System for instant messaging the sender and recipients of an e-mail message
First Claim
1. A communications system for transferring electronic data between users, the system including a host system structured and arranged to receive and deliver messages of various types between users of the communications system, the host system comprising:
- an instant messaging network enabling instant messaging communication between users of the communications system, the instant messaging network having the capability to monitor whether a certain user is capable of receiving an instant message at a particular moment;
a mail gateway receiving and delivering e-mail messages to users of the communications system; and
a configuring network in communication with both the instant messaging network and the mail gateway, the configuring network being dedicated to automatically configure instant messaging communication between an intended recipient of an e-mail message and the sender of the e-mail message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system include a host system structured and arranged to receive and deliver messages of various types between users of the communications system. The host system includes an instant messaging network; a mail gateway; and a configuring network in communication with both the instant messaging network and the mail gateway. The instant messaging network enables instant messaging communication between users of the communications system and has the capability to monitor whether a certain user is capable of receiving an instant message at a particular moment. The mail gateway receives and delivers e-mail messages to users of the communications system. The configuring network is dedicated to automatically configuring instant messaging communication between an intended recipient of an e-mail message and the sender of the e-mail message.
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Citations
94 Claims
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1. A communications system for transferring electronic data between users, the system including a host system structured and arranged to receive and deliver messages of various types between users of the communications system, the host system comprising:
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an instant messaging network enabling instant messaging communication between users of the communications system, the instant messaging network having the capability to monitor whether a certain user is capable of receiving an instant message at a particular moment;
a mail gateway receiving and delivering e-mail messages to users of the communications system; and
a configuring network in communication with both the instant messaging network and the mail gateway, the configuring network being dedicated to automatically configure instant messaging communication between an intended recipient of an e-mail message and the sender of the e-mail message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 67)
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41. A communications method for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system, the communications system including a host that is structured and arranged to receive and deliver messages of various types between users of the communications system, the method comprising:
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enabling instant messaging communication between users of the communications system at an instant messaging network, the instant messaging network having the capability to monitor whether a certain user is capable of receiving an instant message at a particular moment;
receiving email messages at a mail gateway;
delivering the e-mail messages to users of the communications system; and
automatically configuring instant messaging communication between an intended recipient of an e-mail message and the sender of the e-mail message at a configuring network, the configuring network being in communication with both the instant messaging network and the mail gateway. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69)
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70. A computer program for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system, the communications system including a host that is structured and arranged to receive and deliver messages of various types between users of the communications system, the computer program being stored on a computer readable medium and comprising instructions for:
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enabling instant messaging communication between users of the communications system at an instant messaging network, the instant messaging network having the capability to monitor whether a certain user is capable of receiving an instant message at a particular moment;
receiving e-mail messages at a mail gateway;
delivering the e-mail messages to users of the communications system; and
automatically configuring instant messaging communication between an intended recipient of an e-mail message and the sender of the e-mail message at a configuring network, the configuring network being in communication with both the instant messaging network and the mail gateway. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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Specification