Value-added electronic messaging services and transparent implementation thereof using intermediate server
AssigneePostini, Inc.
InventorsGordon Raymond Irlam, Brian Maggi, Scott Petry
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Abstract
The present invention provides for a centralized, preprocessing electronic messaging solution that performs value-added tasks to electronic messages on behalf of the ISP or the end user, before these messages are delivered to the destination email server. The service can detect and detain damaging or unwanted messages, such as spam, viruses or other junk email messages, and route electronic messages from various sources covering a variety of topics to wired and wireless destinations, apart from the intended recipient email address, in various formats.
Claims36
A method of providing electronic messaging services in an email network comprising a sending email server and a destination email server, wherein emails may be delivered from the sending email server to the destination email server via an electronic message delivery path through existing Internet infrastructure, the method comprising:
- (a) inserting an intermediate pre-processing service into the electronic message delivery path by changing a Domain Name Server entry containing an IP address of the destination email server to contain an IP address of the intermediate pre-processing service;
- (b) receiving in the intermediate pre-processing service email message data addressed to the destination email server that has been routed through the intermediate pre-processing service;
- and
- (c) simultaneously with receiving the email message data in the intermediate pre-processing service, processing the e-mail message data and, if the processing of the email message data instructs delivery to the destination email server, delivering the email message data to that server.
An electronic message delivery system for use in an email network comprising a sending email server and a destination email server, wherein emails may be delivered from the sending email server to the destination email server via an electronic message delivery path through existing Internet infrastructure, the system comprising:
- (a) an intermediate preprocessing service configured to be inserted into the electronic message delivery path by changing a Domain Name Server entry containing an IP address of the destination email server to contain an IP address of the intermediate pre-processing service;
- (b) email message data addressed to the destination email server received by the intermediate pre-processing service;
- and
- (c) a processor for processing the email message data simultaneously with the receiving of the email message data by the intermediate pre-processing service, the email message data delivered to the destination email server if the processing of the email message data instructs delivery to that server.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.