Method and apparatus for electronic mail notification

A method of providing to a user a CallerID-compatible email notification signal indicating that email addressed to the user is received at a remote email server associated with the user, the method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a query signal to the remote email server;
• transmitting, in response to the query signal, a preliminary email notification signal from the remote email server to a central office coupled to a public switched telephone network;
• formatting the preliminary email notification signal into the CallerID-compatible email notification signal according to one or more parameter values;
• and
• transmitting the CallerID-compatible email notification signal from the central office to the user using the public switched telephone network.

An email notification device for receiving a CallerID-compatible email notification signal indicating the existence of unread email messages addressed to a user and stored on an email server associated with the user, comprising:

• an input terminal coupled to receive the email notification signal transmitted from a CallerID server over a local loop of an associated public switched telephone network;
• a microprocessor for processing the email notification signal;
• a memory for storing information associated with the email notification signal;
• an alert indicating means for alerting the user of receipt of the email notification signal;
• and
• the email notification signal representing alphanumeric data related to at least a portion of a text message of one or more email received on the remote email server.

A method of notifying a user that an email message addressed to the user has been received by the user's email mail server, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a CallerID server in operable connection with a local loop of a public switched telephone network;
• querying the user's email mail server to determine the presence or absence of any unread email messages stored thereon;
• transmitting, in response to the querying step and using the CallerID server, a CallerID-compatible email notification signal to a notification device operated by the user;
• selectively displaying information associated with the email notification signal on the email notification device;
• and
• the email notification signal representing alphanumeric data related to at least a portion of a text message of one or more email received on the remote email server.