FR2847753A1 - Electronic mail server access controlling device for telecommunication network, has update module that communicates with control module recovering message transmission requests to update quota based on messages sent by users - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a control module (18) located in a transmission server to recover message transmission requests obtained from a terminal e.g. telephone set (14). The module (18) communicates with a calculation module (20), which elaborates quotas of the messages to users of a mail server for a given duration. An update module (22) communicating with the module (18) updates quotas based on the messages sent by the users. Independent claims are also included for the following: (a) an electronic messages transmission server (b) a process for controlling access to an electronic mail server.

Description

Method and device for controlling access to a messaging service

  electronic, and mail server equipped with such a device. The invention relates to electronic messaging services. More particularly, the invention relates to a device and to a method for controlling access to an electronic messaging service, as well as to a messaging server equipped with such a control device. As we know, the advent of electronic mail within companies has generated a multiplication of exchanges between staff members, resulting in an anarchic development

  the number of emails received.

  Although the number of e-mails sent and received by each person depends on their hierarchical position, their function within the company, this number also depends on the temperament of the person, which can cause a very significant variation in the

  number of emails sent.

  However, the number of emails received by each member of staff generally reaches a level such that it is often impossible to read all of these emails, so it is often desirable to limit the number of

  letters sent by each person.

  One solution to this problem is to try to limit the number of recipients of each message or to limit the use of "reply to all" functions, which allow a recipient of a message to send a reply to all recipients of the original message. This is how companies will have implemented a practice which consists in issuing memos, raising awareness among members of the

staff to this problem.

  This solution is ineffective insofar as it does not allow the number of letters sent by each person to be checked. In view of the above, the object of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks and to provide a method and a device for controlling access to a messaging service making it possible to monitor the

  number of emails sent by each person.

  The subject of the invention is therefore a device for controlling access to an electronic messaging service, comprising a calculation module for developing quotas for electronic messages for at least part of the users of the messaging service, a module for update of quotas according to messages sent by users and a quota control module with which communicate the calculation module and the update module and which is intended to be placed in a server for sending electronic messages to retrieve requests to send messages and

  implementing said calculation and updating modules.

  It is thus possible to know, permanently, the number of messages sent by each user of the electronic messaging service, to implement specific procedures tending for example to inform the user of the number of electronic mails that he has already sent. , when this number reaches a threshold

critical.

  In one embodiment, the calculation module comprises an inference engine connected to a user base in which are stored, for each user listed in the database, quota allocation rules according to criteria relating to the users and an environmental base in which are responsible for quota allocation rules relating to the environment in which it is located

each user.

  It is thus possible to calculate a quota for each

  user, according to their needs.

  According to another characteristic of the device according to the invention, it also comprises an interface for consulting electronic directories in which information relating to users is loaded, for retrieving information used to

the development of quotas.

  According to a particular embodiment, the device further comprises a user authentication module, this module

  including for example the directory consultation interface.

  In addition, this device includes a quota base into which the message quotas for each user are loaded,

  which are delivered by the update module.

  According to the invention, there is also proposed a server for transmitting electronic messages, characterized in that it comprises

  an access control device as defined above.

  Finally, the subject of the invention is a method of controlling access to an electronic messaging service comprising the steps of: recovering a request for the emission of one or more messages; - authentication of the sender of the request - update of the quota of messages for said sender according to the number of messages to send; and

- sending of the message (s).

  According to an embodiment of this method, after the updating step, in the event of the quota passing below a predetermined threshold, reflecting a high number of messages already sent, it is sent to the destination. transmitter a warning signal. The warning signal is for example emitted when the quota

becomes negative.

  In addition, periodically, quotas are reset. For example, during this reset phase, we put

  implement the quota calculation module.

  Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will appear on reading the following description, given only

  by way of nonlimiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the general structure of a portion of a telecommunications network providing an electronic messaging service and which is provided an access control device according to the invention; and - Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the control device according to the invention, On the portion of telecommunications network used for the transmission of an electronic mail M (e-mail) visible in Figure 1, only a shown is the sending server 10, which is used for sending e-mails from specified user terminals to the server 10, such as a microcomputer 12, a

  cell phone extension 14 or personal assistant (PDA) 16.

  Of course, the nature of the user terminals that can be used for sending electronic messages is by no means

  limiting, other types of terminals can also be used.

  In order to control the number of M emails sent by each user, each user has a number of quotas of messages to send, from which an awareness-raising action is systematically triggered, for example by sending a C mail also for the user concerned

in electronic form.

  Thus, the transmission server 10, which receives the requests for sending messages from the terminals 12, 14 and 16, is connected to a quota control module 18 placed on the path of the requests sent by the terminals 12, 14 and 16. This control module 18 communicates with a quota calculation module 20 which is used to fix an email quota for each user of the service, and for a given duration, and with a quota update module 22 according to the messages sent by the user and the

  number of recipients of each of these messages.

  In addition, an authentication module 24 ensures control of

the identity of each user.

  The module 20 for calculating quotas is constituted by an inference engine and is associated with a first database 26, which constitutes an environmental base in which are responsible for quota allocation rules relating to the environment in which locates each user. In other words, this first base 26 includes a set of business rules, which fix, according to the different positions of the company, that is to say the functions related to this position, the number of people hierarchically lower and the number of hierarchically superior people the number of

email quotas.

  A second database 28, which constitutes a user base, makes it possible to assign, to each user, a number of

  maximum emails, regardless of function.

  From this information, the calculation module 20 develops for each user, a quota of e-mails that this person is authorized to send, according to information related to the user, in terms of information related to the user and at the position occupied, but also based on information specific to the letters to be sent, for example to the recipient, the size of the attachments, etc. As indicated above, this quota corresponds to a predetermined period of time and corresponds, for example to a monthly message quota. It is reset at the end of this period

  of time by the quota calculation module.

  Regarding the update module, it proceeds with a count of the number of emails each of which

  user has and stores this number in a user base 30.

  Finally, the authentication module 24 is in communication with electronic directories, such as 32, and comprises, for this purpose, an interface for consulting electronic directories, for example an interface known as LDAP (Light Right Directory). Access Protocol ", in English), which makes it possible to retrieve from the directories 32 information allowing authentication of each user. This authentication module 24 thus makes it possible, on the one hand, to authorize access and use of the service each user but also, on the other hand, to obtain information specific to the user and useful for its operation, in particular for the elaboration of quotas, such as the e-mail address, the identifier, etc. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the device which has just been

  described works as follows.

  First, to use this service, during a first step, it is necessary to authenticate with the control device, in a manner known per se. During this phase, the control module 18 interrogates the authentication module 24, which collects information from the directories 32 allowing authentication of the user. When the authentication is confirmed, the user can then send one or more messages. Depending on the number of messages sent and the number of recipients for each message, a quota of messages assigned to it is deducted. To do this, first of all, the module 20 fixes the quota of electronic mails available to the user. As can be seen in FIG. 2, this quota is calculated from bases 26 and 28 by the calculation module 20 which delivers to the control module 18 a quota Q. This quota is also associated with information making it possible to update quota management, for example information indicating whether the mail is addressed to a member of his hierarchy or outside, ... As indicated above, this calculation operation is performed periodically, at the end of the period d 'use

message quotas.

  Depending on the number of messages sent and the number of recipients of each message, the update module 22 updates the base 30 and establishes statistics. Depending on the analysis made by the update module 22, if a quota overshoot is reported, the control module 18 causes the mail server 10 to send a warning letter C to the user, indicating that their quota has been exceeded. As can be seen in FIG. 2, this procedure uses memory modules 34 of the control module 18 in which are specified predetermined sanction / congratulation modes 34 to implement, if the threshold is exceeded, modules 36 causing carrying out congratulatory actions and sanctions and implementing the module

  update quotas to update statistics 38.

  As mentioned earlier, congratulations and sanctions can simply consist of sending a message to users. After having carried out this control, the transmission server 10 transmits the electronic message or messages M, even if the number of quotas is exceeded, a transmission report

  then being sent to the user.

  The statistics produced, stored in base 30, are accessible by users, as well as by authorized personnel.

Claims (12)

  1. Device for controlling access to an electronic messaging service, characterized in that it comprises a calculation module (20) for the development of quotas for electronic messages for at least part of the users of the messaging service, a quota update module (22) according to the messages sent by the users and a quota control module (18) with which the calculation module (20) and the update module (22) communicate; and which is intended to be associated with a server (10) for transmitting electronic messages to retrieve requests for transmitting messages and implementing said calculation and updating modules. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the calculation module comprises an inference engine connected to a user base (26) in which are stored, for each user listed in the base, allocation rules of quotas according to criteria relating to users and to an environmental base (28) in which rules for allocating quotas relating to the environment in which they are located are responsible each user.   3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2,   characterized in that it further comprises an interface (24) for consulting electronic directories in which information relating to users is loaded, for retrieving   information used to develop quotas.   4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that it   further includes a user authentication module (24).   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the authentication module (24) comprises the consultation interface directories.   6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to   , characterized in that it further comprises a quota base (30) in which are loaded the message quotas for each   user, which are delivered by the update module.   7. Electronic message sending server, characterized in that it includes an access control device according to one   any of claims 1 to 6.   8. A method of controlling access to an electronic messaging service, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - recovering a request tending to the emission of one or more messages; authentication of the sender of the request - updating the message quota for said sender according to the number of messages to be sent; and - sending of the message (s).   9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that after the updating step, in the event of the quota passing below a predetermined threshold, it is sent to the transmitter a warning signal.   10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the   warning signal is issued when the quota becomes negative.   11. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 10,   characterized in that the quotas are reset periodically.   12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that during the reinitialization of the quotas, the module of implementation is implemented. calculation of quotas (20).