Efficient notification of new electronic mail arrival

• US 20050055443A1
• Filed: 09/04/2003
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: McConnell, Peter R. Henderson, Tosey, Joseph Peter Robert, Waung, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

A solution is provided that allows prompt notification of new e-mail arrival while minimizing the unnecessary loading of mail server and network resources. It provides a short time delay after arrival of new e-mail when the user needs it most, and minimizes the unnecessary loading of resources when the user does not require immediate notification. This is accomplished by establishing a session with the mail server once a predefined event, such as the sending of new e-mail, has occurred. This session may invoke server-initiated-notification of new-email for a limited period of time.

Claims

1. A method for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the method comprising:

determining if a predefined event has occurred; and

establishing a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending of an e-mail is a predefined event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of a low latency notification option by a user is a predefined event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said predefined event is a calendar event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said predefined event is a geographic event.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the mail server supports server-initiated-notification of new e-mail;

increasing a polling frequency for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred and the mail server does not support server-initiated-notification of new e-mail; and

wherein said establishing includes establishing a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred and if the mail server supports server-initiated-notification of new e-mail.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said limited period of time is between 1 and 15 minutes.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said limited period of time is between 1 and 15 minutes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing includes sending an IMAP4 IDLE command to the mail server.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server after said limited period of time.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending an IMAP 4 DONE command to the mail server if the user needs to execute a different IMAP4 command.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating said session after a limited period of time.

14. A method for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the method comprising:

determining if a predefined event has occurred; and

changing a polling frequency for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said predefined event is a calendar event.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said predefined event is a geographic event.

18. An apparatus for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the apparatus comprising:

a predefined event detector; and

a mail server server-initiated-notification session limited time establisher coupled to said predefined event detector.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a mail server server-initiated-notification supporter determiner coupled to said mail server server-initiated-notification session limited time establisher;

a polling frequency limited time increaser coupled to said mail server server-initiated-notification supporter determiner.

20. An apparatus for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the apparatus comprising:

a predefined event detector; and

a polling frequency limited time changer coupled to said predefined event detector.

21. An apparatus for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining if a predefined event has occurred; and

means for establishing a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sending of an e-mail is a predefined event.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the selection of a low latency notification option by a user is a predefined event.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said predefined event is a calendar event.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said predefined event is a geographic event.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for determining if the mail server supports server-initiated-notification of new e-mail;

means for increasing a polling frequency for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred and the mail server does not support server-initiated-notification of new e-mail; and

means for wherein said establishing includes establishing a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred and if the mail server supports server-initiated-notification of new e-mail.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said limited period of time is between 1 and 15 minutes.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said limited period of time is between 1 and 15 minutes.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said means for establishing includes means for sending an IMAP4 IDLE command to the mail server.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server after said limited period of time.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising means for sending an IMAP 4 DONE command to the mail server if the user needs to execute a different IMAP4 command.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for terminating said session after a limited period of time.

34. An apparatus for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining if a predefined event has occurred; and

means for decreasing a polling frequency for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said predefined event is a calendar event.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said predefined event is a geographic event.

38. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the method comprising:

determining if a predefined event has occurred;

establishing a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred.

39. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the method comprising:

determining if a predefined event has occurred; and

decreasing a polling frequency for a limited period of time if said predefined event has occurred.