Method and system for sender-controlled messaging and content sharing

• US 9,961,030 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SNDR LLC
• Original Assignee: Private Giant
• Inventors: Murphy, Shaun, Murphy, Charles, Johnson, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): SHINGLES, KRISTIE D
• Application Number:
  US14/874,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20160380937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709206, 709207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/745 Address table lookup; Address filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/08 Key distribution or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/30 Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy

Abstract

A messaging and content sharing platform that allows for sender-controlled permissions and rules. During operation, a sending device can receive user input to set permissions and rules for an object to be sent to a receiving device. The permissions and rules control how the object will be managed after leaving the sending device. A receiving device receives the object and complies with the permissions and rules associated with the object. Other features of the platform include a hierarchical view for group messaging, an attachment-only view of messages, large file attachments, and the ability to allow users to access external services such as social networking websites without logging in.

Claims

1. A method for sending an object comprising:

receiving the object at a sending device, wherein the object is a message or other content;

receiving user input at the sending device to set permissions and rules for the object, wherein a respective permission indicates a respective operation that a receiving device may perform on the object, and wherein a respective rule indicates an operation that the receiving device is required to perform when a specified condition occurs in connection with the object;

attaching the permissions and rules to the object;

generating a unique identifier for a portion of the object;

sending the portion of the object with the unique identifier to a server; and

sending, by the sending device, at least a remaining portion of the object encrypted with a symmetric key and the unique identifier to the receiving device, wherein the symmetric key is encrypted with a public key of the receiving device or a user associated with the receiving device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is stored via a distributed lookup table including but not limited to a distributed hash table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, in a messaging session involving a plurality of users, responses to each user according to a hierarchical structure so that a response to a message in a message thread is depicted as branching off from the message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a rule is one of:

requiring that the receiving device prevent execution of a forwarding operation when receiving a command to forward the message;

requiring that the receiving device prevent execution of a screenshot operation when receiving a command to take a screenshot of the object;

requiring that the receiving device prevent execution of a printing operation when receiving a command to print the object;

requiring that the receiving device prevent execution of a download operation when receiving a command to download the object;

requiring that the receiving device delete an object after taking a screenshot; and

requiring that the receiving device delete an object after the user views the object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input to anonymously send a message and/or other content to an external service;

verifying the identity of the user; and

receiving messages for the user from others and continuing messaging with others using the user'"'"'s verified identity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a plurality of messages in attachment view so that the user may view only the attachments, wherein an attachment includes a generated thumbnail for each file that is smaller than an original size of the file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a permission indicates whether the receiving device is allowed to perform one of the following:

forward the message and/or content;

stash the message and/or content;

add a participant to a message header indicating parties that receive the message and associated replies;

remove a participant from the message header indicating parties that receive the message and associated replies;

take a screenshot that includes the message and/or content

select text from the message and/or content;

print the message and/or content; and

download the message and/or content to external storage.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input to specify permissions for others to access and roll back an item in a stash.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing optical character recognition on attachments;

receiving user input specifying a search item, and searching through

the attachments and associated metadata for the search item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition is specified by the user input received at the sending device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation that the receiving device is required to perform is in response to a specific user action occurring in connection with the object as specified by the respective rule.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining an encrypted portion of the object from a server.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving user input specifying an operation to be performed on the object;

determining whether the operation is authorized based on the rules and/or permissions of the object; and

responsive to determining that the operation is authorized, performing the operation on the object.

17. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

wherein the unique identifier is optionally stored via a distributed lookup table including but not limited to a distributed hash table.

18. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

in a messaging session involving a plurality of users displaying responses to each user according to a hierarchical structure so that a response to a message in a message thread is depicted as branching off from the message.

19. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein a rule is one of:

requiring that the receiving device prevent execution of a forwarding operation when receiving a command to forward the message;

requiring that the receiving device prevent execution of a screenshot operation when receiving a command to take a screenshot of the object;

requiring that the receiving device prevent execution of a printing operation when receiving a command to print the object;

requiring that the receiving device prevent execution of a download operation when receiving a command to download the object;

requiring that the receiving device delete an object after taking a screenshot; and

requiring that the receiving device delete an object after the user views the object.

20. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

allowing the user to anonymously send a message and/or other content to an external service;

verifying the identity of the user; and

allowing the user to receive messages from others and continue messaging with others using the user'"'"'s verified identity.

21. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein a permission indicates whether the receiving device is allowed to perform one of the following:

forward the message and/or content;

stash the message and/or content;

add a participant to a message header indicating parties that receive the message and associated replies;

remove a participant from the message header indicating parties that receive the message and associated replies;

take a screenshot that includes the message and/or content select text from the message and/or content;

print the message and/or content; and

download the message and/or content to external storage.

23. The storage medium of claim 21, further comprising:

obtaining an encrypted portion of the object from a server.

24. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input specifying an operation to be performed on the object;

determining whether the operation is authorized based on the rules and/or permissions of the object; and

responsive to determining that the operation is authorized, performing the operation on the object.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the unique identifier is optionally stored via a distributed lookup table including but not limited to a distributed hash table.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input to anonymously send a message and/or other content to an external service;

verifying the identity of the user; and

receiving messages for the user from others and continuing messaging with others using the user'"'"'s verified identity.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input specifying an operation to be performed on the object;

determining whether the operation is authorized based on the rules and/or permissions of the object; and

responsive to determining that the operation is authorized, performing the operation on the object.

30. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

obtaining an encrypted portion of the object from a server.

12. A method performed by a receiving device to receive an object comprising:

receiving at least a portion of the object encrypted with a symmetric key and a unique identifier at the receiving device, wherein the object is a message or other content, and wherein the symmetric key is encrypted with a public key of the receiving device or a user associated with the receiving device;

requesting an additional portion of the object from a server, wherein the request includes the unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is generated by the sending device for the additional portion of the object, and the additional portion of the object with the unique identifier is sent to the server by the sending device;

generating the object based on at least the portion of the object and the additional portion of the object;

extracting permissions and rules from the object, wherein the permissions and rules are set at the sending device according to user input received at the sending device, wherein a respective permission indicates a respective operation that the receiving device may perform on the object, and wherein a respective rule indicates an operation that the receiving device is required to perform when a specified condition occurs in connection with the object; and

providing the object to a user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein extracting permissions further comprises:

decrypting and extracting the symmetric key from the message using a private key of the receiving device; and

decrypting the object with the symmetric key.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for sending an object, the method comprising:

receiving the object at a sending device, wherein the object is a message or other content;

receiving user input at the sending device to set permissions and rules for the object, wherein a respective permission indicates a respective operation that a receiving device may perform on the object, and wherein a respective rule indicates an operation that the receiving device is required to perform when a specified condition occurs in connection with the object;

attaching the permissions and rules to the object;

generating a unique identifier for a portion of the object;

sending the portion of the object with the unique identifier to a server; and

sending, by the sending device, at least a remaining portion of the object encrypted with a symmetric key and the unique identifier to the receiving device, wherein the symmetric key is encrypted with a public key of the receiving device or a user associated with the receiving device.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method executed by a receiving device to receive an encrypted object, the method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of the object encrypted with a symmetric key and a unique identifier at the receiving device, wherein the object is a message or other content, and wherein the symmetric key is encrypted with a public key of the receiving device or a user associated with the receiving device;

requesting an additional portion of the object from a server, wherein the request includes the unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is generated by the sending device for the additional portion of the object, and the additional portion of the object with the unique identifier is sent to the server by the sending device;

generating the object based on at least the portion of the object and the additional portion of the object;

extracting permissions and rules from the object, wherein the permissions and rules are set at the sending device according to user input received at the sending device, wherein a respective permission indicates a respective operation that the receiving device may perform on the object, and wherein a respective rule indicates an operation that the receiving device is required to perform when a specified condition occurs in connection with the object; and

providing the object to a user.

25. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for sending an object, the method comprising;

receiving the object at a sending device, wherein the object is a message or other content;

receiving user input at the sending device to set permissions and rules for the object, wherein a respective permission indicates a respective operation that a receiving device may perform on the object, and wherein a respective rule indicates an operation that the receiving device is required to perform when a specified condition occurs in connection with the object;

attaching the permissions and rules to the object;

generating a unique identifier for a portion of the object;

sending the portion of the object with the unique identifier to a server; and

sending, by the sending device, at least a remaining portion of the object encrypted with a symmetric key and the unique identifier to the receiving device, wherein the symmetric key is encrypted with a public key of the receiving device or a user associated with the receiving device.

28. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for receiving an object, the method comprising;

receiving at least a portion of the object encrypted with a symmetric key and a unique identifier at a receiving device, wherein the object is a message or other content, and wherein the symmetric key is encrypted with a public key of the receiving device or a user associated with the receiving device;

requesting an additional portion of the object from a server, wherein the request includes the unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is generated by the sending device for the additional portion of the object, and the additional portion of the object with the unique identifier is sent to the server by the sending device;

generating the object based on at least the portion of the object and the additional portion of the object;

extracting permissions and rules from the object, wherein the permissions and rules are set at the sending device according to user input received at the sending device, wherein a respective permission indicates a respective operation that the receiving device may perform on the object, and wherein a respective rule indicates an operation that the receiving device is required to perform when a specified condition occurs in connection with the object; and

providing the object to a user.