Anonymous messaging in an instant message group conversation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10079807-B2
Application number	US-201615019034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2016
Priority date	Feb 9, 2016
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A message is created, by a first device associated with a first attendee, for an instant message group conversation among a plurality of attendees that includes the first attendee. At least one non-anonymous attendee and at least one anonymous attendee of the plurality of attendees are identified. The message is transmitted, by the first device to devices associated with others of the plurality of attendees. A response is received, by the first device as part of the instant message group conversation, to the message from a second device associated with the at least one anonymous attendee who is not identified, to at least one attendee of the plurality of attendees, as an author of the response.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
creating, by a first device associated with a first attendee, an instant message group conversation including,
creating a message for an instant message group conversation among a plurality of attendees that includes the first attendee; and
receiving selections for each of a plurality of attendees to be included in the instant message group conversation, wherein the received selections designate each of the plurality of attendees as an anonymous attendee or a non-anonymous attendee, and wherein each of the received selections of anonymous attendees specifies one of a plurality of group identifiers (IDs) each corresponding to one of a plurality of anonymous groups;

transmitting, by the first device, the message to devices associated with the plurality of attendees;
receiving, by the first device as part of the instant message group conversation, a first response to the message from a second device associated with a first anonymous attendee of the designated anonymous attendees, wherein the first response specifies a group ID as a sender identifier of the first anonymous attendee; and
receiving, by the first device as part of the instant message group conversation, a second response to the message from a third device associated with a first non-anonymous attendee of the designated non-anonymous attendees, wherein the second response specifies, as a sender identifier of the first non-anonymous attendee, a user identifier for an attendee associated with the third device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the message comprises transmitting a notification to the first anonymous attendee that any responses provided by the first anonymous attendee to the instant message group conversation are anonymous.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the first anonymous attendee based, at least in part, on a relationship between the first anonymous attendee and others of the plurality of attendees.

4. A first device associated with a first attendee comprising:
a processor; and
a machine-readable medium having program code executable to cause the first device to:
create an instant message group conversation by,
creating a message for an instant message group conversation among a plurality of attendees that includes a first attendee; and
receiving selections for each of a plurality of attendees to be included in the instant message group conversation, wherein the received selections designate each of the plurality of attendees as an anonymous attendee or a non-anonymous attendee, and wherein each of the received selections of anonymous attendees specifies one of a plurality of group identifiers (IDs) each corresponding to one of a plurality of anonymous groups;

transmit the message to devices associated with the plurality of attendees;
receive, as part of the instant message group conversation, a first response to the message from a second device associated with a first anonymous attendee of the designated anonymous attendees, wherein the first response specifies a group ID as a sender identifier of the first anonymous attendee; and
receive, as part of the instant message group conversation, a second response to the message from a third device associated with a first non-anonymous attendee of the designated non-anonymous attendees, wherein the second response specifies, as a sender identifier of the first non-anonymous attendee, a user identifier for an attendee associated with the third device.

5. The first device of claim 4 , wherein the program code executable to cause the first device to transmit the message comprises program code executable to cause the first device to transmit a notification to the first anonymous attendee that any responses provided by the first anonymous attendee to the instant message group conversation are anonymous.

6. The first device of claim 4 , wherein the program code further includes program executable to cause the first device to identify the first anonymous attendee is based, at least in part, on a relationship between the first anonymous attendee and others of the plurality of attendees.

7. One or more machine-readable storage media having program code stored therein, the program code comprising instructions to:
create, by a first device associated with a first attendee, an instant message group conversation including,
creating a message for an instant message group conversation among a plurality of attendees that includes the first attendee; and
receiving selections for each of a plurality of attendees to be included in the instant message group conversation, wherein the received selections designate each of the plurality of attendees as an anonymous attendee or a non-anonymous attendee, and wherein each of the received selections of anonymous attendees specifies one of a plurality of group identifiers (IDs) each corresponding to one of a plurality of anonymous groups;

transmit, by the first device, the message to devices associated with the plurality of attendees;
receive, by the first device as part of the instant message group conversation, a first response to the message from a second device associated with a first anonymous attendee of the designated anonymous attendees, wherein the first response specifies a group ID as a sender identifier of the first anonymous attendee; and
receive, by the first device as part of the instant message group conversation, a second response to the message from a third device associated with a first non-anonymous attendee of the designated non-anonymous attendees, wherein the second response specifies, as a sender identifier of the first non-anonymous attendee, a user identifier for an attendee associated with the third device.

Assignees

• Ca Inc

Inventors

• Parikh Ravish Mukesh
• Navani Richa P

Classifications

• H04L63/0421 Primary

  Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer · CPC title

• G06Q20/383

  Anonymous user system · CPC title

• H04L63/0407

  wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00) · CPC title

• H04L12/1822

  Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission · CPC title

• H04W4/21

  for social networking applications · CPC title