Providing a portion of an electronic mail message based upon a transfer rate, a message size, and a file format

• US 7,512,658 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael W., Smith, Newton J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean; Frantz B
• Application Number:
  US10/788,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20050193070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207, 709/232, 709/233, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing a portion of an electronic mail message based upon a transfer rate, a message size, and a file format are presented. The method includes determining whether it is desirable to provide less than all of an electronic mail message and determining a format associated with the electronic mail message in response to determining that it is desirable to provide less than all of the electronic mail message. The method also includes selecting a portion of the electronic mail message using the determined format and providing the selected portion of the electronic mail message.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining from transfer criteria whether to provide less than all of an electronic mail message;

determining a format associated with the electronic mail message in response to determining to provide less than all of the electronic mail message;

selecting a portion of the electronic mail message based on the determined format;

generating a reduced copy of the electronic mail message from the selected portion; and

transmitting the reduced copy to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether it is desirable to provide all of the electronic mail message comprises:

determining a value associated with a data transfer rate;

determining a value associated with a size of the electronic mail message; and

determining a mail transfer criteria.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the value associated with the data transfer rate comprises determining the value associated with the data transfer rate based upon a device profile.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting the portion of the electronic mail message comprises:

estimating a transfer time using the determined value associated with the data transfer rate and the determined value associated with the size of at least one file associated with the electronic mail message; and

comparing the threshold time and the estimated transfer time.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the value associated with the data transfer rate comprises determining an average data transfer rate based upon data in at least one received data packet and a time period associated with the received data packet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the reduced copy includes:

transmitting the reduced copy from a server to a processor based device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user an option to determine the selected portion;

receiving a user input indicating a choice to exercise the option; and

providing the selected portion in response to the user opting to provide the selected portion.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising trickle uploading the electronic mail message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an additional selected portion of the electronic mail message at a later time after transmitting the reduced copy.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising trickle downloading the electronic mail message.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the electronic mail message; and

transmitting the stored electronic mail message when a faster connection becomes available.

12. An article comprising one or more machine-readable storage media containing instructions that when executed enable a processor to:

access an electronic mail message for delivery to a remote device;

determine from transfer criteria whether to provide less than all of the electronic mail message;

determine a format associated with the electronic mail message in response to determining to provide less than all of the electronic mail message;

select a portion of the electronic mail message using the determined format;

generate a reduced copy of the electronic mail message from the selected portion; and

transmit the reduced copy to the remote device.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein the instructions that when executed further enable the processor to:

determine a value associated with a data transfer rate;

determine a value associated with a size of the electronic mail message; and

determine a mail transfer criteria.

14. The article of claim 13, wherein the instructions that when executed further enable the processor to:

estimate a transfer time using the determined value associated with the data transfer rate and the determined value associated with the size of at least one file associated with the electronic mail message; and

compare the threshold time and the estimated transfer time.

15. The article of claim 12, wherein the instructions that when executed further enable the processor to store the electronic mail message.

16. The article of claim 12, wherein the instructions that when executed further enable the processor to provide an additional selected portion of the electronic mail message at a time after providing the selected portion of the electronic mail message.

17. The article of claim 12, wherein the instructions that when executed further enable the processor to transmit the electronic mail message.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface; and

a control unit coupled to the interface and adapted to;

determine from transfer criteria whether to provide less than all of an electronic mail message;

determine a format associated with the electronic mail message in response to determining to provide less than all of the electronic mail message;

select a portion of the electronic mail message using the determined format;

generate a reduced copy of the electronic mail message from the selected portion; and

transmit the reduced copy.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control unit is further adapted to:

determine a value associated with a data transfer rate;

determine a value associated with a size of the electronic mail message; and

determine a mail transfer criteria.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control unit is further adapted to:

estimate a transfer time using the determined value associated with the data transfer rate and the determined value associated with the size of at least one file associated with the electronic mail message; and

compare the threshold time and the estimated transfer time.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control unit is further adapted to store the electronic mail message.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control unit is further adapted to provide an additional selected portion of the electronic mail message at a time after providing the selected portion of the electronic mail message.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the control unit is further adapted to transmit the electronic mail message.

24. A system, comprising:

a first processor based device adapted to provide an electronic mail message;

a second processor based device adapted to receive the electronic mail message; and

at least one module adapted to;

determine from transfer criteria whether to provide less than all of an electronic mail message;

determine a format associated with the electronic mail message in response to determining to provide less than all of the electronic mail message;

select a portion of the electronic mail message using the determined format; and

generate a reduced copy of the electronic mail message from the selected portion; and

transmit the reduced copy.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the first processor based device is an electronic mail server and the second processor based device is a remote client.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the first processor based device is a remote client and the second processor based device is an electronic mail server.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the control unit is adapted to:

determine a value associated with a data transfer rate;

determine a value associated with a size of the electronic mail message;

estimate a transfer time using the determined value associated with the data transfer rate and the determined value associated with the size of the electronic mail message; and

compare the threshold time and the estimated transfer time.

28. A method for interfacing with a user of a computer system having a graphical user display, comprising:

determining whether it is desirable to provide less than all of an electronic mail message;

determining a format associated with the electronic mail message in response to determining that it is desirable to provide less than all of the electronic mail message;

selecting at least one portion of the electronic mail message having the determined format;

displaying at least one text string indicative of the at least one portion of the electronic mail message;

displaying at least one indication of a priority level of the at least one portion of the electronic mail message;

displaying at least one selection field corresponding to the at least one portion of the at least one electronic mail message;

monitoring the position and selection status of a pointer controller to detect that one of the at least one selection fields has been selected by the user; and

altering the appearance of the selected one of the at least one selection fields in response to detecting that one of the at least one selection fields has been selected by the user.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising displaying at least one of a size field, a page field, and an estimated download time corresponding to the at least one portion of the at least one electronic mail message.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising modifying a priority level of the at least one portion of the at least one electronic mail message in response to detecting that at least one priority level field has been selected by the user.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising controlling a pointer element on the graphical user display with a user pointer controller, the pointer controller having position and selection status responsive to operation by the user.

32. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining whether to provide less than all of an electronic mail message from an estimated time of transfer for the electronic mail message over a new communications link;

determining a format associated with the electronic mail message upon determining to provide less than all of the electronic mail message;

identifying a portion of the electronic mail message based on the determined format;

generating a reduced copy of the electronic mail message from the selected portion;

transmitting the reduced copy to a user; and

downloading the electronic mail message upon estimating at a later time that the transfer data rate has increased.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein determining to provide less than all of the electronic mail message includes determining based upon an estimated data transfer rate and the size of the electronic mail message.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein downloading the electronic mail message includes trickle downloading at least the remaining portion of the electronic mail message.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising trickle uploading an electronic mail message.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein determining whether to provide less than all of the electronic mail message from the estimated time of transfer for the electronic mail message includes comparing the estimated time of transfer to transfer criteria in a user profile.