Efficient notification of new electronic mail arrival

• US 7,624,147 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2003
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sierra Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Waung, William, McConnell, Peter R. Henderson, Tosey, Joseph Peter Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple; Brian P
• Application Number:
  US10/655,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,273 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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, the predefined event indicating a user'"'"'s interest level in regard to immediate notification of receipt, by the mail server, of a new e-mail, notification occurring at a mail client;

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

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

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

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 the 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 the predefined event is a geographic event.

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

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

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server after the limited period of time.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server if the user needs to execute a different IMAP4 command.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the session after a limited period of time.

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

a predefined event detector configured to determine if a predefined event has occurred, the predefined event indicating a user'"'"'s interest level in regard to immediate notification of receipt, by the mail server, of a new e-mail, notification occurring at a mail client;

a mail server-initiated notification supporter determiner configured to determine if the mail server supports user-initiated-notification of new e-mail;

a polling frequency limited time changer configured to, if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server does not support server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically modify a polling frequency for a limited period of time; and

a mail server server-initiated-notification session limited time establisher coupled to the predefined event detector and the mail server-initiated notification supporter determiner and configured to, if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server supports server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically establish a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predefined event is a calendar event.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predefined event is a geographic event.

16. 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, the predefined event indicating a user'"'"'s interest level in regard to immediate notification of receipt, by the mail server, of a new e-mail, notification occurring at a mail client;

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

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

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

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sending of an e-mail is a predefined event.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selection of a low latency notification option by a user is a predefined event.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the predefined event is a calendar event.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the predefined event is a geographic event.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the limited period of time is between 1 and 15 minutes.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for establishing includes means for sending an IMAP4 IDLE command to the mail server.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server after the limited period of time.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

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

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server if the user needs to execute a different IMAP4 command.

27. 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, the predefined event indicating a user'"'"'s interest level in regard to immediate notification of receipt, by the mail server, of a new e-mail, notification occurring at a mail client;

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

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

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