Apparatus and methods for controlling the transmission of messages

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.

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.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing a quota enforcement operation comprises comparing the message count associated with the originator identity with the message limit assigned to the originator identity to determine an occurrence of a message limit condition, and if the message limit condition occurs, setting the message transmission result to a no-transmit value, and if the message limit condition does not occur, setting the message transmission result to a transmit value; and
 updating the message count associated with the originator identity.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the updating the message count associated with the originator identity comprises: calculating a total number of recipients for the outbound message; and
 incrementing the message count associated with the originator identity by the total number of recipients for the outbound message.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message limit indicates an amount of outbound messages that may be transmitted from the originator computer system over a certain period of time for the originator identity. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the originator identity is indicative of at least one of: a specific user account operating under control of a computer user, a specific message sending user, and a specific domain. 
     
     
         6 . A computer system comprising:
 a 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.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the performing a quota enforcement operation comprises comparing the message count associated with the originator identity with the message limit assigned to the originator identity to determine an occurrence of a message limit condition, and if the message limit condition occurs, setting the message transmission result to a no-transmit value, and if the message limit condition does not occur, setting the message transmission result to a transmit value; and
 updating the message count associated with the originator identity.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the updating the message count associated with the originator identity comprises:
 calculating a total number of recipients for the outbound message; and   incrementing the message count associated with the originator identity by the total number of recipients for the outbound message.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the message limit indicates an amount of outbound messages that may be transmitted from the originator computer system over a certain period of time for the originator identity. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the originator identity is indicative of at least one of: a specific user account operating under control of a computer user, a specific message sending user, and a specific domain. 
     
     
         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:
 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.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the performing a quota enforcement operation comprises comparing the message count associated with the originator identity with the message limit assigned to the originator identity to determine an occurrence of a message limit condition, and if the message limit condition occurs, setting the message transmission result to a no-transmit value, and if the message limit condition does not occur, setting the message transmission result to a transmit value; and
 updating the message count associated with the originator identity.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the updating the message count associated with the originator identity comprises:
 calculating a total number of recipients for the outbound message; and   incrementing the message count associated with the originator identity by the total number of recipients for the outbound message.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the message limit indicates an amount of outbound messages that may be transmitted from the originator computer system over a certain period of time for the originator identity. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the originator identity is indicative of at least one of: a specific user account operating under control of a computer user, a specific message sending user, and a specific domain. 
     
     
         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 different between the message limit and the message count.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 buffering, for later transmission on the computer network, a number of copies of the outbound message equal to a difference between a total number of recipients for the outbound message and the number of recipients to which the outbound message is transmitted; and   incrementing the message count associated with the originator identity by the total number of recipients for the outbound message.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the originator identity is indicative of at least one of: a specific user account operating under control of a computer user, a specific message sending user, and a specific domain. 
     
     
         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 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 different between the message limit and the message count.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:
 buffering, for later transmission on the computer network, a number of copies of the outbound message equal to a difference between a total number of recipients for the outbound message and the number of recipients to which the outbound message is transmitted; and   incrementing the message count associated with the originator identity by the total number of recipients for the outbound message.   
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 19 , wherein the originator identity is indicative of at least one of: a specific user account operating under control of a computer user, a specific message sending user, and a specific domain.