WO2002007397A1 - Systeme de courrier electronique - Google Patents

Systeme de courrier electronique Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2002007397A1
WO2002007397A1 PCT/IE2001/000090 IE0100090W WO0207397A1 WO 2002007397 A1 WO2002007397 A1 WO 2002007397A1 IE 0100090 W IE0100090 W IE 0100090W WO 0207397 A1 WO0207397 A1 WO 0207397A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
mail
target
subscriber
email
server
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IE2001/000090
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
John King
John Patten
Original Assignee
Yescom Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Yescom Limited filed Critical Yescom Limited
Priority to AU2001269395A priority Critical patent/AU2001269395A1/en
Publication of WO2002007397A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002007397A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L63/00—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security
    • H04L63/02—Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
    • H04L63/029—Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • H04L51/21—Monitoring or handling of messages
    • H04L51/224—Monitoring or handling of messages providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an electronic mail (email) system and more particularly to a method of operating such a system to convey mail between users across the Intemet.
  • Every email account has an associated mail server in which mail posted to that account is received and stored.
  • This mail server may be a dedicated device or be a virtual device hosted by an Intemet Service Provider (ISP). Irrespective of the type of mail server being used it is necessary for the intended mail recipient to establish contact with the mail server to retrieve mail.
  • ISP Intemet Service Provider
  • the present invention is directed towards overcoming the aforementioned problems.
  • a system to convey email between users across the Internet comprising a target mail server which receives an email, stores the email and downloads the email to a target subscriber, characterised in that on receiving an email the mail server carries out the following steps:-
  • the entire system is thus protected from hackers by a firewall system which allows in from the internet only SMTP traffic (mail) destined for users of the system (target subscribers)
  • the target subscriber in effect gets all the benefits of an open leased line and firewall without the associated cost premium.
  • the mail server opens communication with the target subscriber, the system performs the preparatory steps of: -
  • the contact database incorporates encryption means.
  • the system incorporates graphic processing means.
  • the mail server is configured to process messages in excess of one hundred and sixty characters.
  • the mail server is also configured to process complex or encoded messages.
  • the mail server incorporates an application Program Interface and associated applet for automatically performing the steps of: -
  • means for initiabsing a mail receiving function prior to down loading the received email in response to a mail receiving function inactive signal, means for initiabsing a mail receiving function prior to down loading the received email.
  • the mail receiving function incorporates alert means for temporarily suspending processing at the user system and alerting a user to the received email. It is envisaged that if on contacting the target subscriber, the mail server cannot open communication, the mail server stores the email in a priority contact database and after a pre-set time interval has elapsed, again contacts the target subscriber and continues to do so until the email is downloaded. It is lughly unlikely that contact would not obtained, but in this unlikely event then contact will be made as quickly as possible.
  • the mail server on downloading the email to the target subscriber, the mail server carries out the following steps:-
  • the mail server opens communication with a sending subscriber mail server
  • the mail server transmits a confirmation message reporting delivery of email to the sending subscriber mail server
  • the mail server terminates the communication.
  • the mail server if on contacting the sending subscriber mail server, the mail server cannot open communication, the mail server stores the r ⁇ nfirmation message in a priority confirmation database, and after a pre-set time interval again contacts the sending subscriber and continues to do so until the confirmation message is sent.
  • the mail server reserves portion of the bandwidth allocated from the communications network for those target subscribers to provide priority of access to the mail server.
  • the mail server stores the originating address of such target subscribers as priority addresses and then on receipt of a message having a destination or originating address which is a priority address, the email is queued for onward processing ahead of all emails other than those already received emails with priority addresses.
  • an internet service system comprising a mail server including:-
  • processor forming part of the server and programmed to recognise the address of at least some of the subscribers as priority target subscribers;
  • the processor on receiving a message for the target subscriber, the processor contacts the target subscriber and opens communication with the target subscriber before downloading the email.
  • the communications system includes a multichannel Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) router and individual ISDN routers for each subscriber.
  • ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network
  • the server is connected to a priority contact database for emails and the processor is programmed to store those emails which are not downloaded as the processor was unable to open cc»mmunication with the target subscriber.
  • the system includes firewall means.
  • Fig. 1 is an outline of the system according to the invention.
  • FIGs. 2 and 3 are flowcharts showing operation of one method according to the invention.
  • ISP internet service provider
  • the ISP 1 is also referred to as the target ISP in this specification to distinguish it from the other ISPs.
  • the ISP 1 includes a firewall 2 between it and a multichannel ISDN router 3 which in turn is connected by the communications network to various subscribers 4.
  • the ISP 1 comprises a server and programmable processor, not shown.
  • the ISP 1 also includes a priority contact database again not illustrated, which is connected to the server.
  • the ISP 1 is connected to the Intemet which also serves other ISPs 6.
  • Each subscriber 4 is provided with an ISDN router 7 which can make and receive calls on demand of traffic.
  • the ISP 1 In use, when the ISP 1 receives an email, it is delivered immediately to the multichannel ISDN router 3 where it is immediately dispatched to the appropriate ISDN router 7.
  • the ISDN router 7 will accept a call presuming a connection can be made and then the email is downloaded immediately to the subscriber 4.
  • the subscriber 4 has all the advantages of a dedicated ISDN leased line. Effectively, the transmission of email does not wait the next call being made and this means that a significant delay which can occur, even if a company is dialling its target ISP on a 10 to 15 minute basis, is eliminated.
  • a further problem as will be appreciated with the normal situation, is that calls are made regardless of whether an email is ready to be sent or received.
  • the target ISP 1 receives, through the firewall 5 from another ISP 6, an email for one of its subscribers 4.
  • the ISP immediately delivers, through the firewall 2 and the multichannel ISDN router 3 which is capable of making and accepting connections on demand of traffic, the email to the appropriate ISDN router 7 and hence the subscribers 4.
  • the target subscribers 4 email is delivered immediately to the multichannel ISDN router where it is received and immediately transferred to another subscriber 4, or to an ISP 6.
  • the only delay which the sender will experience in the transmission of emails will be the recipients frequency of access. This can be effectively instant transmission where the receiving party has a leased line or is subscribing to the present invention.
  • Figs. 2 and 3 one method according to the invention is described. In this method, there is a need as will be appreciated for various databases, etc. However, rather than describe all these separately, it is better to describe them in conjunction with the flowchart. It is presumed that in this particular email system, all the subscribers that the ISP is serving do not subscribe to this additional service. The effect of this will become apparent later. Therefore, those targeted subscribers of the ISP who are connected to this additional service are described as priority target subscribers and those subscribers who do not or are not connected to the service, although they are served by the particular ISP or target ISP are simply subscribers or targeted subscribers.
  • step 10 another ISP sends an email.
  • step 11 the target ISP receives the email and in step
  • the target ISP checks a priority database, which priority database has a list of those priority targeted subscribers, i.e. those to whom the method is to be applied and will also have a list of those targeted subscribers who are not subscribers to the system. In the event of the check in step 12 showing that the targeted subscriber is not a priority targeted subscriber, then in step 12
  • step 13 the email is stored in conventional fashion and in step 14, it will be downloaded to the targeted subscriber when the targeted subscriber contacts the ISP in conventional fashion and then the session ends in step 15 for that targeted subscriber. If, however, on the other hand, the targeted subscriber is one of the subscribers utilising the service and thus listed in the priority database, in step 16 the ISP checks the email to find out whether it is one being sent by the targeted priority subscriber or one being sent to the priority targeted subscriber.
  • step 17 the ISP attempts to send the email as quickly as possible and if unable to send it, in step 18, retries and continues to retry until the email is sent,
  • step 19 the ISP confirms to the priority target subscriber that the email has been sent. If the ISP is unable to contact the priority target subscriber in step 19, then the confirmation is stored in a corif ⁇ rmation database in step 20 and in step 21, at regular intervals, the ISP continues to try to contact the priority target subscriber to confirm that the email has been sent. When this is done, the session ends in step 22.
  • step 16 If, however, in step 16, it was apparent that the priority target subscriber is the intended recipient of the email, then in step 23, a firewall is consulted and checked. In step 24 it is accepted or rejected. Presuming the email is not accepted, then in step 25, the email is refused. If the message is accepted immediately, then the system attempts to contact the target in step 26. In step 27, the target ISP opens communications with the priority target subscriber and in step 28, presuming that it is unable to open communications, the message is stored in a priority buffer and periodically, over very short periods of time, in step 29, the ISP retries to open communications with the priority target subscriber. In step 30, the email is downloaded and in step 31, the session ends.
  • the use of the system for sending emails may not be used in all instances. It will be appreciated that in many instances, all the target subscribers connected to an ISP will in fact avail of the service. It is also envisaged that not all of the target subscribers will avail, for example, of the firewall facility.
  • the ISP can additionally add, as explained above, further help in the sense that they can confirm to the sending subscriber that the email has been delivered.
  • virus checking will be carried out.
  • the ISP will reserve some portion of the bandwidth allocated from the communications network to those target subscribers to provide priority of access to the target ISP.
  • the servers of ISPs get overloaded at certain periods of time and thus the priority targeted subscribers will be given priority of delivery of emails as well as reception.
  • the invention can be relatively easily carried out by having a processor forming part of the server which is programmed to recognise the address of at least some of the subscribers as priority target subscribers and on receiving a message for the priority target subscriber to contact the priority target subscriber and open coriimunications with it.
  • Another great advantage of the present invention is that for the small to medium sized company, all the benefits of a leased line have been achieved without the cost. Also, the advantage, for example, of having a shared firewall, will ensure greater security and less lilcelihood of breaches. A major management responsibility is removed.
  • a mail server receives an email
  • the mail is processed by the mail server to extract a target subscriber identifier.
  • This identifier will typically be the email address to which the mail is sent.
  • a check is then performed by retrieving and hterrogating a contact database using the extracted identifier.
  • This check is particularly useful where the system is being retrofitted to an existing mail server to add nationality. That is to say that existing users may continue to obtain mail in the conventional way or may be offered the real time, cost effective, secure mail system of the current invention as an option.
  • a contact parameter file for that user is retrieved and decoded. Decoding or decryption is a necessary security precaution to prevent hackers obtaining the contact details.
  • the mail server incorporates an Apphcation Program Interface (API) and associated applet for interaction with a user system.
  • API Apphcation Program Interface
  • the API interacts with the user system when the communication link is established to automatically interrogate the user system to dete ⁇ nine is a mail receiving function is active. This may be achieved by memory mapping or simply by interrogation of the task manager. If the interrogation determines that a mail receiving function is not active a mail receiving function inactive signal is generated. This signal is passed to the applet and acts as a trigger to initialise the mail receiving function prior to down loading the received email.
  • the applet may be downloaded during communication or may be provided to the user during installation. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that this functionality may be achieved in a variety of ways without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a macro may be used instead of an applet.
  • the mail receiving function incorporates alert means for temporarily suspending processing at the user system and alerting a user to the received email.
  • the system is configured to allow processing of graphic files and text files in excess of one hundred and sixty characters as well as encoded messages such as Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML) or Standard Generalised Markup Language (SGML) etc.
  • HTML Hyper Text Markup Language
  • XML Extensible Markup Language
  • SGML Standard Generalised Markup Language
  • Complex messages which may be simply text with HTML, tag inserts or text messages with associated text or graphic files may also be processed.
  • the addressee being one of a very large number of possible addresses and that these addressees can operate from many locations and on a disparate array of mail platforms. It will also be understood that the addressee may be an individual within a company and the mail will be routed accordingly.

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système de courrier électronique conçu pour traiter le courrier électronique entre utilisateurs sur un réseau informatique exploitant un serveur de courrier cible qui reçoit, stocke et télécharge des messages vers un système abonné cible. Le serveur opère de façon à amorcer une liaison de communication en temps réel avec l'abonné cible pour délivrer chaque message dès sa réception, plutôt que de le stocker et d'attendre une demande de téléchargement de la part de l'abonné cible. Dans un autre système de courrier électronique, le serveur de courrier cible interroge le système abonné cible pour établir si la fonction de réception de courrier est activée. Si tel n'est pas le cas, la fonction de réception de courrier est amorcée.
PCT/IE2001/000090 2000-07-18 2001-07-12 Systeme de courrier electronique WO2002007397A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001269395A AU2001269395A1 (en) 2000-07-18 2001-07-12 An electronic mail system

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IES2000/0582 2000-07-18
IE20000582 2000-07-18

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002007397A1 true WO2002007397A1 (fr) 2002-01-24

Family

ID=11042646

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IE2001/000090 WO2002007397A1 (fr) 2000-07-18 2001-07-12 Systeme de courrier electronique

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2001269395A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2002007397A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2408658A (en) * 2003-11-25 2005-06-01 Surfkitchen Inc Communications system
EP1679845A1 (fr) * 2005-01-06 2006-07-12 NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Terminal portable, système de diffusion de contenus et procédé de diffusion de contenus

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999017505A1 (fr) * 1997-09-29 1999-04-08 Ericsson Inc. Systeme et procede permettant de faire suivre du courrier electronique
GB2333936A (en) * 1997-11-11 1999-08-04 Nec Corp Automatic distribution of electronic mail
US5956521A (en) * 1995-06-26 1999-09-21 Wang; Kevin Kuan-Pin System for universal electronic mail delivery where messaging devices are notified using a particular dialing, ringing, and hanging-up pattern
US5983353A (en) * 1997-01-21 1999-11-09 Dell Usa, L.P. System and method for activating a deactivated device by standardized messaging in a network

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5956521A (en) * 1995-06-26 1999-09-21 Wang; Kevin Kuan-Pin System for universal electronic mail delivery where messaging devices are notified using a particular dialing, ringing, and hanging-up pattern
US5983353A (en) * 1997-01-21 1999-11-09 Dell Usa, L.P. System and method for activating a deactivated device by standardized messaging in a network
WO1999017505A1 (fr) * 1997-09-29 1999-04-08 Ericsson Inc. Systeme et procede permettant de faire suivre du courrier electronique
GB2333936A (en) * 1997-11-11 1999-08-04 Nec Corp Automatic distribution of electronic mail

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2408658A (en) * 2003-11-25 2005-06-01 Surfkitchen Inc Communications system
GB2408658B (en) * 2003-11-25 2006-07-05 Surfkitchen Inc Communications system
EP1679845A1 (fr) * 2005-01-06 2006-07-12 NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Terminal portable, système de diffusion de contenus et procédé de diffusion de contenus
US7616629B2 (en) 2005-01-06 2009-11-10 Ntt Docomo, Inc. Mobile device, content distribution system, and content distribution method
EP1981247A3 (fr) * 2005-01-06 2010-05-19 NTT DoCoMo, Inc. Dispositif mobile, système de distribution de contenu, et procédé de distribution de contenu
US8358626B2 (en) 2005-01-06 2013-01-22 Ntt Docomo, Inc. Mobile device, content distribution system, and content distribution method

Also Published As

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