Messaging application having a plurality of interfacing capabilities

• US 6,195,686 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Baratt, Manon A., Moon, Billy G., Bankler, Brian, Wooldridge, Tammy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): EL HADY, NABIL M
• Application Number:
  US08/940,138
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/218, 709/245, 709/200, 709/207, 707/10, 707/206, 707/218, 707/245, 358/400, 455/412, 455/461
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A messaging application is provided for use in a user communications device having a processor controlling a display and a user input device, and a communications terminal for transmitting and receiving a plurality of different types of electronic messages. The messaging application includes a mail provider program operated by the processor. The mail provider program includes a mail provider module for automatically controlling the transmittal and/or receipt of electronic messages by a user accessing the display and the user input device, a mail source module operatively associated with the mail provider module for receiving of electronic messages including a plurality of mail source protocols each associated with a different mail service provider, and a mail sink module operatively associated with the mail provider module for transmitting of electronic messages including a plurality of mail sink protocols each associated with a different mail service provider. The mail source module selecting one of the mail source protocols for controlling the receipt of incoming electronic mail messages to the mail provider module based on the mail service provider from which the electronic message is received. The mail sink module selecting one of the mail sink protocols for controlling the transmission of the outgoing electronic message from the mail provider module based on select criteria.

Claims

1. In a user communications device having a processor controlling a display and a user input device, and a communications terminal for transmitting and receiving electronic mail, a messaging application comprising:

a mail provider program operated by the processor, the mail provider program including

a mail provider module for automatically controlling the transmittal and/or receipt of electronic mail by a user accessing the display and user input device,

a mail source module operatively associated with the mail provider module for receiving incoming electronic mail, the mail source module including a plurality of mail source protocols each associated with a different mail service provider, the mail source module automatically (a) selecting one of the mail source protocols based on the mail service provider from which the incoming electronic mail is received, (b) applying the selected mail source protocol to the incoming electronic mail, and (c) forwarding the incoming electronic mail to the mail provider module, and

a mail sink module operatively associated with the mail provider module for transmitting outgoing electronic mail, the mail sink module including a plurality of mail sink protocols each associated with a different mail service provider, the mail sink module automatically (a) selecting one of the mail sink protocols based on select criteria associated with the different mail service providers, (b) applying the selected mail sink protocol to the outgoing electronic mail, and (c) transmitting the outgoing electronic mail to a predetermined address.

2. The messaging application of claim 1, wherein said mail sink module transmits the outgoing electronic mail to the predetermined address via the communications terminal and transmits a notification signal to a user that the outgoing electronic mail has been transmitted.

3. The messaging application of claim 1, wherein said mail source module transmits the incoming electronic mail to the processor via the mail provider module and transmits a notification signal to a user that the incoming electronic mail has been received.

4. The messaging application of claim 1, wherein said mail provider program further comprises:

a mail filter module operatively associated with the mail provider module including a plurality of distinct mail filters, the mail filter module (a) determining which, if any, of the plurality of distinct mail filters should be applied to the electronic mail, and (b) applying the determined mail filter, if any, to the electronic mail.

5. The messaging application of claim 4, wherein the predetermined address comprises an address accessed via a business card stored in the processor, and

the determined mail filter comprises a business card agent previously stored in the mail filter module upon receipt of the business card including the business card agent by the user communications device.

6. The messaging application of claim 4, wherein the plurality of distinct mail filters are selected from the group consisting of encryption, decryption and auto-forwarding.

7. The messaging application of claim 1, where the mail source module comprises:

a mail source operatively associated with the mail provider module; and

a mail source protocol handler operatively associated with the mail source for receiving incoming electronic mail, the mail source protocol handler including the plurality of mail source protocols each associated with a different mail service provider, the mail source protocol handler selecting one of the mail source protocols based on the mail service provider from which the electronic mail is received.

8. The messaging application of claim 1, wherein the mail sink module comprises:

a mail sink protocol handler operatively associated with the mail provider module for transmitting outgoing electronic mail, the mail sink protocol handler including the plurality of mail sink protocols each associated with a different mail service provider, the mail sink protocol handler selecting one of the mail sink protocols based on the select criteria; and

a mail sink operatively associated with the mail sink protocol handler receiving the outgoing electronic mail with the selected mail sink protocol and transmitting the outgoing electronic mail to the predetermined address.

9. The messaging application of claim 1, wherein the select criteria are selected from the group consisting of (a) type of the outgoing electronic mail, (b) availability of each of the different mail service providers, (c) traffic on each of the different mail service providers, and (d) cost of transmitting the outgoing electronic mail on each of the different mail service providers.

10. The messaging application of claim 9, wherein the type of the outgoing electronic mail is selected from the group consisting of E-mail, fax mail and voice mail.

11. A method of automatically controlling the receipt of electronic mail messages from a plurality of different mail service providers by a user communications device, said method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of mail source protocols, each associated with a different mail service provider, in the user communications device;

operating the user communications device to retrieve mail from the plurality of different mail service providers;

automatically periodically polling the plurality of different mail service providers for electronic mail messages;

upon detecting an electronic mail message destined to the user communications device at one of the plurality of different mail service providers, automatically retrieving the electronic mail message from said one of the plurality of different mail service providers;

upon receiving the electronic mail message at the user communications device, automatically determining from which of the plurality of mail service providers the electronic mail message was received;

automatically selecting a mail source protocol associated with the mail service provider from which the electronic mail message was received;

automatically processing the electronic mail message with the selected mail source protocol; and

automatically storing the processed electronic mail message at a location in the user communications device accessible to a user thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the received electronic mail message;

determining which of a plurality of mail filters, if any, should be applied to the received electronic mail message; and

applying an appropriate mail filter to the received electronic mail message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the applied mail filter comprises a business card agent previously stored in the user communications device upon receipt of a business card including the business card agent by the user communications device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of polling the plurality of different mail service providers for electronic mail messages comprises the steps of:

receiving a command at the user communications device to retrieve E-mail;

polling a plurality of mail servers utilized by the plurality of mail service providers with which the user has an account for electronic mail messages; and

retrieving electronic mail messages addressed to the user from the plurality of mail servers.

15. A method of automatically controlling the transmittal of electronic mail messages via a plurality of mail service providers by a user communications device, said method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of mail sink protocols, each associated with a different mail service provider with which a user has an account, in the user communications device;

creating an electronic mail message at the user communications device destined to a selected address;

analyzing the plurality of mail service providers;

determining which of the mail service providers should be used to transmit the electronic mail message based on select criteria associated with the mail service providers;

retrieving a mail sink protocol associated with the selected mail service provider;

processing the electronic mail message with the selected mail sink protocol; and

transmitting the processed electronic mail message to the selected address via the selected mail service provider.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the generated electronic mail message;

determining which of a plurality of mail filters, if any, should be applied to the generated electronic mail message; and

applying an appropriate mail filter to the generated electronic mail message prior to transmission.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein

the selected address comprises an address provided in a business card stored in the user communications device, and

the appropriate mail filter comprises a business card agent associated with the business card.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein storing the business card agent in the user communications device comprises the steps of:

receiving a business card including a business card agent at the user communications device;

locating the business card agent in the business card;

assigning a mail filter to the business card agent; and

storing the business card at an appropriate address in the user communications device accessible by a user thereof.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the select criteria are selected from the group consisting of (a) type of the outgoing electronic mail message, (b) availability of each of the different mail service providers, (c) traffic on each of the different mail service providers, and (d) cost of transmitting the outgoing electronic mail message on each of the different mail service providers.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the type of the outgoing electronic mail message is selected from the group consisting of E-mail, fax mail and voice mail.