SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELF-EXPIRING DATA CONTENT

• US 20130080479A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Eraser App Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Eraser App Ltd.
• Inventors: Hagag, Noam, Fuchs, Gil
• Application Number:
  US13/245,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080479A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data

Abstract

A system and method for supporting self-expiring data content. In accordance with an embodiment, a data record can be associated with a future expiration date and/or time, which can be specified as either an absolute date or time, or a relative date or time. When the expiration date and/or time is reached, the data record and its associated data are automatically deleted from the system. Depending on the particular implementation, the deletion can be automatic or provide some form of confirmation or acknowledgement. In accordance with an embodiment, a user inputting the data can control the record'"'"'s expiration date, such that data is only retained in the system for as long as the user reasonably expects the data to be useful to them. For example, in a mobile phone contacts implementation, a user can attach an expiration date to a particular contacts data record, and that record will only remain in their mobile phone for that desired period of time.

Claims

1. A system for supporting self-expiring data content, comprising:

a database or other form of data storage, for storing a plurality of data records, wherein each data record includes a data portion and an expiration date portion;

wherein, whenever a new record is added to the database, as a data input, the data in the data input is used to populate the data portion of the record, while any optionally specified expiration date in the data input is used to populate the expiration date portion of the record; and

wherein, over time, the system periodically checks each of its database records'"'"' expiration dates, to determine whether that record has expired, and wherein at any particular system time, if the system determines that a particular record has reached its expiration date, then that record is deleted from the system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each record has an absolute record expiration date/time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each record has a relative record expiration date/time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein if an expiration date is not specified as part of the data input, the system can automatically determine and associate a default expiration date with the record, prior to storing the record in the database, or set no expiration date with that particular record.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is used within a mobile phone implementation, wherein a user can attach an expiration date to a particular data record, and that record will only remain in their mobile phone for that desired period of time.

6. A computer-based method of supporting self-expiring data content, comprising the steps of:

providing a database or other form of data storage, for storing a plurality of data records, wherein each data record includes a data portion and an expiration date portion;

whenever a new record is added to the database, as a data input, using the data in the data input to populate the data portion of the record, while any optionally specified expiration date in the data input is used to populate the expiration date portion of the record; and

periodically checking each of its database records'"'"' expiration dates, to determine whether that record has expired, and wherein at any particular system time, if it is determined that a particular record has reached its expiration date, then deleting that record.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each record has an absolute record expiration date/time.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each record has a relative record expiration date/time.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein if an expiration date is not specified as part of the data input, the system can automatically determine and associate a default expiration date with the record, prior to storing the record in the database, or set no expiration date with that particular record.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the system is used within a mobile phone implementation, wherein a user can attach an expiration date to a particular data record, and that record will only remain in their mobile phone for that desired period of time.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium, including instructions stored thereon which when read and executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform the steps comprising:

providing a database or other form of data storage, for storing a plurality of data records, wherein each data record includes a data portion and an expiration date portion;

whenever a new record is added to the database, as a data input, using the data in the data input to populate the data portion of the record, while any optionally specified expiration date in the data input is used to populate the expiration date portion of the record; and

periodically checking each of its database records'"'"' expiration dates, to determine whether that record has expired, and wherein at any particular system time, if it is determined that a particular record has reached its expiration date, then deleting that record.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein each record has an absolute record expiration date/time.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein each record has a relative record expiration date/time.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein if an expiration date is not specified as part of the data input, the system can automatically determine and associate a default expiration date with the record, prior to storing the record in the database, or set no expiration date with that particular record.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the system is used within a mobile phone implementation, wherein a user can attach an expiration date to a particular data record, and that record will only remain in their mobile phone for that desired period of time.