# US 2014/0156678 A1 · Image based spam blocking > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156678 A1 - Document ID: US20140156678A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/177,434 - Filed: 2014-02-11 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-31 - Assignees: SonicWALL, Inc. - Applicants: SonicWALL, Inc. - Inventors: Bong Gyoune Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156678A1 ## CPC - G06F 16/335: Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles (filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536) - G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] - G06V 20/62: Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images - G06V 20/80: Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns - H04L 51/10: Multimedia information - H04L 51/212: using filtering or selective blocking - H04L 51/222: using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area - G06V 30/10: Character recognition - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A fingerprint of an image identified within a received message is generated following analysis of the message. A spam detection engine identifies an image within a message and converts the image into a grey scale image. The spam detection engine analyzes the grey scale image and assigns a score. A fingerprint of the grey scale image is generated based on the score. The fingerprint may also be based on other factors such as the message sender's status (e.g. blacklisted or whitelisted) and other scores and reports generated by the spam detection engine. The fingerprint is then used to filter future incoming messages. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for filtering image-based messages, the method comprising: receiving an image-based message from a sender; and executing instructions store d in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor: identifies one or more text lines within an image of the image-based message, determines whether the one or more text lines fit a predetermined numeric pattern of characters and spaces, assigns a score to the message based on whether the text lines fit the numeric pattern, and filters the received image-based message based on the assigned score. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the image into a grey-scale image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a number of the text lines, wherein assigning the score is further based on the determined number of text lines. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying one or more columns of text, wherein assigning the score is further based on the identified columns of text. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the score is further based on a location of the identified text lines within the image-based message. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising determining that the text lines comprise a date and/or time, wherein the assigned score based on the date and/or time indicates that the message is likely to be good. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a histogram regarding pixel color. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising identifying groupings of pixels based on contrast and/or intensity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a profile of the image-based message based on the identified text lines. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the generated profile in a library in memory with other profiles, wherein the stored profiles are available for comparison with subsequent incoming messages. ### Claim 11 A system for filtering image-based messages, the system comprising: a communication interface for receiving an image-based message from a sender; and a processor for executing instructions store d in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor: identifies one or more text lines within an image of the image-based message, determines whether the one or more text lines fit a predetermined numeric pattern of characters and spaces, assigns a score to the message based on whether the text lines fit the numeric pattern, and filters the received image-based message based on the assigned score. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processor executes further instructions to convert the image into a grey-scale image. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processor executes further instructions to determine a number of the text lines, wherein the score is further based on the determined number of text lines. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processor executes further instructions to identify one or more columns of text, wherein the score is further based on the identified columns of text. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the score is further based on a location of the identified text lines within the image-based message. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the processor executes further instructions to determine that the text lines comprise a date and/or time, wherein the assigned score based on the date and/or time indicates that the message is likely to be good. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processor executes further instructions to creates a histogram regarding pixel color. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the processor executes further instructions to identify groupings of pixels based on contrast and/or intensity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the processor executes further instructions to generate a profile of the image-based message based on the identified text lines. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, further comprising a library in memory for storing the generated profile with other profiles, wherein the stored profiles are available for comparison with subsequent incoming messages. ### Claim 21 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for filtering image-based messages, the method comprising: receiving an image-based message from a sender; identifying one or more text lines within an image of the image-based message; determining whether the one or more text lines fit a predetermined numeric pattern of characters and spaces; assigning a score to the message based on whether the text lines fit the numeric pattern, and filtering the received image-based message based on the assigned score.