Patent ID: 7769813
Filing Date: 2010-08-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a memory; and a processor configured to update a counter value for an email address by incrementing or decrementing the counter value based on at least one second email received in response to at least one first email that was transmitted to the email address, where the processor is further configured, in response to a user inputting the email address as a destination for an email, to obtain from the memory a counter value for the email address, where the processor is further configured to compare the obtained counter value to a threshold value in order to determine whether the email address has a high possibility to cause a mis-transmission, wherein it is determined that the email address has a high possibility to cause a mis-transmission when the obtained counter value for the email address is lower than the threshold value, where the processor is further configured to notify the user in response to determining that the email address has a high possibility to cause a mis-transmission, where the processor is further configured, in response to the user inputting the email address as the destination for the email, to obtain from a database another address that is similar to a lexical unit of the email address, to display the other address as a candidate of the destination for the email, and to provide the user with an opportunity to select the destination from among the email address and the other address, where updating the counter value is performed over a first period of time preceding the user inputting the email address as the destination for the email, where updating the counter value further comprises in response to determining that a second email is a mis-transmission notification email, setting the counter value for the email address to be less than the threshold value, where updating the counter value further comprises subtracting a predetermined number from the counter value after a second period of time, where the database comprises a plurality of addresses with corresponding counter values and includes the email address and the counter value.