Sender-Controlled Messaging Permissions and Encryption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users lack control over how their messages and content are used after they are sent, as they can be forwarded, screenshot, printed, or downloaded without permission, leading to unintended audience expansion and potential harm.

Innovation Solution

A messaging and content sharing platform that allows senders to set permissions and rules for recipients, including disallowing forwarding, screenshotting, printing, and downloading, with encryption and a distributed hash table for secure storage and retrieval, enabling sender-controlled security and anonymous messaging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If messages are sent without restrictions, then communication ease is improved, but control over message usage is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication easeVSAvoidcontrol over message usage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary action by embedding permissions and rules into messages before they are sent. The sender configures usage restrictions (forwarding, screenshotting, printing, downloading) in advance, and these restrictions are automatically enforced by the receiving device without requiring ongoing sender involvement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary layer between sender and recipient through a messaging platform that mediates message delivery and enforcement. The platform acts as a trusted third party that verifies and enforces the permissions and rules attached to each message, ensuring sender intent is honored without requiring direct trust between parties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If permissions and rules are attached to each message, then control over message usage is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol over message usageVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies universality by creating a multi-functional messaging platform that simultaneously handles message delivery, permission enforcement, rule execution, and compliance monitoring. The receiving device is designed to universally handle various operation types (forwarding, screenshotting, printing, downloading) through a single unified permission system, reducing the need for separate control mechanisms for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If encryption is used for secure messaging, then security is improved, but ease of access deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidease of access
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies self-service by automatically handling encryption and decryption processes without requiring user intervention. The receiving device automatically decrypts messages using embedded decryption keys, and the system manages key distribution and storage transparently, allowing users to access encrypted content as easily as unencrypted content while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3314825B1Method and system for sender-controlled messaging and content sharing
Publication Date: 2021.02.24 PRIVATE GIANT
  • EP3314825B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3314825B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3314825B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A messaging and content sharing platform that allows for sender-controlled permissions and rules. During operation, a sending device can receive user input to set permissions and rules for an object to be sent to a receiving device. The permissions and rules control how the object will be managed after leaving the sending device. A receiving device receives the object and complies with the permissions and rules associated with the object. Other features of the platform include a hierarchical view for group messaging, an attachment-only view of messages, large file attachments, and the ability to allow users to access external services such as social networking websites without logging in.