MXPA00000090A - Electronic mail message notification method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus for notifying a recipient that an electronic mail (email) message addressed to the recipient has been received at an electronic mail messaging system. Responsive to an email messaging system receiving an email mesage addressed to a recipient, the email messaging system places an alert telephone call to the recipient. The alert telephone call indicates that the email message has been received. A notification device at the recipient's location detects the alert telephone call and indicates that the alert telephone call has been detected. The notification device comprises a detection circuit detecting an alert call placed in response to receipt of the email message and an indicator circuit indicating that the alert call has been detected. In one embodiment, the indicator circuit comprises a counter circuit counting a number of alert calls that have been detected and a display displaying the number of alert calls that have been detected.

Description

METHOD AND NOTIFICATION APPLIANCE FOR RECEIPT OF MESSAGE BY EMAIL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a system and method for notifying a recipient of an email message that a message has been received.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Currently, a user of an online service for consumer has no way of notifying at what time there are email messages (emails) not read in the user's account when the user is offline. The user must periodically initiate communication to the email message system to verify if there is new email. The process of initiating communication can be rather prolonged, involving stages such as turning on a computer, waiting for the computer to restart, activating an application program, starting the connection and waiting for the connection to be made. Due to the inconvenience of this process, many users initiate communication infrequently, for example once a day. Therefore, the time it takes to provide a REF .: 32283 email to the recipient can be a day or more. This delay tends to decrease the usefulness of email and makes it less likely that email will be used when a faster response is desired. The need arises for a technique by means of which the delay time of supplying an electronic mail message can be reduced. Such a reduction would result if the user will be notified that a new e-mail message has been received as soon as the message is received via the e-mail message management system. The need arises for a technique whereby users are notified of the management of e-mail messages of a new e-mail message as soon as the message is received by the e-mail message management system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method and apparatus for notifying a recipient that an email message (email) addressed to the recipient has been received in an email message management system. The invention provides a simple and inexpensive way of notifying the recipient of the moment when communication must be initiated in order to retrieve an email message.

In response to an email message management system that receives an email message addressed to a recipient, the email message management system establishes a warning telephone call to the recipient. The warning phone call indicates that an email message has been received. A notification device in the position of the receiver detects the warning telephone call and indicates that a warning telephone call has been detected. The notification device comprises a detection circuit that detects a warning call established in response to the reception of an electronic mail message and an indicator circuit indicating that a warning call has been detected. In one embodiment, the indicating circuit comprises a counter circuit that counts the number of warning calls that have been detected and a screen that displays the number of warning calls that have been detected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The details of the present invention, both with respect to its structure and operation, can be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers and designations refer to similar elements. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a system including an electronic mail notification device 116, according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a mode of a notification device 116, according to the present invention. Figure 3a is a block diagram of a typical e-mail receiver system configuration that includes a notification device, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 3b is a block diagram of another typical e-mail receiver system configuration that includes a notification device, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 4a is a block diagram of an exemplary system, in which an automated notification process can be implemented, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 4b is a flowchart of an email notification process 450 implemented in the system of Figure 4a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Figure 1 there is shown an electronic mail notification device (email) 116 of the present invention, and the system in which it functions. An e-mail transmitter 102 transmits an e-mail message 104, which is addressed to an e-mail receiver 106, to an e-mail message management system 108. The email message can be sent over any conventional transmission medium, such as a local or wide area network, or over the internet. The e-mail message management system places the received e-mail message in the receiving mailbox of the account belonging to the e-mail receiver 106. After the e-mail transmitter 102 transmits the e-mail message, then it must establish a warning telephone call 110 a to the e-mail receiver 106 at the designated telephone number using the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 112. Alternatively, after the e-mail message has been established in the receiving mailbox, the e-mail message management system 108 can establish a warning telephone call 110b to the e-mail receiver 106 in the phone number - € - assigned using the PSTN 11. The PSTN 112 completes the warning call to the telephone line 114 corresponding to the designated telephone number. The notification device 116 connects to the telephone line 114 and detects the marking signal of the warning call. The e-mail transmitter 102 or the e-mail message management system 108 allows the call to touch a predetermined number of times, and then the call ends. The notification device 106 detects the call and determines that it is a warning call based on the number of ring signals. The notification device 116 then generates an indication 118 that a warning call has been detected for the e-mail receiver 106, thereby notifying the recipient 106 that an e-mail message has arrived. Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a modality of a notification device 116, according to the present invention. The notification device 116 detects each warning call which enters through line 114, which is a standard telephone line. The notification device 116 includes a well-known telephone ring signal detector circuit 204, which is connected to the telephone line 114. The ringer signal detector 204 transmits a signal 206 indicating that the line 114 is touching. Signal 206 is input to counter / comparator 208 which counts each ring signal on line 114. Once it is detected that the call has ended, so that ring signals are not detected for a 5 second interval, the counter / comparator 208 compares the number of ringer signals counted with a predefined target number of ringer signals. When the number of bell signals is equal, but does not exceed the predefined target number, the comparator 208 counter transmits the signal 210, which indicates that a warning call has been received. This allows the notification device 116. differentiate warning calls from other types of calls that can enter through line 114. For example, the target number of ring signals can be set to one. When a call comes in on line 114, the ringer signal detector 204 will detect each ringer signal. After the first ring signal, the counter / comparator 208 will detect that the target number of ringing calls has been reached. If the call is not a warning call, line 114 will continue to touch. The counter / comparator 208 will detect that the preset number of ringing calls has been exceeded and will not transmit the signal 210. If the call is a warning call, the call will end, the counter / comparator 208 will detect that the number has not been exceeded. preset of ring signals and transmit signal 210, which indicates that a warning call has been detected.

The signal 210 is input to the counter circuit 212, which counts the number of warning calls received on line 204. The counter circuit 212 transmits a signal 214 to an indicator 216 indicating the current count of the warning calls. Indicator 216 shows the number of warning calls. When a warning call 110a or 110b is received as shown in Figure 1, which indicates that there is an e-mail message waiting, the notification device indicates that the e-mail message is waiting for the e-mail receiver. After being notified, the receiver can reset the warning call account by using the reset device 218, which is typically a button or a switch. Therefore, the counter 212 counts the warning calls that have arrived since the last reset. In another embodiment of the notification device, the counter 212 is replaced by a simple hooking device, which engages the signal 210. This mode only indicates that one or more warning calls have been received, and therefore notifies that one is waiting for one. or more emails. The number of warning calls is not displayed. The receiver can reset the notification device using the reset device 218.

The indicator 216 can be a visual display device or an audible indicator. In a modality in which the number of messages is displayed, the visual display device may be, for example, an alphanumeric display device that directly displays the number of warning calls or a blinking light indicating the number of warning calls by a pattern of flashes. In such an embodiment, an audible indicator may be a simple buzzer, indicating the number of warning calls by its buzzing pattern, or the audible indicator may be a speech synthesis device that generates a spoken message indicating the number of warning calls on hold. Both visual and audible indicators may be present in a notification device. The notification device 116 can advantageously be installed on any telephone line used by the electronic mail. In Figure 3a a typical configuration is shown. In this configuration, the receiver has a separate dedicated telephone line that is used to access the email message management system. The typical e-mail receiver has a computer system 302, which is often a standard personal computer. The typical e-mail receiver also has a conventional modem 304, which is used to initiate communication to the e-mail message management system in order to receive and transmit e-mail messages. Both the modem 304 and the notification device 116 are connected to the telephone line 114. The notification device 116 may include a conventional telephone line pass-through circuit, to allow convenient connection of the device to the telephone line and the modem. Generally, a typical e-mail user initiates telephone calls to the e-mail message management system. In Figure 3b, another typical configuration is shown. In this configuration, the email receiver uses a single telephone line that is shared among several devices. For example, in addition to the notification device 116 and the modem 304, a telephone device 306 and one or more additional telephone devices 308, such as a telephone answering machine, a fax machine, etc., are also connected. Many of these devices include base circuits to facilitate the connection of additional devices. The notification device 116 can advantageously be used in this configuration insofar as the target number of ring signals is appropriately set to correspond to the number of bell signals of a warning call. As an example, in a typical configuration, the notification device 116 is set to respond to the number of ring signals of a warning call, eg, a ring signal, and the device 308 can be set to respond to four ring signals. doorbell. An incoming call, regardless of the type, will ring on line 114. If the call is a warning call, the call will ring once and then end. The notification device 116 will detect the warning call and indicate that it is waiting for an email message. The device 308 will not respond to the call. If the call is not a warning call, the call will touch on line 114 more than once. The notification device 116 will detect this situation and will not register the call as a warning call. As the call continues to play, any person present can answer the call at the telephone station 306, or after four ring signals, the device 308 will respond by answering the call. Figure 4a shows an exemplary system in which an automated notification process can be implemented, in accordance with the present invention. The system of Figure 4a includes an email message management system 402, a public switched telephone network 404 (PSTN) and an electronic mail reception system 406. The email message management system 402 includes an email server 408 and a telephone dialing device 411. The e-mail detector system 406 typically includes the notification device 116, the modem 414 and a computer system 416. The email server 408 is a conventional online server system with multiple user account email capability. The email server 408 may only include a server computer system, or it may include multiple network computer systems present in a position or in several geographically separated positions. The email server 408 includes email messages 409 and telephone numbers 410, both of which typically are stored in one or more storage devices, such as hard disk drives. The 411 dialer device connects to the server 408 and the PSTN 404. The device 411 receives instructions or commands and data from the server 408 and transmits the status and data to the server 408. The device 411 is capable of initiating telephone calls on the PSTN 404 to telephone numbers received from the server 408. When an email message is received by the email server 408, the message is stored in an email server 408 in block 409. The email server 408 then selects the corresponding telephone number to the recipient of the e-mail message between the telephone numbers 410 and transmits the selected telephone number, together with the instructions, to the 411 dialer device. A conventional modem with transmission dialing capability can be used as the 411 dialer device. However, since warning calls end before a connection occurs, a full modem capability is not required. Therefore, less expensive devices can be used that only perform marking as the marking device 411. Figure 4b shows an email notification process 450, implemented in the system of Figure 4a. The process begins with step 451, in which the e-mail message management system 402 receives an e-mail message addressed to a registered e-mail receiver with an e-mail message management system 402, such as receiver in the 406 email receiver system. In step 452, the email message management system 402 establishes the received email message in the receiving mailbox corresponding to the email recipient. Typically, this reception mailbox is located on the email server 408. In step 453, the e-mail message management system 402 establishes a warning call to a telephone line that has been designated by the e-mail receiver. The warning call is allowed to touch a predetermined number of times, and then ends. In step 454, the notification device 116 detects the warning call and indicates to the e-mail receiver that there is a waiting e-mail message. Steps 455 and 456 can be carried out at the receiver's option. In optional step 455, the email receiver can reset the notification device 116. In optional step 456, the e-mail receiver can retrieve the waiting e-mail using the system 406. The completion timing of steps 455 and 456, or whether the steps are performed or not, are options of the receiver. Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that there are other embodiments that are equivalent to the embodiments described. Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not limited by the specific illustrated embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (19)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. A method for notifying a recipient that an email message has been received addressed to the recipient in an email message management system, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving a warning telephone call indicating that you have received an email message in the email message management system; detect the warning phone call; ß indicate that a warning telephone call has been detected.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of detecting the warning telephone call comprises the steps of: detecting each ringing signal of the telephone call; and determine whether the telephone call is a warning call based on the number of ringing signals of the telephone call.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of indicating that a warning telephone call has been detected comprises the steps of: counting the number of warning calls that have been detected; and display the number of warning calls that have been detected.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the step of detecting the warning telephone call comprises the steps of: detecting each ringing signal of the telephone call; and determine whether the telephone call is a warning call based on the number of ringing signals of the telephone call.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the step of indicating that a warning telephone call has been detected also comprises the step of: restoring the count of the number of warning calls that have been detected.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises the step of: restoring the indication that a warning telephone call has been detected. •

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the warning telephone call is received from the e-mail message management system.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the warning telephone call is received from a transmitter of the e-mail message.

9. A method for notifying a recipient that an email message has been received addressed to the recipient, in an email message management system, the method is characterized in that it comprises the steps of: receiving an email message addressed to the recipient; initiate a telephone call to a telephone number specified by the receiver; and end the telephone call after a predetermined number of ring signals.

10. An apparatus for notifying a receiver that an e-mail message has been received addressed to the recipient, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises: a detection circuit capable of detecting a warning call made in response to the reception of the e-mail message; and - an indicating circuit, coupled to the detection circuit, capable of indicating that a warning call has been detected.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the indicating circuit comprises: a counter circuit, coupled to the detection circuit, capable of counting the number of warning calls that have been detected; and a screen, coupled to the counter circuit, capable of displaying the number of warning calls that have been detected.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the indicating circuit further comprises: a resetting device, coupled to the counter circuit, capable of restoring the number of warning calls that have been detected.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the detection circuit comprises: a bell signal detector,. coupled to a telephone line, capable of detecting each ringing signal of a incoming telephone call; and a counter / comparator circuit, coupled to the ring signal detector, capable of determining whether the incoming telephone call is a warning call based on the number of ring signals of the incoming telephone call.

14. An electronic mail system, characterized in that it comprises: an electronic mail server capable of receiving an email addressed to a recipient; and a dialer device, coupled to the email server, capable of placing a warning telephone call to a telephone number specified by the recipient in response to receipt of an email message by the email server.

15. The system according to claim 14, characterized in that the dialing device establishes a warning telephone call by: initiating a telephone call to the telephone number specified by the receiver; wait for the phone call to play a predetermined number of times; and end of the phone call.

16. A system for notifying a recipient of an electronic mail message, characterized in that it comprises: an electronic mail system capable of receiving the email message and placing a warning telephone call to the recipient; and a notification device, capable of receiving the warning call and indicating receipt of the warning call to the recipient.

17. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that the electronic mail system comprises: an electronic mail server capable of receiving an email message addressed to a recipient; and a dialer device, coupled to the email server, capable of establishing a warning telephone call to a telephone number specified by the recipient, in response to receipt of an email message by the email server.

18. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that the notification device comprises: a detection circuit capable of transmitting a signal in response to the detection of a warning call established in response to the reception of an electronic mail message; and an indicator circuit, coupled to the signal, capable of indicating that a warning call has been detected.

19. The system according to claim 18, characterized in that the electronic mail system comprises: an electronic mail server capable of receiving an email message addressed to a recipient; and a dialer device, coupled to the email server, capable of establishing a warning telephone call to a telephone number specified by the recipient in response to the reception of an email message by the email server.