User initiated rule-based restrictions on messaging applications

• US 9,197,587 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bansal, Ravi P., Gandhi, Salil P., Kottawar, Saidas T., Mahajan, Sandip D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALGIBHAH, HAMZA N
• Application Number:
  US14/542,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20150074212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for user initiated rule based restrictions on sending messages from a sender to a receiver in a communications network. The receiver establishes a set of rules for the sender that allows the sender a limited number of defined messages events with the receiver. The defined message events may be messages or message sessions. When the sender attempts to send a message to the receiver, it is determined whether a message session currently exists between the sender and the receiver. If a current session exists, the rules set by the receiver are used to determine if the message is allowed to be sent to the receiver. If a session does not currently exist, the rules are used to determine whether a new session is allowed. If a new message session is allowed, a new session is established, and the message is sent to the receiver during the new session.

Claims

1. A method of implementing user initiated rule based restrictions on the use of messaging applications, wherein message sessions are established between a pre-specified one sender and a receiver, and during each of the message sessions, one or more messages are sent from the pre-specified one sender to the receiver, the method comprising:

the receiver establishing a set of specified rules for the pre-specified one sender, said set of rules including a limit on the number of message sessions the pre-specified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver during a defined time period;

the pre-specified one sender attempting to initiate a new message session with the receiver;

determining, based on said set of rules and by using one or more processing units executing a messaging access program, whether a new message session is allowed to be established between the pre-identified one sender and the receiver, including determining whether a number of message sessions established between the pre-identified one sender and the receiver during said defined time period is less than the number of message sessions the pre-identified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver during the defined time period;

if the number of message sessions established between the pre-identified one sender and the receiver during said defined time period is less than the number of message sessions that the pre-specified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver during said defined time period, establishing the new message session between the pre-specified one sender and the receiver; and

the receiver modifying the set of specified rules based on specified actions of the sender.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiver modifying the set of specified rules includes the receiver modifying the number of message sessions the pre-identified one sender is allowed to initiate with the receiver during the defined time period.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiver modifying the set of specified rules includes the receiver modifying a number of messages the pre-identified one sender is allowed to send to the receiver during one of the message sessions.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiver modifying the set of specified rules includes the receiver modifying a length of the defined time period.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said determining if the new message session is allowed includes determining whether a message session currently exists between the pre-identified one sender and the receiver.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising notifying the sender of the number of message sessions the sender is allowed to establish with the receiver during the defined time period.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising when the number of message sessions that the pre-identified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver has been reached, alerting the sender that said number has been reached.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the establishing a set of rules includes setting an alert threshold number of message sessions below the number of message sessions the specified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver during the defined time period.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising when said alert threshold number of message sessions has been reached, alerting the specified one sender that said alert threshold number has been reached.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining, based on said set of rules and by using one or more processing units executing a messaging access program, whether a new message session is allowed:

keeping a count of the number of message sessions established between the specified one sender and the receiver during said defined time period; and

not including in said count selected ones of the message sessions established between the specified one sender and the receiver.

11. A system for implementing user initiated rule based restrictions on the use of messaging applications, wherein message sessions are established between a pre-specified one sender and a receiver, and during each of the message sessions, one or more messages are sent from the pre-specified one sender to the receiver, the system comprising:

a receiver communications device for establishing and modifying a set of specified rules for the pre-specified one sender, said set of rules including a limit on the number of message sessions the pre-specified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver communications device during a defined time period;

a memory storage device for storing the set of rules;

a pre-specified one sender communications device for attempting to initiate a new message session with the receiver communications device; and

one or more processor units including instructions for;

receiving from the receiver communications device the set of specified rules;

receiving input from the receiver communications device for modifying the set of specified rules based on specified actions of the sender communications device;

determining, based on said set of rules, whether a new message session is allowed to be established between the pre-identified one sender communications device and the receiver communications device, including determining whether a number of message sessions established between the pre-identified one sender communications device and the receiver communications device during said defined time period is less than the number of message sessions the pre-identified one sender communications device is allowed to establish with the receiver communications device during the defined time period; and

if the number of message sessions established between the pre-identified one sender communications device and the receiver communications device during said defined time period is less than the number of message sessions that the pre-specified one sender communications device is allowed to establish with the receiver communications device during said defined time period, establishing the new message session between the pre-specified one sender communications device and the receiver communications device.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the receiver unit communications device modifies the number of message sessions the pre-specified one sender communications device is allowed to initiate with the receiver communications device during the defined time period.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the receiver communications device modifies a number of messages the pre-specified one sender communications device is allowed to send to the receiver communications device during one of the message sessions.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the receiver communications device modifies a length of the defined time period.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said determining if the new message session is allowed includes determining whether a message session currently exists between the identified one sender communications device and the receiver communications device.

16. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one tangible computer readable device having computer readable program code logic tangibly embodied therein to execute machine instructions in one or more processing units for implementing user initiated rule-based restrictions on a messaging application in a communication network, wherein message sessions are established between a pre-specified one sender and a receiver and during each of the message sessions, one or more messages are sent from the pre-specified one sender to the receiver, said computer readable program code logic, when executing, performing the following;

receiving a set of specified rules for the pre-specified one sender, said set of rules including a limit on the number of message sessions the pre-specified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver during a defined time period;

when the pre-specified one sender attempts to initiate a new message session with the receiver, determining, based on said set of rules, whether a new message session is allowed to be established between the pre-identified one sender and the receiver, including determining whether a number of message sessions established between the pre-identified one sender and the receiver during said defined time period is less than the number of message sessions the pre-identified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver during the defined time period;

if the number of message sessions established between the pre-identified one sender and the receiver during said defined time period is less than the number of message sessions that the pre-specified one sender is allowed to establish with the receiver during said defined time period, establishing the new message session between the pre-specified one sender and the receiver; and

receiving input from the receiver for modifying the set of specified rules based on specified actions of the sender.

17. The article of manufacture according to claim 16, wherein the receiving input from the receiver includes receiving input for modifying the number of message sessions the pre-identified one sender is allowed to initiate with the receiver during the defined time period.

18. The article of manufacture according to claim 16, wherein the receiving input from the receiver includes receiving input for modifying a number of messages the pre-identified one sender is allowed to send to the receiver during one of the message sessions.

19. The article of manufacture according to claim 16, wherein the receiving input from the receiver includes receiving input for modifying a length of the defined time period.

20. The article of manufacture according to claim 16, wherein said determining if the new message session is allowed includes determining whether a message session currently exists between the pre-identified one sender and the receiver.