Email Address Portability Database for Seamless Message Redirection

Solution Overview

Problem

Users face issues with email address portability when switching internet service providers, as existing mechanisms do not allow for seamless transfer of email addresses, leading to disruptions in professional and personal communications, and existing solutions do not ensure data confidentiality and security.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for electronic address portability that allows messages to be transmitted through a communication network by using an electronic address portability database to obtain and update valid email addresses, even when the user changes internet service providers, ensuring that messages are delivered to the correct recipient without revealing sensitive information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a user changes Internet network operator, then the user can access new services and networks, but the user loses the ability to receive emails at the old email address

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to change Internet network operatorVSAvoidemail address validity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an email address portability database as an intermediary system that stores the mapping between old email addresses (associated with former Internet network operators) and new email addresses (associated with current operators). When an email is sent to an old address, the system queries this database to redirect the email to the current valid address, thus maintaining email reception capability despite operator changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing the mapping between old and new email addresses in the portability database before the old address becomes invalid. This allows the system to proactively redirect emails destined for old addresses to current addresses, preventing communication disruption before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If a user uses an email address provided by an Internet network operator, then the email address is easily obtained, but the email address becomes invalid when the user changes operators

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemail address acquisitionVSAvoidemail address validity period

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The portability database acts as an intermediary that decouples the email address from the Internet network operator. Instead of the email address being directly tied to a specific operator's domain, the system maintains a mapping that allows the email address to remain valid across operator changes, effectively extending its duration of validity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a user uses an email address from an OTT service provider, then the email address is independent of Internet network operators, but data confidentiality and security may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemail address independence from operatorVSAvoiddata confidentiality risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an email address portability database as an intermediary system that stores the mapping between old email addresses (associated with former Internet network operators) and new email addresses (associated with current operators). When an email is sent to an old address, the system queries this database to redirect the email to the current valid address, thus maintaining email reception capability despite operator changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing the mapping between old and new email addresses in the portability database before the old address becomes invalid. This allows the system to proactively redirect emails destined for old addresses to current addresses, preventing communication disruption before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3337208B1Method and device for transmitting a message

Publication Date: 2019.04.17 ORANGE SA

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AI summary

The invention relates to a method for transmitting, across a communication network, a message intended for a first user, comprising a first email address of a second user, said first email address including at least one first domain name. Upon receipt (20) of said message by a server of the communication network, a second email address of said second user is obtained (21) from a public identifier of said second user, said second email address including at least one second domain name different from the first domain name, from at least one email address portability database. The first email address is replaced (22) by the second email address in the message, and the message is transmitted (23) to a message receiving server of the first user.