Abstract:
A messaging service allows message senders to reach a web site owner in the way the owner wants. Users authorized by the owner drop a message into the message service of a site owner, and it gets delivered to the site owner in exactly the manner specified by the site owner. The site owner can organize incoming messages by time, calendar, user, or viewing method. The site owner can receive messages in the way she wants, but all her friends need to know is one address, the owner&#39;s site address.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/315,045 filed Dec. 8, 2011, which claims the benefit of, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(e), U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/534,201, filed on Sep. 13, 2011, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application relates to electronic messaging systems, and more particularly to configurable electronic messaging systems that maintain recipient privacy. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Unified messaging systems are well known. These systems redirect incoming electronic messages from a user&#39;s many message boxes, e.g., email, voicemail, fax, to one ‘unified’ inbox. The systems are designed to improve efficiency for recipients by allowing them to monitor a single inbox for electronic messages of many different types. Typically, these systems are used in large corporations that have sophisticated email servers on which all electronic messages can be directed into a single inbox, most often and email address. While these systems have some utility in an integrated corporate environment they are not truly ‘unified’ because they are not designed to handle all the types of messages, e.g., text messages, used in modern business. 
         [0004]    Also known, in corporate email servers and otherwise, is the ability to route incoming messages from a single published message address to multiple other message boxes according to automatic rules that can be designed and implemented by the published address owner. Although the owner of such a published message address can receive messages in the way he wants (preferred box and format), he cannot control use of his published address, which may be sold to spammers. A further problem is that the published address is often the username for other Internet computing resources. In addition, if the recipient changes her messaging address, for reasons of security or otherwise, she must communicate the change to all senders, each of whom must continually update their address books in an ongoing burden. 
         [0005]    What is desired in another respect, therefore, is a system, which keeps message addresses private but still allows incoming messages to be routed to one of several electronic inboxes as desired by the recipient/owner. Also desired is the ability to route incoming messages to a private address to an electronic box of a different messaging format, and the ability to limit incoming messages to an approved sender list. The ability to route the messages according to a matrix of parameters such as sender, time, date, etc. is also desirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a messaging system, which keeps message addresses private but still allows incoming messages to be routed to one of several electronic inboxes as desired by the recipient/owner. 
         [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide a messaging system that has the ability to route incoming messages to a private address to an electronic box of a different messaging format, and the ability to limit incoming messages to an approved sender list. 
         [0008]    Another object of the invention is to provide a messaging system with the ability to route messages according to a matrix of parameters, such as sender, time, date, etc. 
         [0009]    These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by provision of a messaging service that allows message senders to reach a web site owner in the way the owner wants. Users authorized by the owner drop a message into the message service of a site owner, and it gets delivered to the site owner in exactly the manner specified by the site owner. The site owner can organize incoming messages by time, calendar, user, viewing method, etc. The site owner can receive messages in the way she wants, but all her friends need to know is one address, the owner&#39;s site address. 
         [0010]    With the system of the present invention, each owner is provided with a messaging service inbox that the owner can chose to associate with his personal site. The messaging service has some unique characteristics that put the owner in control of her incoming electronic messages and preserve her privacy in the process. The messaging service inbox of the present invention differs from other electronic messaging systems in several important ways. First, recipients have no address so there is nothing to be harvested or spammed and the owner is free to change his electronic inboxes at any time without any disruption in message delivery or burden on senders to update their address books. Second, only senders authorized by the owner have access to the owner&#39;s messaging service inbox. This means messages from any particular person can be permanently blocked by the recipient/owner at any time. 
         [0011]    By employing the system of the present invention, users do not need to remember which cell phone number the site owner is currently using, which email address is still valid, where to find those photos from the site owner&#39;s last outing, or how to subscribe to the site owner&#39;s Twitter feed. Everything is right in one place and users have access to it all on an owner&#39;s site. Once users navigate to an owner&#39;s site, they have instant access to the site owner in the manner that the owner desires. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configurable web server system according to the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 1A  is a block diagram illustrating in more detail a portion of the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of an example web page served by the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of an example web page served by the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of an example web page served by the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating messaging system in accordance with the present invention, which may be used in conjunction with the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1  or independently thereof; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of an example display generated by the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of an example display generated by the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is an illustration of an example display generated by the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  depicts structures and operations pertaining to a configurable website and system with access control and social network features in accordance with the invention. 
         [0022]    A configurable website according to the invention enables an owner to provide a user with access to the functionality of other websites. The authority to access this functionality is supplied on a per-function basis. For example, a user can be granted the use of certain functions of a particular website, but not to others, such as being granted the ability to read content on the website, but not to modify it. Or the ability to modify text on the website, but not images. Furthermore, the user can be granted different degrees of authority over the functionality of several websites. For instance, the user could be granted access only to read content on website A, but be granted access to modify as well as read content on website B, and so forth. Optionally, many users can access the configurable website, each being granted specific authority to access functionality on other websites. Furthermore, the configurable website itself can include functions and content to which specific access can be granted to users in the same way. These functions may be individual to the configuration webpage, or may be an aggregate of the functionality and content of the other webpages. These examples are not intended to be limiting, and it will be clear to those having skill in the art that many combinations of functionality authorizations are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
         [0023]    To this effect, a configurable web server  100  is provided connected to a network  102 . Web server  100  has access to various function modules  106  over network  102 , at least one of which function modules may include website data sets  104 . 
         [0024]    The configurable web server  100  may be a traditional web server or any other hardware and/or software for serving a website to visitors, with a more detailed view of a preferred embodiment of the web server  100  being shown in  FIG. 1A . The network  102  may be the internet, a subset of the internet, a local area network, wide area network, wireless network, cloud, or other arrangement for computer communications. Website data sets  104  can relate to any type of website, including social networking websites that provide a homepage, blog, comment posting, syndication, or other such functionality to the owner, and may require authentication for access to all or part of their content. Website data sets  104  may relate to websites requiring authentication for use on a per-function basis however, in which case, website data sets  104  may include data relating to a secondary authentication to an Internet computing resource. 
         [0025]    Web server  100  can be used to generate a configurable website (not shown) for use as an interface, whereby an owner can aggregate content from website data sets  104 , and can control access to websites on a per-user and per-function basis. In this regard, web server  100  can be viewed as having a site setup portion  140  and a site serving portion  142 . 
         [0026]    Function modules  106  can be accessed by the owner for incorporation into the configurable website, and can include various basic functionality for running a website, including applets, scripts, templates, style sheets, and the like. Function modules  106  may be provided on the web server  100 , or be provisionable from third parties  148  that hosting third party websites  146  that may be made available to the system  100  over network  102 . The third party websites  146  may also be directly accessed by the webpage owners using user setup hardware  108  in the usual way of employing account owner access  150 . 
         [0027]    Example function modules  106  can include website data sets  104  which may include a secondary authentication  144  to a computing resource, such as a third party website  146 , such as a web server hosting a social media site (not shown). Further example function modules  106  can include an application programming interface (“API”), which may be used to retrieve and display data, change data, or supplement data. The API can be a configurable web server API  152  provided to a third party  148  for modification, or can be entirely created by the third party  148 , before being uploaded to the web server  100  as a third party API  154 . Function modules  106  may be generated by a third party (as shown in  FIG. 1A ) and may provide access on the configurable website to third party data. As another example, function modules may simply comprise data itself. For example, individual pieces of art and blog posts may be tagged with permissions instead of subjects when they are uploaded. In this manner, new art only shows up in the appropriate collection(s) and blog posts are only viewable by the intended user/group. 
         [0028]    User setup hardware  108  is also connected to network  102  and is accessible to the owner. Using the user setup hardware  108 , the owner can transmit account setup or site revision data  110 , a selection of functions  112  to be enabled on the configurable website, access control  114  for functions enabled on the configurable website, and optionally, status updates  116 , to system  100 . 
         [0029]    User setup hardware  108  can be a computer, laptop, mobile device, smartphone, or other device for accessing a web server. Account setup or site revision data  110  may include information for running the configurable website, including owner personal information, passwords and multifactor authentications to access the configurable website, correspondence information such as e-mail addresses, information pertaining to the desired display of the configurable website, and URLs for the various websites that can be managed using the system  100 . 
         [0030]    Account setup data  110  may include authentications which serve as access credentials for other website data sets  104  in addition to the configurable website. Access credentials can include passwords, multifactors, tokens, or other ways of controlling access to each website. Optionally, a permitted user list (not shown) is associated with the configurable website, website data sets  104 , and/or function modules  106 . 
         [0031]    Optionally, website date sets  104  relate to social networking websites (not shown). Social networking websites may include but are not limited to websites for creating and connecting public, private, and semi-public user profiles, online communities, blogs, news feeds, audio and video sharing, and web syndication websites. Such websites are frequently closed-silo communities where only third party users having an account on that particular website would be able to view or interact with content belonging to an owner of a profile. The present invention provides the advantage of supplying access to an owner&#39;s information that is stored in such closed-silo communities, without requiring third party users to first obtain an account of their own. 
         [0032]    Functions  112  can include a selection of functions  106  enabled for the configurable website. For instance, the owner can choose to enable content posting on the configurable website itself. Access control  114  is also specified for the functions enabled on the configurable website, i.e., who can access each function. Optionally, status updates  116  to the configurable website can be transmitted to system  100  from the user setup hardware  108  if this functionality has been selected. This various site data  156 , including the function selection and access control date  158 , specified by the owner may be stored in a database or other memory accessible to the web server  100 . 
         [0033]    To access the configurable website (not shown), user access hardware  120  is accessible to either the owner or to third party users of the configurable website and is connected to network  102 . User access hardware  120  can be a computer, laptop, mobile device, smartphone, or other device for accessing a webpage, and optionally, can be the same hardware used as the user setup hardware  108 . The user first transmits an authentication  122  from the user access hardware  120  to the system  100 . Authentication  122  may be a password, multifactor authorization, hardware token, or other way of controlling access to the configurable website. System  100  responds by transmitting accessible website data  124 , regarding websites with functions that are accessible to that user. If the user is the owner or another user with proper authorization, accessible website data  124  can also include data regarding the configurable website itself. Subsequently, the user can select a website from amongst the accessible website data  124 , and transmit website selection  128  from user access hardware  120  to system  100 . System  100  then responds by transmitting accessible function data  130  to user regarding functions that are accessible to that user for the selected accessible website. The user can then select a function, and transmit function selection  132  from user access hardware  120  to system  100 . 
         [0034]    User setup hardware  108  and/or user access hardware  120  may optionally include a touch screen  136  to facilitate user input, and/or may optionally include a wireless transceiver  138  to enable wireless communication. 
         [0035]    Accessible website data  124 , accessible function data  130 , and selected function  134  will typically be transmitted to the user access hardware  120  from system  100  as a webpage, for display to the user on a GUI (not shown), as further discussed below. The GUI may be a combination of a display and driver software. Optionally, the accessible website data  124  and accessible function data  130  are presented to the user as thumbnail images (not shown) within a webpage. Thumbnail images may be a miniaturized image of the webpage or function they represent, or may be a different image. 
         [0036]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example display  200 . Display  200  is an example of a page of the configurable website, which displays a selection of websites to which the user has been granted access via the configurable website. These websites may be represented by thumbnail images  206 . Display  200  may have a title bar  202  which displays a title  204 . If the user is the owner, or has been granted an appropriate level of authority, a thumbnail  208  representing the configurable website itself may also be displayed. 
         [0037]    Optionally, display  200  is displayed on user access hardware  120  and reflects accessible website data  124  transmitted from system  100 , as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, the user can choose a thumbnail  206 ,  208  using a mouse cursor or other suitable selection means (not shown). A website selection  128  reflecting this choice is then transmitted as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example display  300 . Display  300  may have a title bar  302  which displays a title  304 . Display  300  displays thumbnail images  306  representing various website functions to which the user has been granted access by the owner of the configurable website, pertaining to a website chosen from display  200  ( FIG. 2 ). A website selection bar  308  displays thumbnail images  206  as described with respect to  FIG. 2 . If the user is the owner, or has been granted an appropriate level of authority, a thumbnail  208  representing the configurable website itself may be displayed in website selection bar  308 , or in title bar  302 . A chosen website indicator  310  displays a thumbnail image of the currently chosen website, whose accessible functions are shown by thumbnail images  306 . 
         [0039]    Optionally, display  300  is displayed on user access hardware  120  and reflects accessible function data  130  transmitted from system  100 , as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, the user can choose a thumbnail image  306  using a mouse cursor or other suitable selection means (not shown). A function selection  132  reflecting this choice is then transmitted as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . Optionally, the user can also choose a thumbnail  308 ,  208  to view accessible functions for a different website (not shown). A website selection  128  reflecting this choice is transmitted as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  illustrates a display  400  according to an embodiment of the invention. Display  400  may have a title bar  402  which displays a title  404 . Display  400  displays and provides access to a function  406  to which the user has been granted access by the owner of the configurable website. The function  406  may have been chosen from display  300  ( FIG. 3 ). The user may interact with function  406  via display  400 . For example, the user may edit text data if function  406  provides this capability. 
         [0041]    Function selection bar  408  displays thumbnail images  306  as described with respect to  FIG. 3 . Chosen function indicator  410  displays a thumbnail image of the currently chosen function  406 . Website selection bar  308  displays thumbnail images  206  as described with respect to  FIG. 2 . If the user is the owner, or has been granted an appropriate level of authority, a thumbnail  208  representing the configurable website itself may be displayed in website selection bar  308 , or in title bar  402 . Chosen website indicator  310  displays a thumbnail image of the website whose accessible functions are shown by thumbnail images  306 . 
         [0042]    Thumbnail images  306  representing various website functions to which the user has been granted access by the owner of the configurable website, pertaining to a website chosen from display  200  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0043]    Display  400  can be displayed on user access hardware  120  and reflects accessible function data  130  transmitted from system  100 , as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, the user can choose a thumbnail image  306  using a mouse cursor or other suitable selection means (not shown). A function selection  132  reflecting this choice is then transmitted as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0044]    The user may also choose a thumbnail  308 ,  208  to view accessible functions for a different website (not shown) or chose a thumbnail  408  to access a different function A website selection  128  reflecting this choice is transmitted as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 5  depicts structures and operations pertaining to a messaging system in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, which may be used in conjunction with the configurable web server system of  FIG. 1  or independently thereof. 
         [0046]    The system includes a message server  500  connected to a network  502 . Message server  500  may be a traditional mail server, web server or any other hardware and/or software for serving messages. The network  502  may be the Internet, a subset of the Internet, a local area network, wide area network, wireless network, cloud, or other arrangement for computer communications. 
         [0047]    Message recipient hardware  504  is also connected to network  502  and is in communication with the message server  500 . Message recipient hardware  504  can be a computer, laptop, mobile device, smartphone, or other device for communicating with a message server, and can be the same hardware as user setup hardware  108  described above when the messaging system is used in conjunction with the configurable website system described above, or can be separate therefrom. Message recipient hardware  504  is also used to access one or more recipient electronic mailboxes  506   1 - 506   n , each of which may be configured in any known or yet to be developed messaging format. 
         [0048]    The electronic mailboxes  506   1 - 506   n  may include, for example, mailboxes for receiving email, text or SMS messages, facsimiles, voice messages, and document uploads to a server (e.g., via FTP). In some embodiments, system further allows for the receipt of live telephone calls. As such, the system can handle the receipt and transmission of any and all the types of messages. 
         [0049]    Message sender hardware  508  is also connected to network  502  and is in communication with the message server  500 . Message sender hardware  508  can be a computer, laptop, mobile device, smartphone, or other device for communicating with a message server, and can be the same hardware as user access hardware  120  described above when the messaging system is used in conjunction with the configurable website system described above, or can be separate therefrom. Message sender hardware  508  is preferably configured to be able to read and manipulate web pages, as described in more detail below. 
         [0050]    Initially, the message recipient uses message recipient hardware  504  to configure his messaging account by supplying account setup message data  510  to message server  500  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 6 ). This message data may include a name or names associated with the message recipient, a list of one or more secondary electronic mailboxes to which the message recipient has access, an access list of senders authorized to send messages to the message recipient, and messaging routing rules. The message routing rules may be dependent, for example, upon parameters such as message sender (e.g., all messages from Sender A should be routed to Box 2), time of day (e.g., all messages received after 5:00 pm should be routed to Boxes 1 and 3), days of the week (e.g., all messages received on Saturdays should be routed to Box 3), particular dates (e.g., all messages received from Jan. 1, 2011-Jan. 8, 2011 should be routed to Boxes 1 and 2), etc. The rules may also comprise a matrix dependent upon two or more parameters (e.g., all messages received from Sender B after 10:00 pm should be routed to Box 2). Upon receipt of account setup message data  510 , or changes thereto, by message server  500 , message server may store the message data in a database  512  or other memory. Furthermore, the rules may specify one or more particular formats in which the recipient desires to receive messages for each of her electronic mailboxes. 
         [0051]    When a message sender desires to send a message to a message recipient using the system of the present invention, the message sender may use message sender hardware  508  to supply an authentication  514  to message server  500 . In response, the message server  500  may, based upon the authentication  514  and the message data stored in database  512 , transmit to message sender hardware  508  a list of permitted names  516  to whom the message sender is authorized to send messages. The message sender may then select a recipient name from the list and transmit the selected recipient name  518  to the message server  500 . 
         [0052]    Alternately, the transmission of the list of permitted names  516  may be omitted, and the message sender hardware  508  may be used to transmit both the authentication  514  and the recipient name  518  without the list of permitted  516  names being provided. In this case, the message server  500  may analyze the authentication  514  and the recipient name  518  against the message data stored in database  512  in order to determine whether the message sender is authorized to send messages to the identified message recipient. 
         [0053]    This may be the case, for example, when each message recipient has his own personal web page, similar to that described above in connection with the configurable website system shown in  FIG. 1 , such that the message sender may simply choose a “send message” function from the recipient&#39;s web page (it being the case that if the “send message” function is available for selection, the would-be message sender would have been authorized to send messages). 
         [0054]    In any event, is it preferred that the message is received from the message sender via a non-public electronic mailbox address. More specifically, it is highly desirable that the manner in which the message is received from the message sender be strictly limited only to authorized message senders, and that the addresses for the secondary electronic mailboxes to which the message recipient has access, be kept private so as to prevent spammers from being able to obtain access to the electronic mailboxes of the message recipient. 
         [0055]    Once the recipient name has been received, the message server may optionally transmit to message sender hardware  508  a description of any restrictions  520  placed on the message sender by the message recipient, as contained in the message data stored in database  512 . The message sender hardware may then be used to create and transmit a message  522  to the message server  500 . In one embodiment, the message server  500  may serve a web page to message sender hardware  508  with message creation and transmission functionality, thereby allowing messages to be send by any message sender hardware  508  capable of viewing and manipulating web pages. 
         [0056]    Once the message  522  is received by the message server  500 , the message server  500  examines the parameters surrounding receipt of the message  522  in view of the message data stored in database  512 . Message reformat software  524  may optionally be provided for translating the message  522  into a desired format (e.g., email, text or SMS message, facsimile, voice message, document upload to a server, etc.) specified in the message data stored in database  512 , if necessary. Message router software  526  then determines, based upon the parameters surrounding receipt of the message  522 , the message data stored in database  512  (particularly, the rules and secondary mailbox information) and any necessary extrinsic information, such as time, date, etc. to which electronic mailbox or mailboxes the message should be routed, before routing the message  528  to the appropriate electronic mailbox or mailboxes. 
         [0057]      FIG. 6  illustrates a display  602  generated by the system for setting up and editing a user profile. The settings may include a display name  604 , a photograph  606 , a profile headline  608 , and profile text  610 . The settings page further includes functions to upload profile documents  612  (e.g., for sharing with other users), creating a vCard  614 , changing a user password  616 , and deleting a user account  620 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the user may also input contact information  618 , including any number of email addresses, numbers, websites, and servers. As described above, the various contacts may be configured by the user to receive messages at different times and/or to different mailboxes according to the sender of the message. 
         [0058]      FIG. 7  illustrates a display  702  generated by the system for sending a message to a user. A sender with permission to send a message to a particular user is, upon selecting a message icon or navigating to a message page, presented with a message window  704 . The message window  704  includes a fillable box  706  for inputting the message. Upon input of the message, the user may send  706  the message to the recipient. Importantly, the recipient&#39;s contact information is not identified or displayed to the sender. Subject to the recipient&#39;s privacy settings, the sender may not know any of the recipient&#39;s contact information. However, the sender can send a message which is delivered to one or more mailboxes of the recipient based on the recipient&#39;s routing rules. For example, depending on the recipient&#39;s routing rules, the message may be received via an email address, as a text message to a telephone number, or to a facsimile machine or mailbox. 
         [0059]      FIG. 8  illustrates another display  802  generated by the system for sending a message to a user. In this embodiment, the sender may view and select one, or multiple, channels or mailbox types as the method of contacting the recipient. The mailbox types are general categories of contact or mailbox types and do not specifically identify any addresses or numbers associated with the recipient. For example, the sender may select whether to send a message to a particular category of telephone contacts (e.g., work, home, mobile), a category of email addresses (e.g., work, personal), or a facsimile mailbox or machine. In some embodiments, the sender may also select a category of servers or other document deliver means (e.g., FTP, drop box, etc.). The mailbox types may further include additional customized categories created by the message recipient. 
         [0060]    A message may be inputted as text into a fillable box  806 , recorded a voice message  810 , or uploaded as a document  812 . Provided that sender is authorized to message the recipient, the message is sent  814  to the recipient based on the mailbox category selection and the routing rules set up by the recipient. 
         [0061]    By employing the messaging system described above, message addresses are kept private, but incoming messages are still allowed to be routed to one of several electronic inboxes as desired by the recipient/owner. Also provided is the ability to route incoming messages to a private address to an electronic box of a different messaging format, and the ability to limit incoming messages to an approved sender list. The ability to route the messages according to a matrix of parameters such as sender, time, date, etc. is also provided. In some embodiments, the messaging system also permits a sender to select the mailbox type or method of contacting the recipient. 
         [0062]    Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and many modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.