Ulllted States Patent [19]
`Mulligan et al.
`
`[54] ELECTRONIC MESSAGE FORWARDING
`SYSTEM
`
`[75] Inventors: Geo?'rey c. Mulligan; Scott Chasin;
`
`_
`
`g'agérgetr’iysréolig' Beazley’ all
`p g ’
`'
`[73] Assignee: USA.NET, Inc., Colorado Springs,
`C l .
`O O
`
`21 Appl N 08/635 248
`
`.
`
`o.:
`
`,
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Apr. 12, 1996
`
`6
`
`_
`12010521;
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`100.01, 100.08; 340/825.44; 455/412, 417
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`1
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`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`be (516mg "" """ """"""
`?
`5’283’856 £1994 (£2556; a‘i’uve et a‘ """ " 39420056
`5:333:152
`7/1994 W?ber ~~~~ """""""""" 39500036
`5333266 7/1994 BOaZ et aL
`__ 39500036
`5,377,354 12/1994 Scannell 61 a1. ..
`..... .. 395/673
`5,381,527
`1/1995 Inniss et a1, ,,
`__ 395/200_69
`5,406,557
`4/1995 Baudoin ...... ..
`395/20036
`5,428,663
`6/1995 Grimes et al- ------ --
`-- 340/825-44
`574367960
`7/1995 Campana: Jr- et a1-
`~~~~~ " 455/412
`‘cxiillnon et a1‘ """"""""" "
`
`US005937161A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date 0f Patent:
`
`5,937,161
`Aug. 10, 1999
`
`5,495,234
`5,513,126
`5,555,346
`
`2/1996 Capp et a1. ...................... .. 340/82544
`4/1996 Harkins et a1. .
`395/200.36
`9/1996 Gross et a1. .
`......... .. 395/51
`(539F199 ------ --t----l- --------------- -
`
`,
`
`,
`
`c u Zman e a. ............ ..
`
`.
`
`5,635,918
`340/82544
`6/1997 Tett ................... ..
`5,647,002
`7/1997 Brunson ............................. .. 379/9324
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`O 413 537 A2 8/1990 European Pat. Off. .
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Gareiss, R., “A Value—Added Service With Brains”, AT &T
`technology, vol. 10, No. 1, Jan. 1995.
`Craigie, 1., “ISO 10021—X.400(88): A Tutorial for Those
`Familiar With X400(84)”, Computer Networks and ISDN
`Systems, V01. 16, NO. 1/02, Sep. 1988.
`Mn JG
`1 “A
`i g M g Y W y” AT&T
`Technolo , vol. 10, No. 1, S rin 1995.
`9
`p g
`P '
`yE ' —E ' W S
`b
`rtmar xamtner
`. tam er
`rlc
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`
`Ccessm
`
`essa es our a ,
`
`1 er, '
`
`' et a ,
`
`A telecommunications system (100) includes a service pro
`vider node (116) that is capable of forwarding electronic
`mail messages addressed to a user of the service provider
`node. The forwarding process is controlled by a message
`transfer'agent (202), a subscrlber database analyzer (204), a
`quelle d1r@Ct0ry(206),aI1d amessage quelle agemmsl The
`subscriber database analyzer performs a comparison
`betWeen data that the user has provided and the message
`content. The subscriber database causes the message queue
`agent to forWard the message to a user-de?ned telecommu
`nications address based upon the message content and the
`
`,
`
`,
`
`l
`
`.................................. ..
`
`.
`
`-
`
`5,479,411 12/1995 Klein . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`
`. . . . . . . . .. 379/88
`
`results of the companson'
`
`5,483,466
`5,487,100
`
`.. 395/200.36
`1/1996 Kawahara et a1.
`1/1996 Kane ................................ .. 340/825.44
`
`12 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`212
`
`116
`
`A ------------------- “44'
`
`MTA PASSES MESSAGE
`SUBJECT, PRIORITY,
`FROM RECIPIENTAND
`(1UEUE# T0 DATABASE
`
`P250
`
`MESS/lens
`
`202
`
`|
`:
`|
`P256 |
`I
`l
`DATABASERETRIEVES I
`56813933915196? '
`
`'
`
`|
`
`MESSAGE
`[:> TRAN50FAE§A§GENT
`
`OFQORMESSAGE
`FORWARDING
`
`P252
`
`MESSAGE IS
`STOREDIN
`QUEUEBVMTA
`
`208
`
`MESSAGE IS
`FORWARDED m
`SENDMAIL TO ALL
`
`P258
`
`MQA RETRIEVES
`MESSAGE FROM QUEUE
`BYTHEMESSAGE
`ausue # PASSED
`BY SUBSCRIBER PROFILE
`
`;
`|
`|
`|
`1
`l
`l
`|
`
`1
`
`1
`l
`l
`i
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`l
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`
`L_ ____________________ __J
`
`Google Ex. 1225, pg. 1
`
`

`
`Google Ex. 1225, pg. 2
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 10,1999
`
`Sheet 2 of2
`
`5,937,161
`
`212
`
`SUBSCRIBER DATA
`ENTRY SYSTEM
`
`1 16
`2
`
`I'- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ — _ _ _ _ _ — '- _ _l
`
`SUBSCRIBER
`DATABASE
`ANALYZER
`
`P256
`
`P2354
`
`MTA PASSES MESSAGE
`SUBJECT, PRIORITY,
`FROM RECIPIENT AND
`QUEUE # T0 DATABASE
`
`P250
`
`202
`/
`
`MESSAGE IS
`RECEIVED BY
`INTERNET MTAS
`
`MESSAGE
`::{> TRANSFER AGENT
`(MTA)
`
`MESSAGE IS
`P252 /“ STORED IN
`QUEUE BY MTA
`
`2
`08
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`_ DATABASE RETRIEVES
`SUBSCRIBER PROFILE I
`BASED DN RECIPIENT.
`DECIDES WHAT
`I
`ADDRESSES TO SEND I
`TO QuEIIE MANAGER I
`I
`I
`‘I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`|
`I
`I
`
`I
`|
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
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`I
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`I
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`,
`'
`
`T
`
`206
`
`MESSAGE IS
`FORWARDED VIA
`SENDMAIL TO ALL
`PASSED ADDRESSES
`FROM SUBSCRIBER
`DATABASE
`g
`P260
`
`P258
`
`MQA RETRIEVES
`MESSAGE FROM QUEUE
`BY THE MESSAGE
`QUEUE # PASSED
`BY SUBSCRIBER PROFILE
`
`I
`I
`I
`I
`I
`l
`|
`|
`
`L. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _I
`
`Google Ex. 1225, pg. 3
`
`

`
`5,937,161
`
`1
`ELECTRONIC MESSAGE FORWARDING
`SYSTEM
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`forWarding address belongs to another central service pro
`vider. Thus, the forWarded message is actually delivered to
`its intended recipient by the other or second service provider,
`i.e., the forWarded message passes through tWo central
`service providers, as opposed to just one provider. The
`intended message recipient is free to change the second
`provider With regularity provided that the recipient alWays
`informs the forWarding service of each change in the second
`provider.
`Existing message forWarding and placement services are
`rudimentary, and often fail to meet the complete needs of the
`user community. Problems arise When an intended message
`recipient is not physically present at a location Where the
`message is ?nally delivered or Where the message can be
`received.
`The intended message recipient is often unaWare that a
`message has actually arrived, and may not posses the
`WhereWithal to obtain the message on a timely basis. The
`parties in communication also lose control of critical infor
`mation. For example, a businessperson Who splits his or her
`time about equally betWeen of?ces in the respective States of
`Colorado and Florida may receive a message (e.g., a time
`sensitive order for commercial goods) that resides on a
`computer system in the Colorado office during the busi
`nessperson’s six month sojourn in Florida. Similarly, the
`businessperson may instruct his or her Boston of?ce to
`deliver a con?dential document by telefacsimile to a tele
`phone number in Los Angeles by 4:00 pm on a given day.
`The parties are dismayed When the con?dential document
`arrives in Los Angeles for all the World to see because the
`telefacsimile is sent after 7:00 pm Boston time (4:00 Los
`Angeles time) after the businessperson left Los Angeles. In
`another instance, the businessperson may be driving on a trip
`that Will take him or her through tWo states and ?ve
`designated local service areas for cellular telephone service.
`The businessperson’s of?ce may be trying to reach him or
`her With a message to abort the trip, but cannot do so because
`the of?ce is unaWare of the route.
`Existing electronic message forWarding systems exacer
`bate the types of problems mentioned above because they
`are automatons that simply receive one type or class of
`message and forWard that one message to one alternative
`address. For example, a central service provider’s electronic
`mail forWarding service forWards only electronic mail mes
`sages. Additionally, it only forWards the messages to one
`address at another service provider. Thus, forWarding ser
`vices are not presently capable of sending a different class of
`message to inform the intended recipient that a message is
`being sent, e.g., as by paging a man in Paris to inform him
`that an electronic mail message aWaits him at an office in
`Zurich. Similarly, Where a sender addresses an electronic
`mail message to a netWork server that is physically located
`in Boston, forWarding services are presently incapable of
`forWarding the message to a server in Los Angeles if the
`message is transmitted to the service provider betWeen the
`hours of 8:00 and 11:30 am, and forWarding the message to
`a server in NeW York betWeen the hours of 11:31 am and
`9:00 pm.
`There remains a true need for a method and apparatus
`capable of forWarding electronic messages or alerting people
`to the existence of electronic messages based upon user
`de?ned parameters, such as the time that the message is
`received, the content of the message, the address of the
`sender, and variable addresses of the intended message
`recipient.
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention pertains to the ?eld of method and
`apparatus for forwarding electronic messages from one
`telecommunications address to another telecommunications
`address. More speci?cally, the forwarding system is capable
`of forWarding the messages to a selected one of a plurality
`of addresses based upon user-de?ned data forWarding
`parameters.
`2. Statement of the Problem
`Recent advances in telecommunications netWorks have
`drastically altered the manner in Which people interact and
`conduct business. These advances promote efficiency and
`convenience in one’s ability to receive important informa
`tion. For example, a businessman or salesman can be
`equipped With a cellular telephone and a laptop computer.
`The laptop computer can be connected to a portable fac
`simile machine or programmed With facsimile softWare that
`permits the salesman to send and receive telefacsimile
`messages While traveling across toWn or betWeen different
`cities. Similarly, an executive on vacation or a business trip
`can use a computer system equipped With a modem to send
`and receive electronic mail messages that communicate
`important information.
`Persons Who enjoy the bene?t of sending and receiving
`electronic messages typically subscribe to a telecommuni
`cations service that is associated With a particular telecom
`munications address. Thus, the telecommunications address
`is unique to a central service provider. Examples of tele
`communications addresses that are unique to a central
`service provider include pager numbers and electronic mail
`addresses. The uniqueness of an address to a selected
`provider is often apparent on the face of the address, e.g., an
`electronic mail address of John Doe<jdoe@provider1.com>.
`A user or subscriber to a particular telecommunications
`service may from time to time desire or need to change
`service providers (e.g., from doe@provider1.com to
`jdoe@provider2.com>). Exemplary motivation for these
`changes may derive from the fact that an alternative service
`provider charges loWer rates, or the existing provider’s
`inability to upgrade its service.
`A user Who desires to change central service providers
`suddenly faces the reality of being bound to the old service
`provider because the user’s address is unique to that one
`provider. A sudden and complete changeover is in many
`circumstances impossible because the community of people
`Who Wish to send electronic messages to the user are only
`aWare that the old address exists. For example, an electronic
`mail address or pager number may be published in an
`industry directory that is only published once every year or
`tWo years. Thus, the user incurs a potentially signi?cant loss
`of prospective business by abandoning the old address.
`Some service providers offer their user-subscribers the
`option of a message forWarding service. These forWarding
`services operate by receiving the incoming message, retriev
`ing the portion of the incoming message that identi?es a
`selected user Who subscribes to the forWarding service,
`associating the selected user With a forWarding address
`through the use of a lookup table, and transmitting the
`message to the forWarding address. The forWarding services
`differ from the normal message delivery service that the
`central service provider offers because a portion of the
`
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`SOLUTION
`The present invention overcomes the problems identi?ed
`above and advances the art by providing method and appa
`
`Google Ex. 1225, pg. 4
`
`

`
`3
`ratus for forwarding electronic messages based upon user
`de?ned parameters, such as the time that the message is
`received, the content of the message, the address of the
`sender, and variable addresses of the intended message
`recipient. The method and apparatus advantageously facili
`tates communications betWeen different parties by providing
`?exible options as to message delivery addresses, and is
`even capable of converting a message that originates as one
`type or class of message into another appropriate class of
`message for delivery to the intended recipient.
`The present invention is one in Which a system receives
`an incoming message signal at a ?rst telecommunications
`address, and forWards a corresponding message or signal to
`a second telecommunications address. As used herein, the
`term “address” refers to a physical location corresponding to
`a portion of an electrical or electromagnetic signal that a
`telecommunications system conventionally uses to route
`delivery of the signal to the physical location. The incoming
`message signal includes a plurality of data parameters. As
`used herein, the term “data parameters” includes data ?elds
`and subportions of data ?elds that are transmitted as corre
`sponding electrical or electromagnetic signals according to
`conventional message transfer protocols. A list of data
`parameters at least includes a telecommunications address,
`as Well as the body of a message appended to the telecom
`munications address, information about the sender of the
`message, and other information associated With the message.
`When the incoming message signal arrives at the host
`system of a central telecommunications service provider, a
`program feature that is referred to herein as a message
`transfer agent stores an electronic copy of the message in a
`queue directory, and copies at least a portion of the incoming
`message for transfer to a subscriber database analyZer. The
`intended message recipient is alloWed access to the sub
`scriber database for the purpose of identifying selected data
`parameters that are used as data forWarding parameters. The
`user is also permitted to enter speci?c key Word information
`that the subscriber database analyZer uses to associate a
`particular value of a data forWarding parameter With a
`user-de?ned telecommunications forWarding address. The
`subscriber database analyZer provides a message queue
`agent With the associated user-de?ned telecommunications
`address, and the message queue agent transmits a signal
`corresponding to the stopped message to the user-de?ned
`telecommunications address identi?ed by the subscriber
`database analyZer.
`The user or subscriber programs the subscriber database
`With a plurality of data ?elds representing telecommunica
`tions forWarding or delivery addresses. The user is able to
`enter information that the subscriber database analyZer asso
`ciates With information in a selected data parameter (i.e., a
`user-selected data forWarding parameter) of the incoming
`message to identify a corresponding message forWarding or
`delivery address. The subscriber database analyZer is also
`capable of associating the incoming information content of
`the data forWarding parameter With a plurality of telecom
`munications forWarding or delivery addresses, in Which case
`the subscriber database analyZer causes the message queue
`agent to transmit a plurality of message signals correspond
`ing to the incoming message signal. This plurality of mes
`sage signals includes, for eXample, the transmission of an
`electronic mail signal together With a pager message alerting
`the intended recipient that the electronic mail signal has
`been transmitted. The subscriber database analyZer is also
`capable of forWarding messages based upon a plurality of
`user-de?ned time intervals that are each associated With a
`user-de?ned forWarding address or a plurality of forWarding
`
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`5,937,161
`
`4
`addresses. In the most preferred embodiments, the sub
`scriber database analyZer parses the incoming message teXt
`for selected key Words that the database analyZer associates
`With a user-de?ned forWarding address or a plurality of
`forWarding addresses.
`The database analyZer is capable of forWarding the mes
`sage in a data format that is compatible With a plurality of
`delivery destination technologies. For example, the database
`analyZer can convert a digital electronic mail message into
`a bitmap image for telefacsimile transmission, or a voice
`message for delivery to a telephone ansWering machine
`addrress.
`Other salient features, objects, and advantages Will be
`apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the
`discussion beloW in combination With the accompanying
`draWings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 depicts a telecommunications system that is
`accessed by a service provider according to the present
`invention; and
`FIG. 2 depicts a control system according to the present
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`The telecommunications system
`FIG. 1 schematically depicts a conventional INTERNET
`telecommunications system 100. The FIG. 1 system is
`eXemplary in nature. The present invention can be imple
`mented as program control features on substantially all
`telecommunications service provider systems, and system
`100 is intended to represent any operable telecommunica
`tions system that is used by any telecommunications service
`provider in conducting communication operations.
`Telecommunications system 100 includes a plurality of
`user or signal origination nodes, namely, signal origination
`nodes 102, 104, 106, and 108, each of Which corresponds to
`a telecommunications address. A single city or local service
`area may have millions of these signal origination nodes.
`Nodes 102—106 correspond to telecommunications
`addresses that belong to individuals, businesses, and other
`entities having need to avail themselves of telecommunica
`tions services.
`Each one of nodes 102—108 feeds its signal (addressed to
`a subscriber identi?ed at a selected service provider) to a
`local router node 112 that directs the local signal to a relay
`system, e.g., the INTERNET cloud 114, Which transmits the
`signal to router 118 through a series of relays. The signal
`eventually arrives at service provider 116 from router 118.
`Service provider system 116 provides additional addressing
`information to the signal there received, and reroutes the
`signal through router 118 to INTERNET cloud 114 (or an
`equivalent relay system) to delivery router node 119. In turn,
`delivery router node 119 routes the signal to a selected one
`of user signal delivery nodes 122, 124, 126, and 128,
`corresponding to a telecommunications address provided by
`service provider 116. Alternatively, service provider 116
`directly routes the message signal to local delivery nodes
`130 and 132.
`As indicated above, FIG. 1 is eXemplary in nature, and
`those skilled in the art understand that equivalent substitu
`tions of system components can be made. For eXample,
`electrical communications over conductive telephone lines,
`optical communications over optical ?bers, radio
`communications, and microWave communications are sub
`stantially equivalent for purposes of the invention.
`
`Google Ex. 1225, pg. 5
`
`

`
`5,937,161
`
`5
`The Service Provider System
`In the most preferred embodiment, the service provider
`system 116 is an INTERNET service provider system, as
`depicted in FIG. 1. The term “INTERNET” is Well known
`in the art as designating a speci?c global international
`computer netWork that operates according to the TCP-IP
`protocol. Aportion of the INTERNET receives or has in the
`past received funding from various United States govern
`mental agencies including ARPA, NSF, NASA, and DOE.
`INTERNET communications protocols are promulgated by
`the Internet Engineering Task Force, according to standards
`that are currently set forth in RFC 1602.
`FIG. 2 depicts the features and operation of a service
`provider system 116 (surrounded by a dashed line). System
`116 is a computer system that receives incoming electronic
`message signals, stores copies of the message signals, uses
`data contained in the message signals to associate the signals
`With a forWarding or delivery address, and transmits the
`message signals to the forWarding or delivery address.
`System 116 is comprised of various program control features
`that interact With operably connected hardWare to provide
`the message forWarding function. The various program
`control features or subsystems of system 116 include a
`message transfer agent 202 (random access memory and
`program logic), a subscriber database analyZer 204 (random
`access memory, a magnetic storage medium containing an
`information database, and program logic), a queue storage
`directory 206 (an electromagnetic storage medium), and a
`message queue agent 208 (random access memory and
`program logic). System 116 is operably connected through
`router 118 to the INTERNET cloud 114 to signal origination
`nodes 102—108 and signal delivery nodes 122—128 of tele
`communications system 100 or any equivalent system to that
`depicted in FIG. 1.
`The operation of system 116 begins in step P250 With the
`receipt of an incoming message signal routed through tele
`communications system 100 from a signal origination
`address, e.g., address 104, When message transfer agent 202
`receives the incoming signal.
`In step P252, message transfer agent 202 accesses queue
`directory 206 to store the incoming electronic message that
`it has received.
`In step P254, message transfer agent 202 identi?es the
`type of incoming message, and processes the message for
`transmission to subscriber database analyZer 204. The mes
`sage processing includes retrieval of selected portions of the
`incoming message for transmission to subscriber database
`analyZer 204. These selected portions correspond to data
`?elds of the message that are referred to herein as possible
`data forWarding parameters.
`In the most preferred embodiment, message transfer agent
`202 is programed to retrieve possible data forWarding
`parameters corresponding to the portions of an electronic
`mail message, as de?ned in appropriate SMTP electronic
`mail message protocols set forth in RFC 822, Which is
`hereby incorporated by refrence herein to the same extent as
`though fully disclosed herein. The most preferred data
`forWarding parameters include the message subject ?eld, the
`message priority ?eld, the sender’s address, the intended
`recipient’s address, and the queue storage number used to
`identify the stored message in queue directory 206.
`Message transfer agent 202 is optionally provided With
`the capability of converting textual messages to voice mes
`sages and voice messages to textual messages. For example,
`if the incoming message is a telefacsimile, message transfer
`agent 202 can use commercially available optical character
`recognition softWare, e.g., Calera’s Wordscan or Xerox’s
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`Text Bridge, to convert the image into text (ignoring trans
`lation errors) into an electronic mail message by inserting
`ASCII characters into the body of the message. Message
`transfer agent 202 optionally uses commercially available
`softWare, e.g., softWare available from Applied Language
`Technology of Cambridge, Mass., to convert text to voice or
`voice to text. In yet another option, message transfer agent
`202 identi?es the incoming message signal as a pager
`message signal, and transmits the recipient’s pager address
`together With the senders return telephone number and any
`informational content of the message to subscriber database
`analyZer 204.
`In step P256, database analyZer 204 accesses its corre
`sponding electronic storage medium to retrieve data asso
`ciated With the recipient’s address that is identi?ed in and
`obtained from the incoming message that is noW stored in
`queue directory 206. The database can include a relational
`database, a hierarchical database, or a ?at ?le stored as roWs
`and columns of data keyed to the intended recipient’s
`address on provider service 116. The commercially available
`Oracle relational database is especially preferred for use in
`the present invention.
`The ?rst action taken by subscriber database analyZer 204
`is a lookup call to the database to determine if the party
`receiving the message exists in the subscriber database. If
`the user does not exist or has let the subscription lapse, the
`subscriber database analyZer appends a service code to the
`message indicating that the user is not in the system. Based
`upon this service code, the message is returned to the
`senders address together With a notation that the user does
`not exist on the system, or is no longer a user of the system.
`When the user is a valid user, subscriber database analyZer
`204 compares the selected portion of the incoming message
`provided by message transfer agent 202 against correspond
`ing information keyed into the subscriber database through
`subscriber data entry system 212. Based upon the results of
`this comparison, the subscriber database analyZer appends a
`service code to the message indicating an appropriate action
`that needs to be taken in response to the message. The
`appropriate action corresponds to that Which the user has
`entered to the system through subscriber data entry system
`212. Examples of responsive actions taken by the subscriber
`database analyZer at the subscribers behest include actions
`taken on all messages originating from a list of speci?ed
`users, actions taken on messages not originating from a
`speci?ed list of users, actions taken on messages having a
`subject matter heading that includes speci?ed key Words,
`actions taken on messages not having a subject matter
`heading that includes speci?ed key Words, actions taken on
`messages having a priority less than a speci?ed value,
`actions taken based upon the time or date the message is
`received, actions taken on messages having speci?ed key
`Words found in the body of the text, and combinations of
`these analyses or comparisons.
`The subscriber database analyZer 204 uses stored data
`from subscriber data entry system 212 to associate the
`actions desired from subscriber database analyZer 204 With
`the results of the search analysis described in the preceding
`paragraph. As indicated by the subscriber, the result of any
`of the above-described comparisons is associated With a
`correspondingly desired action. These actions include dele
`tion of the message, storing of the message on the service
`provider’s system, and forWarding of the message to a
`user-speci?ed address or a plurality of addresses. The sub
`scriber can also request provider system 116 to send a pager
`signal to a particular telephone number indicating that a
`electronic mail message has arrived on the service provider
`
`Google Ex. 1225, pg. 6
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`5,937,161
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`system 116. The subscriber can additionally request the
`electronic mail message to be transcribed into a bit-map
`image for telefacsimile transmission to a selected telefac
`simile number. The subscriber can also request that elec
`tronic mail messages be translated for output to a voice
`delivery system.
`Examples of actions to be taken according to the sub
`scriber’s instructions include the deletion of all messages
`having a sender’s address knoWn to the subscriber as
`belonging an overZealous sales representative. In other
`instances, on a selected day, the user can request the for
`Warding of all messages received betWeen the hours of 8:00
`am and 1:00 pm to a server address located in Dallas, and all
`messages received later than 1:00 pm to a server located in
`Phoenix With corresponding hard copies of all messages
`received from 8:00 am onWard being forWarded to a tele
`facsimile number in Phoenix. Similarly, the user can indicate
`to system 116 through subscriber data entry system 212 that
`only messages having a priority of “1” are forWarded to the
`server in Dallas, With the remainder being forWarded to the
`server in Phoenix.
`If subscriber database analyZer 204 ?nds that no match
`exists based upon a comparison betWeen the user-speci?ed
`data forWarding parameters and the message content, the
`message is forWarded to a user-speci?ed default delivery
`address. Alternatively, subscriber database analyZer 204 can
`simply delete or store the message. If the user has not
`entered a default delivery address into the system, the
`message is returned to the sender’s address.
`The message queue agent 208 receives signals form
`subscriber database analyZer 204 including an action service
`code, message queue number, and recipient’s intended
`address. In step P258 Message queue 208 agent retrieves the
`message corresponding to the queue number from queue
`directory 206, identi?es the type of message being sent,
`appends the recipient’s intended address to the message. In
`step P260 forWards the message to the intended recipient
`through the INTERNET cloud 114 or other appropriate
`nodal relay system. The subscriber can also direct message
`queue agent 208, through database analyZer 204, to modify
`the message header information, e.g., the “RE:” line head
`ing. Thus, the subscriber can add additional information,
`such as his or her name to the “RE:” line. Accordingly, the
`message is alWays deliverable to the intended subscriber
`recipient When it arrives at a destination.
`Those skilled in the art understand that the preferred
`embodiments described above may be subjected to apparent
`modi?cations Without departing from the true scope and
`spirit of the invention. The inventors, accordingly, hereby
`state their intention to rely upon the Doctrine of Equivalents,
`in order to protect their full rights in the invention.
`We claim:
`1. Asystem located at an internet service provider for use
`in forWarding electronic mail messages for delivery from
`one address to another address based upon user-de?ned
`parameters, said system comprising:
`means located at an internet service provider for receiving
`an electronic mail message signal delivered to a ?rst
`electronic mail address identi?ed in said electronic mail
`message signal, said electronic mail message signal
`including a plurality of data parameters;
`means located at said internet service provider responsive
`to receipt of said electronic mail message signal for
`storing said electronic mail message signal in a mes
`sage queue to provide a stored message signal;
`means for permitting a user of said internet service
`provider to enter data for selection of at least one of
`said plurality of data parameters as a data forWarding
`parameter;
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`means located at said internet service provider responsive
`to receipt of said electronic mail message signal for
`retrieving information content from said electronic
`mail message signal, said information content corre
`sponding to said data forWarding parameter as a basis
`of comparison;
`means located at said internet service provider for asso
`ciating said information content With at least one
`selected electronic mail forWarding address by com
`paring said information content against a plurality of
`information content operations Wherein each one of
`said information content options is associated With a
`corresponding electronic mail forWarding address;
`means located at said internet service provider for pro
`ducing a forWard able message signal representative of
`said stored message signal; and
`means located at said internet service provider for for
`Warding said forWard able message signal as electronic
`mail to said user at said electronic mail forWarding
`address.
`2. The system as set forth in claim 1 Wherein said
`associating means includes means for associating said infor
`mation content With a plurality of electronic mail forWarding
`addresses, and said forWarding means includes means for
`forWarding a corresponding number of copies of said for
`Ward able message signal to said plurality of electronic mail
`forWarding addresses.
`3. The system as set forth in claim 1 Wherein said
`associating means includes means for selecting an address
`corresponding to said information content and a user-de?ned
`time interval.
`4. The system as set forth in claim 1 Wherein said
`permitting means includes means for deriving said informa
`tion content from a plurality of said data forWarding param
`eters.
`5. The system as set forth in claim 1 Wherein said
`retrieving means includes means for parsing a body of said
`stored message signal to iden