Segmenting access to electronic message boards

• US 8,312,097 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IMDb.com, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IMDb.com, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Siegel, Hilliard Bruce, Dave, Pratik S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan, Aftab Nasir
• Application Number:
  US13/471,996
• Time in Patent Office: 182 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/204, 705/5, 726/2, 726/4, 726/5, 713/168
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for fine level access control over message content in an electronic messaging system. Access criteria associated with the message content define requirements that a user must satisfy in order to perform specified actions on message content. The user'"'"'s complete profile is examined at run time and compared to access criteria to make a real time decision about the level of access that a user should have to message content. Depending on the access criteria associated with content, stronger authentication or weaker authentication of the user profile information may be performed on the user profile to determine the level of access that should be granted to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling access to content of an electronic messaging system, the method comprising:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

providing a user interface for displaying at least a portion of the content of the electronic messaging system on a computing device;

receiving, via the user interface, a request to access a selected thread of one or more threads on the electronic messaging system, each thread on the electronic messaging system having access criteria specifying at least a strong level of authentication and a weak level of authentication for accessing the respective thread, wherein the request comprises one of a request to post a new message to the electronic messaging system, a request to create a new thread on the electronic messaging system, a request to read one of the one or more threads on the electronic messaging system, or a request to reply to a message on the electronic messaging system;

retrieving access criteria associated with the selected thread;

in response to receiving the request, determining a level of authentication specified by the access criteria for the selected thread and the request;

authorizing access to the selected thread by validating user profile information associated with the request against the level of authentication specified by the access criteria, the user profile information capable of being validated using a credit card number for the strong level of authentication and capable of being validated using at least one of a gender, an age, or a zip code for the weak level of authentication.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the level of authentication specified by the access criteria is based upon message content of the thread.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user profile information is further capable of being validated using an internet protocol address associated with the request for the weak level of authentication.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user profile information is further capable of being validated using transactional account information for a transactional account for the strong level of authentication.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the access criteria further comprises a participation threshold indicative of a level of prior participation on the electronic messaging system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein

the participation threshold is a predetermined number of participation-abuse reports;

and

the method further comprises denying access to the selected thread if a number of participation-abuse reports associated with the user profile associated with the request is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of abuse reports.

7. A computer-implemented method for controlling access to content of an electronic messaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

receiving a request to access a selected thread of one or more threads of an electronic message board, each thread on the electronic message board having access criteria associated therewith, the access criteria comprising at least two different levels of authentication comprising at least a strong level of authentication and a weak level of authentication;

retrieving access criteria associated with the selected thread;

determining the level of authentication specified by the access criteria for the selected thread and the request;

sending a text message to a mobile phone, determined using user profile information, when the determined level of authentication is the strong level of authentication;

validating at least one of a gender, an age, or a zip code of the user profile information when the determined level of authentication is the weak level of authentication, in order to authorize access the selected thread; and

granting access to the selected thread when at least some of the user profile information is validated

wherein the request to access the selected thread comprises one of;

a request to post a new message to the selected thread, a request to create a new thread on the electronic messaging system, a request to read the selected thread, or a request to reply to a message on the selected thread.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the user profile information is further capable of, for the strong level of authentication, being validated by:

receiving a text message from the mobile phone in response to the text message sent to the mobile phone; and

updating user profile information to indicate that at least some of the user profile information has been verified.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein when the access criteria further indicates that the weak level of authentication is required, the method further comprises:

identifying any waiting periods that limit the access to message content.

10. A system for operating an electronic messaging system comprising:

a processor;

a user profile interface; and

a memory device comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

enable access to content of the electronic messaging system through a user interface executing on a computing device;

receive a request to access a selected thread of one or more threads of the electronic messaging system, each thread having access criteria for accessing the thread, the access criteria comprising at least a strong level of authentication and a weak level of authentication for accessing the thread;

authorize access to the selected thread based on user profile information associated and the level of authentication specified by the access criteria associated with the selected thread, the user profile information capable of being validated using a credit card number for the strong level of authentication and capable of being authorized using at least one of a gender, an age, or a zip code for the weak level of authentication.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to authorize access to the selected thread further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

send a text message to a mobile phone, the text message comprising an authentication code that, when entered into an authentication interface of the electronic messaging system, authorizes access to the selected thread.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to authorize access to the selected thread further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

send a text message to a mobile phone;

receive a text message from the mobile phone in response to the text message sent to the mobile phone; and

update user profile information associated to indicate that at least some of the user profile information has been verified.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions when executed by the processor further cause the processor to:

identify any waiting periods imposed that limit the access to content when the access criteria indicates that the weak level of authentication is required.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the request further comprises a request to post a new message to the electronic messaging system.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the request further comprises a request to create a new thread on the electronic messaging system.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the request further comprises a request to read one of the one or more threads on the electronic messaging system.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the request further comprises a request to reply to a message on the electronic messaging system.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the access criteria further comprises a participation threshold indicative of a level of prior participation on the electronic messaging system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the participation threshold is a predetermined number of participation-abuse reports; and

the memory device comprising further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to deny access to the selected thread if a number of participation-abuse reports associated with the user profile associated with the request is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of abuse reports.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with computer-executable code tangibly embodied thereon for operating an electronic messaging system, comprising:

program code for receiving a request to access a selected thread of one or more threads of a message board, the request being transmitted via a user interface configured to enable access to content of the message board on a computing device, each thread having access criteria for accessing the thread, the access criteria comprising at least a strong level of authentication and a weak level of authentication;

program code for authorizing access to the selected thread based on user profile information associated and the level of authentication specified by the access criteria associated with the selected thread, the user profile information capable of being validated using a credit card number for the strong level of authentication and capable of being authorized using at least one of a gender, and age, or a zip code for the weak level of authentication,

wherein the request comprises one of a request to post a new message to the electronic messaging system, a request to create a new thread on the electronic messaging system, a request to read one of the one or more threads on the electronic messaging system, or a request to reply to a message on the electronic messaging system.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the access criteria further comprises a participation threshold indicative of a level of prior participation on the electronic messaging system.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the level of authentication specified by the access criteria is based upon message content of a respective thread.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the user profile information is further capable of being validated using an Internet protocol address associated with the request for a weak level of authentication.