System and method for providing configuration data such as for configuring electronic mail access
View Patent ↗A system, method and computer-readable medium provides configuration data, such as for electronic mail access. A configuration module retrieves the configuration data from a source of configuration data, such as a user system. The configuration in one aspect could be for accessing different electronic mailboxes of a user. Data object are generated. Each data object is submitted as a distributed object module to a web service. The web service in one aspect of the invention could be for a pass-through access for configuring electronic mailboxes.
1. A communications system comprising:
a user device comprising
a processor configured to access a plurality of source mailboxes, and
a mailbox configuration data source configured to store configuration parameters to permit said processor to access the plurality of source mailboxes;
a web service configured to allow said user device to access the plurality of source mailboxes; and
a configuration module configured to retrieve from said mailbox configuration data source, without user intervention, respective configuration parameters for at least one source mailbox, and to configure said web service also without user intervention, said configuration module comprising at least a portion remote from said user device;
said web service comprising a configuration web page for allowing said user device to execute said configuration module.
2. The communications system according to claim 1 , wherein said web service comprises an Internet service provider (ISP) that uses configuration parameters for accessing electronic mail from another internet service provider.
3. The communications system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of source mailboxes comprises a plurality of interfaces that use the configuration parameters on-the-fly for accessing respective electronic mailboxes.
4. The communications system according to claim 1 , wherein said user device comprises one of a personal computer and a mobile communications device.
5. The communications system according to claim 1 , wherein said configuration module is implemented as a component object module.
6. The communications system according to claim 1 , wherein said configuration module is implemented as an ActiveX control.
7. A communications system comprising:
a user device comprising
a processor and at least one email client configured to use said processor for accessing a plurality of source mailboxes, and
a mailbox configuration data source configured to store configuration parameters to access the plurality of source mailboxes from said at least one email client;
a web service configured to allow said user device to access the plurality of source mailboxes, said web service comprising an Internet service provider (ISP) that uses configuration parameters for accessing electronic mail from another internet service provider; and
a configuration module configured to retrieve from said mailbox configuration data source, without user intervention, respective configuration parameters for at least one source mailbox, and to configure said web service also without user intervention, said configuration module comprising at least a portion remote from said user device;
said web service comprising a configuration web page for allowing said user device to execute said configuration module.
8. The communications system according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of source mailboxes comprises a plurality of interfaces that use the configuration parameters on-the-fly for accessing respective electronic mailboxes.
9. The communications system according to claim 7 , wherein said user device comprises one of a personal computer and a mobile communications device.
10. The communications system according to claim 7 , wherein said configuration module is implemented as a component object module.
11. The communications system according to claim 7 , wherein said configuration module is implemented as an ActiveX control.
12. A communications method for a user device comprising a processor and a mailbox configuration data source configured to store configuration parameters to permit the processor to access a plurality of source mailboxes, the method comprising:
configuring a web service to allow the user device to access the plurality of source mailboxes; and
providing a configuration module configured to retrieve from the mailbox configuration data source, without user intervention, respective configuration parameters for at least one source mailbox, and to configure the web service also without user intervention, the configuration module comprising at least a portion remote from the user device;
the web service comprising a configuration web page for allowing the user device to execute the configuration module.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the web service comprises an internet service provider (ISP) that uses configuration parameters for accessing electronic mail from another internet service provider.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the plurality of source mailboxes comprises a plurality of interfaces that use the configuration parameters on-the-fly for accessing respective electronic mailboxes.
15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the user device comprises one of a personal computer and a mobile communications device.
16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the configuration module is implemented as a component object module.
17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the configuration module is implemented as an ActiveX control.