System and method for redirecting message attachments between a host system and a mobile data communication device

• US 8,050,661 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2007
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mousseau, Gary P., Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behnamian, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US11/925,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20080045216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,466 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/524, 709/203, 709/206, 709/232
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• 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 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/353 where the information comprises non-audio but is provided over voice channels protocols for multimedia information services per se H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 : Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 : Recoverability

Abstract

A scheme for redirecting e-mail messages and message attachments from a mail system to a mobile data communication device. In one embodiment, a method comprises one or more of the following: automatically detecting a data item including an e-mail message and a message attachment by a redirector component associated with the mail system, processing the data item for sending a first portion of the data item to the mobile data communication device via a wireless network, receiving a command message from the mobile data communication device at the redirector component requesting more of the data item, and sending a second portion of the data item including the message attachment to a user of the mobile data communication device in response to the command message.

Claims

1. A method of redirecting e-mail messages and message attachments from a mail system to a mobile data communication device, the method comprising:

detecting a data item including an e-mail message and a message attachment by a redirector component associated with the mail system;

processing the data item for sending a first portion of the data item to the mobile data communication device via a wireless network;

receiving a command message from the mobile data communication device at the redirector component requesting more of the data item and receiving from the mobile data communication device an address of an attachment displayer that is in a local area of the mobile data communication device; and

sending a second portion of the data item including the message attachment to the attachment displayer in response to the command message.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the processing the data item further comprises separating the e-mail message and the message attachment.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the sending a first portion of the data item further comprises sending a portion of the e-mail message and information about the message attachment to the mobile data communication device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the sending a portion of the e-mail message and information about the message attachment further comprises sending at least one of file name, file size and file type of the message attachment to the mobile data communication device.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the second portion of the data item including the message attachment to the mobile data communication device.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising instructing the mobile data communication device to detect availability of attachment displayers in the local area of the mobile data communication device.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising notifying the mobile data communication device of availability of the message attachment at the attachment displayer.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the address of the attachment displayer further comprises receiving at least one format type compatible with the attachment displayer.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising converting the attachment to a format compatible with the local attachment displayer prior to sending the attachment to the attachment displayer.

5. A system for redirecting e-mail messages and message attachments from a mail system to a mobile data communication device, the system comprising:

means for detecting a data item including an e-mail message and a message attachment upon arrival of the data item at the mail system;

means for processing the data item in order for sending a first portion of the data item to the mobile data communication device via a wireless network;

means for receiving a command message from the mobile data communication device requesting more of the data item;

means for receiving from the mobile data communication device an address of an attachment displayer that is in a local area of the mobile data communication device; and

means for sending a second portion of the data item including the message attachment to the attachment displayer in response to the command message.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the means for processing the data item further comprises means for separating the e-mail message and the message attachment.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the means for sending a first portion of the data item further comprises means for sending a portion of the e-mail message and information about the message attachment to the mobile data communication device.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for sending a portion of the e-mail message and information about the message attachment further comprises means for sending at least one of file name, file size and file type of the message attachment to the mobile data communication device.

9. The system as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for sending the second portion of the data item including the message attachment to the mobile data communication device.

10. The system as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for instructing the mobile data communication device to detect availability of attachment displayers in the local area of the mobile data communication device.

11. The system as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for notifying the mobile data communication device of availability of the message attachment at the attachment displayer.

12. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the means for receiving the address of the attachment displayer further comprises means for receiving at least one format type compatible with the attachment displayer.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising means for converting the attachment to a format compatible with the attachment displayer prior to sending the attachment to the attachment displayer.