Unified system and methodology for remote access to e-mail

• US 20010042100A1
• Filed: 04/12/2001
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NMS Communications Corporation (Live Microsystems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NMS Communications Corporation (Live Microsystems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raanan, Gavriel, Reisler, Lawrence, Guedalia, David
• Application Number:
  US09/835,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042100A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An e-mail retrieval system including an IMAP e-mail server employing an IMAP protocol, a thin e-mail client and an IMAP server-thin e-mail client communication module enabling the thin e-mail client to retrieve e-mail from the IMAP server using the IMAP protocol.

Claims

1. An e-mail retrieval system comprising:

an IMAP e-mail server employing an IMAP protocol;

a thin e-mail client; and

an UP server-thin e-mail client communication module enabling said thin e-mail client to retrieve e-mail from said IMAP server using said IMAP protocol.

2. An e-mail retrieval system according to

claim 1

and wherein said IMAP server-thin e-mail client communication module comprises:

a communications conversion module which converts communications from said IMAP server into a communication protocol;

a formatting module receiving data in said communication protocol and formatting said data into formatted data for said thin client; and

a communication server receiving said formatted data from said formatting module and transmitting said formatting data to said thin client.

3. A system according to

claim 1

and wherein said thin client comprises at least one of a WAP client, a WML client and an HTML client.

4. A system according to

claim 1

and also comprising an audio browser which is operative to communicate between said thin e-mail client and said IMAP server-thin e-mail client communication module.

5. A system according to

claim 4

and wherein said thin e-mail client comprises a telephone.

6. An e-mail retrieval method, comprising:

employing an IMAP protocol in an IMAP e-mail server; and

enabling a thin e-mail client to retrieve e-mail from said IMAP server using said IMAP protocol.

8. A method according to

claim 6

and wherein said thin client comprises at least one of a WAP client, a WML client and an HTML client.

9. A method according to

claim 6

and also comprising employing an audio browser to communicate between said thin e-mail client and said IMAP server.

10. A method according to

claim 9

and wherein said thin e-mail client comprises a telephone.

7. An e-mail retrieval method according to

claim 7

and wherein said enabling comprises:

converting commutations from said IMAP server into a communication protocol;

receiving data and formatting said data into formatted data for said thin client; and

receiving said formatted data and transmitting said formatting data to said thin client.

11. An e-mail retrieval system, comprising:

a POP e-mail server employing a POP protocol;

a thin e-mail client; and

a POP server-thin e-mail client communication module enabling said thin e-mail client to retrieve e-mail from said POP server using an IMAP protocol.

12. An e-mail retrieval system according to

claim 11

and wherein said POP server-thin e-mail client communication module comprises:

a POP to IMAP conversion module which converts communications from said POP server to IMAP;

a communications conversion module which converts communications from said POP to IMAP conversion module into a communication protocol;

a formatting module receiving data in said communication protocol and formatting said data into formatted data for said thin client; and

a communication server receiving said formatted data from said formatting module and transmitting said formatting data to said thin client.

13. A system according to

claim 11

and wherein said thin client comprises at least one of a WAP client, a WML client and an HTML client

14. A system according to

claim 12

and wherein said POP to IMAP conversion module provides functionalities not provided by said POP protocol.

15. A system according to

claim 11

and also comprising an audio browser which is operative to communicate between said thin e-mail client and said POP server-thin e-mail client communication module.

16. A system according to

claim 15

and wherein said thin e-mail client comprises a telephone.

17. An e-mail retrieval method, comprising:

employing a POP protocol in a a POP e-mail server; and

enabling said thin e-mail client to retrieve e-mail from said POP server using an IMAP protocol.

18. An e-mail retrieval method according to

claim 17

and wherein said enabling comprises:

converting communications from said POP server to IMAP;

converting communications from IMAP into a communication protocol;

receiving data and formatting said data into formatted data for said thin client; and

receiving said formatted data and transmitting said formatting data to said thin client.

19. A method according to

claim 17

and wherein said enabling provides functionalities not provided by said POP protocol.

20. A method according to

claim 17

and also comprising employing an audio browser to communicate between said thin e-mail client and said POP server.

21. An e-mail retrieval system, comprising:

an HTTP server employing an HTTP protocol;

a thin e-mail client; and

an HTTP server-thin e-mail client communication module enabling said thin e-mail client to retrieve e-mail from said HTTP server using an IMAP protocol.

22. An e-mail retrieval system according to

claim 21

and therein said HTTP server-thin e-mail client communication module comprises:

an HTTP to IMAP conversion module which converts communications from said HTIP server to IMAP;

a communications conversion module which converts communications from said HTTP to IMAP conversion module into a communication protocol;

a formatting module receiving data in said communication protocol and formatting said data into formatted data for said thin client; and

a communication server receiving said formatted data from said formatting module and transmitting said formatting data to said thin client.

23. A system according to

claim 21

and wherein said thin client comprises at least one of a WAP client a WML client and an HTML client

24. A system according to

claim 22

and wherein said HTTP to IMAP conversion module provides functionalities not provided by said HTTP protocol.

25. A system according to

claim 21

and also comprising an audio browser which is operative to communicate between said thin e-mail client and said HTTP server-thin e-mail client communication module.

26. A system according to clam 25 and wherein said thin e-mail client comprises a telephone.