Electronic mail notification system and method within a hybrid network that transmits notifications via a continuous, high-speed channel

Claim 1

An electronic mail front-end for an electronic mail alert system, the electronic mail alert system having an electronic mail server which administers a subscriber electronic mail account and stores electronic mail previously sent to the server from a remote terminal, wherein the electronic mail server includes a subscriber account memory for storing an indication that electronic mail has been received by the server for a service subscriber, and communicating means for allowing a subscriber terminal to retrieve electronic mail from the server, the electronic mail front-end comprising: polling means for polling the server to determine whether the server has received electronic mail for the service subscriber, the electronic mail having been sent to the electronic mail server from a remote terminal; and notifying means responsive to the polling means for disseminating an electronic mail notification to the subscriber terminal, via a high-speed, continuous communication channel, the subscriber terminal being one of a stand-alone personal computer, a personal computer connected to a computer network, and a local area network electronic mail server, and the high-speed, continuous communication channel being one of a satellite link and a cable connection, the subscriber terminal further being connected to the electronic mail server of the electronic mail alert system via a dial-up connection to request previously notified electronic mail, such that the same subscriber terminal is provided with both a high-speed, continuous communication channel for receiving electronic mail notification and a dial-up connection for requesting previously notified electronic mail.

Claim 38

A method of notifying a subscriber of an electronic mail service including a server having a subscriber account memory and being accessible by the subscriber via a subscriber terminal so that the subscriber terminal may retrieve electronic mail from the server which was previously sent to the server from a remote computer terminal, the service further including an electronic mail alert front-end adapted for communicating with the server, the method comprising the steps of: maintaining at the subscriber terminal a latest time-stamp indicating when the server most recently received electronic mail for the subscriber; storing in the subscriber account memory of the server an updated time-stamp associated with the subscriber, wherein the updated time-stamp indicates a time when electronic mail for the subscriber is received by the server; providing for the front-end to periodically poll the server to obtain the updated time-stamp associated with the subscriber and to send the updated time-stamp to the subscriber terminal via a high-speed, continuous communication channel, the subscriber terminal being one of a stand-alone personal computer, a personal computer connected to a computer network, and a local area network electronic mail server, and the high-speed continuous communication channel being one of a satellite link and a cable connection; and providing for the subscriber terminal to compare the updated time-stamp to the latest time-stamp and to provide an indication to the subscriber that electronic mail for the subscriber has been received by the server of the electronic mail service if the updated time-stamp differs from the latest time-stamp, wherein the subscriber terminal is further connected to the server of the electronic mail service via a dial-up connection to request previously notified electronic mail.

Claim 39

A method of notifying a subscriber of an electronic mail service including a server having a subscriber account memory and being accessible by the subscriber via a subscriber terminal so that the subscriber terminal may retrieve electronic mail from the server which was previously sent to the server from a remote computer terminal, the service further including an electronic mail alert front-end adapted for communicating with the server, the method comprising the steps of: maintaining at the subscriber terminal a latest time-stamp indicating when the server most recently received electronic mail for the subscriber; storing in the subscriber account memory of the server an updated time-stamp associated with the subscriber, wherein the updated time-stamp indicates a time when electronic mail for the subscriber is received by the server; providing for the front-end to periodically poll the server to obtain the updated time-stamp associated with the subscriber and to send the updated time-stamp to the subscriber terminal via a high-speed, continuous communication channel, the subscriber terminal being one of a stand-alone personal computer, a personal computer connected to a computer network, and a local area network electronic mail server, and the high-speed continuous communication channel being one of a satellite link and a cable connection; and providing for the subscriber terminal to compare the updated time-stamp to the latest time-stamp and to provide an indication to the subscriber that electronic mail for the subscriber has been received by the server of the electronic mail service if the updated time-stamp differs from the latest time-stamp, wherein the subscriber terminal is further connected to the server of the electronic mail service via a dial-up connection to request previously notified electronic mail.

Claim 40

A method of notifying an electronic mail system subscriber that the system has received electronic mail for the subscriber so that a subscriber terminal may retrieve electronic mail previously sent to the electronic mail system by a remote terminal, the method comprising the steps of: polling the electronic mail system to obtain an indication that the electronic mail system has received electronic mail for the subscriber, the electronic mail having been previously sent to the electronic mail system from a remote terminal; sending the indication to the subscriber terminal via a high-speed, continuous communication channel, the subscriber terminal being one of a stand-alone personal computer, a personal computer connected to a computer network, and a local area network electronic mail server, and the high-speed, continuous communication channel being one of a satellite link and a cable connection, and providing the subscriber terminal with a dial-up connection to the electronic mail system for requesting previously notified electronic mail, such that the same subscriber terminal is provided with both a high-speed, continuous communication channel for receiving electronic mail notification and a dial-up connection for requesting previously notified electronic mail.

Claim 41

A method of notifying an electronic mail system subscriber that the system has received electronic mail for the subscriber so that a subscriber terminal may retrieve electronic mail previously sent to the electronic mail system by a remote terminal, the method comprising the steps of: polling the electronic mail system to obtain an indication that the electronic mail system has received electronic mail for the subscriber, the electronic mail having been previously sent to the electronic mail system from a remote terminal; sending the indication to the subscriber terminal via a high-speed, continuous communication channel, the subscriber terminal being one of a stand-alone personal computer, a personal computer connected to a computer network, and a local area network electronic mail server, and the high-speed, continuous communication channel being one of a satellite link and a cable connection, and providing the subscriber terminal with a dial-up connection to the electronic mail system for requesting previously notified electronic mail, such that the same subscriber terminal is provided with both a high-speed, continuous communication channel for receiving electronic mail notification and a dial-up connection for requesting previously notified electronic mail.