# US 12,120,232 B2 · Secure communication tool for use alongside non-secure communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,232 B2 - Document ID: US12120232B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/370,918 - Filed: 2023-09-21 - Published: 2024-01-11 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-15 - Assignees: Rhinogram Inc. - Applicants: Rhinogram Inc. - Inventors: Bo Ferger; Rob Whelan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120232B2 ## CPC - H04L 9/088: {Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms (network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068)} - H04L 9/321: {involving a third party or a trusted authority} - H04L 9/3226: {using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083)} - H04L 9/3234: {involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853)} - H04L 63/0428: {wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload} - H04L 63/061: {for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838)} - H04L 63/083: {using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226)} - H04L 63/123: {received data contents, e.g. message integrity} - H04L 63/205: {involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved (negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24)} - H04W 12/033: of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic - H04W 12/106: Packet or message integrity - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method of communicating through a less secure messaging system provides an option of masking messages sent from a second party to a first party so that they are unreadable when received by the first party. For some embodiments, it may be that they are visible, but unreadable, other embodiments, not visible. In either case, an authorization may be provided by the first party to make the masked messages readable messages, for many embodiments until a session rule makes the readable message a masked message again. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software instructions for execution on an electronic device of a second party to implement a secure communication tool for use in exchanging secure messages between the electronic device of the second party and an electronic device of a first party within a less secure messaging system, the less secure messaging system comprising a messaging application configured to exchange unsecured messages, wherein the secure communication tool is configured to cooperate with the messaging application to enable communications of the secure messages over the less secure messaging system, the secure communication tool comprising: a user interface element configured to display a user-selectable send option on the electronic device of the second party, wherein the user-selectable send option, when selected by the second party, is configured to enable the electronic device of the second party to send a secure message to the electronic device of the first party over the less secure messaging system using the messaging application; and one or more access controls configured, in response to the second party selecting the user-selectable send option, to create the secure message, wherein the secure message contains at least one portion that is masked to be unreadable on the electronic device of the first party until after the first party has provided an authorization to enable the at least one masked portion to be displayed as a readable message on the electronic device of the first party. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the user interface element is one of a button or an icon displayed on the electronic device of the second party. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the one or more access controls are configured to create the at least one masked portion of the secure message so it is not visible on the electronic device of the first party until after the first party has provided the authorization. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the one or more access controls are configured to create at least one encrypted portion in the at least one masked portion of the secure message. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the one or more access controls are configured to create the at least one masked portion of the secure message to be visible on a screen of the electronic device of the first party but not readable by the first party before the authorization is provided by the first party. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5 wherein the one or more access controls are configured to create the at least one masked portion of the secure message including an overlay preventing the first party from reading the at least one masked portion of the secure message until after the authorization is provided by the first party and the overlay is removed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the one or more access controls are configured to create the at least one masked portion of the secure message to be displayed on a screen of the electronic device of the first party using a different background color than the unsecure messages. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the authorization is one of a PIN or a password. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the secure communication tool is further configured to store the at least one masked portion of the secure message on a server that is remote from both the electronic device of the first party and the electronic device of the second party. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the secure communication tool is configured to cause the at least one masked portion of the secure message to be in an unreadable configuration at the electronic device of the first party if at least one rule is satisfied. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the at least one rule corresponds to at least one of the first party's electronic device logging out, the first party's electronic device placing a messaging program in a background mode, a set period of time elapsing after the first party's electronic device receives the authorization from the first party, a set period of time elapsing after a last key entry at the first party's electronic device, the first party's electronic device turning off a screen, or the first party's electronic device ending the messaging program. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the less secure messaging system comprises one of Facebook Messenger or Apple Messages. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software instructions for execution on an electronic device of a first party to implement a secure communication tool for use in exchanging secure messages between an electronic device of a second party and the electronic device of the first party within a less secure messaging system, the less secure messaging system comprising a messaging application configured to exchange unsecured messages, wherein the secure communication tool is configured to cooperate with the messaging application to enable communications of the secure messages over the less secure messaging system, the secure communication tool comprising: a user interface element configured to receive an authorization from the first party on the electronic device of the first party, wherein the authorization is associated with at least one masked portion of a secure message that has been received by the electronic device of the first party over the less secure messaging system from the electronic device of the second party; and one or more access controls configured, in response to the first party providing the authorization, to convert the at least one masked portion of the secure message into a readable message for display on a screen of the electronic device of the first party. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising: one or more session rules configured to return the readable message displayed on the screen of the electronic device of the first party back into an unreadable configuration of the at least one masked portion of the secure message if at least one session rule is satisfied. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the at least one session rule corresponds to at least one of the first party's electronic device logging out, the first party's electronic device placing a messaging program in a background mode, a set period of time elapsing after the first party's electronic device receives the authorization from the first party, a set period of time elapsing after a last key entry at the first party's electronic device, the first party's electronic device turning off a screen, or the first party's electronic device ending the messaging program. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the at least one masked portion of the secure message is configured so it is not visible on the electronic device of the first party until after the first party has provided the authorization. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the at least one masked portion of the secure message comprises at least one encrypted portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the secure communication tool is configured to make the at least one masked portion of the secure message visible on the screen of the electronic device of the first party but not readable by the first party before the authorization is provided by the first party. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein the at least one masked portion of the secure message has an overlay preventing the first party from reading the at least one masked portion of the secure message until after the authorization is provided by the first party and the overlay removed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the secure communication tool is configured to display the at least one masked portion of the secure message on the screen of the electronic device of the first party using a different background color than the unsecure messages. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the authorization is one of a PIN or a password. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the less secure messaging system comprises one of Facebook Messenger or Apple Messages.