Recipient centric messaging system and protocols to implement it over data networks

• US 20170206545A1
• Filed: 01/19/2017
• Published: 07/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZipStorm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ZipStorm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Anoop, Bala, Aravind
• Granted Patent: US 9,911,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata

Abstract

A method of communicating messages between a sender and a recipient using a communications protocol over a data network, which includes: (a) receiving communication preferences specified by the recipient that includes constraints required to be met for delivery of a message, (ii) publishing the profile with visible preferences from the communication preferences of the recipient when the sender selects the recipient to send the message, (iii) processing a request received from the sender to send the message to the recipient, (iv) generating a customized message form based on the communication preferences of the recipient to enable the sender to compose the message, (v) providing an indication to the sender if any of the constraints are not met, and (vi) delivering the message to the recipient when the constraints specified by the recipient and any constraints applied by a messaging system are met by the message.

Claims

1. A method of communicating at least one message between a sender and a recipient using a communications protocol over a data network through a recipient centric messaging system, wherein said method comprises:

receiving communication preferences specified by said recipient that comprise computer interpretable constraints required to be met for delivery of a first message and human interpreted constraints when said recipient creates or updates a profile on said recipient centric messaging system;

publishing said profile with a set of visible preferences from said communication preferences of said recipient that are visible to said sender when said sender selects said recipient to send a message;

processing a request received from said sender to send said first message to said recipient;

generating a customized message form based on said communication preferences of said recipient to enable said sender to compose said first message to comply with said communication preferences;

providing an indication to said sender if any of said constraints are not met; and

delivering said first message to said recipient if and only if all said computer interpretable constraints specified in said communication preferences of said recipient and any constraints applied by said recipient centric messaging system are met by said first message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication preferences comprise multiple categories of communications that are set up by said recipient based on (a) properties of senders, or (b) properties of communicated content, wherein different constraints are specified by said recipient for different categories of communications, and wherein said communications preferences are specified as a logic formula with (a) AND, (b) OR, and (c) NOT operators separating constraints, and wherein communications preferences comprise least one of:

(i) a limit on a number of characters in said message, (ii) a specification on whether images or attachments are allowed or not, (iii) a compensation amount that is required for delivery of said message, (iv) a threshold reputation score of said sender required for delivery of said message, or (v) a volume of message traffic received by said recipient that is associated with a category of communication selected from said different categories of communications.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a compensation amount is suggested by said recipient centric messaging system based on at least one of (i) amounts associated with existing messages received by said recipient and priorities of said existing messages in order to increase a priority of said message for said recipient, (ii) one or more properties of content associated with said message, wherein said one or more properties of content comprises a length of a video that is attached with said message, or (iii) an amount of attention required by said recipient.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said compensation amount comprises virtual currency selected from at least one of (a) points or (b) virtual goods.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting said sender to certify that at least visible preferences out of said human interpreted preferences are satisfied by said message before sending said message, wherein if said recipient reports that said sender has wrongly certified at least one of said visible preferences, said recipient centric messaging system blocks said sender from sending further messages to said recipient, or reduces at least one of (a) a reputation score of said sender, or (b) privileges of said sender, wherein said privileges comprise free messages provided to said recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing a limited number of free messages within a given time period if said sender and said recipient (a) share the same alma mater, (b) said sender and said recipient previously worked for the same employer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said constraints applied by said recipient centric messaging system comprise (a) a limit to a number of messages that said sender can send without a compensation amount, wherein said number of messages that are allowed to be sent without said compensation amount is determined based on (a) a reputation score of said sender, or (b) a regulation applicable to said recipient for receiving compensation.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said communication preferences comprise an indication that one or more of said constraints are not enforced on one or more senders or types of senders.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said request is received from said sender to send said first message when said sender selects a URL of a unique communication address associated with said recipient within said recipient centric messaging system from a source outside of said recipient centric messaging system, said method further comprising:

verifying whether said sender is logged on to said recipient centric messaging system or not; and

enabling said sender to login to said recipient centric messaging system if said sender is not already logged in to said recipient centric messaging system,

wherein said recipient centric messaging system automatically captures a URL of said source as metadata to be attached to said first message, and generates said customized message form based on said communication preferences of said recipient on selecting said URL once said sender is logged in to said recipient centric messaging system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

filtering and classifying said messages in an inbox of said recipient in said recipient centric messaging system based on said URL of said source outside of said recipient centric messaging system.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

delivering said first message to said recipient if and only if a minimum compensation amount is attached with said first message; and

returning at least a part of said compensation amount to said sender when said recipient does not send a reply to said message within a predefined period of time.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein said recipient centric messaging system does not deliver said first message to said recipient if a reputation score of said sender is lesser than said threshold reputation score specified in said communication preferences.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying said message and when at least one of said constraints specified in said communication preferences or said constraints specified by said recipient centric messaging system is not met by said message, not delivering said message, notifying said sender that at least one of said constraints is not met, and enabling said sender to modify said message to meet said constraints.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing a first reply from said recipient to said first message; and

crediting a first compensation amount associated with said first message by said sender to said recipient only when said recipient sends said first reply to said sender.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

processing a request from said recipient to end a conversation between said sender and said recipient; and

disabling an option for said sender to reply to or to send another message in a current conversation thread that comprises said first message and said first reply in response to said request to end said conversation.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said recipient centric messaging system is integrated with an email service to access features of said recipient centric messaging system through said email service, said method further comprising:

notifying said recipient about said first message by sending an email when said recipient receives said first message on said recipient centric messaging system from said sender, wherein said recipient centric messaging system sends one notification for a plurality of emails that are specific to said recipient.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing an option to said recipient to send an email reply to said first message directly from said email service using a reply button that is associated with said email and a protocol, wherein said email reply first goes to an email proxy server and flows through said recipient centric messaging system when said recipient selects said reply button.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said email proxy server receives said email from an email service and parses (a) details of said recipient within said recipient centric messaging system, and (b) a type of message received from said sender, wherein said email proxy server further (a) identifies what message said email is in response to, (b) decides whether any compensation is required to send a reply, and (c) generates an appropriate application programming interface to compose and send said reply to said received email.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting a message from said recipient centric messaging system in response to selection of a reject button that is associated with said recipient centric messaging system, wherein said recipient is not credited any compensation attached with said message when said message is rejected.

20. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage mediums storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, causes communicating at least one message between a sender and a recipient using a communications protocol over a data network through a recipient centric messaging system, by performing the steps of:

receiving communication preferences specified by said recipient that comprise computer interpretable constraints required to be met for delivery of a first message and human interpreted constraints when said recipient creates or updates a profile on said recipient centric messaging system;

publishing said profile with a set of visible preferences from said communication preferences of said recipient that are visible to a sender when said sender selects said recipient to send a first message;

processing a request received from said sender to send said first message to said recipient;

generating a customized message form based on said communication preferences of said recipient to enable said sender to compose said first message to comply with said communication preferences;

providing an indication to said sender if any of said constraints are not met;

delivering said first message to said recipient if and only if all said computer interpretable constraints specified in said communication preferences of said recipient and any constraints applied by said recipient centric messaging system are met by said message;

processing a first reply to said message from said recipient by publishing a conversation screen that comprises said first message received from said sender and said first reply message of said recipient; and

crediting a compensation associated with said first message by said sender to a payment recipient specified by said recipient in said communication preferences.

21. The non-transitory program storage mediums of claim 20, further comprising:

requesting said sender to certify that at least visible preferences out of said human interpreted preferences are satisfied by said message before sending said message, wherein if said recipient reports that said sender has wrongly certified at least one of said visible preferences, said recipient centric messaging system blocks said sender from sending further messages to said recipient, or reduces at least one of (a) a reputation score of said sender, or (b) privileges of said sender, wherein said privileges comprise free messages provided to said recipient.

22. A recipient centric messaging system for communicating at least one message between a sender and a recipient using a communications protocol over a data network, wherein said recipient centric messaging system comprises:

a memory that stores (i) a database that stores (a) a plurality of communication preferences for said plurality of users, (b) information about said plurality of users, and (c) a plurality of message forms, and (d) monetary details of a sender account and a recipient account, and (ii) a set of modules;

a processor that executes said set of modules, wherein said set of modules comprises;

a preferences customization module, executed by said processor, that specifies communication preferences that comprise computer interpretable constraints for receiving messages from said sender;

a message customization module, executed by said processor, that automatically generates a customized message form based on said recipient communication preferences to compose a first message;

a preferences displaying module, executed by said processor, that displays at least one of said communication preferences of said recipient to said sender in said customized message form;

a compensation determination module, executed by said processor, that determines said compensation amount to attach with said first message to get attention from said recipient;

a constraints applying module, executed by said processor, that verifies whether said computer interpretable constraints are mentioned in said communication preferences are met by said first message and human interpreted constraints to send said first message to said recipient; and

a compensation providing module, executed by said processor, that transfers said compensation amount attached with said first message to said recipient along with said first message when said first message is delivered and when said recipient send a reply to said first message.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said compensation providing module credits a percentage of said compensation amount for said first message to an account associated with said recipient centric messaging system for facilitating said messaging and for exchange of said compensation amount from said sender to said recipient.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said compensation providing module provides privileges to said recipient that comprises at least one of (a) credit a compensation amount to a recipient centric messaging system account of said recipient, or (b) provide free messages to said recipient when said recipient invite a new user to said recipient centric messaging system.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein said recipient centric messaging system further comprises:

a sender verification module, executed by said processor, that verifies said sender when said communication preferences of said recipient require senders to be verified before sending said first message, wherein said verifying comprises at least one of verifying (a) an social network account of said sender, (b) an email account of said sender, (c) a phone number of said sender, or (d) personal documents of said sender and not delivering said first message when said sender is not verified, wherein said recipient specifies that said sender has to be verified for said first message to be delivered.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein said recipient centric messaging system further comprises:

a combined search module, executed by said processor, that searches for said recipient based on attributes of said plurality of registered users comprising (a) a dynamic location of a user, (b) a name or designation of said user, (c) an age and a gender of said user, (d) current or past companies of said user, (e) industry-segments of said user, or (f) educational institutions of said user to send said message, wherein said communication preferences of said recipient is displayed to said sender when selecting said recipient to send said message; and

a refund module, executed by said processor, that provides choices to said recipient to (i) return said compensation money to said sender, (ii) donate part of said compensation money to a charity and keep the remaining money for said recipient, or (iii) donate said compensation money to said charity, or to a newly selected charity for said message, wherein said refund module returns said compensation money to said sender of said first message when said recipient does not provide attention to said first message for a certain passage of time, wherein said refund module automatically donate said compensation money to said charity without said compensation money entering to a recipient centric messaging system account of said recipient.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein said recipient centric messaging system further comprises:

a message prioritizing module, executed by said processor, that receives said first message from said sender and prioritizes said first message in said recipient inbox based at least one of (i) whether said sender is known to said recipient, or (ii) said compensation amount attached with said first message;

a mailbox module, executed by said processor, that manages said messages received from different recipients, wherein said mailbox module determine a current placement of said first message in an inbox of said recipient based on said compensation amounts associated with other messages in said inbox, wherein said mailbox module (a) determine a cumulative value of compensation amounts associated with said messages in said inbox, (b) display said cumulative value of said compensation amounts associated with said messages in said inbox of said recipient, and (c) display each of said messages in said inbox of said recipient along with said compensation amounts attached with each of said messages, (d) sort said messages in decreased order of said compensation amount associated with said messages; and

a reputation scoring module, executed by said processor, that determines a reputation score for said sender based on feedback from said recipient on at least one of (i) a priority level of said first message, (ii) whether said first message is properly classified by said sender, or (iii) whether said message is offensive or inappropriate to said recipient.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said reputation scoring module further determines said reputation score for said sender based on an analysis of a message history of said sender using predefined rules based on at least one of a (a) number of messages sent by said sender to said recipient, (b) fraction or percentage of messages marked as irrelevant messages by said recipient, and (c) fraction or percentage of messages replied to by said recipient.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein said recipient centric messaging system further comprises a reputation scoring module that determines a reputation score for said sender using a machine learning algorithm which analyzes a plurality of parameters selected from a group consisting of a (a) number of messages sent by said sender to one or more recipients, (b) fraction or percentage of messages replied to by said one or more recipients, (c) relevance ratings assigned to said messages by said one or more recipients, (d) length of replies sent by said recipient, or (e) sentiment analysis of said messages.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein said recipient centric messaging system comprises a set of application programming interfaces and a protocol that specifies how said sender can send said messages and how said recipient can receive said messages over said recipient centric messaging system, wherein said protocol comprises specific requirements for honoring said communications preferences, wherein said recipient centric messaging system displays said communications preferences of said recipient and enforces compliance with said communications preferences in said application programming interface by said sender when said sender selects said recipient to send said message.