System and method for a communication system

A method for providing an interface to a data base, for supporting electronic mail transfer between said data base and a plurality of electronic mail service providers, each of said plurality of electronic mail service providers receiving and delivering electronic mail packages of a corresponding predetermined format, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first method for retrieving from said data base an address template from a plurality of address templates, said address template specifying data fields of an electronic mail address suitable for use with a corresponding electronic mail service provider;
• providing a second method for receiving (i) a distribution list specifying a number of recipients;
• and (ii) a message to be sent as electronic mail by said corresponding electronic mail service provider, said second method includes, for each recipient in said distribution list, the steps of:
• (a) retrieving from said data base values of said data fields;
• (b) using values of said data fields to compose an electronic mail address suitable for use with said corresponding electronic mail service provider in accordance with the format of said address template;
• (c) combining said message and said electronic mail address to form a package of said corresponding predetermined format;
• providing a third method for receiving a package from said corresponding electronic mail provider, said third method extracting a message from said package received;
• and
• providing a fourth method for extracting a distribution list of recipients from said package received.

A method for synchronizing files between a local computer system and a remote computer system, each computer system having a file system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a connection between said local computer system and said remote computer system at a first instance of time;
• creating at said first instance of time, at each of said local computer system and said remote computer system, a synchronization file containing a list of files and directories of each of said file systems that are to be synchronized;
• creating at said first instance of time, at each of said local computer system and said remote computer system, a first snapshot file containing a snapshot of said file system of said local computer system and a second snapshot file containing a snapshot of said file system of said remote computer system;
• disconnecting said remote computer system from said local computer system after said first and second files are created;
• creating on said local computer system a first delta file to record any changes in the file system of said local computer system after said first instance of time and before a second instance of time, and a second delta file to record any changes to be made in the file system of said remote computer;
• creating on said remote computer system a third delta file on said remote computer system to record any changes in the file system of said remote computer system after said first instance of time and before a second instance of time, and a fourth delta file to record any changes to be made in the file system of said local computer system;
• connecting said local computer system with said remote computer system at said second instance of time;
• transferring from said remote computer system said third and fourth delta files;
• integrating said third and fourth delta files into said first and second files respectively to derive a list of files included in said list of said synchronization file which are to be transferred between said local and remote computer systems to achieve file synchronization;
• transferring files included in said derived list between said remote and local computer systems;
• updating at said local computer system said first and second snapshot files in response to said integrated first and second delta files;
• transferring said integrated first and second delta files to said remote computer system;
• and
• updating at said remote computer system said first and second snapshot files in accordance with said integrated first and second delta files.

A system for efficiently sending information from a computer over a telephone line, comprising the steps of:

• a plurality of records in a data base each corresponding to a recipient of said information and searchable using the identity of said recipient, each record specifying (i) the area or country code portion of said recipient's telephone number;
• and (ii) the local portion of said recipient's telephone number;
• a record of said computer in said data base, said recording including (i) an access code to a long distance carrier, for use when said computer is in a first location;
• (ii) an access code to an outside line, for use when said computer is in a second location, said access code to an outside line being zero or more digits long;
• and
• means for initiating a process of said computer to send said information, said means specifying to said process which of said first and second locations is the present location of said computer, said process sending said information using a dialing sequence which is (i) said access code to a long distance carrier followed by said area or country code portion of said telephone number and said local portion of said telephone number, when the present location of said computer is said first location;
• and (ii) said access code to an outside line followed by said local portion of said telephone number, when the present location of said computer is said second location.

A system for providing an interface to a data base, for supporting electronic mail transfer between said data base and a plurality of electronic mail service providers, each of said plurality of electronic mail service providers receiving and delivering electronic mail packages of a corresponding predetermined format, said method comprising the steps of:

• means for retrieving from said data base an address template from a plurality of address templates, said address template specifying data fields of an electronic mail address suitable for use with a corresponding electronic mail service provider;
• means for receiving (i) a distribution list specifying a number of recipients;
• and (ii) a message to be sent as electronic mail by said corresponding electronic mail service provider, said means for receiving comprises:
• (a) means for retrieving from said data base, for each recipient in said distribution list, values of said data fields;
• (b) means for using values of said data fields to compose an electronic mail address suitable for use with said corresponding electronic mail service provider in accordance with the format of said address template;
• and
• (c) means for combining said message and said electronic mail address to form a package of said corresponding predetermined format;
• means for extracting a message from a package received from said corresponding electronic mail provider;
• and
• means for extracting a distribution list of recipients from said package received.

A system for synchronizing files between a local computer system and a remote computer system, each computer system having a file system, comprising the steps of:

• means for providing a connection between said local computer system and said remote computer system at a first instance of time;
• means for creating at said first instance of time, at each of said local computer system and said remote computer system, a synchronization file containing a list of files and directories of each of said file systems that are to be synchronized;
• means for creating at said first instance of time, at each of said local computer system and said remote computer system, a first snapshot file containing a snapshot of said file system of said local computer system and a second snapshot file containing a snapshot of said file system of said remote computer system;
• means for disconnecting said remote computer system from said local computer system after said first and second files are created;
• means for creating on said local computer system a first delta file to record any changes in the file system of said local computer system after said first instance of time and before a second instance of time, and a second delta file to record any changes to be made in the file system of said remote computer;
• means for creating on said remote computer system a third delta file on said remote computer system to record any changes in the file system of said remote computer system after said first instance of time and before a second instance of time, and a fourth delta file to record any changes to be made in the file system of said local computer system;
• means for connecting said local computer system with said remote computer system at said second instance of time;
• means for transferring from said remote computer system said third and fourth delta files;
• means for integrating said third and fourth delta files into said first and second files respectively to derive a list of files included in said list of said synchronization file which are to be transferred between said local and remote computer systems to achieve file synchronization;
• means for transferring files included in said derived list between said remote and local computer systems;
• means for updating at said local computer system said first and second snapshot files in response to said integrated first and second delta files;
• means for transferring said integrated first and second delta files to said remote computer system;
• and
• means for updating at said remote computer system said first and second snapshot files in accordance with said integrated first and second delta files.