Message processing scheme for realizing unified handling and management of messages using a portable message processing device

• US 7,392,297 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Atsushi, Ozaki, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tanh Q
• Application Number:
  US10/799,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20040177171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 710/5, 710/7, 710/20, 710/36, 710/46, 710/72, 709200-203, 709/206, 709217-219, 709238-240, 709/250, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/413
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

A message processing scheme capable of realizing both a portability and a unified way of handling and managing e-mails of a given user is disclosed. The collective message processing and the unified message accesses are realized by storing and managing messages from a plurality of message delivery servers in the message processing device that is unique to the user. All mails destined to the user are collected at the message processing device regardless of a current location of the user, so that the user only needs to view mails on this message processing device.

Claims

1. A portable message processing device distinct from devices used by a user for reading/writing messages, and which can be connected to different networks at different times based on a location of the user who is carrying the portable message processing device, comprising:

a recognition unit configured to recognize a particular network to which the portable message processing device is currently connected by the user;

a determination unit configured to determine communication methods for accessing a plurality of message servers distributed on a plurality of networks;

a memory configured to store messages in the portable message processing device;

a message collection unit configured to collect messages addressed to the user from the message servers on behalf of the devices used for reading/writing messages, using the communication methods determined by the determination unit, and to store the messages into the memory; and

a message transmission unit configured to transmit the messages stored in the memory, in response to a request for viewing the messages from another device connected to the particular network by the user;

wherein the another device is one of the devices used for reading/writing messages.

2. The portable message processing device of claim 1, further comprising a unit configured to store the messages, collected by the message collection unit and stored in the memory, into an external memory device, according to a condition specified by the user.

3. The message processing device of claim 2, further comprising a unit configured to delete the messages collected by the message collection unit and stored in the memory and the external memory device, according to another condition specified by the user.

4. The portable message processing device of claim 1, wherein the message transmission unit transmits the messages collected by the message collection unit and stored in the memory by processing the messages according to functions provided at said another device, upon receiving the request from said another device.

5. The portable message processing device of claim 1, wherein the recognition unit queries a network domain of the particular network, and the determination unit determines accessible message servers among the message servers and the communication methods for accessing the accessible message servers, according to the network domain.

6. The portable message processing device of claim 1, further comprising a notification unit configured to notify said another device of an address of the portable message processing device, as a voluntary advertisement inside the particular network or in response to an inquiry from said another device.

7. The portable message processing device of claim 1, wherein the message collection unit collects the messages by accessing the message servers via a radio communication device which is built-in inside the portable message processing device or externally connected to the portable message processing device, and stores the messages into the memory in response to a user request entered from an input device associated with the portable message processing device, and

wherein the portable message processing device further comprises a display unit configured to display the messages stored in the memory on a display screen associated with the portable message processing device, in response to a user request entered from the input device.

8. The portable message processing device of claim 1,

wherein the another device has an interface for viewing the messages, and

wherein the memory maintains the messages while and after the messages are viewed on the another device.