JP2001357100A - System and method for processing postal matter, facsimile or electronic mail - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system and a method for processing postal matter, facsimile or electronic mail for eliminating a limiting time such as receiving time and a waiting time caused by requested printed matter. SOLUTION: An orderer accesses a home page provided by an information center from his/her own user terminal 10 connected to a network 100 and transmits processing information for ordering and posting of printing of postal matter (postcard or letter) and the transmission of FAX or electronic mail or the like to an information center terminal 20. Next, the information center confirms this processing information to the orderer and afterwards, the information is transmitted from the information center terminal 20 to a printing center terminal 30. According to the processing information, a printing center processes the postal matter, facsimile or electronic mail.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to mail, fax,
Or an email processing system and method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a sender purchases a required number of postcards from a post office or the like for a postcard such as a New Year's card or a hot summer visit.
The back and front of the postcard were created and posted to the post. In addition, a print shop or the like is requested to print the back side, and the address and the like on the front side are created by the sender. At present, the spread of personal computers and postcard printing software to ordinary households has made it possible to easily create an address book or an image of the back of a postcard.

[0003] In online shopping using a network such as the Internet, there is a selling method for printing a postcard or the like. In this sales method, an order for a print request is received from an orderer via a network, and postcards printed on both sides are delivered to an address specified by the orderer by a courier service or the like in accordance with the orderer's print request. The orderer confirmed the contents of the delivered postcard and then mailed it to the post office or post.

[0004]

However, such a conventional selling method has the following problems. First, the first problem is that the time for receiving the printed matter is limited, and a waiting time for receiving the printed matter is required. This is because the designated delivery at a special time, such as late at night, is not performed in the delivery of home delivery for delivering products such as postcards. Then, even if the daytime is specified, the delivery is performed during a predetermined time period including the specified time, so that the orderer must wait during the time period.

[0005] The second problem is that it is not possible to efficiently perform the mail creation process. This is because the contents of the ordered postcard or the like cannot be confirmed using a network (for example, confirmation on a screen connected to the orderer's user terminal). Another reason is that the orderer or a person concerned has to perform the work of adding a comment and posting the mail for each mail destination after the mail is delivered.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the first aspect of the present invention is as follows.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a mail, fax, or e-mail processing system and method that eliminates a restriction time and a waiting time such as a reception time for a requested printed matter.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an efficient mail item,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a facsimile or electronic mail processing system and method.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a method for printing and posting mail (postcards, envelopes, etc.) and sending a fax or e-mail via a network. Do. The orderer accesses the homepage of the information center from the user terminal connected to the network, and sends the order contents such as mail, fax, or e-mail to the information center terminal connected to the network. The information center transmits the order details to a printing center terminal connected to the network, and the printing center processes mail, fax, or e-mail according to the order details.

[0009] The orderer accesses the homepage of the information center terminal using the user terminal connected to the network, and sends the mail to be sent or the FA to send.
Displays X or e-mail type information. Next, the orderer inputs purchase order information specifying the order details and payment specification information specifying the payment method, and transmits the information from the user terminal to the information center terminal connected to the network.
When the information center receives the purchase order information and the payment designation information from the information center terminal, the information center receives the orderer identification information for identifying the orderer and the order content, the mail of the order content, and the FA of the order content.
X or tradeable date information including information on a date on which an electronic mail or the like can be traded is generated and transmitted to the user terminal. The orderer confirms the orderer identification information, designates the transaction date of the transaction available date information, and transmits the information as orderer designation information to the information center via the network. Next, the information center terminal generates print designation information based on the received orderer designation information, and transmits the print designation information to the print center terminal. The printing center sends mail, fax,
Or handle email. Next, the printing center
The print center terminal transmits a processing completion notification (printing completion, mailing completion, etc.) for notifying the completion of the processing to the information center terminal, and the printing center terminal transmits a processing completion notification to the user terminal. It is assumed that the orderer pays the fee in accordance with the payment designation information.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mail, FAX, or e-mail processing system via a network, comprising: an information center terminal connected to the network and provided at an information center for providing a homepage; A user terminal for an orderer to access the homepage, and a print center terminal connected to the network and provided at a print center for processing the mail, the FAX, or the e-mail. The orderer receives the postal matter automatic print shipping reception information including the processing information of the postal matter, the facsimile, and the e-mail received from the information center terminal by the user terminal, and places an order. Purchase order information including the processing information and how to pay a fee for the ordered processing To the information center terminal, and the information center, upon receiving the purchase order information and the payment specification information, an orderer for identifying the orderer and the processing information. Identification information and transaction possible date information including information on a date on which the ordered processing can be dealt with, transmitted from the information center terminal to the user terminal, the orderer,
Confirming the orderer identification information, specifying the due date of the tradeable date information and transmitting it as orderer specification information from the user terminal to the information center terminal, and the information center receives the orderer specification Generate print designation information indicating the process information based on the information, transmit the print designation information from the information center terminal to the print center terminal, process the print center according to the print designation information, and complete the process. The print center terminal transmits a process completion notification to the information center terminal from the print center terminal, the print center terminal transmits the process completion notification from the information center terminal to the user terminal, and the orderer transmits the payment designation information. The fee is paid according to the following.

[0011] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for processing mail, fax, or e-mail via a network, wherein the orderer uses a user terminal connected to the network to provide a home page provided by an information center. Accessing, and the information center, by using an information center terminal connected to the network, to send the mail automatic delivery reception information including reception information for processing mail, fax, and e-mail to the user. Transmitting to the terminal, the orderer uses the mail automatic dispatch acceptance information, purchase order information containing processing information to be ordered, and payment designation information for designating a method of paying a fee for the processing. And transmitting from the user terminal to the information center terminal, the information center,
Orderer identification information for identifying the orderer and the processing information using the purchase order information and the payment designation information;
Generating transaction-possible date information containing information on a date on which the transaction can be performed, and transmitting the information to the user terminal from the information center terminal; and the orderer confirms the orderer identification information, Generating orderer designation information by designating the due date of the transaction possible date information and transmitting the order information from the user terminal to the previous term information center terminal; and the information center uses the orderer designation information to execute the processing information. Generating print designation information containing the information, and transmitting the print designation information from the information center terminal to a print center terminal connected to the network and provided at a print center; and wherein the print center performs processing in accordance with the print designation information. Transmitting, from the printing center terminal to the information center terminal, a processing completion notification for notifying the completion of the processing; Center, a transmission step to the user terminal the processing completion notification from the information center terminal, the orderer is characterized by comprising the step of paying the fee in accordance with the payment designation information.

[0012]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the user terminal 10, the information center terminal 20, the print center terminal 30, the user terminal 10, the information center terminal 2
0 and a network 100 interconnecting the print center terminals 30. Each of these components will be described.

The user terminal 10 is an information processing device such as a personal computer. The user terminal 10 has a function of accessing the homepage of the mail automatic print shipping reception information established by the information center terminal 20 on the network 100 and displaying the processing information desired for the order on the screen. The processing information includes information such as a postal matter such as a New Year's card and a summer greeting, a postal letter such as a postcard, a facsimile, an e-mail, and the like. , Color, price, and the like. For example, in the case of a postcard, the user terminal 10 displays the front side (destination address) of the postcard and the back side (contents, design, comment for each destination, etc.) of the postcard on a screen of a Web (a homepage providing a service). It has a function of transmitting a print content database created by inputting each sheet to the information center 20 via the network 100 as purchase order information. To create the print content database, a sample image or text from the information center 20 can be used. The user terminal 10 transmits to the information center terminal 20 via the network 100 the purchase order information, which is the order processing information desired by the orderer, and the payment designation information designating the method of paying the fee for the desired order processing information. It has a function to do.

The user terminal 10 also stores orderer identification information for identifying the orderer and the processing information or the like ordered, and tradeable date information including information on a date on which order contents can be processed. Through the information center terminal 20
From the customer, confirms the orderer identification information, generates orderer-designated information (printed content, date and time of delivery of printed matter, etc.) by designating the due date of the transaction possible date information, and has a function of transmitting it to the information center terminal 20. . The user terminal 10 also has a function of receiving a processing completion notification from the information center terminal 20.

The information center terminal 20 is used by a mail seller or a specialized information processing company, and is constituted by an information processing device such as a workstation or a server. The information center terminal 20 has a function of receiving purchase order information transmitted from the user terminal 10 by an operation of the orderer, generating orderer identification information and possible transaction date information, and transmitting the generated information to the user terminal 10. . The orderer identification information is for identifying the orderer and the processing information ordered, and the tradeable date information is information of a transactionable date of the processing information ordered by the purchase order information, and these information are It is generated as unique information for each order.
This information is basically one-time information, but it is also possible to store purchase order information as registration information in an information center by designating a user (orderer). in this case,
When requested again by the same user, the user enters the orderer identification information issued by the information center 20 to retrieve the registered information, correct and add the print contents, and create a print database and the like. And you can ask.

The information center terminal 20 is a user terminal 1
It has a function of receiving orderer specification information from 0, generating print specification information including the processing information ordered based on the information, and transmitting the print specification information to the print center terminal 30. Further, a process completion notification for notifying that the processing of the ordered processing information has been completed is received from the print center terminal 30, and the user terminal 10
Has the function of transmitting this processing completion notification to the user.

The printing center terminal 30 is provided at the printing center. The print center terminal 30 receives print instruction information from the information center terminal 20. The print specification information
Processing information on postal matter, FAX, electronic mail, etc., for example, in the case of postal matter, is information specifying the contents of printing and posting (posting date and posting post office, etc.). Further, the printing center terminal 30 checks the mail item according to the print designation information,
It has a function of processing fax and electronic mail. Further, the print center terminal 30 sends a processing completion notification for notifying that the processing of the processing information has been completed to the information center terminal 2.
0 via the network 100.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described by taking the sending of a postcard as an example. In the following description, the network 100 is the Internet.

The orderer accesses, via his / her own user terminal 10, the homepage of the automatic mailing / shipping reception information set up by the information center on the Internet (step 1).

The information center responds to the access from the user terminal 10 and, from the information center terminal 20, processes information on printing and shipping of mail and the like, transmission of facsimile and e-mail, and fee information on processing. Is sent to the user terminal (step 2).

The user terminal 10 is an information center terminal 2
The mail automatic printing / shipping reception information transmitted from 0 is received and displayed on the screen (step 3). Next, the orderer
Looking at the list information displayed on the screen of the user terminal 10,
Select the postcard from the types of mail and the like you want to print and post. FIG. 3 shows an example of a postcard order information screen. On the screen of the user terminal 10, input a necessary sentence such as a message on the back of the postcard and an image and determine the layout,
Next, the destination of the front side of the postcard is input, the layout is determined, a print content database is created, and the image of the postcard actually delivered is confirmed on the screen. Further, the print content database can be created by the orderer from the beginning as described above, or can be created using a sample image and a sample sentence provided by the information center.
Next, the orderer inputs, as mailing information, a method for posting the postcard of the created print content database. Next, the orderer registers, on the screen of the user terminal 10, printing and posting the postcard as purchase order information in accordance with the input contents. The registered purchase order information is temporarily stored in the user terminal 10. Next, the orderer displays a fee payment method screen on the screen of the user terminal 10.
The orderer selects one of the payment methods displayed on the screen, designates the payment method by clicking with a mouse or the like, registers the payment method on the screen of the user terminal 10 as payment designation information, and makes a payment. The information is temporarily stored in the user terminal 10 as designated information. At this time, in the case of payment by a credit card, necessary items such as the user's card number and personal identification number are input. The purchase order information and the payment designation information stored in the user terminal 10 are transmitted to the information center terminal 20 via the Internet according to the orderer's instruction (eg, clicking a transmission button on the screen with a mouse) (step 4). .

When the information center terminal 20 receives the purchase order information and the payment designation information (step 5), the information center terminal 20 uses the purchase order information and the payment designation information to identify the orderer and the order processing information. Generate user identification information.
In addition, the information center terminal 20 generates tradeable date information including date information of a date on which the ordered postcard can be printed and a date on which the ordered postcard can be posted. The information center terminal 20 transmits the orderer identification information and the available transaction date information to the user terminal 10 (step 9).

The user terminal 10 receives the orderer identification information and the available transaction date information (step 10). FIG.
5 shows an example of a postcard order confirmation screen displayed on the user terminal. The orderer checks the order details with the orderer identification information,
The date is designated from the transaction possible date information and transmitted as the orderer designation information from the user terminal 10 to the information center terminal 20 (step 11). Further, the orderer may be able to confirm the orderer identification information and specify the transaction possible date on the homepage of the information center. Further, the orderer-designated information is transmitted from the user terminal 10 to the print center terminal 3.
0 may be transmitted.

Next, the information center terminal 20 receives the orderer-designated information (step 12), prints the postcard specified by the orderer-designated information by the designated date, and instructs to post it. Generates information and print center terminal 3
0 (step 13).

When the print center receives the print designation information via the print center terminal 30 (step 14), the print center prints the postcard specified by the designated date in accordance with the print designation information, and the printed postcard is printed. The postcard is mailed to the designated post office on the designated day (step 15). Next, the printing center transmits, from the printing center terminal 30, the information center terminal 20 to the information center terminal 20 as a processing completion notification that the processing of printing and posting the postcard is completed (step 1).
3).

[0026] The information center, from the print information center,
When the processing completion notification is received (step 14), the processing completion notification is transmitted from the information center terminal 20 to the user terminal 10 (step 15).

Upon receiving the processing completion notification from the user terminal 10 (step 16), the orderer pays the fee according to the payment designation information (step 17). In this embodiment, the system receives the processing completion notification from the print information center via the information center. However, the system may directly transmit the notification from the print center terminal 30 to the user terminal 10.

In summary, the system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes: i) a member registration function for registering an orderer as a member; ii) a destination management function for managing a destination ordered by the orderer; and iii) an order. An image registration function for registering an image created by a user, iv) a comment registration function for registering a comment created by an orderer, v) a print and date designation function for designating a print date, a posting and transmission date, etc. Vi) a selection function for selecting mail, fax, e-mail, etc. for each case; vii) mail, fax,
A charge collection function for collecting a processing charge with an electronic mail or the like. In addition, the postal matter in the present embodiment includes not only postcards and sealed letters but also all deliverables.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that the operation of the information center and the printing center is performed by a department of the post office. In the present embodiment, when the orderer designates the post office to post, the information center sends the purchase order information (including the print content database) to the post office to be designated by the orderer via the network 100. It can be printed and mailed at the post office where it is sent and posted.

[0030]

As described above, the first effect of the present invention is that the orderer can always send mail, F
AX or e-mail can be ordered. This effect is particularly remarkable in an area with few post offices, such as a suburb. The reason for this is that a processing request for postal matter or the like can be made by inputting processing information from a user terminal connected to a network.

The second effect is that the time for receiving the printed matter is not restricted, and the waiting time for receiving the printed matter is not required. The reason for this is that a mail system or the like that has been subjected to print processing or the like is directly sent to a post office without being delivered to the orderer.

The third effect is that the orderer can send mail, FA
That is, the processing of X or e-mail can be performed efficiently. The reason is that, as a system that allows you to order processing information such as postal matter for each case and confirm it on the screen via a network, it is necessary to enter comments for each destination and final confirmation of postal matter etc. after processing This is because sex has been eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a postcard order information screen displayed on a user terminal.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a postcard order confirmation screen displayed on a user terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User terminal 20 Information center terminal 30 Printing center terminal 100 Network

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A system for processing mail, fax, or e-mail via a network, comprising: an information center terminal connected to the network and provided at an information center for providing a home page; A user terminal for accessing the homepage, the mail, the FA connected to the network,
X, or a print center terminal provided at a print center that processes the e-mail, wherein the orderer receives the mail received from the information center terminal by the user terminal, the fax,
Receiving postal mail automatic printing / shipping reception information including the processing information with the electronic mail, purchase order information including the processing information to be ordered, and payment designation information for designating a method of paying a fee for the ordered processing. To the information center terminal, upon receiving the purchase order information and the payment designation information, the information center, orderer identification information for identifying the orderer and the processing information, and the order Generated transaction possible date information including information on a date on which the transaction can be performed, and transmit the information to the user terminal from the information center terminal.The orderer confirms the orderer identification information, The user terminal is transmitted to the information center terminal from the user terminal as the orderer-designated information by designating the due date of the transaction available date information, and the information center receives the orderer-designated information. The generated print specification information for instructing the processing information on the basis,
Transmitting from the information center terminal to the print center terminal, the print center processes according to the print designation information, and transmits a process completion notification for notifying the completion of the process from the print center terminal to the information center terminal; The printing center terminal transmits the processing completion notification from the information center terminal to the user terminal, and the orderer pays the fee according to the payment designation information. Processing system. 2. The mail, fax or electronic mail processing system according to claim 1, wherein said network is the Internet. 3. The mail, facsimile or electronic mail processing system according to claim 1, wherein the information center terminal is managed by a post office worker or an information processing company. 4. The mail, fax or electronic mail processing system according to claim 1, wherein said printing center terminal is managed by a post office worker or an information processing company. 5. The mail, facsimile, or electronic mail processing system according to claim 1, wherein the postal matter is a postcard, an envelope, or a deliverable one. 6. The mail, facsimile, or electronic mail processing system according to claim 1, wherein the processing information is processed for each case. 7. A method for processing mail, fax, or e-mail via a network, wherein an orderer accesses a home page provided by an information center using a user terminal connected to the network. The information center uses the information center terminal connected to the network to store the mail and the fax.
And sending automatic mail dispatch acceptance information containing the receipt information of the processing with the electronic mail to the user terminal. The orderer uses the automatic mail dispatch information,
Generating purchase order information containing processing information to order and payment designation information designating a method of paying a fee for the processing, and transmitting the generated information from the user terminal to the information center terminal; Generating orderer identification information for identifying the orderer and the processing information by using the purchase order information and the payment designation information; and tradable date information containing information on a date on which the processing can be performed. Transmitting from the information center terminal to the user terminal, the orderer confirms the orderer identification information, generates the orderer designation information by designating the due date of the tradeable date information, Transmitting from the user terminal to the information center terminal of the previous term, the information center uses the orderer specification information to specify print designation information containing the processing information; Transmitting from the information center terminal to a print center terminal connected to the network and provided in a print center, the print center processes according to the print designation information, and notifies completion of the process. Transmitting a processing completion notification to the information center terminal from the printing center terminal to the information center terminal; transmitting the processing completion notification from the information center terminal to the user terminal; and Paying the fee according to information.
X or e-mail processing method.