Systems and methods for controlling personal communications

• US 9,788,176 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: On Second Thought, Inc.
• Original Assignee: On Second Thought, Inc.
• Inventors: Peterson, Maci
• Primary Examiner(s): HAMMONDS, MARCUS C
• Application Number:
  US14/968,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20160100298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 455466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A method for using a mobile software application for deleting or recalling unwanted messages on a mobile device before it is delivered to the intended recipient is provided. The software application operates by running on top of the resident messaging application on the mobile device. For example, the application caches the message for specified amount of time and thereby sets a length of delay. The user has the application on the mobile device and the message is composed on the OST application and the application software keeps the message in a buffer for a predetermined amount of time after the user selects to send the message such that if the user regrets sending the message, it can be deleted or recalled before the message leaves the mobile device. Other advantages that are understood from the present disclosure will further be apparent.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for message communication management of personal mobile wireless devices by using an interactive mobile software application comprising:

implementing the interactive mobile software application on a personal mobile wireless device, wherein the application implements a process comprising;

providing an interactive user interface on the device for entering and sending messages on a messaging screen; and

in response to a user entering a message and selecting to send the entered message from the personal mobile wireless device using the interactive user interface, displaying the entered message on the messaging screen and holding the entered message back for a predetermined period of time from being sent over a communication network that delivers the entered message to an intended recipient, wherein holding the entered message back allows the user to further inspect contents of the entered message on the messaging screen before the entered message is transmitted, displaying a timer or countdown indicator on the messaging screen in association with displaying the entered message that was selected to be sent which is being held back for further inspection, permitting the user to recall or delete the entered message on the messaging screen by way of interacting with the user interface while time is left in the predetermined period of time, wherein the timer or countdown indicator visually indicates to the user how much time is left in the predetermined period of time to recall or delete the entered message, and in response to the predetermined time period expiring, the interactive mobile software application allows delivery of the entered message over the communication network,

wherein the interactive user interface, during the predetermined period, provides the capability to the user to apply one or more gesture actions to the entered message, which was selected to be sent, that apply an operation to the entered message to recall or delete the entered message, and further wherein a first one or more gestures directs the operation to recall the entered message and second one or more gestures directs the operation to delete entered message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile software application is a mobile software application that is installed over a message communication application that receives and transmits messages.

3. The method based on claim 1, wherein the interactive mobile software application is particularly implemented so as to manage SMS and MMS messaging on the mobile wireless device.

4. The method based on claim 1, further comprising making the interactive mobile software application the default application for messaging and replying to SMS/MMS and other messaging.

5. The method based on claim 1, wherein the interactive mobile software application holds the entered message in a buffer before the entered message is transmitted.

6. The method based on claim 1, wherein the interactive mobile software application displays the entered message in a window to the user as if the entered message has been sent but with designation to show the entered message is being held back during the predetermined period of time.

7. The method based on claim 1, wherein the process further comprises transmitting the entered message over the communication network when the predetermined period of time expires.

8. A system for message communication management of personal mobile wireless devices comprising:

a mobile software application installed on a mobile wireless device, the application comprising an interactive user interface on the mobile wireless device for entering and sending messages on a messaging screen; and

a buffer storing entered messages

wherein, in response to a user entering a message and selecting to send the entered message from the personal mobile wireless device using the interactive user interface, the application displays the entered message on the messaging screen and holds the entered message in the buffer for a predetermined period of time from being sent over a communication network that delivers the entered message to an intended recipient, wherein holding the entered message in the buffer allows the user to further inspect contents of the entered message on the messaging screen before the entered message is transmitted, displaying a timer or countdown indicator on the messaging screen in association with displaying the entered message that is being held in the buffer for further inspection, permitting the user to recall or delete the entered message in the buffer by way of interacting with the user interface while time is left in the predetermined period of time, wherein the timer or countdown indicator visually indicates to the user how much time is left in the predetermined period of time to recall or delete the entered message in the buffer, and in response to the predetermined time period expiring, the interactive mobile software application allows delivery of the entered message in the buffer over the communication network and

wherein the interactive user interface, during the predetermined period, provides the capability to the user to apply one or more gesture actions to the entered message, which was selected to be sent, that apply an operation to the entered message to recall or delete the entered message, and further wherein a first one or more gestures directs the operation to recall the entered message and second one or more gestures directs the operation to delete entered message.

9. The system based on claim 8, wherein the mobile software application is particularly implemented so as to manage SMS and MMS messaging on the mobile wireless device.

10. The system based on claim 8, wherein the mobile software application is the default application for messaging and replying to SMS/MMS and other messaging.

11. The system based on claim 8, wherein the mobile software application displays the entered message in a window to the user as if the entered message has been sent but with designation to show the entered message is being held back.

12. The system based on claim 8, wherein the application is configured to transmit the entered message over the communication network when the predetermined period of time expires.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing an application causing a computer to execute message delay process, the message delay process comprising:

receiving an entered message from an interactive mobile software application installed on a personal mobile wireless device; and

in response to a user selecting to send the entered message, displaying the entered message on the messaging screen and holding the entered message back for a predetermined period of time from being sent over a communication network that delivers the entered message to an intended recipient, wherein holding the entered message back allows the user to further inspect contents of the entered message on the messaging screen before the entered message is transmitted, displaying a timer or countdown indicator on the messaging screen in association with displaying the entered message that is being held in the buffer for further inspection, permitting the user to recall or delete the entered message by way of interacting with the user interface while time is left in the predetermined period of time, wherein the timer or countdown indicator visually indicates to the user how much time is left in the predetermined period of time to recall or delete the entered message, and in response to the predetermined time period expiring, the interactive mobile software application allows delivery of the entered message over the communication network and

wherein the user interface, during the predetermined period, provides the capability to the user to apply one or more gesture actions to the entered message, which was selected to be sent, that apply an operation to the entered message to recall or delete the entered message, and further wherein a first one or more gestures directs the operation to recall the entered message and second one or more gestures directs the operation to delete entered message.

14. The computer readable medium based on claim 13, wherein the interactive mobile software application is particularly implemented so as to manage SMS and MMS messaging on the personal mobile wireless device.

15. The computer readable medium based on claim 13, wherein the interactive mobile software application is configured to become the default application for messaging and replying to SMS/MMS and other messaging.

16. The computer readable medium based on claim 13, wherein the interactive mobile software application holds the entered message in a buffer before the entered message is transmitted.

17. The computer readable medium based on claim 13, wherein the interactive mobile software application displays the entered message in a window to the user as if the entered message has been sent but with designation to show the entered message is being held back.

18. The system based on claim 13, wherein the process further comprises transmitting the entered message over the communication network when the predetermined period of time expires.