IP Library Granted Patent US 7,979,492
Granted Patent B2
US 7,979,492 · App. 10/991,200 · Granted Jul 12, 2011

Time decayed dynamic e-mail address

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,979,492
App. No.
10/991,200
Granted
Jul 12, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various embodiments of a method, system and computer program product provide e-mail from a user with a primary e-mail address. A temporary e-mail address is generated. The temporary e-mail address is associated with a time decay attribute and the primary e-mail address. The e-mail is sent using the temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address.

Claims (63)

1. A computer-implemented method of processing an e-mail at a mail server, comprising:

in response to receiving an e-mail with a time decayed indicator, generating a unique temporary e-mail address that is associated with a primary e-mail address of a sender of the e-mail, wherein the unique temporary e-mail address is distinct from the primary e-mail address and all other temporary e-mail addresses generated by the mail server; wherein the primary e-mail address has a mailbox identifier and a server identifier, wherein an algorithm generates an algorithm value comprising a plurality of characters, wherein the unique temporary e-mail address is generated by interleaving the plurality of characters of the algorithm value with the mailbox identifier of the primary e-mail address in accordance with an anonymity level associated with the primary e-mail address;

sending the e-mail using the unique temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address;

in response to receiving another e-mail with another time-decayed indicator from another sender, generating another unique temporary e-mail address that is associated with another primary e-mail address of the another sender, wherein the algorithm generates another algorithm value comprising another plurality of characters; wherein the another unique temporary e-mail address is generated by combining at least one character of the another plurality of characters of the another algorithm value with at least one character of a mailbox identifier of the another primary e-mail address in accordance with another anonymity level associated with the another primary e-mail address; wherein said combining is distinct from said interleaving; and

sending the another e-mail using the another unique temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address of the another sender.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a server identifier of the unique temporary e-mail address is identical to the server identifier of the primary e-mail address.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a mailbox identifier of the unique temporary e-mail address is different from the mailbox identifier of the primary e-mail address.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein a server identifier of the unique temporary e-mail addresses is identical to a server identifier of the another unique temporary e-mail address.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said combining forms the another unique temporary e-mail address by prepending the at least one character of the another plurality of characters of the another algorithm value to the mailbox identifier of the another primary e-mail address.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

in response to an activation of a send-time-decayed function for the e-mail, associating the time decayed indicator with the e-mail, the e-mail having the primary e-mail address, and sending the e-mail with the time decayed indicator to the mail server.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

specifying a time decay attribute; and

sending the time decay attribute to the mail server.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the time decayed indicator comprises a time decay attribute.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

displaying a send-time-decayed button, wherein the send-time-decayed function is activated by activating the send-time-decayed button.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

displaying a send button; and

in response to activating the send button, sending yet another e-mail without activation of the send-time-decayed function.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the e-mail has a first recipient, and further comprising:

sending yet another e-mail to a second recipient using the unique temporary e-mail address as the sender e-mail address in response to an elapsed time between sending the e-mail and sending the yet another e-mail being less than a predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

adding an expiration indicator to the e-mail based on a time decay attribute.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

deactivating the unique temporary e-mail address based on a determination that an amount of time that has elapsed since the unique temporary e-mail address was generated exceeds an amount of time specified by a time decay attribute.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said deactivating deletes the unique temporary e-mail address.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said deactivating sets an expiration flag associated with the unique temporary e-mail address.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said deactivating is performed at a predetermined interval.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving yet another e-mail having a recipient e-mail address;

determining whether the recipient e-mail address matches the unique temporary e-mail address; and

in response to a determination that the unique temporary e-mail address is expired, discarding the yet another e-mail.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving yet another e-mail having a recipient e-mail address;

determining whether the recipient e-mail address matches the unique temporary e-mail address; and

in response to a determination that the unique temporary e-mail address is not expired,

identifying the primary e-mail address for which the unique temporary e-mail address was generated, and

storing the yet another e-mail in a mailbox associated with the primary e-mail address.

19. A computer program product for processing an e-mail at a mail server, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable storage medium is non-transitory;

first program instructions to, in response to receiving, at the mail server, an e-mail with a time decayed indicator, generate a unique temporary e-mail address that is associated with a primary e-mail address of a sender of the e-mail, wherein the unique temporary e-mail address is distinct from the primary e-mail address and all other temporary e-mail addresses generated by the mail server; wherein the primary e-mail address has a mailbox identifier and a server identifier, wherein an algorithm generates an algorithm value comprising a plurality of characters, wherein the unique temporary e-mail address is generated by interleaving the plurality of characters of the algorithm value with the mailbox identifier of the primary e-mail address in accordance with an anonymity level associated with the primary e-mail address;

second program instructions to send the e-mail using the unique temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address;

third program instructions to, in response to receiving another e-mail with another time-decayed indicator from another sender, generate another unique temporary e-mail address that is associated with another primary e-mail address of the another sender, wherein the algorithm generates another algorithm value comprising another plurality of characters; wherein the another unique temporary e-mail address is generated by combining at least one character of the another plurality of characters of the another algorithm value with at least one character of a mailbox identifier of the another primary e-mail address in accordance with another anonymity level associated with the another primary e-mail address; wherein said combining is distinct from said interleaving; and

fourth program instructions to send the another e-mail using the another unique temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address of the another sender;

wherein the first, second, third and fourth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage medium.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

fifth program instructions to add, at the mail server, an expiration indicator to the e-mail based on a time decay attribute

wherein the fifth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage medium.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

fifth program instructions to receive a time decay attribute;

wherein the fifth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage medium.

22. A system to process an e-mail, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory comprising instructions, executable by the at least one processor, to:

in response to receiving an e-mail with a time decayed indicator, generate a unique temporary e-mail address that is associated with a primary e-mail address of a sender of the e-mail, wherein the unique temporary e-mail address is distinct from the primary e-mail address and all other temporary e-mail addresses generated by the at least one processor; wherein the primary e-mail address has a mailbox identifier and a server identifier, wherein an algorithm generates an algorithm value comprising a plurality of characters, wherein the unique temporary e-mail address is generated by interleaving the plurality of characters of the algorithm value with the mailbox identifier of the primary e-mail address in accordance with an anonymity level associated with the primary e-mail address;

send the e-mail using the unique temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address;

in response to receiving another e-mail with another time-decayed indicator from another sender, generate another unique temporary e-mail address that is associated with another primary e-mail address of the another sender, wherein the algorithm generates another algorithm value comprising another plurality of characters; wherein the another unique temporary e-mail address is generated by combining at least one character of the another plurality of characters of the another algorithm value with at least one character of a mailbox identifier of the another primary e-mail address in accordance with another anonymity level associated with the another primary e-mail address; wherein said combining is distinct from said interleaving; and

send the another e-mail using the another unique temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address of the another sender.

23. The system of claim 22 the memory comprising instructions to:

add an expiration indicator to the e-mail based on a time decay attribute.

24. The system of claim 22 the memory comprising instructions to:

receive a time decay attribute.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENT NUMBERS 10342096;10671117; 10716375; 10716376;10795407;10795408; AND 10827591 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58314 FRAME: 657. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 29, 2024
From: RAKUTEN, INC.
To: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 068066/0103 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 6, 2021
From: RAKUTEN, INC.
To: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 058314/0657 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2015
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: RAKUTEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 034849/0063 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2005
From: PLOW, GREGORY M.; POURMIRZAIE, FARROKH E.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015739/0756 →