E-mail management services

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic message management system (EMS) that includes a real-time feedback loop where data is collected from the electronic messages on incoming connection attempts, outgoing delivery attempts, and message content analysis, and written to a centralized data matrix. A separate process accesses the data matrix and analyzes trends in that data. The detected data patterns, trends or behavior is based on configuration parameters for the recipient. Based on these determinations, the process is able to instruct components in the EMS to accept, redirect, refuse, modify, defer, or otherwise dispose of the connection request, the delivery attempt, or the message. Associated methods for managing the transmission of electronic messages are also disclosed.

1 . In a messaging system, a method of implementing message rules, comprising: 
 receiving a message at a receiving component;    ascertaining a confidence level that the received message is an undesired message based on a content thereof; and    executing one or more actions based on the confidence level, wherein at least one of the one or more actions is defined by a user.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions are executed at an execution component.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the receiving component and the execution component are associated with an intermediate mail server.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the intermediate mail server is operationally interposed between a sending mail server and a receiving mail server.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein ascertaining the confidence level comprises extrapolating metadata from the received message based upon the content thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein executing the one or more actions comprises comparing the confidence level associated with the extrapolated metadata to a threshold value and selectively executing the one or more actions based on the comparison result.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the threshold value comprises or is a function of one or more user-defined configuration parameters.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where the one or more actions comprises one or more of: 
 accepting the message;    rejecting the message;    quarantining the message;    spooling the message;    deferring the message;    throttling the message; or    redirecting the message.    
     
     
         9 . In a messaging system configured to execute one or more actions with respect to a received message based on a confidence level assigned to the received message, a method comprising: 
 through a user interface, allowing a user to set a threshold value to be compared against the assigned confidence level, wherein the assigned confidence level is generated based on a content of the received message and defines a rating of the received message with respect to whether the received message contains unwanted data;    through the user interface, allowing a user to assign one or more actions to comparison results associated with the confidence level, wherein the one or more actions define a disposition of the received message when the assigned confidence level exceeds the user-defined threshold value; and    implementing the one or more actions when the confidence level of a received message exceeds the confidence level.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein setting the threshold value comprises allowing a user to provide configuration parameters via an administrative console associated with the messaging system.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the confidence level associated with the received message is assigned by extrapolating metadata from a content of the received message.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein assigning one or more actions comprises: 
 configuring one or more rules to apply to the associated confidence level; and    associating one or more disposition instructions to the rules based upon the application result.    
     
     
         13 . A method for delivery of electronic messages, comprising: 
 receiving a message;    evaluating a content of the received message, thereby ascertaining a confidence level that the received message is an undesired message; and    selectively initiating an action with respect to the received message based on the evaluation.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein evaluating the received messages is performed at an intermediate server interposed between a sending mail server and a receiving mail server.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein selectively initiating the action comprises: 
 selecting one of a plurality of disposition instructions based on the evaluation; and    executing the selected disposition instruction on the received message.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein selecting one of a plurality of disposition instructions comprises updating a record in a connection management table.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein an association between the evaluation and the plurality of disposition instructions is at least partially defined by a user.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the association is defined by the user via user selected configuration parameters, thereby defining user-defined thresholds.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein executing the selected disposition instruction comprises one or more of: 
 accepting the message;    rejecting the message;    quarantining the message;    spooling the message;    deferring the message;    throttling the message; or    redirecting the message.    
     
     
         20 . In a messaging system, a method comprising: 
 receiving a message at a receiving module of the messaging system; and    extrapolating metadata from a content of the message, wherein the extrapolated metadata reflects a likelihood that the received message is an unwanted message.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising evaluating the extrapolated metadata in accordance with one or more user-defined configuration parameters.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein evaluating the extrapolated metadata further comprises initiating an action with respect to the message based on the evaluation and the user-defined configuration parameters.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the actions are user-defined based on the user-defined configuration parameters.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the user-defined actions comprise one or more of: 
 accepting the message;    rejecting the message;    quarantining the message;    spooling the message;    deferring the message;    throttling the message; or    redirecting the message.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the user-defined actions comprise one or more rules and one or more corresponding actions based on one or more of the rules being satisfied.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the one or more rules contain a threshold.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the threshold comprises a user-defined threshold.  
     
     
         28 . In a messaging system, a method of configuring the messaging system for delivery of electronic messages, comprising: 
 through an administrative console, allowing a user to set configuration parameters to be employed in evaluating a content of a received message; and    through the administrative console, allowing a user to set message processing actions based on the message content evaluation.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein allowing the user to set configuration parameters comprises allowing the user to set a threshold to be compared against one or more characteristics associated with the content of the received message.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more characteristics reflect a confidence level indicating a likelihood that the received message is an undesired message.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the configuration parameters comprise rules to reject received messages comprising SPAM.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the message processing actions comprise one or more of: 
 accepting the message;    rejecting the message;    quarantining the message;    spooling the message;    deferring the message;    throttling the message; or    redirecting the message.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the administrative console comprises a user-accessible web page configured to prompt a user to set one or more configuration parameters for evaluating the content of received messages associated with the user.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein a location of the user-accessible web page and the messaging system are different.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein a location of the message content evaluation and the message processing actions are different.