Method for automatic and periodic requests for messages to an e-mail server from the client

• US 6,334,142 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 12/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Cruickshank, David Richard, Clark, Phil, Newton, Eric Robert, MacDonald, Simon John
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason D.
• Application Number:
  US09/171,980
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/226, 709/206, 709/207, 709/218, 455/466, 364/514, 379/100.08
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

To supply messages to an audience of Internet users, the messages are initially stored on an Internet server which is accessible by a group of Internet clients operated by Internet users, when a message is received at the server, it includes an information part and a data part. The data part includes at least one identifier specifying the intended audience of the message. In the server, the information part of the message is stored as an HTML file in a first store and the URL of the file containing the information part of the message together with the identifier or identifiers of the intended audience are stored in a second store. To view messages intended for a particular user on one of the clients, the client transmits requests automatically at periodic intervals to the server for new messages intended for the user. In response to each request, the server scans the fields in the second store to compile a list of URLs of messages intended for the user. The list is then transmitted to the client which then requests the HTML files for the messages specified on the list. The HITML files are then transmitted to the client where the messages are displayed.

Claims

1. A method of supplying messages said method comprising:

storing messages on a server which is accessible by a group of clients operated by users, each message being stored by performing the following operations;

receiving the message at said server from one of said group of clients, said message comprising an information part and a data part, the data part including at least one identifier specifying the intended audience of the message;

storing the information part of the message as a file at an address in a first store;

storing said address and said at least one identifier in a second store; and

viewing messages intended for a particular user on one of said clients by performing the following operations;

said client transmitting requests automatically at periodic intervals to the server for messages intended for said particular user;

in response to each request, the server scanning the second store to compile a list of addresses of messages intended for said particular user;

the server transmitting files stored at addresses specified on said list to said client; and

said client displaying messages received by the client.

2. A method as in claim 1, in which in said receiving of a message at the server, the data part of the message includes an expiry time for the message.

3. A method as in claim 2 in which, in said scanning of the second store, the list excludes the addresses of messages which have expired.

4. A method as in claim 1, in which said receiving of a message at said server comprises:

receiving at the server a request from one of said clients to supply the message to the intended audience;

transmitting a file containing a form for completion by a user from the server to said client; and

transmitting a file containing the form as completed by a user from said client to the server.

5. A method as in claim 1, in which said transmitting of files to said client comprises:

transmitting said list of addresses of messages to said client;

said client transmitting a request to the server for files stored at the addresses specified in said list; and

transmitting files so requested from the server to said client.

6. A method as in claim 1 in which:

in said storing of the information part of the message, the message is stored as a HyperText Mark-Up Language (HTML) file;

in said storing of said addresses and said at least one identifier, said address is the Universal Resource Locator (URL) of said HTML file.

7. A method as in claim 1, in which the server is an Internet server, and said group of clients is a group of Internet clients.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the server automatically transmits files stored at the address specified on said list to said client after scanning the second store in response to each said request.

9. A method of supplying messages comprising:

storing messages on a server which is accessible by a group of clients operated by users, each message being stored by performing the following operations;

receiving the message at said server from one of said group of clients, said message comprising an information part and a data part, the data part including at least one identifier specifying the intended audience of the message;

storing the information part of the message as a file at an address in a first store;

storing said address and said at least one identifier in a second store; and

viewing messages intended for a particular user on one of said clients by performing the following operations;

said client transmitting requests automatically to the server for messages intended for said particular user;

in response to each request, the server scanning the second store to compile a list of addresses of messages intended for said particular user;

the server transmitting files stored at addresses specified on said list to said client; and

said client displaying messages received by the client.

10. A method of claim 9, wherein the server automatically transmits files stored at the address specified on said list to said client after scanning the second store in response to each said request.