US6144934A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Binary filter using pattern recognition
Assignee: McAfee LLC
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Filing: 1996-09-18
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Granted: 2000-11-07
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Expires: 2016-09-18
Abstract
Abstract An electronic message filtering system and method is described. A message is received as input to the filter and decomposed into a set of components. The set of components is then processed through a pattern matching algorithm to determine if the message contents contains patterns inherent in a specified pattern, such as a natural language. The results of the pattern match analysis are output by the filter.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward B. Stockwell
- 👤 William E. Boebert
- 👤 Heidi A. Vanyo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:58
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L63/00; H04L63/02; H04L63/0227; H04L63/0245; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/212; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L51/234
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of detecting if an electronic message is in a particular format, comprising the steps of: decomposing the message into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; and applying pattern recognition logic to the set of components as a function of the predetermined component size to determine if the electronic message is predominately natural language text, wherein applying pattern recognition logic includes: determining an observed phi of the electronic message; determining a plain-text phi of the electronic message as a function of the component size; and comparing the observed phi to the plain-text phi to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of detecting if an electronic message is in a particular format, comprising the steps of: decomposing the message into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; and applying pattern recognition logic to the set of components as a function of the predetermined component size to determine if the electronic message is predominately natural language text, wherein applying pattern recognition logic includes: determining an observed phi of the electronic message; determining a plain-text phi of the electronic message as a function of the component size; and comparing the observed phi to the plain-text phi to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of decomposing the message comprises the step of breaking the message into words.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of decomposing the message comprises the step of breaking the message into N-grams, wherein N equals the component size.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
7 words
The method of claim 3, wherein N=3.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of decomposing the message includes breaking the message into N-grams, wherein N equals the component size and wherein the step of applying pattern recognition logic comprises: analyzing the frequency of the N-grams with N-gram analysis; applying a heuristic capable of distinguishing between natural language text and another message format; and determining, based on the N-gram analysis and application of the heuristic, whether the electronic message is likely to be natural language text.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the heuristic counts the number of null characters in the electronic message.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the heuristic calculates a ratio of lowercase to uppercase characters in the electronic message.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5, wherein the heuristic calculates a ratio of punctuation to total valid characters in the electronic message.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of filtering an electronic message to detect a particular format, comprising the steps of: decomposing the electronic message into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; determining an observed phi of the electronic message; determining a plain-text phi of the electronic message as a function of the component size; and comparing the observed phi to the plain-text phi to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of filtering an electronic message to detect a particular format, comprising the steps of: decomposing the electronic message into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; determining an observed phi of the electronic message; determining a plain-text phi of the electronic message as a function of the component size; and comparing the observed phi to the plain-text phi to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the step of decomposing the message comprises the step of breaking the message into words.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 9, wherein the step of decomposing the message comprises the step of breaking the message into N-grams, wherein N equals the component size.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the step of applying pattern recognition logic comprises: analyzing the frequency of the N-grams with N-gram analysis; applying a heuristic capable of distinguishing between natural language text and another message format; and determining, based on the N-gram analysis and application of the heuristic, whether the electronic message is likely to be natural language text.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of filtering an electronic message, comprising the steps: receiving an electronic message from an electronic mail structure; decomposing the message into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; applying pattern recognition logic to the set of components as a function of the predetermined component size to determine if the electronic message is predominately natural language text, wherein applying pattern recognition logic includes: determining an observed phi of the electronic message; determining a plain-text phi of the electronic message as a function of the component size; and comparing the observed phi to the plain-text phi to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format; and issuing an affirmative response to the electronic mail structure if the electronic message is predominately natural language text.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of filtering an electronic message, comprising the steps: receiving an electronic message from an electronic mail structure; decomposing the message into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; applying pattern recognition logic to the set of components as a function of the predetermined component size to determine if the electronic message is predominately natural language text, wherein applying pattern recognition logic includes: determining an observed phi of the electronic message; determining a plain-text phi of the electronic message as a function of the component size; and comparing the observed phi to the plain-text phi to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format; and issuing an affirmative response to the electronic mail structure if the electronic message is predominately natural language text.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the step of decomposing the message comprises breaking the message into N-grams, wherein N equals the component size.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
7 words
The method of claim 14, wherein N=3.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13, wherein the step of decomposing the message comprises breaking the message into N-grams, wherein N equals the component size.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the step of applying pattern recognition logic comprises: analyzing the frequency of the N-grams with N-gram analysis; applying a heuristic capable of distinguishing between natural language text and another message format; and determining, based on the N-gram analysis and application of the heuristic, whether the electronic message is likely to be natural language text.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of filtering an electronic message to detect a particular format, comprising the steps: receiving an electronic message from an electronic mail structure; decomposing the message into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; determining an observed phi of the electronic message; determining a plain-text phi of the electronic message as a function of the component size; and comparing the observed phi to the plain-text phi to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of filtering an electronic message to detect a particular format, comprising the steps: receiving an electronic message from an electronic mail structure; decomposing the message into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; determining an observed phi of the electronic message; determining a plain-text phi of the electronic message as a function of the component size; and comparing the observed phi to the plain-text phi to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
140 words
An electronic message filter, comprising: a filter initialization module; a message analysis module, wherein the message analysis module includes: decomposition means for decomposing electronic messages into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; and pattern recognition means for determining if the set of components has characteristics expected in an electronic message which is predominately natural language text, wherein the pattern recognition means determines an observed phi of the electronic message and compares the observed phi to a plain-text phi of the electronic message to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format, wherein the plain-text phi is determined as a function of the predetermined component size; and a clean-up module; wherein the message analysis module determines if the electronic messages should be passed based on whether the electronic messages are predominately natural language text.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
140 words
An electronic message filter, comprising: a filter initialization module; a message analysis module, wherein the message analysis module includes: decomposition means for decomposing electronic messages into a set of components according to a predetermined component size; and pattern recognition means for determining if the set of components has characteristics expected in an electronic message which is predominately natural language text, wherein the pattern recognition means determines an observed phi of the electronic message and compares the observed phi to a plain-text phi of the electronic message to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format, wherein the plain-text phi is determined as a function of the predetermined component size; and a clean-up module; wherein the message analysis module determines if the electronic messages should be passed based on whether the electronic messages are predominately natural language text.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electronic message filter of claim 19, wherein the filter initialization module comprises storage means for storing execution parameters for the message analysis module.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The electronic message filter of claim 19, wherein the decomposition means is an N-gram decomposition module, wherein N equals the component size.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electronic message filter of claim 19, wherein the pattern recognition means includes means for applying a set of rules based on a heuristic associated with the particular format.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electronic message filter of claim 19, wherein the pattern recognition means includes means for applying a phi-test to the set of components as a function of the component size.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
183 words
A computer program product, comprising: a computer usable medium having a computer readable code means embodied therein for causing electronic messages to be analyzed as to whether the contents of each electronic message comprises a natural language, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising: computer readable program code means for causing a computer to read a first electronic message; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to decompose the first electronic message into components according to a predetermined component size; and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to perform a pattern analysis of the components to identify whether the first electronic message is predominately natural language text, wherein the program code means causes the computer to perform a pattern analysis of the components in order to determine an observed phi of the electronic message and compare the observed phi to a plain-text phi of the electronic message to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format, wherein the plain-text phi is determined as a function of the predetermined component size.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
183 words
A computer program product, comprising: a computer usable medium having a computer readable code means embodied therein for causing electronic messages to be analyzed as to whether the contents of each electronic message comprises a natural language, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising: computer readable program code means for causing a computer to read a first electronic message; computer readable program code means for causing a computer to decompose the first electronic message into components according to a predetermined component size; and computer readable program code means for causing a computer to perform a pattern analysis of the components to identify whether the first electronic message is predominately natural language text, wherein the program code means causes the computer to perform a pattern analysis of the components in order to determine an observed phi of the electronic message and compare the observed phi to a plain-text phi of the electronic message to determine if the electronic message includes data in the particular format, wherein the plain-text phi is determined as a function of the predetermined component size.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
106 words
The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the program code for causing a computer to decompose the first electronic message includes program code for breaking the message into N-grams, wherein N equals the component size and wherein the program code for causing a computer to perform a pattern analysis includes: program code for analyzing the frequency of the N-grams with N-gram analysis; program code for applying a heuristic capable of distinguishing between natural language text and another message format; and program code for determining, based on the N-gram analysis and application of the heuristic, whether the electronic message is likely to be natural language text.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-07 | 2004-05-08 | 2004-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-07 | 2008-05-08 | 2008-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-07 | 2012-05-08 | 2012-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |