corresponding identification information, and filter commands at the client control system;
transmitting the user email address, the fil-ter commands, and the corresponding iden-tification information, from the client control system to the alias email server (100); storing the user email address, the filter commands, and the corresponding identifi-cation information in the alias email server (100);
automatically generating a first alias email address by the alias email server (100), not generated from the user email address, and not generated from a recipient address, and storing said first alias email address in the
alias email server (100); transmitting the first alias email address by the alias email server (100) to the client control system; transmitting a message comprising the first alias email address by the user to a recipient by means other than email;
receiving by the alias email server (100) of a reply message addressed to the first alias email address;
storing information regarding the reply mes-sage in the alias email server (100); and if the stored filter commands do not cause the alias email server (100) to block the re-ply message, then forwarding by the alias email server (100) of the reply message, to-gether with the identification information, to the user email address via the user email server (6).
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the client control system further comprises a client control program residing on the user computer.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the email mes-sages further comprise a subject line and a message body, the method further comprising:
a) sending the subject line prefix from the client control program to the alias email server (100); b) sending user memo information from the cli-ent control program to the alias email server (100);
c) storing the user memo information and user subject line prefix in the alias email server (100); d) inserting the user subject line prefix into the subject line of the reply message and inserting the user memo information into the message body of the reply message,
so that the user can easily associate the alias email address with the reply message and recipient.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising inserting the user subject line prefix into header fields of the email message wherein the header fields further comprise a FROM line, a CC line, and a BCC line.
5. The method of any preceding claim, further compris-ing:
transmitting to the client control program by the alias email server (100) statistical information which further comprises:
the alias email address;
a time and date of the creation of the alias email address;
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the subject line prefix;
the user memo information; and a number of messages received; a number of messages forwarded; a previous message received; and sorting of said statistical information by the client control program by either
1) a date received;
2) a status, comprising suspension of message or resuming of messages; 3) a number of total messages received from a particular recipient; or
4) the date of the creation of the alias email address
6. The method of any preceding claim, further compris-ing, after receiving a message from a recipient ad-dressed to the first alias email address:
selecting by the user of the Reply function of the email client program (2); inputting of a reply mes-sage by the user;
transmitting of the user’s reply message to the Alias email server (100):
stripping of the user’s reply message of all information which could identify the user’s physical email address by the Alias email server (100); and
forwarding the stripped reply message to the recipient.
7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the gen-erating of the alias email address further comprises random character generating.
8. The method of any preceding claim, further compris-ing acceptcompris-ing one or more additional physical email addresses at the client control program, and receiv-ing an additional alias email address correspondreceiv-ing to each additional physical email address.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising entering a request by the client control program for one or more additional alias addresses corresponding to each physical address, and receiving by the client control program an additional alias email address corresponding to each such request.
10. The method of claim 8 or 9, further comprising en-tering a request by the client control program to sus-pend forwarding by the alias email server (100) to the email client program (2) of all email addressed to a particular alias email address.
11. The method of claim 8, 9 or 10, further comprising entering a request by the client control program to
permanently discontinue receipt by the email client program (2) of all email addressed to a particular alias email address.
12. The method of any preceding claim, further compris-ing transmittcompris-ing by the user a message to two or more recipients using the same alias first email address and the same identification information.
13. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the filter commands further comprise:
(a) rejecting all messages addressed to the first alias email address at the alias email server (100);
(b) suspending receipt of all messages ad-dressed to the first alias email address by the alias email server (100); and
(c) restoring receipt of all messages addressed to the first alias email address at the alias email server (100) .
14. The method of any preceding claim, further compris-ing:
(a) entering one or more additional alias email addresses and identification information asso-ciated with each such additional alias email ad-dress by the user;
(b) generating a log by the client control pro-gram, and displaying the log to the user, the log comprising, for each alias email address;
(i) the date of the generation of the alias email address;
(ii) the alias email address; and
(iii) the corresponding identification infor-mation.
15. The method of any preceding claim, whereby (a) the email messages further comprise a sub-ject and a body; and
(b) the identification information comprises a first identification message and a second iden-tification message,
and whereby the method further comprises : (i) appending by the alias email server (100) of the first identification message to the subject; and
(ii) appending by the alias email server (100) of the second identification message to the body.
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 Patentansprüche
1. Computerimplementiertes Verfahren zur Steuerung und Organisation von E-Mail-Nachrichten in einem Netzwerk für Datenkommunikation, wobei das Netz-werk für Datenkommunikation einschließt:
ein Mail-Client-Programm (2), welches die E-Mail-Adresse eines Benutzers aufweist und auf einem Computer des Benutzers residiert; einen E-Mail-Server (6) des Benutzers, der mit dem E-Mail-Client-Programm (2) über das Netz-werk für die Datenkommunikation kommuni-ziert;
einen Alias-Mail-Server (100), der mit dem E-Mail-Server (6) des Benutzers über das Netz-werk für die Datenkommunikation kommuni-ziert; und
ein Steuerungssystem für den Client, der mit dem Alias-E-Mail-Server (100) über das Netz-werk für die Datenkommunikation kommuni-ziert;
wobei das Verfahren aufweist:
Das Annehmen von Eingaben der E-Mail-Adresse des Benutzers, der entsprechen-den ientsprechen-dentifizierungsinformation, und von Filterbefehlen an das Steuerungssystem des Client;
das Übertragen der E-Mail-Adresse des Be-nutzers, der Filterbefehle und der entspre-chenden Identifizierungsinformation von dem Steuerungssystem des Client zu dem Alias-E-Mail-Server (100);
das Speichern der E-Mail-Adresse des Be-nutzers, der Filterbefehle und der entspre-chenden Identifizierungsinformation in dem Alias-E-Mail-Server (100);
das automatische Erzeugen einer ersten Mail-Adresse durch den Alias-Server (100), die nicht aus der E-Mail-Adresse des Benutzers erzeugt wird und nicht aus einer Adresse des Empfängers er-zeugt wird, und das Speichern der ersten Adresse in dem Alias-E-Mail-Server (100);
das Übertragen der ersten Alias-E-Mail-Adresse mittels des Alias-E-Mail-Servers (100) an das Steuerungssystem des Client; das Übertragen einer Nachricht, welche die erste Alias-E-Mail-Adresse aufweist, durch den Benutzer an einen Empfänger mittels anderer Wege als E-Mail;
das Empfangen einer an die erste Alias-E-Mail-Adresse adressierten Antwortnach-richt durch den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100); das Speichern einer Information betreffend die Antwortnachricht in dem
Alias-E-Mail-Server (100); und
falls die gespeicherten Filterbefehle den Ali-as-E-Mail-Server (100) nicht dazu veran-lassen, die Antwortnachricht zu blockieren, dann das Weiterleiten der Antwortnachricht zusammen mit der Identifizierungsinforma-tion durch den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100) mittels des E-Mails-Servers (6) des Benut-zers an die E-Mail-Adresse des BenutBenut-zers.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, in welchem das Steue-rungssystem des Client außerdem ein Steuerungs-programm für den Client aufweist, das auf dem Com-puter des Benutzers residiert.
3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1 oder 2,
in welchem die E-Mail-Nachrichten außerdem eine Betreffzeile und einen Nachrichtenhauptteil aufwei-sen, wobei das Verfahren außerdem aufweist:
a) das Senden eines Betreffzeilenvorspanns durch das Steuerungsprogramm des Client an den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100);
b) das Senden einer Memoinformation des Be-nutzers von dem Steuerungsprogramm des Cli-ent an den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100);
c) das Speichern der Memoinformation des Be-nutzers und des Betreffszeilenvorspanns des Benutzers in dem Alias-E-Mail-Server (100); d) das Einfügen des Betreffzeilenvorspanns des Benutzers in die Betreffzeile der Antwortnach-richt und das Einfügen der Memoinformation des Benutzers in den Nachrichtenhauptteil der Antwortnachricht,
so dass der Benutzer die Alias-E-Mail-Adresse zu der Antwortnachricht und dem Empfänger leicht zu-ordnen kann.
4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3, außerdem aufweisend das Einfügen des Betreffzeilenvorspanns des Be-nutzers in die Kopffelder der E-Mail-Nachricht, wobei die Kopffelder außerdem eine Absenderzeile (FROM line), eine E-Mail-Kopie-Zeile (CC line) und eine Blindkopiezeile (BCC line) aufweisen.
5. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, außerdem aufweisend:
Das Übertragen statistischer Informationen an das Steuerungsprogramm des Clienten mittels des Alias-E-Mail Servers (100), die außerdem aufweisen:
die Alias-E-Mail-Adresse;
Zeit und Datum der Erstellung der Alias-E-Mail-Adresse;
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 den Betreffzeilenvorspann;
eine Memoinformation des Benutzers; und die Zahl der empfangenen Nachrichten; die Zahl der weitergeleiteten Nachrichten; eine vorher empfangene Nachricht; und eine Sortierung der statistischen Informa-tionen durch das Steuerungsprogramm des Client nach entweder
1) einem erhaltenen Datum;
2) einem Status, der das Aufhalten ei-ner Nachricht oder das Wiederanneh-men von Nachrichten aufweist; 3) einer Zahl der gesamten erhaltenen Nachrichten von einem speziellen Empfänger; oder
4) dem Datum der Erstellung einer Ali-as-E-Mail-Adresse.
6. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, außerdem aufweisend nach dem Erhalt einer Nach-richt von einem Empfänger adressiert an die erste Alias-E-Mail-Anschrift:
Das Auswählen der Antwortfunktion des E-Mail-Client-Programms (2) durch den Benutzer; das Eingeben einer Antwortnachricht durch den Benutzer;
das Übertragen der Antwortnachricht des Be-nutzers an den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100): das Entkleiden der Antwortnachricht des Benut-zers von sämtlicher Information, welche die phy-sikalische E-Mail-Adresse des Benutzers durch den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100) identifizieren könnte; und
Weiterleiten der entkleideten Antwortnachricht an den Empfänger.
7. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, in welchem das Erzeugen einer Alias-E-Mail-Adres-se außerdem das Erzeugen eines Zufallszeichens aufweist.
8. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, außerdem aufweisend das Annehmen von einem oder mehr zusätzlichen physikalischen E-Mail-Adressen an dem Steuerungsprogramm für den Cli-ent, und das Empfangen von zusätzlichen Alias-E-Mail-Adressen, die jeweils den zusätzlichen physi-kalischen E-Mail-Adressen entsprechen.
9. Verfahren nach Anspruch 8, außerdem aufweisend das Eingeben einer Anforderung für eine oder meh-rere zusätzliche Alias Adressen entsprechend einer jeden physikalischen Adresse durch das Steue-rungsprogramm für den Client und, das Empfangen einer zusätzlichen Alias-E-Mail-Adresse, die jeweils einer derartigen Anforderung entspricht, durch das
Steuerungsprogramm für den Client.
10. Verfahren nach Anspruch 8 oder 9, außerdem auf-weisend das Eingeben einer Anforderung durch das Steuerungsprogramm für den Client, das Weiterlei-ten von allen E-Mails, die an eine bestimmte Mail-Adresse adressiert sind, durch den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100) an das E-Mail-Client Programm (2) zu unterbrechen.
11. Verfahren nach Anspruch 8, 9 oder 10, außerdem aufweisend das Eingeben einer Aufforderung durch das Steuerungsprogramm für den Clienten, den Er-halt von sämtlichen E-Mails, die an eine bestimmte Alias-Mail-Adresse adressiert sind, durch das E-Mail Client Programm (2) dauerhaft zu unterbre-chen.
12. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, außerdem aufweisend das Übertragen einer Nach-richt durch den Benutzer an zwei oder mehr Emp-fänger unter Verwendung der gleichen ersten Alias-E-Mail-Adresse und der gleichen Identifizierungsin-formation.
13. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, in welchem die Filterbefehle außerdem aufweisen:
a) das Zurückweisen von allen Nachrichten, die an eine erste Alias-E-Mail-Adresse an den Ali-as-E-Mail-Server (100) gerichtet sind;
b) das Unterbrechen des Empfangens von allen Nachrichten, die an eine erste Alias-E-Mail-Adresse durch den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100) gerichtet sind; und
c) das Zurückgeben des Erhalts von allen Nach-richten, die an eine erste Alias-E-Mail-Adresse auf dem Alias-E-Mail-Server (100) gerichtet sind.
14. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, außerdem aufweisend:
a) das Eingeben von einer oder mehreren zu-sätzlichen Alias-E-Mail-Adressen und einer Identifizierungsinformation, die zu einer jeden derartigen zusätzlichen Alias-E-Mail-Adresse durch den Benutzer zugeordnet wird;
b) das Erzeugen eines Protokolls durch das Steuerungsprogramm für den Clienten und das Anzeigen des Protokolls für den Benutzer, wo-bei das Protokoll für jede Alias-E-Mail-Adresse aufweist:
i) das Datum der Erzeugung der Alias-E-Mail-Adresse;
ii) die Alias-E-Mail-Adresse; und
Identifizierungsinfor-5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 mation.
15. Verfahren nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, in welchem
a) die E-Mail-Nachrichten außerdem einen Be-treff und einen Hauptbestandteil aufweisen; und b) die Identifizierungsinformation außerdem ei-ne erste Identifizierungsnachricht und eiei-ne zweite ldentifizierungsnachricht aufweist, und wobei das Verfahren außerdem aufweist:
i) das Anhängen von der ersten Identifizierungs-nachricht an dem Betreff durch den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100); und
ii) das Anhängen der zweiten Identifizierungs-nachricht an den Hauptteil durch den Alias-E-Mail-Server (100).
Revendications
1. Procédé mis en oeuvre par ordinateur permettant de commander et d’organiser les messages de courrier électronique dans un réseau de communication de données, le réseau de communication de données comportant :
un programme client de courrier électronique (2) comprenant une adresse de courrier électroni-que utilisateur, et se trouvant dans l’ordinateur d’un utilisateur ;
un serveur de courrier électronique utilisateur (6) qui communique avec le programme client de courrier électronique (2) sur le réseau de communication de données ;
un serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) qui communique avec le serveur de courrier électronique utilisateur (6) sur le réseau de com-munication de données ; et
un système de contrôle client qui communique avec le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) sur le réseau de communication de don-nées;
le procédé comprenant les étapes suivantes : l’acceptation des entrées de l’adresse de courrier électronique utilisateur, des infor-mations d’identification correspondantes et des commandes de filtre au niveau du sys-tème de contrôle client ;
la transmission de l’adresse de courrier électronique utilisateur, des commandes de filtre et des informations d’identification cor-respondantes par le système de contrôle client au serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ;
le stockage de l’adresse de courrier élec-tronique utilisateur, des commandes de fil-tre et des informations d’identification cor-respondantes dans le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ;
la génération automatique d’une première adresse de courrier électronique alias par le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100), qui n’est pas générée à partir de l’adresse de courrier électronique utilisa-teur, et qui n’est pas générée à partir d’une adresse de destinataire ; et le stockage de ladite première adresse de courrier électro-nique alias dans le serveur de courrier élec-tronique alias (100) ;
la transmission de la première adresse de courrier électronique alias par le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) au système de contrôle client ;
la transmission d’un message comprenant la première adresse de courrier électroni-que alias par l’utilisateur à un destinataire au moyen d’un autre courrier électronique ; la réception, par le serveur de courrier élec-tronique alias (100), d’un message de ré-ponse adressé à la première adresse de courrier électronique alias ;
le stockage des informations concernant le message de réponse dans le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ; et si les commandes de filtre stockées n’amè-nent pas le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) à bloquer le message de répon-se, le transfert, par le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) du message de ré-ponse, avec les informations d’identifica-tion, à l’adresse de courrier électronique uti-lisateur par l’intermédiaire du serveur de courrier électronique utilisateur (6).
2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le sys-tème de contrôle client comprend en outre un pro-gramme de contrôle client qui se trouve dans l’ordi-nateur de l’utilisateur.
3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel les messages de courrier électronique comprennent en outre une ligne objet et un corps de message, le procédé comprenant en outre :
a) l’envoi du préfixe de ligne objet par le pro-gramme de contrôle client au serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ;
b) l’envoi d’informations mémo utilisateur par le programme de contrôle client au serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ;
c) le stockage des informations mémo utilisateur et du préfixe de ligne objet de l’utilisateur dans
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ; d) l’insertion du préfixe de ligne objet de l’utili-sateur dans la ligne objet du message de répon-se et l’inrépon-sertion des informations mémo utilisa-teur dans le corps de message du message de réponse,
de telle sorte que l’utilisateur peut facilement asso-cier l’adresse de courrier électronique alias au mes-sage de réponse et au destinataire.
4. Procédé selon la revendication 3, comprenant en outre l’insertion du préfixe de ligne objet de l’utilisa-teur dans les champs en-tête du message de cour-rier électronique, les champs en-tête comprenant en outre une ligne De, une ligne Cc et une ligne Cci.
5. Procédé selon l’une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant en outre :
la transmission au programme de contrôle client par le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) d’informations statistiques comprenant en outre:
l’adresse de courrier électronique alias ; une heure et date de création de l’adresse de courrier électronique alias ;
un numéro de message ; le préfixe de ligne objet ;
les informations mémo utilisateur ; et un certain nombre de messages reçus ; un certain nombre de messages transférés ;
un message précédent reçu ; et
le tri desdites informations statistiques par le programme de contrôle client par :
1) une date de réception ;
2) un état, comprenant la suspension du message ou la reprise des messages ;
3) un nombre total de messages reçus par un destinataire particulier ; ou 4) la date de création de l’adresse de courrier électronique alias.
6. Procédé selon l’une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant en outre, après réception d’un message provenant d’un destinataire adressé à la première adresse de courrier électronique alias : la sélection, par l’utilisateur, de la fonction Ré-pondre du programme client de courrier électro-nique (2) ;
l’entrée d’un message de réponse par l’utilisateur ;
la transmission du message de réponse de
l’uti-lisateur au serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ;
l’épuration du message de réponse de l’utilisa-teur de toutes les informations pouvant identifier l’adresse de courrier électronique physique de l’utilisateur par le serveur de courrier électroni-que alias (100) ; et
le transfert du message de réponse épuré au destinataire.
7. Procédé selon l’une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la génération de l’adresse de courrier électronique alias comprend en outre la génération de caractères aléatoires.
8. Procédé selon l’une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant en outre l’acceptation d’une ou plusieurs adresses de courrier électronique physiques supplémentaires au niveau du program-me de contrôle client, et
la réception d’une adresse de courrier électronique alias supplémentaire correspondant à chaque adresse de courrier électronique physique supplé-mentaire.
9. Procédé selon la revendication 8, comprenant en outre l’entrée d’une demande par le programme de contrôle client d’une ou plusieurs adresses alias sup-plémentaires correspondant à chaque adresse phy-sique, et la réception par le programme de contrôle client d’une adresse de courrier électronique alias supplémentaire correspondant à chacune de ces de-mandes.
10. Procédé selon la revendication 8 ou 9, comprenant en outre l’entrée d’une demande par le programme de contrôle client de suspendre le transfert par le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) au pro-gramme client de courrier électronique (2) de tous les courriers électroniques adressés à une adresse de courrier électronique alias particulière.
11. Procédé selon la revendication 8, 9 ou 10, compre-nant en outre l’entrée d’une demande par le pro-gramme de contrôle client d’interrompre de manière permanente la réception par le programme client de courrier électronique (2) de tous les courriers troniques adressés à une adresse de courrier élec-tronique alias particulière.
12. Procédé selon l’une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant en outre la transmission par l’utilisateur d’un message à deux ou plusieurs destinataires utilisant la même première adresse de courrier électronique alias et les mêmes informa-tions d’identification.
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
précédentes, dans lequel les commandes de filtre comprennent en outre:
(a) le rejet de tous les messages adressés à la première adresse de courrier électronique alias au niveau du serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ;
(b) la suspension de la réception de tous les messages adressés à la première adresse de courrier électronique alias par le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) ; et
(c) la restauration de la réception de tous les messages adressés à la première adresse de courrier électronique alias au niveau du serveur de courrier électronique alias (100).
14. Procédé selon l’une quelconque des revendications précédentes, comprenant en outre :
(a) l’entrée d’une ou plusieurs adresses de cour-rier électronique alias supplémentaires et infor-mations d’identification associées à chacune de ces adresses de courrier électronique alias sup-plémentaires par l’utilisateur ;
(b) la génération d’un journal par le programme de contrôle client et l’affichage du journal à l’uti-lisateur, le journal comprenant, pour chaque adresse de courrier électronique alias :
(i) la date de génération de l’adresse de courrier électronique alias ;
(ii) l’adresse de courrier électronique alias ; et
(iii) les informations d’identification corres-pondantes.
15. Procédé selon l’une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel :
(a) les messages de courrier électronique com-prennent en outre un objet et un corps ; et (b) les informations d’identification compren-nent un premier message d’identification et un deuxième message d’identification,
et dans lequel le procédé comprend en outre : (i) l’ajout par le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) du premier message d’identification à l’objet ; et
(ii) l’ajout par le serveur de courrier électronique alias (100) du deuxième message d’identifica-tion au corps.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader’s convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description • EP 0899918 A [0009]
