Efficient attachment of user-selected files to e-mail from handheld device

Abstract

A wireless telecommunications system includes facilities in a wireless hand-held device (WHHD) that allows a user to browse files available to that user on storage devices in an enterprise network, and to identify one or more such files to be attached to an e-mail message to be composed on or transmitted from the handheld. The system includes facilities in an enterprise network, such as a file delivery server, that cooperates with the WHHD to provide the file browsing service. A mail agent cooperates with the WHHD, responsive to instruction from the handheld to send an e-mail message that is to contain an attachment, to request the file delivery server to retrieve the identified files and assemble an e-mail containing those files as attachments. The WHHD may receive from the user appropriate credentials needed to access files available to that user on storage devices in the enterprise network, and may forward the credential to the file delivery server and the mail agent. These components may use the credentials to provide the file browsing service and to retrieve the identified files.