IP Library Granted Patent US 7,885,910
Granted Patent B2
US 7,885,910 · App. 12/357,482 · Granted Feb 8, 2011

Integrated method of ensuring instant messaging security on confidential subject matter

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,885,910
App. No.
12/357,482
Granted
Feb 8, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An instant messaging system for securing chat sessions containing confidential subject matter during instant messaging from external entities, the system comprising: a rules engine module configured to continuously build and update a set of rules used to determine when a chat session between a first chat party and a second chat party during an instant messaging session contains confidential or uniquely classified subject matter by loading at least one default rules or previous session rules and enabling a user to provide user-defined rules until the instant message session is ended; and an instant messaging module configured to secure the contents in the chat session based on pre-defined user settings, the contents in the chat session being secured when the contents in the chat session is determined to contain confidential subject matter derived from the set of rules, the chat session is further secured by limiting the exposure of the contents in the chat session to third parties when the chat session is determined to contain confidential subject matter while enabling the first chat party and the second chat party to view the contents in the chat session.

Claims (5)

1. An instant messaging system for securing chat sessions containing confidential subject matter during instant messaging from external entities, the system comprising:

a rules engine module configured to continuously build and update a set of rules used to determine when a chat session between a first chat party and a second chat party during an instant messaging session contains confidential or uniquely classified subject matter by loading at least one default rules or previous session rules and enabling a user to provide user-defined rules until the instant message session is ended, wherein the determination is performed by continually monitoring the chat session during the instant messaging session and looking at a pre-established context and associated relationship of keywords; and

an instant messaging module configured to secure the contents in the chat session based on pre-defined user settings, the contents in the chat session being secured when the contents in the chat session is determined to contain confidential subject matter derived from the set of rules, the pre-defined user settings includes at least saving all confidential transcript of the chat session to a secured directory, encrypting the chat session transcript or not logging the transcript of the chat session transcript, the chat session is further secured by limiting the exposure of the contents in the chat session to third parties when the chat session is determined to contain confidential subject matter while enabling the first chat party and the second chat party to view the contents in the chat session.

2. The instant messaging system as in claim 1 , wherein the rules engine module leverages the integration of an instant messaging application and mail software installed in a computing device, the instant messaging application enables the instant messaging session.

3. The instant messaging system as in claim 2 , wherein the rules engine module is configured to automatically sweep across a mail file of the first chat party for emails marked as classified and collect keywords from emails marked as classified, the collected keywords being used to build the set of rules.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 5, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044129/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2011
From: CHEN, JIM C.; KUNDINGER, CHRISTOPHER J.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026198/0275 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2011
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 026131/0161 →