Method and apparatus for bouncing electronic messages
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus is provided that establishes user accounts that automatically forward a user's e-mail to the user's pre-selected forwarding e-mail address(es). Each user creates a forwarding directory, which may comprise multiple e-mail accounts, that the user activates and deactivates as needed.
1. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps:
storing, in a database, secondary account information about a secondary account associated with primary account information about a primary account;
receiving, from the secondary account, an electronic message including both a sender address related to the secondary account and a recipient address, wherein said recipient address is a conversion address which includes an embedded address that is independent of any previously received electronic messages;
replacing the recipient address with the embedded address to generate a forwarding address; and
forwarding the electronic message to the forwarding address.
2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:
retrieving, from said database, primary account information corresponding to the secondary account, said primary account information including a primary account address;
replacing the sender address with the primary account address prior to forwarding the electronic message.
3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the step of replacing includes the steps of:
extracting the embedded address form the recipient address, and
generating the forwarding address based on the extracted address.
4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein said forwarding address corresponds to an e-mail account and said secondary account is a non-internet account.
5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein said non-internet account is a pager account.
6. The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein said non-internet account is a cellular telephone account.
7. The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein said non-internet account is a digital telephone account.
8. The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein said non-internet account is a satellite telephone account.
9. The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein said non-internet account is a voice-mail account.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:
capturing a reply message in an audio file; and
sending said reply message to the secondary account.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein said non-internet account is a facsimile account.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
determining a packet size of said forwarded electronic message.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
billing a sender of said electronic message based at least in part on said packet size of said forwarded electronic message.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
billing a primary account holder based at least in part on said packet size of said forwarded electronic message.
15. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps:
entering a floating account in a database that corresponds to a primary account, wherein said floating account comprises a user identifier;
receiving an electronic message addressed to the primary account;
looking up a secondary account assigned to said floating account;
replacing the recipient address with said secondary account; and
receiving a secondary account for said floating account from an associate service provider.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
entering a start time for said floating account.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
entering a stop time for said floating account.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
entering a departure time, wherein one or more electronic message received after the departure time is forwarded to said secondary account.
19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
storing one or more electronic message received after said departure time but before activation of said secondary account.
20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein said secondary account is a non-internet account.
21. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps:
receiving a floating account request that corresponds to a primary account;
validating said primary account;
assigning a floating account to said primary account based on said floating account request, wherein said floating account has a user identifier and is administered by an associate service provider;
activating said floating account;
receiving an electronic message addressed to the primary account;
looking up said floating account assigned to said primary account; and
replacing the recipient address with said floating account.
22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein said primary account is a cellular telephone account.
23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein said primary account is a digital telephone account.
24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein said primary account is a satellite telephone account.
25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein said primary account is a voicemail account.
26. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein said primary account is a facsimile account.
27. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 wherein said primary account is a pager account.
28. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
entering a start time for said floating account.
29. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
entering a stop time for said floating account.
30. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
entering a departure time, wherein one or more electronic message received after the departure time is forwarded to said floating account.
31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
storing one or more electronic message received after said departure time but before activation of said floating account.
32. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said floating account is a non-internet account.
33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein said non-internet account is a pager account.
34. The computer-readable medium of 32 wherein said non-internet account is a cellular telephone account.
35. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein said non-internet account is a digital telephone account.
36. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein said non-internet account is a satellite telephone account.
37. The computer-readable medium of 32 wherein said non-internet account is a voicemail account.
38. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein said non-internet account is a facsimile account.
39. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps:
entering an associate service area in a database that corresponds to a request for service associated with a primary account;
receiving an electronic message addressed to the primary account;
looking up a floating account associated with said associate service area, wherein said floating account comprises a user identifier;
receiving a secondary account for said floating account from said associate service area; and
replacing a recipient address of the electronic message with said secondary account.
40. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
entering a start time for said floating account.
41. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 , having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:
entering a stop time for said floating account.
42. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 , wherein said secondary account is a non-internet account.
43. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein said non-internet account is a pager account.
44. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein said non-internet account is a cellular telephone account.
45. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein said non-internet account is a digital telephone account.
46. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein said non-internet account is a satellite telephone account.
47. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein said non-internet account is a voicemail account.
48. The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein said non-internet account is a facsimile account.