Replacing large bit component of electronic mail (e-mail) message with hot-link in distributed computer system

• US 6,009,462 A
• Filed: 06/16/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wobber, Edward P., Birrell, Andrew D., Schroeder, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): ASTA, FRANK J
• Application Number:
  US08/876,605
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.36, 395/200.76, 379/93.24, 707/513, 707/515, 707/516, 707/10, 707/101, 709/206, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

A computer implemented method for down-loading mail messages in a distributed computer system. The distributed mail service system includes a plurality of client computers connected to a mail service system via a network. Mail messages are stored in message files of the mail service system, a particular mail message includes a primary component encoded in a first format, and at least one secondary component encoded in a second format different than the first component. The particular mail message is requested by a particular one of the plurality of client computer systems. The secondary component is replaced with a hot-link. The primary component and the hot-link are sent to the particular client computer.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for down-loading mail messages in a distributed computer system, the distributed computer system including a plurality of client computers connected to a mail service system via a network, comprising the steps of:

storing mail messages in message files of the mail service system, a particular mail message including a primary component encoded in a first format, and at least one secondary component encoded in a second format different than the primary component;

requesting, by a particular one of the plurality of client computers, a particular one of the stored mail messages;

recognizing from the particular one of the stored mail messages the at least one secondary component as being of the is second format;

replacing the secondary component of the particular mail message with a hot-link; and

sending over a network connection of the network the primary component and the hot-link to the particular client computer but holding back with a filter the secondary component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the secondary component is an embedded "uuencoded" enclosure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the secondary component is an embedded base 64 enclosure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the secondary component is an embedded Postscript document.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the secondary component is an embedded HTML page.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the secondary component is an embedded MIME fragment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the secondary component is sent to the particular client computer when a user of the particular client computer clicks on the hot-link.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary component includes a tertiary component in a third format, comprising the steps of;

requesting, by the particular client computer, the particular mail message;

replacing the tertiary component with another hot-link; and

sending the primary component and the other hot-link to the particular client computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the filter is a MIME filter.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the secondary component is attached.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the network connection is a low-bandwidth network connection.