ENHANCED PRIVACY AND CONTROL FEATURES FOR AN ELECTRONIC MESSAGE

• US 20140351356A1
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wall, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes

Abstract

A method and system for sending electronic messages. A command syntax is embedded in an electronic message on a sender device. The electronic message is to be sent by a sender from the sender device to a user at a recipient device. The electronic message includes a data structure to which the command syntax is coupled. The command syntax comprises a text string coded to only describe and trigger one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features for one or more portions of the data. The command syntax includes one or more commands which upon being executed at the recipient device prevent the user at the recipient device who receives the electronic message from printing the received electronic message, storing the received electronic message, copying the received electronic message, forwarding the received electronic message, and blind carbon copying the received electronic message.

Claims

1. A method for sending electronic messages, said method comprising:

embedding, by a processor of a computer system, a command syntax in an electronic message on a sender device, wherein the electronic message is to be sent by a sender from the sender device to a user at a recipient device, wherein the electronic message comprises a data structure consisting of the data or pointing to the data, wherein the embedded command syntax is coupled to the data structure in the electronic message, wherein the command syntax comprises a text string disposed between a first tag and a second tag, wherein the text string is coded to only describe and trigger one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features for one or more portions of the data, wherein the command syntax includes one or more commands which upon being executed at the recipient device prevent the user at the recipient device who receives the electronic message from printing the received electronic message, storing the received electronic message, copying the received electronic message, forwarding the received electronic message, and blind carbon copying the received electronic message; and

said processor transmitting, to the one or more intended user at the recipient device, the electronic message that comprises the command syntax coupled to the data structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each portion of the one or more portions of the data is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an e-mail message, an instant message, an application file, a video file, a picture file, a image file, a sound file, an audio file, a compressed file, an uncompressed file, a voicemail application, an electronic page, an Internet frame, a web page, an avatar, a folder, a container, an icon, an emoticon, a link, a software component, a programming component, a flash file, and combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features are selected from the group consisting of conditional viewing of the electronic message, one or more pre-defined passwords, a pre-defined time frame for the one or more portions of the data to auto delete on the recipient device, wherein the pre-defined time frame comprises at least one of:

number of seconds, number of days, number of weeks, number of months, number of years, a specific date, a specific time, a unique event, a recurring event and an arbitrary time frame pre-defined by the sender, one or more local time zones, one or more international time zones, control features applicable to sender only, control features applicable to recipient only, control features applicable to both recipient and sender, unsend feature, redirect feature, copying control features, forwarding control features, blind carbon copy control features, storing control features, printing control features, language type control features, voice control features, auto-recovery rights for the electronic message, sender'"'"'s rights to make changes to the electronic message, recipient'"'"'s rights to make changes to electronic message, repetition features for the electronic message, one or more attributes in the electronic message, in-network rights of sender, in-network rights of recipient, out-of-network rights of sender, out-of-network rights of recipient, track status of the one or more portions of the data, track status of electronic message, data count features, billing features, advertising features, features for turning on the enhanced data messaging tool, features for turning off the enhanced data messaging tool, auto-recovery rights for the data in the electronic message, auto-recovery rights for the electronic message, recipient selection for the electronic message, animation features for the electronic message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender device comprises at least one of:

a wired device, a wireless device, a personal computer, a server, a blade, a storage device, a pager, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a touchscreen, a keyboard, a handheld device, a cell phone, a router, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) device, and wherein the enhanced data messaging tool is installed as at least one of;

an operating system, an operating system enhancement, firmware, an applet, a plug-in, a protocol, an application, a file and a folder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission medium comprises at least one of:

a phone line, a cable, the Internet, a wire line, a wireless line, a wired device, a wireless device, a satellite, a sound medium, a fiber optic cable, a light medium, a cell tower, a vibration medium, a frequency medium, a wavelength medium, a temperature medium, a Bluetooth medium, an infrared medium, a radio tower, an electrical line, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wireless mesh network (WMN), a global network, a temperature medium, a frequency medium, a language medium, a Braille code medium, a customizable code medium, a broadcast medium, a unicast medium, a multicast medium, a point-to-point broadcast, a point-to-multipoint broadcast, a multiplexed broadcast, a time-division multiplexed medium, a frequency-division multiplexed medium.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features include a respective pre-defined time frame for the one or more portions of the data to auto delete on the respective recipient device, the one or more portions of the data being automatically deleted on the respective recipient device upon expiration of the respective pre-defined time frame.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features does not include a respective pre-defined time frame for the one more portions of the data in the electronic message to auto delete on the respective recipient device, the one more portions of the data will not automatically delete on the respective recipient device upon expiration of the respective pre-defined time frame.

8. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having program code stored therein, said computer readable program code containing instructions configured to be executed by a processor of a computer system to implement a method for sending electronic messages, said method comprising:

said processor embedding a command syntax in an electronic message on a sender device, wherein the electronic message is to be sent by a sender from the sender device to a user at a recipient device, wherein the electronic message comprises a data structure consisting of the data or pointing to the data, wherein the embedded command syntax is coupled to the data structure in the electronic message, wherein the command syntax comprises a text string disposed between a first tag and a second tag, wherein the text string is coded to only describe and trigger one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features for one or more portions of the data, wherein the command syntax includes one or more commands which upon being executed at the recipient device prevent the user at the recipient device who receives the electronic message from printing the received electronic message, storing the received electronic message, copying the received electronic message, forwarding the received electronic message, and blind carbon copying the received electronic message; and

said processor transmitting, to the one or more intended user at the recipient device, the electronic message that comprises the command syntax coupled to the data structure.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein each portion of the one or more portions of the data is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an e-mail message, an instant message, an application file, a video file, a picture file, a image file, a sound file, an audio file, a compressed file, an uncompressed file, a voicemail application, an electronic page, an Internet frame, a web page, an avatar, a folder, a container, an icon, an emoticon, a link, a software component, a programming component, a flash file, and combinations thereof.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features are selected from the group consisting of conditional viewing of the electronic message, one or more pre-defined passwords, a pre-defined time frame for the one or more portions of the data to auto delete on the recipient device, wherein the pre-defined time frame comprises at least one of:

number of seconds, number of days, number of weeks, number of months, number of years, a specific date, a specific time, a unique event, a recurring event and an arbitrary time frame pre-defined by the sender, one or more local time zones, one or more international time zones, control features applicable to sender only, control features applicable to recipient only, control features applicable to both recipient and sender, unsend feature, redirect feature, copying control features, forwarding control features, blind carbon copy control features, storing control features, printing control features, language type control features, voice control features, auto-recovery rights for the electronic message, sender'"'"'s rights to make changes to the electronic message, recipient'"'"'s rights to make changes to electronic message, repetition features for the electronic message, one or more attributes in the electronic message, in-network rights of sender, in-network rights of recipient, out-of-network rights of sender, out-of-network rights of recipient, track status of the one or more portions of the data, track status of electronic message, data count features, billing features, advertising features, features for turning on the enhanced data messaging tool, features for turning off the enhanced data messaging tool, auto-recovery rights for the data in the electronic message, auto-recovery rights for the electronic message, recipient selection for the electronic message, animation features for the electronic message.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the sender device comprises at least one of:

a wired device, a wireless device, a personal computer, a server, a blade, a storage device, a pager, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a touchscreen, a keyboard, a handheld device, a cell phone, a router, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) device, and wherein the enhanced data messaging tool is installed as at least one of;

an operating system, an operating system enhancement, firmware, an applet, a plug-in, a protocol, an application, a file and a folder.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the transmission medium comprises at least one of:

a phone line, a cable, the Internet, a wire line, a wireless line, a wired device, a wireless device, a satellite, a sound medium, a fiber optic cable, a light medium, a cell tower, a vibration medium, a frequency medium, a wavelength medium, a temperature medium, a Bluetooth medium, an infrared medium, a radio tower, an electrical line, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wireless mesh network (WMN), a global network, a temperature medium, a frequency medium, a language medium, a Braille code medium, a customizable code medium, a broadcast medium, a unicast medium, a multicast medium, a point-to-point broadcast, a point-to-multipoint broadcast, a multiplexed broadcast, a time-division multiplexed medium, a frequency-division multiplexed medium.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features include a respective pre-defined time frame for the one or more portions of the data to auto delete on the respective recipient device, the one or more portions of the data being automatically deleted on the respective recipient device upon expiration of the respective pre-defined time frame.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the one more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features does not include a respective pre-defined time frame for the one more portions of the data in the electronic message to auto delete on the respective recipient device, the one more portions of the data will not automatically delete on the respective recipient device upon expiration of the respective pre-defined time frame.

15. A system comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable storage device coupled to the processor, said storage device containing program code which, upon being executed by the processor, implements a method for sending electronic messages, said method comprising:

said processor embedding a command syntax in an electronic message on a sender device, wherein the electronic message is to be sent by a sender from the sender device to a user at a recipient device, wherein the electronic message comprises a data structure consisting of the data or pointing to the data, wherein the embedded command syntax is coupled to the data structure in the electronic message, wherein the command syntax comprises a text string disposed between a first tag and a second tag, wherein the text string is coded to only describe and trigger one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features for one or more portions of the data, wherein the command syntax includes one or more commands which upon being executed at the recipient device prevent the user at the recipient device who receives the electronic message from printing the received electronic message, storing the received electronic message, copying the received electronic message, forwarding the received electronic message, and blind carbon copying the received electronic message electronic message, and blind carbon copying the received electronic message; and

said processor transmitting, to the one or more intended user at the recipient device, the electronic message that comprises the command syntax coupled to the data structure.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each portion of the one or more portions of the data is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an e-mail message, an instant message, an application file, a video file, a picture file, a image file, a sound file, an audio file, a compressed file, an uncompressed file, a voicemail application, an electronic page, an Internet frame, a web page, an avatar, a folder, a container, an icon, an emoticon, a link, a software component, a programming component, a flash file, and combinations thereof.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features are selected from the group consisting of conditional viewing of the electronic message, one or more pre-defined passwords, a pre-defined time frame for the one or more portions of the data to auto delete on the recipient device, wherein the pre-defined time frame comprises at least one of:

number of seconds, number of days, number of weeks, number of months, number of years, a specific date, a specific time, a unique event, a recurring event and an arbitrary time frame pre-defined by the sender, one or more local time zones, one or more international time zones, control features applicable to sender only, control features applicable to recipient only, control features applicable to both recipient and sender, unsend feature, redirect feature, copying control features, forwarding control features, blind carbon copy control features, storing control features, printing control features, language type control features, voice control features, auto-recovery rights for the electronic message, sender'"'"'s rights to make changes to the electronic message, recipient'"'"'s rights to make changes to electronic message, repetition features for the electronic message, one or more attributes in the electronic message, in-network rights of sender, in-network rights of recipient, out-of-network rights of sender, out-of-network rights of recipient, track status of the one or more portions of the data, track status of electronic message, data count features, billing features, advertising features, features for turning on the enhanced data messaging tool, features for turning off the enhanced data messaging tool, auto-recovery rights for the data in the electronic message, auto-recovery rights for the electronic message, recipient selection for the electronic message, animation features for the electronic message.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the sender device comprises at least one of:

a wired device, a wireless device, a personal computer, a server, a blade, a storage device, a pager, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a touchscreen, a keyboard, a handheld device, a cell phone, a router, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) device, and wherein the enhanced data messaging tool is installed as at least one of;

an operating system, an operating system enhancement, firmware, an applet, a plug-in, a protocol, an application, a file and a folder.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmission medium comprises at least one of:

a phone line, a cable, the Internet, a wire line, a wireless line, a wired device, a wireless device, a satellite, a sound medium, a fiber optic cable, a light medium, a cell tower, a vibration medium, a frequency medium, a wavelength medium, a temperature medium, a Bluetooth medium, an infrared medium, a radio tower, an electrical line, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wireless mesh network (WMN), a global network, a temperature medium, a frequency medium, a language medium, a Braille code medium, a customizable code medium, a broadcast medium, a unicast medium, a multicast medium, a point-to-point broadcast, a point-to-multipoint broadcast, a multiplexed broadcast, a time-division multiplexed medium, a frequency-division multiplexed medium.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more pre-defined selective enhanced privacy and control features include a respective pre-defined time frame for the one or more portions of the data to auto delete on the respective recipient device, the one or more portions of the data being automatically deleted on the respective recipient device upon expiration of the respective pre-defined time frame.