Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing – Demand based messaging
Reexamination Certificate
1997-06-12
2001-08-07
Rinehart, Mark H. (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
Demand based messaging
C709S206000, C709S207000, C709S223000, C709S224000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272530
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmitter-receiver for electronic mail system, and in particular to a transmitter-receiver, which can provide convenience when a user receives services from various mail service providers at different terminals and at different places.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, possibilities have generally increased for individual users to receive electronic mail services from a plurality of mail service providers through personal computer communication, Internet, etc. With rapid propagation of personal computers and portable information terminals, types of terminals to receive electronic mail (hereinafter simply referred as “mail”) and places to receive the mail are now much more diversified than before depending on individual users or situations.
However, in case a user receives a plurality of mail services, mail must be received through a different procedure for each service, and this causes much inconvenience to the user. Further, in case the same mail is distributed to the user via a plurality of services, each time the user utilizes any of these services, the user is compelled to read the same mail, and this is also inconvenient to the user.
In case the mail is read at a terminal with relatively low display capability such as a portable information terminal, content of some of the mails may not be correctly displayed or the mail may be deleted from a spool, which serves as a storage unit to retain the mail, although the user has not yet read the mail.
Also, it often happens that there is no function to notify the arrival of the mail to a user which is not connected to a mail system, and it is necessary for the user to connect to the mail system regularly, or that the user cannot receive notice of arrival because the notice can only be given through a single communication method although there is a function to notify arrival of the mail, or that a mail with lower importance may also be notified and this results in higher communication cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a transmitter-receiver for electronic mail system, by which mails from a plurality of mail service providers are offered as a single service in appearance and a user can utilize electronic mail without being conscious of the service providers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a transmitter-receiver for electronic mail system, by which content of the mail is converted depending on a terminal which the user utilizes and information can be sent to the user in an optimal form.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a transmitter-receiver for electronic mail system, in which arrival of the mail is notified to the user through various communication channels depending on the importance of the mail and the notice of the arrival of the mail can be given at high reliability and at reasonable communication cost.
In the transmitter-receiver for electronic mail system according to the present invention, a plurality of mail spools are regarded and operated as a single spool by the use of a spool integration unit and the user can utilize the mail without being conscious of the service providers.
Also, the transmitter-receiver for electronic mail system according to the present invention comprises a terminal response unit for receiving communication of a user terminal and acquiring capability of the user terminal and a data form converting unit for converting content of the mail to various forms, whereby the content of the mail is converted depending on the terminal which the user utilizes and information can be transmitted in an optimal form.
Further, the transmitter-receiver for electronic mail system according to the present invention comprises a mail urgency acquiring unit for checking urgency of the mail in a mail spool, a mail arrival notifying unit for notifying arrival of mail to the user based on urgency of the mail, and a position information control unit for searching and controlling a place where the user is currently present, so that mode of communication is selected according to the importance of the mail and position information of the user, and arrival of the mail is notified, thus providing notice of arrival of the mail with high reliability and at optimal communication cost.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4713780 (1987-12-01), Schultz et al.
patent: 4851988 (1989-07-01), Trottier et al.
patent: 5283887 (1994-02-01), Zachery
patent: 5406557 (1995-04-01), Baudoin
patent: 5481698 (1996-01-01), Itoh et al.
patent: 5487100 (1996-01-01), Kane
patent: 5596720 (1997-01-01), Hamada et al.
patent: 5608786 (1997-03-01), Gordon
patent: 5647002 (1997-07-01), Brunson
patent: 5737395 (1998-04-01), Irribarren
patent: 5742905 (1998-04-01), Pepe et al.
patent: 5761276 (1998-06-01), Park
patent: 5818447 (1998-10-01), Wolf et al.
patent: 5838923 (1998-11-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5850519 (1998-12-01), Vazana
patent: 5923848 (1999-07-01), Goodhand et al.
patent: 5928325 (1999-07-01), Shaughnessy et al.
patent: 5930471 (1999-07-01), Milewski et al.
patent: 5956486 (1999-09-01), Hickman et al.
patent: 5983265 (1999-11-01), Martino, II
patent: 6018760 (2000-01-01), Oishi et al.
patent: 5-153159 (1993-06-01), None
Rose et al., RFC 1725, Post Office Protocol—Version 3, May 1996.
Horiuchi Yasuhide
Terasaki Satoshi
Gopstein Israel
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Rinehart Mark H.
Vaughn, Jr. William C.
LandOfFree
Transmitter-receiver for electronic mail that provides... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Transmitter-receiver for electronic mail that provides..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Transmitter-receiver for electronic mail that provides... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2449647