PEER-TO-PEER EMAIL
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A storage medium, readable by a first processor of a first computer system, having embodied therein a first computer program of commands executable by the first processor, the program being adapted to be executed to:
- transmit a user identifier to a presence manager, the user identifier identifying a user to which an outgoing email message is to be delivered;
receive from the presence manager an indication of whether the user identified by the user identifier is currently online;
where the user is currently online, receive from the presence manager a network address of the user, and transmit the outgoing email message to the network address; and
where the user is not currently online, transmit the outgoing email message to a first cache computer system and transmit to a delivery manager the user identifier, an email identifier uniquely identifying the outgoing email message, and a network address associated with the first cache computer system;
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A peer-to-peer email system and methods are provided for distributed email distribution, prevention of SPAM, and efficient email storage. Each email client also serves as a node in the peer-to-peer system, relaying email messages and/or attachments. Large attachments may be transmitted directly from sender to receiver, and if the receiver is not online at the time the sender sends the attachment, the receiver can request the attachment from the sender at a later time.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A storage medium, readable by a first processor of a first computer system, having embodied therein a first computer program of commands executable by the first processor, the program being adapted to be executed to:
-
transmit a user identifier to a presence manager, the user identifier identifying a user to which an outgoing email message is to be delivered; receive from the presence manager an indication of whether the user identified by the user identifier is currently online; where the user is currently online, receive from the presence manager a network address of the user, and transmit the outgoing email message to the network address; and where the user is not currently online, transmit the outgoing email message to a first cache computer system and transmit to a delivery manager the user identifier, an email identifier uniquely identifying the outgoing email message, and a network address associated with the first cache computer system; - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A storage medium, readable by a first processor of a first computer system, having embodied therein a first computer program of commands executable by the first processor, the program being adapted to be executed to:
-
transmit to a delivery manager a request for pending email messages intended for delivery to a first user of the first computer system; receive an email identifier identifying an incoming email message intended for delivery to the first user; receive a network address associated with a first cache computer system where the incoming email message is stored; receive from the first cache system the incoming email message; and store the incoming email message locally. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
-
-
12. A peer-to-peer email system comprising first, second and third node computer systems used by first, second and third users, respectively, a delivery manager computer system, and a presence manager computer system:
-
wherein the presence manager computer system is configured to; receive a request on behalf of the first node for an online status of the second node; transmit to the first node an indication that the second node is not currently online; and wherein the first node is configured to; request from the presence manager an indication of whether the second node is currently online; receive an indication that the second node is not currently online; transmit an email message intended for delivery to the second user to the third node; transmit to the delivery manager a user identifier identifying the second user, an email identifier uniquely identifying the email message intended for delivery to the second user, and a network address associated with the third node. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
Specification