Network Communication Filtering via Sender Profile Policy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of social networking and instant messaging platforms are overwhelmed with spam communications, and existing methods require users to manually block unwanted messages, which hinders genuine connections and privacy settings.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that filters communications by retrieving a sender's profile and comparing it against a recipient's receipt policy, allowing compliant communications to pass through while blocking non-compliant ones, using a network server with a communications filtering module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If users set their profile as private to prevent spam, then spam communications are reduced, but genuine users cannot be found and contacted by new people
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a receipt policy as an intermediary mechanism between the sender's profile and the recipient. This policy acts as a filter that automatically evaluates sender profiles against predefined criteria, allowing the recipient to block spam without making their profile private. The receipt policy mediates the interaction by accepting or rejecting communications based on sender characteristics rather than restricting overall profile visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables recipients to define their own receipt policies that automatically evaluate and filter incoming communications. Users create custom criteria (such as requiring profile pictures, limiting age ranges, or requiring common friends) that are automatically applied to all incoming messages, eliminating the need for manual blocking and allowing genuine users to maintain public profiles while filtering spam automatically.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If users manually block each spam communication, then spam is prevented, but user time and effort are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements receipt policies that are established in advance before spam communications arrive. Users pre-define criteria for acceptable senders (such as age ranges, profile completeness requirements, or common connection rules), and these policies are automatically applied to all incoming communications. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for manual blocking of each spam message, as the system automatically filters communications based on the pre-established rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables automatic filtering of spam communications through user-defined receipt policies that continuously evaluate incoming messages without requiring user intervention. Once policies are set, the system self-manages the filtering process, automatically accepting or rejecting communications based on sender profile compliance, thereby eliminating the time-consuming manual blocking process while maintaining effective spam prevention.
3Extent of automation
If a filtering system is implemented, then spam is automatically blocked, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the filtering system into distinct, manageable components: receipt policies (user-defined criteria), profile data (sender information), and filtering logic (compliance evaluation). This segmentation allows each component to be independently configured and managed, reducing overall system complexity. Users only need to define simple policy criteria without understanding the entire filtering architecture, while the system handles the complex evaluation automatically.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and products are provided for filtering communications between users of a shared network. Embodiments include receiving a communication from a sender for delivery to a recipient; retrieving a receipt policy for the recipient; retrieving a profile for the sender; determining whether the sender's profile complies with the receipt policy for the recipient; delivering the communication to the recipient if the sender's profile complies with the receipt policy for the recipient; and blocking the communication if the sender's profile does not comply with the receipt policy for the recipient.