Method and system for filtering unauthorized electronic mail messages

Abstract

A computer system and method for filtering unauthorized electronic mail messages that are sent by senders to a user. In one embodiment, the system includes a list of the identifications of the senders who are authorized to send an electronic mail message to the user. When an electronic mail message is received, the system determines whether the identification of sender in the electronic mail message is in the list of the identifications of the senders who are authorized. When the sender of the electronic mail message is determined to be authorized, the system stores the electronic mail message in a designated folder. When the sender of the electronic mail message is determined to be not authorized, the system stores the electronic mail message in a folder other than the designated folder.

1 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . Computer apparatus having a default location for storing received electronic mail messages each of which includes a respective identification of a sender of the electronic mail message, the computer apparatus comprising:
 a storage device retaining a record of the identifications of the senders who are authorized to send an electronic mail message to the user; and   a processing apparatus operable to:
 compare the identification of a sender of each electronic mail message with the record of the identifications retained in the storage device to determine whether the sender of the electronic mail message is authorized or unauthorized; 
 cause the electronic mail message to be stored in the default location only if the sender of the electronic mail message is determined to be authorized; and 
 cause the user to receive the electronic mail message responsive to another user providing an indication that the electronic mail message should be viewed by the user even though the electronic mail message was sent by an unauthorized sender. 
   
     
     
         9 . The computer apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the default location comprises a message folder. 
     
     
         10 . The computer apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the default location comprises an in-box message folder. 
     
     
         11 . The computer apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the processing apparatus is further operable to:
 automatically delete any electronic mail message received from an unauthorized sender unless that electronic mail message possesses the indication. 
 
     
     
         12 . A method for receiving electronic mail messages in a manner that is personalized to a recipient, the method comprising:
 generating a list of senders authorized to send electronic mail messages;   sharing the list of authorized senders with a plurality of recipients of electronic mail messages;   determining whether the sender of an electronic mail message is authorized by determining whether the sender is in the generated list of authorized senders; and   determining whether the sender of the electronic mail message is designated as being unauthorized by determining that the sender is not in the shared list;   wherein electronic mail messages from senders that are designated as unauthorized are stored in a first location, and messages from senders that are designated as authorized are stored in a different location than said first location.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the act of generating the list of senders authorized to send electronic mail messages further comprises adding the senders of previously received electronic mail messages to the list. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the act of generating the list of senders authorized to send electronic mail messages further comprises adding the recipients of previously sent messages to the list. 
     
     
         15 . A method for receiving electronic mail messages in a manner that is personalized to a recipient, the method comprising:
 evaluating a first electronic message sent from a sender and addressed to a user by determining whether an identity of the sender is on a first list of pre-approved sender identities shared between a plurality of users; and   making the first electronic message available to be selectively viewed by the user from a first directory location when the identity of the sender is on the first list, the first directory location comprising a primary directory location from which electronic messages received by the user and not determined to be junk are to be selected for initial viewing by the user; and   making the first electronic message available to be selectively viewed by the user from a second directory location separate from the first directory location when it is determined that the identity of the sender is not on the first list, the second directory location comprising a directory location from which electronic messages received by the user and determined to be junk are to be selected for initial viewing by the user.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 allowing the user to receive an electronic mail message responsive to another user providing an indication that the electronic mail message should be viewed by the user from the first directory location even though the electronic mail message was sent by an unauthorized sender.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing a visual indication to the user that the identity of the sender of the first electronic message is not on the first list when it is determined that the identity of the sender is not on the first list, the visual indication visually identifying the first electronic message from among other electronic messages in a list of electronic messages in the first directory location.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the provision of the visual indication is performed upon further determination that the first electronic message comprises junk. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the making of the first electronic message available to be selectively viewed by the user from the first directory location is performed regardless of whether or not the first electronic message is determined to be junk. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the making of the first electronic message available to be selectively viewed by the user from the second directory location is performed upon further determination that the first electronic message comprises junk. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing the user with an option to enable the making of the first electronic message available from the second directory location to be performed regardless of whether or not the first electronic message is otherwise determined to be junk.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the making of the first electronic message available to be selectively viewed by the user from the first directory location is performed regardless of whether or not the first electronic message is determined to be junk. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 enabling the user to add the identity of the sender to the first list upon the user identifying the electronic message in the second directory location.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 enabling the user to remove the identity of the sender from the first list upon the user identifying the electronic message in the first directory location.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 separately determining if the identity of the sender is on a second list of pre-approved send identities, the making of the first electronic message available to be selectively viewed by the user from the first directory location being performed when it is determined that the identity of the sender is on the second list; and   sharing the second list of pre-approved sender identities among a plurality of users, the first list of pre-approved sender identities being personal to the user.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 sharing the first list of pre-approved sender identities among multiple users.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first list of pre-approved sender identities is unmodifiable by the user. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first list of pre-approved sender identities comprises a combination of first sender identities denoted by the user as business-related, and second sender identities denoted by the user as social-related. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing the user with an option to automatically update the first list of pre-approved sender identities with a block of pre-existing identities.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the block of identities corresponds to recipients of electronic messages previously sent by the user.