COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND SERVER FACILITATING MESSAGE EXCHANGE AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20160226812A1
• Filed: 01/28/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Loturas Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Loturas Incorporated
• Inventors: ATTOLINI, Peter Paulo Azcue, Rovati, Rodrigo Enrique Galavis
• Granted Patent: US 10,164,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/16 Payments settled via telecommunication systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2539 Hiding addresses; Keeping addresses anonymous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers

Abstract

A communication system may include a server, and first and second communications devices. The server may be configured to maintain a database having first and second communication profiles respectively associated with first and second users, and maintain first and second value accounts respectively associated with the first and second communication profiles. The server may be configured to process the message from the first user, debit the transaction value from the first value account, convert the message to be from the masked email address of the first user and send the converted message to the actual email address of the second user, and when receiving an acceptance message from the second user in reply to the converted message, then facilitate a communication between the first and second users, and transfer the debited transaction value to the second value account of the second user.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a server comprising a processor and memory associated therewith; and

first and second communications devices respectively associated with first and second users, each of said first and second communications devices comprising a processor and memory associated therewith;

said server configured to

maintain a database comprising first and second communication profiles respectively associated with the first and second users, and

maintain first and second value accounts respectively associated with the first and second communication profiles;

each of said first and second communication profiles comprising an actual email address, a masked email address, and at least one communication preference value;

said first communications device configured to send a message from the actual email address of the first user to the masked email address of the second user of said second communications device via said server, the message including a transaction value;

said server configured to

process the message from the first user,

debit the transaction value from the first value account,

convert the message to be from the masked email address of the first user and send the converted message to the actual email address of the second user, and

when receiving an acceptance message from the second user in reply to the converted message, then

facilitate a communication between the first and second users, and

transfer the debited transaction value to the second value account of the second user.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said server is configured to transfer the debited transaction value to an escrow account before transfer to the second value account.

3. The communication system of claim 2 wherein said server is configured to, when receiving a rejection message from the second user in reply to the converted message, then transfer the debited transaction value from the escrow account to the first value account of the first user, and send a notification message to the first user.

4. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication preference value comprises a plurality thereof.

5. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication preference value comprises a threshold transaction value.

6. The communication system of claim 5 wherein said server is configured to, when the transaction value of the message is less than the threshold transaction value of the second user, generate and send a rejection message to the first user.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said server is configured to generate the converted message having embedded acceptance and rejection buttons therein.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said server is configured to generate the converted message having at least one uniform resource locator (URL) link embedded within the converted message.

9. The communication system of claim 8 wherein said second communications device is configured to send the acceptance message by accessing the at least one URL link embedded within the converted message.

10. The communication system of claim 1 wherein said server is configured to facilitate the communication between the first and second users by generating a blind voice over internet protocol (VoIP) connection between the first and second communications devices.

11. A server operating in a communication system having first and second communications devices respectively associated with first and second users, the server comprising:

a processor and memory associated therewith configured to

maintain a database comprising first and second communication profiles respectively associated with the first and second users, and

maintain first and second value accounts respectively associated with the first and second communication profiles;

each of said first and second communication profiles comprising an actual email address, a masked email address, and at least one communication preference value;

said processor and memory configured to

receive a message from the first communications device from the actual email address of the first user directed to the masked email address of the second user of the second communications device, the message including a transaction value,

process the message from the first user,

debit the transaction value from the first value account,

convert the message to be from the masked email address of the first user and send the converted message to the actual email address of the second user, and

when receiving an acceptance message from the second user in reply to the converted message, then

facilitate a communication between the first and second users, and

transfer the debited transaction value to the second value account of the second user.

12. The server of claim 11 wherein said processor and memory are configured to transfer the debited transaction value to an escrow account before transfer to the second value account.

13. The server of claim 12 wherein said processor and memory are configured to, when receiving a rejection message from the second user in reply to the converted message, then transfer the debited transaction value from the escrow account to the first value account of the first user, and send a notification message to the first user.

14. The server of claim 11 wherein the at least one communication preference value comprises a threshold transaction value.

15. The server of claim 14 wherein said processor and memory are configured to, when the transaction value of the message is less than the threshold transaction value of the second user, generate and send a rejection message to the first user.

16. A method for operating a server in a communication system having first and second communications devices respectively associated with first and second users, the method comprising:

operating a processor and memory in the server to

maintain a database comprising first and second communication profiles respectively associated with the first and second users, and

maintain first and second value accounts respectively associated with the first and second communication profiles;

each of the first and second communication profiles comprising an actual email address, a masked email address, and at least one communication preference value; and

operating the processor and memory in the server to

receive a message from the first communications device from the actual email address of the first user directed to the masked email address of the second user of the second communications device, the message including a transaction value,

process the message from the first user,

debit the transaction value from the first value account,

convert the message to be from the masked email address of the first user and send the converted message to the actual email address of the second user, and

when receiving an acceptance message from the second user in reply to the converted message, then

facilitate a communication between the first and second users, and

transfer the debited transaction value to the second value account of the second user.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising operating the processor and memory to transfer the debited transaction value to an escrow account before transfer to the second value account.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising operating the processor and memory to, when receiving a rejection message from the second user in reply to the converted message, then transfer the debited transaction value from the escrow account to the first value account of the first user, and send a notification message to the first user.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the at least one communication preference value comprises a threshold transaction value.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising operating the processor and memory to, when the transaction value of the message is less than the threshold transaction value of the second user, generate and send a rejection message to the first user.