Directory Lookup for Federated Messaging

• US 20190068746A1
• Filed: 08/29/2017
• Published: 02/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wickr Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wickr Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhatnagar, Arjun, Howell, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 10,791,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1837 Management specially adapted to peer-to-peer storage networks topology management mechanisms of peer-to-peer networks H04L67/1042
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution using key encryption key H04L9/0822
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium that includes instructions that permit users of different secure communication networks to exchange secure communications. A secure communication platform includes a user database that allows users from different secure communication networks to access keys for recipients outside of their network. Additionally, the secure communication platform provides a high degree of trust regarding the sender'"'"'s identity, allowing the receiving network to trust the sender.

Claims

1. A method for performing a directory lookup for federated messaging, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first server from a first device belonging to a first secure communication network, a first identifier for a second user belonging to a second secure communication network;

determining, by the first server, whether the first device is permitted to communicate with the second secure communication network;

when the first device is permitted to transmit communications to the second secure communication network, determining, by the first server, whether the second user is permitted to communicate with the first secure communication network;

when the second user is permitted to receive communications from the first secure communication network, providing, from the first server to the first user device, profile information of the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is associated with a first security group identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining whether the first device is permitted to transmit communications to the second secure communication network comprises:

determining whether a first set of permissions associated with the first security group identifier permits the first device to transmit communications to the second secure communication network.

4. The method claim 1, wherein the second device is associated with a second security group identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining whether the second device is permitted to receive communications from the first secure communication network comprises:

determining whether a second set of permissions associated with the second security group identifier permits the second device to receive communications from the first secure communication network.

6. The method claim 1, comprising:

providing, from the first server, an indication to the first device that the second user is unavailable when the first device is not permitted to transmit communications to the second communication network.

7. The method claim 1, comprising:

providing, from the first server, an indication to the first device that the second user is unavailable when the first device is not permitted to transmit communications to the second communication network.

8. The method claim 1, wherein the first identifier is at least one of a phone number, an email address, and a native identifier.

9. A system for performing a directory lookup for federated messaging, the system comprising:

an interface configured to receive a first identifier for a second user belonging to a second secure communication network from a first device belonging to a first secure communication network;

a processor configured to determine whether the first device is permitted to communicate with the second secure communication network, determine whether the second user is permitted to communicate with the first secure communication network, and provide profile information of the second user to the first device when the first device and the second user are permitted to communicate; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions for determining whether to provide the second user'"'"'s profile to the first device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first device is associated with a first security group identifier.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether a first set of permissions associated with the first security group identifier permits the first device to transmit communications to the second secure communication network.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the second device is associated with a second security group identifier.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether a second set of permissions associated with the second security group identifier permits the second device to receive communications from the first secure communication network.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to provide an indication to the first device that the second user is unavailable when the first device is not permitted to transmit communications to the second communication network.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to provide an indication to the first device that the second user is unavailable when the first device is not permitted to transmit communications to the second communication network.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first identifier is at least one of a phone number, an email address, and a native identifier.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when, executed by at least one processor, perform the steps of:

receiving, at a first server from a first device belonging to a first secure communication network, a first identifier for a second user belonging to a second secure communication network;

determining, by the first server, whether the first device is permitted to communicate with the second secure communication network;

when the first device is permitted to transmit communications to the second communication network, determining, by the first server, whether the second user is permitted to communicate with the first secure communication network;

when the second user is permitted to receive communications from the first communication network, providing, from the first server to the first user device, profile information of the second user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first device is associated with a first security group identifier.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the determining whether the first device is permitted to transmit communications to the second secure communication network comprises:

determining whether a first set of permissions associated with the first security group identifier permits the first device to transmit communications to the second secure communication network.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium claim 17, wherein the second device is associated with a second security group identifier.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the determining whether the second device is permitted to receive communications from the first secure communication network comprises:

determining whether a second set of permissions associated with the second security group identifier permits the second device to receive communications from the first secure communication network.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium claim 17, comprising:

providing, from the first server, an indication to the first device that the second user is unavailable when the first device is not permitted to transmit communications to the second communication network.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium claim 17, comprising:

providing, from the first server, an indication to the first device that the second user is unavailable when the first device is not permitted to transmit communications to the second communication network.

The non-transitory computer-readable medium claim 17, wherein the first identifier is at least one of a phone number, an email address, and a native identifier.