RU2800107C2 - System and method for deleting or editing sent messages from recipients' chat history - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: management of messages.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to methods for deleting and editing messages. The technical result is to ensure the deletion and editing of messages without a time limit. The technical result is achieved by performing the following steps: detection by the user device of a request to delete or edit a message without a time limit; deleting or editing and sending the message to the recipient by the user device in response to determining that the message has not been sent; if the message has been sent, sending a delete or edit request to a message server connected to both the sender's device and the recipient's device, the request including the message identifier; the message server editing and sending the message to recipients in response to determining that the message has not been delivered; sending a delete or edit request to the recipient's electronic device after determining that the message has been sent to the recipient's device, the request including a message identifier; deleting or editing the message on the recipient's device and sending a notification of the result of the request to the sender's device.

EFFECT: ensured deletion and editing of messages without a time limit.

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Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of electronic communications. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for deleting or editing sent messages from recipients' chat histories.

State of the art

[0002] Messaging applications are applications and platforms that enable messaging. Some examples of popular messaging apps include WhatsApp, WeChat, iMessage, Skype, Snapchat, Viber, Line, Blackberry Messenger, and Cocoa Talk. Messaging apps have been developed primarily for home users but are used by both home and business users. Slack focuses on messaging and file sharing for workgroups. Facebook Instagram Facebook Messenger, along with the direct messaging features of Instagram and Twitter, some social networking services offer messaging services as a component of their overall platform, such as Facebook Messenger Facebook alongside the direct messaging features of Instagram and Twitter. Messaging often doesn't charge per message. It is also less disruptive than real-time communications (like phone calls). In addition, it may contain more information (such as images or videos) than other means of communication. Thus, messaging became inevitably popular.

[0003] However, sometimes a user may want to delete or edit a message sent to one or more recipients. For example, the user may realize that the message is addressed to the wrong recipient, contains a typographical error, or contains objectionable content, especially a video or image. Until now, some messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, and Line, provide a feature to delete a sent message from the recipient's device.

Brief summary of the invention

Technical problem

[0004] However, they set a time limit for this, for example, within 24 hours. They also restrict the feature to deletion and do not include editing. Next, the message will remain in the chat saying, for example, "This message has been deleted" so that although the content has been deleted, the recipient knows the fact that the message was once sent but deleted by the sender for some reason. The inventor truly believes that a person has a right to their words and speech (including media such as audio, image, video and / or animation) even after sending to one or more recipients and therefore should have full control over them at any given time without any restrictions.

Solving a technical problem

[0005] The method and computer-implemented system disclosed herein satisfies the aforementioned need to provide the user with options to delete or edit a message (the message may include text, audio, image, video, and/or animation) that has been sent to the recipient's device without any restrictions (e.g., no time limit).

[0006] In one embodiment, the sending device receives input to send a message to the recipient. The sending device processes the message to send to the recipient. The recipient can be an individual user or a group of users (for example, a group chat). If the message has not been sent and the sending device detects a user request to delete or edit the message, the sending device stops processing the message for sending and either deletes it or edits it and sends it to the recipient device (via the message server).

[0007] When a request is detected after a message has been sent, a request to delete or edit the message is sent to the message server. Upon receiving a request to delete or edit a message, the message server determines whether the message was sent from the message server. If the message was not sent from the message server, the message server finishes processing the message for sending and either deletes it or edits it and sends it to the recipient's device. If the message was sent to the recipient, the message server sends a request to delete or edit the message to the recipient's device so that the recipient's device can delete or edit the message.

[0008] A request from a user to delete or edit a message may be provided by the user in various ways, such as by touching the recipient's image on the display of the user device, and so on. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description.

Benefits of the Invention

[0009] As mentioned earlier, sometimes a user may want to delete or edit a message sent to one or more recipients. For example, the user may realize that the message is addressed to the wrong recipient, contains a typographical error, or contains objectionable content, especially a video or image. With this invention, if you send such a message to someone, you can delete or edit the message from the recipient's chat history without any restrictions (such as no time limit). For example, if you need to send someone your bank details or credit card number, you can remotely delete the message from the recipient's device after they're done with it. It can also be one of the ways to combat the distribution of pornography.

Brief description of the drawings

[0010] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is best understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show exemplary structures of the invention. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and components disclosed herein. The description of a method or component step referred to by a figure in a drawing carries over to the description of that method or component step shown by the same number in any subsequent drawing here.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computer system for deleting or editing a message sent in a messaging application.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for deleting or editing a message sent in a messaging application on a user device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for deleting or editing a message sent in a messaging application on a message server.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for deleting or editing a message sent in a messaging application on a recipient's device.

FIG. 5 illustrates the architecture of a computer system used by a message server for a method of deleting or editing a message sent in a messaging application.

Description of Embodiments

[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a computer system for deleting or editing a message sent in a messaging application. Users are associated with user devices 106A-106N, which may be any type of computing device capable of receiving user input and transmitting and/or receiving data over a network. For example, user devices 106A-106N may include conventional computer systems, such as a desktop or laptop computer, or may include devices having computer functions, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular or mobile phones, smartphones, tablets/phablets, in-vehicle or out-of-vehicle navigation systems, gaming devices, wearable electronic devices, or other electronic devices. Some user devices are small/lightweight and can be easily carried by the user and are referred to as mobile devices.

[0012] In one embodiment, a user device (e.g., 106A) may run a messaging application (e.g., 107A) allowing a user of user device 106A to send a message (the message may include text, audio, image, video, and/or animation) to a recipient (e.g., a user of user device 106B) running the same messaging application (e.g., 107B). In an embodiment, user application 107A is a special purpose client application ("Application" such as WhatsApp for iPhone or iPad, etc.), and in an embodiment, user application 107A may be a web browser-based application (e.g., Google Chrome, Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari, etc.).

[0013] User devices 106A-106N are configured to communicate with each other via network 101 or a set of networks such as the Internet, a corporate Intranet, a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a cellular network, a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), or a combination of two or more of these networks. Network 101 may be wired, wireless, or a combination. In one embodiment, the network 101 uses standard communication technologies and/or protocols. Thus, network 101 may include links using technologies such as Ethernet, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), 3G, 4G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modems, etc. Similarly, network protocols used in network 101 may include Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), Internet Protocol (IP), TCP/IP, User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and/or File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Data exchanged over network 101 may be represented using technologies and/or formats, including Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Extended Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP), or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), among other formats. In addition, all or some links may be encrypted using common encryption technologies such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), or Internet Protocol security (IPSec).

[0014] The message server 102 and/or the host server 104 are deployed, for example, in carrier networks and in a cloud computing environment. As used herein, "cloud computing environment" refers to a processing environment containing configurable computing physical and logical resources, such as networks, servers, storage, applications, services, etc., as well as data distributed over network 101. A cloud computing environment provides on-demand network access to a common pool of configurable computing physical and logical resources. In an embodiment, the message server 102 is a cloud-based platform implemented as a service for deleting or editing a message sent in a messaging application. The message server 102 and/or the host server 104 are developed, for example, using the Google App engine cloud infrastructure of Google Inc. In one embodiment, multiple platforms are used to implement the message server 102 and/or the host server 104. The platforms include, for example, a cloud based platform, a web services based platform, and so on. Message server 102 and/or host server 104 are deployed in multiple configurations, such as in a network operator data center, in a cloud infrastructure such as Amazon Web Services of Amazon Technologies, Inc. and so on, in a data center implemented by the message server 102 and/or host server 104, in a data center hosted by a third party system, and so on.

[0015] When a user requests a user device (eg, user device 106A) to send a message to a recipient (eg, a user of user device 106B), the message is delivered via message server 102. Message server 102 receives the message from the sender and delivers it to the recipient. According to the embodiments set forth herein, a message can be deleted or edited by one or more different subjects without any restrictions (eg, without time limits). If the message has not been sent from the user device, the messaging application within the user device (eg, messaging application 107A) may stop processing the message for sending and delete it, or edit it and send it to the recipient (via message server 102). If a message has been sent from the user device to the message server 102, the message server 102 may delete the message or edit and send the message to the recipient. If the message was sent from the message server 102, the message server may request that the message be deleted or edited from the recipient's device (eg, user device 106B and messaging application 107B). Ways to delete or edit messages are discussed here in more detail.

[0016] The host server 104 stores user profiles, etc. In addition, if the recipient device (eg, 106B) does not have a connection to the messaging application (eg, 107B), then the message server 102 queries the host server 104 to send notifications to the recipient device. Upon receipt of the notification, the recipient device may retrieve the message from the message server 102 .

[0017] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for deleting or editing a message on a user device. For example, the user device may be user device 106A in FIG. 1. In one embodiment, the message includes text, audio, image, video, and/or animation. In one embodiment, the message includes one or more of: a user account identification associated with the sending device, an identification of the sending device, a user account identification associated with the receiving device, a transaction/message identifier, and so on.

[0018] At link 201, the user device receives input to send a message to the recipient. In one embodiment, the user is a messaging application user. In one embodiment, the recipient may be an individual user or a group of users (ie, a group chat). At link 202, the user device determines whether the user device has detected an input to delete or edit the message. In one embodiment, the user device determines if a request has been received to delete or edit a message. If there is no such request when processing the message to send, the user device sends the message to the recipient via link 205 (via message server 102). Given such a request, the user device determines whether the message was sent to the recipient via link 203. If the message was sent from the user device, method 200 continues with FIG. 3 at link 207, which starts another message deletion or editing process on the message server, as described below. If the message has not been sent from the user device, the user device deletes the message or edits and sends the message to the recipient via link 204 (via message server 102).

[0019]

An input requesting deletion or editing of a message may be implemented using one or more different sensors. For example, a user device may include a display screen capable of touch input (often referred to as a touch screen).

[0020] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for deleting or editing a message on the message server 102. Referring to 202 in FIG. 2, the user device receives a request to delete or edit the message. From the link 203, the user device determines that a message has been sent to the message server 102 . In response, the user device sends a request to delete or edit the message to the message server 102 via link 206. The request contains a message identifier allowing the message server to determine which message to delete or edit. The message identifier may be a transaction identifier or another unique message identifier.

[0021] At link 301, the message server 102 processes the message for sending to the user device. From the link 302, the message server 102 determines whether the message server 102 has detected a request to delete or edit a message. In one embodiment, the message server 102 determines whether a request to delete or edit a message has been received. If there is no such request, the message server 102 sends the message to the recipient via link 305. If there is such a request, the user device determines whether the message was sent to the recipient via link 303. If the message was sent from the message server 102, method 300 proceeds to FIG. 4 via link 307, which starts another process of deleting or editing the message on the recipient's device, as described below. If the message has not been sent from the message server 102, the message server 102 deletes the message or edits and sends the message to the recipient via link 304.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for deleting or editing a message on a recipient's device. For example, the recipient device may be user device 106B in FIG. 1. At 202 of FIG. 2, the user device receives a request to delete or edit the message. In link 203, the user device determines that a message has been sent to the message server 102. In response, the user device sends a request to delete or edit the message to the message server 102 via link 206. At link 301, the message server 102 processes the message for sending to the recipient's device. At link 302, the message server 102 determines that the message has been sent to the recipient's device. In response, the message server 102 sends a request to delete or edit the message to the recipient's device via link 306. In one embodiment, the recipient's device determines if a request to delete or edit the message has been received via link 401. If there is no such request, the message remains stored on the recipient's device. When prompted, the recipient's device deletes or edits the message at link 402.

[0023] In one embodiment, the user device 106B sends an acknowledgment of the result of the delete or edit request to the user device 106A via the message server 102.

[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates a computer system architecture for performing a method for deleting or editing a message sent in a messaging application. In some embodiments, this is a high-level view of one or more components of the message server 102 and host server 104. In another embodiment, system 500 is a high-level view of one of the user devices 106A-N. The data processing system 500 includes one or more microprocessors 501 and connected system components (eg, a plurality of connected chips). Alternatively, the data processing system 500 is a system on a chip.

[0025] The data processing system 500 includes a memory 502 that is coupled to the microprocessor(s) 501. The memory 502 may be used to store data, metadata, and programs for execution by the microprocessor(s) 501. The memory 502 may include one or more non-volatile and non-volatile storage devices such as random access memory ("RAM"), read-only memory ("ROM"), solid state drive ("SSD"), flash memory, Phase Change Memory ("PCM") or other types of data storage. Memory 502 may be internal or distributed.

[0026] The data processing system 500 includes network and port interfaces 503 such as a port, a docking station connector or a USB interface connector, FireWire, Thunderbolt, Ethernet, Fiber Channel, etc. to connect the System 500 to another device, external component, or network. Exemplary network and port interfaces 503 also include wireless transceivers such as an IEEE 802.11 transceiver, infrared transceiver, Bluetooth transceiver, wireless cellular phone transceiver (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, etc.) or other wireless protocol for connecting the data processing system 500 to another device, external component, or network and receiving stored instructions, data, tokens, etc. .d.

[0027] The data processing system 500 also includes a display controller and display device 504 and one or more I/O devices and interfaces 505. The display controller and display device 504 provide a visual user interface to the user. I/O devices 505 allow a user to enter, receive, and otherwise transmit data to and from the system. Input/output devices 505 may include a mouse, keyboard or touch pad or multi-touch input panel, camera, optical scanner, audio input/output (e.g., microphone and/or speaker), accelerometer, other known input/output devices, or a combination of such input/output devices. It should be borne in mind that one or more tires can be used to connect the various components shown in FIG. 5.

[0028] As used herein, the terms computer, device, system, processing system, processing device, and "device containing processing device" may be used interchangeably with data processing system 500 and include the exemplary embodiments listed above.

[0029] Additional components not shown may also be part of the data processing system 500 and, in some embodiments, fewer components than shown in FIG. 5 may also be used in data processing system 500. From this description, it will be appreciated that certain aspects of the inventions may be embodied, at least in part, in software. That is, the computer-implemented message output method(s) described herein may be implemented in a computer system or other data processing system 500 in response to its processor or processing system 501 executing sequences of instructions contained in a memory, such as a memory 502 or other non-persistent computer-readable storage medium. For example, memory 502 may store messaging application 107, and so on. The software may then be transmitted or received over a network (not shown) via the network interface device 503 . In various embodiments, wire circuits may be used in conjunction with software instructions to implement the present embodiments. Thus, the techniques are not limited to any particular combination of hardware circuits and software, or to any particular source of instructions executed by the data processing system 500.

[0030] Various embodiments of the invention may be implemented using various combinations of software, firmware, and/or hardware. Thus, the methods shown in the figures may be implemented using code and data stored and executed on one or more electronic devices (eg, end system, network element). Such electronic devices store and exchange (internally and/or with other electronic devices over a network) code and data using computer-readable media such as non-persistent computer-readable media (e.g., magnetic disks; optical discs; random access memory; read-only memory; flash memory devices; phase change memory) and non-volatile computer-readable transmission media (e.g., electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals such as carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals). In addition, such electronic devices typically include a set of one or more processors coupled to one or more other components such as one or more storage devices (non-persistent computer-readable storage media), user input/output devices (e.g., keyboard, touch screen and/or display), and network connections. The connection of a set of processors and other components is usually through one or more buses and bridges (also called bus controllers). Thus, the storage device of a given electronic device typically stores code and/or data for execution on a plurality of one or more processors of that electronic device.

[0031] As detailed herein, some embodiments of a method for deleting or editing a message include receiving input from a mobile device to send a message to a recipient; processing by the mobile device of the message for transmission to the recipient; detection by the mobile device of a request to delete or edit the message; determining that the message was not sent from the mobile device in response to detecting a request to delete or edit the message.; and terminating, by the mobile device, processing the message to be sent in response to detecting the request and determining that the message has not been sent.

[0032] In addition, some embodiments of the method further include one or more of:

1) In some embodiments of the method, the detection includes detecting a touch or touch of the recipient's presentation on the display of the mobile device;

2) In some embodiments of the method, the method further includes detecting a request from a user to delete or edit a message; determining that the message was sent from a mobile device.; and sending to the message server connected to the mobile device and the electronic device of the recipient, a request to delete or edit the message after determining, the request to delete or edit, containing the message identifier;

3) In some embodiments of the method, a delete or edit request made by the message server causes the message server to delete or edit the message;

4) In some embodiments of the method, the delete or edit request performed by the message server causes the message server to determine whether the message was sent from the message server to the recipient's electronic device, and transmit the delete or edit request to the recipient's electronic device after determining that the message was sent to the electronic device, and the delete or edit request includes a message identifier.;

5) In some embodiments of the method, a request to delete or edit a message may cause the electronic device to do the following: delete or edit the message on the electronic device and send a notification of the result of the delete or edit request to the mobile device.

[0033] As detailed herein, some embodiments of a non-volatile computer-readable medium storing instructions for deleting or editing a message include receiving a mobile input device to send the message to a recipient; processing by the mobile device of the message for transmission to the recipient; detection by the mobile device of a request to delete or edit the message; determining that a message has not been sent from the mobile device in response to the detection of the request.; and terminating, by the mobile device, processing the message to be sent in response to detecting the request and determining that the message has not been sent.

[0034] In addition, some embodiments of the method further include one or more of the following:

1) In some embodiments of a non-transitional computer-readable medium, detection includes detecting a touch or touch of a recipient's presentation on a display of a mobile device;

2) In some embodiments of a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the method further includes detecting a request to delete or edit a message; determining that the message was sent from a mobile device.; and sending to the message server connected to the mobile device and the electronic device of the recipient, a request to delete or edit the message when determined, a request to delete or edit, containing a message identifier;

3) In some embodiments of a non-fixed computer-readable medium, a delete or edit request by a message server causes the message server to delete or edit the message;

4) In some embodiments of a non-transitional computer-readable medium, a delete or edit request, when executed by a message server, causes the message server to determine whether a message has been sent from the message server to the recipient's electronic device, and transmit the delete or edit request to the recipient's electronic device after determining that the message has been sent to the electronic device, and wherein the delete or edit request includes a message identifier.;

5) In some embodiments, the delete or edit message request causes the electronic device to do the following: delete or edit the message on the electronic device and send a notification of the result of the delete or edit request to the mobile device.

[0035] The above examples have been given for purposes of explanation only and should in no way be construed as limiting the present invention disclosed here. Although the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words that have been used here are words of description and illustration, and not words of limitation. In addition, although the invention has been described here with reference to specific means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details disclosed here; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods, and uses, such as fall within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, taking advantage of the teachings contained in the present description, can make numerous changes to it, and changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects.

Claims (24)

1. A method for deleting and editing sent messages from recipients' chat history, including: receiving user device (106A) input data to send a message to the recipient, while the message may include text, audio, image, video and/or animation; processing by the user device (106A) messages for transmission to the recipient; detection by the user device of a request to delete or edit the message without a time limit; determining by the user device (106A) in response to the detection of the request that the message has not been sent from the user device (106A); And deleting or editing and sending by the user device in response to determining that the message has not been sent, messages to the recipient; if the message was sent by the user device (106A), sending to the message server (102) connected to the user device (106A) and to the electronic device corresponding to the recipient of the deletion or editing request, after determining that the message was sent to the electronic device, and the deletion or editing request includes a message identifier; determining by the message server (102) in response to detecting that the message has not been sent by the message server (102); deleting, editing and sending by the message server (102) the message to the recipient in response to determining that the message has not been sent; if the message was sent by the message server (102) to the electronic device corresponding to the recipient, sending a deletion or editing request to the electronic device corresponding to the recipient, after determining that the message was sent to the electronic device, and the deletion or editing request includes a message identifier; the message request causes the electronic device to do the following: delete or edit the message in the electronic device and send a notification of the result of the delete or edit request to the user device (106A). 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection includes detecting a touch or touch of the recipient's representation on the display of the user device. 3. A non-volatile computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations according to the method of claims 1, 2, including: receiving user device (106A) input data to send a message to the recipient, while the message may include text, audio, image, video and/or animation; processing by the user device (106A) messages for transmission to the recipient; detection by the user device (106A) of a request to delete or edit the message without a time limit; determining by the user device in response to detecting the request that the message has not been sent from the user device; And deleting or editing and sending by the user device in response to determining that the message has not been sent, messages to the recipient; if the message was sent by the user device (106A), sending to the message server (102) connected to the user device (106A) and to the electronic device corresponding to the recipient, a request for deletion or editing, after determining that the message was sent to the electronic device, and the request for deletion or editing includes a message identifier; determining by the message server (102) in response to detecting that the message has not been sent by the message server (102); deleting, editing and sending by the message server (102) the message to the recipient in response to determining that the message has not been sent; if the message was sent by the message server (102) to the electronic device corresponding to the recipient, sending a deletion or editing request to the electronic device corresponding to the recipient, after determining that the message was sent to the electronic device, and the deletion or editing request includes a message identifier; the message request causes the electronic device to do the following: delete or edit the message in the electronic device and send a notification of the result of the delete or edit request to the user device (106A). 4. The nonvolatile computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein the detection includes detecting a touch or a touch of the recipient's presentation on the display of the user device.

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