Abstract:
A method, system, and apparatus for incorporating a database-enabled server into a wireless network. The method includes the steps of receiving, at the wireless gateway, a communication message from a first communication network, the communication message including address information associated with a subscriber; storing, by the wireless gateway, the communication message, the communication message being stored in association with the subscriber; and selectively sending, with the wireless gateway using the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the communication message to a wireless device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to messaging systems, and, more specifically to a method, system, and apparatus for incorporating, but not by way of limitation, a database-enabled server into a wireless network.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    In recent years, the use of wireless paging networks has increased in popularity. Conventional wireless paging networks, telephone callers, PC users and mobile device subscribers can  
           [0005]    In subsequent systems, stand-alone alphanumeric interface devices, such as the Alphamate™, or PCs running specialized access software, were able to send messages directly to the network. These devices would gain access to the network through a dial-up modem connection. Paging carriers, as an industry, developed a standard for this type of access called TAP (Telocator Access Protocol). The dial-in data connection was maintained only long enough to submit the message. No method for responses was possible, even if the device received the message quickly and responded immediately, although the vast majority of devices were not capable of responding.  
           [0006]    The major drawbacks to these systems were that the devices, such as the Alphamate™, were expensive, PCs were not always readily available and the configuration process of the specialized software was difficult.  
           [0007]    Today many carriers are in the process of merging their wireless networks with the Internet because the Internet provides a convenient medium for sending wireless messages. With the popularity of the Internet and the World Wide Web, alphanumeric access has been vastly simplified. As a result, alphanumeric display paging use has increased relative to the standard numeric display paging. The predominant methods of sending messages on the Internet are through Web pages and e-mail. By going to the paging provider&#39;s Web page, alphanumeric messages can be sent directly to a subscriber&#39;s pager.  
           [0008]    In one implementation of wireless paging, PC users access a particular Web page at a given Uniform Resource Locator (URL) belonging to the wireless network provider, and click through to a messaging page that allows the user to enter the phone number functioning as an identifier of the subscriber they are trying to page. Some systems may permit a user-friendly name or alias to be used instead of, or in addition to, the phone number to identify the pager. Since messages submitted this way through the Web site are on dynamic connections, return messages are difficult to route back to the user. One method used for routing return messages is a tracking number that the network supplies in response to a message submission. The user can connect to the Web site again, type in the tracking number, and see if the message was properly delivered. Alternatively, the user may input an e-mail address to which responses may be sent.  
           [0009]    A second method of wireless paging is through the use of SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) or e-mail. PC users can send e-mail to an address for the pager in a format such as phone-number@network or alias@network. This is similar to the entry via a Web page. If the e-mail method is used, the return address can be a valid e-mail address.  
           [0010]    The most straightforward implementation of Internet gateways is the SMTP or e-mail gateway. In most of these implementations e-mail is received by the gateway and then sent to the wireless device. If the device does not exist, there is no intelligence in the gateway to pass this information back to the sender. In these traditional systems messages are simply passed from the gateway to the network without benefit of any value-added applications.  
           [0011]    A final method for wireless paging is to establish a direct connection, most commonly a “socket” connection, through the paging company&#39;s Internet address, and send a message directly from a client application. A problem with these methods is that the pager acts as a remote device to an existing Internet application and is not easily tailored to the Internet  
           [0012]    In order for PC-based client forwarding of e-mail through an e-mail gateway to function, the PC must be turned on and have a permanent connection to the Internet. Some of the more sophisticated corporate servers incorporate server-based applications that forward messages to the gateways. Although these systems do not have the inherent limitations of the PC client-based solution, the forwarding software must still be run on corporate servers which few people outside of corporate environments have access to. This leaves the majority of people, such as those with dial-up accounts, with no easy solution to this problem.  
           [0013]    Traditional Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) Web sites for submitting messages to wireless subscribers do not offer much help. Most of these sites do nothing but accept messages and then forward them to the device. Again there is no confirmation to the user that a message has been sent and there is no way to reply to a Web site for two-way messaging.  
           [0014]    In the future new Internet-based protocols are being developed so that two-way data applications will be enabled through the wireless network. One of the key protocols for the two-way messaging industry is the Wireless Communication Transfer Protocol (WCTP). WCTP is aimed at creating a standard for passing alphanumeric and binary messages between wireline systems and wireless devices, including two-way capable wireless devices. This new protocol is based upon Extensible Markup Language (XML) and HTTP. Unfortunately, the current state of commercial gateways will again limit the usefulness of this protocol, and wireless data devices in general.  
           [0015]    As two-way paging becomes more dominant, problems with traditional methods are going to become more apparent. In the two-way world, the problem of “replying to” becomes more acute than just sending out a message from the pager. There are numerous problems with the traditional methods. Dispatch operators or TAP provide strictly one-way environments in which there is no clean way to respond to messages. Web-based paging can establish a two-way connection to a chat service on the Internet, but protocols for instant messaging (IM) are somewhat inefficient for wireless transport and do not inter-operate well with e-mail addressees. Thus, what is needed is a method to reduce the inefficiencies in message transfer to wireless devices, provide services tailored for wireless devices, and improve the reliability of applications for wireless devices, while maintaining the ability for interoperation with standard Internet applications.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0016]    The present invention relates to a method of and system for wireless network access through server platform integration. More particularly, one aspect of the invention comprises a method for operating a wireless gateway. The method includes receiving, at the wireless gateway, a communication message from a first communication network. The communication message includes address information associated with a subscriber. The method further includes storing the communication message by the wireless gateway, the communication message being stored in association with the subscriber. The method further includes selectively sending, with the wireless gateway using the wireless communication network, at least a portion of the communication message to a wireless device.  
           [0017]    Another aspect of the present invention comprises a wireless messaging system including a first communication network, a wireless communication network, and a wireless gateway in communication with the first communication network and the wireless communication network. The wireless gateway receives, from the first network, a communication message including address information associated with a subscriber. The wireless gateway has a database which stores the communication message in association with the subscriber. The wireless gateway is further capable of selectively sending at least a portion of the communication message to a wireless device using the wireless communication network.  
           [0018]    Still another aspect of the present invention comprises an apparatus for wireless messaging including a first interface in communication with a first communication network, a second interface in communication with a wireless communication network, and a wireless gateway in communication with the first interface and the second interface. The wireless gateway receives, from the first interface, a communication message including address information associated with a subscriber. The wireless gateway has a database which stores the communication message in association with the subscriber. The wireless gateway is further capable of selectively sending at least a portion of the communication message to a wireless device using the wireless communication network.  
           [0019]    An advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a more efficient usage of wireless network resources during wireless messaging.  
           [0020]    An additional advantage of the present invention is that a wireless subscriber no longer needs to maintain a client-side messaging server and database. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a traditional paging network  100 ;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a traditional two-way messaging system  200 ;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless messaging system  300  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a wireless messaging system  400  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a light-client system  500  in accordance with the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]    A solution to the problems presented by traditional wireless messaging systems in accordance with the present invention is through the use of a wireless messaging engine (WME)with an integrated database that is continuously connected to the Internet. Efficiency over the wireless network can be maintained at a high level by filtering out of unnecessary information and maintenance of state and threading information within the engine and database rather than at the device. The communications with the device can be tailored to the device characteristics to tie the device more closely to Internet applications.  
         [0028]    Reference is now made to the Drawings wherein like reference characters denote like or similar parts throughout the various Figures.  
         [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a traditional paging network  100  is shown. In a traditional paging network  100 , a message originator  110 , for example, a telephone caller, a PC user, a mobile user, or information source, generates a message intended for a particular wireless device  140   a - 140   c.  The message is received at a traditional gateway  120   a - 120   d  which sends the message to a wireless network  130 , with the message originator  110  or a proxy for the message originator  110  optionally being authenticated. The wireless network  130  then sends the message to the particular wireless device  140   a - 140   c  for which the message is intended. The traditional gateways  120   a - 120   d  act as simple portals to the wireless network  130  and take the form of a variety of implementations using various protocols.  
         [0030]    A telephone gateway  120   a  is used to receive messages from a message originator  110  that dials in via a modem or telephone. The message originator  110  provides a telephone number or PIN associated with the wireless device  140   a - 140   c.  The telephone gateway  120   a  is configured to receive messages using an appropriate format or protocol, for example, a DTMF or TAP protocol. Inmost network implementations, a telephone gateway  120   a  is incorporated that accepts both the DTMF format and the TAP protocol. In this implementation received data is either accepted or rejected by the telephone gateway  120   a,  and then sent to the wireless network  130 . The wireless network  130  then sends the message to the wireless device  140   a - 140   c . However, TAP has never been fully developed for two-way message communication applications.  
         [0031]    Another common gateway is a Web page gateway  120   b.  A message originator  110  generates a message using a Web site which is sent to the Web page gateway  120   b  via HTTP. The Web page gateway  120   b  sends the message to the wireless network  130 , which sends the message to the wireless device  140   a - 140   c  using the wireless interface  135   a - 135   c.  However, this and other less pervasive methods of messaging from the Internet to a wireless device are all simple gateway-based implementations.  
         [0032]    Still another common gateway is an e-mail gateway  120   c.  In this implementation, a message originator  110  generates a message with an e-mail address or alias associated with a wireless device  140   a - 140   c . The message is sent to the e-mail gateway  120   c  using Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP). The e-mail message is received at the e-mail gateway  120   c  and then sent to the wireless network  130 . The wireless network  130  then sends the message to the wireless device  140   a - 140   c  associated with the e-mail address or alias.  
         [0033]    Still another type of gateway is the Wireless Communications Transfer Protocol (WCTP) gateway  120   d.  A message originator  110  generates a message which is sent to the WCTP gateway  120   d  in WCTP&#39;s XML format over HTTP. The WCTP gateway  120   d  sends the message to the wireless network  130 . The wireless network then sends the message to the wireless device  140   a - 140   c.    
         [0034]    Referring now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a traditional two-way messaging system  200  is shown. A PC  210  is connected to a server  225  which contains a database acting as a message store for a user of the PC  210 . The server  225  is connected to the Internet  215  which is connected to a wireless gateway  220 . The wireless gateway  220  is connected to a wireless network  130 . Messages received from the Internet  215  are received at the server  225  and stored in the database. The user of the PC  210  retrieves messages from the server  225 . Alternately, the user may choose to have his or her messages redirected to a wireless device  140   a - 140   c . In this case messages received at the server  225  are sent to the Internet  215  which sends the message to the wireless gateway  220 . The wireless gateway  220  sends the message to the wireless network  130 . The wireless network  130  then sends the message to the wireless device  140   a - 140   c  associated with the user.  
         [0035]    Referring now to FIG. 3, a block diagram of a wireless messaging system  300  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The wireless messaging system  300  provides messaging services to subscribers, which are users that have signed up for messaging services from a wireless service provider. A wireless messaging engine  320  is in communication with the Internet  310  and a wireless network  130 . The wireless messaging engine  320  is also in communication with a database  325 , which may be integrated with the wireless messaging engine  320  or accessed from another node of the network. The database  325  is used to store information associated with a particular subscriber or a number of subscribers, for example, messages, subscriber profiles and preferences. The wireless network  130  is in communication with at least one wireless subscriber device  340   a - 340   c,  such as a pager, two-way messaging device, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld PC, etc.  
         [0036]    The wireless messaging engine  320  in accordance with the present invention functions as a messaging server for wireless messaging system subscribers. A message originator  310  generates a message addressed to a particular subscriber, for example, a subscriber associated with the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  which is sent to the Internet  215 . The wireless messaging engine  320  receives the message from the Internet  215 . Alternately, the wireless messaging engine  320  can receive messages from any of a number of traditional gateways. After determining that the subscriber address is valid, the wireless messaging engine  320  determines the proper routing to the wireless subscriber unit  340 , the proper message format or protocol for the particular wireless subscriber unit  340 , and handles the delivery of the message or exception conditions. The wireless messaging engine  320  sends the message to the wireless network  130 , which sends the message to the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c.    
         [0037]    In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the database  325  is used to store, among other things, messages and preference profiles for subscribers and subscriber associated wireless devices. The wireless messaging engine  320  acts as a server for the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  for e-mail services, information services, and other messaging services. In one embodiment of the present invention, a history of all messages sent and received can be stored in the database along with statistics about messaging, call detail records, billing information, and other information gathered by the wireless messaging engine  320 .  
         [0038]    The profile information can include information about the capabilities of the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  as well as preferences for a subscriber associated with a particular wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c.  In addition, the profile information can include information about the location of a particular wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  associated with a subscriber within the wireless network  130 . Message information can be filtered with relative ease at the transport protocol level and application content level through the use of preference and profile information. As a result, message content verboseness as well as the sending of unnecessary information can be dramatically reduced. For example, state and threading information for e-mail is no longer necessary between an input gateway and the wireless network  130 , as the database  325  can maintain all pertinent state and threading information. In addition, unnecessary content in a message received from the Internet  310 , such as URLs, still images, audio clips, multimedia files, and other attached or included files, may be removed by the wireless messaging engine  320  before sending the message to the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  to which the message is addressed. By using the profile and preference information, the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  is only sent the message content that is desired by the subscriber or is capable of being presented by the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340 i c.  
         [0039]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, part of the database  325  is used as a message store. The wireless messaging engine  320  maintains a message store associated with each subscriber in the database  325 . Messages addressed to a particular subscriber are received at the wireless messaging engine  320  and are stored in the database  325 . The stored messages may be stored in their original format, including all original content, for example URLs, attached files, etc., that was removed prior to transmission to the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c.  The subscriber&#39;s messaging address can be associated with the wireless messaging engine  320  so that it serves as the subscriber&#39;s primary message store. The message store can be accessed from the subscriber&#39;s wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  or through the Internet  310 , such as through a Web page message interface or a PC-based messaging application.  
         [0040]    The wireless messaging engine  320  functions to maintain a virtual presence on the Internet on behalf of the wireless subscribers that it supports. In this way, the wireless messaging engine  320  maintains a permanent presence for a subscriber on the Internet and acts as that individual&#39;s message store. Portions of certain messages will be sent to the wireless device following a set of rules as determined by the subscriber. These rules or preferences are maintained in the profile stored in the database  325 . Setting or changing these rules can be performed via a Web page that the subscriber logs into via the Internet  215 , or using the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c.  In this way the wireless subscriber unit  340  is functioning as a light client because the majority of the processing of messages will be done by the wireless messaging engine  320  with the database  325 , and not sent via the wireless network  130  to the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  for it to process.  
         [0041]    Referring now to FIG. 4, a block diagram of a wireless messaging system  400  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is shown. A wireless messaging engine  420  is in communication with a number of well-known messaging gateways including a DTMF-IVR gateway  410   a,  a TAP gateway  410   b , a socket gateway  410   c,  a HTTP gateway  410   d,  a WCTP gatew  410   e , a SMTP/POP gateway  410   f,  or any of a number of other well-known gateways  410   g.  The wireless messaging engine  320  is also in communication with an e-mail server  450 , a subscriber preference/profile database  455 , an Instant Messaging chat server  460 , a Web page server  465 , and any of a number of other well-known servers  470 . In addition, the wireless messaging engine  320  is in communication with a wireless network  130 . The wireless network  130  is in communication with a number of wireless subscriber units  440   a - 440   c  and additional networks  445   a - 445   c,  for example, other wireless networks.  
         [0042]    In accordance with the present embodiment the e-mail server  450  serves as an e-mail storage for messages addressed to a particular wireless subscriber associated with the wireless messaging engine  420 . These e-mail messages are then retrieved by the subscriber through the wireless messaging system  420  using a wireless subscriber unit  440   a - 440   c,  a messaging gateway  410   a - 410   g,  or another network  445   a - 445   c.  For example, a subscriber may access a Web page interface using the HTTP gateway  410   d  to request receipt of his or her e-mail messages. The HTTP gateway  410   d  sends the request to the wireless messaging engine  420  which retrieves the messages from the e-mail server  450 . The wireless messaging engine  420  then sends the messages to the HTTP gateway  410   d  which delivers the messages to the subscriber to present the messages to the subscriber using the Web page interface. Alternately, e-mail messages may be retrieved by a subscriber directly from the messaging gateways  410   a - 410   g  without passing through the wireless messaging engine  420 . In addition, the wireless subscriber may optionally access any of the servers through the wireless network directly without passing through the wireless messaging engine  420 . The preference and profile database  455  is used to store preference and profile information associated with a particular subscriber as discussed in relation to FIG. 3.  
         [0043]    In an e-mail example, the subscriber no longer requires any e-mail account other than the one associated with the wireless messaging engine  420  residing at the e-mail server  450 , and messages can be easily sent to and from the Internet in a fully transparent manner. If the wireless subscriber has more than one e-mail address, these multiple addresses can all be consolidated into a single mailbox with the subscriber address associated with the wireless messaging engine  420 . Each name, sometimes referred to as screen name, can have its own rules for message disposition per the profile preferences.  
         [0044]    In accordance with the present invention, the wireless messaging engine  420  has the capability of maintaining a virtual presence for millions of subscribers, just as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) maintains a virtual presence for millions of wired customers. To illustrate this concept, an e-mail example is referred to again. When a subscriber is away from his or her PC or traveling across the country, he or she will be able to access certain mail messages using a wireless subscriber unit  440   a - 440   c.  Once the subscriber returns to his or her PC, all of the messages will continue to be available to a full client messaging application, such as Microsoft Outlook, residing on the PC by connecting to an e-mail server  450  using a messaging gateway, for example a SMTP/POP gateway  410   f . Furthermore, the activity conducted via the wireless subscriber unit will be reflected in the messaging application due to the shared database  455 , as maintained by the wireless provider.  
         [0045]    In accordance with the present invention, an instant messaging (IM) chat server  460  may be associated with the wireless messaging engine  420 . The IM chat server allows a subscriber using a wireless subscriber unit  440   a  to participate in a chat session with other participants that are connected using a messaging gateway  410   a - 410   g,  another wireless subscriber unit  440   b - 440   c,  or another network  445   a - 445   c.  The IM chat server  460  establishes session information when a participant joins the chat session which does not have to be repeated for each message transferred into or out of the session. As is well known in the art, a chat session may be conducted among two or more participants, with chat between with two participants normally referred to as instant messaging. Ad hoc sessions can be created or established to offer chat ‘rooms’ which can be offered on the IM chat server  460  to provide an easy way to establish a community of interest.  
         [0046]    Since all participants are connected to the session simultaneously, all participants are aware of each other&#39;s messages. In a typical chat client a running accumulation of exchanged messages from each of the participants is shown to all participants. A current input line is displayed for a user to type or otherwise enter a message and send it to the other participants in the chat session. Traditionally, a chat server echoes the sent message back to the sender at the same time as all other participants are sent copies of the message, which serves as a notification to the user that the message was sent. If an error occurs after echoing, a further error message can be displayed.  
         [0047]    A problem with a chat server implementation that echoes sent messages to every participant is its inefficiency in bandwidth usage in a wireless environment. It is sufficient for a chat client that has sent a message to receive an acknowledgment of the message having been accepted and relayed to other participants, rather than receiving the whole message again. A more efficient approach provided by the present invention is to modify the client so that it moves the sent message into the accumulated messages when an acknowledgment is received from the chat server that the message was received. This provides for efficient use of airtime, and results in lower latency or faster response from the user&#39;s point of view.  
         [0048]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a Web page server  465  may be associated with the wireless messaging engine  420 . This provides the capability of wireless Web access to a subscriber using a wireless subscriber unit  440   a.  The Web page server  465  also allows for the maintaining by the wireless messaging engine  420  of a bookmark file accessible by the wireless subscriber unit  440   a  containing subscriber created URLs, or URLs contained in received messages. The wireless messaging engine  420  can then access those Web sites and retrieve information for manipulation, formatting and sending to the wireless subscriber unit  440   a - 440   c.  It should be understood that any of a number of other servers  470  may be associated with the wireless messaging engine  420  to provide other server services to a wireless subscriber unit  440   a,  such as an information service providing stock quotes, news, sports scores, airline schedules, etc.  
         [0049]    The preference and profile information contained in the preference and profile database  455  can be configured by the subscriber using the wireless subscriber unit  440   a  or the messaging gateways  410   a - 410   g.  Configuration information sent from the messaging gateways  410   a - 410   g  may be sent through the wireless messaging engine  420  to the preference and profile database  455 , or directly from the messaging gateways  410   a - 410   g  to the preference and profile database  455 . For example, an email message formatted with preference information may be sent using the SMTP/POP gateway  410   f  to the preference and profile database  455 . It should be understood that many well-known protocols may be used besides POP or SMTP, including IMAP. In another example, the preference information can be changed using a Web page interface using the HTTP gateway  410   d.  In still another example, the preference information can be changed using a telephone through the DTMP-IVR gateway  410   a.    
         [0050]    Due to its continuous presence on the Internet, the wireless messaging engine  420  is ideally suited to act as the synchronization point for Personal Information Managers (PIMs) The shared database  455  and servers  450 ,  455 ,  460 ,  465 , &amp;  470 , allow client applications, such as Microsoft&#39;s Outlook, to maintain synchronization to the wireless subscriber unit  440 a via the wireless messaging engine&#39;s  420  connection to the wireless network  130 . The wireless messaging engine  420  creates a method for the maintaining of a plurality of wireless subscribers with a plurality of mail servers and address book servers, which allows the synchronization of wireless and wired messaging applications via the Internet.  
         [0051]    Referring now to FIG. 5, a block diagram of a light-client system  500  in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. A wireless messaging engine  320  is in communication with the Internet  215  and a wireless network  130 . A message originator  310  is connected to the Internet  215  to send a message to the wireless messaging engine  520 . The wireless messaging engine  520  is also in communication with a database  325  and a “client” processing proxy  510 . The database  325  and processing proxy  510  may be integrated with the wireless messaging engine  520  or accessed from other nodes of the network. The wireless network  130  is connected to a wireless subscriber device  340   a - 340   c.  As discussed in reference to FIG. 3, the database  325  is used to store information associated with a particular subscriber or a number of subscribers, for example, messages, subscriber profiles and preferences. The proxy processor  510  serves to perform the processing of messages which will be sent to the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  following a set of rules as determined by the subscriber preferences and profile information stored in the database  325 . The wireless messaging engine  520 , database  325 , and proxy processor  510  serve to process information for the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c,  just as the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  would normally have to perform itself, but much more quickly and efficiently by using land-based high-speed hardware. Only the result is passed to the device formatted for the wireless device.  
         [0052]    Preferences from the subscriber profile in the database  325  are used to aid in determining the desired processing and formatting. Subscriber input from the wireless subscriber unit  340   a - 340   c  may be used to override the choices made by the proxy processor before the request is sent from the subscriber unit, or in response to processed data having been sent to the subscriber unit. In effect, the wireless provider becomes an application service provider (ASP) for the wireless subscribers.  
         [0053]    The implementation of such a system for an e-mail message store provides a dramatic improvement over other commercially available options. Furthermore, it should be understood that similar light-client implementations for instant messaging, information services and custom applications will produce similar improvements.  
         [0054]    Although a preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed , but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims.