Patent ID: 7313597

Claim:
A method for automatic message retrieval, comprising: automatically checking for electronic messages according to a data connection type designated for a messaging client, the messaging client retrieving a new electronic message that is verified to be present as a result of the checking operation, wherein: if the messaging client is designated by a user to employ a continual connection to a data network, electronic messages are checked periodically by the messaging client and are checked a set period of time after an electronic message is sent from the messaging client; if the messaging client is designated by the user to employ a temporary connection to a data network, electronic messages are checked a discrete number of times during respectively defined windows of time by the messaging client and are checked a set period of time after an electronic message is sent from the messaging client; selecting a plurality of times for checking for electronic messages in the defined windows of time by randomly determining a time within a first window of time and then equally incrementing the time into subsequent windows of time to determine additional times for checking for electronic messages within the defined windows of time; and selecting a time for checking for electronic messages in one of the defined windows of time so that email requests to an email server from the user and other users may be efficiently distributed.