Blocking electronic mail content
US7113977B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 26, 2002 |
| Grant date | Sep 26, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L51/212
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and system are provided for allowing an electronic mail user to block receipt of undesirable electronic mail content. An email user contacts her email service provider via an Internet-based web page. The user may designates certain keywords or text strings and certain email addresses associated with email she considers undesirable. Subsequently, when email messages are sent to the user, those messages are intercepted by the user's email service provider at an email server. A database lookup is performed for the keywords, text strings or email addresses designated as undesirable by the user. The email service provider does not deliver email containing or from the designated undesirable keywords or text strings and certain email addresses. The user may designate a return message to be sent back to the sender of the undesirable email to alert the sender not to send future messages to the user containing the undesirable keywords or text. If desired, in an effort to cause the sender to abandon the user's email address as a target for unsolicited and undesirable email, the email service provider may send a return message to the sender that indicates that the user's email address…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.