US6457879B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for continouously processing electronic messages throughout a transition between online and offline states
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
•
Filing: 1997-12-17
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Granted: 2002-10-01
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Expires: 2017-12-17
Abstract
Abstract An electronic mail (e-mail) application program includes a configurable, e-mail messaging feature for automatically responding to a portable computer's transition between online and offline states. The e-mail application program determines the state of a connection between a portable computer and an electronic mail server and processes electronic messages in accordance with the appropriate state. The portable computer's transition between an online state and an offline state triggers a user-configurable response, designed to permit the continuation of electronic mail message processing in a manner that accommodates the state change. The e-mail application program responds to such a transition by automatically switching between online and offline modes of operation. The e-mail application program can also respond to such a transition by establishing a secondary connection to a mail server when a primary connection is rendered inoperative. A user may configure various aspects of the invention to respond to a transition in a way that accommodates the user's hardware and/or software requirements.
Inventors
- 👤 Scott A. Thurlow
- 👤 David A. Raissipour
- 👤 Stephen T. Wells
- 👤 Robert M. Price
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:47
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/107; H; H04; H04L; H04L51/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for automatically effecting a switch between online and offline modes of electronic message processing, in response to a computer making a transition between online and offline states, comprising the steps of: processing electronic messages in accordance with the online mode, the online mode being capable of processing electronic messages in cooperation with a server, when the computer is in the online state, comprising the steps of: polling the server for a new electronic message, resolving an electronic message name against an address book on the server, immediately sending an outgoing electronic message, and immediately receiving an incoming electronic message; determining that the computer has made a transition from the online state to the offline state; and in response to the determination that the computer has made a transition from the online state to the offline state, automatically switching to processing electronic messages in accordance with the offline mode, comprising the steps of: queuing outgoing electronic messages for subsequent sending; resolving electronic message names against an address book on the computer; and suppressing polling of the server for new electronic messages.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
186 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for automatically effecting a switch between online and offline modes of electronic message processing, in response to a computer making a transition between online and offline states, comprising the steps of: processing electronic messages in accordance with the online mode, the online mode being capable of processing electronic messages in cooperation with a server, when the computer is in the online state, comprising the steps of: polling the server for a new electronic message, resolving an electronic message name against an address book on the server, immediately sending an outgoing electronic message, and immediately receiving an incoming electronic message; determining that the computer has made a transition from the online state to the offline state; and in response to the determination that the computer has made a transition from the online state to the offline state, automatically switching to processing electronic messages in accordance with the offline mode, comprising the steps of: queuing outgoing electronic messages for subsequent sending; resolving electronic message names against an address book on the computer; and suppressing polling of the server for new electronic messages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises making a determination that the computer has been undocked from a docking station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises making a determination that the computer has been disconnected from the server.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the online mode is defined by a configuration file, at least a portion of the configuration file being determined by receiving a first input set.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the offline mode is defined by a configuration file, at least a portion of the configuration file being determined by receiving a second input set.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the step of processing electronic messages in accordance with the offline mode further comprises the steps of: establishing a secondary connection to the server; and in response to establishing the secondary connection to the server, processing electronic messages in accordance with the online mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the secondary connection is a dial-up connection.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-09-30 | 2006-04-01 | 2006-10-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-09-30 | 2010-04-01 | 2010-10-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-09-30 | 2014-04-01 | 2014-10-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |