US6405243B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for updating email addresses
Assignee: Oracle America Inc
•
Filing: 1996-04-05
•
Granted: 2002-06-11
•
Expires: 2016-04-05
Abstract
Abstract Embodiments of the present invention provide a network-based method and system for forwarding an email message to an updated email address. After a user changes his or her email address, the user sends information regarding the updated email address to an address-change server used in conjunction with the present invention. The address-change server stores the updated email information in its database. When a sender wants to reach a recipient whose email address has changed, the sender sends an email message to the address-change server. The address-change server forwards the updated email address to the sender. The sender's email program, modified in accordance with the present invention, programmatically forwards the sender's email message to the recipient's new email address.
Inventors
- 👤 Jakob Nielsen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:01
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L61/00; H04L61/45; H04L51/00; H04L51/48; H04L51/21; H04L51/23
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
55 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating a recipient's email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; and storing information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address and the recipient's old email address.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
55 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating a recipient's email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; and storing information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address and the recipient's old email address.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
75 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating a recipient's email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; storing information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and sending an email to the recipient's new email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
75 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating a recipient's email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; storing information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and sending an email to the recipient's new email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
90 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating a recipient's email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; storing information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and when authentication information associated with the update message is not received at the address-change server, sending an email to the recipient's old email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
90 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating a recipient's email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; storing information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and when authentication information associated with the update message is not received at the address-change server, sending an email to the recipient's old email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
76 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating a recipient's email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; storing information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and when authentication information associated with the update message is received at the address-change server, checking the authentication information to determine that the recipient sent the update message.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
76 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating a recipient's email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; storing information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and when authentication information associated with the update message is received at the address-change server, checking the authentication information to determine that the recipient sent the update message.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of: when the authentication check indicates that the recipient did not send the update message, removing from the address-change server the information retrieved from the update message; and sending an email message to the recipient's old email address regarding receipt of the update message and the indication from the authentication check.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
88 words
A method executed in a computer system for informing a sender of a recipient's updated email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at the address-change server an email message from the sender which requests the updated email address of the recipient; retrieving the recipient's old email address from the email message; searching for the recipient's new email address using the recipient's old email address; and when the search finds the recipient's new email address, sending an email to the sender with the recipient's new email address.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
88 words
A method executed in a computer system for informing a sender of a recipient's updated email address, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at the address-change server an email message from the sender which requests the updated email address of the recipient; retrieving the recipient's old email address from the email message; searching for the recipient's new email address using the recipient's old email address; and when the search finds the recipient's new email address, sending an email to the sender with the recipient's new email address.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the step of searching further comprises the step of: performing a transitive closure operation using the recipient's old email address.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
85 words
A method in an improved email program which facilitates reaching a recipient at a new email address, the method executing in a computer system and comprising the steps of: receiving an error email message indicating that a recipient is unreachable; sending an update request email message to an address-change server; receiving a reply email message from the address-change server, the reply message containing information regarding the recipient's new email address; and sending a modified email message to the recipient at the recipient's new email address.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
85 words
A method in an improved email program which facilitates reaching a recipient at a new email address, the method executing in a computer system and comprising the steps of: receiving an error email message indicating that a recipient is unreachable; sending an update request email message to an address-change server; receiving a reply email message from the address-change server, the reply message containing information regarding the recipient's new email address; and sending a modified email message to the recipient at the recipient's new email address.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
51 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating information associated with a user's program, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a recipient's updated email address and the recipient's old email address from an address-change server; retrieving the user's program; and updating the recipient's email address in the user's program.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
51 words
A method executed in a computer system for updating information associated with a user's program, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a recipient's updated email address and the recipient's old email address from an address-change server; retrieving the user's program; and updating the recipient's email address in the user's program.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
73 words
A computer program product for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email to a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; code that stores information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address and the recipient's old email address; and a computer readable medium that stores the code.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
73 words
A computer program product for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email to a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; code that stores information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address and the recipient's old email address; and a computer readable medium that stores the code.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
The computer program product of claim 10 comprising: when the authentication check indicates that the recipient did not send the update message, code that removes from the address-change server the information retrieved from the update message; and code that sends an email message to the recipient's old email address regarding receipt of the update message and the indication from the authentication check.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
A computer program product for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; code that stores information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; a computer readable medium that stores the code; and code that sends an email to the recipient's new email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
96 words
A computer program product for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; code that stores information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; a computer readable medium that stores the code; and code that sends an email to the recipient's new email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
110 words
A computer program product for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email to a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; code that stores information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; a computer readable medium that stores the code; and code that sends an email to the recipient's old email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server, when authentication information associated with the update message is not received at the address-change server.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
110 words
A computer program product for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email to a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; code that stores information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; a computer readable medium that stores the code; and code that sends an email to the recipient's old email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server, when authentication information associated with the update message is not received at the address-change server.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
95 words
A computer program product for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email to a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; code that stores information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; a computer-readable medium that stores the code; and code the checks the authentication information to determine whether the recipient sent the update message, when authentication information associated with the update message is received at the address-change server.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
95 words
A computer program product for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email to a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; code that stores information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; a computer-readable medium that stores the code; and code the checks the authentication information to determine whether the recipient sent the update message, when authentication information associated with the update message is received at the address-change server.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
99 words
A computer program product for informing a sender of a recipient's updated email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at the address-change server an email message from the sender which requests the updated email address of the recipient; code that retrieves the recipient's old email address from the email message; code that searches for the recipient's new email address using the recipient's old email address; code that sends an email to the sender with the recipient's new email address, when the search finds the recipient's new email address; and a computer-readable medium that stores the code.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
99 words
A computer program product for informing a sender of a recipient's updated email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives at the address-change server an email message from the sender which requests the updated email address of the recipient; code that retrieves the recipient's old email address from the email message; code that searches for the recipient's new email address using the recipient's old email address; code that sends an email to the sender with the recipient's new email address, when the search finds the recipient's new email address; and a computer-readable medium that stores the code.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the code that searches further comprises: code that performs a transitive closure operation using the recipient's old email address.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
90 words
A computer program product which facilitates reaching a recipient at a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives an error email message indicating that a recipient is unreachable; code that sends an update request email message to an address-change server; code that receives a reply email message from the address-change server, the reply message containing information regarding the recipient's new email address; code that sends a modified email message to the recipient at the recipient's new email address; and a computer-readable medium that stores the code.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
90 words
A computer program product which facilitates reaching a recipient at a new email address, the computer program product comprising: code that receives an error email message indicating that a recipient is unreachable; code that sends an update request email message to an address-change server; code that receives a reply email message from the address-change server, the reply message containing information regarding the recipient's new email address; code that sends a modified email message to the recipient at the recipient's new email address; and a computer-readable medium that stores the code.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
59 words
A computer program product for updating information associated with a user's program, the computer program product comprising: code that receives a recipient's updated email address and recipient's old email address from an address-change server; code the retrieves the user's program; code that updates the recipient's email address in the user's program; and a computer-readable medium that stores the code.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
59 words
A computer program product for updating information associated with a user's program, the computer program product comprising: code that receives a recipient's updated email address and recipient's old email address from an address-change server; code the retrieves the user's program; code that updates the recipient's email address in the user's program; and a computer-readable medium that stores the code.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
66 words
An apparatus for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; and a mechanism configured to store information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address and the recipient's old email address.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
66 words
An apparatus for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; and a mechanism configured to store information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address and the recipient's old email address.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
70 words
A The apparatus of claim 19 comprising: when the mechanism configured to perform the authentication check determines that the recipient did not send the update message, a mechanism configured to remove from the address-change server the information retrieved from the update message; and a mechanism configured to send an email message to the recipient's old email address regarding receipt of the update message and the indication from the authentication check.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
90 words
An apparatus for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; a mechanism configured to store information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and a mechanism configured to send an email to the recipient's new email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
90 words
An apparatus for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; a mechanism configured to store information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and a mechanism configured to send an email to the recipient's new email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
105 words
An apparatus for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; a mechanism configured to store information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and a mechanism configured to send an email to the recipient's old email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server, when authentication information associated with the update message is not received at the address-change server.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
105 words
An apparatus for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; a mechanism configured to store information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and a mechanism configured to send an email to the recipient's old email address which informs the recipient that the recipient's email address information has been updated at the address-change server, when authentication information associated with the update message is not received at the address-change server.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
91 words
An apparatus for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; a mechanism configured to store information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and a mechanism configured to check the authentication information to determine whether the recipient sent the update message, when authentication information associated with the update message is received at the address-change server.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
91 words
An apparatus for updating a recipient's email address information from an old email address to a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at an address-change server an update message from a recipient; a mechanism configured to store information from the update message at the address-change server, the information comprising the recipient's new email address; and a mechanism configured to check the authentication information to determine whether the recipient sent the update message, when authentication information associated with the update message is received at the address-change server.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for informing a sender of a recipient's updated email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at the address-change server an email message from the sender which requests the updated email address of the recipient; a mechanism configured to retrieve the recipient's old email address from the email message; a mechanism configured to search for the recipient's new email address using the recipient's old email address; and a mechanism configured to send an email to the sender with the recipient's new email address, when the search finds the recipient's new email address.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
96 words
An apparatus for informing a sender of a recipient's updated email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive at the address-change server an email message from the sender which requests the updated email address of the recipient; a mechanism configured to retrieve the recipient's old email address from the email message; a mechanism configured to search for the recipient's new email address using the recipient's old email address; and a mechanism configured to send an email to the sender with the recipient's new email address, when the search finds the recipient's new email address.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the mechanism configured to search further comprises: a mechanism configured to perform a transitive closure operation using the recipient's old email address.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
87 words
An apparatus which facilitates reaching a recipient at a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive an error email message indicating that a recipient is unreachable; a mechanism configured to send an update request email message to an address-change server; a mechanism configured to receive a reply email message from the address-change server, the reply message containing information regarding the recipient's new email address; and a mechanism configured to send a modified email message to the recipient at the recipient's new email address.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
87 words
An apparatus which facilitates reaching a recipient at a new email address, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive an error email message indicating that a recipient is unreachable; a mechanism configured to send an update request email message to an address-change server; a mechanism configured to receive a reply email message from the address-change server, the reply message containing information regarding the recipient's new email address; and a mechanism configured to send a modified email message to the recipient at the recipient's new email address.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for updating information associated with a user's program, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive a recipient's updated email address and recipient's old email address from an address-change server; a mechanism configured to retrieve the user's program; and a mechanism configured to update the recipient's email address in the user's program.
Claim 48
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus for updating information associated with a user's program, the apparatus comprising: a mechanism configured to receive a recipient's updated email address and recipient's old email address from an address-change server; a mechanism configured to retrieve the user's program; and a mechanism configured to update the recipient's email address in the user's program.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-06-10 | 2005-12-10 | 2006-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-06-10 | 2009-12-10 | 2010-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-06-10 | 2013-12-10 | 2014-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |