Efficient notification of new electronic mail arrival
View Patent ↗A solution is provided that allows prompt notification of new e-mail arrival while minimizing the unnecessary loading of mail server and network resources. It provides a short time delay after arrival of new e-mail when the user needs it most, and minimizes the unnecessary loading of resources when the user does not require immediate notification. This is accomplished by establishing a session with the mail server once a predefined event, such as the sending of new e-mail, has occurred. This session may invoke server-initiated-notification of new-email for a limited period of time.
1. A method for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the method comprising:
determining if a predefined event has occurred, the predefined event indicating a user's interest level in regard to immediate notification of receipt, by the mail server, of a new e-mail, notification occurring at a mail client;
determining if the mail server supports server-initiated-notification of new e-mail;
if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server does not support server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically modifying a polling frequency for a limited period of time; and
if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server supports server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically establishing a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending of an e-mail is a predefined event.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection of a low latency notification option by a user is a predefined event.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event is a calendar event.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined event is a geographic event.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the limited period of time is between 1 and 15 minutes.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing includes sending an IMAP4 IDLE command to the mail server.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server after the limited period of time.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server if the user needs to execute a different IMAP4 command.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
terminating the session after a limited period of time.
12. An apparatus for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the apparatus comprising:
a predefined event detector configured to determine if a predefined event has occurred, the predefined event indicating a user's interest level in regard to immediate notification of receipt, by the mail server, of a new e-mail, notification occurring at a mail client;
a mail server-initiated notification supporter determiner configured to determine if the mail server supports user-initiated-notification of new e-mail;
a polling frequency limited time changer configured to, if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server does not support server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically modify a polling frequency for a limited period of time; and
a mail server server-initiated-notification session limited time establisher coupled to the predefined event detector and the mail server-initiated notification supporter determiner and configured to, if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server supports server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically establish a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the predefined event is a calendar event.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.
15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the predefined event is a geographic event.
16. An apparatus for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the apparatus comprising:
means for determining if a predefined event has occurred, the predefined event indicating a user's interest level in regard to immediate notification of receipt, by the mail server, of a new e-mail, notification occurring at a mail client;
means for determining if the mail server supports server-initiated-notification of new e-mail;
means for, if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server does not support server- initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically modifying a polling frequency for a limited period of time; and
means for, if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server supports server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically establishing a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the sending of an e-mail is a predefined event.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the selection of a low latency notification option by a user is a predefined event.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the predefined event is a calendar event.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the predefined event is the passing of a time of day.
21. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the predefined event is a geographic event.
22. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the limited period of time is between 1 and 15 minutes.
23. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the means for establishing includes means for sending an IMAP4 IDLE command to the mail server.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising means for sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server after the limited period of time.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 , further comprising:
means for terminating the session after a limited period of time.
26. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising means for sending an IMAP4 DONE command to the mail server if the user needs to execute a different IMAP4 command.
27. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for efficiently receiving notification of new e-mail from a mail server, the method comprising:
determining if a predefined event has occurred, the predefined event indicating a user's interest level in regard to immediate notification of receipt, by the mail server, of a new e-mail, notification occurring at a mail client;
determining if the mail server supports server-initiated-notification of new e-mail;
if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server does not support server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically modifying a polling frequency for a limited period of time; and
if the predefined event has occurred and the mail server supports server-initiated notification of new e-mail, automatically establishing a session with the mail server invoking server-initiated-notification of new e-mail for a limited period of time.