Methods for delivering electronic mails on request, electronic mail servers and computer programs implementing said methods

Abstract

Method for delivering electronic mails on request from an electronic mail server to at least one remote client via an internet network, said method being characterized in that said electronic mail server exchanges data with at least one storage server and in that it comprises a delivery step comprising the operations of: receiving, from a remote client, on the electronic mail server, a request for delivery of an electronic mail identified by an electronic mail identifier; obtaining, from at least one storage server, data to be encapsulated and message attribute data associated with the electronic mail identifier; generating an identified electronic mail from the data to be encapsulated and the message attribute data; and transmitting the identified electronic mail to the remote client.

1 . Method for processing at least two IMAP data flows, the IMAP data flows being exchanged via an internet network between an electronic mail server and at least two remote clients respectively using a first and a second separate proprietary IMAP protocol, each IMAP data flow respectively corresponding to a connection of a respective remote client to an electronic mailbox, the method being characterized in that it comprises a translation step including:
 a sub-step carried out by an analysis module and consisting of the extraction of proprietary protocol data from an IMAP data flow,   a sub-step consisting of the execution of at least one task relating to the extracted proprietary protocol data by a proprietary IMAP application module in order to obtain proprietary protocol response data, and   a sub-step carried out by the analysis module, consisting of the generation of a return IMAP data flow from the proprietary protocol response data,   said proprietary IMAP application module being selected from among a first and a second proprietary IMAP application module, the first proprietary IMAP application module being adapted to execute tasks relating to the first proprietary IMAP protocol, the second proprietary IMAP application module being adapted to execute tasks relating to the second proprietary IMAP protocol.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the proprietary IMAP application module is selected from among the first and second proprietary IMAP application modules on the basis of technical specifications information associated with the remote client. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the analysis module exchanges data with at least one storage server via a network, the method further comprising an authentication step performed before the translation step and comprising:
 a sub-step of identification of the remote client by the electronic mail server, and   a sub-step of retrieval on the electronic mail server, from a storage server, technical specifications information associated with the remote client.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the proprietary IMAP application module exchanges data with at least one storage server via a network,
 wherein the sub-step consisting of the extraction of proprietary protocol data from an IMAP data flow comprises the extraction of a request to deliver an electronic mail identified by an electronic mail identifier,   wherein the sub-step consisting of the execution of at least one task relating to the extracted proprietary protocol data includes the operations of:
 obtaining data to be encapsulated and message attribute data from at least one storage server, said data being associated with the electronic mail identifier, and 
 generating the electronic mail from the data to be encapsulated and the message attribute data, 
   and wherein the sub-step consisting of the generation of a return IMAP data flow comprises the transmission of said electronic mail to the remote client.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the operation of obtaining data to be encapsulated and message attribute data from at least one storage server comprises the updating of said data on the storage server. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the operation of generating the electronic mail and/or the operation of obtaining data to be encapsulated and message attribute data from at least one storage server, is carried out based on the technical specifications information. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the data to be encapsulated contain data selected from a list comprising: a voicemail message, a visual voicemail message, an image, a video, a sound recording, a fax, a scanned document, an event notification. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the storage server is accessible, by the remote client and via the internet network, solely through the electronic mail server. 
     
     
         9 . Electronic email server for processing at least two IMAP data flows, the IMAP data flows being exchanged via an internet network with at least two remote clients respectively using a first and a second separate proprietary IMAP protocol, each IMAP data flow respectively corresponding to a connection of a respective remote client to an electronic mailbox, the electronic mail server comprising:
 an analysis module for carrying out a sub-step consisting of the extraction of proprietary protocol data from an IMAP data flow, and a sub-step consisting of the generation of a return IMAP data flow from proprietary protocol response data, and   at least a first and a second proprietary IMAP application module, the first proprietary IMAP application module being adapted to execute tasks relating to the first proprietary IMAP protocol, the second proprietary IMAP application module being adapted to execute tasks relating to the second proprietary IMAP protocol,   said proprietary IMAP application modules being adapted to carry out a sub-step consisting of the execution of at least one task relating to the extracted proprietary protocol data in order to obtain proprietary protocol response data.   
     
     
         10 . Computer program product comprising instructions suitable for implementing, when this program is executed by a processor of an electronic mail server, the steps of a method according to  claim 1 .