Method for automatic and periodic requests for messages to an e-mail server from the client

Abstract

To supply messages to an audience of Internet users, the messages are initially stored on an Internet server which is accessible by a group of Internet clients operated by Internet users, when a message is received at the server, it includes an information part and a data part. The data part includes at least one identifier specifying the intended audience of the message. In the server, the information part of the message is stored as an HTML file in a first store and the URL of the file containing the information part of the message together with the identifier or identifiers of the intended audience are stored in a second store. To view messages intended for a particular user on one of the clients, the client transmits requests automatically at periodic intervals to the server for new messages intended for the user. In response to each request, the server scans the fields in the second store to compile a list of URLs of messages intended for the user. The list is then transmitted to the client which then requests the HTML files for the messages specified on the list. The HITML files are then transmitted to the client where the messages are displayed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.