Message communication systems and applications with message lifetime settings for automatic message deletion

• US 10,708,211 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert S. Penilla, C. Douglass Thomas, Jason M. Penilla
• Original Assignee: Albert S. Penilla, C. Douglass Thomas, Jason M. Penilla
• Inventors: Penilla, Jason M., Penilla, Albert S., Thomas, C. Douglass
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US16/201,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20190097960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management

Abstract

Computer implemented methods, systems and computer readable media are provided for processing and managing electronic messaging. In one example, a system includes a client interface for enabling access to users of the electronic messaging system. Each user is provided with an inbox for electronically receiving messages and a sent box for electronically sending messages. The client interface is configured to receive an input for setting a lifetime setting for a message that is composed by a sender to a recipient via the client interface. Further provided is processing logic of the electronic messaging system for tracking messages having a lifetime setting and processing logic for deleting a message having a lifetime setting after expiration of a time period defined by the lifetime setting. The deleting is configured to remove the message from the sent box of the sender and the inbox of the recipient.

Claims

1. An electronic messaging system, comprising,

the electronic messaging system being for an enterprise that facilitates user accounts for users of the electronic messaging system;

a client interface provided by the enterprise to respectively enable access to each of the users of the electronic messaging system, each user being provided with an inbox for electronically receiving messages and a sent box for electronically sending messages, the client interface configured to receive an input for applying a lifetime setting for a message made by a sender to a recipient via the client interface;

the applying of the lifetime setting being automatic based on a sensitivity of the message as determined by the enterprise;

a processor processing logic of the electronic messaging system for tracking messages having the lifetime setting; and

the processor for deleting a message having the lifetime setting after expiration of a time period defined by the lifetime setting, the deleting acting to remove the message from the sent box of the sender and the inbox of the recipient.

2. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the time period is started when the recipient opens the message, and said sensitivity of the message is based an identity of either the sender or the recipient of the message.

3. The electronic messaging system of claim 2, wherein a viewing interface for the message includes an indicator showing the lifetime and the time period.

4. The electronic messaging system of claim 3, wherein the time period is decreased in a form of a timer, which is displayed on the viewing interface for the message.

5. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the time period is started when the recipient receives, or opens, or views the message, and said sensitivity of the message is based on an analyzed context of the message, said context includes subject matter discussed or language present in the message.

6. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the recipient is requested to agree to the lifetime before the message is made viewable to the recipient, or no agreement is required if the lifetime is set by the enterprise based on the sensitivity of the message.

7. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the message is an electronic text message or an electronic mail message, and the sensitivity of the message is based on enterprise rules set by an administrator of the electronic messaging system.

8. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the message includes as an attachment a file or a video or a picture or a media file or combinations of two or more thereof, and said attachment is further associated with the lifetime setting when the lifetime setting is applied to the message.

9. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the message is an electronic chat message or an electronic mail message.

10. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the electronic messaging system is used by the enterprise enables collaboration of messages and/or files between the users via their respective user accounts and an administrator of the enterprise is enabled to assign lifetime settings differently to two or more user accounts of the enterprise.

11. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the enterprise is enabled to mark files with lifetime settings separately from said messages or user accounts.

12. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the sensitivity of the message is identified based on a rule applied by the enterprise based on analysis of words in the message.

13. A computer implemented method for managing electronic messages, comprising:

electronically receiving a message for a recipient, the message being from a sender and identified for the recipient, the sender having a user account associated with an enterprise and the enterprise is configured to assign a lifetime setting to the message,

the enterprise being configured to assign a period of time for the lifetime setting based on sensitivity set by the enterprise for the sender;

enabling viewing of the message by the recipient; and

deleting the message automatically when the period of time expires as set by the lifetime setting.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein deleting of the message includes deleting copies of the message on one or all of a server, a client device of the sender or a client device of the recipient.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the message is one of a text message or an email message or an enterprise message, or combinations thereof.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein attachments of the message inherit the lifetime setting of the message.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the enterprise enables collaboration of messages and/or files between the users via their respective user accounts and an administrator of the enterprise is enabled to assign lifetime settings differently to two or more user accounts of the enterprise.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the enterprise is enabled to mark files with lifetime settings separately from said messages or user accounts.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the sensitivity of the message is set by the enterprise based on analysis of words in the message and application of preset rules for words in messages.

20. A computer implemented method for managing electronic messages, comprising:

electronically receiving a message for a recipient, the message being from a sender and identified for the recipient, the sender having a user account associated with an enterprise;

accessing administrative settings for the enterprise, the administrative settings identifying lifetime settings for users of the electronic messages of the enterprise, the user account of the sender having associated therewith a lifetime setting for messages sent by the sender;

applying a lifetime to the message based on the lifetime setting associated to the sender when sending electronic messages via the enterprise;

sending a link to the recipient in place of the message, the link providing access to the message with information regarding the lifetime setting for confidentiality regarding the message, such that access of the link provides access to the message to the recipient; and

deleting the message once the lifetime setting for the message has expired.