SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELF-DESTRUCTING MESSAGES

• US 20160164816A1
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Assets LLC
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhagwan, Varun, Kanugovi, Gowri, Bonforte, Jeffrey, Sharp, Doug
• Granted Patent: US 11,108,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for automatically deleting messages from a recipient'"'"'s inbox. The disclosed systems and methods provide the ability for automatic actions to be taken on delivered messages based on a passage of time. This enables a sender of messages, email service provider and/or email platform to exert control over sent messages to limit the number and type of operations that may be performed on such messages. For example, operations such as saving, forwarding, printing, copying, or otherwise duplicating the message and/or message data can be prohibited and all together rendered impossible. The disclosed systems and methods enables the purging of messages and associated message data from a recipient'"'"'s inbox at a certain specified time, after the passage of a pre-determined amount of time, or upon the detection of a specified event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device over a network from a first user, a message addressed to an inbox associated with a second user, said message comprising message content and a time-to-live (TTL) restriction embedded within metadata of the message, said TTL restriction comprising a TTL trigger indicating the message is being sent via short-lived (SL) protocol that enables said message to self-destruct in accordance with the TTL restriction;

determining, via the computing device, that the second user'"'"'s message account hosting the inbox of said second user supports SL protocol;

delivering, over the network, the message to the inbox of said second user;

parsing, via the computing device, said message to determine when said TTL restriction is satisfied, said parsing comprising parsing said metadata to identify the TTL trigger;

monitoring, via the computing device, an environment to detect an event satisfying said trigger; and

causing, in response to said trigger detection, deletion, via the computing device, of said message from said second user inbox when said TTL restriction expires.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, via the computing device, that said second user message account does not support SL protocol;

storing, via the computing device, the message in data storage on the network;

creating, via the computing device, a link message, said link message comprising a link to the stored message, said link message being compliant with the TTL restriction; and

delivering, over the network, said link message to said second user inbox.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

parsing, via the computing device, the link message to determine when the TTL restriction is satisfied, said parsing comprising parsing metadata of the link message to identify said trigger;

monitoring, via the computing device, said environment to detect a second event satisfying said trigger; and

causing, in response to said second trigger detection, deletion, via the computing device, of the stored message when the TTL restriction expires.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

causing, in response to said second trigger detection, deletion, via the computing device, of said link message from said inbox of the second user when said TTL restriction expires.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said TTL restriction is set by said first user prior to said first user sending the message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said trigger comprises a specific timing for when said deletion is to occur.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said trigger comprises information associated with an action to be performed on said message, wherein when said action is performed, said deletion is to occur.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said TTL restriction comprises a restriction disabling the second user'"'"'s ability to duplicate and store said message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said second user is able to reply to said message only prior to expiration of the TTL restriction.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating, over the network, said message content to an advertisement platform for identification of an advertisement associated with said message content; and

communicating, over the network, said identified advertisement to said second user for display in association with the display of the message.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor associated with a computing device, performs a method comprising:

receiving, over a network from a first user, a message addressed to an inbox associated with a second user, said message comprising message content and a time-to-live (TTL) restriction embedded within metadata of the message, said TTL restriction comprising a TTL trigger indicating the message is being sent via short-lived (SL) protocol that enables said message to self-destruct in accordance with the TTL restriction;

determining that the second user'"'"'s message account hosting the inbox of said second user supports SL protocol;

delivering, over the network, the message to the inbox of said second user;

parsing said message to determine when said TTL restriction is satisfied, said parsing comprising parsing said metadata to identify the TTL trigger;

monitoring an environment to detect an event satisfying said trigger; and

causing, in response to said trigger detection, deletion of said message from said second user inbox when said TTL restriction expires.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that said second user message account does not support SL protocol;

storing the message in data storage on the network;

creating a link message, said link message comprising a link to the stored message, said link message being compliant with the TTL restriction; and

delivering, over the network, said link message to said second user inbox;

parsing the link message to determine when the TTL restriction is satisfied, said parsing comprising parsing metadata of the link message to identify said trigger;

monitoring said environment to detect a second event satisfying said trigger; and

causing, in response to said second trigger detection, deletion of the stored message when the TTL restriction expires.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising:

causing, in response to said second trigger detection, deletion of said link message from said inbox of the second user when said TTL restriction expires.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein said TTL restriction is set by said first user prior to said first user sending the message.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein said trigger comprises at least one of a specific timing for when said deletion is to occur and information associated with an action to be performed on said message, wherein when said action is performed, said deletion is to occur.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein said TTL restriction comprises a restriction disabling the second user'"'"'s ability to duplicate and store said message

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein said second user is able to reply to said message only prior to expiration of the TTL restriction.

18. A system comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving, over a network from a first user, a message addressed to an inbox associated with a second user, said message comprising message content and a time-to-live (TTL) restriction embedded within metadata of the message, said TTL restriction comprising a TTL trigger indicating the message is being sent via short-lived (SL) protocol that enables said message to self-destruct in accordance with the TTL restriction;

determination logic executed by the processor for determining that the second user'"'"'s message account hosting the inbox of said second user supports SL protocol;

communication logic executed by the processor for delivering, over the network, the message to the inbox of said second user;

parsing logic executed by the processor for parsing said message to determine when said TTL restriction is satisfied, said parsing comprising parsing said metadata to identify the TTL trigger;

monitoring logic executed by the processor for monitoring an environment to detect an event satisfying said trigger; and

deletion logic executed by the processor for causing, in response to said trigger detection, deletion of said message from said second user inbox when said TTL restriction expires.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

determination logic executed by the processor for determining that said second user message account does not support SL protocol;

storage logic executed by the processor for storing the message in data storage on the network;

creation logic executed by the processor for creating a link message, said link message comprising a link to the stored message, said link message being compliant with the TTL restriction; and

communication logic executed by the processor for delivering, over the network, said link message to said second user inbox;

parsing logic executed by the processor for parsing the link message to determine when the TTL restriction is satisfied, said parsing comprising parsing metadata of the link message to identify said trigger;

monitoring logic executed by the processor for monitoring said environment to detect a second event satisfying said trigger; and

deletion logic executed by the processor for causing, in response to said second trigger detection, deletion of the stored message when said TTL restriction expires.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

deletion logic executed by the processor for causing, in response to said second trigger detection, deletion of said link message from said inbox of the second user when said TTL restriction expires.