Patent ID: 6421709
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
A method for mail server side filtering electronic mail received over a communication medium comprising the steps of:providing a first filter at the mail server including a list of spam messages which should not be sent to an end user; receiving a first electronic message ultimately intended for one or more end users at the mail server; comparing at the said mail server said received first electronic message to said spam messages provided in said first filter, said received first electronic message discarded if said received first electronic message is included as a spam message in said first filter and transmitting said first electronic message to the end user if said received first electronic message is not included as a spam message in said first filter; providing a second filter at the mail server for the receipt of a second electronic message sent over the communications medium from an end user, said second electronic message received at said second filter considered to be a spam message by the end user; providing a counter associated with said second filter; counting the number of repeated second electronic messages received by said second filter; adding said second electronic message to said first filter as a spam message, if said counter exceeds a predetermined value; and adding said second electronic message to said first filter as a spam message, if said second filter determines that said second electronic message is a spam message.