COVERT MESSAGE REDACTION AND RECOVERY IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20120028659A1
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Delker, Jason R., Whitney, Jason Kent
• Granted Patent: US 8,233,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

A wireless communication device comprises a user interface, a memory, a wireless communication interface, and a processing system. The wireless communication interface is configured to wirelessly receive a message. The processing system is configured to direct the memory to store the message. The processing system is configured to drive the user interface to display the message, display a message redaction indicator, and responsively receive a message redaction instruction. The processing system is configured to redact a portion of the message responsive to the message redaction instruction and direct the memory to store the redacted portion of the message. The processing system is configured to drive the user interface to display the message without the redacted portion, display a message recovery indicator, and responsively receive a message recovery instruction. The processing system is configured to recover the message responsive to the message recovery instruction and drive the user interface to display the message with the previously redacted portion.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a user interface;

a memory;

a wireless communication interface configured to wirelessly receive a message;

a processing system configured to direct the memory to store the message;

the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the message, display a message redaction indicator, and responsively receive a message redaction instruction;

the processing system configured to redact a portion of the message responsive to the message redaction instruction and direct the memory to store the redacted portion of the message;

the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the message without the redacted portion, display a message recovery indicator, and responsively receive a message recovery instruction; and

the processing system configured to recover the message responsive to the message recovery instruction and drive the user interface to display the message with the previously redacted portion.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the message redaction indicator comprises the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the message redaction indicator responsive to receiving a selection of a covert redaction option.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2 wherein the covert redaction option comprises a hidden menu item.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the message recovery indicator comprises the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the message recovery indicator responsive to receiving a selection of a covert recovery option.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the message without the redacted portion comprises the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the message without the redacted portion along with a covert notification that indicates the message is partially redacted.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 5 wherein the covert notification comprises only a changed location of a displayed item.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the processing system configured to recover the message responsive to the message recovery instruction comprises the processing system configured to recover the message responsive to the message recovery instruction after successful user authentication.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the message comprises a short message service message.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the message comprises an email message.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 1 wherein the message comprises a visual voicemail message.

11. A method of operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving a message, storing the message, and displaying the message;

displaying a message redaction indicator and responsively receiving a message redaction instruction;

redacting a portion of the message responsive to the message redaction instruction and storing the redacted portion of the message;

displaying the message without the redacted portion;

displaying a message recovery indicator and responsively receiving a message recovery instruction; and

recovering the message responsive to the message recovery instruction and displaying the message with the previously redacted portion.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein displaying the message redaction indicator comprises displaying the message redaction indicator responsive to receiving a selection of a covert redaction option.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the covert redaction option comprises a hidden menu item.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein displaying the message recovery indicator comprises displaying the message recovery indicator responsive to receiving a selection of a covert recovery option.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein displaying the message without the redacted portion comprises displaying the message without the redacted portion along with a covert notification that indicates the message is partially redacted.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the covert notification comprises only a changed location of a displayed item.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein recovering the message responsive to the message recovery instruction recovering the message responsive to the message recovery instruction after successful user authentication.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the message comprises a short message service message.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the message comprises an email message.

20. A wireless communication device comprising:

a user interface;

a memory;

a wireless communication interface configured to wirelessly receive a short message service (SMS) message;

a processing system configured to direct the memory to store the SMS message;

the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the SMS message, covertly display a message redaction indicator, and responsively receive a message redaction instruction;

the processing system configured to redact a portion of the SMS message responsive to the message redaction instruction and direct the memory to store the redacted portion of the SMS message;

the processing system configured to drive the user interface to display the SMS message without the redacted portion, covertly display a message recovery indicator, receive a selection of the message recovery indicator, prompt for user authentication responsive to the selection of the message recovery indicator, and responsively receive a message recovery instruction; and

the processing system configured to recover the SMS message responsive to the message recovery instruction and drive the user interface to display the SMS message with the previously redacted portion.