Universal mail wireless e-mail reader

• US 6,871,215 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2001
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Rami, Milan, Smith, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US09/832,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709202-207, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227, 709/238, 709/246, 709/250, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.17, 379/93.24, 455/412.1, 345/744
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A universal mail application maintains login with a plurality of email applications for a particular subscriber, presenting Inbox, Outbox, etc., for an email account as desired, without requiring repeated logouts/logins. The email applications may be defined and identified by email account information files maintained separately for each subscriber, containing, e.g., POP, server and IP address. Sets of email application files corresponding to the multiple email account files contain downloaded and uploaded message files from the respective email application programs. The multiple email account compilation module may be restricted or throttled back to send/receive email from the relevant email application programs only during desirable times, either on a system wide basis or on a per-subscriber (e.g., class of service) basis. The subscriber may peruse the relevant email application files, who is prompted on their mobile display for selection of any one of the email accounts at any one time.

Claims

1. A universal mail module, comprising:

a plurality of email account information files relating to a corresponding plurality of email accounts of a wireless subscriber;

an email agent in communication with said plurality of email account information files, said email agent maintaining a logged-in condition with at least two of said plurality of email accounts; and

a selection module which accepts a selection of one of said plurality of logged-in email accounts for transfer of file information;

whereby said wireless subscriber may move back and forth between access to each of said plurality of email accounts without requiring repeated login/logout of any of said plurality of email accounts by said wireless subscriber.

2. The universal mail module according to claim 1, wherein:

said selection module further accepts a selection of a particular file of said selected one of said plurality of logged-in email accounts for transfer to said wireless subscriber.

3. The universal mail module according to claim 1, wherein:

said selection module receives a menu selection from said wireless subscriber.

4. The universal mail module according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of email accounts are outside a wireless network servicing said wireless subscriber.

5. A method for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts, comprising:

configuring local email account information identifying each of said plurality of different email accounts to a universal mail application;

maintaining a logged-in condition with each of said plurality of different email accounts by said universal mail application; and

providing access to said wireless subscriber to any one of said plurality of different email accounts at any time based on a real-time selection made by said wireless subscriber;

whereby a wireless subscriber is allowed to move back and forth between each of said plurality of email accounts without requiring repeated login/logout in any of said plurality of email accounts.

6. The method for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts according to claim 5, wherein:

said configuring may be performed by said wireless subscriber without customer service intervention.

7. The method for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts according to claim 5, wherein:

said universal mail application is resident in a gateway server of a wireless network servicing said wireless subscriber.

8. The method for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts according to claim 5, further comprising:

forwarding menu information to said wireless subscriber relating to which of said plurality of different email accounts said wireless subscriber would like access to; and

receiving back from said wireless subscriber a selection of which one of said plurality of different email accounts will be accessed by said wireless subscriber;

wherein a logged-in condition is maintained by said universal mail application with non-selected ones of said plurality of different email accounts.

9. The method for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts according to claim 5, wherein:

said plurality of email accounts are outside a wireless network servicing said wireless subscriber.

10. Apparatus for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts, comprising:

means for configuring local email account information identifying each of said plurality of different email accounts to a universal mail application;

means for maintaining a logged-in condition with each of said plurality of different email accounts by said universal mail application; and

means for providing access to said wireless subscriber to any one of said plurality of different email accounts at any time based on a real-time selection made by said wireless subscriber;

whereby a wireless subscriber is allowed to move back and forth between each of said plurality of email accounts without requiring repeated login/logout in any of said plurality of email accounts.

11. The apparatus for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts according to claim 10, wherein:

said means for configuring is instructed by said wireless subscriber without customer service intervention.

12. The apparatus for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts according to claim 10, wherein:

said universal mail application is resident in a gateway server of a wireless network servicing said wireless subscriber.

13. The apparatus for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for forwarding menu information to said wireless subscriber relating to which of said plurality of different email accounts said wireless subscriber would like access to; and

means for receiving back from said wireless subscriber a selection of which one of said plurality of different email accounts will be accessed by said wireless subscriber;

wherein a logged-in condition is maintained by said universal mail application with non-selected ones of said plurality of different email accounts.

14. The apparatus for allowing a wireless subscriber to move access back and forth between a plurality of different email accounts according to claim 10, wherein:

said plurality of email accounts are outside a wireless network servicing said wireless subscriber.