Proxy Email Server for Non-ASCII IDN Address Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing email delivery systems struggle to handle non-ASCII e-mail addresses, requiring users to maintain multiple email accounts and complicating international communication across networks with ASCII-only components.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that employs a proxy email server to store and forward non-ASCII e-mail messages, generating a URL for notification, allowing recipients to access and manage messages via a web server, even if the recipient's system is not IDN username compliant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a method is used that allows ASCII-only system components to downgrade an IDN e-mail address by replacing it with an alternate ASCII e-mail address, then e-mail messages with IDN e-mail addresses can be delivered using existing network components, but users are required to establish and maintain two different e-mail boxes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy e-mail server as an intermediary between senders and ASCII-only recipients. This mediator receives e-mail messages with IDN e-mail addresses, stores them, and manages the delivery process, allowing seamless communication without requiring recipients to maintain multiple e-mail boxes. The proxy server acts as a bridge that handles the complexity of IDN compatibility internally.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the e-mail message in the proxy e-mail server's database, storing both the original message and a notification message. This copying mechanism allows the same message to be accessible through different access methods (direct IDN address or ASCII-compatible URL), eliminating the need for separate e-mail boxes while maintaining compatibility with ASCII-only systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the recipient's system is not IDN username compliant, then the system maintains compatibility with existing ASCII-only components, but the recipient cannot directly receive e-mail messages from senders with non-ASCII usernames
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy e-mail server serves as an intermediary that receives e-mail messages on behalf of ASCII-only compliant recipients. It handles the IDN e-mail address processing internally and provides a simplified access mechanism through URL-based retrieval, enabling recipients to access messages without their systems being IDN-compliant.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the access method from direct e-mail protocol communication (which requires IDN support) to web-based URL access (which is ASCII-compatible). By changing the access parameter from SMTP/POP3 protocols to HTTP/HTTPS web protocols, the system enables ASCII-only systems to receive and access IDN e-mail messages through standard web browsers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a proxy e-mail server is introduced to store and forward non-ASCII e-mail messages, then seamless delivery is enabled across networks with mixed compatibility, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy e-mail server performs multiple functions within a single system: receiving e-mail messages with IDN addresses, storing messages in a database, generating notification messages with URLs, and handling recipient requests. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate systems, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining seamless delivery capability across mixed compatibility networks.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for transmitting an electronic mail (e-mail) message from a sender having a non-ASCII username to a recipient. The method comprising the following steps. It is determined whether or not the recipient is configured to receive the e-mail message. If the recipient is configured to receive the e-mail message, the message is transmitted to the recipient. If the recipient is not configured to receive the e-mail message, the e-mail message is submitted for storage in a data store, a uniform resource locator (URL) to identify a location of the stored e-mail message is obtained; and a notification message, including the URL, is transmitted to the recipient. A proxy server and e-mail server for implementing the method are also provided.