Method and apparatus for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems

Abstract

A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems includes the steps of: a) configuring an e-mail system polling process on a user's machine; b) polling a number of e-mail systems from the user's machine; c) retrieving data from the e-mail systems concerning mail intended for the user; and d) storing the data on the user's machine in a format that permits the storage and retrieval of data pertaining to the plurality of e-mail systems. The polling can be accomplished in the background while the user is performing other tasks on the computer system. An apparatus for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems includes a digital processor, read/write memory coupled to the digital processor, and at least one external communication channel coupled to the digital processor permitting the digital processor to communicate with a plurality of external electronic mail systems. A poller of the apparatus is operative to generate inquiries over the communication channel to the plurality of electronic mail systems, a data retriever is operative to receive data concerning mail intended for a designated user, and a data handler is operative to store and retrieve data concerning the mail for the designated user. An article of manufacture of the present invention includes the poller, data retriever, and data handler stored in a machine-readable storage medium.

1 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems over a TCP/IP protocol network comprising the steps of: 
 configuring an e-mail system polling process on a user machine;    polling a plurality of e-mail systems over a TCP/IP protocol network from said user machine;    retrieving data from said Plurality of e-mail systems concerning mail intended for said user; and    storing said data on said user machine in a format that permits the display of data pertaining to said plurality of e-mail systems.    
   
   
       2 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 1  wherein said step of configuring an e-mail system polling process includes the steps of: 
 designating a plurality of e-mail system accessors; and    designating an activation schedule for each of said plurality of e-mail system accessors.    
   
   
       3 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 2  wherein said step of configuring an e-mail system polling process further includes the step of: 
 for each of said plurality of e-mail system accessors, designating at least one of a plurality of parameters selected from a message retrieval group consisting essentially of downloading an image, downloading text, and downloading an attachment from an e-mail system accessed by a respective e-mail system accessor.    
   
   
       4 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 3  wherein said step of configuring an e-mail system polling process further includes the step of: 
 designating at least one message display parameter for each of said plurality of e-mail system accessors.    
   
   
       5 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 1  wherein said step of polling a plurality of e-mail systems from said user machine includes the steps of: 
 detecting a time to initiate a poll for a given e-mail system;    establishing a mail connection to said e-mail system; and    providing an inquiry to said e-mail system to determine the existence of messages for said user.    
   
   
       6 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 5  wherein said step of establishing a mail mechanism includes the step of activating of an e-mail system accessor.  
   
   
       7 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 6  wherein said step of retrieving data includes the step of retrieving data from said e-mail system accessor.  
   
   
       8 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 5  wherein said step of storing data includes the step of storing an e-mail database structure in a machine-readable memory, where said e-mail database structure includes a plurality of mail headers and a message block for each retrieved messages, where each message block is linked to a mail header corresponding to the origin of the data stored in said message block.  
   
   
       9 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of e-mail systems are Internet-based e-mail systems.  
   
   
       10 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 visually displaying an indication that there is at least one message from at least one e-mail system for said user.    
   
   
       11 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail systems as recited in  claim 10  further comprising visually displaying information concerning at least one message detected at an e-mail system for said user.  
   
   
       12 - 24 . (canceled)  
   
   
       25 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts comprising: 
 obtaining access information for a plurality of e-mail accounts, where at least two of said plurality of e-mail accounts are hosted by different e-mail systems;    retrieving mail data from said plurality of e-mail accounts; and    consolidating said mail data from said plurality of e-mail accounts.    
   
   
       26 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts as recited in  claim 25  wherein obtaining access information includes: 
 receiving a designation of a plurality of e-mail accounts; and    receiving a designation of access protocols concerning said plurality of e-mail accounts.    
   
   
       27 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts as recited in  claim 25  further comprising: 
 visually displaying an indication on said user's system that there is at least one message from at least one e-mail account.    
   
   
       28 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts as recited in  claim 25  further comprising visually displaying information concerning at least one message for said user.  
   
   
       29 . A method for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts as recited in  claim 25  wherein said different e-mail systems are Internet-based e-mail systems.  
   
   
       30 . An apparatus for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts comprising: 
 a digital processor;    read/write memory coupled to said digital processor;    at least one external communications channel coupled to said digital processor permitting said digital processor to communicate with a plurality of external electronic mail accounts, where at least two of said plurality of external electronic mail accounts are hosted by different e-mail systems;    a poller at least partially stored in said read/write memory and executable on said digital processor, said poller being operative to generate inquiries over said at least one communications channel to said plurality of electronic mail accounts;    a data retriever at least partially stored in said read/write memory and executable on said digital processor, said data retriever being operative to receive data concerning mail intended for a designated user from said plurality of electronic mail accounts; and    a consolidator developing data concerning mail for said designated user from said plurality of electronic mail accounts.    
   
   
       31 . An apparatus for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts as recited in  claim 30  wherein said at least one external communications channel includes a Local Area Network (LAN).  
   
   
       32 . An apparatus for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts as recited in  claim 30  wherein said at least one external communications channel includes a Wide Area Network (WAN).  
   
   
       33 . An apparatus for monitoring multiple electronic mail accounts as recited in  claim 32  wherein said WAN includes the Internet.