Sender managed message privacy

• US 8,706,817 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Daniels, Fonda J., Lyle, Ruthie D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZHANG, SHIRLEY X
• Application Number:
  US11/186,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20070022165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,197 Days
• Field of Search: 709205-207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to securing the privacy of messages and provide a method, system and computer program product for sender managed message privacy. In an embodiment of the invention, a data processing system for sender managed privacy can include a sender messaging client coupled to privacy management logic and configured for communicative linkage to a recipient messaging client coupled to proximity detection logic over a data communications network. The privacy management logic can include program code enabled to secure a message designated for delivery in the recipient messaging client responsive to the proximity detection logic.

Claims

1. A data processing system for sender managed privacy comprising:

a data processing system comprising at least one processor coupled to memory elements through a system bus;

privacy management logic executing in the memory by the at least one processor in the data processing system;

a sender messaging client coupled to the privacy management logic and configured for communicative linkage to a recipient messaging client coupled to proximity detection logic over a data communications network;

said privacy management logic comprising program code enabled to secure a message designated for delivery to a designated recipient in said recipient messaging client responsive to said proximity detection logic detecting a person other than the designated recipient, wherein the message is secured by

determining whether an identity of the person other than the designated recipient is such that delivery of the message can proceed,

upon determining that the identity of the person other than the designated recipient is such that delivery of the message cannot proceed, determining whether the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature,

upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, and

upon determining that the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature, delivering the message using an alternative means.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, further comprising privacy rules established for use by said privacy management logic in securing said message.

3. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said sender messaging client and said recipient messaging client are instant messaging clients.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said sender messaging client and said recipient messaging client are electronic mail clients.

5. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein said sender messaging client and said recipient messaging client are chat clients.

6. The data processing system of claim 1, further comprising presence detecting circuitry coupled to said proximity detection logic, said presence detecting circuitry comprising a configuration for sensing a sensor device.

7. The data processing system of claim 6, wherein said sensor device comprises one of a radio frequency identification tag, a magnetic sensor, and a smart card.

8. A computer-implemented method for sender managed privacy comprising:

designating a recipient for a message;

proximity detecting a person other than said designated recipient; and

,

securing said message by privacy management logic executing in memory by at least one processor in a data processing system responsive to said proximity detecting the person other than said designated recipient before permitting said designated recipient to view said message, wherein the message is secured by

determining whether an identity of the person other than the designated recipient is such that delivery of the message can proceed,

upon determining that the identity of the person other than the designated recipient is such that delivery of the message cannot proceed, determining whether the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature,

upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, and

upon determining that the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature, delivering the message using an alternative means.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said designating a recipient for a message comprises designating a recipient for an instant message.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said designating a recipient for a message comprises designating a recipient for an electronic mail message.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, comprises delaying delivery of said message responsive to said proximity detecting.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature, delivering the message using an alternative means, comprises redirecting said message to a voice mail for said designated recipient responsive to said proximity detecting.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature, delivering the message using an alternative means, comprises redirecting said message to a different message client for said designated recipient responsive to said proximity detecting.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, comprises obfuscating said message responsive to said proximity detecting.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, comprises encrypting said message responsive to said proximity detecting.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code for sender managed message privacy, said computer program product including:

computer usable program code for designating a recipient for a message;

computer usable program code for proximity detecting a person other than said designated recipient; and

,

computer usable program code for securing said message by privacy management logic executing in memory by at least one processor in a data processing system responsive to said proximity detecting the person other than said designated recipient before permitting said designated recipient to view said message, wherein the message is secured by

determining whether an identity of the person other than the designated recipient is such that delivery of the message can proceed,

upon determining that the identity of the person other than the designated recipient is such that delivery of the message cannot proceed, determining whether the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature,

upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, and

upon determining that the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature, delivering the message using an alternative means.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer usable program code for designating a recipient for a message comprises computer usable program code for designating a recipient for an instant message.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer usable program code for designating a recipient for a message comprises computer usable program code for designating a recipient for an electronic mail message.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, comprises delaying delivery of said message responsive to said proximity detecting.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature, delivering the message using an alternative means, comprises redirecting said message to a voice mail for said designated recipient responsive to said proximity detecting.

21. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is of a time sensitive nature, delivering the message using an alternative means, comprises redirecting said message to a different message client for said designated recipient responsive to said proximity detecting.

22. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, comprises obfuscating said message responsive to said proximity detecting.

23. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein upon determining that the delivery of the message is not of a time sensitive nature, securing the message, comprises encrypting said message responsive to said proximity detecting.