Method, apparatus and system for reducing download of redundant attachments

1. A method for reducing download of redundant attachments to a communication device from a server, the method comprising:

maintaining a list of identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device at one or more of said communication device and said server;

comparing an identifier of an attachment to a message, for transmission from said server to said communication device, with said identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device; and,

causing said communication device to retrieve a copy of said attachment from said memory if a match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory; and, if no match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory, said attachment is caused to be transmitted to said communication device from said server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said method is implemented in said communication device, said method further comprising receiving said identifier at said communication device, said identifier received in lieu of said attachment.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising requesting said identifier from said server.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said causing said communication device to retrieve a copy of said attachment from said memory occurs via a processor of said communication device.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising requesting said attachment from said server if no match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said method is implemented in said server, and said causing said communication device to retrieve said copy of said attachment comprises transmitting said identifier and said message to said communication device to trigger retrieval of said copy of said attachment from said memory based on said identifier.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory at said communication device comprise a hash of each respective attachment and said attachments already stored in said memory.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating said identifier.

9. A server for reducing download of redundant attachments to a communication device, the server comprising:

a communication interface for communicating with said communication device;

a processor in communication with said communication interface, said processor enabled to:

maintain a list of identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device;

compare an identifier of an attachment to a message for transmission from said server to said communication device with said identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device; and,

cause said communication device to retrieve a copy of said attachment from said memory if a match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory; and, if no match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory, said attachment is caused to be transmitted to said communication device from said server.

10. The server of claim 9 , further comprising a server memory for maintaining said list of said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory at said communication device.

11. The server of claim 9 , wherein said processor is further enabled to cause said communication device to retrieve said copy of said attachment by transmitting said identifier and said message to said communication device to trigger retrieval of said copy of said attachment from said memory based on said identifier.

12. The server of claim 9 , wherein each of said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device comprise a hash of each respective said attachment and said attachments already stored in said memory.

13. The server of claim 9 , wherein said processor is further enabled to generate said identifier.

14. A communication device for reducing download of redundant attachments to said communication device from a server, the communication device comprising:

a communication interface for communicating with said server;

a memory for storing attachments and identifiers of said attachments; and

a processor in communication with said communication interface and said memory, said processor enabled to:

maintain a list of said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory;

receive, from said server, via said communication interface, an identifier of an attachment to a message for transmission from said server to said communication device;

compare said identifier with said identifiers of said attachments stored in said memory; and,

retrieve a copy of said attachment from said memory if a match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments stored in said memory; and, if no match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments stored in said memory, said processor is enabled to retrieve said attachment from said server.

15. The communication device of claim 14 , wherein said processor is further enabled to receive, from said server, said identifier in lieu of said attachment.

16. The communication device of claim 14 , wherein said processor is further enabled to request said identifier from said server.

17. The communication device of claim 14 , wherein each of said identifier and said identifiers of attachments stored in said memory comprise a hash of each said attachment and said attachments stored in said memory.

18. A system for reducing download of redundant attachments comprising:

a communication device and a server, in communication via a communication network;

said server enabled to:

generate an identifier of an attachment to a message for transmission from said server to said communication device; and

transmit said identifier to said communication device with said message, in lieu of said attachment; and

said communication device enabled to:

receive said identifier with said message;

compare said identifier with identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device;

retrieve a copy of said attachment from said memory if a match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory; and

request said attachment from said server if a match is not found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory,

wherein at least one of said server and said communication device is further enabled to maintain said list of identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming instructions executable on a processor of a computing device, said programming instructions causing said computing device to:

maintain a list of identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device;

compare an identifier of an attachment to a message, for transmission from a server to a communication device, with said identifiers of attachments already stored in a memory at said communication device; and,

cause said communication device to retrieve a copy of said attachment from said memory if a match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory; and, if no match is found between said identifier and said identifiers of attachments already stored in said memory, said attachment is caused to be transmitted to said communication device from said server.