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Description  |
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates generally to electronic message delivery systems and
more particularly to methods and systems for providing user management of
transmissions of electronic messages between servers and client devices.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Systems that support the exchange of text messages among users often allow
files to be attached to messages. As one example, electronic mail (i.e.,
email) may have an attachment that is a word processing document, or an
audio, video or graphics file. As another example, a download of a message
from a web site on the World Wide Web may include an attached text file in
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) or an attached audio, video or graphics
file.
Messages may be transmitted from a sending client device (such as a
computer) or from a remote server (such as a web server) to a message
transport server that supports a computer or other client device at which
the receiving party attempts to access the message. In an email
environment, a sending party may generate an email message at a first
computer that transmits the message to a first email server. If the first
email server does not support message access for the party to whom the
message is directed, the first email server forwards the message to a
second email server that supports access by the receiving party. The
message is stored at the second server for download by the targeted party.
Depending upon the client device operated by the receiving party and its
associated email server, new messages that are stored in the associated
email server are selectively downloaded one message at a time, or are
downloaded as an aggregate data stream of all new messages. In either
case, a compound message having an attached file is typically downloaded
as a unit. The download time for messages with attachments including
graphics and/or spreadsheets can be considerable. In addition, once
commenced, the downloading typically causes the client device to be locked
into a wait mode in which other software applications within the client
device cannot be accessed.
In a typical message exchange system where all new email messages are
downloaded in the aggregate data stream form, accessing email messages may
lead to an unproductive waiting period while downloading non-essential
email messages with attached files. Even in a message exchange system that
allows a user to download one email message at a time, downloading a
single email message with a large attached file may take several minutes.
Therefore, an inadvertent command by the receiving party to download an
email message with a large attachment can also result in an unproductive
waiting period. The inadvertent command may be a simple click of a mouse
while a screen cursor is on a wrong button or display of a graphical user
interface. The waiting period may be increased if the receiving party is
remotely accessing the associated server at a slow connection speed. In
addition, when forwarding a compound message having an attached file, the
attached file is always uploaded from the client device to the server,
increasing the overall waiting period when forwarding the received message
is warranted.
Recent developments have allowed more flexibility in accessing and
downloading electronic messages by the receiving party in order to reduce
unnecessary download time. The fourth version of Internet Message Access
Protocol (IMAP4) and Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) allow
users to download a portion of a message that is stored in the associated
server. For example, a user may set his/her computer to download only the
headings contained in the text portion of messages when accessing the
associated server. The headings are viewed by the user in order to
determine whether to download the entire email message along with the
attachment. Depending upon the preference of the user, the entire message
and any attached message may be downloaded at that time or at a later
time.
Although IMAP4 and MIME provide greater user control of accessing and
downloading electronic messages from a server than what had been available
in the past, employing IMAP4 and MIME in a conventional manner typically
requires much supervision. Decisions for downloading a particular
attachment of an email are performed manually by the user on an individual
basis. Furthermore, IMAP4 and MIME do not alleviate the waiting period
during a forwarding process.
What is needed is a messaging method and system that provide extensive user
control for downloading attachments of emails, while eliminating the need
for individual decisions and input by the user in order to download or
upload a desired attachment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and system provide increased user management of electronic message
transmissions between servers and client devices, particularly
transmissions of files attached to electronic messages. The method and
system operate to selectively transfer attached files to and from a client
device. When accessing electronic messages with attached files stored at a
server by a user, attached files that satisfy a prescribed requirement are
automatically downloaded from the server to the client device utilized by
the user. As a second feature, when forwarding received electronic
messages with attached files from a client device, only the attached files
that have been modified are uploaded from the client device to the server.
The screening of attached files for auto-downloading is controlled
primarily by an attachment filter located within the client device.
However, the actual execution of the screening process may occur at the
server or at the client device. In the preferred embodiment, the
attachment filter is a computer program that is configured to recognize
the prescribed requirement that triggers the automatic download. The
requirement may be selected or modified by the user to customize the
screening process.
A criterion that may be utilized as the prescribed requirement for the
screening process is the size of the attached file to be auto-downloaded.
A maximum size may be input to the client device as a threshold to allow
only attached files smaller than the maximum size to be auto-downloaded
from the server to the client device. The prescribed requirement may also
be characterized by the maximum download time. In this configuration, the
attachment filter only allows attached files that may be downloaded faster
than a preset threshold download time to be auto-downloaded. The download
time can be calculated by factoring in the size of an attached file and
the speed of the connection between the server and the client device.
Another criterion that can be utilized by the attachment filter is the
identity of the sender. A list of senders may be entered into the client
device, such that only attached files that were sent from a person on the
list of senders are auto-downloaded. Alternatively, the list of senders
may be utilized to auto-download only attached files from senders not on
the list of senders.
Similarly, a list of file formats may be utilized to screen attached files.
The list of file formats may be entered into the client device by the user
such that only attached files that are in a format on the list of file
formats are auto-downloaded from the server to the client device. The list
of file formats may also be utilized to screen out attached files having a
format on the list of file formats. By carefully selecting the list of
file formats, the user can effectively configure the attachment filter to
allow or prohibit certain types of attached files to be auto-downloaded.
The screening process may include one or more of the abovementioned
criteria in any combination for selecting which attached files are to be
auto-downloaded. Preferably, the user selectively sets the desired
criteria in order to auto-download very specific types of attached files.
The method and system also allow the user to selectively disengage the
screening process, such that all attached files are auto-downloaded from
the server to the client device.
During a forwarding operation, attached files are examined to determine
whether the attached files need to be uploaded from the client device to
the server. Unmodified attached files are not uploaded with the email
messages that are being forwarded. Copies of attached files are affixed to
appropriate email messages at the server prior to being transferred to
target recipients. However, modified attached files are uploaded with the
email messages for forwarding.
The screening process of attached files for downloading and the uploading
process for forwarding attached files are preferably utilized in
combination to efficiently transfer attached files between server and
client devices. However, the processes may be separately implemented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of a message exchange system
that provides user management of transmissions of files attached to email
messages in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the components of a client device in
accordance with the invention.
FIG. 3 is a process flow chart for providing user management of
transmissions of attached files from a server to a client device in
accordance with the invention.
FIG. 4 is a process flow chart for providing user management of
transmissions of attached files that were download to a client device,
during a forwarding operation, in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
With reference to FIG. 1, a messaging system 10 is shown as including a
local router/server 12 for supporting access to stored messages by a
number of client devices 14, 16 and 18. The client devices 14, 16 and 18
are communicatively connected to the local router/server 12 by
communication links 20, 22 and 24, respectively. The communication links
20, 22 and 24 may be telephony line, cable or wireless connections. The
routing operations of the router/server 12 are not the primary focus of
the messaging system and method. Furthermore, the structure of the
router/server 12 is not critical to the invention. The router/server 12
may be a conventional message server that is able to store received
messages and to provide access to the stored messages upon verification of
a user identity. Such identification generally requires input of a
password that is unique to the user.
The messaging system 10 may be used to exchange messages of any one of a
variety of message types. For example, the messages may be downloads from
a web site of the World Wide Web, so that a link 26 to a network 28 is a
connection to the global communications network referred to as the
Internet. However, the method and system will be described primarily with
respect to the preferred embodiment of exchanging email messages having
file attachments.
As is well known in the art, a person at a remote client device 30 may
transmit an email message to a person who accesses email via the local
router/server 12. The email message is first transmitted to a remote
router/server 32 from the remote client device 30 via a communication link
34. The email message may then be routed from the router/server 32 of the
remote client device to the local router/server 12 via two network links
26 and 36 to the network 28. The email message may be accessed by the
target user using any of the supported client devices 14, 16 and 18.
Although the client devices 14, 16 and 18 are shown as desktop computers,
the client devices can be any type of communication device that has the
ability to access the local router/server 12 and retrieve email, such as
handheld personal computers (HPCs) and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
In an Internet application, the local and remote router/servers 12 and 32
are Internet Service Providers (ISPs). It is not critical that the sending
and receiving client devices subscribe to different ISPs. That is, the
method to be described below may be utilized to manage messages with
attachments sent from one of the local client devices 14, 16 and 18 to
another one of the local client devices.
The invention may also be used in a local area network or a wide area
network environment. For example, the network 28 may be a corporate
network of a single company having one or more sites.
The client devices 14, 16 and 18 are enabled to identify attributes of
email messages, including any attached files, that have been received and
stored at the local router/server 12. Attributes may include a sender's
identification, subject matter of the email message, format of the
attached file, and size of the attached file. The sender's identification
may be an email address that is utilized by the person sending the email
message. However, the sender's identification may be a customized user
name or user identification number.
In the preferred embodiment, the client devices 14, 16 and 18 are
configured to automatically download attached files along with their
associated email messages only if the attributes of the email messages and
their attachments satisfy a prescribed requirement. The prescribed
requirement may include one or more criteria that focus on the attributes
of email messages and their attached files. The automatic downloading may
occur when the receiving party establishes a communication connection with
the local router/server 12 to access stored email messages. Alternatively,
the automatic downloading may occur when the receiving party initiates
down-loading of a particular email message from the local router/server
12. If an email message and its attached file do not satisfy the
prescribed requirement, the client devices 14, 16 and 18 may be configured
to download only the email message and not the attached file from the
local router/server 12.
Turning to FIG. 2, a block diagram of components of the client device 14 is
shown to illustrate the internal components of the client devices 14, 16,
18 and 30. The client devices 16, 18 and 30 are illustratively represented
by the client device 14, since the client devices 14, 16, 18 and 30 may be
identically configured with respect to the internal components of each
client device. Similar to FIG. 1, the client device 14 is shown connected
to the local router/server 12 via the communication link 20. The client
device 14 is shown to contain a processor 38 that is coupled to a
transceiver 40, an attachment filter 42, and a memory 44. The processor 38
and the memory 44 are functionally equivalent to conventional components
that are commonly found in other electronic devices. The attachment filter
42 is a programable component that can determine which attached files are
to be downloaded from the local router/server 12 to the memory 44 of the
client device 14. Preferably, the attachment filter 42 allows the
receiving party to input the requirement that must be satisfied in order
for attached files to be automatically downloaded.
The attachment filter 42 is also configured to determine whether a received
attachment has been modified. During a forwarding operation, the
attachment filter 42 operates to prevent uploading of attached files that
have not been modified. Consequently, only attached files that have not
been modified since being downloaded to the client device 14 are
transmitted to the local router/server 12, when forwarding electronic
messages with attached files.
During a receiving operation, the receiving party initiates the transceiver
40 of the client device 14 to establish communication with the local
router/server 12. After communication has been established, the attachment
filter 42 and the processor 38 operate to implement a determination that
is based upon the prescribed requirement, allowing only attached files
that have satisfied the requirement to be automatically transmitted from
the local router/server 12 to the client device 14. Other attachments are
downloaded only upon command by the receiving party. Prescribed
requirements for allowing attached file to be automatically downloaded are
described in detail below. Email messages and allowed attached files are
downloaded from the local router/server 12 to the memory 44 for viewing by
the receiving party.
During a forwarding operation involving a received email message with an
attached file, the receiving party again initiates the transceiver 40 to
establish communication with the local router/server 12. The receiving
party then commands the client device 14 to forward an email message to
the sender. In conventional messaging methods, forwarding an email message
requires that any file attached to the email message be uploaded to the
local server, even if the attached file has not been modified by the
receiving party. However, the attachment filter 42 and the processor 38 of
the present invention operate to upload only modified attached files. The
attachment filter 42 and the processor 38 are able to determine whether an
attached file of an email message has been modified since reception of the
email message and upload only modified attached files during forwarding
operations. If the attached file is determined to be unmodified, the
attached file is not uploaded to the local router/server 12. The original
email message and any forwarding message (optional) are uploaded without
the attached file to the local router/server 12, where a copy of the
attached file is affixed to the forwarded email message for routing to a
destined party.
A method of providing user management of transmissions of files attached to
electronic messages from a server to a client device in accordance with
the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In a
first step 46, a file is attached to an email message by a sender. Step 46
may be executed at the remote client device 30, shown in FIG. 1. The file
may be a word processing document, or an audio, video or graphics file.
The file may also be coded in one of many formats that are utilized for a
particular type of files. In addition, the size of the file may vary from
a few kilobytes to several megabytes. Although step 46 is described as
attaching a single file to the email message, multiple files may be
attached to the single email message during this step.
At step 48, the email message, including the attached file, is transmitted
from the remote client device 30 to the local router/server 12. The email
message and the attached file are routed from the remote router/server 32
to the local router/server 12 in situations where the local router/server
12 does not support both the remote and the receiving client devices.
Next, at step 50, the email message and the attached file are received and
stored at the local router/server 12. The email message and the attached
file are stored electronically in a virtual "mailbox" within a memory of
the local router/server 12. The virtual mailbox at the local router/server
12 may be accessed using an electronic address that is assigned to the
party to whom the email message and the attached file are directed.
In step 52, the receiving party establishes a communication connection with
the local router/server 12, employing one of the client devices 14, 16 and
18. Although any one of the client devices 14, 16 and 18 may be utilized
by the receiving party, further description of the method will be
described with respect to the client device 14. Also in step 52, the
receiving party accesses the virtual mailbox at the local router/server 12
that has been assigned to that receiving party in order to view the email
message.
Preferably, the attachment filter 42 of the client device 14 has been
programmed by the receiving party prior to step 52 with a prescribed
requirement for auto-downloading attached files. The prescribed
requirement may include the origin of the email message, i.e., the sender
of the email message. For example, if the receiving party desires to
automatically download only attached files from his/her boss, the
receiving party can configure the attachment filter 42 accordingly.
Downloading based upon the origin may also involve a list of approved
senders for auto-download. Another criterion for the prescribed
requirement may be the maximum size of the attached file to be
auto-downloaded. The attachment filter 42 may be configured to only allow
attached files smaller than a preselected threshold size to be
auto-downloaded. For example, if the receiving party has configured the
attachment filter 42 for a maximum of 100 kilobytes, any attached files
equal to or larger than 100 kilobytes will not be auto-downloaded when the
accompanying email message is accessed. Such files are accessible only
upon request.
In addition, the attachment filter 42 can be configured to only allow files
in certain formats to be auto-downloaded. For example, the attachment
filter 42 may be configured to auto-download only JPEG or TIF format
files. In this manner, the receiving party may control not only the files
in certain formats, but also the types of files. That is, by allowing only
files in graphics formats to be downloaded, the receiving party can
effectively limit the auto-download feature to downloading graphics files.
The receiving party may utilize any one of the above-described criteria
alone or in combination to tailor the requirement to his/her desire. The
attachment filter 42 may also have a default setting that may include one
or more criteria.
When the receiving party has accessed the local router/server 12, the
processor 38 and the attachment filter 42 operate to determine whether to
automatically download the attached file to the memory 44 from the local
router/server 12. At step 54, it is determined whether the attachment
filter 42 has been configured to filter attached files or not. If the
filtering mode has not been activated, the next step in the process is
step 56, where the attached file is automatically transmitted from the
local router/server 12 to the client device 14. However, if the filtering
mode has been selected, the process proceeds to step 58. In step 58, the
size of the attached file is compared with a preselected threshold size.
If the size of the attached file is equal to or greater than the
preselected threshold size, the process proceeds to step 60. At step 60,
the email message is transmitted from the local router/server 12 to the
client device 14 without the attached file. However, if the attached file
is smaller than the preselected threshold size, the next step in the
process is step 62. The maximum size can also be characterized by download
time, which factors in the size of the attached file and the connection
speed between the client device 14 and the local router/server 12. In this
configuration, the threshold value may be, for example, thirty seconds of
download time. This threshold value of download time can be utilized in a
similar manner as the threshold value of size, such that only attached
files that can be downloaded faster than the threshold download time are
auto-downloaded.
At step 62, the file format of the attached file is examined for further
screening. In the simplest version of this criterion, a particular file
format is selected by the receiving party. With such setting, only
attached files having that particular file format would be allowed to
proceed. Otherwise, the attached file will not be automatically
transmitted to the client device 14. In a more complex version, a list of
file formats is utilized to determine whether the attached file falls
within the list of file formats. A negative conclusion will initiate step
60, i.e., the attached file will not be transmitted to the client device
without a user request. If the format of the attached file is included in
the list, then the process proceeds to step 64. The selection process at
step 62 may be reversely utilized, such that a positive conclusion will
initiate step 60. That is, if the attached file is in a format included in
the list of file formats, the email message is transmitted from the server
without the attached file.
In step 64, a list of senders is the criterion used to determine whether
the attached file should or should not be transmitted. Similar to step 62,
the list of senders can have one or more names. Furthermore, the list of
senders can be utilized such that either an inclusion or exclusion on the
list will lead directly to step 60.
If step 64 is satisfied, the next step in the process is step 66, which
utilizes a list of subject matter instead of file formats or senders. At
step 66, the criterion is based on the subject matter of the email
message. For example, if "X project" is selected by the receiving party,
the attachment filter 42 may be configured to prevent auto-downloading of
attached files of email messages that are not marked as "X project"
subject matter. In this configuration, if the email message is not "X
project" subject matter, the process proceeds to step 60. However, if the
subject matter is "X project," the email message is transmitted to the
client device from the local router/server 12 with the attached file.
Identical to steps 62 and 64, the list of subject matter may be reversely
implemented, such that only attached files of email messages having a
subject matter not contained on the list are auto-download to the client
device.
The above method may be modified such that the steps 58, 62, 64 and 66 are
arranged in different orders. The order of the steps 58, 62, 64 and 66 is
not critical to the invention. In addition, one or more of the steps 58,
62, 64 and 66 may be deleted or deactivated from the selection process.
That is, the invention can be properly implemented with only one of steps
58, 62, 64 and 66. Furthermore, the above method may include additional
criteria in determining whether to download the attached file along with
the associated email message.
After the email message has been transmitted to the client device 14
without the attached file, the receiving party may manually request
downloading of the attached file, if so desired. The invention does not
preclude manual manipulation to download attached files from the local
router/server 12 to the client device 14.
A method of providing user management of electronic message transmissions
during a forwarding operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 1,
2 and 4. The method to be described may be implemented in addition to the
above-described method of FIG. 3. However, the method of FIG. 4 may be
independently utilized. In a first step 68, an original email message,
along with attached file, is received by a client device 14,16 and 18 from
a sender. For example, a receiving party may utilize the client device 14
in order to retrieve and download the original email message and its
attached file from the local router/server 12. At step 70, a forwarding
email message is drafted by the receiving party in response to the
original email message. The attached file that was received along with the
original email message may or may not be modified by the receiving party.
The step 70 is an optional step. Next, the receiving party commands the
client device 14,16 and 18 to initiate the forwarding process.
Whereas conventional methods transmit all attached files from the client
device to its supporting server when forwarding email messages with
attached files, the present invention transmits the attached file only if
the attached file has been modified since reception by the client device.
In step 72, a determination of whether the attached file has been modified
is made by the processor 38 and the attachment filter 42 of the client
device 14. If the attached file has been modified, step 74 is executed. In
step 74, the forwarding message and the original message with the modified
attached file are transmitted from the client device 14 to the sender via
the local router/server 12. However, if the attached file has not been
modified, step 76 is instead executed. In step 76, the forwarding email is
transmitted from the client device 14 to the local router/server 12
without the attached file. The manner in which the original email message
is transmitted is not critical to the invention. The original email
message can follow the same process as the attached file. Alternatively,
the original email message may be uploaded to the local router/server 12
from the client device 14 during the forwarding process.
Following step 76, a copy of the attached file is affixed to the forwarding
email message at the local router/server 12 in step 78. The local
router/server 12 stores, for a limited period, copies of all email
messages and any attached files that are relayed through the local
router/server 12. The stored copy of the attached file is utilized to
affix the copy of the attached file to the forwarding email message at
step 78. Next, the forwarding email message, along with the original email
message and the attached file, is transmitted from the local router/server
12 to the server that supports the forwarded party in step 80. If the
local router/server 12 supports the forwarded party, the email messages
and the attached file are transferred to the virtual mailbox of the
forwarded party within the local router/server 12.
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