Abstract:
An integrated veiled message system for securely delivering messages over a communications network. Client devices transmit and receive messages over the communication network. Each client device is network enabled, associated with a user and has a client processor and a screen to compose and display messages. The network router routes each message to the recipient&#39;s client device. The client processor of the recipient&#39;s client device receives the recipient&#39;s message with a veil from the sender&#39;s client device. The veil being selected by the sender which partially or entirely covers the message when displayed on the screen on the recipient&#39;s client device. The client processor of the recipient&#39;s client device renders and displays the recipient&#39;s message and accompanying veil on the screen to reveal and display only a portion of the message not covered by the accompanying veil.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims a priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/947,582 filed Mar. 4, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a message system, more particularly to a system for delivering a veiled message/email/text that requires the recipient to unveil the message cover or open a digital envelope to view the message content. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Current methods of transmitting messages, photos, videos, texts, tweets and/or emails (collectively referred to herein as “message” or “messages”) provide no protection against wandering eyes. A third-party can easily view incoming message notifications and the message itself while it is being viewed by the user on her client device, preferably a portable device, such as a smart phone, a tablet and the other communications enabled devices, e.g., Internet, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled devices. BLUETOOTH® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and WI-FI® is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance Corporation. The messages and/or emails can contain pictures, texts, videos, audios, documents and like. 
         [0004]    In order to view the message privately, the user must shield the screen from others or view the message away from the people. This may be a challenge when viewing the message at work, a restaurant, a sporting event, or in a crowded train. That is, messages are delivered to the user&#39;s portable device without any cover or digital envelope. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, the claimed invention proceeds upon a desirability of delivering the message with a cover or digital envelope that requires the user to “unveil” the cover or open the digital envelope to view the message. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Therefore, an object of the claimed invention is to provide a system for delivering a veiled message to user&#39;s client device. 
         [0007]    Another object of the claimed invention is to provide aforesaid system which requires user to unveil the message cover or open the digital envelope to read the message content. 
         [0008]    A further object of the claimed invention is to provide aforesaid system that requires the recipient to erase the message with her finger. 
         [0009]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, an integrated veiled message system for securely delivering messages over a communications network comprises a plurality of process based client devices and a processor based server. Each client device transmits and receives messages over the communication network, is network enabled, associated with a user and comprises a client processor and a screen to compose and display messages. The server receives and stores the messages from the client devices in a storage device and transmits a message notification to a client device associated with a recipient of each message. The client processor of the recipient&#39;s client device accesses and retrieves a recipient&#39;s message with a veil from the server over the communications network. The veil is selected by a sender of the recipient&#39;s message which partially or entirely covers the message when displayed on the screen on the recipient&#39;s client device. The client processor of the recipient&#39;s client device renders and displays the recipient&#39;s message and accompanying veil on the screen to reveal and display only a portion of the message not covered by the accompanying veil. 
         [0010]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, an integrated veiled message system for securely delivering messages over a communications network comprises a plurality of processor based client devices and a router. Each client device transmits and receives messages over the communication network, is network enabled, associated with a user and comprises a client processor and a screen to compose and display messages. The router routes the messages from the client devices to a client device associated with a recipient of each message over the communications network. The client processor of the recipient&#39;s client device receives a recipient&#39;s message with a veil from the sender&#39;s client device over the communications network. The veil is selected by the sender which partially or entirely covers the message when displayed on the screen on the recipient&#39;s client device. The client processor of the recipient&#39;s client device renders and displays the recipient&#39;s message and accompanying veil on the screen to reveal and display only a portion of the message not covered by the accompanying veil. 
         [0011]    Various other objects, advantages, and features of the claimed invention will become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed description, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The following detailed description, given by way of example, and not intended to limit the claimed invention solely thereto, will best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of the system architecture in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a block diagram of a client device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  is a block diagram of a server in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the message composition screen in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  are illustrations of the message content, veiled message and partially unveiled message in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is illustration of the partially unveiled message in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is illustration of unveiling of an area of the veiled message in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    The term “communications device” or “user device” represents an information processor or device, such as personal digital assistant, web-enabled or communications-enabled device, tablet, laptop, net book, mobile or smart phone, wireless device and other comparable portable devices. Among other things, the communications device can interface with a communications network, such as the wireless network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Internet and the like, to accept a user&#39;s input by any means possible. Such means include, but are not limited to, (1) touch, such as a keyboard, touch sensitive surface, pointing device, and the like; (2) sound, such as voice or any other sound; (3) light, in both the visible or not visible spectrum; and (4) any other input means. A “communications device” can also notify a user of received information and display such information by any means, including but not limited to visual, audio, and mechanical motion means. 
         [0021]    The claimed invention is readily implemented by presently available communications apparatus and electronic components. The invention find ready application in virtually all commercial communications networks, including, but not limited to an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), world wide web, a telephone network, a wireless network, and a wired cable transmission system. The communications device can access these communications network using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and any other comparable means. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , at the system level, the claimed invention comprises one or more web-enabled processor based client devices  200 , one or more processor based servers  100 , and a communications network  300  (e.g., wireless network). In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, as shown in  FIG. 2A , each client device  200  comprises a processor or client processor  210 , a display or screen  220 , an input device  230  (which can be the same as the display  220  in the case of touch screens), a memory  240 , a storage device  250  (preferably, a persistent storage, e.g., hard drive), and a connection facility  260  to connect to the communications network  300 . 
         [0023]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the server  100  comprise a processor or server processor  110 , a memory  120 , a storage device  130  (preferably a persistent storage, e.g., hard disk, database, etc.), a connection facility  140  to connect to the communications network  300 , an optional graphics processor  150 . 
         [0024]    The network enabled client device  200  includes but is not limited to a computer system, a personal computer, a laptop, a notebook, a netbook, a tablet or tablet like device, an IPad® (IPAD is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.) or IPad like device, a cell phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile device, or a television, or any such device having a screen connected to the communications network  300  and the like. 
         [0025]    The communications network  300  can be any type of electronic transmission medium, for example, including but not limited to the following networks: a telecommunications network, a wireless network, a virtual private network, a public internet, a private internet, a secure internet, a private network, a public network, a value-added network, an intranet, a wireless gateway, or the like. In addition, the connectivity to the communications network  300  may be via, for example, by cellular transmission, Ethernet, Token Ring, Fiber Distributed Datalink Interface, Asynchronous Transfer Mode, Wireless Application Protocol, or any other form of network connectivity. 
         [0026]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the inventive system for transmitting veiled messages is now described herein from the perspective of two users: a message sender (i.e., sender) and a message recipient (i.e., receiver). Messages, photos, videos, texts, tweets and/or emails are interchangeable and collectively referred to herein as “message” or “messages.” The sender generates a message using her client device  200  (hereinafter the “sender&#39;s client device  200 ). After the message has been created, a notification is sent to the recipient&#39;s client device  200  over the communications network. Depending on the embodiment employed by the system, the notification can be sent by the sender&#39;s client processor  210  via the connection facility  260  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  or the server processor  110  via the connection facility  140 . 
         [0027]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the message contents are stored on the server  100 , preferably in the storage or database  130 , until the recipient&#39;s client device  200  requests or retrieves them from the server  100 . Alternatively, the sender&#39;s client processor  210  can send the message contents directly to the recipient&#39;s client device  200  over the communications network  300  via the connection facility  260 , thereby bypassing the server  100 . In such embodiment, the server  100  acts as a network router or can be replaced with a network router to route the message and/or the notification from the sender&#39;s client device  200  to the recipient&#39;s client device  200 . 
         [0028]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, as shown in  FIG. 3 , each sender&#39;s client device  200  comprises a set of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) or screens which are shown on the display  220  for composing, editing and sending messages. The client processor  210  displays an arrangement of the various GUIs or screens, e.g., a composition screen  400 , on the display  220  of the sender&#39;s client device  200 , which can include user interface elements to enable the user/sender to perform various tasks, e.g., composing, editing and sending messages, using the her input device  230  or the touch screen  220 . In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the client processor  210  combines the message composition and message display options onto a single composition screen  400  on the user display  220 , as exemplary shown in  FIG. 3 , but it is appreciated that they can be placed on two separate screens. As exemplary shown in  FIG. 3 , the single composition screen  400  can consist of a text input area  410  which is configured to be roughly the size of a typical message, and an “Options” button  420  underneath the text input area  410 . 
         [0029]    When the client processor  210  generates a new message based on the input received by the sender&#39;s client device  200  from the sender via the input device  230 , the server processor  110  performs and/or the sender&#39;s client processor  210  additionally performs various tasks to package the message for use in the claimed system. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the sender selects, using the GUIs displayed on the display  220  of her client device  200 , the details as to how the message is to be displayed (e.g., unveiled, fully veiled or partially veiled, as shown in  FIG. 4 ) on the recipient&#39;s client device  200 . The client processor  210  stores the sender&#39;s selection in the message as metadata containing information about the size of the message, thereby enabling the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  to display a representation of the sender&#39;s message that is the correct size on the display  220  of the recipient device  200 . The client processor  210  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  also stores the recipient information specified by the sender in the message. Preferably, the client processor  210  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  stores the message and accompanying metadata in the memory  240  and/or the storage device  250 . 
         [0030]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the client processor  210  displays GUIs (e.g., the composition screen  400 ) on the screen  220  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  to permit the sender to set the settings which effect how the recipient will interact with the message using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . The client processor  210  displays the composition screen  400  displayed on the screen  220  of the sender&#39;s client device  200 , which includes the “Options” button  420  and “Attach File” button  430  below the message text input area  410 , as exemplary shown in  FIG. 3 . When the Options button  420  is clicked by the sender using her input device  230  (or touch screen  220 ), the client processor  210  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  presents a display options for controlling the display of the message on the screen  220  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  and setting various message display control options on the screen  220 . The sender may require the recipient to enter a password to unveil the message, “erase” the message cover  510  to open the message, or display the message for a predetermined time. The sender may assign different veils or covers  500  to different recipients or different groups of recipients, such that the client processor  210  always uses a specific cover  500  assigned to a recipient or a group of recipient for all messages sent to that specific recipient or that specific group of recipients. The client processor  210  stores the message display control options selected by the sender in memory  240  and/or storage  250  of the sender&#39;s client device  200 . 
         [0031]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the sender&#39;s client device  200  accesses the server  100  over the communications network  300  via the connection facilities  260 ,  140 . The server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  displays the GUIs (e.g., the composition screen  400 ) on the screen  220  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  to permit the sender to set the settings which effect how the recipient will interact with the message using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . The composition screen  400  includes “Options” button  420  and “Attach File” button  430  below the message text input area  410 , as exemplary shown in  FIG. 3 . When the Options button  420  is clicked by the sender using her input device  230  (or touch screen  220 ), the server processor  110  presents a display options for controlling the display of the message on the screen  220  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  and setting various message display control options on the screen  220 . The sender may require the recipient to enter a password to unveil the message, “erase” the message cover  500  to open the message, or display the message for a predetermined time. The client processor  210  transmits the message display control options selected by the sender to the server  100  over the communications network  300  via the connection facility  260 . The server processor  210  stores the message display options selected by the sender in server memory  120  and/or storage device  130 . Alternatively or in addition, the client processor  210  stores the message display control options selected by the sender in memory  240  and/or storage  250  of the sender&#39;s client device  200 . 
         [0032]    It is appreciated that default display options values are used and sent with the message when sender does not change these display options or control settings. That is, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the sender&#39;s client device can automatically sent a default cover  500  with all messages. The default cover  500  can be fixed for a particular recipient, a particular group of recipients, for a predetermined period of time (e.g., the default cover  500  is changed every day or every hour). Generally, the senders do not bother to change these default display control/options settings, so the system operator should select default values that best represent the expected use of their system. Alternatively, the sender can create or draw a new cover  500 ; customize an existing cover  500 ; download covers  500  from the Internet, use photos or videos downloaded from the Internet, taken by the sender&#39;s client device  100  equipped with a camera or previously stored in the storage device  250  of the sender&#39;s client device as covers  500 . The sender can store a library of covers  500  in the storage device  250  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  or the storage device  130  of the server  100 . 
         [0033]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the sender can choose the message display format to be used in displaying her message contents on the screen  220  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200 . In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the client processor  210  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  displays GUIs on the screen  220  in the form of a drop down menu which lists one or more display formats (e.g., unveiled, fully veiled or partially veiled format) that can be selected by the sender using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . If the sender selects either a fully veiled or partially veiled message format, the client processor  210  requests the sender to further select a veil  500 , a cover  500  or an envelope  500  (collectively referred to herein as the cover or veil  500 ) by activating or clicking on the Options button  420  on the composition screen  400  using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . The client processor  210  displays a plurality of covers/envelopes  500  on the screen  220  of the sender&#39;s client device  200 . Alternatively, the sender can customize the cover/envelope  500  by uploading her own veil/cover/envelope  500 , such as a picture/logo/design stored in the storage device  250  of the sender&#39;s client device  200 , by activating or clicking on the Attach File button  430  on the composition screen  400  using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . In certain embodiments, the service provider may automatically select a default cover/envelope  500  for all messages, e.g., a company logo, a professional sport team&#39;s logo, a college mascot, etc. 
         [0034]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the sender&#39;s client device accesses the server  100  over the communications network  300  via the connection facilities  260 , 140  to enable the sender to choose the message display format to be used in displaying her message contents on the screen  220  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200 . The server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  displays GUIs on the screen  220  in the form of a drop down menu which lists one or more display formats (e.g., unveiled, fully veiled or partially veiled format) that can be selected by the sender using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . If the sender selects either a fully veiled or partially veiled message format, the server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  requests the sender to further select a cover  500  or an envelope  500  by activating or clicking on the Options button  420  on the composition screen  400  using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . The server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  displays a plurality of covers/envelopes  500  on the screen  220  of the sender&#39;s client device  200 . Alternatively, the sender can customize the cover/envelope  500  by uploading her own cover/envelope  500 , such as a picture/logo/design stored in the storage device  250  of the sender&#39;s client device  200  to the server  100 , by activating or clicking on the Attach File button  430  on the composition screen  400  using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . 
         [0035]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, as exemplary shown in  FIG. 3 , the sender can add a password to the message by activating or clicking on the Options button  420  on the composition screen  400  using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220 . If the sender has selected the password add option, then the recipient must enter the password on her client device  200  before she can unveil the cover/envelope to view the message. 
         [0036]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, as exemplary shown in  FIG. 3 , the sender can activate or click on the Attach File button  430  on the composition screen  400  using her input device  230  or her touch screen  220  to attach one or more of the following files to the message: a document file, an image file, an audio file, a video file, etc. 
         [0037]    As exemplary shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the recipient&#39;s client device  200  displays the message either in unveiled, partially veiled or fully veiled format. That is, in partial or full veiled format, the message displayed on the screen  220  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  is partially or fully covered by a digital cover or envelope  500 . When the recipient views a message on the recipient&#39;s client device  200 , preferably using a client application downloaded from service provider&#39;s website, the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  displays the message on the screen  220  based on the format selected by the sender of the message, such as one of the following formats described herein: unveiled, partially unveiled or fully unveiled. It is appreciated that any other comparable message formats can be utilized by the claimed invention to display the message on the recipient&#39;s client device  200 . 
         [0038]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s device  200  displays the sender&#39;s message on the screen  220  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  to prevent others in physical proximity to the recipient from seeing the message contents. It is appreciated that the claimed system of displaying the message in partial or full veiled format is applicable to text, photo, video, other rich media message contents or any screen-displayable message contents to protect against viewing of the message by another person in the close vicinity to the recipient. 
         [0039]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, when the message is delivered to a recipient who is not registered with the service provider or to a recipient&#39;s client device  200  without the service provider&#39;s client application, a link to the service provider&#39;s website or a third-party website where the recipient can download the application is displayed with the partially or fully veiled message on the screen  220  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200 . The veiled cover or envelope  500  prevents the message content from being visible to the recipient. 
         [0040]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the client processor  210  client application running on the recipient&#39;s device  200  enables the recipient to set the reading option, such as unveil the message after a predetermined time, or one click/touch unveiling of the message. That is, in the one touch/click unveil reading mode, the server processor  110  and/or client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  unveils the partially or fully veiled message when the recipient clicks on the cover/envelope  500  displayed on her screen  220  with her input device  230  (e.g., a mouse button). On client device  200  equipped with the touch screen device  200  (e.g., a smart phone or tablet), in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the recipient can touch the cover/envelope  500  on the touch screen  220  with her finger to unveil the message content in the one touch/click unveil mode setting. 
         [0041]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, in the scratch/erase reading mode, the server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  unveils an area of the cover  500  on the touch screen  220  scratched, erased or touched by the recipient&#39;s finger as exemplary shown in  FIG. 6 . On a client device  200  without the touch screen  220 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, the server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  unveils an area of the cover  500  scratched or erased by an input device  230 , e.g., a mouse  230 . As exemplary shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the recipient can see a portion of the message that is displayed underneath the unveiled area  510  of the cover  500  but the recipient cannot see the portion of the message still veiled by the remaining portion of the cover  500 . The recipient can move her input device  230  or can move her finger(s) to unveil/erase/scratch a new area of the cover  500  displayed on her screen  220  to view additional portion/section of the message. 
         [0042]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, in the delayed reading mode, the server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  unveils the cover  500  after the fully/partially veiled message has been displayed on the recipient&#39;s screen  220  for a predetermined time. It is appreciated that the server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  utilizes the default time, e.g., 5 seconds, unless the predetermined time is set or changed by the recipient, e.g., 4 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, etc. 
         [0043]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, in the countdown reading mode, the server processor  110  and/or the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  unveils the cover  500  on her screen  220  after a countdown from a predetermined number. It is appreciated that the server processor and/or the client processor  210  of the recipient&#39;s client device  200  counts down from a default number, e.g., ten (10), unless a countdown number is set or changed by the recipient, e.g., five (5). 
         [0044]    Various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited to the foregoing specification, but instead is given by the appended claims along with their full range of equivalents.