Peer-to-peer email
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for facilitating peer-to-peer email exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
- implementing a plurality of node computers in selective communication with one another, thereby forming a network, each of said node computers configured for sending an at least one email message to a select at least one of the other node computers;
implementing an at least one cache server in selective communication with the node computers and configured for temporarily storing at least a portion of the at least one email message when the node computer of an at least one receiving user of said at least one email message is not online; and
upon a sending user of a first one of the node computers desiring to send an email message, including any file attachments thereto, to an at least one receiving user of another one of the node computers;
determining whether the node computer of each of the at least one receiving user is online;
for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is online;
transmitting the email message and any file attachments thereto directly to the online node computer of said receiving user; and
upon receipt, storing the email message and any file attachments thereto in memory on the online node computer of said receiving user; and
for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is not online;
transmitting the email message to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval;
transmitting any file attachments thereto having a size less than a predefined maximum size to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval;
storing any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size in memory on the node computer of the sending user;
upon the node computer of said receiving user subsequently going online, notifying said node computer of the existence and locations of the pending email message and any file attachments thereto; and
retrieving from at least one of the online node computer of the sending user, the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user the email message and any file attachments thereto and storing said email message and file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A peer-to-peer email system and methods are provided for distributed email distribution, prevention of SPAM, and efficient email storage. Each email client also serves as a node in the peer-to-peer system, relaying email messages and/or attachments. Large attachments may be transmitted directly from sender to receiver, and if the receiver is not online at the time the sender sends the attachment, the receiver can request the attachment from the sender at a later time.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating peer-to-peer email exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
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implementing a plurality of node computers in selective communication with one another, thereby forming a network, each of said node computers configured for sending an at least one email message to a select at least one of the other node computers; implementing an at least one cache server in selective communication with the node computers and configured for temporarily storing at least a portion of the at least one email message when the node computer of an at least one receiving user of said at least one email message is not online; and upon a sending user of a first one of the node computers desiring to send an email message, including any file attachments thereto, to an at least one receiving user of another one of the node computers; determining whether the node computer of each of the at least one receiving user is online; for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is online; transmitting the email message and any file attachments thereto directly to the online node computer of said receiving user; and upon receipt, storing the email message and any file attachments thereto in memory on the online node computer of said receiving user; and for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is not online; transmitting the email message to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; transmitting any file attachments thereto having a size less than a predefined maximum size to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; storing any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size in memory on the node computer of the sending user; upon the node computer of said receiving user subsequently going online, notifying said node computer of the existence and locations of the pending email message and any file attachments thereto; and retrieving from at least one of the online node computer of the sending user, the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user the email message and any file attachments thereto and storing said email message and file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for facilitating peer-to-peer email exchange, the method comprising the steps of:
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implementing a plurality of node computers in selective communication with one another, thereby forming a network, each of said node computers configured for sending an at least one email message to a select at least one of the other node computers; implementing an at least one cache server in selective communication with the node computers and configured for temporarily storing at least a portion of the at least one email message when the node computer of an at least one receiving user of said at least one email message is not online; and upon a sending user of a first one of the node computers desiring to send an email message, including any file attachments thereto, to an at least one receiving user of another one of the node computers; determining whether the node computer of each of the at least one receiving user is online; for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is online; transmitting the email message and any file attachments thereto directly to the online node computer of said receiving user; and upon receipt, storing the email message and any file attachments thereto in memory on the online node computer of said receiving user; and for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is not online; transmitting the email message to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; transmitting any file attachments thereto having a size less than a predefined maximum size to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; storing any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size in memory on the node computer of the sending user; upon the node computer of said receiving user subsequently going online, notifying said node computer of the existence and locations of the pending email message and any file attachments thereto; retrieving from at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user the email message and any file attachments thereto, having a size less than the predefined maximum size, and storing said email message and file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user; upon determining that the node computer of the sending user is online, retrieving from the node computer of the sending user any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size and storing said file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user; and upon determining that the node computer of the sending user is not online, retrieving from the at least one online node computer of another receiving user any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size and storing said file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user.
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12. A system for facilitating peer-to-peer email exchange between a sending user and an at least one receiving user, the system comprising:
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a plurality of node computers in selective communication with one another, thereby forming a network, each of said node computers configured for sending an at least one email message to a select at least one of the other node computers; and an at least one cache server in selective communication with the node computers and configured for temporarily storing at least a portion of the at least one email message when the node computer of an at least one receiving user of said at least one email message is not online; wherein, upon the sending user of a first one of the node computers desiring to send an email message, including any file attachments thereto, to the at least one receiving user of another one of the node computers, said node computers are configured for; determining whether the node computer of each of the at least one receiving user is online; for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is online; transmitting the email message and any file attachments thereto directly to the online node computer of said receiving user; and upon receipt, storing the email message and any file attachments thereto in memory on the online node computer of said receiving user; and for each of the at least one receiving user, upon determining that the node computer of said receiving user is not online; transmitting the email message to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; transmitting any file attachments thereto having a size less than a predefined maximum size to at least one of the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user for later retrieval; storing any file attachments thereto having a size greater than the predefined maximum size in memory on the node computer of the sending user; upon the node computer of said receiving user subsequently going online, notifying said node computer of the existence and locations of the pending email message and any file attachments thereto; and retrieving from at least one of the online node computer of the sending user, the at least one cache server and the online node computer of at least one other receiving user the email message and any file attachments thereto and storing said email message and file attachments in memory on the node computer of said receiving user. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification