GB2375850A

GB2375850A - System and method of providing end-user with control of filtering electronic mail prior to download from the internet service provider

Info

Publication number: GB2375850A
Application number: GB0112630A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Avraam Avramides; Harold Pobee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-05-23
Filing date: 2001-05-23
Publication date: 2002-11-27
Also published as: GB0112630D0

Abstract

A software programme providing an interface for e-mail users to connect to an e-mail server with the ability to use view, search, send and delete function buttons. This process occurs at the e-mail server during initial connection, replacing automatic unmonitored downloading to the users personal computer. Once the user has selected which e-mails are required the user can request to download or delete selected e-mail at any time. The programme offers the user choice and preference in monitoring which e-mail they receive "prior" to downloading.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING END-USER WITH CONTROL OF FILTERING ELECTRONIC MAIL PRIOR TO DOWNLOAD FROM THE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER.

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to electronic mail (e-mail) and the sending and receiving of such mail.

More particularly it allows the user to monitor and control which e-mails are received "prior"to download from the e-mail server (ISP-Intemet Service Provider).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At present with existing electronic mail (e-mail) the user connects to the ISP within an e-mail program. When either the send button or combined send and receive button is activated all the users e-mail is downloaded from the ISP. See flow chart FIG 10, which illustrates this process. The disadvantage of this process is that all e-mail must be downloaded without choice or preference. Since there is no selection or monitoring process this in turn creates inconvenient time consuming downloading, congestion which slows the Wide Area Network system (WAN-Internet) and at times receiving unwanted e-mail, which may also include viruses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is a software program to existing e-mail programs. With several methods of selecting which particular e-mail is required"pnof'to download from the ISP, the program enables the user to monitor and have choice. Within an e-mail related user interface the invention provides receive (5), search (3), view (4) and send (6) commands for user control.

The search (3) feature allows the user to locate specific important e-mail based on a file extension, name source or any other relevant feature attached to the mail. The view (4) feature enables the user to view all their e-mail and thus select or delete only required email. Since the programs send (6) and receive (5) buttons are separate and not combined unlike the send and receive button which currently exists within e-mail programs, it allows specific selected e-mail to be downloaded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG la is a block diagram illustrating an existing e-mail program interface, incorporating a combined send and receive button.

FIG 1 b is a block diagram illustrating an existing e-mail program interface, incorporating the invention program command button.

FIG 2 illustrates the inventions main interface command buttons.

FIG 3 illustrates the inventions search criteria window interface.

FIG 4 is a diagram illustrating the search criteria results window.

FIG 5 is a diagram illustrating the view window interface, which contains the results of all available emails requested by the user.

FIG 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for invoking a search from the ISP.

FIG 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for invoking a search to view all available e-mail FIG 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a request to receive all available e-mails from the ISP FIG 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a request to send email to the ISP.

FIG 10 is a flow diagram illustrating the process of existing e-mail programs with combined send and receive command.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The Inventions e-mail program button (1) FIG Ib will be a main command button , he inventons e-mail D incorporated within the primary e-mail program and diables the use of that programmes existing send and receive command button (2) FIG la. When selecting the inventions e-mail program command button (l) it invokes a window, FIG 2 to open, which incorporates the command buttons Search (3), View (4), Receive (5) and Send (6) When the Search button (3) is selected a window opens (FIG 3), with the available search criteria. Within this window the user is offered the choice of searching for e-mail based on any of the following criteria : name of sender (7), size of document (8), date (9), or any type of attachment (10) e. g. Wav, MP3, MIDI, JPEG, MPEG, JIF, DOC, ASCII, DWG, etc, etc.

Once any of the search criteria has been completed the OK button (11) is selected which activates the request. This is sent to the ISP for search information based on the request provided from the user.

Once the requested information has been collated by the ISP a window opens (FIG 4) with the search criteria information results. At this stage the search information requested is viewed without automatic downloading of the e-mails. Please see flow chart FIG 6, which illustrates this process The user can highlight a specific e-mail or e-mails as required and then either select the delete button (12) or receive button (13). Once the delete button (12) is activated the ISP will remove highlighted e-mails that are unwanted. When the receive button (13) is activated the ISP will download those e-mails which have been highlighted.

Therefore when using the search function (3) of the invention program the only e-mails which are downloaded to a personal computer (PC) are those e-mails highlighted.

Another method of selecting and receiving e-mails within the program is by using the View button (4) FIG 2. When selecting the View button (4) a request is sent to the ISP to view all e-mails available to be selected for downloading to the users inbox. This function takes place without automatically downloading any e-mail. When a request to view all e-mails is sent to the ISP a window opens (FIG 5) showing all e-mails available for downloading or deleting. Please also see flow chart FIG 7, which illustrates this process.

The user can highlight a specific e-mail or several e-mails as required and then either select the Delete button (15) FIG 5 or Receive button (14) FIG 5. Once the Delete button (15) is activated the ISP will remove highlighted e-mails that are unwanted. The ISP will download those e-mails which have been highlighted when the Receive button (14) is activated.

Therefore when using the view function of the program only e-mails whtth are downloaded to a PC are those e-mails highlighted.

Another aspect of the invention program is the ability to separate the send and receive function, thus providing a further method of downloading e-mails When selecting the

Receive button (5) FIG 2 a request is sent to then to download all available e-mails to the users mbox. Please see flow chart FIG 8, which illustrates this process. When using this method to download the opportunity to view or select any e-mail is unavailable.

Finally when selecting the Send button (6) FIG 2 a request is sent to the primary e-mail software programme installed on the PC to send all e-mail in the outbox to the ISP and then to the Internet. Please see flow chart FIG 9, which illustrates this process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG la Is a block diagram illustrating in basic form an existing e-mail program interface,

incorporating a combined send and receive button (2). When activating this button any e-mail in the users outbox is automaticaly sent to the e-mail Internet Service Provider (ISP). Concurrently any e-mail received by the ISP for the user is automaticaly downloaded to the users inbox.

FIG 1 b Is a block diagram illustrating in basic form an existing e-mail program interface (common components not shown would include functions such as pulldown menus, toolbars, a main window, dialog boxes), incorporating a command button (1) on the menu bar for the invention program. The command button (1) is a shortcut for the invention program giving the user direct access to the programs interface. In this instance the primary e-mail programs combined send and receive button (2) would be disabled.

FIG 2 When the command button (1) on the menu bar for the invention program button is invoked the programs main window opens as shown in Fig 2. The program has the following main command features: Search (3), View (4), Receive (5) and Send (6). The features offer the user, when connected to the ISP, various methods of monitoring and choosing which e-mail is downloaded. The search (3) command allows, through a dialog box, the user to search for email at the ISP by various criteria. The view (4) command sends a request to the ISP for all mail received for the user to be viewed. The receive (5) command invokes a request for all the users e-mail to be downloaded without viewing or selecting The send (6) command invokes a request to the ISP to receive all the users outbox e-mail.

FIG 3 When the Search button (3) shown in Fig 2 is invoked a dialog window opens as illustrated in Fig 3. The dialog boxes requests the following information: Name of Sender (7), Size of e-mail (8), Date (9) e-mail was sent and any attachments (10) if applicable. To perform a search query any individual or combination of the above critera can be requested when looking for a specific e-mail to download or delete. When the user has completed the criteria the OK button (I I) has to be invoked for the request to then be sent to the ISP.

FIG 4 Once the ISP completes the search request the window illustrated in Fig 4 opens with the search results. Only e-mails based on the users search criteria would be available in the window for selection. The following information would be shown for each e-mail Name of Sender, Size of e-mail, Date e-mail was sent, attachment and size of attachment. At this stage the user has the choice to highlight the e-mails they require for downloading or deleting. The user would first highlight an e-mail or combination of e-mail then invoke the receive (13) button if they required the e-mail to be dowloaded by the ISP. Alternatively the user can highlight an e-mail or combination of e-mail then invoke the delete (12) button, the ISP would then delete the chosen e-mail.

FIGS When the View (4) command button is invoked in the programs main window interface as shown in Fig 2 a request is sent to the ISP for all available e-mail to be viewed. Once the ISP completes the view request the window illustrated in Fig 5 opens with the results. The following information would be shown for each e-mail ; Name of Sender, Size of e-mail, Date e-mail was sent, attachment and size of attachment. Once all the available e-mail is on view the user has the same options noted in the search criteria window illustrated in Fig4 This is the stage were the user has the choice to highlight the e-mails they require for downloading or deleting. The user would first highlight an e-mail or combination of e-mail then invoke the receive (14) button if they required the e-mail to be dowloaded by the ISP.

Alternatively the user can highlight an e-mail or combination of e-mail then invoke the delete (15) button, the ISP would then delete the chosen e-mail.

FIG 6 Is a flow diagram illustrating a method for invoking a search from the ISP. When the Search button (3) shown in Fig 2 is invoked a dialog window opens as illustrated in Fig 3. The dialog window requests the following information: Name of Sender, Size of e-mail. Date e-mail was sent and any attachments if applicable, to perform a search query (By Criteria).

The search request is sent to the e-mail server (ISP), whereby the search results are sent back to the PC from the ISP and are shown as a View Box Window as illustrated in Fig 4. At this stage the user has the choice to highlight the e-mails for downloading or deleting. The receive (13) and delete (12) button are located in the search result window. When invoking the receive (13) or delete (12) button a request is sent to the ISP and the highlighted e-mails are either downloaded to the PC or deleted by server (ISP).

FIG 7 Is a flow diagram illustrating a method for invoking a search to view all available e-mail When the View button (4) shown in Fig 2 is invoked a request is sent to the e-mail server (ISP). The view results are sent back to the PC from ISP and are shown as a View Box Window as illustrated in Fig 5. At this stage the user has the choice to highlight the e-mails for downloading or deleting. The receive (14) and delete (15) button are located in the view results box window. When invoking the receive (14) or delete (15) button a request is sent to the ISP and the highlighted e-mails are either downloaded to the PC or deleted by server (ISP).

FIG 8 Is a flow diagram illustrating a request from the user to receive all available e-mails from the ISP. When the receive button (5) in the programs main window opens, shown in Fig 2 is invoked a request is sent to the e-mail server (ISP). Once the request is received the ISP downloads all available e-mail to the users PC e-mail program inbox. This process occurs without the user having the opportunity to view or select which e-mail is downloaded.

FIG 9 Is a flow diagram illustrating a request to send email to the ISP. When the send button (6) in the programs main window, shown in Fig 2 is invoked, a request is sent to the e-mail server (ISP). The ISP receives all the e-mail from the users PC e-mail program outbox and then sends it out onto the Wide Area Network system (WAN-Internet).

FIG 10 . s a flow diagram illustrating the process of existing e-mail programs with combined send and receive command. The send and receive command button (2) when invoked during connection to the ISP sends a request Whereby immediately after connection to the e-mail server (ISP) or the WAN (Internet) e-mails are automatically sent or received. The request is to send all e-mail in the users primary e-mail programs outbox to the ISP and then out onto the Wide Area Network system (WAN-Internet). Concurrently the command sends a request to the ISP to receive all available e-mail from the ISP into the programs inbox. Thus all e-mail requested using this process is received unmonitored and automatically.

Claims

CLAIMS I. The invention e-mail program is an add on software program to existing e-mail programs which enables the user to monitor particular e-mail and have the ability to search, view and select specific e-mails at the e-mail server prior to download to the personal computer.
2. An e-mail program according to claim 1, wherein : The e-mail program seperates the send and receive commands.
3. The method recited in Claim 1, further comprising the steps of search by field, view all e-mails at e-mail server and download selected e-mails from the e-mail server.
4. An e-mail program according to claim 1, wherein: The invention e-mail program interacts seamlessly with existing e-mail program functions, disabling the automatic download function when connecting to the e-mail server.
5. The method recited in Claim I or 3, further comprising the steps of search by field, view all e-mails at e-mail server and delete selected e-mails at the e-mail server without downloading to the personal computer.
6. The method recited in Claim I or 3, comprising the steps of search by field, said fields incorporating name, size, date and any attachments types/formats, e. g. Wav, MP3, MIDI. JPEG, MPEG, JIF, DOC, ASCII, DWG. etc, etc.
7. The method recited in Claim I or 3, comprising the steps of viewing all e-mail and displayed by said Claim 6.