Patent ID: 7039679

Claim:
An e-mail system for providing synchronized communication of independently modifiable e-mails over an Internet between a local area network (LAN) server secured by a LAN firewall with at least one normally open LAN firewall port, and each of a plurality of smart-phone devices, said system comprising: a global server secured by a global server firewall having a global server firewall port therein; a first Internet communication channel coupling said LAN server to said global server through said open LAN firewall port and said global server firewall port; a plurality of second Internet communication channels, each coupling said global server to a respective one of said smart-phone devices; at least one translator for translating e-mail data of different formats such that e- mails transmitted to said global server and said smart-phone devices are of a format or formats which are acceptable thereto; at least one storage device for storing version information indicating differences between independently modifiable e-mails; a general synchronization module responsive to a synchronization start command to synchronize different independently modifiable e-mails; and a synchronization-start module coupled to said general synchronization module, said synchronization-start module being responsive to an existence of predetermined criteria to produce and send a synchronization start command to said general synchronization module.