Methods and apparatus for efficiently managing the storage of email message information for a mobile station

1. A method for use in managing the storage of e-mail message information in a mobile station, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving, at the mobile station, a plurality of e-mail messages through a wireless network and storing e-mail information of the e-mail messages in memory;

identifying whether a size of the e-mail information has reached a first predetermined limit of the memory;

deleting, from the memory, automatically without user intervention, at least portions of e-mail message bodies of some of the e-mail messages while retaining storage of e-mail message headers and metadata thereof based on identifying that the size of the e-mail information has reached the first predetermined limit, each e-mail message metadata including an identifier for uniquely identifying the e-mail message at a server;

identifying whether the size of the e-mail information has reached a second predetermined limit of the memory which is more critical or severe than the first predetermined limit; and

deleting, from the memory, automatically without user intervention, the e-mail message headers and metadata associated with the deleted e-mail message bodies of the e-mail messages based on identifying that the size of the e-mail information has reached the second predetermined limit.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of deleting at least portions of the e-mail message bodies comprises the further act of deleting the e-mail message bodies in their entirety.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

maintaining storage of the e-mail messages having the e-mail message bodies at a server.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identifying a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

requesting and receiving an e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network based on identifying the user selection of the e-mail message; and

causing the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body from the server.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identifying a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

causing an indication for retrieving the e-mail message body to be visually displayed in response to identifying the user selection of the e-mail message;

identifying a user selection of the indication for retrieving the e-mail message body;

requesting and receiving the e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network in response to identifying the user selection of the indication; and

causing the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body from the server.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

causing an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identifying a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

requesting and receiving an e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network based on identifying the user selection of the e-mail message;

causing the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body from the server;

setting an indication for refraining from further deletion of the e-mail message body for the e-mail message having the e-mail message body received from the server;

identifying again whether a size of the e-mail message has reached the first-predetermined limit of the memory; and

refraining from deleting any portion of the e-mail message body for the e-mail message having the indication after identifying again that the size of the e-mail messages has reached the first predetermined limit of the memory.

7. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium;

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a mobile station for:

receiving a plurality of e-mail messages through a wireless network and storing e-mail information of the e-mail messages in memory;

identifying whether a size of the e-mail information has reached a first predetermined limit of the memory;

deleting, from the memory, automatically without user intervention, at least portions of e-mail message bodies of some of the e-mail messages while retaining storage of e-mail message headers and metadata thereof based on identifying that the size of the e-mail information has reached the first predetermined limit, each e-mail message metadata including an identifier for uniquely identifying the e-mail message at a server;

identifying whether the size of the e-mail messages has reached a second predetermined limit of the memory which is more critical or severe than the first predetermined limit; and

deleting, from the memory, automatically without user intervention, the e-mail message headers and metadata associated with the deleted e-mail message bodies of the e-mail messages based on identifying that the size of the e-mail information has reached the second predetermined limit.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein deleting at least portions of the e-mail message bodies comprises deleting the e-mail message bodies in their entirety.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer instructions are further executable for:

maintaining storage of the e-mail messages having the e-mail message bodies at a server.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer instructions are further executable for:

causing an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identifying a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

requesting and receiving an e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network based on identifying the user selection of the e-mail message; and

causing the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer instructions are further executable for:

causing an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identifying a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

causing an indication for retrieving the e-mail message body to be visually displayed in response to identifying the user selection of the e-mail message;

identifying a user selection of the indication for retrieving the e-mail message body;

requesting and receiving the e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network in response to identifying the user selection of the indication; and

causing the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body from the server.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer instructions are further executable for:

causing an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identifying a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

requesting and receiving an e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network based on identifying the user selection of the e-mail message;

causing the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body from the server;

setting an indication for refraining from further deletion of the e-mail message body for the e-mail message having the e-mail message body received from the server;

identifying again whether a size of the e-mail messages has reached the first predetermined limit of the memory; and

refraining from deleting any portion of the e-mail message body for the e-mail message having the indication after identifying again that the size of the e-mail messages has reached the first predetermined limit of the memory.

13. A mobile station, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a user interface which includes a visual display for displaying e-mail message information;

memory;

one or more processors coupled to the wireless transceiver, the user interface, and the memory;

the one or more processors being operative to:

receive a plurality of e-mail messages through the wireless transceiver and store e-mail information of the e-mail messages in the memory;

identify whether a size of the e-mail information has reached a first predetermined limit of the memory;

delete, from the memory, automatically without user intervention, at least portions of e-mail message bodies of some of the e-mail messages while retaining storage of e-mail message headers and metadata thereof based on identifying that the size of the e-mail information has reached the first predetermined limit, each e-mail message metadata including an identifier for uniquely identifying the e-mail message at a server;

identify whether the size of the e-mail information has reached a second predetermined limit of the memory which is more critical or severe than the first predetermined limit; and

delete, from the memory, automatically without user intervention, the e-mail message headers and metadata associated with the deleted e-mail message bodies of the e-mail messages based on identifying that the size of the e-mail information has reached the second predetermined limit.

14. The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein deleting at least portions of the e-mail message bodies comprises deleting the e-mail message bodies in their entirety.

15. The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

cause an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identify a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

request and receive an e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network based on identifying the user selection of the e-mail message; and

cause the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body.

16. The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

cause an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identify a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

cause an indication for retrieving the e-mail message body to be visually displayed in response to identifying the user selection of the e-mail message;

identify a user selection of the indication for retrieving the e-mail message body;

request and receive the e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network in response to identifying the user selection of the indication; and

cause the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body from the server.

17. The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

cause an e-mail message header of an e-mail message having a deleted e-mail message body to be visually displayed in a list;

identify a user selection of the e-mail message through a user interface;

request and receive an e-mail message body of the e-mail message from a server through the wireless network based on identifying the user selection of the e-mail message;

cause the e-mail message body of the e-mail message to be visually displayed after receiving the e-mail message body from the server;

set an indication for refraining from further deletion of the e-mail message body for the e-mail message having the e-mail message body received from the server;

identify again whether a size of the e-mail messages has reached the first predetermined limit of the memory; and

refrain from deleting any portion of the e-mail message body for the e-mail message having the indication after identifying again that the size of the e-mail messages has reached the first predetermined limit of the memory.