Patent ID: 7979492

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of processing an e-mail at a mail server, comprising: in response to receiving an e-mail with a time decayed indicator, generating a unique temporary e-mail address that is associated with a primary e-mail address of a sender of the e-mail, wherein the unique temporary e-mail address is distinct from the primary e-mail address and all other temporary e-mail addresses generated by the mail server; wherein the primary e-mail address has a mailbox identifier and a server identifier, wherein an algorithm generates an algorithm value comprising a plurality of characters, wherein the unique temporary e-mail address is generated by interleaving the plurality of characters of the algorithm value with the mailbox identifier of the primary e-mail address in accordance with an anonymity level associated with the primary e-mail address; sending the e-mail using the unique temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address; in response to receiving another e-mail with another time-decayed indicator from another sender, generating another unique temporary e-mail address that is associated with another primary e-mail address of the another sender, wherein the algorithm generates another algorithm value comprising another plurality of characters; wherein the another unique temporary e-mail address is generated by combining at least one character of the another plurality of characters of the another algorithm value with at least one character of a mailbox identifier of the another primary e-mail address in accordance with another anonymity level associated with the another primary e-mail address; wherein said combining is distinct from said interleaving; and sending the another e-mail using the another unique temporary e-mail address as a sender e-mail address of the another sender.