Claims
- 1. An e-mail system for use by a passenger in a vehicle, said passenger having access to a terminal, the e-mail system comprising:
a first server located on said vehicle, wherein said first server is configured to transport e-mail between said first server and said terminal; a second server external to said vehicle, wherein said second server is configured to transport e-mail between said second server and a data network; and a communications system configured to wirelessly transfer e-mail between said first server and said second server.
- 2. The e-mail system of claim 1 wherein:
said communications system is configured to deliver an e-mail offer to said terminal; and said communications system is configured to selectively transfer e-mail messages to said first server based upon requests from said passenger in response to said e-mail offer.
- 3. The e-mail system of claim 2 wherein said e-mail offer comprises a subject header identifying an e-mail available for upload, an indication of who sent said e-mail, and a price for delivering said e-mail to said terminal.
- 4. The e-mail system of claim 1 wherein:
said terminal is a laptop computer configured with information identifying a home e-mail server; said communications system is further configured to route e-mail to and from said laptop computer through said first server regardless of said laptop computer configuration; and said first server emulates said home e-mail server.
- 5. The e-mail system of claim 4 wherein said second server is configured to periodically poll said home e-mail server for inbox messages.
- 6. The e-mail system of claim 4 wherein said second server is configured to receive e-mail forwarded from said home e-mail server.
- 7. The e-mail system of claim 4 wherein:
said communications system is configured to deliver an e-mail offer to said terminal; and said communications system is configured to selectively transfer e-mail messages to said first server based upon requests from said passenger in response to said e-mail offer.
- 8. The e-mail system of claim 1 wherein said communications system comprises a first communication device for providing a first wireless communication mode between said first server and said second server.
- 9. The e-mail system of claim 8 wherein said communications system comprises a second communication device for providing a second wireless communication mode between said first server and said second server.
- 10. The e-mail system of claim 9 wherein:
said communications system further comprises a mode selector configured to select a wireless communication mode from said first and second wireless communication modes based on mode selection criteria; and said communication system is further configured to initiate said selected wireless communication mode to transfer an e-mail message.
- 11. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said mode selection criteria comprises an increase data throughput.
- 12. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said mode selection criteria comprises an urgency of transferring an e-mail message.
- 13. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said mode selection criteria comprises a transmission cost associated with said wireless communication mode.
- 14. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said mode selection criteria comprises an amount a user is willing to pay.
- 15. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said mode selection criteria comprises a time since a last transfer of data.
- 16. The e-mail system of claim 10 further configured to determine when to initiate said communication modes, and configured to place e-mail data in a queue to be sent and received in batches.
- 17. The e-mail system of claim 16 wherein said mode selection criteria comprises the current amount of data accumulated in the queue.
- 18. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said wireless communication mode is gatelink.
- 19. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said wireless communication mode is radio frequency based.
- 20. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said wireless communication mode is satellite based.
- 21. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said wireless communication mode transfers compressed data.
- 22. The e-mail system of claim 10 wherein said wireless communication mode transfers encrypted data.
- 23. The e-mail system of claim 1 further comprising a vehicle data network configured to transport an e-mail message between said terminal and said first server.
- 24. The e-mail system of claim 23 where in said vehicle data network comprises a world wide web server.
- 25. The e-mail system of claim 23 where in said vehicle data network comprises an e-mail server emulating an e-mail server identified by said passenger.
- 26. The e-mail system of claim 1 wherein said terminal communicates with said first server via a modem interface unit.
- 27. The e-mail system of claim 1 wherein said terminal communicates with said first server via an in-flight entertainment system.
- 28. The e-mail system of claim 1 wherein said terminal communicates with said first server via a wireless interface unit.
- 29. The e-mail system of claim 2 wherein said terminal comprises a kiosk.
- 30. The e-mail system of claim 2 wherein said terminal comprises a laptop computer.
- 31. The e-mail system of claim 2 wherein said terminal comprises a keyboard.
- 32. The e-mail system of claim 2 wherein said terminal comprises a palm pilot.
- 33. The e-mail system of claim 2 wherein said second server is further configured to provide e-mail accounts for said users.
- 34. The e-mail system of claim 2 wherein said vehicle is an airplane.
- 35. A method of transporting e-mail messages between a data network and a terminal on a vehicle, the method comprising, the steps of:
transporting a message between a terminal on said vehicle and a first server on said vehicle; establishing a data connection between said first server and a second server, wherein said second server is located external to said vehicle; transporting e-mail between said first server and said second server via a wireless connection; transporting e-mail between said second server and a data network.
- 36. The method of claim 35 wherein said establishing step further comprises the step of selecting a communication mode for said data connection; wherein said selecting is based on selection criteria.
- 37. The method of claim 36 wherein said selecting step further comprises the step of providing a first communication device with a first communication mode.
- 38. The method of claim 37 wherein said selecting step further comprises the step of providing a second communication device with a second communication mode.
- 39. The method of claim 38 wherein:
said selecting step further comprises the step of selecting a wireless communication mode from said first and second wireless communication modes based on mode selection criteria; and said establishing step further comprises the step of initiating said selected wireless communication mode.
- 40. The method of claim 39 wherein said selection mode criteria comprises reducing cost and increasing data throughput.
- 41. The method of claim 39 wherein said selection criteria is an urgency of the message.
- 42. The method of claim 39 wherein said selection criteria is an amount of data accumulated in the queue.
- 43. The method of claim 39 wherein said selection criteria is a cost of said wireless communication mode.
- 44. The method of claim 39 wherein said selection criteria is an amount said user is willing to pay.
- 45. The method of claim 39 wherein said selection criteria is a time since last communication.
- 46. The method of claim 39 wherein said establishing step further comprises the step of determining when to initiate said communication mode.
- 47. The method of claim 39 wherein said establishing step further comprises the step of queuing data for sending and receiving in batches.
- 48. The method of claim 35 wherein said step transporting e-mail between said second server and a data network further comprises an e-mail retrieval step wherein an e-mail message is transmitted to said second server.
- 49. The method of claim 48 wherein said e-mail retrieval step further comprises the step of polling a home e-mail server by said second server and retrieving said e-mail message from said home e-mail service.
- 50. The method of claim 48 wherein said e-mail retrieval step further comprises said second server receiving e-mail forwarded from a home e-mail server.
- 51. The method of claim 48 further comprising the step of establishing an e-mail account for said user.
- 52. The method of claim 51 further comprising the step of receiving an e-mail message sent to said e-mail account.
- 53. The method of claim 48 wherein said step of transporting e-mail between said second server and said first server further comprises:
the step of providing an e-mail offer to said terminal; the step of receiving a request to upload a selected e-mail message; and the step of providing said requested e-mail message to said terminal.
- 54. The method of claim 53 wherein said step of providing said e-mail offer further comprises the step of providing a subject header identifying an e-mail available for upload, an indication of who sent said e-mail, and a price for delivering said e-mail to said terminal.
- 55. The method of claim 39 wherein said wireless communication mode is gatelink.
- 56. The method of claim 39 wherein said wireless communication mode is radio based.
- 57. The method of claim 39 wherein said wireless communication mode is satellite based.
- 58. The method of claim 39 wherein said wireless communication is compressed.
- 59. The method of claim 39 wherein said wireless communication is encrypted.
- 60. The method of claim 35 further comprising the steps of:
said first server receiving information identifying a home e-mail server from said terminal, wherein said terminal is a laptop computer; directing said laptop to said first server regardless of said identifying information; and said first server emulating said home e-mail server.
- 61. The method of claim 35 wherein said step of transporting a message between said terminal and said first server further comprises transporting said message via a vehicle data network comprising a world wide web server.
- 62. The method of claim 35 wherein said step of transporting a message between said terminal and said first server further comprises transporting said message via a vehicle data network comprising an e-mail server emulating an e-mail server identified by said terminal.
- 63. The method of claim 35 further comprising the step of communicating between said terminal and said first server via at least one of the following: a modem interface unit, an in-flight entertainment system, a wireless interface unit; and a kiosk.
- 64. A digital storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein said computer-executable instructions are operable to execute the method of claim 39.
- 65. A digital storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein said computer-executable instructions are operable to execute the method of claim 53.
- 66. A digital storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein said computer-executable instructions are operable to execute the method of claim 60.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This Application claims the benefit of, and priority to, provisional application Serial No. 60/195,771, filed Apr. 10, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60195771 |
Apr 2000 |
US |