METHOD EMPLOYING AT LEAST ONE CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU)

The invention relates to a method which employs at least one CPU (10, 12, 14, 16) that has at least one network interface (18, 20, 22, 24) and one messaging program (26, 28, 30, 32), which receives a message (34) with a message text (36) and a file attachment (38) via the network interface (18, 20, 22, 24) in at least one operating condition. According to the invention, the messaging program (26, 28, 30, 32) automatically saves the file attachment (38), separately from the message text (36) of the message (34), at a memory location that is based upon the path information (40) of the message (34).

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1shows a system having a first, second, third, and fourth processing unit10,12,14,16. The processing units10,12,14,16, in each instance, have a network interface18,20,22,24, a data memory42,44,46,48, and, not shown in any detail, a processor, a random-access memory, a display unit, as well as other components that appear practical to a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, the processing units10,12,14,16, in each instance, have a messaging program26,28,30,32that is saved in the random-access memory in an operating mode and executed by the processor. The processing units10,12,14,16are connected with one another by way of the network interfaces18,20,22,24and by way of a network58. The network comprises parts of a cellular network56, parts of the Internet60, and, not shown in any detail here, further network parts and interfaces between the networks that appear practical to a person skilled in the art.

The messaging programs26,28,30,32send and/or receive messages34shown inFIG. 2by way of the network interfaces18,20,22,24in an operating mode. The messages34comprise, in each instance, a message text36, a data attachment38, path information40, a sender address50, proof of authorization52, and a recipient address54. The message34shown is configured as an email. Not shown in any detail is a message configured as a push message, sent by the messaging program28,32in an operating mode. The message configured as a push message has the properties corresponding to the message34configured as an email.

The message text36has a text that can be determined by an operator. The data attachment38has at least one file that can be selected by the operator. The sender address50and the recipient address54are configured in accordance with the RFC 5322 standard. The sender address50reads “abc@def.ghi” in this exemplary embodiment. The recipient address54reads “jkl@mno.pqr” in this exemplary embodiment. The path information40is attached to the recipient address54; specifically, the path information40precedes the recipient address54, in other words attached at the front of the recipient address54. The recipient address54has a local part “jkl” and a global part “mno.pqr,” which parts are separated by the symbol “@.” The path information40precedes the local part of the recipient address54.

The path information40is separated from the recipient address54by means of a separator62of the message34. In this embodiment, the separator62is configured as the hash mark “#.” If the recipient address54contains a symbol that corresponds to the separator62, the messaging program26,28,30,32that sends the message34replaces the corresponding symbol with a replacement sequence of symbols, in this case two symbols that correspond to the separator62. The messaging program26,28,30,32that receives this message34interprets the replacement sequence of symbols as a symbol assigned to the recipient address54and corresponding to the separator62.

The messaging programs26,28,30,32automatically save the data attachment38at a memory location that depends on the path information40of the message34, separately from the message text36of the message34, when the messaging programs26,28,30,32recognize that the path information40is attached to the message34. The messaging programs26,28,30,32have a configuration function by means of which an operator can choose a data memory42,44,46,48in the directory structure of which the data attachment38is saved as a function of the path information40. Furthermore, the operator can activate or deactivate automatic saving of the data attachment38. In this connection, the data memory42,44,46,48can belong to the same processing unit10,12,14,16as the messaging programs26,28,30,32or can be configured as a network memory51that is configured separately from the processing units10,12,14,16.

The first processing unit10is configured as a desktop computer. The messaging program26of the first processing unit10is configured as an email program for an end user, in other words as an email client. An operator sends a message34having the message text36, the data attachment38, and the path information40, using the messaging program26of the first processing unit10, to the recipient address54of the third processing unit14.

The second processing unit12is configured as a server. The messaging program28of the second processing unit12is configured as an email server. The network58passes the message34on to the second processing unit12. In this exemplary embodiment, the global part of the recipient address54is assigned to the second processing unit12. The messaging program28of the second processing unit12saves the complete message34, specifically in the data memory44of the second processing unit12. Furthermore, the messaging program28of the second processing unit12automatically saves the data attachment38, separately from the message text36of the message34, in a memory location that depends on the path information40of the message34, specifically in a directory structure in a data memory44of the second processing unit12.

The messaging program30of the third processing unit14calls up the message34from the second processing unit12. The third processing unit14is configured as a desktop computer. The messaging program30of the second processing unit12is configured as an email program for an end user. The messaging program30of the third processing unit14automatically saves the data attachment38in a memory location that depends on the path information40of the message34, separately from the message text36of the message34. Furthermore, the messaging program30of the third processing unit14saves the message text36of the message34separately from the data attachment38of the message34. The messaging program30of the third processing unit14saves the data attachment38in the directory structure on the network memory51of the system. Alternatively or additionally, the messaging program30of the third processing unit14could save the data attachment38in a directory structure of the data memory44of the third processing unit14.

The fourth processing unit16is configured as a mobile telephone. The messaging program32of the fourth processing unit16is configured as a program for push messages according to the specifications for WAP push. An operator creates and sends a message, not shown in any detail here, having a message text, a data attachment, path information, and a password, from the messaging program32of the fourth processing unit16to a recipient address that is assigned to the second processing unit12. The second processing unit12automatically saves the data attachment38. In this exemplary embodiment, the processing unit12saves the data attachment38in the network memory51. Thereby the operator can transfer data from the mobile telephone to the network memory51in particularly simple manner.

Alternatively or additionally, the fourth processing unit16could transmit a message as an email and/or the third processing unit14could automatically save the data attachment38in its data memory46.

The proof of authorization52of the message34is configured as a digital signature. The proof of authorization52is based on asymmetrical encryption. The messaging programs26,28,30,32evaluate the proof of authorization52contained in the message38for saving the data attachment38. Only once the proof of authorization52has been activated do the messaging programs26,28,30,32save the data attachment38automatically.

REFERENCE SYMBOLS

40path information

52proof of authorization