Method and Apparatus for Time Limited Messages in Packet Communications

• US 20150326510A1
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PQ Solutions Limited
• Original Assignee: PQ Solutions Limited
• Inventors: Tomlinson, Martin, Cheng, Andersen, Tjhai, Cen Jung
• Granted Patent: US 9,973,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

The present disclosure includes systems and methods for direct packet communications and store and forward packet communications including packets which have attributes which determine the lifetime of the packet contents and these lifetimes are optionally a function of the recipient. Example methods are given featuring the transmission of packets with limited lifetime, the storing and retransmission of packets to one or more recipients and confirmation of deletion of packet contents. It is also shown that cryptography may be employed to ensure that timed presentation of packet contents to recipients takes place and is authenticated by the sender.

Claims

1. A method in which a data message comprising information content is transmitted from an instant messaging client on a user'"'"'s device to one or more recipient devices, said data message further comprising one or more message attributes which determine a lifetime of the received information content and in which at least one attribute of a recipient'"'"'s device also determine the lifetime of the received information content.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a message attribute that determines the lifetime of the received information content is the type of information contained, encryption key, decryption key, document, diagram, image, audio recording, video recording or other type of information.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a message attribute that determines the lifetime of the received information content is one or more of:

the quantity of information contained in the data message, a parameter specifying a minimum or maximum lifetime, a geographic location of the sender, and an ID of the sender.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein an attribute of a recipient'"'"'s device that determines the lifetime of the received information content is one or more of:

the ID of the recipient, an attribute derived from the ID of the recipient, and a geographical location of the recipient.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining that one or more recipients are online, and wherein the lifetime of the received information content is determined by the recipient'"'"'s device.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein a message attribute determines the length of time the received information content is displayed by the device to the recipient, and wherein a starting time of said displaying is synchronised across all recipients.

7. A method according claim 1, wherein a message attribute determines the length of time the received information content is displayed by the device to the recipient, and wherein a starting time of said display is determined from a time a decryption key is received, the decryption key for decrypting the received information content.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising determining that one or more recipients are offline and in response, storing the data message on one or more servers until:

it is determined that the recipients become online and subsequently receive the packet sent by said servers, whereby the lifetime of the received information content is determined by the recipient'"'"'s device;

or it is determined that the data message is stored on a server for a period of time that exceeds the determined lifetime of the received information content, whereby said information content is deleted from the server.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the message attributes which determine the lifetime of the received information content are decrypted by the sender by using the sender'"'"'s private key prior to the packet being sent, such that the transmitted data message comprises decrypted message attributes, and in which the recipients of the received data message encrypt the decrypted message attributes using the sender'"'"'s public key in order to authenticate the message attributes which determine the lifetime of the received information content.

20. A non-transitory storage medium comprising machine readable instructions stored thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method in accordance with claim 1.

10. A method of providing instant messaging communication between users via a communication network, comprising:

transmitting a data message from an instant messaging client at a user device of a first user to an instant messaging client at a user device of a second user, the data message having a content portion and an associated attribute identifying a display duration for the content portion;

determining that a predefined action with the received content portion has occurred at the user device of the second user;

determining a remaining display duration for the content portion of the data message, after said predetermined action is determined to have occurred; and

displaying an indication of the remaining display duration for the content portion by both instant messaging clients.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the instant messaging clients are configured to determine that the data message is expired based on the defined display duration, and to remove the content portion of the expired data message from memory.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the sender, based on a sent message time attribute sends a command message to recipients of said message to cause deletion of said message information from recipients'"'"' devices.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the instant messaging clients comprise a user interface for displaying a plurality of sequential data messages of a conversation, wherein a footprint of an expired data message is retained in the displayed conversation.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the data message is transmitted from the instant messaging client at the user device of the first user to an instant messaging client at a user device of a third user.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein synchronisation of the remaining display duration at all of the instant messaging clients is maintained by a remote messaging server.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the predefined action comprises one of:

displaying the content portion in a message display region of the instant messaging client, initiating playback of an audio or multimedia content portion, or determining that playback of an audio or multimedia content portion has finished.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein the content portion of the data message comprises one or more of:

text data, image data, audio data, video data and encoded data, or combinations thereof.

21. A non-transitory storage medium comprising machine readable instructions stored thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method in accordance with claim 14.

18. A system comprising a first user device operable to transmit a data message comprising information content from an instant messaging client on the first user device to one or more recipient devices, said data message further comprising one or more message attributes which determine a lifetime of the received information content and in which at least one attribute of a recipient'"'"'s device also determine the lifetime of the received information content.

19. A system for providing instant messaging communication between users via a communication network, comprising:

an instant messaging client at a user device of a first user, operable to transmit a data message to an instant messaging client at a user device of a second user, the data message having a content portion and an associated attribute identifying a display duration for the content portion; and

at least one processor operable to;

determine that a predefined action with the received content portion has occurred at the user device of the second user; and

determine a remaining display duration for the content portion of the data message, after said predetermined action is determined to have occurred;

wherein both instant messaging clients are operable to display an indication of the remaining display duration for the content portion.