Patent ID: 7894425

Claim:
An e-mail communications system comprising: at least one e-mail data storage device for storing e-mail messages for respective users; a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices each associated with a respective user for accessing the e-mail messages stored on said at least one e-mail data storage device; and an adaptive e-mail polling engine for polling said at least one e-mail data storage device for stored e-mail messages and providing the polled e-mail messages to mobile wireless communications devices of respective users; said adaptive e-mail polling engine learning respective user usage patterns for each mobile wireless communications device, and changing a respective rate of polling for each mobile wireless communications device based thereon; said adaptive e-mail polling engine receiving notification of at least one of a positive polling event that is based upon a result of the polling of said at least one e-mail data storage device for stored e-mail messages, and a negative polling event that is based upon a result of the polling of said at least one e-mail data storage device for stored e-mail messages, from said plurality of mobile wireless communications devices; said adaptive e-mail polling engine also changing the rate of polling for each mobile wireless communications device based upon at least one of the positive polling event and the negative polling event.