IP Library Granted Patent US 10,623,360
Granted Patent B2
US 10,623,360 · App. 11/604,193 · Granted Apr 14, 2020

Automatic configuration of email client

Inventors: Sean N. Byrnes (San Francisco, CA); Gabriel Vanrenen (San Francisco, CA); Karl Harris (Austin, TX)
Assignee: OATH INC.
H04L51/22H04L41/0806H04L41/0869H04L41/0883H04L43/10H04L51/28H04L67/34
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,623,360
App. No.
11/604,193
Granted
Apr 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of configuring an email client is disclosed. An email address is received. The email address is parsed to obtain a domain. A mailserver configuration is generated based on the domain. The email client is configured according to the mailserver configuration.

Claims (55)

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by a computing device over a network, an email address associated with a user, said email address associated with a domain corresponding to an email provider;

determining, by the computing device, that the email address is not associated with any known email client configuration, said determination comprising parsing said email address to identify said domain;

generating, by the computing device, a plurality of potential mailserver configurations based on said domain, said generation further comprising identifying information related to a mail protocol type, security and speed of each potential mailserver configuration;

testing, by the computing device, each potential mailserver configuration in parallel over the network, said testing comprising:

discretely attempting to log into to the domain associated with the email address using each potential mailserver configuration simultaneously, and

determining, based on each of said parallel, simultaneous and discrete login attempt using each potential mail server configuration, which mailserver configurations are confirmed as active on said network;

determining, by the computing device, a prioritized set of mailserver configurations based on said parallel testing and the mail protocol type, security and speed information;

identifying, by the computing device, from the prioritized set of mailserver configurations;

confirming, by the computing device over the network, the email account associated with said email address using said identified mailserver configuration by simultaneously confirming, via parallel threads, at least two or more email accounts associated with a different potential mailserver configuration; and

configuring, by the computing device, an email client with said confirmed email account using said identified mailserver configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said confirmation is based on a received password associated with said email account.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the email address is associated with a known email client configuration; and

configuring the email client based at least in part on the known email client configuration.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving email provider account information, said information comprising a username and password.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said generated plurality of mailserver configurations comprises at least a subset of configurations that are variations within a given mail protocol.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said variations are associated with a subdomain of the domain.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a computing device, perform a method comprising:

identifying, over a network, an email address associated with a user, said email address associated with a domain corresponding to an email provider;

determining that the email address is not associated with any known email client configuration, said determination comprising parsing said email address to identify said domain;

generating a plurality of potential mailserver configurations based on said domain, said generation further comprising identifying information related to a mail protocol type, security and speed of each potential mailserver configuration;

testing each potential mailserver configuration in parallel over the network, said testing comprising:

discretely attempting to log into to the domain associated with the email address using each potential mailserver configuration simultaneously, and

determining, based on each of said parallel, simultaneous and discrete login attempt using each potential mail server configuration, which mailserver configurations are confirmed as active on said network;

determining a prioritized set of mailserver configurations based on said parallel testing and the mail protocol type, security and speed information;

identifying from the prioritized set of mailserver configurations, a mailserver configuration that is active on the network;

confirming, over the network, an email account associated with said email address using said identified mailserver configuration by simultaneously confirming, via parallel threads, at least two or more email accounts associated with a different potential mailserver configuration; and

configuring an email client with said confirmed email account using said identified mailserver configuration.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining that the email address is associated with a known email client configuration; and

configuring the email client based at least in part on the known email client configuration.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving email provider account information, said information comprising a username and password.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein said generated plurality of mailserver configurations comprises at least a subset of configurations that are variations within a given mail protocol, wherein said variations are associated with a subdomain of the domain.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:

identification logic executed by the processor for identifying, over a network, an email address associated with a user, said email address associated with a domain corresponding to an email provider;

determination logic executed by the processor for determining that the email address is not associated with any known email client configuration, said determination comprising parsing said email address to identify said domain;

generation logic executed by the processor for generating a plurality of potential mailserver configurations based on said domain, said generation further comprising identifying information related to a mail protocol type, security and speed of each potential mailserver configuration;

testing logic executed by the processor for testing each potential mailserver configuration in parallel over the network, said testing logic comprising:

logic executed by the processor for discretely attempting to log into to the domain associated with the email address using each potential mailserver configuration simultaneously, and

logic executed by the processor for determining, based on each of said parallel, simultaneous and discrete login attempt using each potential mail server configuration, which mailserver configurations are confirmed as active on said network;

determination logic executed by the processor for determining a prioritized set of mailserver configurations based on said parallel testing and the mail protocol type, security and speed information;

identification logic executed by the processor for identifying from the prioritized set of mailserver configurations, a mailserver configuration that is active on the network

confirmation logic executed by the processor for confirming, over the network, an email account associated with said email address using said identified mailserver configuration by simultaneously confirming, via parallel threads, at least two or more email accounts associated with a different potential mailserver configuration; and

configuration logic executed by the processor for configuring an email client with said confirmed email account using said identified mailserver configuration.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

determination logic executed by the processor for determining that the email address is associated with a known email client configuration; and

configuration logic executed by the processor for configuring the email client based at least in part on the known email client configuration.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving email provider account information, said information comprising a username and password.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein said generated plurality of mailserver configurations comprises at least a subset of configurations that are variations within a given mail protocol, wherein said variations are associated with a subdomain of the domain.

Assignments (8)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Sep 29, 2022
From: YAHOO ASSETS LLC
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061571/0773 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: YAHOO AD TECH LLC (FORMERLY VERIZON MEDIA INC.)
To: YAHOO ASSETS LLC
Reel/Frame 058982/0282 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: OATH INC.
To: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
Reel/Frame 054258/0635 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2018
From: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
To: OATH INC.
Reel/Frame 045240/0310 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2017
From: YAHOO! INC.
To: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 042963/0211 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2015
From: FLURRY, INC.
To: YAHOO! INC
Reel/Frame 034657/0094 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2014
From: FLURRY, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 033286/0604 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2007
From: BYRNES, SEAN N.; VANRENEN, GABRIEL; HARRIS, KARL
To: FLURRY, INC.
Reel/Frame 019099/0219 →