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Method and apparatus for transmitting electronic mail attachments with attachment references

  • US 5,903,723 A
  • Filed: 12/21/1995
  • Issued: 05/11/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for transmitting e-mail attachments from a sender of a network to at least one recipient of the network, the method comprising the steps of:

  • (a) storing an attachment in a storage means visible to the network and relatively local to the sender, the attachment having a unique network address;

    (b) generating an attachment reference comprising the network address of the attachment and attaching the attachment reference to a primary e-mail message;

    (c) transmitting the primary e-mail message and the attachment reference from the sender to the at least one recipient, wherein the at least one recipient is informed that the attachment is attached to the primary e-mail message; and

    (d) providing the at least one recipient with transparent retrieval of the attachment by retrieving with a recipient of the at least one recipient the attachment from the storage means when the recipient chooses to access the attachment.

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