Method and System for Providing Backup Messages to Wireless Devices During Outages

Abstract

The method and system of the present invention provides an improved technique for providing email to a wireless device during an outage. Email messages are redirected from the primary email system to a secondary email system during an outage such as, for example, a natural disaster. Email messages are accessible from the secondary email system through a wireless device. A notification message is sent to the user's wireless device alerting them that their email messages are available on the secondary email system through their wireless device. After the termination of the outage, email messages received during the outage are synchronized into the users standard email application.

1 . A method for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 intercepting email messages responsive to detection of an outage of a primary email system prior to said email messages passing through a company's firewall, wherein said intercepting is performed during said outage of said primary email system;   redirecting said email messages to a pre-specified alternate location; and   delivering said email messages from said pre-specified alternate location to a wireless device.   
     
     
         2 . A method for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 intercepting email messages responsive to detection of an outage of a primary email system after said email messages pass through a company's firewall, but before said email messages enter said primary email system, wherein said intercepting is performed during said outage of said primary email system;   redirecting said email messages to a pre-specified alternate location; and   delivering said email messages from said pre-specified alternate location to a wireless device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said intercepting email messages after said email messages pass through said company's firewall operates integrally with said company's anti-virus or anti-spam application. 
     
     
         4 . A method for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 intercepting email messages responsive to detection of an outage of a primary email system before said email messages leave an Internet mail connector, wherein said intercepting is performed during said outage of said primary email system;   redirecting said email messages to a pre-specified alternate location; and   delivering said email messages from said pre-specified alternate location to a wireless device.   
     
     
         5 . A method for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 intercepting, responsive to detection of an outage of a primary email system, email messages directed to non-functioning addresses within said primary email system on a real-time basis, wherein said intercepting is performed during said outage of said primary email system;   redirecting said email messages to an alternate location; and   delivering said email messages from said alternate location to a wireless device.   
     
     
         6 . A method for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 intercepting, responsive to detection of an outage of a primary email system, email messages intended for said primary email system within an email application designed to inspect email message traffic;   redirecting said email messages to an alternate location; and   delivering said email messages from said alternate location to a wireless device.   
     
     
         7 . A method for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 redirecting, responsive to detection of an outage of a primary email system, email messages intended to be delivered to said primary email system to an SMTP host, wherein said redirected email messages have a lower priority designation.   
     
     
         8 . A method for delivering backup messages to wireless devices, comprising:
 maintaining a mapping of alternate email addresses of wireless devices, wherein said wireless devices have multiple modes of receiving data;   upon an outage of a primary mode for delivering email messages to said wireless devices, forwarding said email messages to said wireless devices through an alternate mode.   
     
     
         9 . A method for acquiring information necessary for providing backup email messages to wireless devices, comprising:
 acquiring information from a primary email system and a primary wireless gateway, wherein said information is selected from the group consisting of wireless device users, email addresses, device identification information, encryption keys, user preferences and user's wireless platform; and   at a time when said primary email system is unavailable, providing said information to a device receiving an inbound SMTP stream during said unavailability so that email messages can be redirected to their correct email addresses.   
     
     
         10 . A system for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 a customer mail stream service for intercepting, during an outage of a primary email system, email messages intended for said primary email system after said email messages pass through a company's firewall, but before said email messages enter said primary email system;   wherein said customer mail stream service is adapted to redirect said email messages to a pre-specified alternate location and said email messages are delivered from said pre-specified alternate location to a wireless device.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein said intercepting email messages after said email messages pass through said company's firewall operates integrally with said company's anti-virus or anti-spam application. 
     
     
         12 . A system for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 an Internet mail connector for intercepting, during an outage of a primary email system, email messages directed to said primary email system before said email messages leave said Internet mail connector, wherein said Internet mail connector is adapted to redirect said email messages to a pre-specified alternate location and said email messages are delivered from said pre-specified alternate location to a wireless device.   
     
     
         13 . A system for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 a primary email system, wherein during an outage of said primary email system, email messages within an email application operating on said primary email system are intercepted through the use of an application designed to inspect email message traffic and said email messages are copied to an alternate location and delivered from said alternate location to a wireless device.   
     
     
         14 . A system for intercepting and redirecting email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 a primary email system, wherein during an outage of said primary email system, email messages directed to said primary email system are redirected to an SMTP host with a lower priority designation and said email messages are subsequently delivered from said SMTP host to a wireless device.   
     
     
         15 . A system for intercepting and redirecting email messages to wireless devices, comprising:
 a primary email system, wherein during an outage of said primary email system, said primary email system's domain name system designation is assigned to a secondary email system so that inbound email messages are routed to said secondary email system.   
     
     
         16 . A system for delivering backup messages to wireless devices, comprising:
 a primary email system, wherein a mapping of alternate email addresses of wireless devices is maintained and, upon an outage of a primary path for delivering email messages to one of said wireless devices, said email messages are forwarded to said wireless devices through said alternate email addresses.   
     
     
         17 . A system for delivering backup messages to wireless devices, comprising:
 a primary email system, wherein a mapping of alternate email addresses of wireless devices is maintained, wherein said wireless devices have multiple modes of receiving data and, upon an outage of a primary mode for delivering email messages to said wireless devices, said email messages are forwarded to said wireless devices through an alternate mode.   
     
     
         18 . A system for acquiring information necessary for providing backup email messages to a wireless device, comprising:
 a primary email system and a primary wireless gateway, wherein information is acquired from said primary email system and said primary wireless gateway and said information is selected from the group consisting of wireless device users, email addresses, device identification information, encryption keys, user preferences and user's wireless platform; and   a wireless device, wherein at a time when said primary email system is unavailable, said information is provided to a second device receiving an inbound SMTP stream during said unavailability and said second device utilizes said information to redirect email messages to the proper email addresses on said wireless device.