Method and system for synchronizing a drafts folder

• US 20050193067A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ferguson, Tabitha
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

A method and system for synchronizing a draft of an email is described. The system includes a computer device and a handheld device in communication with the computer device via a wireless communication network. The system further includes a saving module located in one or the other device to allow a user to save an email message therein as a draft. A sending module is located in the computer device (handheld device) for sending the draft therefrom to the handheld device (computer device). A send trigger module in the computer device (handheld device) issues instructions, which are unsolicited by the handheld device (computer device), that cause the sending module to send the draft from the computer device (handheld device) to the other device.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing a draft of an email, the system comprising

a computer device;

a handheld device in communication with the computer device;

a saving module located in one device chosen from the group consisting of the computer device and the handheld device to allow a user to save an email message therein as a draft;

a sending module in the one device for sending the draft therefrom to the other device; and

a send trigger module in the one device for issuing instructions, which are unsolicited by the other device, that cause the sending module to send the draft from the one device to the other device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a prompt module in the one device for prompting the user to determine whether the send trigger module is to issue the instructions.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising

an editor in the computer device for modifying the draft to create a modified draft;

and

a modified draft trigger module in the computer device for issuing second instructions, which are unsolicited by the handheld device, that cause the computer device to send the modified draft from the computer device to the handheld device.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising

an email sending module in the computer device for sending the draft as an email from the computer device to a recipient;

and

a status signal module in the computer device for sending a signal to the handheld device to indicate that the email has been sent.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising

an email sending module in the handheld device for sending the draft as an email from the handheld device to a recipient;

and

a status signal module in the handheld device for sending a signal to the computer device to indicate that the email has been sent.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising

an editor in the handheld device for modifying the draft to create a modified draft;

and

a modified draft trigger module in the handheld device for issuing second instructions, which are unsolicited by the handheld device, that cause the handheld device to send the modified draft from the handheld device to the computer device.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising

an email sending module in the handheld device for sending the draft as an email from the handheld device to a recipient;

and

a status signal module in the handheld device for sending a signal to the computer device to indicate that the email has been sent.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless data communication network to allow the handheld device to be in communication with the computer device.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising

an email sending module in the computer device for sending the draft as an email from the computer device to a recipient;

and

a status signal module in the computer device for sending a signal to the handheld device to indicate that the email has been sent.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reconciliation module that reconciles various versions of the draft.

11. A method of synchronizing a draft of an email between a computer device and a handheld device, the method comprising

a user saving an email message as a draft on one device chosen from the group consisting of a computer device and a handheld device;

and

sending the draft from the one device to the other device in response to commands issued by the one device that are unsolicited by the other device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, before the step of sending, prompting the user to determine whether to send the draft.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the user modifying the draft with the computer device;

and

sending the modified draft from the computer device to the handheld device, in response to second commands issued by the computer device that are unsolicited by the handheld device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising

the user sending the draft as an email from the computer device to a recipient;

and

the computer device sending a signal to the handheld device to indicate that the email has been sent.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising

the user sending the draft as an email from the handheld device to a recipient;

and

the handheld device sending a signal to the computer device to indicate that the email has been sent.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising

the user modifying the draft with the handheld device;

and

sending the modified draft from the handheld device to the computer device, in response to second commands issued by the handheld device that are unsolicited by the computer device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising

the user sending the draft as an email from the computer device to a recipient;

and

the computer device sending a signal to the handheld device to indicate that the email has been sent.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising

the user sending the draft as an email from the handheld device to a recipient;

and

the handheld device sending a signal to the computer device to indicate that the email has been sent.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein, in the step of the user sending, the computer device is a desktop computer.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of sending includes opening a communication link between the computer device and the handheld device via a wireless data communication network.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising reconciling various versions of the draft with a reconciliation module.

22. A computer readable medium having computer instructions for synchronizing a draft of an email, the instructions causing a computer to send the draft from one device chosen from the group consisting of a computer device and a handheld device to the other device in response to commands issued by the one device that are unsolicited by the other device, after a user saves an email message as the draft on the one device.