Methods and systems for processing an ephemeral content message

• US 10,681,202 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WhatsApp LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: WhatsApp LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Inventors: Sarafa, Randall, Fooksman, Eugene, Acton, Brian, Koum, Jan, Donohue, Michael B., Kret, Ehren Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeudy, Josnel
• Application Number:
  US15/705,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20180241707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0827 involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0844 with user authentication or key authentication, e.g. ElGamal, MTI, MQV-Menezes-Qu-Vanstone protocol or Diffie-Hellman protocols using implicitly-certified keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 : Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 : Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments relate to techniques for transmitting ephemeral content messages. A sending client may establish an end-to-end encrypted session with possible recipients of the message, using a first decryption key during initial session setup. The client may send an ephemeral content message, including encrypted content and a second key, to the recipients through a server. The server may be unable to retrieve the encrypted content due to a lack of the second key. The server may filter a list of intended recipients, and may forward the ephemeral content message to the recipients on the filtered list. The recipients may retrieve the second key from the message, and use the first and second keys to decrypt the encrypted content. The sending client may change the second key each time the recipient list changes from the perspective of the sending client, as determined at the time the ephemeral content message is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving setup information for an end-to-end encrypted session between a sending client and a receiving client, the setup information comprising information relating to a first encryption key for decrypting message content;

transmitting the setup information to the receiving client, the receiving client being one of a plurality of recipients of a message including ephemeral content, the ephemeral content associated with encrypted media and a second key for decrypting the media, wherein the ephemeral content comprises a thumbnail of the media and a link to the media, the link to the media being configured to link to a high-quality version of the media that is remotely accessible to the receiving client for a predetermined period of time or for a predetermined number of views after which the link is rendered inactive, wherein accessibility of the high-quality version of the media is separately determined for each of the plurality of recipients of the message; and

transmitting the ephemeral content to the receiving client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a list of intended recipients of the message;

filtering the list of intended recipients, the filtering comprising one or more of;

removing recipients that do not have a symmetric relationship with a sending user account associated with the sending client account from the list,

removing recipients that block messages from the sending user account, or

removing recipients whose messages are blocked by the sending user account.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reply to the message from the receiving client;

determining that the message was transmitted as part of a broadcast; and

sending the reply as part of a one-on-one conversation between a sending user account associated with the sending client and a receiving user account associated with the receiving client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted to a group of recipients, and further comprising receiving a reply to the message, verifying that an encrypted session exists between each pair of members of the group, and transmitting the reply to the group of recipients.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a synchronous relationship between a sending user account associated with the sending client and a third user account after receiving the message; and

refraining from transmitting the message to a third device associated the third user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a server that receives the message including the ephemeral content is unable to access the encrypted media.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing:

instructions configured to cause one or more processors to receive setup information for an end-to-end encrypted session between a sending client and a receiving client, the receiving client being one of a plurality of recipients of a message including ephemeral content, the setup information comprising information relating to a first encryption key for decrypting message content;

instructions configured to cause one or more processors to transmit the setup information to the receiving client;

instructions configured to cause one or more processors to receive the message, the status update associated with encrypted media and a second key for decrypting the media, wherein the ephemeral content comprises a thumbnail of the media and a link to the media, the link to the media being configured to link to a high-quality version of the media that is remotely accessible to the receiving client for a predetermined period of time or for a predetermined number of views after which the link is rendered inactive, wherein accessibility of the high-quality version of the media is separately determined for each of the plurality of recipients of the message; and

instructions configured to cause one or more processors to transmit the status update to the receiving client.

8. The medium of claim 7, further storing:

instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to access a list of intended recipients of the message;

instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to filter the list of intended recipients, the filtering comprising one or more of;

removing recipients that do not have a symmetric relationship with a sending user account associated with the sending client account from the list,

removing recipients that block messages from the sending user account, or

removing recipients whose messages are blocked by the sending user account.

9. The medium of claim 7, further storing:

instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to receive a reply to the message from the receiving client;

instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to determine that the message was transmitted as part of a broadcast; and

instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to send the reply as part of a one-on-one conversation between a sending user account associated with the sending client and a receiving user account associated with the receiving client.

10. The medium of claim 7, wherein the status update is transmitted to a group of recipients, and further storing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to receive a reply to the message, verify that an encrypted session exists between each pair of members of the group, and transmit the reply to the group of recipients.

11. The medium of claim 7, further storing:

instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to establish a synchronous relationship between a sending user account associated with the sending client and a third user account after receiving the message, wherein the one or more processors are configured to refrain from transmitting the message to a third device associated the third user.

12. The medium of claim 7, wherein a server that receives the message including the ephemeral content is unable to access the encrypted content.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store setup information for an end-to-end encrypted session between a sending client and a receiving client, the setup information comprising information relating to a first encryption key for decrypting message content;

end-to-end encryption session logic, implemented at least partially in hardware, configured to transmit the setup information to the receiving client, the receiving client being one of a plurality of recipients of a message including ephemeral content; and

network interface logic, implemented at least partially in hardware, configured to receive the message, the status update associated with encrypted media and a second key for decrypting the media, wherein the ephemeral content comprises a thumbnail of the media and a link to the media, the link to the media being configured to link to a high-quality version of the media that is remotely accessible to the receiving client for a predetermined period of time or for a predetermined number of views after which the link is rendered inactive, wherein accessibility of the high-quality version of the media is separately determined for each of the plurality of recipients of the message, and to transmit the message to the receiving client.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising filtering logic, implemented at least partially in hardware, configured to access a list of intended recipients of the message and filter the list of intended recipients, the filtering comprising one or more of:

removing recipients that do not have a symmetric relationship with a sending user account associated with the sending client account from the list,

removing recipients that block messages from the sending user account, or

removing recipients whose messages are blocked by the sending user account.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising verification logic, implemented at least partially in hardware, configured to determine that the message was transmitted as part of a broadcast, wherein the network interface logic is further configured to receive a reply to the status update from the receiving client, and to send the reply as part of a one-on-one conversation between a sending user account associated with the sending client and a receiving user account associated with the receiving client.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the message is transmitted to a group of recipients, and further comprising verification logic, implemented at least partially in hardware, configured to verify that an encrypted session exists between each pair of members of the group, wherein the network interface logic is further configured to receive a reply to the status update, and transmit the reply to the group of recipients when the verification logic verifies the existence of the encrypted session.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising relationship logic, implemented at least partially in hardware, configured to establish a synchronous relationship between a sending user account associated with the sending client and a third user account after receiving the message, wherein the one or more processors are configured to refrain from transmitting the message to a third device associated the third user.