Web server with direct mail capability

• US 6,301,621 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Estrada, Julio, Estrada, Miguel, Haverstock, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANG, PAUL H
• Application Number:
  US09/100,130
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/207, 709/218, 709/246, 709/217, 709/219, 705/8, 705/9, 345/963, 707/513
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/131 Fragmentation of text files, e.g. creating reusable text-blocks; Linking to fragments, e.g. using XInclude; Namespaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/151 Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

A system for enabling access to non-HTML objects from a web browser. The system includes a database for storing non-HTML objects. A system user requests a non-HTML object from a database using a web browser. The web browser transmits the request to a server via a HTTP server and module. The server locates and retrieves the document requested. The module translates the document to a format supported by the web browser. The HTTP server communicates the translated object to the web browser over a network. The web browser then presents the translated object to the system user. The server also includes a mail application which provides electronic mail capabilities directly from the browser without having to open another application or display window.

Claims

1. A server system providing a server with integrated electronic mail, scheduling and calendaring capability comprising:

a server;

one or more databases in communication with the server;

one or more non-markup language objects stored on the one or more databases, the one or more non-markup language objects comprising electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring information for one or more system users; and

wherein the server;

(i) receives a request from a markup language enabled browser for the electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring information;

(ii) translates the one or more non-markup language objects to at least one markup language object;

(iii) transmits the at least one markup language object to the browser; and

(iv) provides electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring capability and does not require a separate electronic mail, scheduling, or calendaring application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server provides electronic mail capability using the one or more non-markup language objects.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the web server comprises:

a server module;

an interface module including a non-markup language to markup language translator; and

a non-markup language database server module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is operable to:

i) receive a URL-based request for the one or more non-markup language objects;

ii) determine a location of the one or more non-markup language objects;

iii) retrieve the one or more non-markup language objects;

iv) translate the one or more non-markup language objects to one or more markup language objects; and

v) present the one or more markup language objects.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the server communicates with a browser using HTTP.

6. A server system providing a server with integrated electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring capability comprising:

server means;

means for storing one or more non-markup language objects, wherein the means for storing is in communication with the server means and the one or more non-markup language objects comprise electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring information for one or more system users; and

means for enabling the server to;

(i) receive a request from a markup language enabled browser for the electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring information;

(ii) translate the one or more non-markup language objects to at least one markup language object;

(iii) transmit the at least one markup language object to the browser; and

(iv) provide electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring capability without requiring a separate electronic, scheduling, or calendaring mail application.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for presenting the one or more non-markup language objects.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the server means comprises:

markup language object receiving means;

means for translating non-markup language objects to markup language objects; and

non-markup language object receiving means.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the server means is operable to:

i) receive a URL-based request for the one or more non-markup language objects;

ii) determine a location of the one or more non-markup language objects;

iii) retrieve the one or more non-markup language objects;

iv) translate the one or more non-markup language objects to one or more markup language objects; and

v) present the one or more markup language objects.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the server means comprises a HTTP server.

11. A method for providing a server with integrated electronic mail, scheduling and calendaring capability comprising the steps of:

storing one or more non-markup language objects in one or more databases, wherein the one or more non-markup language objects comprise electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring information for one or more system users; and

enabling a server to;

(i) receives a request from a markup language enabled browser for the electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring information;

(ii) translates the one or more non-markup language objects to at least one markup language object;

(iii) transmits the at least one markup language object to the browser; and

(iv) provide electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring capability without requiring a separate electronic mail, scheduling, or calendaring application.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of presenting the one or more non-markup language objects.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the server comprises:

markup language object receiving means;

means for translating non-markup language objects to markup language objects; and

non-markup language object receiving means.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the server is operable to:

i) receive a URL-based request for the one or more non-markup language objects;

ii) determine a location of the one or more non-markup language objects;

iii) retrieve the one or more non-markup language objects;

iv) translate the one or more non-markup language objects to one or more markup language objects; and

v) present the one or more markup language objects.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the server comprises a HTTP server.

16. An electronic storage medium having processor readable code embodied therein for providing a server with integrated electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring capability, the electronic storage medium comprising:

processor readable code for causing a processor to store electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring information in one or more databases; and

computer readable code for causing a processor to enable a server to;

(i) receive a request from a markup language enabled browser for the electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring information;

(ii) translate the one or more non-markup language objects to at least one markup language object;

(iii) transmit the at least one markup language object to the browser; and

(iv) provide electronic mail, scheduling, and calendaring capability without requiring a separate electronic mail, scheduling, or calendaring application.

17. The medium of claim 16 wherein the electronic mail information further comprise electronic mail formatting information.

18. The medium of claim 16 wherein the electronic mail information comprises at least one of a group consisting of a user'"'"'s role, profile and electronic mail address.