Abstract:
A method for forwarding an e-mail message from an e-mail server to a mobile terminal is provided. An e-mail address of the mobile terminal is associated with an identifier and encryption information, receiving the e-mail message associated with the e-mail address and sent by the e-mail server. The method includes encrypting the e-mail message using the encryption information associated with the e-mail address and transmitting the encrypted e-mail message to the mobile terminal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/228,325 filed Aug. 11, 2008, which is a divisional and claims the priority benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/282,950 filed Nov. 21, 2005, which claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/650,975 filed Feb. 9, 2005 and the priority benefit of Finnish patent application number 20045451 filed Nov. 22, 2004, the disclosures of the aforementioned applications being incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to methods and equipment for transmitting electronic mail (e-mail) messages to or from a mobile terminal. More specifically, the present invention relates to a messaging centre for transmitting e-mail messages to and from a mobile terminal. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,378 to Barry Gilhuly et al. discloses a system and method for pushing information, such as e-mail messages, from a host system to a mobile data communication device (mobile terminal). The technique permits e-mail processing at a mobile terminal in addition to a more stationary computer, referred to as a host system in the Gilhuly patent. Specifically, a redirector program operating at the host system enables a user to continuously redirect certain user-selected data items from the host system to the user&#39;s mobile data communication device upon detecting that one or more user-defined triggering events has occurred. The redirector program operates in connection with event-generating applications and repackaging systems at the host system to configure and detect a particular user-defined event, and then to repackage the user-selected data items in an electronic wrapper prior to pushing the data items to the mobile device. The mobile data communication device may originate new messages or reply messages to previously received information, such messages being transmitted to a wireless redirector host system, which then transmits a copy of the messages to both the intended recipient and a first electronic mail account associated with the mobile data communication device. 
         [0006]    The above-described prior art technique suffers from certain limitations. For example, the host system, such as an office computer, and the mobile terminal require separate e-mail accounts. Some e-mail systems support a forward-type file for forwarding e-mail messages from a first e-mail account to a second e-mail account, but some systems do not support it. It is difficult to set up e-mail systems that do not support such forwarding techniques. 
         [0007]    Furthermore, the Gilhuly patent does not address issues that relate to manipulating e-mail messages at the second e-mail account (at the mobile terminal). For instance, it is difficult or impossible to use the terminal to arrange incoming e-mail messages into different folders at the host system. Also, if the terminal user deletes an incoming e-mail message at the terminal, a copy of the deleted message is not present in a “deleted items” folder at the host system, which typically is the case in e-mail systems. Likewise, when the terminal sends an e-mail message, a copy of the message is not added to the host system&#39;s “sent items” folder. A further related problem is that e-mail messages that the user has read at the terminal may appear as unread messages at the host system. 
         [0008]    Yet another problem is that configuring an e-mail client software at the mobile terminal is difficult because of user interface restrictions in typical mobile terminals. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    Embodiments of the present invention provide for methods and systems for messaging centres for forwarding an e-mail message from an e-mail server. A permanent terminal identifier of the mobile-terminal and an associated temporary identifier of the mobile terminal may be stored. An e-mail message including an indication of a permanent identifier of the mobile terminal may be received. The e-mail message may then be transmitted to the mobile terminal using the temporary identifier associated with the permanent identifier of the mobile terminal. 
         [0010]    Various embodiments of the present invention include methods for forwarding an e-mail message from an e-mail server to a mobile terminal. Such methods may include storing a permanent terminal identifier of the mobile terminal and an associated temporary identifier of the mobile terminal, receiving the e-mail message, wherein the e-mail message includes an indication of the permanent terminal identifier, and transmitting the e-mail address to the mobile terminal using the temporary identifier associated with the permanent identifier of the mobile terminal. Some embodiments may further include storing the e-mail address of the e-mail message in association with the stored permanent and temporary identifier of the mobile terminal. The message may have been encrypted, packed, and received from a connectivity application in some embodiments of the present invention. The mobile terminal receiving the e-mail message may decrypt and unpack the message. 
         [0011]    Some embodiments of the present invention further include a system of a memory for storing a permanent identifier of the mobile terminal and an associated temporary identifier of the mobile terminal, a processor configured to execute software stored in memory, the execution of the software resulting in the identification of the mobile terminal based on a received e-mail message including an indication of the permanent identifier of the mobile terminal and the stored association between the permanent identifier and the temporary identifier of the mobile terminal, and a communications interface configured to transmit the e-mail message to the identified mobile terminal. 
         [0012]    Some embodiments may further include a computer-readable storage media upon which is embodied programs including instructions for performing methods for forwarding an e-mail message from an e-mail server. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    In the following the invention will be described in greater detail by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary system architecture in which the invention can be used; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows provisioning of an e-mail system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a hypothetical scenario in which the e-mail system is used; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows information flows in mobile-terminated e-mail transmission; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows information flows in mobile-originated e-mail transmission; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  shows an enhanced embodiment in which some of the functions of the messaging centre are performed by a separate connectivity function; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  shows traffic flow in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary system architecture in which the invention can be used. Reference numeral  100  denotes a host system that is able to send an receive e-mail messages. Reference numeral  102  denotes a mobile terminal, also able to send an receive e-mail messages. The e-mail messages may originate or terminate at external e-mail terminals, one of which is denoted by reference numeral  104 . The invention aims at improving cooperation between the host system  100  and mobile terminal  102  such that they can use a single e-mail account as transparently as possible. This means, for example, that the users of the external e-mail terminals  104 , when sending or receiving e-mail, do not need to know if the user of the host system  100  actually uses the host system  100  or the mobile terminal  102  to communicate via e-mail. The transparency also means that e-mail manipulation at the mobile terminal  102  has, as far as possible, the same effect as the corresponding e-mail manipulation at the host system  100 . For example, e-mail messages read at the mobile terminal  102  should preferably be marked as read at the host system. 
         [0022]    Reference numeral  106  denotes a data network, such as an IP (Internet Protocol) network, which may be the common Internet or its closed subnetworks, commonly called intranets or extranets. Reference numeral  108  denotes an e-mail server and its associated database. The database stores an e-mail account, addressable by means of an e-mail address, that appears as a mailbox to the owner of the e-mail account. In order to communicate with mobile terminals  102 , the data network  106  is connected, via a gateway  112  to an access network  114 . The access network comprises a set of base stations  116  to provide wireless coverage over a wireless interface  118  to the mobile terminals  102 . 
         [0023]    Reference numeral  110  denotes a messaging centre that is largely responsible for providing the above-mentioned transparency between the host system  100  and the mobile terminal  102 . The system architecture also comprises a connectivity function, whose task is to push e-mail messages to the mobile terminal. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the connectivity function is considered a physically integral but logically distinct element of the messaging centre  110 . Later, in connection with  FIGS. 6 and 7 , an enhanced embodiment will be described that explicitly assigns the security-related functions to the connectivity function and traffic-related functions to the messaging centre  110 . 
         [0024]    The mobile terminal  102  may be a pocket or laptop computer with a radio interface, a smart cellular telephone, or the like. Depending on implementation, the host system  100 , if present, may have different roles. In some implementations the host system  100  is optional and may be a conventional office computer that merely acts as the mobile terminal user&#39;s principal computer and e-mail terminal. In other implementations the host system may act as a platform for a single user&#39;s connectivity function, in addition to being an office computer. In yet other implementations the host system  100  may comprise the connectivity function for several users. Thus it is a server instead of a normal office computer. 
         [0025]    We assume here that the access network  114  is able to establish and maintain a tunnel  120  between the messaging centre  110  and the mobile terminal  102 . For instance, the tunnel may be set up using GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) or its later derivatives, or any other suitable tunneling protocol. 
         [0026]    In a real system, there are naturally a large number of mobile terminals  102  and tunnels  120 . In order to keep track of which e-mail account and which tunnel belongs to which mobile terminal, the messaging centre  110  maintains an association  122  for each mobile terminal supported by it. Each association  122  joins three fields, namely an e-mail address  122 A assigned to the mobile terminal or its user, encryption information  122 C and a temporary wireless identity  122 D of the mobile terminal in the access network. The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  also employs a terminal identifier  122 B which may be the same as the e-mail address  122 A of the mobile terminal  102 , in which case the association  122  actually associates three information items. Alternatively, the terminal identifier  122 B may be an identifier arbitrarily assigned to the mobile terminal. In a preferred implementation the terminal identifier  122 B is the mobile terminal&#39;s equipment identifier or its derivative. The encryption information  122 C will be generated by the mobile terminal, as described later in connection with  FIG. 2 . The temporary wireless identity  122 D may be the identifier of the tunnel to the mobile station. Of course, the tunnel identifier is not permanent and is only known when a tunnel exists. The creation and use of the association  122  will be further described in connection with  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  6 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows provisioning of an e-mail system in a system as shown in  FIG. 1 . The e-mail provisioning phase comprises the following steps. In a preparatory step (not shown), appropriate e-mail software is installed in the host system  100  (if present) and mobile terminal  102 , as well as in the e-mail server  108 . For instance, the host system  100 , the mobile terminal  102  and the e-mail server  108  may comprise and execute conventional e-mail software, such as Microsoft®. Outlook, which may be augmented by inventive client software that will be described in more detail whenever necessary. 
         [0028]    After the software installation, the next task is to create a secure binding between the connectivity function and the mobile terminal  102 . The idea is to ensure that, in addition to the host system  100 , only the mobile terminal  102  used in the binding process can be used to access and manipulate e-mail addressed to the mobile terminal&#39;s e-mail address. The binding operation faces two types of security risks. First, the communication used during binding must be secured against eavesdropping or other types of hacking Second, the only the user of the bound terminal  102  may access e-mail addressed to the e-mail address. The eavesdropping problem is not trivial in a phase in which no trust exists between the mobile terminal  102  and the rest of the system. Yet another problem is that the e-mail server  108  and the messaging centre  110  typically have user interfaces that are only accessible to dedicated support persons. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a secure e-mail provisioning technique in which the host system  100  authenticates the user of the mobile terminal  102 . In step  2 - 1  the client software in the mobile terminal  102  generates and displays a service activation code. In step  2 - 2  the host system  100  authenticates the person who enters the service activation code. Instead of a dedicated authentication step, the technique may rely on the authentication of the underlying e-mail system, such as user name and password combination. After all, the e-mail provisioning need not be more secure than the underlying e-mail system. In step  2 - 3  the service activation code is then conveyed off-line to the host system  100 . The idea of the off-line communication is to eliminate any chance of eavesdropping before secure a communication channel can be established. For instance, the service activation code may be entered manually or via a local connection, such as a wired or optical interface or a short-range wireless interface, such as Bluetooth™. Finally, in step  2 - 4 , the mobile terminal&#39;s service activation code is registered with the connectivity function in the messaging centre  110 . 
         [0030]    The service activation code is closely related to an encryption key to be used in future communications between the connectivity function in the messaging centre  110  and the mobile terminal  102 . The service activation code and the encryption key may be identical, or one may be a subset of the other, or the encryption key may be derived from the service activation code by means of some, preferably unpublished, algorithm. The fact that the service activation code and the encryption key are closely related to each other ensures that the terminal used in the authentication process is the terminal used to access the e-mail service afterwards. 
         [0031]    Thus the idea of conveying the service activation code to the messaging centre  110  via the host system  100  solves both the security-related and user interface-related problems mentioned above. If there is no host system  100  that can authenticate the mobile terminal and its user. Instead, the user may enter the provisioning data to the connectivity function via some suitable connection. The provisioning data entered by the user may be checked by sending a trial e-mail message and attempting to read it. If the check succeeds, it is regarded as the authentication. Yet another way is to convey the service activation code to a dedicated support person who performs the authentication (eg by recognizing the person&#39;s face or voice) and enters the service activation code into the connectivity function in the messaging centre  110 . The messaging centre/connectivity function  110  now stores an association (item  122  in  FIG. 1 ) between the e-mail address  122 A and encryption information  122 C. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  shows a hypothetical scenario in which the e-mail system is used. This scenario comprises four events, which are delineated by thick dashed lines. The first event, steps  3 - 10  through  3 - 16 , relate to incoming e-mail. In step  3 - 10  the external e-mail terminal  104  sends an e-mail message to the e-mail server  108 . The e-mail message is addressed to the user of the host system  100 . Accordingly, a notification of the incoming e-mail is sent to the host system  100 , but that step is omitted from  FIG. 3  as purely conventional. In step  3 - 11  the mobile terminal  102  requests the access network to establish a tunnel between itself and the messaging centre  110 . Step  3 - 11  may take place before or after step  3 - 10 . After the tunnel establishment, the messaging centre  110  now stores a complete association triplet (item  122  in  FIG. 1 ) that joins the e-mail address  122 A of the host system  100 , the service activation code  122 C of the mobile terminal  102  and the tunnel identifier  122 D of the tunnel to the mobile terminal  102 . 
         [0033]    In step  3 - 12  the messaging centre  110  detects and retrieves the incoming e-mail from the e-mail server  108 . For instance, the messaging centre  110  may regularly poll the e-mail server  108  or it may register itself as a listener to the e-mail server. In step  3 - 13  the messaging centre  110  encrypts, and optionally packs, the e-mail message or parts of it. For instance, the messaging centre  110  may omit the destination address of the e-mail message because it is self-evident that the e-mail message is addressed to the user of the host system  100 , who is also the user of the mobile terminal  102 . The messaging centre  110  may also omit all attachments or large attachments, up to some threshold size, from the e-mail message to be conveyed to the mobile terminal. The encryption process uses the mobile terminal&#39;s service activation code  122 C, or its derivative, as the encryption key. In step  3 - 14  the messaging centre  110  transmits the encrypted and packed e-mail to the mobile terminal that decrypts and unpacks it in step  3 - 15 . The messaging centre  110  knows the correct encryption key (service activation code)  122 C and the tunnel identifier  122 D on the basis of the association triplet  122 . 
         [0034]    In step  3 - 16  the mobile terminal  102  sends the messaging centre  110  an automatic control message indicating that the user has read the e-mail message. In response to the control message, the messaging centre  110  signals the e-mail server  108  to mark the e-mail message as read in step  3 - 17 , which act the e-mail server performs in step  3 - 18 . The control message comprises some identification of the e-mail message but not its contents, whereby it loads the radio interface only lightly. A benefit of the control message is that the user, when beginning to user the host system  100 , immediately sees which messages he/she has already read and does not have to read them twice. 
         [0035]    Next in this scenario, the user decides that the e-mail message needs further attention when he/she is at the host system  100 . The user may initiate another control message  3 - 22  that causes the previously read message to be marked as unread at the e-mail server in step  3 - 22 . 
         [0036]    The next phase, steps  3 - 30  through  3 - 34 , relates to e-mail message generation at the mobile terminal  102 . We assume here, that the e-mail message to be generated is a reply message to the incoming message described above (steps  3 - 10  to  3 - 17 ), but the operation is very similar if the message to be generated is an original (non-reply) message. In step  3 - 30  the mobile terminal user generates a reply message. Since it is a reply message, its recipient is automatically the sender of the incoming message, and the subject field comprises the original subject with a prefix of “RE:” or something similar. If the message is not a reply message, the user will have to fill in the recipient and subject fields. In step  3 - 31  the client software at the mobile terminal  102  encrypts, and optionally packs, the outgoing e-mail message and transmits it via the tunnel to the messaging centre  110 . The messaging centre  110  does not immediately know the sender of the e-mail message or the required decryption key. But the messaging centre  110  does know the identifier of the tunnel  120 , and it employs the association triplet  122  to retrieve the decryption key  122 C and the mobile terminal user&#39;s e-mail address  122 A. The latter is not included in the e-mail message transmitted over the wireless interface  118  in order to load the wireless interface as little as possible. In step  3 - 32 , the messaging centre  110  employs the decryption key  122 C to decrypt the e-mail message. It also inserts the mobile terminal user&#39;s e-mail address  122 A, which is the same as the host system&#39;s e-mail address because they share the same e-mail account. In step  3 - 33  the messaging centre  110  signals the e-mail server  108  to send a conventional reply message. In step  3 - 34  the e-mail server  108  stores a copy of the message in its “sent items” folder. Because the messaging centre  110  signals the e-mail server  108  to send a conventional reply message, the recipient of the message has no way of knowing that the user actually used the mobile terminal to initiate the message, and the desired transparency is achieved. A benefit of the transparency is that when the external terminal  104  sends a further reply, its user does not need to decide whether to send the reply to the host system or to the mobile terminal. 
         [0037]    The final phase, steps  3 - 41  to  3 - 43 , relate to deletion of an e-mail message. In response to the mobile terminal user&#39;s deletion command, the mobile terminal  102  sends a control message in step  3 - 41  to the messaging centre  110 . In step  3 - 42  it signals the e-mail server  108  to delete the message, and in step  3 - 43  the message is moved to the “deleted items” folder, again achieving complete transparency between the host system and the mobile terminal. 
         [0038]    As a further example of control messages, the user of the mobile terminal  102  may wish to explicitly move an e-mail message to a particular folder. In this case the signalling is analogous to steps  3 - 41  to  3 - 43 , except that the message is not deleted but moved to a different folder. Only the control message has to be sent via the wireless interface, not the actual e-mail message. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  shows information flows in mobile-terminated e-mail transmission. Reference numeral  400  denotes an e-mail message as it appears on the fixed network side of the wireless interface  118 . The e-mail message  400  is sent by an external e-mail terminal  104  and processed by the host system  100 , the e-mail server  108  and/or the messaging centre  110 . For the purposes of this description it comprises a source address field  401 , a destination address field  402 , a subject field  403 , a message body field  404  and, optionally, one or more attachments  405 . There may be other fields, such as cc (carbon copy) or bcc (blind carbon copy) but they can be ignored in this discussion. 
         [0040]    The messaging centre  110  comprises an encryption and packing logic  422  that encrypts, and optionally packs (compresses), most of the fields of the e-mail message  400 . However, the destination address field  402  is not processed because the mobile terminal will generate it internally. The mobile terminal comprises a decryption and unpacking logic  424  whose operation is inverse to the encryption and packing logic  422 . 
         [0041]    It is also advantageous to implement a filtering logic  430  that filters out attachments that exceed a threshold size, which is preferably user-settable. This means that the user is able to set an upper limit for attachments that will be sent to the mobile terminal. Omitting attachments saves resources in the wireless interface and the mobile terminal. Instead of filtering long attachments, or in addition to it, the filtering logic  430  may be configured to cut out portions of an e-mail message body that exceeds a threshold size. Reference numeral  410  denotes the e-mail message as received and processed by the mobile terminal. Instead of size-based filtering, or in addition to it, the filtering logic may employ type-based filtering that filters out attachment types that the mobile terminal is not able to process. For instance, if the mobile terminal does not have a suitable codec for certain types of video clips, it is pointless to send such video clips to the mobile terminal. 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  shows information flows in mobile-originated e-mail transmission. Reference numeral  500  denotes an e-mail message generated at the mobile terminal in response to a user input received via the terminal&#39;s user interface. The e-mail message  500  is encrypted, and optionally packed, by an encryption and packing logic  522  that operates similarly to the logic  422  in the messaging centre. Reference numeral  510  denotes the same e-mail message after processing by a decryption and unpacking logic  524  that reverses the encryption and packing by the logic  522 . 
         [0043]    The information flows in  FIG. 5  are largely analogous to those in  FIG. 4 , and a detailed description is omitted. However, in this direction the source address, instead of the destination address, is omitted from the packet sent over the wireless interface. In either direction, the e-mail address shared between the host system  100  and the mobile terminal  102  is not transmitted over the wireless interface. Another difference to  FIG. 4  is absence of the size/type-based filtering logic  430 , because in mobile-originated messages the user can each time make the decision whether or not to include attachments. 
         [0044]      FIG. 6  shows an enhanced embodiment in which some of the functions of the messaging centre are performed by a separate connectivity function. In the embodiments described so far the messaging centre  110  was responsible for data security issues and traffic coordination to/from the access network. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  a dedicated connectivity function  600  is responsible for the data security issues.  FIG. 6  shows an arrangement in which the connectivity function  600  is physically attached to or co-located with the messaging centre  110 , but they are logically separate elements. Indeed, a definite advantage of the separate connectivity function  600  is that it can be detached from the messaging centre, for instance, within the company that owns the host system  100  or the e-mail server  108 . For a small number of users, the connectivity function  600  can be installed in each host system  100 , or the host system  100  can be interpreted as a separate server configured to support multiple users. It is even possible to implement some or all the above-mentioned options. This means, for example, that there is one or more messaging centres  110  that offer services to several network operators, or they may be a dedicated messaging centre for each network operator (somewhat analogous to short messaging centres). Each messaging centre  110  may have an integral connectivity function  600  to support users who don&#39;t wish to install a separate connectivity function in a host system  100 . For users who do install a separate connectivity function  600  in their host systems  100 , such connectivity functions bypass the connectivity function in the messaging centre  110  and address the messaging centre  110  directly. 
         [0045]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the messaging centre maintained an association  122  that joined the e-mail address  122 A, terminal identifier  122 B (which may or may not be the same as the e-mail address), encryption information  122 C and the temporary wireless identity  122 D of the mobile terminal. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the association is split into two, such that the connectivity function  600  maintains a first association  610  between the e-mail address  122 A, terminal identifier  122 B and the encryption information  122 C, while the messaging centre  110  maintains a second association  612  between the terminal identifier  122 B (or e-mail address  122 A) and the temporary wireless identity  122 D of the mobile terminal. Thus in this embodiment the messaging centre  110  does not know or need to know the encryption information  122 C, which means that it only forwards traffic without being able to interpret it. 
         [0046]    A further change caused by the separation (at least logical and, optionally, physical separation) of the connectivity function  600  from the messaging centre  110  is the fact that in step  2 - 4  of  FIG. 2 , the mobile terminal&#39;s activation code (or any encryption information based on it) is not delivered to the messaging centre  110  but to the connectivity function  600 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  shows traffic flow in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 . An extensive messaging scenario was described in connection with  FIG. 3 , and the description of  FIG. 7  is restricted to the differences caused by the separate connectivity function. In step  7 - 10 , the e-mail server  108  sends an incoming e-mail message to the connectivity function  600  (cf. steps  3 - 10  and  3 - 12  in  FIG. 3 ). In step  7 - 11 , the connectivity function  600  encrypts, and optionally packs, the e-mail message. The packing comprises one or more of the following: data compression, omission of redundant fields, omission of long attachments and shortening message bodies (cf. step  3 - 13  in  FIG. 3  and items  422  and  430  in  FIG. 4 ). In step  7 - 12 , the connectivity function  600  sends the encrypted and packed e-mail message to the messaging centre  110 . Up to this point, the recipient of the e-mail message has been identified based on the e-mail address  122 A. In step  7 - 13 , the messaging centre  110  forwards the encrypted and packed e-mail message via the access network to the mobile terminal, but in this step the recipient of the e-mail message is identified based on the temporary wireless identity  122 D of the mobile terminal. In step  7 - 14  the mobile terminal decrypts and unpacks the e-mail message. The unpacking comprises data decompression and/or regeneration of redundant fields (cf. step  3 - 15  in  FIG. 3  and item  424  in  FIG. 4 ). Steps  7 - 20  through  7 - 25  relate to mobile-originated e-mail transmission, and the steps performed are self-explanatory based on the above descriptions. 
         [0048]    As shown on the bottom row of  FIG. 7 , between the e-mail server  108  and the connectivity function  600 , traffic is identified based on the e-mail address  122 A. Between the connectivity function  600  and the messaging centre  110  traffic is identified based on the terminal identifier  122 B. Finally, between the messaging centre  110  and the mobile terminal  102 , traffic is identified based on the temporary wireless identity  122 D, such as the tunnel identifier, TLLI or TMSI. 
         [0049]    It is readily apparent to a person skilled in the art that, as the technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.