E-mail proxy

• US 10,397,158 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2017
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Halahmi, Erez, Fuchs, Eran
• Primary Examiner(s): Nano, Sargon N
• Application Number:
  US15/435,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for processing an e-mail message addressed to an e-mail client is disclosed. The method comprises receiving at a mail server an e-mail message addressed to the e-mail client, the e-mail message including an attachment which is characterized by a size; reducing the size of the attachment to create a reduced size attachment; preparing a formatted message, which includes the reduced size attachment and a link to the attachment, wherein the attachment is downloadable from the mail server using the link; and delivering the formatted message to the e-mail client for display on a computational device.

Claims

1. A method performed by a network email entity, the method comprising:

receiving, at the network email entity from a sender, a body of a multipart email message destined to an email client and header information for an attachment of the multipart email message but without the attachment itself, wherein the attachment is encoded to prevent exposure of control information in the attachment to one or more servers which pass the email message through the Internet;

processing, at the network email entity, the multipart email message according to a preference, the preference indicating that the attachment be removed from the multipart email message and substituted with a link configured to, when selected, cause retrieval of the attachment from the network email entity;

sending, from the network email entity, a formatted email message to the email client, the formatted email message including the body of the multipart email message and including the link to cause retrieval of the attachment from the network email entity;

receiving, at the network email entity, an indication from the email client after the sending, the indication being a request for retrieval of the attachment according to a selection of the link included in the formatted email message;

in response to the receiving the indication from the email client after the sending the formatted email message, downloading, at the network email entity, the attachment according to the selection of the link included in the formatted email message;

decoding, at the network email entity, the attachment into an original content type of the attachment; and

sending, from the network email entity to the email client, the decoded attachment in a streamed manner without encoding for displaying of the decoded attachment at the email client before an entirety of the decoded attachment is received by the email client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a formatted email message to an email client comprises sending the formatted email message to an email client in a streamed manner for displaying of the formatted email message at the email client before an entirety of the formatted email message is received by the email client.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein sending the attachment comprises streaming the attachment to a device that executes the email client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the body of the multipart email message is text.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the link identifies a storage location of the attachment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the attachment is streamed from the network email entity to a software program on a device different from the email client.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the software program is a Web browser, the attachment is streamed according to HTTP.

8. A network email device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions for execution by the processor, the instructions configured to cause the processor to perform operations of;

receiving, at the network email device from a sender, a body of a multipart email message destined to an email client and header information for an attachment of the multipart email message but without the attachment itself, wherein the attachment is encoded to prevent exposure of control information in the attachment to one or more servers which pass the email message through the Internet;

processing, at the network email device, the multipart email message according to a preference, the preference indicating that the attachment be removed from the multipart email message and substituted with a link configured to, when selected, cause retrieval of the attachment from the network email device;

sending, from the network email device, a formatted email message to the email client, the formatted email message including a body of the multipart email message and including the link to cause retrieval of the attachment from the network email device;

receiving, at the network email device, an indication from the email client after the sending the formatted email message, the indication being a request for retrieval of the attachment according to a selection of the link included in the formatted email message;

in response to the receiving the indication from the email client after the sending the formatted email message, downloading, at the network email device, the attachment according to the selection of the link included in the formatted email message;

decoding, at the network email device, the attachment into an original content type of the attachment; and

sending, from the network email device to the email client, the decoded attachment in a streamed manner without encoding for displaying of the decoded attachment at the email client before an entirety of the decoded attachment is received by the email client.

9. The network email device of claim 8, wherein sending a formatted email message to the email client comprises sending the formatted email message to an email client in a streamed manner for displaying of the formatted email message at the email client before an entirety of the formatted email message is received by the email client.

10. The network email device of claim 9, wherein sending the attachment comprises streaming the attachment to a device that executes the email client.

11. The network email device of claim 8, wherein the body of the multipart email message is text.

12. The network email device of claim 8, wherein the link identifies a storage location of the attachment.

13. The network email device of claim 12, wherein the attachment is streamed from the network email device to a software program on a device different from the email client.

14. The network email device of claim 13, wherein the software program is a Web browser, the attachment is streamed according to HTTP.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

instructions which, when executed by a processor of an email server or email proxy, cause the email server or email proxy to perform operations of;

receiving, at the processor, a part of a multipart email message from a sender, a body of a multipart email message destined to an email client and header information for an attachment of the multipart email message but without the attachment itself, wherein the attachment is encoded to prevent exposure of control information in the attachment to one or more servers which pass the email message through the Internet;

acquiring, by the processor, a preference;

preparing a formatted email message for sending to the email client from the processor based on the header information for the attachment, said formatted email message containing the body of the multipart email message and a link to content of the attachment, such that the content of the attachment is not included in the formatted email message;

sending the formatted email message to the email client, the formatted email message including the link that is configured when selected to cause retrieval of the content of the attachment;

receiving, at the processor, an indication from the email client after the sending the formatted email message, the indication being a request for retrieval of the attachment according to a selection of the link included in the formatted email message;

in response to the receiving the indication from the email client after the sending the formatted email message, downloading, at the processor, the attachment according to the selection of the link included in the formatted email message;

decoding, at the email server or email proxy, the attachment into an original content type of the attachment; and

sending, from the email server or email proxy to the email client, the decoded attachment in a streamed manner without encoding for displaying of the decoded attachment at the email client before an entirety of the decoded attachment is received by the email client.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the multipart email message includes a text-part, such that said preparing a formatted email message further comprises separating the multipart email message into a portion containing said text-part, and wherein said preparing includes adding said portion to said formatted email message.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein sending a formatted email message to the email client comprises sending the formatted email message to an email client in a streamed manner for displaying of the formatted email message at the email client before an entirety of the formatted email message is received by the email client.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, the operations further comprising:

causing a Web browser, distinct from and in communication with the email client, to display the attachment, wherein the content of the attachment is streamed according to HTTP.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, the operations further comprising:

retrieving attachment information for the multipart email message based on the header information for the attachment.