ELECTRONIC MAIL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
First Claim
1. An electronic mail gateway to facilitate cross-media messaging between an online information service and a telecommunications service comprising:
- an electronic mail messaging system of said online information service for delivering electronic mail messages addressed to subscribers of said online information service;
a telecommunications service mailbox associated with said electronic mail messaging system for receiving electronic mail messages addressed to said subscribers of said online information service;
a subscriber profile database for storing rules to be applied to electronic mail messages arriving at said electronic mail messaging system, said rules comprising subscriber preferences for receiving electronic mail messages at said online information service or said telecommunications service;
an electronic mail distributor connected to said electronic mail messaging system for applying said rules to electronic mail messages addressed to said subscribers of said online information service arriving at said electronic mail messaging system and for selectively routing said electronic mail messages to said telecommunications service mailbox;
a computer at said telecommunications service for
1) receiving from said telecommunications service mailbox electronic mail messages routed to said telecommunications service mailbox;
2) storing messages for subscribers of said online information service specifying a preference for receiving electronic mail messages at said telecommunications service; and
3) locating and converting messages for audio output when subscribers specifying a preference for receiving electronic mail messages at said telecommunications service call said telecommunications service to retrieve selectively routed electronic mail messages.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is disclosed for integrated electronic mail, voice mail, and fax mail messaging. A common message format is defined for use by an electronic mail service and a telecommunications service so electronic mail messages that may include voice and fax mail attachments may be exchanged between the services. Message senders and receivers may choose from a variety of filter and forward options that allow them to manage their communications and specify a preference for receiving messages at the electronic mail or telecommunications service. Forwarding and conversion of messages is performed automatically. The options are used to define a set of rules to be applied to inbound and outbound messages so that messages are sent and received in accordance with the preferences of the senders and receivers.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic mail gateway to facilitate cross-media messaging between an online information service and a telecommunications service comprising:
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an electronic mail messaging system of said online information service for delivering electronic mail messages addressed to subscribers of said online information service;
a telecommunications service mailbox associated with said electronic mail messaging system for receiving electronic mail messages addressed to said subscribers of said online information service;
a subscriber profile database for storing rules to be applied to electronic mail messages arriving at said electronic mail messaging system, said rules comprising subscriber preferences for receiving electronic mail messages at said online information service or said telecommunications service;
an electronic mail distributor connected to said electronic mail messaging system for applying said rules to electronic mail messages addressed to said subscribers of said online information service arriving at said electronic mail messaging system and for selectively routing said electronic mail messages to said telecommunications service mailbox;
a computer at said telecommunications service for
1) receiving from said telecommunications service mailbox electronic mail messages routed to said telecommunications service mailbox;
2) storing messages for subscribers of said online information service specifying a preference for receiving electronic mail messages at said telecommunications service; and
3) locating and converting messages for audio output when subscribers specifying a preference for receiving electronic mail messages at said telecommunications service call said telecommunications service to retrieve selectively routed electronic mail messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for facilitating cross-media messaging between an online information service and a telecommunications service comprising:
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(a) associating a telecommunications service mailbox with an electronic mail messaging system of said online information service, said telecommunications service mailbox for receiving electronic mail messages addressed to subscribers of said online information service;
(b) storing in a subscriber profile database rules to be applied to electronic mail messages arriving at said electronic mail messaging system, said rules comprising subscriber preferences for receiving electronic mail messages at said online information service or said telecommunications service;
(c) applying said rules to electronic mail messages arriving at said electronic mail messaging system of said online information service;
(d) routing certain of said electronic mail messages to said telecommunications service by formatting said electronic mail messages for delivery to said telecommunications service mailbox; and
(e) connecting to said electronic mail messaging system of said online information service a telecommunications service computer for;
(1) receiving from said telecommunications service mailbox electronic mail messages routed to said telecommunications service mailbox;
(2) storing messages for subscribers of said online information service specifying a preference for receiving electronic mail messages at said telecommunications service; and
(3) locating and converting messages for output when subscribers specifying a preference for receiving electronic mail messages at said telecommunications service call said telecommunications service to retrieve selectively routed electronic mail messages. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for delivering electronic mail messages to a telecommunications service for retrieval by recipients of said electronic mail messages comprising the steps of:
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(a) accepting an electronic mail message from an electronic messaging system of an online information service, said electronic mail message comprising an address for delivering said electronic mail message to a mailbox at said online information service;
(b) locating a profile associated with a recipient of said electronic mail message, said profile including forwarding instructions;
(c) routing said electronic mail message in accordance with said forwarding instructions to an electronic mailbox in association with said telecommunications service;
(d) receiving at said telecommunications service said electronic mail message from said telecommunications service mailbox;
(e) examining said electronic mail message to identify a recipient for said electronic mail message;
(f) storing said electronic mail message at said telecommunications service; and
(h) locating and converting said electronic mail message for output at said telecommunications service when said recipient calls said telecommunications service to retrieve said electronic mail messages. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification