US5930337A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dynamic message-mailbox size variation
Assignee: Avaya Inc
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Filing: 1997-02-04
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Granted: 1999-07-27
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Expires: 2017-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A messaging system (100) automatically correctly resizes users' mailboxes (160-161) based on information gathered through periodic activity audits (206). The gathered information includes frequency of login to the messaging system and time of last login for each login ID and the fill level and fill-level frequency for each mailbox. Periodicity of audits, time-to-login-ID-expiration period, upper and lower fill-level thresholds, time-to-storage-allotment-change period, and allotment-change size and mailbox size limits are administratively set (202-204). If audit reports indicate that a login ID has not been used for the time-to-login-ID-expiration period, the user is warned and if the user does not respond, the login is expired (208-224). If audit reports indicate that one of the thresholds has been exceeded without the other threshold also having been exceeded for the time-to-storage-allotment-change period, the mailbox size is incremented or decremented by the allotment-change size, either immediately or upon approval by the mailbox user, within the mailbox size limits (210-258). A user can also request to have the user's mailbox incremented (260).
Inventors
- 👤 David S. Mohler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:54
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/22; H04M3/36; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/533
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of automatically adjusting an amount of storage allocated to a mailbox comprising an allocated amount of the storage, comprising the steps of: automatically determining whether an amount of information stored in the mailbox occupies more than an upper threshold amount of the allocated amount of the storage, the upper threshold amount being less than the allocated amount; and automatically allocating an additional amount of the storage to the mailbox, in response to repeated determinations that the amount occupied by the stored information exceeds the upper threshold amount.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
89 words
A method of automatically adjusting an amount of storage allocated to a mailbox comprising an allocated amount of the storage, comprising the steps of: automatically determining whether an amount of information stored in the mailbox occupies more than an upper threshold amount of the allocated amount of the storage, the upper threshold amount being less than the allocated amount; and automatically allocating an additional amount of the storage to the mailbox, in response to repeated determinations that the amount occupied by the stored information exceeds the upper threshold amount.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: automatically determining whether the amount of the information stored in the mailbox occupies less than a lower threshold amount of the allocated amount of the storage; and automatically deallocating an amount of the allocated storage from the mailbox, in response to repeated determinations that the lower threshold amount exceeds the amount occupied by the stored information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 wherein: the lower threshold amount is a non-zero amount.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
111 words
The method of claim 2 wherein: the step of automatically determining whether the amount of the stored information occupies more than the upper threshold amount comprises the step of automatically determining whether the amount of the stored information occupies more than the upper threshold amount without occupying less than the lower threshold amount in an interval of time; and the step of automatically determining whether the amount of the stored information occupies less than the lower threshold amount comprises the step of automatically determining whether the amount of the stored information occupies less than the lower threshold amount without occupying more than the upper threshold amount in the interval of time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: automatically allocating an additional amount of the storage to the mailbox, in response to receipt of a request from an owner of the mailbox.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: automatically determining whether an owner of the mailbox has logged into the mailbox; and automatically deallocating the allocated storage from the mailbox, in response to repeated determinations that the owner has not logged into the mailbox.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: automatically determining whether an owner of the mailbox has logged into the mailbox using a login identifier; and automatically deallocating the allocated storage from the mailbox and expiring the login identifier, in response to repeated determinations that the owner has not logged into the mailbox using the login identifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of: automatically determining whether an owner of the mailbox has logged into the mailbox; and automatically deallocating the allocated storage from the mailbox, in response to repeated determinations that the owner has not logged into the mailbox.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
82 words
The method of claim 8 wherein: the step of automatically determining whether an owner has logged in comprises the step of automatically determining whether the owner has logged into the mailbox using a login identifier of the owner; and the step of automatically deallocating the allocated storage comprises the step of automatically deallocating the allocated storage from the mailbox and expiring the login identifier, in response to repeated determinations that the owner has not logged into the mailbox using the login identifier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the step of automatically allocating comprises the steps of automatically offering an allocation of an additional amount of the storage to an owner of the mailbox, in response to the repeated determinations that the amount occupied by the stored information exceeds the upper threshold amount; and automatically allocating the additional amount of the storage to the mailbox, in response to the owner accepting the offered allocation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 2 wherein: the step of automatically deallocating comprises the steps of automatically offering a deallocation of an amount of the allocated storage to the owner of the mailbox, in response to the repeated determinations that the lower threshold amount exceeds the amount occupied by the stored information; and automatically deallocating the amount of the allocated storage from the mailbox, in response to the owner accepting the offered deallocation.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
29 words
An apparatus that performs the steps of claims 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A computer-readable medium containing software which, when executed in a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of claims 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 or 11.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
79 words
An apparatus comprising: a mailbox comprising an allocated amount of storage; an effector of automatically determining whether an amount of information stored in the mailbox occupies more than an upper threshold amount of the allocated amount of storage, the upper threshold amount being less than the allocated amount; and an effector, responsive to repeated determinations of the amount occupied by the stored information exceeding the upper threshold amount, of automatically allocating an additional amount of storage to the mailbox.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
79 words
An apparatus comprising: a mailbox comprising an allocated amount of storage; an effector of automatically determining whether an amount of information stored in the mailbox occupies more than an upper threshold amount of the allocated amount of storage, the upper threshold amount being less than the allocated amount; and an effector, responsive to repeated determinations of the amount occupied by the stored information exceeding the upper threshold amount, of automatically allocating an additional amount of storage to the mailbox.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising: an effector of automatically determining whether the amount of the information stored in the mailbox occupies less than a non-zero lower threshold amount of the allocated amount of the storage; and an effector, responsive to repeated determinations of the upper threshold amount exceeding the amount occupied by the stored information, of automatically deallocating an amount of the allocated storage from the mailbox.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising: an effector of automatically determining whether an owner of the mailbox has logged into the mailbox; and an effector responsive to repeated determinations that the owner has not logged into the mailbox, of automatically deallocating the allocated storage from the mailbox.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
77 words
An apparatus comprising: a mailbox comprising an allocated amount of storage; means for automatically determining whether an amount of information stored in the mailbox occupies more than an upper threshold amount of the allocated amount of storage, the upper threshold amount being less than the allocated amount; and means responsive to repeated determinations of the amount occupied by the stored information exceeding the upper threshold amount, for automatically allocating an additional amount of storage to the mailbox.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
77 words
An apparatus comprising: a mailbox comprising an allocated amount of storage; means for automatically determining whether an amount of information stored in the mailbox occupies more than an upper threshold amount of the allocated amount of storage, the upper threshold amount being less than the allocated amount; and means responsive to repeated determinations of the amount occupied by the stored information exceeding the upper threshold amount, for automatically allocating an additional amount of storage to the mailbox.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising: means for automatically determining whether the amount of the information stored in the mailbox occupies less than a non-zero lower threshold amount of the allocated amount of storage; and means responsive to repeated determinations of the lower threshold amount exceeding the amount occupied by the stored information, for automatically deallocating an amount of the allocated storage from the mailbox.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising: means for determining whether an owner of the mailbox has logged into the mailbox; and means responsive to repeated determinations that the owner has not logged in, for deallocating the allocated storage from the mailbox.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-07-26 | 2003-01-25 | 2003-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-07-26 | 2007-01-25 | 2007-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-07-26 | 2011-01-25 | 2011-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |