Method and apparatus for synchronizing an email client on a portable computer system with an email client on a desktop computer
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer implemented method of synchronizing email on two computer systems, said method comprising the steps of:
- reading a first set of email messages from a portable computer;
reading a second set of email messages from an email server;
comparing, on a second computer, said second set of email messages to said first set of email messages to determine new and deleted messages in said second set of email messages since a previous synchronization;
adding new messages from said second set of email messages to said first set of email messages;
deleting messages in said first set of email messages that were deleted from said second set of email messages;
identifying an outgoing message in the first set of email messages; and
sending the outgoing message to an intended recipient from an email application on the second computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fully integrated email system for a desktop computer with an associated palmtop computer is disclosed. The portable computer has an email client for viewing incoming email messages and composing outgoing email messages. The personal computer has an email synchronization conduit that synchronizes email on the portable computer email client with email for the desktop computer system. The email synchronization conduit ensures that the email state on the portable computer system matches the email state on the desktop personal computer system exactly. Thus, if an email message is deleted on the portable computer system then that email message will be deleted from the desktop personal computer system. Similarly, if an email message is deleted on the desktop personal computer system then that email message will be deleted from the portable computer system.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method of synchronizing email on two computer systems, said method comprising the steps of:
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reading a first set of email messages from a portable computer;
reading a second set of email messages from an email server;
comparing, on a second computer, said second set of email messages to said first set of email messages to determine new and deleted messages in said second set of email messages since a previous synchronization;
adding new messages from said second set of email messages to said first set of email messages;
deleting messages in said first set of email messages that were deleted from said second set of email messages;
identifying an outgoing message in the first set of email messages; and
sending the outgoing message to an intended recipient from an email application on the second computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
adding new messages from said first set of email messages to said second set of email messages; and
deleting messages in said second set of email messages that were deleted from said first set of email messages.
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4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
comparing said first set of email messages from said portable computer with a third set of email messages from the previous synchronization to determine new, modified, and deleted email messages in said first set of email messages since the previous synchronization.
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5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:
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adding new messages from said first set of email messages to said second set of email messages; and
deleting messages in said second set of email messages that were deleted from said first set of email messages.
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6. A method for exchanging data between a portable computer and a second computer, the method comprising:
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receiving, on the second computer, a first signal from the portable computer to exchange data with the portable computer;
in response to the first signal, synchronizing a first set of messages on the portable computer with a second set of messages on the second computer;
receiving, on the second computer, a second signal from the portable computer to send data from the portable computer through the second computer to an intended recipient;
in response to the second signal, receiving the data from the portable computer; and
sending the data to the intended recipient; and
wherein the step of receiving the data from the portable computer is performed concurrently with the step of synchronizing a first set of messages on the portable computer with a second set of messages on the second computer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for exchanging data between a portable computer and a second computer, the method comprising:
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receiving, on the second computer, a first signal from the portable computer to exchange data with the portable computer;
in response to the first signal, synchronizing a first set of messages on the portable computer with a second set of messages on the second computer;
receiving, on the second computer, a second signal from the portable computer to send data from the portable computer through the second computer to an intended recipient;
in response to the second signal, receiving the data from the portable computer; and
sending the data to the intended recipient;
wherein the step of synchronizing a first set of messages on the portable computer includes synchronizing the first set of messages over a first communication connection between the portable computer and the second computer;
wherein the step of receiving the data from the portable computer includes receiving the data over a second communication connection; and
wherein the first communication connection is different than the second communication connection. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification