User controlled e-mail deletion
US6601088B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 29, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q10/107
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for a user, either an originator or a receiver of an e-mail message, to erase the e-mail message from all servers which routed the message when the e-mail message is erased from the user's client computer storage. By creating originator, server, and receiver delete tables, a pathway for a delete transaction containing the addresses of servers which routed the e-mail message enables the user, either an originator or receiver of the e-mail message, to sequentially delete the message along the pathway upon deletion from the client computer. Additionally, by inserting a deletion date into the header of the message, the message may be deleted from the client computer and all servers upon occurrence of the deletion date.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.