Instant Simultaneous Messaging

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process that enables nearly real-time exchange of instant simultaneous messages between the users of a digital communication network. Instant Simultaneous Messaging enables “real” simultaneous exchange of contents between the users over a subject. This simultaneous exchange ensures that each user can access other users' contents with exactly the same order, e.g. privilege. Therefore, none of the users within a simultaneous conversion can be affected by other users' messages. The purpose of instant simultaneous messaging is to heal herd mentality by enforcing novelty/originality to the contents that are exchanged between the users. Therefore, while users are communicating over a subject simultaneously, a given user can not learn or get affected by other users' opinions before disclosing its own. The present invention provides a method and its apparatus for Instant Simultaneous Messaging between a sending user and a target user over a digital communication network.

Claims

1. A method for exchanging instant simultaneous messages (31) between a sending user (33) and plurality, from one to many, of target users (35) via an intermediate (32): said intermediate (32) is a Unified Instant Messaging System (UIMS) or a computing unit that is a thread/process of a single/multi processor or a distributed/cloud based system; said instant simultaneous message (31) including a sending (33) and plurality of target (35) users' particulars, i.e. user identification, a subject (36) and multiple contents (37), one for the sending user (33) and one for each of the target users (35), said subject (36) and said contents (37) including a text or a media or a combination of both, and are associated with a date, i.e. the date/time when the said sending user (33) submits the said instant simultaneous message (31), or a location, i.e. the position and/or geographic coordinate and/or GPS where the said sending user (33) submits the said instant simultaneous message (31), or a delivery status, i.e. the status which indicates if the said instant simultaneous message (31) is sent and/or delivered and/or received and/or has been seen by whom including the said sending user (33) and/or each of the said target users (35) and/or the said intermediate (32), or a combination of any or none and said text including question, comment, review, opinion or feedback and said media including photo, video or audio and said delivery status indicating to either each or a predefined subset of the users defined by the sending user, the current status of the instant simultaneous message (31) including whether the said instant simultaneous message (31) is sent and/or delivered and/or received and/or has been seen by whom including the said sending user (33) and/or each of the said target users (35) and or the said intermediate (32); said sending user sends all the components of the instant simultaneous message except the contents of target users (37) to the said intermediate (32) via the said network; said intermediate (32) hides the content (37) of the sending user (33) and sends the resulted instant simultaneous message (31), i.e. the received instant simultaneous message from the sending user without the sending user's content to all the target users (35); said target users (35) each sends its own content (37), i.e. target user's content of the instant simultaneous message, according to the subject (36) to the intermediate (32); said intermediate (32) is continuing to receive contents of the said instant simultaneous message (31) from each of the target users (35) initially indicated by the said sending user and for each received said content of the said instant simultaneous message (31) from any of the target users updates the sending user and those target users who already sent their said content of the said instant simultaneous message (31) to the intermediate with the said received content.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising additional conditions/constraints to the instant simultaneous message (31) including computer instructed constraints and/or human controls and/or physical constraints, said physical constraints including expiry time.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising additional order to the method of the instant simultaneous message (31), said order including a user determined order of exchange of the contents (37).

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an interference of instant messages within the instant simultaneous message (31).

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a dynamic number of target users, the said dynamism including a growing/shrinking number and/or a sending or a target user indicated number and/or a formulated number; said formulated number including a realtime generated number or a conditional number.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising a score associated to each user; the said score including the number of times each user participates in simultaneous instant messaging (31).

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein further compressing the instant simultaneous message (31), said compression including efficiency techniques and/or reducing the number of reciprocates between the users and the intermediate.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein further enhancing the intermediate to suggest actions to the users, said actions including terminating or replying and/or suggesting answers.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein communicating the instant simultaneous message (31) in an instant messaging application.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising additional time for the sending user (33) to send its content (37) to the intermediate, said time lasts until when the sending user is willing to receive the target users' content.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional delay to the said intermediate (32) for when the intermediate updates the sending and target users, said delaying including waiting for receiving responses from all the users, i.e. the sending and target users.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising additional number that indicates the number of target users (35) whose response to the said intermediate (32) is sufficient for the intermediate to update all the users, both sending user and target users, with the contents.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising swapping between the sending user and a target user among the target users within the method.

14. A method for exchanging instant simultaneous messages (31) between a sending user (33) and plurality, from one to many, of target users (35): said instant simultaneous message (31) including a sending (33) and plurality of target (35) users' particulars, i.e. user identification, a subject (36) and multiple contents (37), one for the sending user (33) and one for each of the target users (35), said subject (36) and said contents (37) including a text or a media or a combination of both, and are associated with a date, i.e. the date/time when the said sending user (33) submits the said instant simultaneous message (31), or a location, i.e. the position and/or geographic coordinate and/or GPS where the said sending user (33) submits the said instant simultaneous message (31), or a delivery status, i.e. the status which indicates if the said instant simultaneous message (31) is sent and/or delivered and/or received and/or has been seen by whom including the said sending user (33) and/or each of the said target users (35), or a combination of any or none and said text including question, comment, review, opinion or feedback and said media including photo, video or audio and said delivery status indicating to either each or a predefined subset of the users defined by the sending user, the current status of the instant simultaneous message (31) including whether the said instant simultaneous message (31) is sent and/or delivered and/or received and/or has been seen by whom including the said sending user (33) and/or each of the said target users (35); said sending user sends all the components of the instant simultaneous message except the said content to all the said target users; said target users (35) and the said sending user, each sends its own encrypted content (37) of the instant simultaneous message to all the other users, from the said sending user and said target users; a pair of users, from the said sending user and said target users, will exchange their encryption key of their encrypted content with each other once each received the encryption content of the other user.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising additional conditions/constraints to the instant simultaneous message (31) including computer instructed constraints and/or human controls and/or physical constraints, said physical constraints including expiry time.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein communicating the instant simultaneous message (31) in an instant messaging application.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising an interference of instant messages within the instant simultaneous message (31).

18. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising additional order to the method of the instant simultaneous message (31), said order including a user determined order of exchange of the contents (37).

19. A set of instructions on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that when executed on at least one processor results to exchanging instant simultaneous messages (31) between a sending user (33) and plurality, from one to many, of target users (35) via an intermediate (32): said intermediate (32) is a Unified Instant Messaging System (UIMS) or a computing unit that is a thread/process of a single/multi processor or a distributed/cloud based system; said instant simultaneous message (31) including a sending (33) and plurality of target (35) users' particulars, i.e. user identification, a subject (36) and multiple contents (37), one for the sending user (33) and one for each of the target users (35), said subject (36) and said contents (37) including a text or a media or a combination of both, and are associated with a date, i.e. the date/time when the said sending user (33) submits the said instant simultaneous message (31), or a location, i.e. the position and/or geographic coordinate and/or GPS where the said sending user (33) submits the said instant simultaneous message (31), or a delivery status, i.e. the status which indicates if the said instant simultaneous message (31) is sent and/or delivered and/or received and/or has been seen by whom including the said sending user (33) and/or each of the said target users (35) and/or the said intermediate (32), or a combination of any or none and said text including question, comment, review, opinion or feedback and said media including photo, video or audio and said delivery status indicating to either each or a predefined subset of the users defined by the sending user, the current status of the instant simultaneous message (31) including whether the said instant simultaneous message (31) is sent and/or delivered and/or received and/or has been seen by whom including the said sending user (33) and/or each of the said target users (35) and or the said intermediate (32); said sending user sends all the components of the instant simultaneous message except the contents of target users (37) to the said intermediate (32) via the said network; said intermediate (32) hides the content (37) of the sending user (33) and sends the resulted instant simultaneous message (31), i.e. the received instant simultaneous message from the sending user without the sending user's content to all the target users (35); said target users (35) each sends its own content (37), i.e. target user's content of the instant simultaneous message, according to the subject (36) to the intermediate (32); said intermediate (32) is continuing to receive contents of the said instant simultaneous message (31) from each of the target users (35) initially indicated by the said sending user and for each received said content of the said instant simultaneous message (31) from any of the target users updates the sending user and those target users who already sent their said content of the said instant simultaneous message (31) to the intermediate with the said received content.

20. The set of instructions as recited in claim 19, further comprising additional conditions/constraints to the instant simultaneous message (31) including computer instructed constraints and/or human controls and/or physical constraints, said physical constraints including expiry time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0051] FIG. 1 Shows the internal components of an Instant Simultaneous Message;

[0052] FIG. 2 Shows the internal components of a Plural Instant Simultaneous Message;

[0053] FIG. 3 Shows the process of exchanging an Instant Simultaneous Message;

[0054] FIG. 4 Shows the process of exchanging a Plural Instant Simultaneous Message;

[0055] FIG. 5 Shows the process of exchanging an Instant Simultaneous Message without an intermediate;

[0056] FIG. 6 Shows the flow diagram of a process of exchanging an Instant Simultaneous Message from the point of view of a sending user in accordance with the present invention;

[0057] FIG. 7 Shows the flow diagram of a process of exchanging an Instant Simultaneous Message from the point of view of a target user in accordance with the present invention;

[0058] FIG. 8 Shows the flow diagram of a process of exchanging an Instant Simultaneous Message from the point of view of an intermediate in accordance with the present invention; and

[0059] FIG. 9 Shows the flow diagrams of a process of exchanging an Instant Simultaneous Message between a sending and a target user directly, without an intermediate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0060] FIG. 1 shows the internal components of an Instant Simultaneous Message. An Instant Simultaneous Message (31) consists of the following five components: a sending (33) and a target (34) users' particulars, i.e. user identification, in the “From” and “To” places illustrated in the figure; A subject (36) that the users are exchanging the instant simultaneous message based on; And two contents (37), one for the sending (33) and one for the target (34) user, that are disclosed to the users through the proposed principle steps.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows the internal components of a Plural Instant Simultaneous Message. This message differs from the message in FIG. by having multiple target users (35) as well as multiple contents (37), one for each target user.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows the structure as well as the four principle steps of the process of exchanging an Instant Simultaneous Message (“ISM”) with an Intermediate (32). The overall structure of the ISM consists of a sending user (33) and a target user (34) that are instantly exchanging an instant simultaneous message (31) via an intermediate (32). Said intermediate (32) is a computing system such as simple as a single processor or as large as a cloud based service or as comprehensive as a Unified Instant Messaging System (UIMS). The intermediate grants the participant users, i.e. sending and target users, access to the said instant simultaneous message (31) only through the following four principle steps ordered/illustrated from (S1) to (S4):

(S1) First, the sending user (33) forms/fills the components of the instant simultaneous message, except the target user's content, and sends it to the intermediate (32);
(S2) Second, the intermediate (32) first hides the sending user's content from the received instant simultaneous message and sends it to the target user (34);
(S3) Third, given the subject (36) of the received instant simultaneous message (31), the target user (34) fills/forms its own content, i.e. target user's content (37), of the instant simultaneous message (31) and returns it to the intermediate (32);
(S4) Finally, the intermediate (32) instantly sends the complete instant simultaneous message (31), with all of its components, to the sending user (33) and the target user (34).

[0063] FIG. 4 shows the structure as well as the four principle steps of the process of exchanging a Plural Instant Simultaneous Message. This figure differs from FIG. 1 by having multiple target users (35) as well as multiple contents (37), one for each target user. The four principle steps of the exchange process in this figure are accordingly updated as following:

(S1) The sending user (33) forms/fills the components of the instant simultaneous message (31), except the target users' content (37), and sends it to the intermediate (32);
(S2) The intermediate (32) first hides the sending user's content (37) from the received instant simultaneous message (31) and sends it to all the target users (35);
(S3) Given the subject (36) of the received message, each target user (35) fills/forms its own content (37), i.e. target user's content, of the instant simultaneous message (31) and returns it to the intermediate (32);
(S4) The intermediate (32) instantly sends the complete instant simultaneous message (31), with all of its components, to the sending user (33) and all the target users (35).

[0064] FIG. 5 shows the structure as well as the three principle steps of the process of exchanging an Instant Simultaneous Message (“ISM”) without an Intermediate (32). The overall structure of the ISM consists of a sending user (33) and a target user (34) that are instantly exchanging an instant simultaneous message (31) directly between each other. The users are exchanging this message through a process of three principle steps ordered/illustrated from (S1) to (S3) as the following:

(S1) The process is initiated by the sending user (33), when the sending user wants to exchange the said instant simultaneous message (31). First, the sending user forms/fills the components, e.g. the subject (36), of the instant simultaneous message except the contents (37) of the sending (33) and target (34) users, this instant simultaneous message that has none of the said contents will be sent to the target user (34);
(S2) Second, the sending user (33) needs to write the sending user's content (37) of the sent instant simultaneous message (31) according to its subject (36) and encrypt (38) it with a unique private key (39) that solely belongs to both the sent instant simultaneous message (31) and the sending user (33). Then, the sending user (33) sends its encrypted content (38) to the target user (34). Concurrently, the target user (34) needs to write the target user's content (37) of the received instant simultaneous message according to its subject (36) and encrypt (38) it with a unique private key (39) that solely belongs to both the received instant simultaneous message (31) and the target user (34). Then, the target user (34) sends its encrypted content (38) to the sending user (33);
(S3) Finally, whenever the target user (34) received the encrypted content (38) of the sending user (33) for this message, the target user (34) will send its unique private key (39), the key that both belongs to this instant simultaneous message (31) and the target user (34), to the sending user (33). Concurrently, whenever the sending user (33) received the encrypted content (38) of the target user (34) for this message, the sending user (33) will send its unique private key (39), the key that both belongs to this instant simultaneous message (31) and the sending user (33), to the target user (34).

[0065] FIG. 6 illustrates a method for processing an instant simultaneous message (31) from the point of view of a sending user (33). A sending user, the initiator of the process of exchanging an instant simultaneous message (31), starts the process in block 101. This user will fill the necessary components of the instant simultaneous message (31) in block 102. The said necessary components for one embodiment are all the components of the instant simultaneous message except target user's content (37). For another embodiment the requirements can be relaxed or can be identified based on the availability of historical data from the sending user. Afterwards, in block 103, the sending user sends the filled instant simultaneous message (31) to the intermediate (32). In one embodiment, some conditions, such as content analysis, can be enforced after block 102 to ensure that the sending user is meeting the conditions. After sending, in decision block 104, the intermediate checks if the sending user has filled its own content (37): If not, the sending user will remain in this decision block until the intermediate receives the sending user's content of the instant simultaneous message form block 106; If YES, the intermediate will check the target user's content in decision block 105. If the intermediate has not yet received the target user's content, the sending user will remain in decision block 105 until the intermediate receives the content (37) of the target user (34) in block 107. Finally, when the intermediate (32) received the both contents (37), the sending user's content and the target user's content, in block 108, the sending user will receive the content of the target user (34) from the intermediate (32). In an embodiment, similarly plurality of target users (35) can be applied to the illustrated process.

[0066] FIG. 7 illustrates a method for processing an instant simultaneous message (31) from the point of view of a target user (34). A target user, who has been requested to participate in an instant simultaneous message (31) from a sending user (33), starts the process in block 111. This user after receiving a instant simultaneous message (31) from the intermediate (32) in block 112 needs to reply to this message by filling the target user's content (37) of the received instant simultaneous message (31) according to its subject (36) in block 115. If the intermediate (32) receives the contents of the target user in decision block 113, the target user will wait for the sending user's content (37) in block 166 until the requirement of the decision block 114 has met. In one embodiment, some conditions, such as content analysis, can be enforced within decision blocks 113-114 to ensure that the target user (34) is meeting the conditions. Finally, when the intermediate has the contents (37) of the both sending user (33) and target user (34), in block 117, the target user will receive the content of the sending user (33) from the intermediate (32). In an embodiment, similarly plurality of target users (35) can be applied to the illustrated process.

[0067] FIG. 8 illustrates a method for processing an instant simultaneous message (31) from the point of view of an intermediate (32). The intermediate, the middle-ware in the exchange process of an instant simultaneous message, starts the process in block 121. When the intermediate receives an instant simultaneous message (31) from a sending user (33), in block 122, will hide the sending user's content of the received instant simultaneous message and send it to the indicated target user (34) of the instant simultaneous message (31) in block 123. If the intermediate has not yet received the content of the sending user, in decision block 124, the intermediate waits for the sending user's content in block 126, otherwise the intermediate checks the recipient of the target user's content in decision block 125. If the intermediate has not yet received the target user's content, it will wait for receiving the target user's content in block 127 otherwise will move to the final block, i.e. 128. In this block the intermediate (32) has received the contents of the both sending user (33) and target user (34), so the intermediate sends to both users the complete instant simultaneous message, i.e. an instant simultaneous message (31) that has all its components filled by all its participants, and finishes the processing of this instant simultaneous message. In one embodiment, within decision blocks 124-125, further constraints can be enforced to the contents of the sending user (33) and/or the target user (34) to check if the contents are relevant to each other or to the subject (36) of the exchanging instant simultaneous message. In an embodiment, similarly plurality of target users (35) can be applied to the illustrated process.

[0068] FIG. 9 illustrates a method for processing an instant simultaneous message (31) from the point of view of a sending user (33) and a target user (34), separately, when they communicate directly, without an intermediate. Following explains the process of the sending user (33) and the target user (34), respectively:

The sending user (33), the initiator of the process of exchanging an instant simultaneous message (31), starts the process in block 131. This user will fill the necessary components of the instant simultaneous message (31) in block 132 without filling any content (37) and will send it to the target user (34) in block 133. The said necessary components for one embodiment are all the components of the instant simultaneous message except its contents (37). For another embodiment the requirements can be relaxed or can be identified based on the availability of historical data from the sending user (33). Afterwards, in block 134, the sending user writes its sending user's content and encrypts (38) it with a unique private key (39) that solely belongs to this sending user's content and sends its encrypted (38) content to the target user (34). In one embodiment, some conditions, such as content analysis, can be enforced after block 134 to ensure that the sending user is meeting the conditions. After sending, in decision block 135, the sending user checks whether the target user has sent the encrypted (38) target user's content of the instant simultaneous message. If NO, the sending user (33) waits for the target user's content in block 136, otherwise the sending user, in block 137 sends its private key (39) for its encrypted (38) sending user's content (37) to the target user and ends the process.
The target user (34), who has been requested to participate in an instant simultaneous message (31) from the sending user (33), starts the process in block 141. This user after receiving an instant simultaneous message (31) from the sending user (33) in block 142 needs to reply to this message by writing the target user's content (37) of the received instant simultaneous message (31) according to its subject (36) in block 143. After writing the target user's content, the target user encrypts it with a unique private key (39) that solely belongs to this target user's content and sends its encrypted (38) content to the sending user. In one embodiment, some conditions, such as content analysis, can be enforced after this block to ensure that the target user (34) is meeting the conditions. After sending, in decision block 144, the target user checks whether the sending user has sent the encrypted (38) sending user's content of the instant simultaneous message. If NO, the target user (34) waits for the encrypted (38) sending user's content in block 145, otherwise the target user, in block 146 sends its private key (39) for its encrypted (38) target user's content (37) to the sending user and ends the process. In an embodiment, similarly plurality of target users (35) can be applied to the illustrated process.