Method and installation for transmitting a message with predetermined duration of validity addressed to a subscriber terminal

• US 20090042588A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Bonnefoy, Thierry, Ortholand, Jean-Michel, Lottin, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Method of transmitting a message with duration of validity destined for a subscriber terminal, comprising the formulating, in the message, of-a field containing information regarding duration of validity of the message and the monitoring of the validity of the message on the basis of the information contained in said field, wherein the message is transmitted to the terminal of the subscriber and, on the expiry of the duration of validity of the message, the message received by the terminal is modified or deleted in such a way as to prevent consultation thereof.

Claims

1. A method of managing a message with duration of validity destined for a subscriber terminal, comprising elaborating information regarding duration of validity of the message and monitoring the validity of the message on the basis of said information, wherein, after transmitting the message, the method comprises preventing the consultation of said message on the expiry of the duration of validity.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transmitting the duration of validity information to the terminal jointly with the message and managing, within the terminal, the duration of storage of the message in the terminal so as to permit the consultation of the message so long as the duration has not elapsed.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising detecting by the terminal information regarding duration of validity and generating of an acoustic symbol and/or of a visible signal for the duration of validity of the message so as to indicate the possibility of consulting the message.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the message furthermore comprises a field for storing an expiration text and the method comprises displaying said expiration text in place of the message on the expiry of the duration of validity.

5. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the message furthermore comprises a field for programming the behavior of the terminal, vis-à

-vis the message on expiry of the duration of validity, and the method comprises determining a mode for preventing consultation of the message between a mode of modification or of deletion of the message as a function of said programming field.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein managing the duration of validity comprises updating the duration of validity stored in the field of the message at each clock cycle of the terminal.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising storing the instant of the last update of the duration of validity, and said updating the duration of validity each time the terminal is switched on.

9. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said preventing the consultation of the message is performed after each shutdown of the terminal or upon each change of time of the terminal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said managing the duration of validity of the message is performed within a server of messaging services and wherein said preventing the consultation of the message comprises transmitting to the terminal a message replacing the message with limited duration on the expiry of the duration of validity.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising storing in a messaging services server information identifying the type of terminal to which the terminal of the user belongs and identifying as a function of the type of terminal, the mode of preventing the consultation of the message to be used from among a first mode according to which the duration of validity of the message is managed within the terminal and a second mode according to which the duration of validity is managed within the messaging service server.

15. Method according to claim 1, wherein preventing the consultation is performed by modification or suppression of said message on the expiry of the duration of validity.

16. Method according to claim 1, wherein elaborating information of duration of validity and managing the validity of the message are performed in two distinct servers and wherein the method comprises transmitting said duration of validity information between said two servers.

6. (canceled)

12. An installation for managing a message with duration of validity destined for a subscriber terminal, comprising a server of short messages, means for elaborating information regarding duration of validity of the message and means for monitoring the validity of the message and for preventing the consultation of the message on the expiry of the duration of validity of the message.

13. The installation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for monitoring the duration of validity of the message are hosted in the subscriber terminal for which the message is destined.

14. The installation as claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for monitoring the duration of validity of the message are hosted in a messaging services server which causes, on the expiry of the duration of validity, the transmission to the terminal of a message replacing the message with limited duration.