Method and apparatus for efficient polling
View Patent ↗An e-mail distribution server may manage many pull e-mail accounts by periodically, as defined by an interval time, polling associated pull e-mail servers for new mail. If the e-mail distribution server receives an e-mail message destined for a recipient having a pull e-mail account managed by the e-mail distribution server, the e-mail distribution server may recognize an opportunity to poll the pull e-mail server associated with the pull e-mail account sooner than the expiration of the interval time.
1. A method of handling an e-mail message, said method comprising:
managing, at a mail distribution server, a pull e-mail account for a first mail user agent, where said managing involves periodically polling a pull e-mail server to determine whether new e-mail messages have been received by said pull e-mail server, where said new e-mail messages specify an address associated with said pull e-mail account;
receiving, at said mail distribution server, an e-mail message from a second mail user agent;
determining, at said mail distribution server, said e-mail message specifies, as a recipient, said address associated with said pull e-mail account;
responsive to determining said e-mail message specifies, as a recipient, said address associated with said pull e-mail account, triggering an interruption of said managing;
responsive to said interruption, waiting a predetermined waiting period, wherein said predetermined waiting period is based on a measured network latency value; and
responsive to expiration of said predetermined waiting period, polling said pull e-mail server.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first mail user agent is associated with a first mobile communication device.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said second mail user agent is associated with a second mobile communication device.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, subsequent to said polling said pull e-mail server responsive to said interruption, receiving an indication, from said pull e-mail server, a new e-mail message has arrived.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
sending a request to said pull e-mail server to obtain said new e-mail message; and
receiving a response to said request from said pull e-mail server, said response including said new e-mail message.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising sending said new e-mail message to said first mail user agent.
7. A mail distribution server comprising a processor adapted to:
manage a pull e-mail account for a first mail user agent, where said managing involves periodically polling a pull e-mail server to determine whether new e-mail messages have been received by said pull e-mail server, where said new e-mail messages specify an address associated with said pull e-mail account;
receive an e-mail message from a second mail user agent;
determine whether said e-mail message specifies, as a recipient, said address associated with said pull e-mail account;
trigger an interruption of said managing, where said e-mail message specifies, as a recipient, said address associated with said pull e-mail account;
wait a predetermined waiting period, wherein said predetermined waiting period is based on a measured network latency value; and
poll, responsive to expiration of said predetermined waiting period, said pull e-mail server.
8. The mail distribution server of claim 7 wherein said processor is further adapted to:
send a request to said pull e-mail server to obtain said new e-mail message; and
receive a response to said request from said pull e-mail server, said response including said new e-mail message.
9. The mail distribution server of claim 8 wherein said processor is further adapted to send said new e-mail message to said first mail user agent.
10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions, when performed by a processor, cause said processor to:
manage a pull e-mail account for a first mail user agent, where said managing involves periodically polling a pull e-mail server to determine whether new e-mail messages have been received by said pull e-mail server, where said new e-mail messages specify an address associated with said pull e-mail account;
receive an e-mail message from a second mail user agent;
determine whether said e-mail message specifies, as a recipient, said address associated with said pull e-mail account;
trigger an interruption of said managing, where said e-mail message specifies, as a recipient, said address associated with said pull e-mail account;
wait a predetermined waiting period, wherein said predetermined waiting period is based on a measured network latency value; and
responsive to expiration of said predetermined waiting period, poll said pull e-mail server.
11. A method of managing an incoming mail message, said method comprising:
managing a first pull e-mail account for a first mail user agent, where said managing involves periodically polling a first pull e-mail server to determine whether new e-mail messages have been received by said first pull e-mail server, where said new e-mail messages specify an address associated with said first pull e-mail account;
managing a second pull e-mail account for a second mail user agent, said second pull e-mail account associated with a second pull e-mail server;
receiving, from said first pull e-mail server and responsive to said polling, an incoming e-mail message;
determining whether said incoming e-mail message specifies, as a recipient, an address associated with said second pull e-mail account;
where said incoming e-mail message specifies, as a recipient, said address associated with said second pull e-mail account, triggering an interruption of said managing said second pull e-mail account;
responsive to said interruption, waiting a predetermined waiting period, wherein said predetermined waiting period is based on a measured network latency value; and
responsive to expiration of said predetermined waiting period, polling said second pull e-mail server.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising maintaining a record, said record including said address associated with said first pull e-mail account and said address associated with said second pull e-mail account.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising, subsequent to said polling said pull e-mail server responsive to said interruption, receiving an indication, from said pull e-mail server, a new e-mail message has arrived.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
sending a request to said pull e-mail server to obtain said new e-mail message; and
receiving a response to said request from said pull e-mail server, said response including said new e-mail message.