Patent ID: 7461263
Filing Date: 2008-12-02
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method comprising: a data collecting system collecting a set of one or more do-not-email list entries, each do-not-email list entry is a string of characters representing an email address; applying an encryption scheme to the set of one or more do-not-email list entries to encrypt the strings of characters to create a set of one or more encrypted do-not-email list entries, wherein the encryption scheme is intended to conceal the do-not-email list entries from an intended recipient; transferring the set of one or more encrypted do-not-email list entries to a master do-not-email list server configured to store the set of one or more encrypted do-not-email list entries without revealing the email address corresponding to each of the encrypted do-not-email list entries; a client machine requesting from the master do-not-email list server at least one encrypted do-not-email list entry from the set of one or more encrypted do-not email list entries to create or update a client do-not-email list on the client machine; the client machine causing a client email list entry to be encrypted using the same encryption scheme to create an encrypted client email list entry; the client machine comparing the encrypted client email list entry to the encrypted do-not-email list entries on the client do-not-email list to determine whether the encrypted client email list entry appears on the client do-not-email list; the client machine removing and/or not transmitting email to the email address that corresponds to the encrypted client email list entry upon determining that the encrypted client email list entry appears on the client do-not-email list; and the client machine transmitting at least one email to the email address that corresponds to the encrypted client email list entry upon determining that the encrypted client email list entry does not appear on the client do-not-email list.