Apparatus and methods for controlling the transmission of messages
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for controlling transmission of messages from an originator computer system through an originating mail server to a receiving mail server, a connection between the originator computer system and the originating mail server forming a sending side, the method comprising:
- detecting, on the sending side, an outbound message from the originator computer system, the outbound message associated with an originator identity;
verifying, on the sending side, an authenticity of the originator identity;
performing a quota enforcement operation based on a message count and a message limit associated with the originator identity to produce a message transmission result;
transmitting the outbound message from the originating mail server to a receiving mail server on a computer network if the message transmission result contains a transmit value; and
preventing transmission of the outbound message from the originating mail server to a receiving mail server on a computer network if the message transmission result contains a no-transmit value.
1 Assignment
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides systems, mechanisms and techniques for controlling transmission of outbound messages, such as e-mail or other types of messages, onto a computer network from an originator computer system. Connection equipment can authenticate and authorize the connection for the computer user and can capture and map originator network address information assigned to the originator computer system. A quota server can then determine if the message count exceeds the message limit for the originator identity associated with the outbound message Embodiments of the invention control message transmission from a sending or origination point prior to the messages being transmitted on the computer network, resources of a computer network are conserved and these embodiments prevent computer users from transmitting large amounts of outbound messages in excess of the message limits.
42 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method for controlling transmission of messages from an originator computer system through an originating mail server to a receiving mail server, a connection between the originator computer system and the originating mail server forming a sending side, the method comprising:
-
detecting, on the sending side, an outbound message from the originator computer system, the outbound message associated with an originator identity; verifying, on the sending side, an authenticity of the originator identity; performing a quota enforcement operation based on a message count and a message limit associated with the originator identity to produce a message transmission result; transmitting the outbound message from the originating mail server to a receiving mail server on a computer network if the message transmission result contains a transmit value; and preventing transmission of the outbound message from the originating mail server to a receiving mail server on a computer network if the message transmission result contains a no-transmit value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
6. A computer system comprising:
-
a hardware processor in communication with a network; and quota server logic executable by the processor to control transmission of messages from an originator computer system through an originating mail server to a receiving mail server, a connection between the originator computer system and the originating mail server forming a sending side on the network, the quota server logic configured to perform a method comprising; detecting, on the sending side, an outbound message from the originator computer system, the outbound message associated with an originator identity; verifying, on the sending side, an authenticity of the originator identity; performing a quota enforcement operation based on a message count and a message limit associated with the originator identity to produce a message transmission result; transmitting the outbound message from the originating mail server to a receiving mail server on a computer network if the message transmission result contains a transmit value; and preventing transmission of the outbound message from the originating mail server to a receiving mail server on a computer network if the message transmission result contains a no-transmit value. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 25)
-
-
11. A computer program product for controlling transmission of outbound messages on a computer network from an originating mail server to a receiving mail server, a connection between the originator computer system and the originating mail server forming a sending side, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising; detecting, on the sending side, an outbound message from the originator computer system, the outbound message associated with an originator identity; verifying, on the sending side, an authenticity of the originator identity; performing a quota enforcement operation based on a message count and a message limit associated with the originator identity to produce a message transmission result; transmitting the outbound message from the originating mail server to a receiving mail server on a computer network if the message transmission result contains a transmit value; and preventing transmission of the outbound message from the originating mail server to a receiving mail server on a computer network if the message transmission result contains a no-transmit value. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 26)
-
16. A computer-implemented method for controlling transmission of messages from an originator computer system through an originating mail server to a receiving mail server, a connection between the originator computer system and the originating mail server forming a sending side, the method comprising:
-
detecting, on the sending side, an outbound message from the originator computer system, the outbound message associated with an originator identity of an authorized user; computing a difference between a message limit associated with the originator identity and a message count associated with the originator identity; and transmitting the outbound message from the originating mail server to the receiving mail server on a computer network to a number of recipients equal to or less than the computed difference between the message limit and the message count. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 27)
-
-
19. A computer program product for controlling transmission of outbound messages on a computer network from an originating mail server to a receiving mail server, a connection between the originator computer system and the originating mail server forming a sending side, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising; detecting, on the sending side, an outbound message from the originator computer system, the outbound message associated with an originator identity of an authorized user; computing a difference between a message limit associated with the originator identity and a message count associated with the originator identity; and transmitting the outbound message from the originating mail server to the receiving mail server on a computer network to a number of recipients equal to or less than the computed difference between the message limit and the message count. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 28)
Specification