Anonymous two way communications system and method

• US 10,084,741 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smessenger Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Langhorst, Paul J., Meiners, Paul J., Moore, Joe H., Palacios, Joseph R, Palacios, Kyle R
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tseng, Leon Y
• Application Number:
  US13/793,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 709238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/75 Temporary identity

Abstract

A system and method for allowing two-way anonymous communication. A message is received by the system, and a unique user ID is created and associated with the sender'"'"'s contact information. The message if forwarded to the appropriate administrative user, along with the user ID but not the sender'"'"'s contact information. A response from the administrative user may then be routed back to the sender by matching the user ID associated with the response with the contact information associated with that user ID. Thus, communication with possible without the parties knowing the identity of the other party.

Claims

1. A system for allowing anonymous communication comprising:

at least one processor and electronic memory;

an incoming message module stored in the electronic memory and executing on the at least one processor, wherein the incoming message module receives an incoming phone or text message from a sender;

an anonymizer stored in the electronic memory and executing on the at least one processor, wherein the anonymizer generates a unique user ID based on contact information associated with the sender;

a database stored in the electronic memory and executing on the at least one processor, wherein the database stores the user ID as associated with the sender'"'"'s contact information; and

an alert distributor stored in the electronic memory and executing on the at least one processor, wherein the alert distributor determines an appropriate administrative user to receive the message based on permissions, the permissions based on either time of day or type of message, and forwards the message to the appropriate administrative user,

wherein a different user ID is created each time a message is received from the sender within a chain between the sender and the administrative user.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a response module stored in the electronic memory and executing on the at least one processor, wherein the response module receives a response from the administrative user;

a decoder stored in the electronic memory and executing on the at least one processor, wherein the decoder determines the sender'"'"'s contact information; and

a response distributor stored in the electronic memory and executing on the at least one processor, wherein the response distributor forwards the response to the sender.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the anonymizer uses a cryptographic algorithm to encode the sender'"'"'s contact information into the user ID.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the decoder determines the sender'"'"'s contact information by decoding the user ID.

5. A processor-implemented method for allowing anonymous communication comprising:

an incoming message module receiving an incoming message via phone call or text message from a sender;

an anonymizer generating an anonymous unique user ID based on contact information associated with the sender;

a database storing the user ID as associated with the sender'"'"'s contact information;

an alert distributor determining an appropriate administrative user to receive the message based on permissions, the permissions based on either time of day or type of message; and

the alert distributor forwarding the message to the appropriate administrative user,

the anonymizer creating a different user ID each time a message is received from the sender within a chain between the sender and the administrative user.

6. The processor-implemented method of claim 5 further comprising:

a response module receiving a response from the administrative user;

a decoder determining the sender'"'"'s contact information; and

a response distributor forwarding the response to the sender.