THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Section 10
“REMOTE EMAIL ACCESS THROUGH SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS)”
Newgen Software Technologies Limited, a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of India, of Brooklyn Business Centre, 5th Floor, East Wing, 103-
105, Periyar EVR Road, Chennai – 600084 Tamil Nadu, India.
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and
the manner in which it is to be performed:
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REMOTE EMAIL ACCESS THROUGH SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS)
Field of the Disclosure: -
The present disclosure refers to remote email access on a user mobile
equipment and particularly, but not limited to, remote email access on a user
mobile equipment through Short Message Service (SMS).
Background: -
With the increasing popularity of various personal electronic information and
computing devices, such as mobile phones, there has been an increasing need
to conveniently use the mobile phone for all the purposes that are currently
solved through a personal computer. A trend that has cropped up in case of
business users is to stay in touch with their business related matters even when
they are not in office through their mobile phones. The freedom to manage their
workplace by staying in constant touch allows business users unprecedented
flexibility and peace of mind.
High-end phones such as the Blackberry has become the de-facto standard for
business users who want to access their business mails on the go through their
mobile phones. Generally such high end phones offer various features such as
push e-mail, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing and other wireless
information services. However, these phones are costly and are restricted to
being used by only those users who can afford them.
US Patent Application no. 20030143983 describes a system and method of
providing a user with an alert, such as a visual or audible alert when one or more
email messages are received at a designated email account. The system and
method described in the document operates by intermittently querying the status
of the account at the server where the account is held over an on-line network.
Upon receiving a positive indication that email has been received, an alert
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message is sent to a pre-determined location via the telephone network. The
alert is sent to a visual display of a dedicated email alert device or is sent to an
existing phone such that a short ring acts as the alert. However, the system and
method primarily only provide an alert that an email has been received at the
user’s personal email account but do not provide information on the content of
the email.
There are systems available wherein information on the content of the email is
provided, however, the user is not enabled to process the email further and
perform related tasks such as reply to the email and view attachment.
Any such system which provides the above mentioned facilities to a user requires
the user to subscribe to and pay for the services rendered.
Summary: -
Embodiments of the present disclosure refer to remote email access through
Short Message Service (SMS). According to an embodiment of the present
disclosure, a system for remote email access through Short Message Service
(SMS) comprising an email server communicatively coupled to a network or
internet, a message processor coupled to the email server wherein the message
processor comprises a message filter and a message converter and a user
mobile equipment communicatively coupled to the message processor through a
wireless communication network is provided. A user is required to register the
user mobile equipment with the email server to enable remote email access
through SMS while the email server is configured to forward all received email
messages to the user through the message processor in accordance with user
specific configurations. In accordance with an embodiment of the present
disclosure, the message filter is configured to filter email messages received
from the email server to remove irrelevant information in accordance with user
specific parameters such as removal of advertisements, disclaimers and images.
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The message filter is configured to further process the filtered email message by
paraphrasing contents of the email message to output a processed email
message. The message converter is configured to convert a processed email
message to a format communicable as a SMS.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the user specific
configurations are such as receive full email, receive paraphrased email, receive
mail with/without trail, receive mail with/without images, receive mail with/without
attachments, receive email alert only, receive email alert with subject line etc. .
In an additional embodiment, for users with Multimedia Messaging Services
(MMS) enabled phones, the user has the option of receiving all his mails through
MMS instead of SMS.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the user is enabled to
conduct an interactive session with the email server to ensure effective
communication. According to an example of the embodiment, the interactive
session comprises options such as view full text, view attachments, reply to a
message and delete messages.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure illustrates a server for remote
email access through Short Message Service (SMS) comprising an email server
communicatively coupled to a network or internet, a message processor coupled
to the email server wherein the message processor comprises a message filter
and a message converter and a user mobile equipment communicatively coupled
to the message processor through a wireless communication network.
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Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure describes a method for remote
access email access through Short Message Service (SMS) comprising
registering user mobile equipment of a user with a desired email server to enable
remote access to emails through SMS by the user, determining whether a new
email message is received, filtering received email message in accordance with
user specific parameters, paraphrasing content of filtered email message to
output a processed email message, converting processed email message to a
format communicable as a SMS, transmitting converted email message as SMS
to the user in accordance with user specific configurations, alerting the user if
there are any attachments along with email message and enabling the user to
view email message.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the User specific
configurations are such as receive only current mail information, receive mail trail
information, receive attachment alerts and information and receive attachments
with current mail.
An embodiment of the present disclosure refers to user specific parameters such
as removal of advertisements, disclaimers and images.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure enabling the user to view
email message comprises conducting an interactive session with the email
server where according to an example of the embodiment the interactive session
comprises options such as view full text, view attachments, reply to a message
and delete messages.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the user replies to an
email message in the format of a SMS which is then transmitted to sender of the
email message as an email.
Brief Description of Figures: -
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The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures.
In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in
which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used
throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.
Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram representation of a system for remote
email access through Short Message Service (SMS) according to
an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of interactive menu in an
interactive session of the email server with the user according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 3 illustrates a diagrammatic representation of kind of email accounts
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 4 illustrates a flow diagrammatic representation of a method for
remote email access through SMS according to an embodiment of
the present disclosure.
Figure 5 illustrates a flow diagrammatic representation of remote email
access through SMS according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present disclosure.
Detailed Description: -
The following discussion provides a brief, general description of a suitable
computing environment in which various embodiments of the present disclosure
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can be implemented. The aspects and embodiments are described in the general
context of computer executable mechanisms such as routines executed by a
general purpose computer e.g. a server or personal computer. The embodiments
described herein can be practiced with other system configurations, including
Internet applications, hand held devices, multi-processor systems,
microprocessor based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs,
mini computers, mainframe computers and the like. The embodiments can be
embodied in a special purpose computer or data processor that is specifically
programmed configured or constructed to perform one or more of the computer
executable mechanisms explained in detail below.
Exemplary embodiments now will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many
different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set
forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will
be thorough and complete, and will fully convey its scope to those skilled in the
art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the particular exemplary
embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be
limiting. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.
The specification may refer to “an”, “one” or “some” embodiment(s) in several
locations. This does not necessarily imply that each such reference is to the
same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment.
Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other
embodiments.
As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the
plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further
understood that the terms “includes”, “comprises”, “including” and/or “comprising”
when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers,
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steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the
presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,
elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that when an
element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it
can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening
elements may be present. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein
may include wirelessly connected or coupled. As used herein, the term “and/or”
includes any and all combinations and arrangements of one or more of the
associated listed items.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used
herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill
in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will be further understood that terms,
such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as
having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the
relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense
unless expressly so defined herein.
The figures depict a simplified structure only showing some elements and
functional entities, all being logical units whose implementation may differ from
what is shown. The connections shown are logical connections; the actual
physical connections may be different. It is apparent to a person skilled in the art
that the structure may also comprise other functions and structures. It should be
appreciated that the functions, structures, elements and the protocols used in
communication are irrelevant to the present disclosure. Therefore, they need not
be discussed in more detail here.
Also, all logical units described and depicted in the figures include the software
and/or hardware components required for the unit to function. Further, each unit
may comprise within itself one or more components which are implicitly
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understood. These components may be operatively coupled to each other and be
configured to communicate with each other to perform the function of the said
unit.
Figure 1 describes a system for remote email access through Short Message
Service (SMS) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The
system comprises an email server 102 communicatively coupled to a network or
internet 101. The email server furthers the received mail to a message processor
103, which comprises a message filter 103a and a message converter 103b. The
message processor is further coupled to a user mobile equipment 105 over a
wireless communication system 104.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a user is required to
register his user mobile equipment 105 with the email server 102 to enable
remote email access through SMS at the registered user mobile equipment. As
an example of the equipment, if a user uses Gmail as his primary email, he
registers his mobile number and Gmail email address with our server to receive
email messages as SMS to his mobile equipment.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the email server 102 is
configured to forward received email messages through the message processor
103 in accordance with user specific configurations. User specific configurations
are such as receive only current mail information, receive mail trail information,
receive attachment alerts and information and receive attachments with current
mail. As an example of the embodiment, if a user configures the email server that
when a new email message is received, the email server should forward the
message as an SMS without attachments and instead alert the user so that the
user may separately view the attachment in another SMS.
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According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the message filter
103a is configured to filter email messages received from the email server 102 to
remove irrelevant information in accordance with user specific parameters such
as removal of advertisements, disclaimers and images. The filtered email
message is further processed by the message filter 103a by paraphrasing
contents of the email message to output a processed email message. According
to an example of the embodiment, the contents of the filtered email message are
paraphrased using lexical analysis. Lexical analysis is a process of converting a
sequence of characters to a sequence of tokens whereby crux of the text is
captured. Such paraphrasing by the message filter 103a ensures that the
processed email message comprises precise content, thereby increasing the
ease of transmission of the message as well.
The processed email message is then forwarded to the message converter 103b,
which converts the processed email message to a format communicable as a
SMS.
As stated previously, there are several user specific parameters and user specific
configurations which are defined by a user. At the instance of receiving the
processed email message as a SMS, the user is enabled to conduct an
interactive session with the email server 102 through the user mobile equipment
105 to optimize the communication between the user and the email server.
The interactive session of the user with the email server is conducted via an
interactive menu which provides various fields for interaction. An interactive
menu according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described in
Figure 2. Figure 2 illustrates an interactive menu 201 with fields such as view full
text, view attachments, reply to message and delete messages. According to the
embodiment, the user opts for a display menu with choice of last 5 email
messages 202 and the email message the user wants to view is displayed 203.
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According to an embodiment, the user opts for a display menu with choice of last
5 email messages with the attachments 204 and the attachment the user wants
to view is displayed 205. According to yet another embodiment, the user opts for
a display menu with choice of reply and reply to all 206, wherein the user then
types the email message and then sends to the sender of the email message
207. According to yet another embodiment, the user opts for a display menu with
choice of reply and reply to all 208 and the user chooses messages he wants
removed from the inbox 209.
A person skilled in the art shall understand that there are several fields which are
available to a user in the interaction menu and are not limited only to those listed
above.
Figure 3 refers to a diagrammatic representation of kind of email accounts
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to 3(a), the
user corresponds using a standard email account 301 and therefore, uses a
public email server such as Gmail or Yahoo for all registrations and usage.
According to the embodiment, the user has two options available for registration.
One is to register with email address and password 302 and update the phone
number 304 of the user mobile equipment on the same. The second option is
that the user sends the email address and password to a service number through
SMS 303 for registration for remote email access.
According to 3(b), the user corresponds using a business email account 305.
There are then two servers available through which the user pursues the
registration for remote email access. One is the Public POP/SMTP server 306
wherein the user registers with email address, password, phone number and
POP/SMTP 308. The other server is a Private POP/SMTP server 307 where the
account is customizable by the user as per business requirement 309.
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All email messages forwarded in embodiments of the disclosure comprise fields
such as, but not limited to, sender’s name, subject of the email along with
keywords of the email.
Embodiments of the method for remote email access through Short Message
Service (SMS) according to the present disclosure are described in Figures 4
and 5. The method is illustrated as a collection of blocks in a logical flow graph,
which represents a sequence of operations that can be implemented in
hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The order in which the process is
described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the
described blocks can be combined in different orders to implement the process,
or an alternate process.
Figure 4 illustrates a method for remote email access through Short Message
Service (SMS) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. A
user mobile equipment is registered by a user with a desired email server to
enable remote email access through SMS 401. The email server then determines
whether a new email message is received 402 and accordingly, the email
message is filtered in accordance with user specific parameters 403. Content of
the filtered email message is then, paraphrased to output a processed email
message 404. The processed email message is then converted to a format
communicable as a SMS 405 which is then transmitted as SMS to user
according to user specific configurations 406 over a wireless communication
system. The user is alerted if there are any attachments along with the email
message 407 and accordingly the user is enabled to view the email message
408.
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According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, user specific parameters
are such as removal of advertisements, disclaimers and images. According to yet
another embodiment, user specific configurations are such as receive only
current mail information, receive mail trail information, receive attachment alerts
and information and receive attachments with current mail.
In accordance with another embodiment a user is enabled to view the email
message by conducting an interactive session with the email server. The
interactive session comprises an interactive menu with options such as view full
text, view attachments, reply to a message and delete messages.
An exemplary embodiment of the method for remote email access through SMS
is illustrated in Figure 5. A user mailbox 501 receives a new email message 502.
The contents of the email message are filtered and paraphrased according to
user specific parameters 503 to output a processed email message. This
processed email message is then sent as SMS to a user, who then prompts for
attachments 504. According to the embodiment, it is then determined whether
there are any attachments 505. If yes, a query is forwarded to the user as to
whether attachment information should be sent 506. If yes, then the attachment
information is delivered 508 and the SMS is read 509 else interaction is stopped
507. If No, only the SMS is read by the user 509 and it is decided whether a reply
should be sent 510. If No, all interaction is stopped 511, else a reply in the form
of SMS is sent 512 and the SMS is delivered to the sender’s mailbox through the
email server in form of an email 513.
Embodiments of the present disclosure ensure that there is high level of
convenience and efficiency during interaction and that there is a higher amount
of data that is accessible to the user as per his/her use.
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Further, the present disclosure provides a higher level of security by preventing
spamming on the phone as it would avoid unnecessary disturbance for the user
in case there is a spam mail in the mailbox. Due to an intelligent system as per
the present disclosure, spam mail is automatically detected and deleted, an
updated record of unread mails is maintained, which are viewable as and when
the user logs into his account through a desktop computer.
The present disclosure is very cost effective as there is no special software
required to be installed on mobile equipment and therefore, there are no
installation charges. Also, the present disclosure does not require any special
features in the mobile equipment and may well be implemented in basic mobile
equipments which are at a lower scale of price list. Further, there is no additional
cost entailed to subscribe to a service providing embodiments of the present
disclosure as there is no cost levied for receiving SMSs by the wireless service
provider. However, sending SMSs entails regular charges.
A person skilled in the art would understand that the implementation of the
described embodiments is not limited only to the above mentioned examples.
Further, the wireless communication system as referred to in the disclosure is a
standard communication setup used for mobile communication.
As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the present invention may be
embodied as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the
present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, a
software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware
aspects all generally referred to herein as a "circuit" or "module." Furthermore,
the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a
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computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code
embodied in the medium.
Furthermore, the present invention was described in part above with reference to
flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems)
and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention.
It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block
diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block
diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These
computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general
purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data
processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which
execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data
processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable
memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data
processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the
instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of
manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other
programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps
to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a
computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the
computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the
functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
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The flowchart and schematic diagrams of Figures 1-3 illustrate the architecture,
functionality, and operations of some embodiments of methods, systems, and
computer program products for centralized and controlled printing and
administration. In this regard, each block may represent a module, segment, or
portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for
implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in
other implementations, the function(s) noted in the blocks may occur out of the
order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in
fact, be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be
executed in the reverse order, depending on the functionality involved.
In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed exemplary
embodiments of the invention. Although specific terms are employed, they are
used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation,
the scope of the invention being defined by the following claims
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We claim: -
1. A system for remote email access through Short Message Service (SMS)
comprising: -
a. an email server communicatively coupled to a network or internet;
b. a message processor coupled to the email server wherein the
message processor comprises a message filter and a message
converter; and
c. a user mobile equipment communicatively coupled to the message
processor through a wireless communication network.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a user is required to register the
user mobile equipment with the email server to enable remote email
access through SMS.
3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the email server is configured to
forward received email messages to a registered user through the
message processor in accordance with user specific configurations.
4. A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the user specific configurations
are such as receive only current mail information, receive mail trail
information, receive attachment alerts and information and receive
attachments with current mail.
5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message filter is configured to
filter email messages received from the email server to remove irrelevant
information in accordance with user specific parameters such as removal
of advertisements, disclaimers and images.
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6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message filter is configured to
further process the filtered email message by paraphrasing contents of the
email message to output a processed email message.
7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message converter is
configured to convert a processed email message to a format
communicable as a SMS.
8. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user mobile equipment is
enabled to conduct an interactive session with the email server.
9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the interactive session comprises
options such as view full text, view attachments, reply to a message and
delete messages.
10. A server for remote email access through Short Message Service (SMS)
comprising: -
a. an email server communicatively coupled to a network or internet;
b. a message processor coupled to the email server wherein the
message processor comprises a message filter and a message
converter; and
c. a user mobile equipment communicatively coupled to the message
processor through a wireless communication network.
11. A server as claimed in claim 10 wherein a user is required to register the
user mobile equipment with the email server to enable remote email
access through SMS.
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12. A server as claimed in claim 10 wherein the email server is configured to
forward received email messages to a registered user through the
message processor in accordance with user specific configurations.
13. A server as claimed in claim 12 wherein the user specific configurations
are such as receive only current mail information, receive mail trail
information, receive attachment alerts and information and receive
attachments with current mail.
14. A server as claimed in claim 10 wherein the message filter is configured to
filter email messages received from the email server to remove irrelevant
information in accordance with user specific parameters such as removal
of advertisements, disclaimers and images.
15. A server as claimed in claim 10 wherein the message filter is configured to
further process the filtered email message by paraphrasing contents of the
email message to output a processed email message.
16. A server as claimed in claim 10 wherein the message converter is
configured to convert a processed email message to a format
communicable as a SMS.
17. A server as claimed in claim 10 wherein the user mobile equipment is
enabled to conduct an interactive session with the email server.
18. A server as claimed in claim 17 wherein the interactive session comprises
options such as view full text, view attachments, reply to a message and
delete messages.
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19. A method for remote access email access through Short Message Service
(SMS) comprising: -
a. registering user mobile equipment of a user with a desired email
server to enable remote access to emails through SMS by the user;
b. determining whether a new email message is received;
c. filtering received email message in accordance with user specific
parameters;
d. paraphrasing content of filtered email message to output a
processed email message;
e. converting processed email message to a format communicable as
a SMS;
f. transmitting converted email message as SMS to the user in
accordance with user specific configurations;
g. alerting the user if there are any attachments along with email
message; and
h. enabling the user to view email message.
20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein user specific parameters are
such as removal of advertisements, disclaimers and images.
21. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the user specific configurations
are such as receive only current mail information, receive mail trail
information, receive attachment alerts and information and receive
attachments with current mail.
22. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein enabling the user to view email
message comprises conducting an interactive session with the email
server.
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23. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein the interactive session
comprises options such as view full text, view attachments, reply to a
message and delete messages.
24. A method as claimed in claim 21 and 24 wherein the user replies to an
email message in the format of a SMS which is then transmitted to sender
of the email message as an email message.
Dated this 18th day of February 2010
Of Anand and Anand Advocates
Agents for the Applicants