Yahoo! Inc.

Brian R Woods

Udi Manber

David Hikaru Nakayama

Geoffrey D Ralston

Matthew E Lewin

Ravichandran Menon Jayachandran

Ashvinkumar P Patel

The invention relates to processing similar electronic text communication. In one step, a first electronic and a second electronic submission, that are part of a plurality of electronic submissions, are received. A first portion is extracted from the first electronic submission and a second portion from the second electronic submission. Content of the first electronic submission influences extraction of the first portion and content of the second electronic submission influences extraction of the second portion. Locations for the first and second portions could vary with content. A first code is determined for the first portion and a second code for the second portion, where the first code is indicative of the first portion and the second code is indicative of the second portion. The first code to the second code are compared to associate the first and second electronic submission together.

Automated bulk communication responder

The present invention involves reducing the amount of unsolicited e-mail. In one embodiment, a method for automatically detecting unsolicited electronic mail from a mailer and automatically notifying facilitators of the mailer of the unsolicited electronic mail is disclosed. In one step, an electronic mail message is received from the mailer. It is automatically determined if the electronic mail message is probably unsolicited. A check for an open relay in routing information of a header of the electronic mail message is performed. The facilitating party of the mailer is determined. Information relating to the electronic mail message is automatically reported to the facilitating party.

Unsolicited electronic mail reduction

The present invention involves detecting unsolicited electronic mail distributed in bulk. In one embodiment, a method for automatically processing electronic mail loads an electronic mail message. Non non-textual information is removed from the electronic mail message. A first portion from the electronic mail message is located and a first code smaller than the first portion and indicative of the first portion is generated. A second portion from the electronic mail message is located and a second code smaller than the second portion and indicative of the second portion is generated. The first code and the second code are stored.

Processing of unsolicited bulk electronic mail

The invention relates to processing of electronic text communication distributed in bulk. In one embodiment, a method for detecting electronic text communication distributed in bulk is disclosed. After receiving a first electronic text communication, it is processed with an algorithm to produce a first fingerprint. A time period is begun for the first electronic text communication. After receiving a second electronic text communications, it is also processed with the algorithm to produce a second fingerprint. The first fingerprint to the second fingerprint are compared to determine if the first electronic text communication is similar to the second electronic text communication. A count for the first electronic text communication is updated based upon the comparison. It is determined if the count during the time period reaches a first threshold.

Processing of unsolicited bulk electronic communication

The invention relates to processing of electronic text communication distributed in bulk. In one embodiment, a process for blocking electronic text communication distributed in bulk is disclosed. In the process, a first electronic and a second electronic submission are received. A first portion is extracted from the first electronic submission and a second portion is extracted from the second electronic submission. A first code is determined for the first portion and a second code is determined for the second portion. The first code is indicative of the first portion and the second code is indicative of the second portion. After the first code is compared to the second code, the second electronic submission is filtered in response to that comparison.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Brian R Woods