Server that obtains information from multiple sources, filters using client identities, and dispatches to both hardwired and wireless clients
DC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method performed by a server connected to a network, the method comprising:
- a. polling a first information source having a first user address assigned to a user;
b. receiving, in response to polling the first information source, a first message from a first sender identified by a first sender address;
c. polling a second information source having a second user address assigned to the user;
d. receiving, in response to polling the second information source, a second message from a second sender identified by a second sender address;
e. presenting the first and second messages to the user along with first and second response options, wherein the first response option may be selected by the user to respond to the first message, and wherein the second response option may be selected by the user to respond to the second message;
f. generating, in response to the user selecting the first response option, a third message addressed to the first sender address and including a first sender field including first data identifying the user with the first user address; and
g. generating, in response to the user selecting the second response option, a fourth message addressed to the second sender address and including a second sender field including second data identifying the user with the second user address.
8 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mail server collects messages from a number of user accounts and presents them to the user from a single location. The user can set the mail server to block unwanted messages and to forward others to various receiving devices, including mobile telephones and pagers. Forwarded messages are automatically reformatted for the receiving device, while a copy of the original message is retained. The retained copy can be viewed later if the user is interested in message content that was not available to the wireless device. The user can also use the wireless device to forward the original message to another receiving device. In the case of forwarding, the saved original message and not the reformatted message is sent to the forwarding address. Some embodiments include an email agent that automatically pushes messages from intranet clients to the mail server through a firewall, thereby enabling the mail server to consolidate messages from intranet and Internet sources.
185 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A method performed by a server connected to a network, the method comprising:
-
a. polling a first information source having a first user address assigned to a user;
b. receiving, in response to polling the first information source, a first message from a first sender identified by a first sender address;
c. polling a second information source having a second user address assigned to the user;
d. receiving, in response to polling the second information source, a second message from a second sender identified by a second sender address;
e. presenting the first and second messages to the user along with first and second response options, wherein the first response option may be selected by the user to respond to the first message, and wherein the second response option may be selected by the user to respond to the second message;
f. generating, in response to the user selecting the first response option, a third message addressed to the first sender address and including a first sender field including first data identifying the user with the first user address; and
g. generating, in response to the user selecting the second response option, a fourth message addressed to the second sender address and including a second sender field including second data identifying the user with the second user address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
a. storing, after (b), the first message in a first data field identified by the first user address; and
b. storing, after (d), the second,message in a second data field identified by the second user address.
-
-
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
-
a. obtaining the first data identifying the user with the first user address from the first data field; and
b. obtaining the second data identifying the user with the second user address from the second data field.
-
-
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information source is devoted substantially to receipt of personal correspondence directed to the user;
- and wherein the second information source is devoted substantially to receipt of work-related correspondence directed to the user.
-
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising periodically receiving, without polling, messages from a third information source having a third user address corresponding to the user.
-
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the network is the Internet, and wherein the server connects to the first, second, and third information sources via the Internet.
-
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the third information source is an intranet client connected to the network via an intranet server and an intranet firewall.
-
9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.
-
10. A method of conveying messages from a plurality of information sources to a user via a plurality of receiving devices, each receiving device having a unique identifier associated with the user, the method comprising:
-
a. preparing dispatching rules establishing user preferences for message routing, at least one dispatch rule adapted to identify a selected one of a plurality of user mail sources;
b. periodically polling each mail source for new messages, each new message having a plurality of message fields;
c. upon receipt of a new message;
i. applying at least one of the dispatching rules to at least one of the message fields, the at least one dispatching rule identifying whether the new message is from the selected one of the plurality of user mail sources;
ii. storing the new message; and
iii. if the new message is from the selected one of the plurality of user mail sources, reformatting the new message and dispatching the reformatted message to a wireless one of the receiving devices;
d. receiving a message request from a second one of the receiving devices; and
e. transmitting the new message to the second receiving device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
a. receiving, from the wireless receiving device, a command to alter the dispatching rules; and
b. altering the dispatching rules in response to the command.
-
-
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising periodically receiving, without polling, messages from one of the plurality of information sources.
-
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the new message is an email message.
-
15. The method of claim 10, wherein the dispatching rules list the receiving devices in a priority order, the method further comprising conveying the message from the selected one of the plurality of user mail sources to at least two of the receiving devices in the priority order.
-
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether the wireless one of the receiving devices is available and, if the wireless one of the receiving devices is not available, dispatching the message to a third receiving device.
-
17. The method of claim 10, wherein reformatting the new message includes removing any attachments associated with the new message.
-
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
-
a. receiving a response to the reformatted message from the wireless receiving device, the response directing that the new message be forwarded to a second user; and
b. forwarding the new message, including any attachments, to an address associated with the second user.
-
-
19. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless one of the receiving devices is a mobile telephone.
-
20. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring one of the receiving devices to push messages from the one receiving device to a mail server adapted to perform the steps of claim 10.
-
21. The method of claim 10, wherein a second one of the dispatch rules define a time period during which to dispatch the message to the wireless one of the receiving devices.
-
22. The method of claim 10, wherein one of the dispatching rules defines a time range, the method further comprising:
-
a. receiving a second new message including a time attribute;
b. examining the time attribute; and
c. forwarding the message to the wireless communication device if and only if the time attribute falls within the time range.
-
-
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising storing the message regardless of whether the time attribute falls within the specified time range.
-
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
-
a. receiving, from the wireless communication device, a command to alter the specified time range; and
b. altering the specified time range in response to the command.
-
-
25. The method of claim 10, wherein one of the dispatching rules determines whether a message is marked urgent, the method further comprising:
-
a. receiving a second new message including a priority attribute;
b. examining the priority attribute; and
c. forwarding the message to the wireless communication device if and only if the priority attribute indicates that the second new message is an urgent message.
-
-
26. The message of claim 10, wherein the wireless one of the receiving devices is a pager.
-
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
-
a. specifying a message-size limit for messages directed to the pager;
b. wherein reformatting the new message includes creating a reduced-size version of the e-mail message if the new message is of a size greater than the message size limit.
-
-
28. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless one of the receiving devices is a mobile telephone, the method further comprising forwarding a second reformatted version of the new message to a pager if the mobile telephone is unavailable.
-
29. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 10.
Specification
-
- Resources
Litigation Campaign Assessment
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
Litigation Data
-
Current AssigneeAvh Newco. Inc., MXGO Technologies Incorporated, Rambus Inc.
-
Original AssigneeJens U. Horstmann
-
InventorsDayan, Tal, Horstmann, Jens U., Rothkopf, Alan, Tang, Vincent L., Giovindarajan, Ajay H., Boyce, Carolyn B., Satrasala, Aswath N., Schvartsman, Aleksandr M., Avnur, Arie, Kitagawa, Justin M.
-
Primary Examiner(s)Lim, Krisna
-
Application NumberUS09/641,551Time in Patent Office1,461 DaysField of Search709/206, 709/248US Class Current709/206CPC Class CodesH04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. for...H04L 51/212 using filtering or selectiv...H04L 51/214 using selective forwardingH04L 67/02 based on web technology, e....H04L 69/329 in the application layer [O...
