Method and apparatus for a non-revealing do-not-contact list system
US7941842B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 28, 2008 |
| Grant date | May 10, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M3/38
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus to protect a master do-not-email list from being compromised. A set of one or more false email addresses that each point to an email account that is not used for any email is created for a client and is unique to the client. An encryption scheme is applied to the set of false email addresses. The encrypted false email addresses for the client are recorded on the master do-not-email list, which also includes multiple encrypted real email addresses that each correspond to a real email address that point to an email account that is used for real email and does not wish to be contacted. A client do-not-email list is seeded for the client with the encrypted real email addresses and the encrypted false email addresses. The email accounts corresponding to the set of false email addresses are monitored for received email messages, where email messages received at one of the set of email accounts is an indication that the client should be investigated to determine potential liability.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.