E-mail distribution control method and mail server

• US 20030134621A1
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Taichi, Kawabata, Masaki, Kashiwaba, Shoji, Yabe, Toshiyasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

When gateway server 30 receives an email, which is addressed to mobile station 10, gateway server 30 transmits an email arrival notice to mobile station 10. When gateway server 30 receives an acknowledgement response (referred to as ‘Ack’ hereinafter) responding to the email arrival notice from mobile packet communication network 20, gateway server 30 evaluates the status of mobile station 10 on the basis of the type of Ack, and determines whether to transmit the email or not. Moreover, gateway server 30 modifies the time interval for retransmitting the email arrival notice to mobile station 10 according to the status of mobile station 10 when the transmission of the email arrival notice fails.

Claims

1. A method of controlling email delivery, said method comprising:

a receiving step for receiving an email, which is addressed to a mobile station;

a status obtaining step for obtaining information on communication status of said mobile station from a mobile communication network to which said mobile station belongs;

a transmission determining step for determining whether said email should be transmitted to said mobile station at the present moment or not, on the basis of said information on the communication status;

a transmitting step for transmitting said email if said email is determined to be transmitted in said transmission determining step, and;

a retrial instructing step for setting a waiting time on the basis of said information on the communication status, and instructing the execution of obtaining operation by said status obtaining step following said waiting time, if said email is determined to not be transmitted in said transmission determining step, or if said email is determined to be transmitted in said transmission determining step and transmission of said email fails.

2. A method of controlling email delivery according to claim 1, wherein:

said method further comprises an arrival notice transmitting step for transmitting a notice of arrival of said email to said mobile station, when said email, which is addressed to said mobile station, is received, and;

information on communication status with regard to reception of said notice of arrival is obtained as said information of communication status in said status obtaining step.

3. A method of controlling email delivery according to claim 1, wherein:

said information on the communication status, which is obtained in said status obtaining step, indicates any of the following;

communication possible status, communication busy status, or communication impossible status;

in said retrial instructing step, a first time period is set as said waiting time if said information on the communication status indicates communication busy status, and a second time period, which is longer than said first time period, is set as said waiting time if said information on the communication status indicates communication impossible status.

4. A method of controlling email delivery according to claim 1, wherein:

said waiting time is determined on the basis of number of times of execution of said status obtaining step for said email up to the present moment.

5. A method of controlling email delivery according to claim 4, wherein:

in said retrial instructing step, if said number of times of execution of said status obtaining step for said email up to the present moment is the same as or more than a predetermined number, a predetermined time period is set as said waiting time.

6. A method of controlling email delivery according to claim 1, wherein:

said information on the communication status is information of strength of received radio wave of said mobile station.

7. A method of controlling email delivery according to claim 1, wherein:

said information on the communication status is information of transition of strength of received radio wave of said mobile station.

8. An email server, said email server comprising:

a receiving means for receiving an email, which is addressed to a mobile station;

a status obtaining means for obtaining information on communication status of said mobile station from a mobile communication network, to which said mobile station belongs;

a transmission determining means for determining whether said email should be transmitted to said mobile station at the present moment or not on the basis of said information on the communication status;

a transmitting means for transmitting said email if said email is determined to be transmitted by said transmission determining means, and;

a retrial instructing means for setting a waiting time on the basis of said information on the communication status, and instructing the operation of said status obtaining means following said waiting time, if said email is determined not to be transmitted by said transmission determining means.