Messaging systems and methods

• US 8,281,146 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2011
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Landsman, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schmidt, Kari
• Application Number:
  US12/987,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4, 726/7, 726/27, 713/157, 713/163, 713/182, 709/205, 709/223, 380/255
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity

Abstract

A third-party can subscribe to one or more electronic message group lists without joining the group lists by creating a trust relationship between the subscriber and a group list member. In particular, the subscriber can send a trust indicator to the group member, who can then determine whether to accept the trust indicator for all or specific groups that are associated with the group member, as appropriate. In at least one embodiment, the group member can send a trust indicator acceptance message to the subscriber that identifies the group member, and any or all group lists associated with the group member. The subscriber can then receive messages directed to the trusted group member or group lists, and can send group messages to the group lists subject to a receive setting associated with the group lists or group members of the group lists.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a computer system, which includes one or more processors, establishing a group for sending and receiving group messages, the group being associated with a group address and including a plurality of group members having a first trust relationship, the group being configured to facilitate the sending of any group messages that are directed towards the group address by any of the plurality of group members to each of the plurality of group members based on the first trust relationship;

receiving, from a first user that is not one of the plurality of group members, a request to communicate with a second user that is one of the plurality of group members, the request to communicate comprising a request to establish a second trust relationship between the first and second users so that messages sent by the first user to the group address are sent to the second user based on the second trust relationship;

receiving, from the second user, an acceptance of the first user'"'"'s request to communicate;

in response to receiving the second user'"'"'s acceptance of the first user'"'"'s request to communicate, establishing the second trust relationship between the first and second users;

receiving, from the first user, a first group message directed towards the group address;

based on the second trust relationship exists between the first and second users, sending the first group message to the second user; and

if no trust relationship exists between the first and third users, refraining from sending the first group message to the third user.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

if no trust relationship exists between the first and third users;

sending a challenge to the first user;

receiving, from the first user, a response to the challenge; and

based on receiving the response to the challenge, sending the first group message to the third user.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein sending the first group message to the second user comprises sending an e-mail message to the second user.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the second user, a second group message directed towards the group address;

based on the second trust relationship existing between the first and second users, sending the second group message to the first user.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the third user, a second group message directed towards the group address;

based on the second trust relationship existing between the first and second users, sending the second group message to the first user.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon one or more computer executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, are configured to perform a method, comprising:

establishing a group for sending and receiving group messages, the group being associated with a group address and including a plurality of group members having a first trust relationship, the group being configured to facilitate the sending of any group messages that are directed towards the group address by any of the plurality of group members to each of the plurality of group members based on the first trust relationship;

receiving, from a first user that is not one of the plurality of group members, a request to communicate with a second user that is one of the plurality of group members, the request to communicate comprising a request to establish a second trust relationship between the first and second users so that messages sent by the first user to the group address are sent to the second user based on the second trust relationship;

receiving, from the second user, an acceptance of the first user'"'"'s request to communicate;

in response to receiving the second user'"'"'s acceptance of the first user'"'"'s request to communicate, establishing the second trust relationship between the first and second users;

receiving, from the first user, a first group message directed towards the group address;

based on the second trust relationship existing between the first and second users, sending the first group message to the second user; and

if no trust relationship exists between the first user and a third user that is one of the plurality of group members, refraining from sending the first group message to the third user.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as in claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

further if no trust relationship exists between the first and third users;

sending a challenge to the first user;

receiving, from the first user, a response to the challenge; and

based on receiving the response to the challenge, sending the first group message to the third user.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as in claim 6, wherein sending the first group message to the second user comprises sending an e-mail message to the second user.

9. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

system memory; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to perform a method, comprising;

establishing a group for sending and receiving group messages, the group being associated with a group address and including a plurality of group members having a first trust relationship, the group being configured to facilitate the sending of any group messages that are directed towards the group address by any of the plurality of group members to each of the plurality of group members based on the first trust relationship;

receiving, from a first user that is not one of the plurality of group members, a request to communicate with a second user that is one of the plurality of group members, the request to communicate comprising a request to establish a second trust relationship between the first and second users so that messages sent by the first user to the group address are sent to the second user based on the second trust relationship;

receiving, from the second user, an acceptance of the first user'"'"'s request to communicate;

in response to receiving the second user'"'"'s acceptance of the first user'"'"'s request to communicate, establishing the second trust relationship between the first and second users;

receiving, from the first user, a first group message directed towards the group address;

based on the second trust relationship existing between the first and second users, sending the first group message to the second user; and

if no trust relationship exists between the first user and a third user that is one of the plurality of group members, refraining from sending the first group message to the third user.

10. The computer system as in claim 9, further comprising:

further if no trust relationship exists between the first and third users;

sending a challenge to the first user;

receiving, from the first user, a response to the challenge; and

based on receiving the response to the challenge, sending the first group message to the third user.

11. The computer system as in claim 9, wherein sending the first group message to the second user comprises sending an e-mail message to the second user.