JP2008271113A - Mail server, mail distribution notifying method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To notify an opposite party of the distribution of a mail, regardless of whether the opposite party opens the mail or not. <P>SOLUTION: Mail servers (12, 15) for receiving mails to the users of the self server, preserving them in mail boxes (121, 151), and originating mails to the users of another server specify the originator of the received mail to the user of the self server, and originates a distribution notifying mail, which notifies the opposite party of the distribution of the mail, to the specified originator. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention generally relates to data processing, and more particularly to a mail server, a mail delivery notification method, and a program.

  With the spread of the Internet, e-mail message (hereinafter simply referred to as mail) delivery services have become commonplace, and the enhancement of applications called mailers has made it easier to fill in, send and receive mail. In addition to personal computers, mail can be received by various terminal devices such as mobile phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants).

When a large amount of mail is distributed via a network, a difference occurs in the transmission time due to processing on the transmission side, resulting in variations in the time to reach the other party. In view of this, there has been proposed a method capable of simultaneously sending e-mails to a plurality of other parties when information must be disclosed fairly, such as in the distribution of corporate approval (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2005-56424 A

  The mail arrives from the mail server used by the sender to the mail server used by the other recipient via a plurality of mail servers, and is stored in the mailbox. The other party checks at an arbitrary timing whether or not the mail is stored in the mailbox, and if the mail is stored, receives it at the terminal device and confirms the contents. In other words, from when a sender sends an email to when the other party receives it, the time that the email is transferred between servers and the time that the other party accesses the mailbox at any time to confirm the arrival of the email Takes time.

  Some mailers have a delivery notification function that automatically notifies the sender that the recipient has opened the mail. By using this function, the sender can confirm that the other party has received the mail. However, in this mail delivery notification method, even if the sent mail is stored in the mailbox of the receiving mail server of the other party and the other party can receive the mail reliably, the other party actually sends the mail to the terminal device. No delivery notification is made until the file is taken in and opened. For this reason, there is a difficulty that the sender does not know whether the mail is not delivered due to a trouble in the communication line, or whether the other party is not opening the mail.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to notify that a mail has been delivered to the other party regardless of whether the other party has opened the mail.

  The means taken by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problem is that the received local server receives the mail addressed to the user of the local server and stores it in the mailbox and transmits the mail addressed to the user of the other server. The sender of the mail addressed to the user is specified, and a delivery notification mail for notifying that the mail has been delivered to the other party is sent to the specified sender. Further, as a mail delivery notification method for notifying that a sent mail has been delivered to the other party, a mail server receives the sent mail and stores it in a mailbox, and the mail server includes: A second step of identifying the originator of the received mail, and a third step of the mail server sending a delivery notification mail for notifying that the mail has been delivered to the other party to the identified sender. Shall. In addition, as a delivery notification program for realizing a function of notifying a computer that a sent mail has been delivered to a destination, a first means for receiving the sent mail and storing it in a mailbox, the received mail It is assumed that the computer functions as a second means for specifying the sender of the message and a third means for transmitting a delivery notification mail for notifying the specified sender that the mail has been delivered to the other party. According to this, even if the sent mail is not opened by the other party, the sender of the mail is notified that the mail has been delivered to the other party.

  The mail server preferably transmits the delivery notification mail when it is determined that the received mail requests the delivery notification. Similarly, the mail delivery notification method includes a fourth step in which the mail server determines whether or not the received mail requests delivery notification, and the mail received in the fourth step requests delivery notice. When it is determined that the delivery is performed, a delivery notification mail is preferably transmitted in the third step. Similarly, the mail delivery notification program causes the computer to function as a fourth means for determining whether or not the received mail requests a delivery notice, and the third means is received by the fourth means. When it is determined that the mail is requesting the delivery notification, it is preferable to send the delivery notification mail. According to this, transmission of an unnecessary delivery notification mail can be suppressed.

  More preferably, when the mail server determines that the received mail is a distribution notification mail, the mail server suppresses the transmission of the distribution notification mail regardless of whether the mail requests the distribution notification. . Similarly, in the mail delivery notification method, the mail server determines whether the received mail is a delivery notification mail, and the mail received in the fifth step is a delivery notification mail. When the determination is made, the mail server includes a sixth step that suppresses the transmission of the delivery notification mail in the third step regardless of the determination result in the fourth step. Similarly, the above-mentioned mail delivery notification program has a fifth means for determining whether or not the received mail is a delivery notification mail, and when the mail received by the fifth means is determined to be a delivery notification mail. Regardless of the result of the determination by the fourth means, the computer is caused to function as the sixth means for suppressing the transmission of the delivery notification mail by the third means. According to this, infinite exchange of delivery notification mails between mail servers can be suppressed.

  According to the present invention, the other party is notified that the mail has been delivered regardless of whether the other party opened the mail. Thereby, the mail sender can confirm delivery of the mail earlier.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a network including a mail server according to the present invention. With reference to FIG. 1, a mechanism for delivering mail from the terminal device 11 to the terminal device 16 will be described.

  Specifically, the terminal device 11 is a personal computer, a PDA, a mobile phone, or the like. The terminal device 11 is equipped with software that can send and receive mail. The user creates an email using the software. The created mail is sent to the mail server 12 for transmission. The mail server 12 may provide a function of creating a mail, and the user may connect to the mail server 12 through the terminal device 11 to create and send a mail.

  The terminal device 11 and the mail server 12 are connected by a network. In general, when mail is transmitted over the Internet, the mail server 12 is provided by an access service provider or a mail message distribution service with which the user of the terminal device 11 has a contract for using the mail function.

  The mail servers 13 and 14 have a function of transferring mail over the Internet or a closed network. Since there are an infinite number of such mail servers on the Internet, it is not possible to specify the route through which mail is delivered. In this example, it is assumed that mail is distributed via mail servers 13 and 14 from an infinite number of mail servers. The mail server 12 and the mail server 13, and the mail server 13 and the mail server 14 are connected via a network such as the Internet.

  The mail server 15 receives the mail addressed to the user of the own server transferred from the mail server 14 and temporarily stores it in the mail box 151. The mail servers 12, 13, and 14 may also have a function of receiving mail addressed to the server and storing it in a mailbox.

  The mail server 15 and the terminal device 16 are connected by a network. In general, when receiving mail on the Internet, the mail server 15 is provided by an access service provider or a mail message delivery service with which the user of the terminal device 16 has a contract for using the mail function.

  Specifically, the terminal device 16 is a personal computer, a PDA, a mobile phone, or the like. The terminal device 16 is equipped with software that can send and receive mail. The user checks whether or not a mail addressed to himself / herself is stored in the mail box 151 periodically or at an arbitrary timing using the software, and downloads the mail to the terminal device 16 if stored. The mail server 15 appropriately deletes the mail transmitted to the terminal device 16 from the mail box 151.

  Note that the mail server 15 may provide a function of browsing mail, and the user may browse the mail by connecting to the mail server 15 through the terminal device 16. Further, a plurality of functions provided by the mail server 15, that is, mail reception from the mail server 14, storage of mail in the mail box 151, and mail transmission to the terminal device 16 are provided by a plurality of servers. Also good.

  The above-mentioned mail transmission mechanism is based on the SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol) that is currently widely used on the Internet. In SMTP, mail transmission / transfer from the terminal device 11 to the mail server 15 is automatically performed by a plurality of mail servers, and the time required for mail relay is extremely short. However, in order for the mail transmitted from the terminal device 11 to finally reach the terminal device 16, it is necessary to wait for the user of the terminal device 16 to check the mail box 151. For this reason, when a mail delivery notification is sent from the terminal device 16, until the other party confirms the mail box 151 and takes in the mail to the terminal device 16, the sender of the mail receives the mail delivery notification indefinitely. I can't. Therefore, a mail delivery notification is sent from the mail server 15. It is convenient to notify the mail delivery by e-mail.

  When the mail server 15 receives a mail addressed to the user of the server itself, the mail server 15 specifies a transmission source of the received mail. Then, a delivery notification mail for notifying that the mail has been delivered to the other party is sent to the specified sender. The sender can be identified by analyzing the header of the received mail. In SMTP, a mail server that has received mail addressed to another server adds a Received field indicating its own IP address and reception time to the header of the mail and transfers it to another mail server. Therefore, the originator of the mail can be specified by tracing the Received field included in the mail header.

  Here, it is preferable that whether or not a delivery notification is necessary is clearly indicated in the mail. Specifically, a field indicating whether or not a delivery notification is necessary may be added to the header. The mail server 15 refers to the field of the received mail and determines whether or not a delivery notification is necessary. Only when it is determined that the delivery notification is necessary, the delivery notification mail is transmitted. Thereby, transmission of an unnecessary delivery notification mail can be suppressed. Further, it is preferable to clearly indicate that the delivery notification mail does not require the delivery notification. This is because when a delivery notification mail is transmitted in response to a delivery notification mail, the exchange of the delivery notification mail between the mail servers 12 and 15 continues indefinitely and traffic increases, causing a great damage to the network. Because there is a fear.

  FIG. 2 shows another configuration example of a network including a mail server according to the present invention. A mechanism for delivering a delivery notification mail from the mail server 15 to the terminal device 11 will be described with reference to FIG. When the mail server 15 receives the mail addressed to the user of the server itself, the mail server 15 identifies the sender of the received mail and sends a delivery notification mail to the sender. The mail servers 17 and 18 relay the delivery notification mail and forward it to the mail server 12. Since there are an infinite number of servers that relay mail on the Internet, the relay path of mail transmitted from the terminal device 11 and the relay path of the delivery notification mail are not necessarily the same. In FIG. 2, the delivery notification mail is routed through the mail servers 17 and 18 different from those in FIG. 1, but may be routed through the mail servers 14 and 13 shown in FIG.

  When the mail server 12 receives the delivery notification mail from the mail server 18, it stores it in the mail box 121. The user uses software installed in the terminal device 11 to check whether or not a mail addressed to him / her is stored in the mail box 121 periodically or at an arbitrary timing. Download to device 11. The mail server 12 appropriately deletes the mail transmitted to the terminal device 11 from the mail box 121. A plurality of functions provided by the mail server 12, that is, mail reception from the mail server 18, storage of mail in the mail box 121, and mail transmission to the terminal device 11 are provided by a plurality of servers. Also good.

  Here, when the mail server 12 determines that the received mail is a delivery notification mail, the mail server 12 preferably does not send a delivery notification to the mail regardless of whether the mail requests the delivery notification. . This is because, depending on the mail server, it may not clearly indicate that the delivery notification mail is unnecessary, and in such a case, there is a possibility that the infinite exchange of the delivery notification mail as described above may occur. Because.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the mail arrives at the mail server 15 without waiting until the other party receives the mail at the terminal device 16, that is, when the other party can surely receive the mail, the terminal apparatus 11 A delivery notification e-mail is automatically sent to the user who sent the e-mail. As a result, the mail sender can confirm the mail delivery earlier. In addition, when the mail sender and the other party are both beginners and there is an event that the mail does not reach the other party, there is no problem in the network settings on the sender side if the delivery notification mail has arrived at the sender Therefore, it can be easily determined that there is a problem in the setting of the other party. Thereby, the exchange of electronic mail can be made more reliable.

  The user who received the delivery notification mail by sending the delivery notification mail to the sender of the mail while the mail server 15 leaves the relay route information indicated by the Received field included in the header of the received mail. Can know what route the mail originally sent has reached the mail server 15. And in the terminal device 11, the map on a network as shown in FIG. 3, for example can be created. In this network diagram, a thick line indicates a relay route for outgoing mail, and a thin line indicates a relay route for past outgoing mail. Thereby, even in the virtual world of electronic mail, it is possible to make the user recognize mail delivery that is closer to reality.

  The mail server according to the present invention can notify that the mail is delivered to the other party regardless of whether the other party opens the mail. Useful.

1 is a configuration diagram of a network including a mail server according to the present invention. It is another block diagram of the network containing the mail server which concerns on this invention. FIG. 5 is a network configuration diagram created based on mail relay route information.

Explanation of symbols

12 Mail Server 15 Mail Server 121 Mailbox 151 Mailbox

Claims (9)

A mail server that receives mail stored in the user's own server, stores it in a mailbox, and sends mail addressed to a user in another server.
A mail server characterized by identifying a sender of a mail addressed to a user of the received server and sending a delivery notification mail notifying that the mail has been delivered to the other party. In the mail server according to claim 1,
A mail server characterized in that, when it is determined that the received mail requests a delivery notification, the delivery notification mail is transmitted. In the mail server according to claim 2,
A mail server characterized in that, when it is determined that the received mail is a delivery notification mail, transmission of the delivery notification mail is suppressed regardless of whether or not the mail requests a delivery notification. An email delivery notification method for notifying that a sent email has been delivered to the other party,
A first step in which a mail server receives the sent mail and stores it in a mailbox;
A second step in which the mail server identifies a source of the received mail;
A mail delivery notification method comprising: a third step in which the mail server sends a delivery notification mail for notifying that the mail is delivered to the other party to the specified sender. In the mail delivery notification method according to claim 4,
The mail server includes a fourth step of determining whether the received mail requests a delivery notification;
The mail delivery notification method according to claim 3, wherein when it is determined in the fourth step that the received mail requests a delivery notification, the delivery notification mail is transmitted in the third step. In the mail delivery notification method according to claim 5,
A fifth step in which the mail server determines whether the received mail is a delivery notification mail;
When it is determined that the received mail is a delivery notification mail in the fifth step, the mail server performs the delivery in the third step regardless of the result of the determination in the fourth step. A mail delivery notification method comprising: a sixth step for suppressing transmission of the notification mail. A delivery notification program for realizing a function of notifying a computer that a sent mail is delivered to a destination,
First means for receiving the sent mail and storing it in a mailbox;
The computer functions as a second means for specifying a sender of the received mail and a third means for sending a delivery notification mail for notifying that the mail has been delivered to the other party to the specified sender. A mail delivery notification program characterized by that. In the mail delivery notification program according to claim 7,
Causing the computer to function as a fourth means for determining whether the received mail requests a delivery notification;
The mail delivery notification program characterized in that the third means transmits the delivery notice mail when it is determined by the fourth means that the received mail requests a delivery notice. In the mail delivery notification program according to claim 8,
A fifth means for determining whether or not the received mail is a delivery notification mail; and when the fifth means determines that the received mail is a delivery notification mail, the fourth means A mail delivery notification program that causes a computer to function as sixth means for suppressing transmission of the delivery notice mail by the third means regardless of the result of the determination.

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