Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing – Demand based messaging
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-08
2001-05-08
Vu, Viet D. (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
Demand based messaging
C709S225000, C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230188
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to on-line directory services, and more particularly to on-line directory services for obtaining email addresses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of commercial on-line directory services are available for access by the general public. These services are generally structured to include both “yellow pages” information as well as “white pages” information. By accessing the directory service through the Internet via particular web pages, a user can typically enter information about a third party, including such items as first name, last name, address, etc. The user then selects a search, or go, type button to initiate the search. Once initiated, the on-line directory service provider performs a computer search of various databases to determine whether a match is available. If so, the information is then displayed to the user.
Providing on-line information about a third party to a user, however, raises various issues regarding the privacy of that third party. With telephone numbers, there are currently ways to keep a number private if the third party does not wish the general public to have access to his or her telephone 1number. This usually takes the form of the person having an unlisted telephone number so that it is not actually entered into a yellow pages or white pages paper directory. On-line Internet directories are generally created using the paper directory or an authorized electronic version of those listings. Therefore, when the on-line Internet directories are created, there is little chance that an unlisted telephone number will be available therein, since it was unobtainable from the source.
Keeping a person's e-mail address private, however, is not so easily accomplished. One system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,742,769 provides a system whereby a particular party can register with the directory service provider and receive, as a benefit of their registration, the ability to configure their listing for various levels of privacy. In particular, the '769 patent allows a user to display the third party's listing information, display no listing information, display portions of the listing, or display an e-mail address as a “knock—knock” item. If the user selects the knock—knock feature, the general public is allowed to send an e-mail message to the particular party without actually having obtained that third party's e-mail address. If the third party wishes to respond to the user, then he or she may send a reply e-mail, thus giving that user his or her actual e-mail address.
The '769 registration system for altering the display of an e-mail address and providing a knock—knock feature is useful, however, it has a number of disadvantages. A first disadvantage is that unless a user is aware of that particular on-line directory service, then the responsibility of determining whether a user would like to keep his or her listing information private is up to the on-line directory service. It is cumbersome, as well as unlikely, for an on-line directory service to take the time necessary to poll each individual listing as to whether he or she would prefer to have their information public or private. Thus, it is highly likely for an on-line directory service to unwittingly make public, email address information that a person would prefer to have kept private.
A second disadvantage is that the '769 patent is that it is cumbersome. It appears to require the person to register with the on-line directory service and to select a privacy option before being able to allow the third party listing to take advantage of such a feature. Most people are unwilling to go to the effort of registering in order to take advantage of such a system, especially since the person may not even know that their email address is listed with that particular directory service and further may feel that since the listing is shown publicly to begin with, there would be no point in now making it private.
A third problem is that spammers routinely gather e-mail information from on-line directory services and resell this information to individuals and businesses for marketing purposes. These e-mail addresses are sold in large batches and contain e-mail addresses from all over the world. While spam e-mail is undesirable in the United States simply because it wastes computing resources and is a nuisance to clear out of one's e-mail box, it is a much more significant problem in Europe where many countries charge their e-mail addressees for each piece of e-mail received.
Thus, a need exists for an on-line directory service that has an improved system for dealing with privacy issues regarding e-mail addresses. The present invention is directed to fulfilling this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a method for protecting the privacy of a person's full email address in an on-line directory service database record is provided. The directory service includes a processor available for retrieving such listings from the database. The method includes the computer implemented steps of receiving from a user a request for a person's email address and determining whether or not a record is present in the database that corresponds with the user request. If a record is present that includes a person's actual email address, then the processing system automatically displays a selectable proxy address in lieu of the person's actual email address. The proxy address is provided without having been requested by the person and without requiring the processing system to determine whether or not the person prefers to have a proxy email address displayed or the person's actual email address displayed. The proxy email address includes a selectable portion that enables the user to send an email message to the person without knowing that person's actual email address.
In accordance with other aspects of this invention, an on-line directory service is provided including a database of information including actual email addresses and a processing system. The processing system receives a user request for an actual email address and in response, determines the actual email address from the database. Upon finding the actual email address, the processing automatically provides the user with a selectable proxy email address and not the actual email address.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5742769 (1998-04-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5813006 (1998-09-01), Polnerow et al.
patent: 5822526 (1998-10-01), Waskiewicz
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
Claiborne, Esq. Anthony B.
InfoSpace, Inc.
Vu Viet D.
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