System and method for providing wireless device access to e-mail applications

• US 20060095510A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lawson, Timothy, Rouse, Andrew, Zondervan, Quinton, Bentley, Thomas, Herot, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• 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: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding auctioneering devices in packet switching networks H04L12/1804
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A system and method for enabling users to send and receive messages and other information from mobile devices and enabling users to access server-based information using mobile devices over wireless data networks are disclosed. The system and method provide wireless device access where users may have access to an electronic mail application from the user'"'"'s mobile device, such as a mobile phone, interactive pager, PDA or other wireless device, via a wireless service provider. The e-mail application may enable users to view messages in various presentation views. Sorting functions and access to address books may be available. Other functionality may include compose, fax, forward, reply, keep private and other functions.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a first application and a second application via a wireless client device, the method comprising:

receiving, via a wireless medium, a first application option selected on the wireless client device;

executing a first application action with the first application that corresponds to the first application option, wherein a first application content is generated by the first application in executing the first application action;

transmitting the first application content to the wireless client device via the wireless medium;

receiving, via the wireless medium, a second application option selected on the wireless client device subsequent to the execution of the first application action;

executing a second application action with the second application that corresponds to the second application option, wherein a second application content is generated by the second application in executing the second application action,

transmitting the second application content to the wireless client device via the wireless medium;

receiving, via the wireless medium, a return option selected on the wireless client device; and

enabling a user to toggle between the first application and the second application without losing content in response to receiving the return option.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application is an email application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application is at least one of an address book application and a calendar application.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second application is at least one of an address book application and a calendar application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application option is at least one of a view option, a sort option, a compose option, a fax option, a forward option, a reply option, a private option, multiple view option, and a confirmation option.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second application option is at least one of a search option and a scheduling option.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting at least one of the first application content and the second application content on the wireless client device according to at least one presentation option.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one presentation option comprises at least one of a quick view format, a user selected date, a user selected subject, and a user selected author.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first application content and the second application content comprises at least one of email data, memo data, address data, and search data.

10. A system for accessing a first application and a second application via a wireless client device, the system comprising:

a reception module capable of receiving, via a wireless medium, application options selected on the wireless client device;

a transmission module capable of transmitting, via the wireless medium, application content to the wireless client device; and

a server in communication with the reception module and the transmission module that comprises a first application module and a second application module,

wherein the first application module executes a first application action with the first application that corresponds to a first application option received by the reception module from the wireless client device and generates a first application content that is transmitted to the wireless client device by the transmission module, and the second application module executes a second application action with the second application that corresponds to a second application option received by the reception module from the wireless client device subsequent to the reception of the first application option and generates a second application content that is transmitted to the wireless client device by the transmission module, and

wherein, in response to a return option received from the wireless client device by the reception module subsequent to the reception of the second application option, a user is enabled to toggle between the first application and the second application without losing content.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first application is an email application.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first application is at least one of an address book application and a calendar application.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second application is at least one of an address book application and a calendar application.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the first application option is at least one of a view option, a sort option, a compose option, a fax option, a forward option, a reply option, a private option, multiple view option, and a confirmation option.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second application option is at least one of a search option and a scheduling option.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first application content and the second application content are formatted for presentation on the wireless client device according to at least one presentation option.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one presentation option comprises at least one of a quick view format, a user selected date, a user selected subject, and a user selected author.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first application content and the second application content comprises at least one of email data, memo data, address data, and search data.

19. A system for accessing a first application and a second application via a wireless client device, the system comprising:

reception means for receiving, via a wireless medium, application options selected on the wireless client device;

transmission means for transmitting, via the wireless medium, application content to the wireless client device; and

server means for executing application actions in communication with the reception means and the transmission means, the server means comprising a first application module and a second application module,

wherein the first application module executes a first application action with the first application that corresponds to a first application option received by the reception means from the wireless client device and generates a first application content that is transmitted to the wireless client device by the transmission means, and the second application module executes a second application action with the second application that corresponds to a second application option received by the reception means from the wireless client device subsequent to the reception of the first application option and generates a second application content that is transmitted to the wireless client device by the transmission means, and

wherein, in response to a return option received from the wireless client device by the reception means subsequent to the reception of the second application option, a user is enabled to toggle between the first application and the second application without losing content.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first application is an email application.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the first application is at least one of an address book application and a calendar application.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the second application is at least one of an address book application and a calendar application.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the first application option is at least one of a view option, a sort option, a compose option, a fax option, a forward option, a reply option, a private option, multiple view option, and a confirmation option.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the second application option is at least one of a search option and a scheduling option.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first application content and the second application content are formatted for presentation on the wireless client device according to at least one presentation option.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least one presentation option comprises at least one of a quick view format, a user selected date, a user selected subject, and a user selected author.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein at least one of the first application content and the second application content comprises at least one of email data, memo data, address data, and search data.

28. A storage medium for storing machine readable code, the machine readable code being executable to access a first application and a second application via a wireless client device according to the steps of:

receiving, via a wireless medium, a first application option selected on the wireless client device;

executing a first application action with the first application that corresponds to the first application option, wherein a first application content is generated by the first application in executing the first application action;

transmitting the first application content to the wireless client device via the wireless medium;

receiving, via the wireless medium, a second application option selected on the wireless client device subsequent to the execution of the first application action;

executing a second application action with the second application that corresponds to the second application option, wherein a second application content is generated by the second application in executing the second application action,

transmitting the second application content to the wireless client device via the wireless medium;

receiving, via the wireless medium, a return option selected on the wireless client device; and

enabling a user to toggle between the first application and the second application without losing content in response to receiving the return option.

29. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the first application is an email application.

30. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the first application is at least one of an address book application and a calendar application.

31. The storage medium of claim 29, wherein the second application is at least one of an address book application and a calendar application.

32. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the first application option is at least one of a view option, a sort option, a compose option, a fax option, a forward option, a reply option, a private option, multiple view option, and a confirmation option.

33. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein the second application option is at least one of a search option and a scheduling option.

34. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the machine readable code is further executable to format at least one of the first application content and the second application content for presentation on the wireless client device according to at least one presentation option.

35. The storage medium of claim 34, wherein the at least one presentation option comprises at least one of a quick view format, a user selected date, a user selected subject, and a user selected author.

36. The storage medium of claim 35, wherein at least one of the first application content and the second application content comprises at least one of email data, memo data, address data, and search data.