Automatic application loading for e-mail attachments

• US 6,785,867 B2
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Systems Technologies S.a.r.l. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Beyda, William J., Bonomo, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Sanjiv
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar B
• Application Number:
  US08/956,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/318, 709/320, 707/515, 707/516, 715/515, 715/516, 715/526
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A system and method for automatically loading an application program associated with an e-mail application attachment file upon reception of the e-mail. Alternatively, the application program may be loaded as soon as the e-mail message itself is opened, without waiting for the user to click on the attachment icon. In either case, the application program is loaded in a minimized state such that as soon as the user clicks on the attachment icon, the attachment application file may be run without waiting for the relatively lengthy time required to load the application program. Prior to loading the application program, responsive to receiving the e-mail message, the computer (102, 114) may examine system resources to determine whether memory (208) usage is sufficient to allow for the opening of the application program.

Claims

1. A computer system which includes a RAM memory configured to run application programs, said computer system comprising:

means for receiving at least one electronic mail message, said receiving means including means for receiving at said computer system at least one attachment application file associated with said at least one electronic mail message, said at least one attachment application file being of a type of file from a plurality of file type;

means for detecting said type of at least one attachment application file; and

means for automatically identifying at least one application program resident on said computer system, said at least one application program being of said type as a detected attachment application file and automatically copying said application to said RAM memory responsive to said identifying means prior to a user selecting said attachment file, said application program being launched in a minimized state, wherein a loading time when said user selects said attachment file is minimized.

2. A computer system as recited in claim 1, said receiving means including means for transferring said at least one electronic mail message from a mail server to a user terminal.

3. A computer system as recited in claim 2, wherein said identifying and copying means includes an operating system program associated with said user terminal.

4. A computer system as recited in claim 3, wherein said identifying and copying means includes means for comparing a file name extension of said at least one attachment application file with a predetermined file name extension database.

5. A computer system as recited in claim 4, wherein said predetermined file name extension database stores at least one extension associated with said at least one application program.

6. A computer system as recited in claim 5, wherein said comparing means and said file name extension database are comprised in a mail server.

7. A computer system as recited in claim 5, wherein said comparing means and said file name extension database are comprised in said user terminal.

8. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one application program is a word processing application program.

9. A computer system as recited in claim 8, wherein said at least one application program is a graphical viewer application program.

10. A computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein said copying means includes means for checking memory usage prior to copying said at least one application program.

11. A method for running application programs in a computer system which includes a RAM memory, comprising:

receiving at least one electronic mail message, said receiving including receiving at least one attachment application file associated with said at least one electronic mail message, wherein said attachment application file and said electronic mail message are received at said computer system, said at least one attachment application file being of a type of file from a plurality of file types;

detecting said type of at least one attachment application file;

automatically identifying at least one application program resident on said computer system, said at least one application program being of said type as a detected attachment application file, and

automatically copying said application program to said RAM memory and launching said application program in a minimized state responsive to said identifying prior to a user selecting said attachment file, wherein a loading time when said user selects said attachment file is minimized.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, said receiving including transferring said at least one electronic mail message from a mail server to a user terminal.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said identifying includes comparing a file name extension of said at least one attachment application file with a predetermined file name extension database.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further including said predetermined file name extension database storing at least one extension associated with said at least one application program.

15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said copying includes checking memory usage prior to copying said at least one application program.

16. A computer system which includes a RAM memory configured to run application programs, said computer system comprising:

means for receiving at least one electronic mail message, said receiving means including means for receiving at said computer system at least one attachment application file associated with said at least one electronic mail message, said at least one attachment application file being of a type of file from a plurality of file types;

means for detecting said type of at least one attachment application file, said detecting means analyzing a file name extension of said at least one attachment application file; and

means for automatically identifying at least one application program resident on said computer system, said at least one application program being of said type as a detected attachment application file and automatically copying said application to said RAM memory responsive to said identifying means prior to a user selecting said attachment file, said application program being launched in a minimized state, wherein a loading time when said user selects said attachment file is minimized.

17. A computer system as recited in claim 16, said receiving means including means for transferring said at least one electronic mail message from a mail server to a user terminal.

18. A computer system as recited in claim 17, wherein said identifying and copying means includes an operating system program associated with said user terminal.

19. A computer system as recited in claim 18, wherein said identifying and copying means includes means for comparing said file name extension of said at last one attachment application file with a predetermined file name extension database.

20. A computer system as recited in claim 19, wherein said predetermined file name extension database stores at least one extension associated with said at least one application program.