Method for using electronic mail for exchanging data between computer systems
First Claim
1. A method for exchanging data records using a TCP/IP protocol between a first process in a first computer and a second process in a second computer, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a send data record from the first process;
(b) subdividing the send data record into one or more send data packets within a TCP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(c) enclosing each send data packet from step (b) into an electronic mail message within an IP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(d) sending the electronic mail message from the first computer to the second computer using conventional electronic mail functions;
(e) receiving the electronic mail message in the second computer using conventional electronic mail functions;
(f) removing the data from the electronic mail message to form a receive data packet within the IP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(g) combining the receive data packet from one or more electronic mail messages into a receive data record within the TCP portion of the TCP/IP protocol; and
(h) sending the receive data record to the second process.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A TCPEmail system that builds an additional TCP/IP protocol layer on top of an electronic mail system. An application program uses TCPEmail in the conventional manner of using TCP/IP. The application program calls TCPEmail and passes the data to be sent. TCPEmail breaks the data into packets, converts them into ASCII format, and sends the packets as a conventional electronic mail messages. When an electronic mail message is received the data in the mail message is converted into a binary data packet, combined with other packets, and sent to the application.
32 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for exchanging data records using a TCP/IP protocol between a first process in a first computer and a second process in a second computer, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a send data record from the first process;
(b) subdividing the send data record into one or more send data packets within a TCP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(c) enclosing each send data packet from step (b) into an electronic mail message within an IP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(d) sending the electronic mail message from the first computer to the second computer using conventional electronic mail functions;
(e) receiving the electronic mail message in the second computer using conventional electronic mail functions;
(f) removing the data from the electronic mail message to form a receive data packet within the IP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(g) combining the receive data packet from one or more electronic mail messages into a receive data record within the TCP portion of the TCP/IP protocol; and
(h) sending the receive data record to the second process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
(c1) converting data of the send data packet from a binary format into an ASCII format; and
(f1) converting the data of the receive data packet from an ASCII format to a binary format.
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3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic mail send and receive in steps (d) and (e) is sent using a second TCP/IP protocol.
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4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) further comprises the steps of:
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(d1) sending an address of the first computer to a mail server process;
(d2) receiving a reply from the mail server process;
(d3) sending an address of the second computer to a mail server process;
(d4) receiving a reply from the mail server process;
(d5) sending the send data packet to the mail server process; and
(d6) receiving a reply from the mail server process.
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5. The method of claim 4 wherein each reply from the mail server process is ignored.
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6. The method of claim 1 wherein all steps of the method are performed within a user address space of each of the first and second computer systems.
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7. A method for exchanging data records using a TCP/IP protocol between a first process in a first computer and a second process in a second computer, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a send data record from the first process;
(b) subdividing the send data record into at least one send data packet within a TCP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(c) converting data of each send data packet from step (b) from a binary format into an ASCII format;
(d) enclosing each converted send data packet from step (c) into an electronic mail message within an IP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(e) sending the electronic mail message from the first computer to the second computer using conventional electronic mail functions;
(f) receiving the electronic mail message in the second computer using conventional electronic mail functions;
(g) removing the data from the electronic mail message;
(h) converting the data removed in step (g) from an ASCII format to a binary format to form a receive data packet within the IP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
(i) combining the receive data packet from one or more electronic mail messages into a receive data record within the TCP portion of the TCP/IP protocol; and
(j) sending the receive data record to the second process. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
(e1) sending an address of the first computer to a mail server process;
(e2) receiving a reply from the mail server process;
(e3) sending an address of the second computer to a mail server process;
(e4) receiving a reply from the mail server process;
(e5) sending the send data packet to the mail server process; and
(e6) receiving a reply from the mail server process.
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10. The method of claim 9 wherein each reply from the mail server process is ignored.
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11. The method of claim 7 wherein all steps of the method are performed within a user address space of each of the first and second computer systems.
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12. A system for exchanging data records using a TCP/IP protocol between a first process in a first computer and a second process in a second computer, said method comprising:
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means for receiving a send data record from the first process;
means for subdividing the send data record into one or more send data packets within a TCP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
means for enclosing each send data packet into an electronic mail message within an IP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
means for sending the electronic mail message from the first computer to the second computer using conventional electronic mail means;
means for receiving the electronic mail message in the second computer using conventional electronic mail means;
means for removing the data from the electronic mail message to form a receive data packet within the IP portion of the TCP/IP protocol;
means for combining the receive data packet from one or more electronic mail messages into a receive data record within the TCP portion of the TCP/IP protocol; and
means for sending the receive data record to the second process. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
means for converting data of the send data packet from a binary format into an ASCII format and means for converting the data of the receive data packet from an ASCII format to a binary format.
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14. The method of claim 12 wherein the means for sending further comprises:
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means for sending an address of the first computer to a mail server process means;
means for receiving a reply from the mail server process means;
means for sending an address of the second computer to a mail server process means;
means for receiving a reply from the mail server process means;
means for sending the send data packet to the mail server process means; and
means receiving a reply from the mail server process means.
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15. The system of claim 14 wherein each reply from the mail server process is ignored.
Specification