Method and system for secure social networking on feature phones

• US 9,621,504 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelmate LLC
• Original Assignee: Intelmate LLC
• Inventors: Torgersrud, Richard, Yamasaki, John Satori
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US13/844,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

A method for handing messages on a secure social network (SSN) includes receiving a message comprising a recipient name from a SSN member sender, retrieving a list of SSN member names approved to communicate with the SSN member sender, and determining that recipient name matches a first SSN member name and a second member name stored in the list of SSN member names, where the first SSN member name identifies an inmate of a controlled facility. The method further includes retrieving a first period of time since a previous communication between the SSN member sender and the first SSN member name, retrieving a second period of time since a previous communication between the SSN member sender and the second SSN member name, and sending the message to the inmate based on a comparison of the first period of time to the second period of time.

Claims

1. A method for handing messages on a secure social network (SSN) comprising:

receiving a message comprising a recipient name from a SSN member sender;

retrieving a list of SSN member names approved to communicate with the SSN member sender;

determining that the recipient name matches a first SSN member name and a second SSN member name stored in the list of SSN member names, wherein the first SSN member name and the second SSN member name identify two separate inmates of a controlled facility;

retrieving a first period of time since a previous communication between the SSN member sender and the first SSN member name;

retrieving a second period of time since a previous communication between the SSN member sender and the second SSN member name;

selecting, from the two separate inmates and based on the first period of time exceeding the second period of time, a selected inmate identified by the second SSN member name;

retrieving, from an identity data item of the selected inmate, a device protocol of a device of the selected inmate;

converting, in response to retrieving the device protocol, the message to be compatible with the device protocol; and

sending, in response to converting, the message to the selected inmate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message to the selected inmate comprises:

determining a message protocol of the message,

wherein converting is based on comparing the message protocol to the device protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message protocol is one selected from a group consisting of a multimedia messaging service protocol, a short messaging service protocol, and an enhanced messaging service protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the message comprising the recipient name from the SSN member sender comprises:

determining that the message further comprises a hashtag;

sending the SSN member sender a request to define the hashtag;

receiving a hashtag definition for the hashtag; and

storing the hashtag definition in a user hashtag definition for the SSN member sender.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein sending the SSN member sender the request to define the hashtag comprises:

retrieving, from a master hashtag library, at least one definition for the hashtag; and

sending the at least one definition to the SSN member sender.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

storing the hashtag definition in a master hashtag library for all members of the SSN.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the SSN member sender is an outsider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining that the first SSN member name corresponds to a previous inmate of the controlled facility.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises sending a bounceback message to the SSN member sender.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the first SSN member name corresponds to a previous inmate of the controlled facility and a current inmate of the controlled facility;

determining that the message was delivered to an incorrect SSN member name; and

sending a bounceback message to the SSN member sender.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for handing messages on a secure social network (SSN), the method comprising:

receiving a message comprising a recipient name from a SSN member sender;

determining that the message further comprises a hashtag that is not defined in a user hashtag definition of the SSN member sender;

retrieving, in response to determining that the hashtag is not defined in the user hashtag definition of the SSN member sender, a plurality of definitions for the hashtag from a master hashtag library;

receiving a selection from the SSN member sender to identify a sender selected hashtag definition from the plurality of definitions for the hashtag;

retrieving a list of SSN member names approved to communicate with the SSN member sender;

determining that the recipient name matches a SSN member name stored in the list of SSN member names, wherein the SSN member name identifies an inmate of a controlled facility;

retrieving, from an identity data item of the inmate, a device protocol of a device of the inmate;

converting, in response to retrieving the device protocol, the message to be compatible with the device protocol; and

sending, in response to converting, the message to the inmate, wherein the hashtag provides information about the message based on the sender selected hashtag definition.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein sending the message to the inmate comprises:

determining a message protocol of the message;

wherein the converting is based on comparing the message protocol to the device protocol.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the message protocol is one selected from a group consisting of a multimedia messaging service protocol, a short messaging service protocol, and an enhanced messaging service protocol.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, further comprises:

storing, in response to determining that the hashtag is not defined in the user hashtag definition of the SSN member sender and receiving the selection from the SSN member sender, the sender selected hashtag definition in the user hashtag definition for the SSN member sender.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprises:

sending the plurality of definitions to the SSN member sender for selection.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, the method further comprising:

storing, prior to receiving the message, the plurality of definitions in the master hashtag library for all members of the SSN.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the SSN member sender is an outsider.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises determining that the first SSN member name corresponds to a previous inmate of the controlled facility.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises sending a bounceback message to the SSN member sender.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the first SSN member name corresponds to a previous inmate of the controlled facility and a current inmate of the controlled facility;

determining that the message was delivered to an incorrect SSN member name; and

sending a bounceback message to the SSN member sender.

21. A system for reviewing a posting to a secure social network (SSN) comprising:

a database server comprising;

a list of SSN member names approved to communicate with a SSN member sender comprising;

a first SSN member name identifying an inmate of a controlled facility; and

a second SSN member name; and

an application server configured to;

receive a message comprising a recipient name from the SSN member sender;

retrieve the list of SSN member names approved to communicate with the SSN member sender;

determine that the recipient name matches the first SSN member name and the second member name stored in the list of SSN member names, wherein the first SSN member name and the second SSN member name identify two separate inmates of the controlled facility;

retrieve a first period of time since a previous communication between the SSN member sender and the first SSN member name;

retrieve a second period of time since a previous communication between the SSN member sender and the second SSN member name;

select, from the two separate inmates and based on the first period of time exceeding the second period of time, a selected inmate identified by the second SSN member name;

retrieve, from an identity data item of the selected inmate, a device protocol of a device of the selected inmate;

convert, in response to retrieving the device protocol, the message to be compatible with the device protocol; and

send, in response to converting, the message to the selected inmate.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein sending the message to the selected inmate comprises:

determining a message protocol of the message,

wherein the converting is based on comparing the message protocol to the device protocol.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the message protocol is one selected from a group consisting of a multimedia messaging service protocol, a short messaging service protocol, and an enhanced messaging service protocol.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein receiving the message comprising the recipient name from the SSN member sender comprises:

determining that the message further comprises a hashtag;

sending the SSN member sender a request to define the hashtag;

receiving a hashtag definition for the hashtag; and

storing the hashtag definition in a user hashtag definition for the SSN member sender.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein sending the SSN member sender the request to define the hashtag comprises:

retrieving, from a master hashtag library, at least one definition for the hashtag; and

sending the at least one definition to the SSN member sender.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the application server is further configured to:

store the hashtag definition in a master hashtag library for all members of the SSN.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises determining that the first SSN member name corresponds to a previous inmate of the controlled facility.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises sending a bounceback message to the SSN member sender.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the first SSN member name corresponds to a previous inmate of the controlled facility and a current inmate of the controlled facility;

determining that the message was delivered to an incorrect SSN member name; and

sending a bounceback message to the SSN member sender.