System for universal electronic mail delivery where messaging devices are notified using a particular dialing, ringing, and hanging-up pattern

• US 5,956,521 A
• Filed: 05/31/1996
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kevin Kuan-Pin Wang
• Original Assignee: Kevin Kuan-Pin Wang
• Inventors: Wang, Kevin Kuan-Pin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YUAN, CHIEN H
• Application Number:
  US08/656,651
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.32, 395/200.36, 395/200.33, 395/200.37, 395/200.45, 395/823, 395/853, 395/855, 379/88, 379/93.05, 379/198, 379/93.24, 379/100.09, 379/113, 379/265
• US Class Current: 710/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

A system for facilitating, sending and receiving e-mail messages is disclosed. This e-mail system is supported by one or more main servers and a plurality of regional servers geographically distributed in populated areas, and are interconnected via a computer network such as the internet. An incoming e-mail message under this system is first processed and packaged by the main server to allow tracking of this message. The packaged message is then sent to the designated local server via a regional server. The local server receives the e-mail message and notifies or delivers the message to a client (user) e-mail device through one of several available notification methods. The e-mail device is a novel device designed to send and receive e-mail messages. It is a low cost device that may be a stand-alone device, a part of a multi-function device, or a part of a computer expansion card. The servers of the present invention can be maintained and operated remotely.

Claims

1. A method for sending and receiving electronic mail messages over an interconnected network of computers where one of said interconnected computers is configured to receive mail messages having a domain address, said configured computer electronically connected to one or more mail servers each electronically connected to one or more electronic mail messaging devices, wherein each of the electronic mail messaging devices is assigned a particular address within said domain address for receiving electronic mail messages addressed to said particular address, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving one or more electronic mail messages each addressed to a particular address within said domain address; and

electronically notifying by a mail server to an electronic mail messaging device having an address corresponding to the address of the one or more to-be-delivered electronic mail messages by having said mail server dialing a phone number corresponding to a telephonic connection to the electronic mail message device using a particular dialing and ringing pattern without establishing a telephonic connection for transference of messages between said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device, wherein said particular dialing and ringing pattern established by the substeps of;

(a) dialing and ringing said telephonic connection for a first predetermined time period without establishing a connection for transference of said mail messages;

(b) hanging-up said telephonic connection after said first predetermined time period;

(c) pausing for a first waiting period;

(d) dialing and ringing said telephonic connection for a second predetermined time period without establishing said telephonic connection; and

(e) hanging-up said telephonic connection after said second predetermined time period.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further including the steps of:

reserving a copy of each mail message at said configured computer before sending the mail messages to the corresponding mail servers; and

sending a confirmation message from each mail server to said configured computer upon successful completion of the delivery of the electronic mail messages.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 further including the step of returning a failed-delivery message from a mail server to said configured computer upon the failure of delivering the electronic mail messages.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further includes the steps of:

electronically connecting said mail servers and said electronic mail messaging device;

exchanging communication protocol between said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device to initiate the delivery of the electronic mail messages;

receiving by said mail server one or more outgoing electronic mail messages from the electronic mail messaging device; and

sending from said mail server to the electronic mail messaging device the electronic mail messages.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein said connecting step is accomplished by having said mail server dialing a phone number corresponding to a telephonic connection to the electronic mail messaging device and establishing a telephonic connection to permit transference of messages between said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further includes the substeps of:

(f) pausing for a second waiting period;

(g) dialing and ringing said telephonic connection for a third predetermined time period without establishing said telephonic connection; and

(h) hanging-up said telephonic connection after a third predetermined time period.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic mail messaging device is programmed to call the mail server after receiving said particular dialing and ringing pattern.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic mail messaging device activates an indicator after receiving said particular dialing and ringing pattern to indicate that there are electronic mail messages at the mail server for retrieval.

9. A method as recited in claim 4 further including the step of verifying the storage capacity of the electronic mail messaging device before sending the electronic mail messages to said electronic mail messaging device and retaining at the mail server the electronic mail messages exceeding the storage capacity of the electronic mail messaging device.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said configured computer and the mail servers may be remotely operated via an electrical connection and a computer.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said configured computer and the mail servers may be remotely operated via an electronic connection, a computer, and through the use of a particular dialing and ringing pattern.

12. A method for sending and receiving electronic mail messages over an interconnected network of computers where one of said interconnected computers is configured to receive mail messages having a domain address, said configured computer electronically connected to one or more mail servers each electronically connected to one or more electronic mail messaging devices, wherein each of the electronic mail messaging devices is assigned a particular address within said domain address for receiving electronic mail messages addressed to said particular address, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving one or more electronic mail messages each addressed to a particular address within said domain address; and

electronically notifying by a mail server to an electronic mail messaging device having an address corresponding to the address of the one or more to-be-delivered electronic mail messages by having said mail server dialing a phone number corresponding to a telephonic connection to the electronic mail message device using a particular dialing and ringing pattern without establishing a telephonic connection for transference of messages between said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device, wherein said particular dialing and ringing pattern established by the substeps of;

(a) dialing and ringing said telephonic connection for a first predetermined time period without establishing a connection for transference of said mail messages;

(b) hanging-up said telephonic connection after said first predetermined time period;

(c) pausing for a first waiting period;

(d) dialing and ringing said telephonic connection for a second predetermined time period without establishing said telephonic connection; and

(e) hanging-up said telephonic connection after said second predetermined time period;

electronically connecting said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device;

exchanging communication protocol between said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device to initiate the delivery of the electronic mail messages;

receiving by said mail server one or more outgoing electronic mail messages from the electronic mail messaging device; and

sending from said mail server to the electronic mail messaging device the electronic mail messages.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 further including the steps of:

reserving a copy of each mail message at said configured computer before sending the mail messages to the corresponding mail servers; and

sending a confirmation message from each mail server to said configured computer upon successful completion of the delivery of the electronic mail messages.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said connecting step is accomplished by having said mail server dialing a phone number corresponding to a telephonic connection to the electronic mail messaging device and establishing a telephonic connection to permit transference of messages between said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 further includes the substeps of:

(f) pausing for a second waiting period;

(g) dialing and ringing said telephonic connection for a third predetermined time period without establishing said telephonic connection; and

(h) hanging-up said telephonic connection after a third predetermined time period.

16. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said electronic mail messaging device is programmed to call the mail server after receiving said particular dialing and ringing pattern.

17. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said electronic mail messaging device activates an indicator after receiving said particular dialing and ringing pattern to indicate that there are electronic mail messages at the mail server for retrieval.

18. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said configured computer and the mail servers may be remotely operated via an electronic connection, a computer, and through the use of a particular dialing and ringing pattern.

19. A method for sending and receiving electronic mail messages over an interconnected network of computers where one of said interconnected computers is configured to receive mail messages having a domain address, said configured computer electronically connected to one or more mail servers each electronically connected to one or more electronic mail messaging devices, wherein each of the electronic mail messaging devices is assigned a particular address within said domain address for receiving electronic mail messages addressed to said particular address, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving one or more electronic mail messages each addressed to a particular address within said domain address; and

electronically connecting from one of the mail servers to an electronic mail messaging device having an address corresponding to the address of the one or more to-be-delivered electronic mail messages, wherein said mail server dialing a phone number corresponding to a telephonic connection to the electronic mail message device using a particular dialing and ringing pattern without establishing a telephone connection for transference of messages between said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device, wherein said particular dialing and ringing pattern established by the substeps of;

(a) dialing and ringing said telephonic connection for a first predetermined time period without establishing a connection for transference of said mail messages;

(b) hanging-up said telephonic connection after said first predetermined time period;

(c) pausing for a first waiting period;

(d) dialing and ringing said telephonic connection for a second predetermined time period without establishing said telephonic connection; and

(e) hanging-up said telephonic connection after said second predetermined time period;

exchanging communication protocol between said mail server and said electronic mail messaging device to initiate the delivery of the electronic mail messages;

receiving by said mail server one or more outgoing electronic mail messages from the electronic mail messaging device; and

sending from said mail server to the electronic mail messaging device the electronic mail messages.

20. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein said electronic mail messanging device is programmed to call the mail server after receiving said particular dialing and ringing pattern.

21. A method as recited in claim 19 wherein said electronic mail messaging device activates an indicator after receiving said particular dialing and ringing pattern to indicate that there are electronic mail messages at the mail server for retrieval.