Method for managing a whitelist
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Michigan
InventorsTheodore C. Loder, Marshall Van Alstyne, Richard L. Wash
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved method is provided for managing a whitelist. Upon receipt of an electronic message from an approved sender, the message is reviewed for references to other potential sender that may be added to the whitelist. For example, the potential sender may be copied on the electronic message. Based on this reference, the potential sender is deemed trustworthy and placed on the recipient's whitelist.
Claims14
A method for managing a list of approved senders in an electronic message system, comprising:
- maintaining a list of approved senders associated with a recipient on a computing device;
- receiving an electronic message intended for the recipient at the computing device wherein the electronic message references a sender residing on the list of approved senders and at least one potential sender whom is not on the list of approved senders;
- placing the potential sender on the list of approved senders associated with the recipient for a predefined period of time;
- extending duration of the predefined period of time upon further interaction between the recipient and the potential sender;
- and
- removing the potential sender from the list of approved senders after lapse of the predefined period of time, where the steps of placing, extending and removing are executed by the computing device.
A method for managing a list of approved senders in an electronic message system, comprising:
- maintaining a list of approved senders associated with a recipient on a computing device;
- receiving an electronic message intended for the recipient at the computing device wherein the electronic message references a sender residing on the list of approved senders and at least one potential sender whom is not on the list of approved senders;
- placing the potential sender on the list of approved senders associated with the recipient;
- removing the potential sender from the list of approved senders after a period of time, where the period of time is determined as a function of an amount of interaction between the recipient and the potential sender and the steps of placing and removing are executed by the computing device.
A method for regulating delivery of electronic messages to a recipient in a electronic messaging system, comprising:
- maintaining a list of approved senders associated with a recipient on a computing device;
- demanding a bond from a sender of an electronic message be placed into escrow for delivery of the electronic message, where the sender of the electronic message is not on the list of approved senders;
- receiving the electronic message intended for the recipient and sent by a sender residing on the list of approved senders at the computing device, where the electronic message references a potential sender whom is not on the list of approved senders;
- placing the potential sender on the list of approved senders associated with the recipient;
- delivering a subsequent electronic message sent by the potential sender to the recipient;
- and
- removing the potential sender from the list of approved senders after a period of time, where the period of time is determined as a function of an amount of interaction between the recipient and the potential sender and the steps of placing and removing are executed by a computing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.