Viewing attachments to electronic communications via pushing the attachment to a networked viewing site

• US 20050086315A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A., Malik, Dale W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A method and system for viewing an attachment to an electronic communication transmitted in an electronic messaging system is disclosed in which the system receives a communication; examines the content of the communication; sends an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site; and presents the content of the attachment contained in the communication at the alternate viewing site in a universally-viewable format. An alternative embodiment further includes prompting the receiver of the communication for verification of a previously assigned personal identification number.

Claims

1. A method for viewing an attachment to an electronic communication transmitted in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

receiving a communication;

examining content of the communication;

sending an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site; and

presenting content of the attachment contained in the communication at the alternate viewing site.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein examining the content of the communication comprises examining a file type of an attachment within the communication to make a determination as to whether the attachment is viewable using software resident on a device where the communication is received.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site is responsive to a prompt to a recipient of the communication.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site includes prompting the recipient of the communication to enter a security code.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site includes sending a security code entered by the recipient.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein viewing the content of the attachment contained in the communication at the alternate viewing site comprises viewing a secure website using the security code.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the content of the attachment presented at the alternate viewing site is converted into a commonly-viewable format.

12. The machine-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the step of sending an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site includes sending the security code entered by the recipient.

13. The machine-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein the step of viewing the content of the attachment contained in the communication at the alternate viewing site comprises viewing a secure website using the security code.

8. A machine-readable medium, having stored thereon data and instructions, which, when executed:

receive a communication;

examine content of the communication;

send an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site; and

present content of the attachment contained in the communication at the alternate viewing site.

9. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein examining content of the communication comprises examining a file type of an attachment within the communication to make a determination as to whether the attachment is viewable using software resident on a device where the communication is received.

10. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein sending an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site is responsive to a prompt to a recipient of the communication.

11. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein sending an attachment contained in the communication to an alternate viewing site includes prompting the recipient to enter a security code.

14. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the alternate viewing site converts the attachment into a commonly-viewable format.

15. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the communication is an email.

16. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the communication is an instant message.

17. A system for viewing an attachment to an electronic communication transmitted in an electronic messaging system, comprising:

a communication device in communication with a communication network;

an electronic messaging application for sending and receiving electronic communications over the communication network; and

an alternate viewing site in communication with the communication network, wherein an attachment contained in a communication received at the communication device is sent to an alternate viewing site, and content of the attachment contained in the communication is presented at the alternate viewing site.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication device is a wireless device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication device is a wireline device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the alternate viewing site exists in a communication device.