System and method of retrieving electronic mail

Abstract

A communications system and method includes a mobile device having a mail user agent. A mobile office platform as a server includes a mail agent that is operative with the mail user agent for accessing one or more electronic mailboxes of the mail user agent using at least one protocol specific connector. The mobile office platform is operative for providing only the n-most recent mail headers of electronic messages to the mail user agent.

1 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A mobile communications system comprising:
 a mobile device; and   a mobile office platform operating with the mobile device to access at least one electronic mailbox,   wherein when an electronic mail protocol used to access the at least one electronic mailbox specifies a default message list order, the mobile office platform is configured to download and provide the n-most recent mail headers of electronic messages to the mobile device.   
     
     
         39 . The mobile wireless communications system according to  claim 38 , wherein when the electronic mail protocol does not specify the default message list order, the mobile office platform is configured to use stored associative information about an electronic mail provider or the at least one electronic mailbox to download and provide the n-most recent mail header. 
     
     
         40 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 39 , and further comprising a database associated with the mobile office platform and containing records of associative information of electronic mail providers and/or electronic mailboxes to be accessed. 
     
     
         41 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 39 , wherein the associative information comprises the name of the electronic mail protocol used to access an electronic mailbox. 
     
     
         42 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 39 , wherein the associative information comprises the version of the electronic mail protocol used to access an electronic mailbox. 
     
     
         43 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 39 , wherein the associative information comprises the name of the electronic mail server. 
     
     
         44 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 43 , wherein the name of the electronic mail server is applicable to a specific electronic mail protocol used to access an electronic mailbox. 
     
     
         45 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 39 , wherein the associative information comprises the domain name of an internet service provider used to access the at least one electronic mailbox. 
     
     
         46 . The mobile wireless communications system according to  claim 39 , wherein when the associative information cannot be used, the mobile office platform is configured to download all mail headers of the at least one electronic mailbox and providing the n-most recent mail messages to the mobile device. 
     
     
         47 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 38 , wherein the mail header comprises a unique identifier (UID) of an electronic mail message. 
     
     
         48 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 38 , wherein the mobile device comprises a wireless device. 
     
     
         49 . The mobile communications system according to  claim 38 , wherein the mail user agent is operative to access the mobile office platform using a POP, IMAP or webmail protocol. 
     
     
         50 . A method of retrieving electronic mail in a mobile communications system, the method comprising the steps of:
 operating a mobile office platform with a mobile device to access at least one electronic mailbox,   when an electronic mail protocol used to access the at least one electronic mailbox specifies a default message list order, the mobile office platform downloads and provides to the mobile device by n-most recent mail headers of electronic mail messages.   
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 50 , wherein when not specifying the default message list order by the electronic mail protocol, then using stored associative information about an electronic mail provider or the at least one electronic mailbox by the mobile office platform to download and provide the n-most recent mail headers. 
     
     
         52 . A method according to  claim 51 , and further comprising the step of storing associative information within a database. 
     
     
         53 . A method according to  claim 51 , wherein the associative information comprises the name of the electronic mail protocol used to access an electronic mailbox. 
     
     
         54 . A method according to  claim 51 , wherein the associative information comprises the version of the electronic mail protocol used to access an electronic mailbox. 
     
     
         55 . A method according to  claim 51 , wherein the associative information comprises the name of the electronic mail server. 
     
     
         56 . A method according to  claim 55 , wherein the name of the electronic mail server is applicable to a specific electronic mail protocol used to access an electronic mailbox. 
     
     
         57 . A method according to  claim 51 , wherein the associative information comprises the domain name of an internet service provider used to access the at least one electronic mailbox. 
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 51 , and further comprising downloading all mail headers for the at least one electronic mailbox and providing the n-most recent mail messages to the mail user agent by the mobile office platform when the associative information cannot be used. 
     
     
         59 . A method according to  claim 50 , wherein the mail header comprises a unique identifier of an electronic mail message.