E-mail protocol optimized for a mobile environment and gateway using same

• US 20030028647A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mavenir Ltd. (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Grosu, Yair
• Granted Patent: US 8,407,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

A message delivery server system for delivery of electronic content to a receiving client, comprises: a data storage for storing electronic content, a connection unit for maintaining a connection with the receiving client, and a connection establishment unit for allowing a receiving client to establish a connection with the server. The connection establishment unit comprises a definition unit for placing one or more connection definitions relating to the connection in an entity that is independent of any actual connection socket used for the session. The definition unit can be use to establish additional sockets to maintain the session and the definitions within can be used to find the best way to download media to the receiving client.

Claims

1. A message delivery server for delivery of electronic mail messages to a receiving client terminal, said server comprising:

a data storage for storing attachments of said electronic mail messages;

a connection establishment unit for establishing a connection with said receiving client and obtaining one or more connection definition settings;

a connection unit for maintaining said connection with said receiving client; and

a definition unit for storing a connection definition corresponding to said one or more connection definition settings.

2. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit opens a communication socket, for communicating with said receiving client, in accordance with said connection definition.

3. The message delivery server according to claim 2, wherein said connection unit opens said communication socket more than once during said connection.

4. The message delivery server according to claim 1, further comprising a media converter converting one of said attachments to produce a converted attachment for delivery via said connection, the converting being performed based on said connection definition.

5. The message delivery server according to claim 4, comprising a plurality of said media converters, each said media converter converting a respective media type.

6. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said one or more connection definition settings are obtained from said receiving client.

7. The message delivery server according to claim 6, wherein said connection definition includes at least one definition relating to a connection bandwidth of said connection with said receiving client.

8. The message delivery server according to claim 6, wherein said connection definition includes at least one definition relating to a user client capacity.

9. The message delivery server according to claim 6, wherein said connection definition includes at least one definition relating to a user preference.

10. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said connection definition relates to a connection bandwidth of said connection with said receiving user.

11. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said connection definition relates to a user client capacity.

12. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said connection definition relates to a user preference.

13. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said each attachmentis characterized by one of a plurality of media types, and said connection definition indicates media conversion format preferences for ones of said media types.

14. The message delivery server according to claim 2, wherein said connection unit successively opens said communication socket.

15. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said connection definition indicates a maximum file size.

16. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said connection definition indicates a preferred language.

17. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said connection definition indicates a rejection of graphical content.

18. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein said connection definition indicates a rejection of color content.

19. The message delivery server according to claim 1, configured so as to first deliver said electronic mail messages to said receiving client, and to separately deliver said attachments to said receiving client.

20. The message delivery server according to claim 19, wherein said second server unit comprises a media converter converting one of said attachments to produce a converted attachment for delivery via said connection, the converting being performed based on said connection definition.

21. The message delivery server according to claim 20, configured to convert the attachment to a size adapted to fit a mobile device screen indicated by said connection definition.

22. The message delivery server according to claim 20, wherein said second server unit comprises a plurality of media converters including said media converter, and a definition selector selecting one of said media converters in accordance with a multimedia file type of one of said attachments to be delivered.

23. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit is operable to stream ones of said attachments comprising media files.

24. A network communications system including a message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein the message delivery server is an e-mail server.

25. A network communications system including a message delivery server according to claim 1 and further comprising an email server, wherein the message delivery server acts as a mail proxy for the email server.

26. A network communications system including a message delivery server according to claim 1 and further comprising an email server, wherein said definition unit of said message delivery server acts as a gateway between said receiving client and said mail server.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said message delivery server comprises a protocol supporter for supporting a suite of different application protocols.

28. The message delivery server according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit retains said connection in an open state in the event of temporary link loss.

29. The message delivery server according to claim 13, configured so that, when an electronic mail message has a plurality of multimedia files as attachments, said connection unit delivers the content of said plurality of multimedia files in parallel.

30. The message delivery server according to claim 1, further comprising:

a definition availability device for determining a file type of an attachment to be downloaded, to determine available modifications for said file type based on said connection definition; and

said connection unit sending an indication of said available modifications to said receiving client.

31. The message delivery server according to claim 30, operable to send said indication of said available modifications to said receiving client terminal as respective URLs.

32. A message delivery system, comprising:

a message delivery server storing email messages for delivery to clients, the email messages having attachments, and

a client logged in to the server;

the server being configured to;

obtain client terminal information relating to the client, and

send to the client a version of a selected attachment, modified according to the client terminal information.

33. A user networking client terminal, comprising a connection management unit indicating, to a message delivery server, one or more connection definition settings;

the connection definition settings indicating for the message delivery server the modifications to make to one or more email attachments prior to download to the user networking client terminal.

34. A user networking client terminal according to claim 33, wherein said connection definition settings comprise a terminal type identifier.

35. A user networking client terminal according to claim 34, wherein said client terminal further comprises networking capability.

36. A user networking client terminal according to claim 33, wherein said connection definition settings comprise a model type identifier.

37. A user networking client terminal according to claim 33, wherein said connection definition settings comprise user preferences for downloading data.

38. A user networking client terminal according to claim 33, wherein said connection definition settings comprise terminal type data processing capacities.

39. A user networking client terminal according to claim 33, wherein said connection definition settings comprise media file-type specific definitions.

40. A user networking client terminal according to claim 33, wherein said connection definition settings comprise physical link capacities.

41. A user networking client terminal according to claim 40, further comprising multimedia operability to process multimedia files modified by the message delivery server in accordance with the connection definition settings.

42. A user networking client terminal according to claim 33, wherein the connection management unit sends the one or more connection definition settings to the message delivery server as part of a connection login process.

43. A file modifier for use with a mail delivery system, the file modifier comprising:

an input receiver receiving a connection definition corresponding to one or more connection definition settings of a receiving client, said connection definition indicating a file modification, and

a converter modifying a file to be downloaded to said receiving client in accordance with said connection definition.

44. A file modifier according to claim 43, wherein said connection definition indicates a maximum capacity, and wherein said converter reduces the file size of said file to be downloaded to a file size at or below said maximum capacity.

45. A file modifier according to claim 43, wherein said connection definition indicates a file format, and wherein said converter modifies the format of said file to be downloaded from an original file format to said indicated file format.

46. A file modifier according to claim 43, further comprising:

a definition availability device determining a file type of an attachment to be downloaded, to determine available modifications for said file type; and

said connection unit sending an indication of said available modifications to said receiving client.

47. A file modifier according to claim 46, wherein said definition availability device bases said indication of said available definitions in accordance with said connection definition.

48. A session identifier for use in an electronic data exchange session over a network between a terminal and a server, the identifer comprising:

login information,

a terminal type definition, and

terminal settings,

said session identifier being exchangeable between the server and the terminal in order to create successive connection sockets during said session according to said login information, said terminal type definition and said terminal settings.

49. The session identifier according to claim 48, operable to make said information available to enable said server to modify data for transfer to said terminal.

50. The session identifier according to claim 48, wherein said terminal settings comprise an indicator of a terminal capacity limitation.

51. The session identifier according to claim 48, wherein said settings of said receiving terminal comprise an indicator of a connection capacity limitation.

52. An e-mail server session connection method, comprising:

receiving a connection request from a receiving client and establishing a session,

receiving one or more connection definition settings from said receiving client,

establishing a connection with said receiving client within said session, and

based on said connection definition settings, associating a connection definition with said session, thereby enabling reactivation of said session upon deactivation of said connection.

58. A method according to claim 52, wherein said connection definition relates to a connection bandwidth.

59. A method according to claim 52, wherein said connection definition relates to a user client terminal capacity.

60. A method according to claim 52, wherein said connection definition relates to a user preference.

53. An e-mail server connection method, comprising:

receiving a connection request from a receiving client and establishing a session,

receiving one or more connection definition settings from said receiving client,

establishing a connection with said receiving client,

associating a connection definition, based on said connection definition settings, with said connection to said receiving client, and

modifying files to be sent via said connection according to the associated connection definition.

54. A method according to claim 53, wherein said files comprise multimedia files.

55. A method according to claim 54, further comprising:

checking statistics for each media file to be downloaded, and

sending to said receiving client a list of possible modifications to said media file based on said connection definition.

56. A method according to claim 55, further comprising sending said list as a series of user selectable list items.

57. A method according to claim 56, further comprising:

receiving a selection from said receiving client of one of said list items,

modifying said media file in accordance with said selection, and

sending said modified media file to said receiving client.

61. An e-mail client connection method comprising:

sending a log-in request to an e-mail server to set up a connection with said server,

sending one or more connection definition settings to said server to define multimedia file properties for modifying multimedia files sent to said client over said connection.

62. A method according to claim 61, wherein said connection definition settings relate to a connection bandwidth.

63. A method according to claim 61, wherein said connection definition settings relate to a user client capacity.

64. A method according to claim 61, wherein said connection definition settings relate to a user preference.

65. An e-mail gateway for carrying out transfers of e-mail and associated data files to a receiving client, said gateway comprising:

a terminal identifying unit for obtaining data of a terminal type being used by said receiving client, and

a transfer modifier for using said obtained data of said terminal type to adapt said transfers to suit said terminal type.

66. A message delivery server for delivery of email messages and attachments to a client terminal, said server comprising:

a data storage storing the attachments of the email messages;

a connection establishment unit receiving one or more connection definition settings from the client terminal;

a definition unit storing a connection definition corresponding to the connection definition settings; and

an attachment converter unit modifying the attachments, based on the connection definition, prior to delivery to the client terminal.

67. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein the attachment converter unit comprises a plurality of media converters, each converting ones of the attachments of a respective media type.

68. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein the connection definition indicates a connection bandwidth of said connection with said client terminal.

69. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein the connection definition indicates a client terminal data storage capacity.

70. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein the connection definition indicates a user attachment conversion preference.

71. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein the connection definition indicates a maximum file size.

72. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein said connection definition indicates a preferred language.

73. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein said connection definition indicates a rejection of graphical content.

74. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein said connection definition indicates a rejection of color content.

75. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein said connection definition indicates a mobile device screen size.

76. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein the attachments are stored separately from the email messages and are not automatically sent to the client terminal with the corresponding email message.

77. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein the connection unit is operable to stream ones of said attachments comprising media files.

78. The message delivery server according to claim 66, wherein the connection unit retains information regarding said connection in the event of temporary link loss, whereby the client terminal is enabled to continue the session after the temporary link loss.

79. The message delivery server according to claim 66, further comprising a definition availability device determining a file type of an attachment to be downloaded, to determine available modifications for the file type based on the connection definition, wherein the connection unit sends an indication of the available modifications to the client terminal.

80. The message delivery server according to claim 79, wherein the connection unit sends the indication of the available modifications to the client terminal in the form of URLs.