Patent Publication Number: US-7711785-B2

Title: System for using email message to transmit a command to remotely control a computer resource

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 09/769,834, entitled “A SYSTEM USING EMAIL MESSAGE TO TRANSMIT A COMMAND TO REMOTELY CONTROL A COMPUTER RESOURCE,” filed Jan. 24, 2001, now allowed. The subject matter in the above-identified co-pending and commonly owned application(s) is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of computer communication methods and apparatus using email, and in particular, for such methods and apparatus using a palmtop computer. 
   BACKGROUND 
   As the components required to build a computer system have reduced in size, new categories of computer systems have emerged. One of the new categories of computer systems is the “palmtop” computer system. A palmtop computer system is a computer that is small enough to be held in the hand of a user and can be “palm-sized.” Most palmtop computer systems are used to implement various Personal Information Management (PIM) applications such as an address book, a daily organizer and electronic notepads, to name a few. 
   While these palm sized computers (“palmtop” computers) have dramatically reduced size when compared to a desktop or notebook computer, the user might often like to be able to perform many of the same types of functions performed using physically larger and more powerful computers. One way to accomplish this, as described in accordance with the present invention, is to use the palmtop computer to control the functions of a more powerful computer. 
   The term “Trojan horse” generally refers to a computer program that hides its true function within another computer program or data. Computer viruses often rely on such programming techniques to infiltrate a computer system and cause mischief. Many such computer programs have been developed to function as computer viruses, and many of them utilize email functions to hide the true purpose of the program. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, what is needed is a computer system that can be easily controlled by a remote, and possibly less powerful computer (e.g., a palmtop computer) to secure information at the remote computer. The present invention provides one technique for addressing this need. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, a Trojan horse method and apparatus is used to permit email access to secure enterprise resources within an enterprise&#39;s firewall. An email message is used to permit a user to gain access to computer resources such as databases maintained within a secure enterprise&#39;s firewall. An email message generated from a palmtop computer or any other computer capable of sending and receiving email messages is used to pass through the firewall as a conventional email message would. The email message is received at a designated computer that recognizes reserved command words as a part of the email message, preferably as a part of the subject line thereof. Upon recognizing the reserved command word, the email message is parsed to determine key components of a command that can be executed on a desired enterprise computer resource. An appropriate command (e.g., an SQL query) is then created for execution on the enterprise computer resource (e.g., a database). A response or acknowledgement is then returned to the sender as an email message. This provides the advantage that the sender is able to carry out transactions with secure resources within an enterprise firewall from a palmtop computer or other computer using simple email applications. 
   In another embodiment of the invention, a method of using an email message to control a computer resource, includes receiving an email message from a sender; recognizing a reserved command word within the email message; interpreting the email message as a command to be carried out on an available computer resource; and generating a command for execution on the available computer resource. Preferably, the process further includes receiving a result from the available computer resource and sending a reply email message communicating the result to the sender. 
   Another method of using an email message to control a computer resource, consistent with the invention, includes receiving an email message from a sender, the email message originating at a palmtop computer; recognizing a reserved word within a subject portion of the email message; interpreting the email message as a command to be carried out on an available computer resource comprising a computer database by parsing the email message into parts defining the computer resource and the command; generating a command as a database query for execution on the computer database; receiving a result from the available computer database; and sending a reply email message communicating the result to the sender. 
   A system consistent with embodiments of the invention that uses an email message to control a computer resource from a remote location includes a first programmed processor having an email program that receives an email message from a sender. A program operating on the first programmed processor recognizes a reserved command word within the email message interprets the email message as a command to be carried out on an available computer resource and generates a command for execution on the available computer resource. 
   The above summaries are intended to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, which will be best understood in conjunction with the detailed description to follow, and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is system illustration of a palmtop computer system connected to other computer systems and the Internet via a cradle device. 
       FIG. 2A  is a top side perspective view of a palmtop computer system that can be used as a platform for data entry. 
       FIG. 2B  is a bottom side perspective view of the palmtop computer system of  FIG. 2A . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the components of the palmtop computer system of  FIG. 2A . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the cradle device for connecting the palmtop computer system to other systems via a communication interface. 
       FIG. 5  is a logical block diagram of the palmtop computer system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system using the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a process consistent with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8 , which is made up of  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B,  8 C and  8 D, is a flow chart illustrating the process for parsing an email message in an exemplary embodiment consistent with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be recognized by one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details or with equivalents thereof. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention. 
   Notation and Nomenclature 
   Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented in terms of procedures, steps, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic representations of operations on data bits that can be performed on computer memory. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. A procedure, computer executed step, logic block, process, etc., is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. 
   Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computer system. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. 
   It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present invention, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “translating” or “calculating” or “determining” or “scrolling” or “displaying” or “recognizing” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system&#39;s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. 
   Email Access to Secure Enterprise Resources in Accordance with the Present Invention 
   While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an example of the principles of the invention and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. In the description below, like reference numerals are used to describe the same, similar or corresponding parts in the several views of the drawings. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a system  50  that includes a host computer system  56  which can either be a desktop unit as shown, or, alternatively, can be a laptop system  58 . Optionally, one or more host computer systems can be used within system  50 . Host computer systems  58  and  56  are shown connected to a communication bus  54 , which in one embodiment can be a serial communication bus, but could be of any of a number of well known designs, e.g., a parallel bus, Ethernet Local Area Network (LAN), etc. Optionally, bus  54  can provide communication with the Internet  52  using a number of well known protocols. 
   Bus  54  is also coupled to a cradle  60  for receiving and initiating communication with a palmtop (“palm-sized”) portable computer system  100  of the present invention. Cradle  60  provides an electrical and mechanical communication interface between bus  54  (and anything coupled to bus  54 ) and the computer system  100  for two way communications. Computer system  100  also contains a wireless infrared communication mechanism  64  for sending and receiving information from other devices. 
     FIG. 2A  is a perspective illustration of the top face  100   a  of one embodiment of the palmtop computer system of the present invention. The top face  110   a  contains a display screen  105  surrounded by a bezel or cover. A removable stylus  80  is also shown. The display screen  105  is a touch screen able to register contact between the screen and the tip of the stylus  80 . The stylus  80  can be of any material to make contact with the screen  105 . The top face  100   a  also contains one or more dedicated and/or programmable buttons  75  for selecting information and causing the computer system to implement functions. The on/off button  95  is also shown. 
     FIG. 2A  also illustrates a handwriting recognition pad or “digitizer” containing two regions  106   a  and  106   b . Region  106   a  is for the drawing of alphabetic characters therein for automatic recognition and region  106   b  is for the drawing of numeric characters therein for automatic recognition. The stylus  80  is used for stroking a character within one of the regions  106   a  and  106   b . The stroke information is then fed to an internal processor for automatic character recognition. Once characters are recognized, they are typically displayed on the screen  105  for verification and/or modification. 
     FIG. 2B  illustrates the bottom side  100   b  of one embodiment of the palmtop computer system of the present invention. An optional extendible antenna  85  is shown and also a battery storage compartment door  90  is shown. A communication interface  108  is also shown. In one embodiment of the present invention, the serial communication interface  108  is a serial communication port, but could also alternatively be of any of a number of well known communication standards and protocols, e.g., parallel, SCSI, Firewire (IEEE 1394), Ethernet, USB (Universal Serial Bus), etc. In addition to providing the serial interface, some versions of palmtop computers consistent with the present invention include charging terminals for charging internal batteries through the cradle connection at interface  108 . Accordingly, interface  108  typically comprises approximately ten to twelve electrical connector terminals. 
     FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the palmtop computer system  100  in accordance with one implementation. System  100  contains a front cover  210  having an outline of region  106  and holes  75   a  for receiving buttons  75   b . A flat panel display  105  (both liquid crystal display and touch screen) fits into front cover  210 . Any of a number of display technologies can be used, e.g., LCD, FED, plasma, etc., for the flat panel display  105 . A battery  215  provides electrical power. A contrast adjustment (potentiometer)  220  is also shown. On/off button  95  is shown along with an infrared emitter and detector device  64 . A flex circuit  230  is shown along with a PC board  225  containing electronics and logic (e.g., memory, communication bus, processor, etc.) for implementing computer system functionality. The digitizer pad is also included in PC board  225 . A midframe  235  is shown along with stylus  80 . Position adjustable antenna  85  is shown. 
   A radio receiver/transmitter device  240  is also shown between the midframe and the rear cover  245  of  FIG. 3 . The receiver/transmitter device  240  is coupled to the antenna  85  and also coupled to communicate with the PC board  225 . In one implementation the Mobitex wireless communication system is used to provide two way communication between system  100  and other networked computers and/or the Internet via a proxy server. 
     FIG. 4  is a perspective illustration of one embodiment of the cradle  60  for receiving the palmtop computer system  100 . Cradle  60  contains a mechanical and electrical interface  260  for interfacing with serial connection  108  ( FIG. 2B ) of computer system  100  when system  100  is slid into the cradle  60  in an upright position. Once inserted, button  270  can be pressed to initiate two way communication between system  100  and other computer systems coupled to serial communication  265 . 
     FIG. 5  illustrates circuitry of computer system  100 , some of which can be implemented on PC board  225 . Computer system  100  includes an address/data bus  100  for communicating information, a central processor  101  coupled with the bus for processing information and instructions, a volatile memory  102  (e.g., random access memory RAM) coupled with the bus  100  for storing information and instructions for the central processor  101  and a non-volatile memory  103  (e.g., read only memory ROM) coupled with the bus  100  for storing static information and instructions for the processor  101 . Computer system  110  also includes an optional data storage device  104  (e.g., memory stick, SD memory, etc.) coupled with the bus  100  for storing information and instructions. Device  104  can be removable. As described above, system  100  also contains a display device  105  coupled to the bus  100  for displaying information to the computer user. PC board  225  can contain the processor  101 , the bus  100 , the ROM  103  and the RAM  102 . 
   Also included in computer system  110  of  FIG. 5  is an optional alphanumeric input device  106  which in one implementation is a handwriting recognition pad (“digitizer”) having regions  106   a  and  106   b  ( FIG. 2A ), for instance. Device  106  can communicate information and command selections to the central processor  101 . System  110  also includes an optional cursor control or directing device  107  coupled to the bus for communicating user input information and command selections to the central processor  101 . In one implementation, device  107  is a touch screen device incorporated with screen  105 . Device  107  is capable of registering a position on the screen  105  where the stylus makes contact. The display device  105  utilized with the computer system  110  may be a liquid crystal device, cathode ray tube (CRT), field emission device (FED, also called flat panel CRT) or other display device suitable for creating graphic images and alphanumeric characters recognizable to the user. In the preferred embodiment, display  105  is a flat panel display. 
   Signal communication device  108 , also coupled to bus  100 , can be a serial port for communicating with the cradle  60 . Device  108  can also include an infrared communication port. Bus  110  can also be connected to an internal real time clock  120 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , an exemplary system using the present invention is illustrated as  600 . In this embodiment, a palmtop computer  100  communicates with the Internet  52  through a palmtop service provider  604 . Service provider  604  provides for wireless communication with the palmtop and translation of such communication between a wireless protocol and Internet Protocol in a known manner. Such services are currently available from several vendors. In other embodiments, access to the Internet can be provided to the palmtop computer in other ways including infrared communication from the palmtop computer  100  to an Ethernet interface device or other techniques. 
   An enterprise provides access to Internet  52  through a firewall  608  to provide security to the enterprise&#39;s computing systems. In the present invention, a computer such as computer  612  is coupled to Internet  52  via the enterprise firewall  608  to send and receive email messages. Computer  612  includes software programs for carrying out the processes of the present invention to be described herein. Computer  612  may be coupled to a corporate network such as an Intranet comprising various Local Area Networks such as LAN  616  as well as possibly Wide Area Networks (WANs—not shown). Various other computers such as computer  620  including servers and workstations can be coupled to the various computer networks of the enterprise and may be used to carry out various enterprise or local computing applications. In an exemplary embodiment, computer  620  might store a corporation&#39;s database of employees with associated contact information including address and telephone number. Similarly, computer  612  could include the primary user of computer  612 &#39;s personal contact database including names, company affiliations, addresses and phone numbers. Of course, this is a simple example and many other enterprise or local applications can be dealt with using the technique of the present invention. 
   The present system  600  also illustrates a computer  630  residing outside firewall  608  which can contact the Internet  52  either directly or through an Internet Service Provider (ISP)  634 . A user can use the present invention to carry out transactions outside the enterprise firewall  608  from any such device including network appliances that are capable of sending and receiving email messages. 
   In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a Trojan horse technique is used to gain access to computer  612  from outside firewall  608  and carry out transactions with various enterprise computing resources. In preferred embodiments, the subject line of an email message is used to identify the enterprise resource being accessed, and the body is used to carry more specific information defining the transaction to be carried out. By way of example, and not limitation, the subject line can read “CONTACT” to identify a contact database residing on computer  612  or computer  620  (or any other computer resource accessible by computer  612 ). The body of the email message can be used to carry detailed instructions for the action to be carried out on the “CONTACT” database. In one embodiment, the body can directly carry commands that can be executed on the enterprise resource such as SQL queries to be executed on the “CONTACT” database. In other embodiments, the body of the email can be used to carry specific information that can be used to construct such a query, such as, an entry field (e.g., a name) into the database and specific fields within a record being requested by the user (e.g., a telephone number). 
   Once a query or other transaction is carried out within the enterprise computing resource application, a result or acknowledgement is generated in the form of an email reply to the sender. Thus, the sender can send an email message requesting a coworker&#39;s telephone number to computer  612  and obtain a reply email message with the telephone number, by way of example. In other embodiments, transactions could be carried out on customer support databases, customer lists, inventory databases, order entry systems and many other conceivable enterprise resources. The email from the sender can be sent as a result of direct entry into an email program, or alternatively, using an application that provides a clear user interface for a given application in which the sender fills in a form using direct entry, pull down menus, etc. In either case, the final message is simply an email message that can be generated directly without absolute need for an application interface so that the user can send the message from any system capable of sending an email message. 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that although the above description refers to email being directly sent to computers  612  and  630 , for example, actual email delivery is conventionally carried out in a somewhat less direct manner. For example, in the case of email directed to computer  630 , the email is actually sent to a mailbox on the Internet that is identified by a particular email address. The computer  630  then retrieves the email from the mailstore for processing. Similarly, email going into the enterprise is stored on an enterprise email system for retrieval by the enterprise computers such as  612  and  620 . These email mechanics, however, do not alter the operation of the present invention and the discussion has accordingly been simplified to emphasize the invention itself rather than peripheral workings of an email system. 
   In order to preserve security, of course, additional steps are taken to assure that the user is authorized to carry out the transaction desired. This may require use of encryption, a designated list of authorized users, passwords or other known techniques. In the example process below, the security technique described provides a level of security by using a list of approved users and passwords to provide protection to the enterprise computing resources. Of course, more elaborate and sophisticated security measures can be implemented without departing from the invention. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates a process  700  that implements an embodiment of the present invention at computer  612  starting at  704 . Computer  612  waits at  708  until an email is received. Once received at  708 , the email is inspected to determine if the user is an approved user by matching the email source address with approved addresses at  712 . This phase may also include matching a password to further verify the sender&#39;s authority to use the system. If the sender is approved and the password is correct at  712 , control passes to  716 . However, if the sender is not approved, the email is saved as a normal email message at  720  and control returns to  708  to await the next email message. 
   At  716 , according to the present embodiment, the subject section of the email is inspected to see if the subject section contains a reserved word indicating that the email message is actually carrying a command for execution on a computer resource forming a part of the enterprise&#39;s computing resources. If not, control passes to  720 . If so, control passes to  724  where the remainder of the message is parsed into an executable command. If an error occurs during the parsing process of  724 , it is detected at  730  and an error message is generated and sent to the sender as a reply email at  734 . Otherwise, the command is executed on the appropriate enterprise resource (e.g., a contact manager application) at  740 . At  746 , an email response is generated from the results of the transaction carried out at  740 , or an acknowledgement message is generated and sent to the sender as a reply email. In either of the cases of  734  or  746 , the reply message, response or acknowledgement is logged to a log file at  750  and the process returns to  708  to await receipt of the next email message. 
   To illustrate the function of this invention with a simple exemplary embodiment, consider the case of a contact manager application residing on computer  612  (or  620 ). The contact manager might have a plurality of records containing names, company affiliations and telephone numbers. One such record is illustrated in Table 1 below: 
   
     
       
         
             
             
           
             
                 
               TABLE 1 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
          
             
                 
               John Smith 
             
             
                 
               ZYX Plastics Corporation 
             
             
                 
               1 Plastic Place, Washington, DC 20231 
             
             
                 
               1-800-555-5555 
             
             
                 
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   Table 1 reflects a record in the application “CONTACT” having fields “NAME”, “COMPANY”, “ADDRESS” and “PHONE” respectively. It will be appreciated that the exemplary database is dramatically simplified so as not to obscure the explanation of the invention with an unnecessarily complex (albeit more realistic) database structure. In this example, consider that four possible actions can be carried out using the Trojan horse technique described herein, namely retrieving information from a record, adding a record, deleting a record and editing a record. Those actions will be represented by the commands “GET”, “ADD”, “DELETE” and “EDIT” respectively. 
   With reference now to  FIG. 8 , consider an exemplary process carried out at computer  612  in which an email is received having the format illustrated in Table 2 below: 
   
     
       
         
             
             
             
           
             
                 
               TABLE 2 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
          
             
                 
               FROM: 
               approveduser1@palmtop.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               TO: 
               emailcommand@enterprise.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               SUBJECT: 
               CONTACT 
             
             
                 
               PASSWORD 
             
             
                 
               OPERATOR 
             
             
                 
               FIELD 
             
             
                 
               SPECIFIC 
             
             
                 
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   In this example, the database “CONTACT” is to be manipulated by email transactions. The process  700  of  FIG. 7  is carried out, with the subject line “CONTACT” identifying that the contact database is to be manipulated, until stage  800  is reached as represented by the process  800  of  FIG. 8  starting at  804 . The password appearing in the “PASSWORD” field is inspected at  712  along with the sender&#39;s identity. 
   After the password, the first non-null line of the message is inspected at  808  and the contents of the line equated to the OPERATOR. Consider the example below in Table 3 of a GET command equated to the OPERATER at  808 . 
   
     
       
         
             
             
             
           
             
                 
               TABLE 3 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
          
             
                 
               FROM: 
               approveduser1@palmtop.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               TO: 
               emailcommand@enterprise.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               SUBJECT: 
               CONTACT 
             
          
         
         
             
             
          
             
                 
               password 
             
             
                 
               GET 
             
             
                 
               NAME=John Smith 
             
             
                 
               PHONE 
             
             
                 
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   In the event of a GET operator, control passes to  810  where the next line of the message is retrieved and equated to FIELD. In this case, the field is the entry field of the contact database corresponding to the name John Smith. The final line, which is retrieved at  814  represents the SPECIFIC information desired, in this case a phone number. Control would pass from  814  to  816  to generate the appropriate query (e.g., an SQL query of the database) and the process returns at  818  to  746 . The operation would be essentially identical in this simple example if the FIELD were COMPANY instead of NAME. In the event an error occurs by virtue of no data where needed or unrecognized data, control passes from  820  where an error message is generated for the sender. If at  814 , no data is present for SPECIFIC or the data is unrecognized, the entire record is obtained at  822 . Thus, to obtain an entire record corresponding to the FIELD, the next line can simply be left blank. Also, in the event multiple records match the FIELD, all records can be returned. For simplicity, only NAME and COMPANY are permitted as entry points in the example shown, but this is not to be considered limiting. 
   A record can also be added to the database CONTACT using a message such as that illustrated in Table 4 below: 
   
     
       
         
             
             
             
           
             
                 
               TABLE 4 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
          
             
                 
               FROM: 
               approveduser1@palmtop.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               TO: 
               emailcommand@enterprise.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               SUBJECT: 
               CONTACT 
             
          
         
         
             
             
          
             
                 
               PASSWORD 
             
             
                 
               ADD 
             
             
                 
               NAME=Joe Green 
             
             
                 
               COMPANY=ASDF Typing, Inc. 
             
             
                 
               ADDRESS=123 Hickory St., Washington, D.C. 20231 
             
             
                 
               PHONE=(123) 321-1234 
             
             
                 
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   In this example, control passes from  808  to  826  when the operator us ADD. At  826 , the next line is retrieved as FIELD as a first piece of data for the database (e.g., a key field) and a record is created at  830 . Control then passes to  834  where the next line is retrieved as a SPECIFIC. The SPECIFIC data are added to the record at  838  and the process returns to  834  through  840  as long as a null line is not reached. When a null line is reached, the process returns at  818 . In the event any line is unrecognized at  826  or  834 , control passes to  820  where an appropriate error message is generated and the process returns at  818 . In the event the FIELD line is empty at  826 , control similarly passes to  820 . 
   In the event a DELETE operator is encountered at  808 , control passes to  846  where the next line is retrieved to determine FIELD by NAME or COMPANY. The record is then deleted at  850  and the process returns at  818 . If an error is encountered by virtue of a null or unrecognized field at  846 , an appropriate error message is generated at  820  and the process returns at  818 . Such a DELETE command embedded in the email message is illustrated in Table 5 below. 
   
     
       
         
             
             
             
           
             
                 
               TABLE 5 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
          
             
                 
               FROM: 
               approveduser1@palmtop.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               TO: 
               emailcommand@enterprise.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               SUBJECT: 
               CONTACT 
             
             
                 
               PASSWORD 
             
             
                 
               DELETE 
             
          
         
         
             
             
          
             
                 
               NAME=John Smith 
             
             
                 
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   In the event an EDIT operator is encountered at  808 , control passes to  856  where the next line is retrieved to determine FIELD by NAME or COMPANY. The next message line is then retrieved at  860  that defines the edit operation as illustrated in Table 6. At  866  an appropriate edit command is generated and the process returns at  818 . If an error is encountered by virtue of a null or unrecognized field at  856 , an appropriate error message is generated at  820  and the process returns at  818 . 
   
     
       
         
             
             
             
           
             
                 
               TABLE 6 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
          
             
                 
               FROM: 
               approveduser1@palmtop.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               TO: 
               emailcommand@enterprise.com 
             
          
         
         
             
             
             
          
             
                 
               SUBJECT: 
               CONTACT 
             
          
         
         
             
             
          
             
                 
               PASSWORD 
             
             
                 
               EDIT 
             
             
                 
               NAME=John Smith 
             
             
                 
               ADDRESS=2 Plastic Place, Washington, DC 20231 
             
             
                 
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   Thus, the present invention provides a mechanism for a user to access a secure database or other enterprise application through secure enterprise firewalls to carry out transactional processes. The method can be initiated using a palmtop computer or other email capable machine to remotely obtain information that would otherwise be inaccessible. 
   Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments based upon use of a programmed processor. However, the invention should not be so limited, since the present invention could be implemented using hardware component equivalents such as special purpose hardware and/or dedicated processors which are equivalents to the invention as described and claimed. Similarly, general purpose computers, microprocessor based computers, micro-controllers, optical computers, analog computers, dedicated processors and/or dedicated hard wired logic may be used to construct alternative equivalent embodiments of the present invention. 
   Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the embodiments described above can be implemented using disc storage as well as other forms of storage including Read Only Memory (ROM) devices, Random Access Memory (RAM) devices; optical storage elements, magnetic storage elements, magneto-optical storage elements, flash memory, core memory and/or other equivalent storage technologies without departing from the present invention. Such alternative storage devices should be considered equivalents. 
   The present invention is preferably implemented using a programmed processor executing programming instructions that are broadly described above in flow chart form and can be stored on any suitable electronic storage medium. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processes described above can be implemented in any number of variations and in many suitable programming languages without departing from the present invention. For example, the order of certain operations carried out can often be varied, and additional operations can be added without departing from the invention. Error trapping can be added and/or enhanced and variations can be made in user interface and information presentation without departing from the present invention. Such variations are contemplated and considered equivalent. 
   While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, permutations and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.