Message Thread Intelligibility Adjustment for Privacy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices struggle to maintain user privacy by making older messages in a conversation easily readable to third parties, especially in public settings, as current technologies do not effectively obscure older messages without removing them from view.
Innovation Solution
The device adjusts the intelligibility of messages based on age, making older messages less readable by altering factors such as font size, spacing, and blurring, while keeping newer messages more visible and readable, without removing them from the display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If all messages in a message thread are displayed with the same readability, then the user can easily read all messages including older ones, but third parties can also easily read older messages which compromises user privacy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different readability characteristics to different parts of the message thread based on message age. Older messages are displayed with reduced intelligibility (blurred, smaller font, or obscured text) while newer messages maintain normal readability. This local differentiation allows the system to simultaneously protect privacy for older messages while maintaining ease of reading for current/recent communications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes display parameters (font size, text opacity, blur level, character spacing) based on the age of each message. Messages automatically transition between different readability states as they age, with parameters adjusted to progressively reduce intelligibility while keeping messages visible and traceable in the conversation flow.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If older messages are removed from display to protect privacy, then third parties cannot read them, but the user loses visibility of the complete conversation history
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the readable text content from older messages while retaining the message structure, metadata, and visual presence in the thread. The messages remain visible as placeholders or obscured text that preserves conversation context and flow, but the actual readable content is taken out or obscured to prevent third-party reading while maintaining the user's ability to review their own history.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary layer of obfuscation between the message content and third-party viewers. This intermediary mechanism (blur effects, character replacement, or overlay patterns) allows the message structure and context to remain visible while blocking direct reading of the content, thus preserving conversation history visibility without compromising privacy.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If message intelligibility is reduced for older messages, then privacy is enhanced, but the user may have difficulty reading older messages they wish to review
Solution Approach 1:
The readability of messages is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically adjusts intelligibility based on message age and context, creating a dynamic display that adapts to different viewing scenarios. This allows the same message to be more or less readable depending on when it was sent and current display conditions, balancing privacy protection with user review needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial obfuscation rather than complete hiding of older messages. By using techniques like blurring or character replacement rather than complete removal or total obscuration, the system provides enough visual information for users to recognize message context and structure while reducing readable content sufficiently to protect privacy from casual third-party viewing.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: based on the determined age of a particular message in a displayed message thread, provide for a change in the intelligibility of at least part of the particular message with respect to one or more of: at least one of the other of the messages in the displayed message thread; and at least some of the other part of the particular message.