US6487586B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self-removing email verified or designated as such by a message distributor for the convenience of a recipient
Assignee: Red Hat Inc
•
Filing: 2001-08-13
•
Granted: 2002-11-26
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Expires: 2021-08-13
Abstract
Abstract Methods, articles, signals, and systems are provided for providing email message originators and distributors with default control over message removal at a message recipient's location, regardless of whether the message has been opened. For instance, a self-removing message is designated as such by the message's originator, and a self-removal enhancement is added to conventional message content before the message is transmitted over a computer network toward one or more recipients. At the recipient's location, the message is automatically deleted without additional effort by the recipient, before or after being displayed, according to the originator's instructions unless they are overridden by the recipient. ISPs and other message distributors may identify messages that should be self-removing, and make them self-removing if they are not. Thus, the burden of removing unsolicited email messages is transferred from recipients to the system and the message's originators and/or to ISPs and other email distributors. Security of messages may also be enhanced.
Inventors
- 👤 John W. L. Ogilvie
- 👤 Genie L. Ogilvie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 03:46
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/107; H; H04; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/212; H04L51/07; H04L51/18; H04L63/00; H04L63/04; H04L63/0428
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for use by a distributor to verify that self-removing messages are being used to shift the burden of message removal from a message recipient, the method comprising the steps by or for the distributor of: receiving at an intermediate node a message, from an originator other than the distributor, which is intended for a recipient; determining that the message meets at least one check triggering criterion and should therefore contain a self-removing message indicator; and checking the message to determine whether the message contains a self-removing message indicator.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for use by a distributor to verify that self-removing messages are being used to shift the burden of message removal from a message recipient, the method comprising the steps by or for the distributor of: receiving at an intermediate node a message, from an originator other than the distributor, which is intended for a recipient; determining that the message meets at least one check triggering criterion and should therefore contain a self-removing message indicator; and checking the message to determine whether the message contains a self-removing message indicator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the checking step determines that the message does not contain a self-removing message indicator, and the method further comprises inserting a self-removing message indicator in the message and then transmitting the message from the intermediate node toward the recipient.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the checking step determines that the message does not contain a self-removing message indicator, and the method further comprises preventing transmittal of the message to the recipient.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the checking step determines that the message contains a self-removing message indicator, and the method further comprises transmitting the message from the intermediate node toward the recipient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises stripping out the self-removing message indicator before transmitting the message to the recipient.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , embodied in software which configures a computer storage medium.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for removing email messages from a recipient's location in response to an instruction from an ISP which is not the originator of the email messages, the method comprising the steps of: checking an email message at the recipient's location to determine whether it contains a self-removing message indicator inserted by the ISP at an intermediate node indicating that the message is to be deleted automatically; and automatically removing the email message in response to the indicator if the message contains the indicator.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
84 words
A method for removing email messages from a recipient's location in response to an instruction from an ISP which is not the originator of the email messages, the method comprising the steps of: checking an email message at the recipient's location to determine whether it contains a self-removing message indicator inserted by the ISP at an intermediate node indicating that the message is to be deleted automatically; and automatically removing the email message in response to the indicator if the message contains the indicator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7 , embodied in software which configures a computer storage medium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the removing step deletes the message regardless of whether it has been opened by the recipient.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the removing step deletes the message on a date specified by the indicator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the removing step deletes the message after it is received and within a period of time specified by the indicator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the removing step deletes a notice by removing the message.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the removing step deletes a news item by removing the message.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the removing step deletes an advertisement by removing the message.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the removing step deletes a link to a web site by removing the message.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
A computer network intermediate node, comprising: tools for sending and receiving messages through the network, and code configuring the intermediate node for allowing a message distributor to identify at the intermediate node messages that should contain a self-removal enhancement for automatic removal of a copy of the message's content, wherein the intermediate node helps shift the burden of removing a message from a message recipient or message originator to the message distributor who is not the message originator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
78 words
A computer network intermediate node, comprising: tools for sending and receiving messages through the network, and code configuring the intermediate node for allowing a message distributor to identify at the intermediate node messages that should contain a self-removal enhancement for automatic removal of a copy of the message's content, wherein the intermediate node helps shift the burden of removing a message from a message recipient or message originator to the message distributor who is not the message originator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The intermediate node of claim 16 , further comprising code allowing the message distributor to insert a self-removing message indicator in a message.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The intermediate node of claim 17 , wherein the self-removing message indicator indicates the message will be automatically deleted in response to a specified storage space condition.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The intermediate node of claim 17 , wherein the self-removing message indicator indicates the message will be automatically deleted in response to a replacement message.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The intermediate node of claim 16 , wherein the code allows the message distributor to identify messages that should contain a self-removal enhancement by determining whether the message is part of an authorized mailing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The intermediate node of claim 16 , wherein the code allows an ISP acting as message distributor to identify email messages that should contain a self-removal of a copy of the message's content.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-11-25 | 2006-05-27 | 2006-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-11-25 | 2010-05-27 | 2010-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-11-25 | 2014-05-27 | 2014-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |