Back to results
US 7,032,023 B1Granted
Throttling electronic communications from one or more senders
AssigneeAmerica Online, Inc.
InventorsJoseph G. Barrett, Mark J. Muehl, Todd M. Palino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A number and/or frequency of electronic data communications received from a sender or group of senders during a period of time may be monitored (e.g., counted). When more than a threshold number of electronic communications are communicated by the sender during the period of time, an ability of the sender to communicate messages may be affected.
Claims21
A method of inhibiting a subscriber's ability to communicate electronic messages:
- accessing indicia of multiple electronic messages sent by one or more subscribers during a period of time, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;
- counting the number of electronic messages that are sent by a subscriber during the period of time;
- determining, based on results obtained when counting, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are sent by the subscriber during the period of time;
- inhibiting the subscriber's ability to communicate electronic messages conditioned on whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages is sent by the subscriber during the period of time;
- determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM based on results obtained when counting;
- and
- tracking the subscriber, as a result of determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM.
4 more elements
A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program for inhibiting a subscriber's ability to communicate electronic messages, the computer program comprising:
- an accessing code segment for accessing indicia of multiple electronic messages sent by one or more subscribers during a period of time, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;
- a counting code segment for counting the number of electronic messages that are sent by a subscriber during the period of time;
- a threshold determining code segment for determining, based on results obtained when counting, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are sent by the subscriber during the period of time;
- an inhibiting code segment for inhibiting the subscriber's ability to communicate electronic messages conditioned on whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages is sent by the subscriber during the period of time;
- a code segment for determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM based on results obtained when counting;
- and
- a code segment for tracking the subscriber, as a result of determining that the subscriber is sending SPAM.
4 more elements
A method of inhibiting a messaging capability, the method comprising:
- accessing indicia of electronic messages received from multiple machines during a period of time, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;
- determining a number of messages received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time;
- determining, based on results obtained when determining a number of messages received, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time;
- determining that SPAM is being received from one or more of the multiple machines based on the determination of whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages are received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time;
- tracking the one or more of the multiple machines based on the determination that SPAM is being received;
- and
- inhibiting a messaging capability conditioned on whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages is received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time.
4 more elements
A computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program for inhibiting an ability to communicate electronic messages, the computer program comprising:
- an accessing code segment for accessing indicia of electronic messages received from multiple machines during a period of time, each electronic message including a header and including a content portion readable by a human;
- a number determining code segment for determining a number of messages received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time;
- a thresholding code segment for determining, based on results obtained when determining a number of messages received, whether more than a threshold number of electronic messages are received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time;
- a code segment for determining that SPAM is being received from one or more of the multiple machines based on a determination of whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages are received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time;
- a code segment for tracking the one or more of the multiple machines based on a determination that SPAM is being received;
- and
- an inhibiting code segment for inhibiting a messaging capability conditioned on whether more than the threshold number of electronic messages is received, cumulatively from the multiple machines, during the period of time.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.