Communications system with radio device and server

Abstract

A communications system having a first server ( 205 ) with an electronic mail (e-mail) database for managing e-mail accounts, for storing radio device addresses associated with those accounts, and for storing electronic mail messages associated with those accounts. Each message has a header and text. A gateway connects the first server to a two-way radio network. A radio device ( 200 ) has a electronic messaging application. The radio device is capable of two-way communication over the two-way radio network. The first server comprises message handling software arranged to send, to the radio device, a portion of a message of a predetermined size, including a header portion and a text portion. The radio device ( 200 ) can request more of a message.

1 . through  10 . (Canceled)  
     
     
         11 . A computer configured to send and receive electronic mail comprising: 
 an interface configured to enable a user of a mobile radio device associated with the computer to access multiple existing email accounts using the mobile radio device.    
     
     
         12 . A communication system comprising: 
 a host computer;    an electronic mail database accessible by the host computer and configured to manage a plurality of email accounts; and    a mobile radio device having a radio device address and configured to send and receive email messages via the host computer and to access the plurality of email accounts,    wherein the host computer is configured to correlate the radio device address of the mobile radio with one of the plurality of email accounts, and    wherein the mobile radio device is configured to permit a user of the mobile radio device to send a message to the host system to access a different one of the plurality of email accounts.    
     
     
         13 . The communication system of  claim 12 , further comprising a gateway configured to give the host computer access to a public radio network including the mobile radio device.  
     
     
         14 . The communication system of  claim 12 , wherein the host computer is connected to the Internet in order that the radio device can send messages to recipients not directly associated with the host computer.  
     
     
         15 . The communication system of  claim 12 , further comprising a local area network connected to the host server and including a plurality of computer terminals.  
     
     
         16 . The communication system of  claim 15 , wherein 
 the user of the radio device has an email account associated with the communication system; and    the user can access the email account using either the computer terminals or the radio device.    
     
     
         17 . The communication system of  claim 12 , wherein the radio device is configured to send pre-defined messages stored in a memory of the radio device to at least one message recipient selected by the user of the radio device.  
     
     
         18 . The communication system of  claim 17 , wherein the pre-defined messages stored in the memory of the radio device include “OK” and “I'm unable to reply, right now”.  
     
     
         19 . A host computer comprising: 
 an account table configured to correlate a radio device address of a mobile radio device with one of a plurality of email accounts; and    a command message receiver configured to receive command messages from the mobile radio device including a command message to correlate the radio device address of the mobile radio device with a different one of the plurality of email accounts.    
     
     
         20 . The host computer of  claim 19 , wherein the host computer is connected to a gateway configured to give the host computer access to a public radio network including the mobile radio device.  
     
     
         21 . The host computer of  claim 19 , wherein the host computer is connected to the Internet in order that the mobile radio device can send messages to recipients not directly associated with the host computer.  
     
     
         22 . The host computer of  claim 19 , wherein the host computer is connected to a local area network which includes a plurality of computer terminals.  
     
     
         23 . A mobile radio device comprising: 
 a transmitter and receiver configured to transmit and receive messages including command messages to a host computer system, wherein the command messages include a command message to correlate the radio device address of the mobile radio device with one of a plurality of email accounts; and    a controller configured to instruct the transmitter to send a command message to the host computer to change the correlation.    
     
     
         24 . The mobile radio device of  claim 23 , wherein: 
 a user of the mobile radio device has an email account associated with the host computer;    the host computer is connected to a local area network including a plurality of computer terminals; and    the user can access the email account using either the computer terminals or the mobile radio device.    
     
     
         25 . The mobile radio device of  claim 23 , wherein the mobile radio device is configured to send pre-defined messages stored in a memory of the mobile radio device to at least one message recipient selected by the user of the mobile radio device.  
     
     
         26 . The mobile radio device of  claim 25 , wherein the pre-defined messages stored in the memory of the mobile radio device include “OK” and “I'm unable to reply, right now”.