Method and system for a sending domain to establish a trust that its senders communications are not unwanted

US7577984B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Orit Levin · Redmond, US
• Sean Olson · Kirkland, US
• Timothy Rang · Berwyn, US
• Srikanth Shoroff · Sammamish, US
• Vadim Eydelman · Bellevue, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 9, 2004
• Grant date: Aug 18, 2009
• Expiry date: Dec 4, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/107
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for identifying whether an electronic communication is likely to be unwanted by the recipient is provided. A trust system relies on a trust provider, such as a sending domain, to indicate whether an electronic communication is likely to be unwanted. The sending domain may assign its trust level to the electronic communications based on various factors. Upon receiving the electronic communication and the trust level assigned by the sending domain, the receiving domain may determine whether to forward the electronic communication to the recipient based on the trust level. If a sending domain consistently provides trust levels that are accurate assessments of whether electronic communications are unwanted, then the receiving domain learns to trust the trust levels assigned by the sending domain. In contrast, if the assigned trust levels are not accurate, then the receiving domain learns not to trust the sending domain and may discard all message from the receiving domain without forwarding them to the recipients.