Reducing network congestion by decoupling attachments from electronic mail
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for processing an electronic mail (e-mail) message having an attachment, comprising:
- receiving as input from a sender the e-mail message and the attachment, for transmission across a network to a recipient;
assigning respective first and second priorities for transmission of the message and the attachment;
sending the message to the recipient at the first priority; and
sending the attachment to the recipient at the second priority.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for processing an electronic mail (e-mail) message having an attachment is provided. The method includes receiving as input from a sender the e-mail message and the attachment, for transmission across a network to a recipient. Respective first and second priorities are assigned for transmission of the message and the attachment. The message is sent to the recipient at the first priority, and the attachment is sent to the recipient at the second priority.
86 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method for processing an electronic mail (e-mail) message having an attachment, comprising:
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receiving as input from a sender the e-mail message and the attachment, for transmission across a network to a recipient;
assigning respective first and second priorities for transmission of the message and the attachment;
sending the message to the recipient at the first priority; and
sending the attachment to the recipient at the second priority. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21)
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13. A method for processing electronic mail (e-mail), comprising:
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receiving, at an intermediate server, from a sending server, an attachment of an e-mail message, the message and the attachment having different respective transmission priorities;
storing the attachment;
receiving a command from a designated recipient of the attachment; and
processing the attachment responsive to the command.
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18. A method for processing electronic mail (e-mail), comprising:
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receiving over an electronic network an e-mail message having a first transmission priority;
subsequent to receiving the e-mail message, receiving over the electronic network an attachment to the e-mail message, the attachment having a second transmission priority;
identifying a correspondence between the e-mail message and the attachment; and
downloading the e-mail message with the attachment to a designated recipient.
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19. A method for processing electronic mail (e-mail), comprising:
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receiving over an electronic network an e-mail message sent with a first transmission priority;
receiving with the e-mail message an identifier of an attachment to the e-mail message, the attachment having a second transmission priority;
downloading the e-mail message to a designated recipient thereof;
transmitting the identifier to the recipient; and
receiving from the recipient a command with respect to the attachment.
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22. A method for processing a piece of electronic mail (e-mail), comprising:
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receiving the e-mail as input from a sender;
analyzing addresses of a list of recipients of the e-mail, so as to determine two or more of the recipients who are served by a common e-mail server;
sending a single copy of the e-mail to the e-mail server; and
sending a command to the e-mail server directing the server to distribute the e-mail to the two or more recipients. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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23. Apparatus for processing an electronic mail (e-mail) message having an attachment, the apparatus comprising a server, the server comprising:
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a data port; and
a processor, arranged to assign to the e-mail message and the attachment respective first and second transmission priorities, to actuate the data port to send the message over an electronic network to a recipient at the first priority, and to actuate the data port to send the attachment over the network to the recipient at the second priority.
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31. Apparatus for processing electronic mail (e-mail), the apparatus comprising a computer server, the computer server comprising:
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a data port arranged to be coupled to an electronic network;
a memory; and
a processor, arranged to;
(a) actuate the data port to receive from a sending server an attachment of an e-mail message, the message and the attachment having different respective transmission priorities, (b) actuate the memory to store the attachment, (c) actuate the data port to receive a command from a designated recipient of the attachment, and (d) process the attachment responsive to the command. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 38, 39)
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36. Apparatus for processing electronic mail (e-mail), the apparatus comprising a mail server, the mail server comprising:
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a data port arranged to be coupled to an electronic network; and
a processor, arranged to;
(a) actuate the data port to receive an e-mail message having a first transmission priority, (b) subsequent to receiving the e-mail message, actuate the data port to receive an attachment to the e-mail message, the attachment having a second transmission priority, (c) identify a correspondence between the e-mail message and the attachment, and (d) download the e-mail message with the attachment to a designated recipient.
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37. Apparatus for processing electronic mail (e-mail), the apparatus comprising a mail server, the mail server comprising:
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a data port arranged to be coupled to an electronic network; and
a processor, arranged to;
(a) actuate the data port to receive an e-mail message sent with a first transmission priority, and -to receive with the e-mail message an identifier of an attachment to the e-mail message, the attachment having a second transmission priority, (b) download the e-mail message to a designated recipient thereof, (c) transmit the identifier to the recipient, and (d) receive from the recipient a command with respect to the attachment.
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40. Apparatus for processing a piece of electronic mail (e-mail), the apparatus comprising a server, the server comprising:
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a data port arranged to be coupled to an electronic network; and
a processor, arranged to;
(a) analyze addresses of a list of recipients of the e-mail, so as to determine two or more of the recipients who are served by a common e-mail server, (b) actuate the data port to send a single copy of the e-mail to the e-mail server, and (c) actuate the data port to send a command to the e-mail server directing the server to distribute the e-mail to the two or more recipients.
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41. A computer program product for processing an electronic mail (e-mail) message having an attachment, the product comprising a computer-readable medium having program instructions embodied therein, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:
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receive as input from -a sender the e-mail message and the attachment, for transmission across a network to a recipient;
assign respective first and second priorities for transmission of the message and the attachment;
send the message to the recipient at the first priority; and
send the attachment to the recipient at the second priority. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A computer program product for processing electronic mail (e-mail), the product comprising a computer-readable medium having program instructions embodied therein, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:
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receive, at an intermediate server, from a sending server, an attachment of an e-mail message, the message and;
the attachment having different respective transmission priorities;
store the attachment;
receive a command from a designated recipient of the attachment; and
process the attachment responsive to the command. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 60, 61)
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58. A computer program product for processing electronic mail (e-mail), the product comprising a computer-readable medium having program instructions embodied therein, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:
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receive over an electronic network an e-mail message having a first transmission priority;
subsequent to receiving the e-mail message, receive over the electronic network an attachment to the e-mail message, the attachment having a second transmission priority;
identify a correspondence between the e-mail message and the attachment; and
download the e-mail message with the attachment to a designated recipient.
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59. A computer program product for processing electronic mail (e-mail), the product comprising a computer-readable medium having program instructions embodied therein, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:
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receive over an electronic network an e-mail message sent with a first transmission priority;
receive with the e-mail message an identifier of an attachment to the e-mail message, the attachment having a second transmission priority;
download the e-mail message to a designated recipient thereof;
transmit the identifier to the recipient; and
receive from the recipient a command with respect to the attachment.
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62. A computer program product for processing a piece of electronic mail (e-mail), the product comprising a computer-readable medium having program instructions embodied therein, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to:
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receive the e-mail;
analyze addresses of a list of recipients of the e-mail, so as to determine two or more of the recipients who are served by a common e-mail server;
send a single copy of the e-mail to the e-mail server; and
send an instruction to the e-mail server directing the server to distribute the e-mail to the two or more recipients.
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Specification