Sending and releasing pending messages

• US 8,407,486 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nuzzi, Frank A., Vu, Michael Vinh, Weisskopf, Michael John, Randall, Donald H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colin, Carl
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZAIDI, SYED A
• Application Number:
  US12/046,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 713/193
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes

Abstract

Releasing pending messages is provided. An electronic message is received via a network from a sending client device. The electronic message includes a request to place the electronic message in a pending file and an authorization to release data. The electronic message is placed in the pending file and the authorization to release data is stored in a storage device. An authorization is received to release the electronic message from the pending file. Then, it is determined whether the authorization to release the electronic message matches the stored authorization to release data. In response to determining that a match is found, the electronic message is released from the pending file. Then, the released electronic message is sent to a receiving client device via the network.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for releasing pending messages, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a server device, from a sending client device via a network an electronic message that includes in a header of the electronic message request data used for placing the electronic message in a pending file and authorization data used for releasing the electronic message from the pending file;

placing, by the server device, the electronic message in the pending file based on the request data included in the header of the electronic message;

storing, by the server device, the authorization data included in the header of the electronic message in a storage device to form stored authorization data;

receiving, by the server device, an authorization to release the electronic message from the pending file, wherein the authorization to release the electronic message from the pending file is radio frequency identification data received from the sending client device using a radio frequency identification reader located within the sending client device to obtain the radio frequency identification data;

determining, by the server device, whether the authorization to release the electronic message matches the stored authorization data;

responsive to a determination that a match is found, sending, by the server device, a notification to an intended recipient of the electronic message with instructions on how to receive the electronic message, wherein the instructions direct the intended recipient to call a specified telephone number, listen to a pre-recorded message regarding a context of the electronic message, and acknowledge that the context of the electronic message is understood by inputting a specified voice command input, and wherein acknowledgment that the context of the electronic message was understood is recorded by the server device;

determining, by the server device, whether a configurable period of time has elapsed;

responsive to a determination that the configurable period of time has elapsed, destroying, by the server device, the electronic message;

responsive to a determination that the configurable period of time has not elapsed, releasing, by the server device, the electronic message from the pending file to form a released electronic message; and

sending, by the server device, the released electronic message to a receiving client device via the network.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the authorization to release the electronic message and the stored authorization data do not match, sending, by the server device, a notification to a sender of the electronic message that an invalid authorization to release the electronic message has been received.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the instructions are successfully completed prior to sending the released electronic message to the intended recipient.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an instant message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is encrypted with an encryption key, and wherein a decryption key is required in the receiving client device to view the released electronic message.

7. A data processing system for releasing pending messages, the data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device stores a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to;

receive from a sending client device via a network an electronic message that includes in a header of the electronic message request data used for placing the electronic message in a pending file and authorization data used for releasing the electronic message from the pending file;

place the electronic message in the pending file based on the request data included in the header of the electronic message;

store the authorization data included in the header of the electronic message in the storage device to form stored authorization data;

receive an authorization to release the electronic message from the pending file, wherein the authorization to release the electronic message from the pending file is radio frequency identification data received from the sending client device using a radio frequency identification reader located within the sending client device to obtain the radio frequency identification data;

determine whether the authorization to release the electronic message matches the stored authorization data;

send a notification to an intended recipient of the electronic message with instructions on how to receive the electronic message in response to a determination that a match is found, wherein the instructions direct the intended recipient to call a specified telephone number, listen to a pre-recorded message regarding a context of the electronic message, and acknowledge that the context of the electronic message is understood by inputting a specified voice command input, and wherein acknowledgment that the context of the electronic message was understood is recorded by the data processing system;

determine whether a configurable period of time has elapsed;

destroy the electronic message in response to a determination that the configurable period of time has elapsed;

release the electronic message from the pending file to form a released electronic message in response to a determination that-the configurable period of time has not elapsed; and

send the released electronic message to a receiving client device via the network.

8. A computer program product for releasing pending messages, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage device having computer usable program code embodied therein, the computer readable storage device comprising;

computer usable program code for receiving from a sending client device via a network an electronic message that includes in a header of the electronic message request data used for placing the electronic message in a pending file and authorization data used for releasing the electronic message from the pending file;

computer usable program code for placing the electronic message in the pending file based on the request data included in the header of the electronic message;

computer usable program code for storing the authorization data included in the header of the electronic message in a storage device to form stored authorization data;

computer usable program code for receiving an authorization to release the electronic message from the pending file, wherein the authorization to release the electronic message from the pending file is radio frequency identification data received from the sending client device using a radio frequency identification reader located within the sending client device to obtain the radio frequency identification data;

computer usable program code for determining whether the authorization to release the electronic message matches the stored authorization data;

computer usable program code for sending a notification to an intended recipient of the electronic message with instructions on how to receive the electronic message in response to a determination that a match is found, wherein the instructions direct the intended recipient to call a specified telephone number, listen to a pre-recorded message regarding a context of the electronic message, and acknowledge that the context of the electronic message is understood by inputting a specified voice command input, and wherein acknowledgment that the context of the electronic message was understood is recorded by a server device;

computer usable program code for determining whether a configurable period of time has elapsed;

computer usable program code for destroying the electronic message in response to a determination that the configurable period of time has elapsed;

computer usable program code for releasing the electronic message from the pending file to form a released electronic message in response to a determination that the configurable period of time has not elapsed; and

computer usable program code for sending the released electronic message to a receiving client device via the network.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable program code for sending a notification to a sender of the electronic message that an invalid authorization to release the electronic message has been received in response to a determination that the authorization to release the electronic message and the stored authorization data do not match.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable program code for determining whether the instructions are successfully completed prior to sending the released electronic message to the intended recipient.