System for processing electronic mail messages with specially encoded addresses

Abstract

A method for processing an electronic mail message is disclosed comprising the steps of: accepting a request for e-mail server address information for an electronic message having an address, the address having an electronic mail receiving system domain with a recipient name encoded therein; providing an e-mail server address for the recipient name in response to the request; accepting the electronic message at the e-mail server address.

1 . A method for processing an electronic mail message comprising the steps of: 
 (a) receiving in an electronic mail receiving system an electronic message having an address, said address having an electronic mail receiving system domain with a recipient name encoded therein; and    (b) processing said electronic message in accordance with processing instructions associated with said recipient name.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said recipient name is a sub-domain of said electronic mail receiving system domain, said processing step including the step of processing said sub-domain.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said processing includes the step of routing said electronic message to an e-mail server associated with said recipient name.  
   
   
       4 . A method for processing an electronic mail message comprising the steps of: 
 (a) accepting a request for e-mail server address information for an electronic message having an address, said address having an electronic mail receiving system domain with a recipient name encoded therein;    (b) providing an e-mail server address for said recipient name in response to said request;    (c) accepting said electronic message at said e-mail server address.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said recipient name is a sub-domain of said electronic mail receiving system domain, and wherein said step of providing an e-mail server address includes the steps of: 
 (a) obtaining sub-domain address information for said sub-domain of said electronic mail receiving system domain;    (b) providing said sub-domain address as said e-mail server address.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of obtaining said sub-domain address information includes the steps of requesting an address from a DNS server and receiving a sub-domain address from said DNS server in response to said request.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said address includes a source identifier, further comprising the steps of: 
 (a) examining the source identifier included in said address;    (b) processing said electronic message based on processing instructions associated with said source identifier.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said address includes a local-part, said source identifier being encoded in said local-part, and wherein said step of examining said source identifier includes the step of retrieving said source identifier from said local-part of said address.  
   
   
       9 . A system for receiving and processing an electronic message, comprising: 
 an electronic message receiver for receiving an incoming electronic message, said message having an address which includes an electronic mail receiving system domain portion having a recipient name encoded in therein;    an electronic mail receiving system domain associated with said system;    processing instruction storage for maintaining processing instructions for said incoming electronic message based on said recipient name;    a message processor for processing said incoming electronic message in accordance with said processing instructions.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said recipient name is a sub-domain of said electronic mail receiving system domain; and    said processing instruction storage includes instructions associated with said sub-domain.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 said system includes an e-mail server associated with said recipient name; and    said message processor includes an e-mail server address request processor for providing e-mail server address information in response to a request for an e-mail server address associated with said recipient name.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said recipient name is a sub-domain of said electronic mail receiving system domain and said e-mail server address request processor is a DNS server.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said address of said electronic messages includes a local-part and a source identifier encoded in said local-part, and wherein said e-mail server includes: 
 process instruction storage for maintaining processing instructions based on said source identifier for electronic messages received by said e-mail server; and    an electronic message processor for processing electronic messages received by said e-mail server in accordance with said processing instructions.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said process instruction storage is a database.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said process instruction storage is a text database.