KR101334811B1

KR101334811B1 - Apparatus and method for using push mail service in portable communication system

Info

Publication number: KR101334811B1
Application number: KR20070031004A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 오연택; 이철환
Original assignee: 삼성전자주식회사
Priority date: 2007-03-29
Filing date: 2007-03-29
Publication date: 2013-11-28
Also published as: KR20080088257A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method for confirming whether or not an e-mail is received without a periodic polling process in a portable terminal, and confirms that a new mail exists in a mail server and downloads the new mail from the mail server. And a mail agent for transmitting a message informing of the existence of new mail to a pre-registered mail client, and for transmitting the mail to the mail client when receiving a message requesting a received mail from the mail client. In the case of receiving a message indicating the existence of new mail, a periodic polling process performed when the mail is received in the existing mobile communication system, including the mail client transmitting the message requesting the received mail to the mail agent. Omit the existing push when Solve the cost problem arising from the use of the system and also can simultaneously determine the presence or absence of the incoming mail mail server.

Push mail, mail server, mail agent, mail receipt

Description

Apparatus and method for enabling push mail service in a mobile terminal {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USING PUSH MAIL SERVICE IN PORTABLE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM}

1 is a view showing a mobile communication system for providing a push email service according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of providing a push email from a mail agent to a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of performing an operation according to a control command of a portable terminal in a mail agent according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling a mail agent in a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a message used in a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to a device and a method for confirming whether or not an e-mail is received without a periodic polling process in a portable terminal.

In recent years, portable terminals have been used indispensably for modern people regardless of whether they are male or female, and service providers and terminal manufacturers are developing products (or services) competitively in order to differentiate them from other companies.

For example, the portable terminal may include a phone book, a game, a short message, an e-mail, a morning call, an MP 3 layer, and a schedule management function. It has developed into a multimedia device capable of digital cameras and wireless Internet services to provide various services.

In particular, the e-mail service is one of many services used by many users by allowing the portable terminal to directly check the document confirmation that can be confirmed after connecting to the Internet using a computer supporting a protocol such as SMTP / POP3 / IMAP4.

However, in order to use the above-mentioned e-mail service, the user accesses the e-mail server providing the e-mail service using personal information (for example, e-mail account ID and password), and then polls to check whether the e-mail is received. There is a problem that the process must be performed.

That is, the user of the portable terminal cannot determine whether a new mail has been received before performing the above polling operation.

The above problem is solved by using a push system for transmitting an e-mail received to the mail server to a portable terminal. However, there is a problem that maintenance is difficult due to the interworking of the mail server and the push system.

Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and method for confirming whether a new mail received from a portable terminal as described above is received by a mail server.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for supporting a push mail service in a mobile communication system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for a mail agent for transmitting a message informing a mail client to a mail client when checking a new message received by a mail server in order to support a push mail service in a mobile communication system. .

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of a mail client for requesting an incoming mail to a mail agent in order to support a push mail service in a mobile communication system.

According to a first aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objects, a mobile communication system supporting a push mail service confirms that a new mail exists in a mail server, downloads the new mail from the mail server, and registers the new mail. A mail agent transmitting a message informing of the existence of new mail to a mail client, and receiving a message requesting an incoming mail from the mail client, and a mail agent transmitting the mail to the mail client, and the presence of new mail from the mail agent. When receiving a message indicating the, characterized in that it comprises the mail client for transmitting a message requesting the received mail to the mail agent.

According to a second aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objects, a method for providing a push mail service in a mail agent is to confirm the incoming mail of the mail server through a periodic polling process and to receive the new mail from the mail server Downloading a message, generating a message informing of receipt of the new mail, and transmitting the message to the mail client; and receiving a message requesting the received mail from the mail client after transmitting the message informing of receipt of the new mail. Providing the received mail to the mail client; and when receiving a message for controlling the device including the mail agent from the mail client, controlling the device by an operation corresponding to the message. It features.

According to a third aspect of the present invention for achieving the above objects, a method for providing a push mail service in a mail client is requested to download the received mail after receiving a message informing of receiving new mail from a mail agent; Generating a message requesting the received mail and transmitting the received mail to the mail agent, receiving the received mail from the mail agent, and requesting to control the device when the mail agent is requested to control the device. Generating a message and transmitting the generated message to the mail agent.

Hereinafter, the operation principle of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear. The following terms are defined in consideration of the functions of the present invention, and may be changed according to the intentions or customs of the user, the operator, and the like. Therefore, the definition should be based on the contents throughout this specification.

In the following description, a description will be given of an apparatus and method for allowing a portable terminal to check whether a mail server receives new mail.

The mail agent defined in the following description is a device that performs a polling process by connecting to a mail server, and can communicate with a portable terminal. The portable agent is driven by the personal computer and the personal computer on which an application such as Outlook is installed. It is meant to include the application to enable communication with.

1 is a diagram illustrating a mobile communication system for providing a push email service according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile communication system may include a mail agent 100, a mail client 110, and a mail server 120.

First, the mail agent 100 may be configured to include a control unit 102, a mail confirmation unit 104 and a communication unit 106, the control unit 102 causes the mail confirmation unit 104 at a predetermined time period It is connected to the mail server 120 and instructs to confirm whether a new mail has been received.

That is, the mail agent may run on a personal computer in which an application such as Outlook is installed and check whether new mail is received at the mail server using the application.

If it is confirmed that the new mail is received by the mail checking unit 104, the control unit 102 transmits a message notifying the reception of the mail to the pre-registered mail client 110 through the communication unit 106. Do it.

In addition, when receiving the control message from the mail client 110, the control unit 102 processes to perform the operation according to the message.

For example, when receiving a message requesting to download the mail received from the mail client 110, the control unit 102 is connected to the mail server 120 to download the received mail The downloaded mail is transferred to the mail client 110.

When receiving a message for controlling the mail agent 100 from the mail client 110, the controller 102 powers off the mail agent according to the received message. Process to turn on.

The mail checker 104 receives the mail by receiving a command from the controller 102 and performing a periodic polling process by connecting to the mail server 120 using a program such as Outlook. Check for presence.

The mail client 110 refers to a portable terminal, and may include a control unit 114 and a communication unit 112.

When the control unit 114 of the mail client 110 receives a message informing of reception of a new mail from the mail agent 100, the control unit 114 outputs a control menu and detects a menu selection by a user.

If the mail client 110 detects the selection of a menu requesting the received mail, after generating a message informing of the mail request, the mail client 110 generates the message through the communication unit 112. To send).

Thereafter, the control unit 114 of the mail client 110 decompresses the mail received from the mail agent 100 and then provides the received mail to the user of the portable terminal.

On the other hand, if the control unit 114 of the mail client 110 detects the selection of the menu to control the mail agent 100, generates a message to control the daily agent to the mail agent 100 Process to send.

The foregoing has described a mobile communication system capable of supporting a push email service using a portable terminal, and the following description describes a process for supporting a push mail service in a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. something to do.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of providing a push email from a mail agent to a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the portable terminal means a mail client.

Referring to FIG. 2, the mail agent 100 first checks the mail server 120 in step 201 to check whether a new mail has been received. The mail agent 100 may determine whether the mail is received by using an application such as Outlook installed on a personal computer, and the application periodically registers account information and periodically polls. Through the mail server 120 may determine whether a new mail is received.

If it is not confirmed that the mail is received, the mail agent 100 proceeds to step 209 to perform a corresponding function (eg, standby mode).

On the other hand, when confirming the mail reception, the mail agent 100 proceeds to step 203 and transmits a message indicating a new mail arrival to the portable terminal 110, a mail client, proceeds to step 205 and proceeds to the portable terminal ( Receive a control message from 110.

Here, the control message is a message that allows the portable terminal 110 to control the mail agent 100 to download a new mail, and to control the power of the computer containing the mail agent 100 It may contain a message.

In step 207, the mail agent 100 reads the message received from the portable terminal 110 and performs an operation corresponding to the control command of the message.

Herein, an operation corresponding to the control command will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

Thereafter, the mail agent 100 ends the present algorithm.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of performing an operation according to a control command of a portable terminal in a mail agent according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the portable terminal means a mail client.

Referring to FIG. 3, the mail agent 100 first proceeds to step 301 and checks whether the message read in step 207 of FIG. 2 is a message including a control command to download a newly received mail.

If the message is requested to download the mail, the mail agent 100 proceeds to step 303 to download the received mails in connection with the mail server 120 and proceeds to step 305 to download the mail. Process to compress the loaded mails.

Here, the process of compressing the mails is a process performed to increase the transmission efficiency of the received mail, and compresses the mail in text format into a binary form suitable for a wireless environment.

In step 307, the mail agent 100 transmits the compressed mail to the mobile terminal 110.

On the other hand, when it is confirmed in step 301 that the received message is not a message for requesting to download the mail, the mail agent 100 proceeds to step 309 and includes the device including the mail agent 100. (E.g., a personal computer) to see if the message contains a command to control it.

If the message to control the device is received in step 309, the mail agent 100 proceeds to step 311 and performs a control operation (eg, PC power on, off, etc.) corresponding to the command. .

Thereafter, the mail agent 100 ends the present algorithm.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling a mail agent in a portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the portable terminal means a mail client.

Referring to FIG. 4, the portable terminal 110 first checks whether a message indicating the arrival of a new mail is received from the mail agent 100 in step 401. If the message is not received, the portable terminal 110 proceeds to step 415 to perform a corresponding function (eg, standby mode).

On the other hand, when confirming that the message is received, the portable terminal 110 proceeds to step 403 and outputs a control menu. Here, the control menu may include a menu for downloading a mail received through the mail agent 100 and a menu for controlling a device including the mail agent 100.

Thereafter, the portable terminal 110 proceeds to step 405 to check whether the user selects a menu selection by the user of the portable terminal 110.

If the user does not detect the menu selection, the portable terminal 110 performs the process of step 403 again.

On the other hand, when detecting the user's menu selection, the portable terminal 110 proceeds to step 407 to check whether the menu detected in step 405 is a mail request menu.

If the mobile terminal 110 detects the selection of the mail request menu, the mobile terminal 110 proceeds to step 409 to generate a mail request message and transmits the mail request message to the mail agent 100. Receive a mail sent from 100.

Here, the received mail is compressed in order to increase the efficiency of mail transmission.

In step 413, the portable terminal 110 outputs the received mail. Here, the portable terminal 110 may decompress the received mail and then process the output of the mail.

On the other hand, if the check result of step 407 does not detect the selection of the mail request menu (if it detects a menu selection to control a personal computer including a mail agent), the process proceeds to step 417 to control the personal computer. A message is generated and transmitted to the mail agent 100.

Thereafter, the portable terminal 110 ends the present algorithm.

4 is a method of controlling the mail agent 100 after performing a process of detecting a mail agent control menu selection by a user in the portable terminal 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention (manual mail reception). Method), the present invention may control the mail agent 100 (automatic mail receiving method) without detecting the menu selection.

That is, when the mail agent 100 confirms receipt of the new mail from the mail server 120, the mail agent 100 transmits a message informing the reception of the new mail to the portable terminal 110 and receives the message. May transmit a message requesting the received mail to the mail agent 100.

In addition, the portable terminal 110 transmits the message requesting the received mail, and if the response message for the message is not received from the mail agent 100 for a predetermined time, the mail agent 100 It may be determined that the device (eg, the personal computer) of the including device is powered off, and a message for controlling the device may be generated and transmitted to the mail agent 100.

5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a message used in a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 (a) is a diagram illustrating a format of a message informing the reception of a new message from the mail agent 100 to the portable terminal 110, which is a mail client.

Referring to FIG. 5A, the message is a field 503 including a unique information field 501 which the mail agent 100 grants to the portable terminal 110 and information indicating new mail reception. Can be configured.

Here, the unique information 501 means information for identifying the portable terminal 110 requesting the received mail.

5 (b) is a diagram illustrating a message transmitted from the portable terminal 110 to the mail agent 100.

Referring to FIG. 5B, the message includes a field 505 indicating unique information provided by the mail agent 100 and a field 507 including a control command for controlling the mail agent 100. It can be configured as.

The control command 507 may include a mail request command 509 for downloading a new mail and a PC control command 511 for controlling the power of the mail agent 100.

FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating a message used when the mail agent 100 wants to transmit an email received from the portable terminal 110.

Referring to FIG. 5C, the message includes a field 513 indicating unique information of the mobile terminal 110 that has performed a mail request and a field including a received mail to be transmitted to the mobile terminal 110 ( 515).

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the scope of the following claims, but also by the equivalents of the claims.

As described above, in the mobile communication system according to the present invention, when it is confirmed that a new mail is received at the mail server through an application (eg, Outlook) that can be connected to the mail server, the mobile terminal transmits a message notifying the reception of the mail to the portable terminal. By using the mail agent, it is possible to omit the periodic polling process performed when checking the mail reception in the existing mobile communication system.

In addition, according to the present invention can solve the cost problem caused by the use of the existing push system and at the same time can check whether the mail server receives the mail.

Claims

In the mobile communication system supporting the push mail service,

A mail agent for transmitting a message informing of the existence of new mail to a pre-registered mail client, receiving a response message to the message, and transmitting new mail to the mail client;

And a mail client for receiving a new mail by automatically sending a response message to the message when receiving a message indicating the presence of new mail from the mail agent.

The method of claim 1,

The mail agent,

A communication unit for transmitting the new mail, and

And a controller configured to check whether a new mail exists and to send the new mail to the mail client by periodically polling.

3. The method of claim 2,

The control unit,

And a mobile communication system for performing an operation corresponding to the control message received from the mail client.

3. The method of claim 2,

The control unit,

And process the new message to be compressed and transmitted to the mail client.

The method of claim 1,

The mail client,

And a control unit for processing to transmit a message for controlling the operation of the mail agent.

6. The method of claim 5,

The message for controlling the operation of the mail agent,

A mobile communication system including a message for controlling the power of the device containing the mail agent.

In the mail service method of a portable terminal,

When a new mail is received by the mail server, automatically transmitting a response to the mail receiving notification by using a mail client, and

Receiving and storing the new mail from the mail agent.

8. The method of claim 7,

Receiving and storing the new mail,

Receiving compressed mail from the mail agent;

Decompressing and storing the received mail.

8. The method of claim 7,

Mail service method of the portable terminal,

And controlling the power of a device including a mail agent if it does not receive a new mail after transmitting a response to the mail reception notification.

delete