Message Communication Systems and Applications with Message Lifetime Settings for Automatic message Deletion

• US 20160191442A1
• Filed: 02/11/2016
• Published: 06/30/2016
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,142,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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,

a client interface for enabling access to 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 setting a lifetime setting for a message being composed by a sender to a recipient via the client interface;

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 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.

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 views 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.

7. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the message is an electronic text message.

8. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the message is associated with a file or a video or a picture or a media file or combinations of two or more thereof.

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

10. The electronic messaging system of claim 1, wherein the message is an electronic chat message.

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

electronically receiving a message for a recipient, the message being from a sender and associated with a request for assigning a lifetime setting to the message;

determining whether the request for assigning a lifetime to the message has been accepted;

enabling viewing of the message upon determining that the request has been accepted; and

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

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11, 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.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the lifetime setting is configured to be approved by the recipient and is initiated by the sender.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 13, wherein the message is made viewable by the recipient after the lifetime setting is approved by the recipient.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the method is executed by at least one network-coupled server computing device.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the message is one of a text message or an email message or an enterprise message, or combinations thereof.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein attachments of the message inherit the lifetime setting of the message.

18. A system for managing assignment of lifetime settings of messages, comprising,

a server for managing messages exchanged between individuals, the server configured to receive a message from a sender to a recipient, the message including a lifetime setting, the lifetime setting defining a duration during which the message will remain undeleted;

a monitor module for monitoring messages that include the lifetime setting, the monitor module configured to identify when the lifetime setting for at least one message has been reached; and

a delete module for deleting the at least one message automatically.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the message having the lifetime setting is not provided for viewing until an agreement between the sender and the recipient is confirmed by the server.

20. A computer implemented method for managing communication of messages between senders and recipients of messages, comprising,

receiving, at one or more server computers, a request to send a message to a recipient with a lifetime setting, the lifetime setting defining a period of time after which the message will be deleted;

requesting, by the one or more server computers, an agreement from the recipient that the message to be sent by the sender to the recipient will have the lifetime setting imposed;

determining whether the recipient has agreed to the lifetime setting;

sending, by the one or more server computers, the message to the recipient after confirming that the recipient agreed to the lifetime setting;

receiving, by the one or more server computers, an indication that the message has been opened by the recipient;

starting, by the one or more server computers, a timer to count down the period of time associated with the lifetime setting for the message; and

subsequently deleting, by the one or more server computers, the message after expiration of the timer, the deleting acting to remove the message on the one or more server computers and message interfaces provided by the one or more server computers to enable access to send and receive the message by the sender and the recipient.