Spam control for sharing content on mobile devices

• US 7,295,833 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2004
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Bryan, Agrawal, Anuraag
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Huy D
• Application Number:
  US10/822,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20050227678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.3, 455/414.1, 455/410, 455/411, 455/415, 455/419, 455/420, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Sharing content among users of mobile devices is facilitated and controlled by a system and method that employs a content sharing application to receive and process requests to share content among users of devices such as mobile devices and personal computers. Recipients receive share content messages from the content sharing application indicating that they have been selected to access shared content. Such messages may provide direct or indirect access to the shared content via the recipient mobile device. Recipients can specify privacy management schemes to limit or control the receipt of such messages. The content sharing application may also provide various spam filtering techniques that prevent users from abusing the system, including restricting the number or type of requests to share content that may be effectuated over time.

Claims

1. A mobile device registered with a mobile service provider including a content sharing system, the mobile device comprising:

means for receiving user input;

means for providing output;

memory means;

radio transceiver and processing means coupled to the memory means;

means for presenting privacy management options via an output component, wherein the privacy management options allow the user of the mobile device to specify the extent to which the user would like to receive share content messages initiated by another user of the content sharing system who has complied with privacy management functions imposed by the content sharing system;

means for inputting a set of privacy management settings associated with the privacy management options;

means for transmitting the inputted set of privacy management settings associated with the privacy management options to the content sharing system; and

means for receiving share content messages in accordance with the inputted set of privacy management settings.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the privacy management options include a privacy management option that allows the mobile device to receive all share content messages that are not explicitly blocked.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the privacy management options include a privacy management option that blocks all share content messages that are not explicitly allowed.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the privacy management options include a privacy management option that allows the mobile device to receive all share content messages that are not explicitly blocked, and wherein the privacy management options further include an option for the user of the mobile device to designate a list of explicitly blocked senders.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the privacy management options include a privacy management option that allows the mobile device to receive all share content messages that are not explicitly blocked, and wherein the privacy management options further include an option for the user of the mobile device to designate a list of explicitly blocked content.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the share content messages include WAP push messages that, when received on the mobile device, allow the user of the mobile device to access the content via the mobile device.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the share content messages include WAP push messages that, when received on the mobile device, allow the user of the mobile device to access the content via the mobile device, and wherein the content is an executable application.

8. A mobile device registered with a mobile service provider including a content sharing system, the mobile device comprising:

means for receiving user input;

means for providing output;

memory means;

radio transceiver and processing means coupled to the memory means;

means for presenting privacy management options via an output component, wherein the privacy management options the user of the mobile device to specify the extent to which the user would like to receive share content messages initiated by another user, as facilitated by the content sharing system;

means for inputting a set of privacy management settings associated with the privacy management options;

means for transmitting the inputted set of privacy management settings associated with the privacy management options to the content sharing system; and

means for receiving share content messages in accordance with the inputted set of privacy management settings;

wherein the privacy management options include a privacy management option that blocks all share content messages that are not explicitly allowed, and wherein the privacy management options further include an option for the user of the mobile device to designate a list of allowed senders.

9. A mobile device registered with a mobile service provider including a content sharing system, the mobile device comprising:

means for receiving user input;

means for providing output;

memory means;

radio transceiver and processing means coupled to the memory means;

means for presenting privacy management options via an output component, wherein the privacy management options the user of the mobile device to specify the extent to which the user would like to receive share content messages initiated by another user, as facilitated by the content sharing system;

means for inputting a set of privacy management settings associated with the privacy management options;

means for transmitting the inputted set of privacy management settings associated with the privacy management options to the content sharing system; and

means for receiving share content messages in accordance with the inputted set of privacy management settings;

wherein the privacy management options include a privacy management option that blocks all share content messages that are not explicitly allowed, and wherein the privacy management options further include an option for the user of the mobile device to designate a list of allowed content.

10. A mobile device registered with a mobile service provider including a content sharing system, the mobile device comprising:

means for receiving user input;

means for providing output;

memory means;

radio transceiver and processing means coupled to the memory means;

means for presenting privacy management options via an output component, wherein the privacy management options allow the user of the mobile device to specify the extent to which the user would like receive share content messages with one or more other users of the content sharing system, as facilitated by the content sharing system, and means for inputting selected privacy management options to the content sharing system;

means for presenting user input forms via an output component, wherein the user input forms allow the user to specify the one or more other users of the content sharing system to whom the user wishes to send share content messages;

means for inputting a set of privacy management settings associated with the privacy management options; and

means for sending share content messages and means for receiving share content messages in accordance with the inputted set of privacy management settings.

11. A mobile device registered with a mobile service provider including a content sharing system, the mobile device comprising:

means for receiving user input;

means for providing output;

memory means;

radio transceiver and processing means coupled to the memory means;

means for presenting user input forms via an output component, wherein the user input forms allow the user to specify one or more other users of the content sharing system to whom the user wishes to send share content messages wherein the one or more other users of the content sharing system have selected privacy management options; and

means for sending share content messages in accordance with the user input forms.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the user input forms access an address book for selection of desired recipients.

13. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein a number of the user input forms are limited by the content sharing system.