WO2011030327A1

WO2011030327A1 - A method for generating friendship in an instant messaging application

Info

Publication number: WO2011030327A1
Application number: PCT/IL2010/000695
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gal Zilkha
Original assignee: Gal Zilkha
Priority date: 2009-09-13
Filing date: 2010-08-25
Publication date: 2011-03-17
Also published as: IL201206A0

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for generating friendship in an instant messaging application, between a first member and a second member, the method comprising the steps of: providing by the application to the first member a code associating the first member and the member; providing the code by the first member to the second member via a communication channel which enables the second member to verify the identity of the first member; providing the code by the second member to the application; and if the code provided by the application to the first member is identical to the code provided by the second member to the application, then determining the members by the application as trusting each other.

Description

A METHOD FOR GENERATING FRIENDSHIP IN AN INSTANT MESSAGING APPLICATION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of instant messaging. More particularly, the invention relates to a secure instant messaging method. Background of the Invention

The term Instant Messaging (IM) refers in the art to a collection of technologies that create the possibility of real-time communication between two or more participants over the Internet.

When this genre was at its beginning, instant messaging was directed to textual messages, but currently, as this genre has become popular, instant messaging now provides voice and video conversation between the participants, exchanging of files, and more.

As this genre has become a widely popular communication channel, it has been abused by malicious and perverted people, and as such, it has become a threat to children using the Internet. For example, children using IM programs such as ICQ and Messenger tend to confirm any application from another user to be added as a "friend", and as such, they unintentionally accept communication with malicious persons, pedophiles, and so on. Adults, as well as children, are vulnerable to potential abuse and malice.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a secure instant messaging method.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. Summary of the Invention

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for generating friendship in an instant messaging application, between a first member and a second member, the method comprising the steps of^'

(a) providing by the application, to the first member, a code associating the first member and the second member,^'

(b) providing the code, by the first member, to the second member, via a communication channel enabling the second member to verify the identity of the first member;

(c) providing the code by the second member to the application! and

(d) if the code provided by the application to the first member is identical to the code provided by the second member to the application, then determining the members by the application as trusting each other. Preferably, the communication channel is telephone communication, although it may be carried out differently, e.g., by a face-to-face conversation. Preferably, the telephone communication is cellular, as a cellular telephone comprises both address book and identification means of a caller.

The code provision via telephone communication may be carried out via telephone conversation, short messaging (like SMS, MMS, i.e., Multimedia Messaging Service), and so on.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the code is a one-time-code, thereby preventing reuse of the code upon changing the status of the members to non-trusted.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the code is unique, thereby simplifying the user interface for obtaining the code (as only two users are associated with the same code).

According to one embodiment of the invention, the code is non- unique, thereby simplifying the code generator of the instant messaging application. According to one embodiment of the invention, determining the members by the application as trusting each other is stipulated also by ending the method within a predetermined period. The method may further comprise the steps of

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) for the other of the members; and ( ) determining the members, by the application, as trusting each other, only if the code provided by each of the members, to the application, is identical to the code provided by the application to the other of the members.

The method may further comprise the step of if the instant messaging application indicates that both, the first and second members, are trying to generate trusting relationship between each other, determining the members, by the application, as trusting each other, without continuing steps (a) to (f). In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a module (of an instant messaging application) for generating friendship (i.e., each party trusts the other party) between a first member and a second member, the module comprising^:

- a computer program adapted to generate a code for associating the first member and the second member,^"

- a computer program adapted to provide the code to the first member;

- a computer program adapted to accept the code from the second member; and

■ a computer program adapted to change the status of the members to friends if the code provided by the application to the first member is identical to the code provided by the second member to the application. The foregoing embodiments of the invention are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments and features of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings^

Figs. 1 to 5 pictorially illustrate a process of generating secure communication in an instant messaging application, according to one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 illustrates a user interface by which a first member of the IM application searches a second member of the IM application.

Fig. 2 illustrates a user interface by which the IM application informs the first member the code associating the first member with the second member.

Fig. 3 depicts the first member providing the code to the second member via telephone communication.

Fig. 4 illustrates a user interface for providing the code, by the second user, to the IM application. Fig. 5 illustrates a user interface of the IM application for communicating between two trusted parties.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process for generating friendship between a first member and a second member of an IM application, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a flowchart schematically illustrating a process for generating friendship between a first member and a second member of an IM application, according to another embodiment of the invention.

It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail.

Figs. 1 to 5 pictorially illustrate a process of generating secure communication in an instant messaging application, according to one embodiment of the invention. The instant messaging application may be an Internet Explorer, ICQ, and the like. In such IM applications, from the point of view of a member (referred to herein as "first member"), the other members (each of them referred to herein as "second member") are divided into two categories: friends and non-friends.

A friend is a trusted member by the first member, in contrast to a non-friend member, which is a non-trusted member, until he becomes a friend of the first member. In order to become a friend of the first member, the first member must change the status of each second member. However, if the first member is not selective in choosing his friends (trusted members), as the majority of the children do, he might be vulnerable to malicious members.

According to the example illustrated herein, a second member, who is called "Joe Bell", applies to a first member called "David Archer", for becoming his friend in an IM application where both are members.

Fig. 1, which demonstrates the first step in the process, schematically illustrates computer 10 of first member Joe Bell, and a display thereof 14. The display presents a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for searching a member of the IM application. The graphical user interface comprises an informative banner 12, an input box 16, and a SEND button The first user, i.e., Joe Bell, types in input box 16 the name of the second member he seeks, i.e., David Archer, and then clicks the SEND button 18, in order to send the information to the module of the IM system that processes this information.

In Fig. 2, which demonstrates the second step in the process, the IM application informs the first member, i.e. Joe Bell, that the code associating him with David Archer is "45F68T3Y1". This code is unique, and as such, differs from the code associated with other members of the IM application.

Assuming David Archer knows Joe Bell, and each has the other's telephone number, in Fig. 3, which demonstrates the third step in the process, first member Joe Bell provides the code "45F68T3Y1" to David Archer via telephone communication. As the members do know each other, each has the other's telephone number, and therefore can verify the identity of the caller, even if the information is sent via SMS (Short Messaging System) message, rather than telephone conversation.

In Fig. 4, which demonstrates the fourth step in the process, second member David Archer, types the provided code in a corresponding input box of the IM application.

In Fig. 5, which demonstrates the fifth step in the process, the parties, i.e., the first member and the second member, become friends (i.e., each party is a member trusted by the other party), and as such, they can communicate with all the communication facilities provided by the IM application, such as video chat, and so on. The illustration demonstrates a user interface in a communication between two trusted parties.

At the first step, the IM application provides to the first member a code associating the first member with the second member.

At the next step, the first member provides the received code to the second member via telephone communication, such as telephone conversation, SMS, and so forth. At the next step, the second member provides the code received through telephone communication to the IM application.

If the code provided by the IM application to the first member is identical to the code provided by the second member to the IM application, then the IM application determines a "friendship" (i.e., each member trusts the other) between the first and the second members. According to one embodiment of the invention, the code is a one-time-code. Thus, once used, the code associated with two members of an IM application changes. This is useful for preventing one member from becoming the friend of the other member after his status has been changed by the other member from trusted to non-trusted.

In the illustrated example, the code is unique. Thus, a certain code associates only two members as friends. The subject of generating unique and non-unique codes is well known in the art. A code can be generated by a formula, by software means, hardware means, sampling of real time information, such as a clock, and so on. According to another embodiment of the invention, the code is not unique, thus, the same code may associate two different pairs of members of an IM application. Thus, not only the code must be provided to the IM application in order to change the status of two members from non-friends to friends, but also the name of the other user. For example, according to this example, the banner of Fig. 4 should be "INSERT THE CODE ASSOCIATED WITH JOE BELL". The identity of Joe Bell should have been provided to the IM application prior to this step.

If the telephone number of the first member is in the address book of the cellular telephone of the second member, the second member can then identify the first member, thereby preventing fraudulent attempts. Usually, cellular telephones comprise both address book and identification of a caller, thereby notifying the second member of the identity of a caller or an SMS (MMS and so on) sender. It should be noted that the telephone communication is only an example for communication enabling the second member to verify the identity of the first member. Actually, the information may be provided by an in-person conversation between the members, a letter, fax, and so on.

At the first step, two different codes are generated by the IM application, the first code is provided to a second member and it is associated with a first member; the second code is provided to the first member and it is associated with the second member.

At the next step, each of the members provides the received code to the other member via telephone communication, such as telephone conversation, SMS, and so forth.

At the next step, each of the members provides the code received through telephone communication to the IM application. If the codes provided by the IM application are the codes associated with the other member, then the IM application determines a "friendship" between the first and the second members.

Thus, according to this embodiment of the invention, each member has to pass the same course in order to become a "friend" with another member.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, both members have to complete the "friendship" registration process within a predetermined period, such as 24 hours. If both registration processes have completed within the predetermined period, then the members become "friends", otherwise the "friendship" registration is canceled. As the members may be reminded during the predetermined period that they have to complete the pending registration process, the reminders may become annoying. By stipulating the completion of the registration process within a predetermined period, a member can avoid the annoying reminders.

According to one embodiment of the invention, if the instant messaging application indicates that both, the first and second members, are trying to generate trusting relationship between each other, then the IM application determines the members as trusting each other, without continuing the registration process, i.e., providing the codes via telephone communication, and so on. From a system's aspect, the invention comprises the following parts^'-

- a computer program adapted to generate a code for associating the first member and the second member,'

- a computer program adapted to provide the code to the first member

- a computer program adapted to accept the code from the second member,^' and

- a computer program adapted to change the status of the members to friends if the code provided by the application to the first member is identical to the code provided by the second member to the application. In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals have been mentioned¹

- numeral 10 denotes the computer of a first member (Joe Bell) of an IM application that applies to be a friend to a second member (David Archer) of the IM application,^'

- numeral 11 denotes the first member (Joe Bell);

- numeral 12 denotes a display of computer 10;

numeral 14 denotes an information banner;

^■ numeral 16 denotes an input box,^'

- numeral 18 denotes a SEND button;

^■ numeral 20 denotes the computer of the second member (David Archer);

- numeral 22 denotes the second member (David Archer); and

- numeral 30 denotes a code. The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form.

Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition.

Claims

What is claimed is÷

CLAIMS 1. In an instant messaging application, a method for generating friendship between a first member and a second member, the method comprising the steps of^'- (a) providing by said application to said first member a code associating said first member and said second member; (b) providing said code by said first member to said second member via a communication channel which enables said second member to verify the identity of said first member,^'

(c) providing said code by said second member to said application,^' and

(d) if the code provided by said application to said first member is identical to the code provided by said second member to said application, then determining said members by said application as trusting each other.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said communication channel is telephone communication.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said telephone communication is cellular.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said code is provided via a telephone conversation.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said code is provided via short-messaging message.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said code is a one^¬ time-code, thereby preventing reuse of the code upon changing the status of said members to non-trusted.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said code is unique.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said code is non- unique.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining said members by said application as trusting each other is further stipulated by ending said method within a predetermined period.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) for the other of said members; and

(f) determining said members, by said application, as trusting each other, only if the code provided by each of said members, to said application, is identical to the code provided by said application to the other of said members.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of if said instant messaging application indicates that both, said first and second members, are trying to generate trusting relationship between each other, determining said members, by said application, as trusting each other, without continuing steps (a) to (f).

12. In an instant messaging application, a module for generating friendship between a first member and a second member, said module comprising:

a computer program adapted to generate a code for associating said first member and said second member;

- a computer program adapted to provide said code to said first member!

- a computer program adapted to accept said code from said second member; and

- a computer program adapted to change the status of said members to friends if the code provided by said application to said first member is identical to the code provided by said second member to said application.

13.A module according to claim 12, wherein the code is a one^¬ time-code.

14. A module according to claim 13, wherein said one-time-code is also generated by hardware means.

15. A module according to claim 12, wherein said code is unique.

16. A module according to claim 12, wherein said code is non- unique.