Electronic mail (Email) Internet appliance methods and systems

• US 7,558,824 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2001
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, E-Lee, Silver, Edward Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALL, EL HADJI MALICK
• Application Number:
  US09/882,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,944 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/219, 709/226, 345/33
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and systems for implementing an improved electronic mail (email) Internet appliance. Improved capabilities include streamlined mechanisms for viewing and managing email messages and for accessing network services. An email Internet appliance obviates the conventional requirements of purchasing a personal computer and tying up a phone line for long periods of time in order to exchange email messages and to read on-line news updates.

Claims

1. A method of manipulating email messages with an email network appliance comprising:

receiving an email message from an email server, wherein the email server is particularly configured to provide an email service to a plurality of email network appliances that can only receive text of an email message, with an email network appliance, the email message having had attachments that cannot be viewed on the email network appliance automatically deleted by the email network appliance email service provided by the particularly configured email server, such that the email message is text only;

classifying the text only email message;

inserting the text only email message into a classification container;

presenting the classification container in a classification display section comprising at least two sections, each section containing one classification container;

presenting a text only email message in a classification container, wherein all presenting of the text only email message is performed off-line and prompting a user to save a sent email message;

wherein the email network appliance comprises a handheld email Internet appliance connected to a public switched network via an RJ-11 interface, the appliance further comprising a keyboard and a scrollable line display capable of presenting at least six lines but no more than fifteen lines.

2. An email network appliance for manipulating email messages comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive an email message from an email server, wherein the email server is particularly configured to provide an email service to a plurality of email network appliances that can only receive text of an email message, with an email network appliance, the email message having had attachments that cannot be viewed on the email network appliance automatically deleted by the email network appliance email service provided by the particularly configured email server, such that the email message is text only;

classify the text only email message;

insert the text only email message into a classification container;

present the classification container in a classification display section comprising at least two sections, each section containing one classification container;

present the text only email message in a classification container, wherein all presenting of the text only email message is performed off-line and

prompt a user to save a sent email message;

a handheld email Internet appliance connected to a public switched network via an RJ-11 interface;

a keyboard; and

a scrollable line display capable of presenting at least six lines but no more than fifteen lines.