Patent ID: 8321512
Filing Date: 2012-11-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for filtering email messages having an intended recipient email address identifying a user's mailbox, the method including, the steps of: receiving an email message on a computer sent to or from an electronic mail application; identifying a pattern of uppercase and lowercase letters used to form the intended recipient email address; generating an email message validation pattern based on the identified pattern; comparing the email message validation pattern to a stored email message validation pattern; providing filtering instruction to the electronic mail application for the email message based on the comparison; wherein the received email message comprises a reply to a prior email message sent from a sender's email address that is the intended recipient email address of the received email message, the method further including the additional steps of (a) applying case alterations to letters used to form the sender's email address of the prior email message producing a pattern of uppercase and lowercase letters used to form the sender's email address, (b) generating the email message validation pattern based on the pattern of uppercase and lowercase letters symbols used to form the sender's email address, and (c) storing the email message validation pattern for subsequent reference during said comparing step; and wherein the sender's email address comprises a local portion and a domain portion and wherein the email message validation pattern stored in step (c) comprises the pattern of uppercase and lowercase letters used to form the local portion of the sender's email address produced during step (a).