Method and apparatus for converting and displaying a multimedia document at a client

• US 5,826,062 A
• Filed: 05/30/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fake, John Wesley Jr., Gruber, Stephen Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US08/660,691
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/200.01, 395/200.18, 380/49, 379/67, 379/89, 707/500, 707/515, 707/523, 345/345
• US Class Current: 715/207
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for converting and displaying at a client workstation a multimedia mail message. The mail message contains textual material and non-text embedded material. The method includes the steps of converting the mail message into text and non-text portions, storing the non-text portions in non-text files; and displaying a converted message. The converted message includes the text portion in clear text, and references to the non-text files.

Claims

1. A method for operating a client workstation to convert and display at said client workstation a multimedia mail message, said mail message containing textual material and non-text embedded material, said method comprising the steps of:

a. converting said mail message into a text portion and at least one non-text;

b. storing each said non-text portion in a non-text file;

c. presenting at a user mail box references to said mail message and to said non-text file; and

d. responsive to a user request to view said mail message, displaying a converted message including

(i) said text portion in clear text, and

(ii) references to said non-text files;

whereby said at least one non-text portion is removed from the display of said message thereby enhancing readability of said converted message.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising placing said references to said non-text files in said converted message at positions corresponding to positions where non-text embedded material was encountered in said mail message.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising placing said references to said non-text files in a mail box display with references to said converted message.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of forwarding said converted message and said non-text files to another client or application capable of displaying or executing said non-text files.

5. A client workstation apparatus for converting and displaying at said client workstation a multimedia mail message, said mail message containing textual material and non-text embedded material, said apparatus comprising means for:

a. converting said mail message into ASCII text and non-text portions;

b. storing said non-text portions in non-text files;

c. presenting at a user mail box references to said text portion and to said non-text file; and

d. displaying a converted message including

(i) said text portion in clear text, and

(ii) references to said non-text files.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 comprising means for placing said references to said non-text files in said converted message at positions corresponding to positions where non-text embedded material was encountered in said mail message.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 comprising means for placing said references to said non-text files in a mail box display with references to said converted message.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 comprising means for forwarding said converted message and said non-text files to another client or application capable of displaying or executing said non-text files.