System and method for e-mail alias registration
AssigneeSiemens Communications, Inc.
InventorsCathy Sue Beyda, William J. Beyda, Shmuel Shaffer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An e-mail alias registration system is provided. According to one embodiment, users may register an e-mail address and a password at an alias relay server (102). Then, when a third party attempts to reply to the registered user, the third party will be presented with a sign on screen. Only if the sender is himself or herself a registered user will e-mail be allowed to be sent directly. To ensure that spammers do not abuse the registration system, only a limited number of e-mails will be allowed to be sent by registered users per day. Also, in order to register, a credit card number or other affirmative identification may need to be provided.
Claims20
A method for processing e-mail, comprising:
- providing a user with an e-mail alias, said e-mail alias corresponding to said user's e-mail address;
- intercepting third party email directed to said user's e-mail alias;
- prompting a third-party sender to enter an authorization prior to forwarding said e-mail;
- and
- forwarding said third party e-mail to said user's e-mail address only if said third party is identified as an authorized user.
A telecommunications server, comprising;
- a central processing unit (CPU) programmed to send and receive e-mail;
- and
- a data storage unit for storing one or more e-mail aliases for one or more e-mail users, wherein said CPU is programmed to prompt a sender of email to said e-mail aliases for an authorization and said CPU is programmed to intercept e-mail sent to said e-mail aliases if a sender is not a registered user and said CPU is programmed to forward an e-mail addressed to an e-mail alias to an actual e-mail address only if the sender and recipient are registered users.
A telecommunications server, comprising:
- a central processing unit (CPU) programmed to send and receive e-mail;
- and
- a data storage unit for storing one or more e-mail authorizations for one or more e-mail users, wherein said CPU is adapted to prompt a sender of e-mail for authorization and said CPU is programmed to intercept e-mail sent to said e-mail users if a sender is not an authorized user and said CPU is programmed to forward an e-mail addressed to an e-mail alias to an actual e-mail address only if the sender and recipient are authorized users.
A telecommunication system, comprising:
- a plurality of user terminals coupled to a network and configured to communicate with one another via e-mail, each of said plurality of user terminals having an e-mail address;
- a relay server coupled to said network and having a database for storing e-mail aliases corresponding to said e-mail addresses, such that said relay server forwards e-mail directed to said e-mail aliases to said correspond in e-mail addresses if a sender of said e-mail directed to said e-mail aliases is determined to be an authorized user, wherein said relay server is adapted to require said sender to register with said relay server before said e-mail is forwarded to another registered user such that a communication to said e-mail addresses is allowed only between registered users;
- wherein an e-mail is communicated between registered users only if a recipient has registered a sender as an approved party.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.