Abstract: A method and apparatus for the re-routing of e-mail sent to a prior address (or an address that is non-working, or temporarily inconvenient) to the new address of an intended recipient. E-mail that is to be sent to a recipient is sent to the former Internet Service Provider (ISP). Because the recipient is no longer a subscriber to the old ISP, or because the address at the old ISP is temporarily inconvenient, the e-mail is re-routed to a re-route server of the present invention. The re-route server then causes the e-mail to be sent to the correct address through a variety of processes. Alternatively, new e-mail addresses are made available at the old ISP. The old ISP can then forward e-mail messages directly to the new ISP.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 23, 1999
Date of Patent:
August 20, 2002
Assignee:
Re-Route Corporation
Inventors:
Mark E. McDowell, Joseph G. Khalil, Graham D. Stead