Methods for controlling display of electronic messages captured based on community rankings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10102504-B2
Application number	US-201213619036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2012
Priority date	Sep 5, 2003
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Managing instant messages may include receiving instant messages created by or on behalf of one or more message sources for delivery to an intended recipient. From among the received instant messages, qualifying instant messages may be identified that satisfy a capture rule, and two or more of the qualifying instant messages may be captured. The intended recipient may be informed of the captured instant messages unobtrusively, and also may be enabled to manage the captured instant messages.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
generating, by at least one processor and based on input from a community of users distributed across a network, a rule for capturing electronic messages based on degrees of separation between users;
receiving an electronic message;
comparing, by at least one processor, a degree of separation between a sender of the electronic message and a recipient of the electronic message to one or more conditions of the rule;
determining, by at least one processor and based on the comparison, that the electronic message satisfies the rule; and
suppressing delivery of the electronic message based on the determination that the electronic message satisfies the rule.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising providing, for display, an unobtrusive indication that delivery of the electronic message has been suppressed.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising providing, for display, the electronic message in response to input from a user.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising performing textual analysis on the electronic message.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , further comprising determining, based on the textual analysis, whether the electronic message contains at least one of offensive language or objectionable subject matter.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising modifying the rule in response to additional input from a user.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising replacing the rule in response to additional input from a user.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the rule is further based on one of at least a portion of a white list defining approved message sources or at least a portion of a black list defining objectionable message sources.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic message comprises at least one of an instant message or an e-mail message.

10. A method comprising:
generating, using at least one processor and based on input from a community of raters distributed across a network, a rule for capturing electronic messages;
receiving an electronic message that contains message content;
receiving, from at least one user of a community of users, one or more rankings for the message content of the electronic message; comparing, using at least one processor, one or more attributes of the received electronic message to one or more conditions of the rule;
determining, using at least one processor and based on the received one or more rankings for the message content of the electronic message, that the electronic message satisfies the rule;
suppressing delivery of the message content of the electronic message based on the determination that the electronic message satisfies the rule;
providing an option to a user to screen the electronic message based on the determination that the electronic message satisfies the rule; and,
enabling display of an unobtrusive indication that display of the message content of the electronic message has been suppressed.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising enabling display of the message content of the electronic message in response to input from another user.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving a ranking for the message content of the electronic message from the another user; and
modifying the rule based on the received ranking.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:
generate, based on input from a community of users distributed across a network, a rule for capturing electronic messages based on degrees of separation between users;
receive an electronic message;
compare a degree of separation between a sender of the electronic message and a recipient of the electronic message to one or more conditions of the rule;
determine, based on the comparison, that the electronic message satisfies the rule;
suppress display of the electronic message based on the determination that the electronic message satisfies the rule.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to modify the rule in response to additional input from a user.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to replace the rule in response to additional input from a user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13 , wherein the rule is further based on one of at least a portion of a white list defining approved message sources or at least a portion of a black list defining objectionable message sources.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to provide, for display, an unobtrusive indication that delivery of the electronic message has been suppressed.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:
generate, based on input from a community of raters distributed across a network, a rule for capturing electronic messages;
receive an electronic message that contains message content;
receive, from at least one user of a community of users, one or more rankings for the message content of the electronic message;
compare one or more attributes of the received electronic message to one or more conditions of the rule;
determine, based on the received one or more rankings for the message content of the electronic message, that the electronic message satisfies the rule;
suppress delivery of the message content of the electronic message based on the determination that the electronic message satisfies the rule;
provide an option to a user to screen the electronic message based on the determination that the electronic message satisfies the rule; and,
enable display of an unobtrusive indication that display of the message content of the electronic message has been suppressed.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to enable display of the message content of the electronic message in response to input from another user.

Assignees

• Heikes Brian Dean
• Krantz Kristine Amber
• Mathews Kelly Monroe
• Medeiros Russell Scott
• Ramanathan Venkatesh
• Robinson Jr Richard W
• Roman Perry E Miranda
• Sears Edward L
• Wick Andrew L
• Yurow Deborah Ruth
• Facebook Inc

Inventors

• Heikes Brian Dean
• Krantz Kristine Amber
• Mathews Kelly Monroe
• Medeiros Russell Scott
• Ramanathan Venkatesh
• Robinson Jr Richard W
• Roman Perry E Miranda
• Sears Edward L
• Wick Andrew L
• Yurow Deborah Ruth

Classifications

• G06Q10/107 Primary

  Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] · CPC title

• H04L51/04

  Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] · CPC title