JP2000183948A - Absence confirming device and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically decide whether a user is absent or not by an inquiry of the last reference date and time of an electronic mail by receiving the mail, storing it in a mail box, returning a mail for an absence confirmation request and making the last reference date and time and a reference origin ID, etc., possible to be returned when the mail is returned in an absence confirming device to confirm the absence by electronic mail. SOLUTION: When the absence confirmation request is made, the last reference date and time of the electronic mail with a user ID specified from a history list 4 are fetched and returned by electronic mail in an absence confirming means 3 to constitute a mail receiving server 2. In addition, when the absence confirmation request is made, the last reference date and time and the reference origin ID of the electronic mail with the user ID specified from the history list 4 are fetched and returned by the electronic mail in the absence confirming means 3 to constitute the mail receiving server 2. The last date and time and the reference origin ID are returned to an origin of the absence confirmation request or a specified address by electronic mail when they are returned.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an absence confirmation device for confirming absence by electronic mail and a recording medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to determine whether a user is absent, a telephone call is used to confirm, or an e-mail is sent and a reply is received to confirm.

[0003]

However, to make a call to confirm that the other party is absent, or to send an e-mail to get a reply and to confirm that there is no reply if there is no reply There is a problem that it takes a lot of time, requires manual operation, and is troublesome and inefficient.
Therefore, it is desired to be able to automatically confirm whether or not the other party (user) is absent.

[0004] The present invention solves these problems,
The purpose is to automatically determine whether a user is absent by inquiring about the last reference date and time of an e-mail.

[0005]

Means for solving the problem will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, an e-mail receiving server 2 receives an e-mail and stores the e-mail in a mailbox, replies to an absentee confirmation request, and the like. is there.

The absence confirmation means 3 returns a last reference date and time, a reference source ID, and the like when an absence confirmation request is issued. The history list 4 stores the history of the last reference date and time and the reference source ID that referred to the electronic mail.

Next, the operation will be described. When the absence confirmation means 3 constituting the mail receiving server 2 receives the absence confirmation request, the last reference date and time of the e-mail of the designated user ID is taken out from the history list 4 and returned by e-mail. I have.

Further, when the absence confirmation means 3 constituting the mail receiving server 2 receives the absence confirmation request, it retrieves the last reference date and time and the reference source ID of the electronic mail of the designated user ID from the history list 4. To reply by e-mail.

At the time of reply in these cases, an e-mail is sent back to the absence confirmation request source or the designated destination. Further, an identifier indicating the absence confirmation request and a reply destination are set in the header of the e-mail, and the absence confirmation request is transmitted to the absence confirmation means 3 constituting the mail receiving server 2.

Therefore, it is possible to automatically determine whether or not the user is absent by inquiring about the last reference date and time of the electronic mail.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments and operation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, a terminal 1 is operated by a sender to transmit a check request (absence confirmation request), display a returned check result, and perform various business processes. Computer connected to the Internet.

The mail receiving server 2 transmits and receives e-mails. In this case, the e-mail receiving server 2 stores the received e-mails in the mailbox 5 of each user, and stores the last e-mail for each user. It manages the history such as the reference date and time and the reference source, and is composed of the absence confirmation means 3 and the like.

The absence confirmation means 3 confirms the absence of the user based on the last reference date and time of the electronic mail. The history list 4 is a list of histories such as the last reference date and time and the reference source ID for each e-mail user ID.

The mail box 5 is for storing the received e-mail. The terminal 6 is a terminal operated by the receiver, and here, is for referring to the received e-mail (the e-mail addressed to the self in the mailbox 5 or the e-mail to which the self is permitted to refer).

Next, the operation of the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described in detail according to the order of the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, S1 issues a check request to a user who wants to confirm absence. If necessary, write the reply address at this time. These are operated by the sender of FIG. 1 by operating the terminal 1, and as a check request, for example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the destination (the user who wants to confirm absence): the reception confirmation destination (absence confirmation request) (Response destination of): An e-mail in which is set is transmitted (specifically, see FIG. 5A or FIG. 7).

In step S2, the absence is confirmed and the history list of the server user is referred to obtain the last reference date and time and the reference source ID. This is an S1 check request (absence confirmation request)
The absence checking means constituting the mail receiving server 2 shown in FIG.
The last reference date and time and the referrer I
Take out D.

In step S3, the result is notified to the reply destination. This is the last reference date and time and reference source ID extracted in S2
To the reply destination (the check request source or the designated reply destination) by e-mail.

As described above, when the user sends a check request (absence confirmation request) to the mail receiving server 2 of FIG. 1 by e-mail for another user, the mail receiving server 2
Retrieves the last reference date and time and reference source ID of the specified user's e-mail and sends the result (last reference date and time of the e-mail, reference source ID) to the specified reply destination,
The user who has received the e-mail can see when the user is absent from the result (the last reference date and time, the reference source ID) set in the e-mail. At this time, each user inquires of the mail receiving server 2 every predetermined time (for example, every 10 minutes) whether or not an e-mail addressed to the user is received while the user is at his / her own seat in the workplace. If no inquiry is made when the user is not, the presence status of each user can be easily and quickly known.

FIG. 3 shows an explanatory diagram (absence request) of the present invention. FIG. 3A shows an example of an absence confirmation request (check request) when the destination is one and the response is the user himself. In this case, the following data shown is set and transmitted to the mail receiving server 2.

-Destination: t01@xxx.co.jp-Reception check destination: aaa@xxx.co.jp Here, the destination "t01@xxx.co.jp" is the e-mail of the user whose absence is to be confirmed. And the acknowledgment destination "aaa
“@ xxx.co.jp” is the address to which the result of the absence confirmation is transmitted, and here, it is the email address of the user who transmitted the absence confirmation.

FIG. 3B shows an example of an absence check request (check request) when there are a plurality of destinations and the response is not the user. In this case, the following data shown is set and transmitted to the mail receiving server 2.

[0024] Here, the destinations “t01@xxx.co.jp”, “t02@xxx.co.jp”, “t03
"@ xxx.co.jp" is the e-mail address of the multiple users whose absence is to be confirmed, and the reception confirmation destination "bbb@xxx.co.j
“p” is an address to which the result of the absence confirmation is transmitted, and here, is an e-mail address different from the user who transmitted the absence confirmation.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, when an e-mail or the like is set and transmitted to the mail receiving server 2, the last reference date and time and the reference source ID of the destination e-mail
Is retrieved and sent by e-mail to the reception confirmation destination or transmitted to the reception confirmation destination. By reading this e-mail, the absence of the destination user can be easily confirmed.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a history list according to the present invention. This is a specific example of the history list 4 described above, and stores the history of the following data shown in the figure. User ID Last reference date Reference source ID t01 YY / MM / DD Host name (or IP address) t02 YY / MM / DD Host name (or IP address) t03 YY / MM / DD Host name (or IP address) , The user ID is the address of the e-mail, the last reference date and time is the date and time when the e-mail was last referenced,
Referrer ID is the host name of the referrer who referred to the e-mail.
st1 (or IP address “XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX” (XXX is 0
Any integer value from 0 to 255)).

FIG. 5 shows an explanatory diagram (e-mail) of the present invention. This is an example of a case where an absence confirmation request is set in an e-mail, transmitted to the mail receiving server 2 in FIG.

FIG. 5A shows an example of user settings.
Here, an absence confirmation request is made by setting the following data shown in the header of the e-mail and transmitting the data to the mail receiving server 2.

[0029] Here, To set in the header is a destination (e-mail address of a user whose absence is to be confirmed), and here, three e-mail addresses are set. Also, X-Return is an identifier provided in the present invention that indicates the reception confirmation destination, and the absence confirmation result is set to “aaa@xxx.co.jp” set here by e-mail as shown in FIG. Reply / transmission is designated as shown in FIG.

FIG. 5B shows an example of reply to the user. This is because “X-Return” in FIG.
The address of the e-mail specified in the above is set, and the absence confirmation result is set in the body as shown below and transmitted.

Last reference date and time: YY / MM / DD Reference source ID: host1 (XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX) (XXX is any integer from 0 to 255) The identifier "X
By providing "-Return" and providing a program to be analyzed by the mail receiving server 2 which has received the "-Return", the absence can be confirmed using a conventional electronic mail.

FIG. 6 shows an explanatory diagram (mail box) of the present invention. FIG. 6A shows a mailbox for storing an electronic mail. As shown in FIG. 6B, the mailbox 5 stores the reference date and time, the update date and time, and the contents of the electronic mail (not shown) in association with the file name / user ID.

FIG. 6B shows an example of data stored in a mailbox. Here, the following data shown in the figure is stored, and this is used as the history list 4 described above. In the example described above, the absence of the user is confirmed using the reference date and time, but the absence of the user may be confirmed using the update date and time.

File name / user ID Reference date / time Update date / time t01 YY / MM / DD YY / MM / DD t02 YY / MM / DD YY / MM / DD t03 YY / MM / DD YY / MM / DD FIG. 3 shows an explanatory diagram (e-mail) of the present invention. This is because, in FIG. 5A, the unique identifier “X-Retur” in this embodiment is used.
Although the reception confirmation destination is set using "n", the reception confirmation destination is set in the subject or the body of the e-mail without using this unique identifier.

FIG. 7A shows an existing field (Subj).
ect) is shown below. In this case, the existing fields To and Subject are set as shown below.

To: t01@xxx.co.jp Subject: X-Return: aaa@xxx.co.jp Here, the To field is a field in which the e-mail address of the user who confirms absence is set. In the Subject field, a unique identifier "X-Return" is set followed by the address of the e-mail to be confirmed.

FIG. 7B shows a setting example when an existing field (text) is used. In this case, the existing field To and the text are set as shown below. To: t01@xxx.co.jp Body: X-Return: aaa@xxx.co.jp Here, the To field is a field in which the e-mail address of the user who confirms absence is set. The body of the message is a unique identifier "X-Return" followed by the address of the e-mail to be checked.

As described above, the existing field Subject
Alternatively, an identifier indicating the reception confirmation destination (eg, “X-Ret
urn "), an e-mail in which the e-mail address of the reception confirmation destination is set is transmitted to the e-mail reception server 2 in FIG. 1 so that the e-mail reception server 2 is the absence confirmation request and the reply destination is" X -Return '', it is possible to recognize that a reply is sent to the e-mail address described in the e-mail address. The last reference date and time and the reference source ID are obtained by e-mail, and the absence of the user can be easily known by reading the e-mail.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to automatically confirm whether or not the user is absent by inquiring about the last reference date and time of the e-mail by e-mail or the like. In addition, by inquiring about itself, it is possible to confirm whether an e-mail has been illegally read by a third party.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view (absence request) of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an example of a history list according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram (e-mail) of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram (mail box) of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram (e-mail) of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 6: Terminal 2: Mail reception server 3: Absence confirmation means 4: History list 5: Mailbox

Claims (6)

[Claims] An absent confirmation device for confirming absent by e-mail, wherein a list for storing the last reference date and time of an e-mail in association with a user ID, and when an absent confirmation request is made, a list is designated from the list. Means for retrieving and replying to the last reference date and time of the e-mail of the received user ID. 2. An absent confirmation device for confirming absent by e-mail, comprising: a list for storing the last reference date and time and reference source ID of an e-mail in association with a user ID; A means for extracting the last reference date and time and the reference source ID of the e-mail of the specified user ID from the list and returning the electronic mail, and returning the absence. 3. The absence confirmation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reply is sent to a source of the absence confirmation request or to a designated destination. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein an identifier indicating the absence confirmation request and a reply destination are set in a header portion of the electronic mail.
The absence confirmation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. A means for storing a last reference date and time of an e-mail in a list in association with a user ID, and when an absence confirmation request is received, the last of the e-mail of the user ID designated from the list is provided. A computer-readable recording medium on which a program for functioning as a means for extracting and returning a reference date and time is recorded. 6. A means for storing a last reference date and time and a reference source ID of an electronic mail in a list in association with a user ID, and when an absence confirmation request is issued, the user ID of the user ID designated from the list is provided. A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for functioning as a means for extracting the last reference date and time and the reference source ID of the electronic mail and returning the same is recorded.