System and method for electronic mail (e-mail) address management
US6654779B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 14, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 14, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q10/107
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and methods for managing Internet e-mail address changes, particularly useful for situations where subscribers change Internet service providers. A computer system manages a database of stored records correlating a first e-mail address of an intended recipient, e.g. an old e-mail address, to a second e-mail address, e.g. a new e-mail address of the intended recipient. A program module in the computer system is responsive to an Internet query for accessing the database to determine whether a second e-mail address of the intended recipient is stored in association with a first e-mail address. Another program module is operative for providing the second e-mail address as a response to the query. The query response is communicated to the sender or to the sender's ISP so that an undeliverable message can be resent to the new e-mail address. Also provided are security and authentication measures for ensuring that address change requests are valid and authentic.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.