JP2002118674A - System and method for informing electronic mail incoming call - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To permit a terminal adapter to immediately inform the arrival of an electronic mail even if a person is absent when an electronic mail arrival notice by a provider is given as free of a call rate. SOLUTION: When the arrival of the electronic mail is given from the provider 6 to the terminal adapter 2, messages that the electronic mail arrives at a telephone number (telephone number of a remote location) which is previously registered in the terminal adapter 2 is automatically informed. The terminal adapter 2 discriminates a regular telephone incoming call from the mail arrival notice by adding a specified sub-address to a caller number against the transmission of the mail arrival notice.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic mail receiving system and method, and more particularly, to an electronic mail receiving system and method for notifying an ISDN terminal adapter of an incoming electronic mail from a provider.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an individual tries to send and receive electronic mail using the Internet, the provider makes a dial-up IP connection to send and receive electronic mail. In this case, even if the received mail is on the mail server of the provider (which stands for Internet service provider), the user makes a dial-up IP connection, and if the user does not communicate with the mail server of the provider, the received mail is not sent. I don't know. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, an electronic mail reception display method and a mail server automatic transmission method have been disclosed.

That is, as an electronic mail arrival display method, for example, as disclosed in JP-A-5-207055 and JP-A-11-341047,
When the e-mail reaches the mail server of the provider, the terminal adapter is notified that the e-mail has been received, and the terminal adapter displays the incoming call on the display unit.
The terminal adapter notifies the user of the incoming e-mail by displaying that the e-mail has been received on the display unit.

[0004] As a mail server automatic transmission system,
For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-252199, when an e-mail is received by a mail server, the mail server automatically makes a call to a telephone number preset in the mail server, Play announcements to notify you of incoming email.

[0005]

However, in the case of the electronic mail arrival display system, since the display is made on the display section of the terminal adapter, the arrival of the mail can be confirmed when the user is near the terminal adapter. However, when the user is away from the terminal adapter, there is a problem that the arrival of the e-mail cannot be known and a problem that the confirmation of the e-mail is delayed when there is an urgent e-mail. .

Further, in the case of the mail server automatic transmission method, since the telephone is notified of the arrival of the electronic mail, there is a problem that a telephone charge is incurred every time the electronic mail arrival notification is sent to the telephone. is there. Further, since the mail server needs information of a telephone number for notifying the arrival of the electronic mail, when changing the telephone number, the setting must be changed by accessing the mail server. For this reason, there is a problem in that, when e-mail is used in the dial-up IP connection, the mail server must be accessed by the dial-up IP connection every time the setting is changed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to receive an e-mail immediately by a terminal adapter without incurring a call charge and without receiving an e-mail arrival notification from a provider. Is to inform.

Another object of the present invention is to allow a terminal adapter to notify an e-mail address of an e-mail source even when not at home.

[0009]

In order to attain the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an electronic mail arrival notification system, wherein a terminal adapter is connected to an Internet service provider having a mail server via an ISDN network. In the case of receiving an e-mail from the Internet, the e-mail server stores the e-mail and notifies the terminal adapter of the incoming mail using D-channel packet communication, wherein the mail server receives the e-mail from the Internet. When transmitting the e-mail to the terminal adapter, a destination e-mail address and a source e-mail address of the e-mail are set in an area in a first call setting message, and the set first call setting is set. Send a message to the destination phone number The terminal adapter has a first notifying means for notifying the user of the incoming mail, and the terminal adapter has a table in which an e-mail address of a user who uses the terminal adapter and an outgoing telephone number corresponding to the e-mail address are recorded. Storage means for storing, and switching means for performing a switch indicating either out of home or at home,
If the switching means is out of the office when the mail arrival notification is received from the mail server, the table is searched based on the destination e-mail address described in the call setting message, and the outgoing destination is searched. It is characterized by comprising detecting means for detecting a telephone number, and second notifying means for notifying the incoming mail to the outside telephone number detected by the detecting means.

Further, in the above-described electronic mail arrival notification system, the notifying means sets a specific subaddress indicating the mail arrival notification in an area in a second call setting message, and sets the second call setting message. A message is transmitted to the outside telephone number.

Further, in the above-described electronic mail arrival notification system, when the telephone set having the outside telephone number receives the second call setup message, the telephone set analyzes the second call setup message and analyzes the second call setup message. And a display unit for displaying the transmission source telephone number to which the specific subaddress described in the call setting message is added.

Further, in the above-described electronic mail arrival notification system, the notifying means may include a first call setting message if the switching means is at home when the mail arrival notification is received from the mail server. And means for displaying that an e-mail has been received and the source e-mail address set in the first call setup message.

Further, in the above-described electronic mail arrival notification system, the terminal adapter may include a voice message when the telephone having the outside telephone number responds to the second call setup message. And voice notification means for notifying that an e-mail has arrived.

[0014] The present invention also provides an electronic mail arrival notification method, comprising the steps of: receiving an electronic mail from the Internet when a terminal adapter is connected to an Internet service provider having a mail server via an ISDN network; An email receiving method for notifying the terminal adapter of the incoming mail using D-channel packet communication while storing
The mail server sets a destination e-mail address and a source e-mail address of the e-mail in a first call setup message, transmits the set first call message to a terminal adapter, and When receiving the first call setup message, the adapter compares the destination e-mail address with a pre-registered e-mail address. It is characterized in that an incoming e-mail is notified to a registered telephone number.

Further, in the above-described electronic mail arrival notification method, the electronic mail arrival notification sets a specific sub-address indicating the arrival notification in a second call setting message, and sets the specified second address. It is characterized in that it is performed by transmitting a call setting message to the telephone number.

Further, in the above-mentioned electronic mail arrival notification method, when the terminal adapter responds to the electronic mail arrival notification from the telephone number, the terminal adapter adds the transmission source electronic mail to a voice message registered in advance. A mail address is synthesized, and the synthesized voice message is transmitted to the telephone number, thereby notifying that an electronic mail has been received from the source electronic mail address.

[0017]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of the present invention includes an ISDN network 3, a general telephone line 4 (public line), the Internet 7, a data terminal 1, and a terminal adapter 2 connected to the data terminal 1. ,
A provider 6 for providing a service of the Internet 7 connected to the terminal adapter 2 via the ISDN 3;
It comprises an ISDN 3 and a telephone 5 connected via a general telephone line 4. In FIG. 1, terminal adapter 2 (including data terminal 1) and telephone 5
Although there are a plurality of, there is only one for convenience of explanation.

Each of the user A and the user B has an e-mail address (for example, user A: AAA, user B: B
BB), and can transmit and receive e-mails with the provider 6 using the data terminal 1. Further, the user A and the user B register the e-mail arrival notification in the terminal adapter 2 so that the e-mail arrival notification is received from the provider 6 to the terminal adapter 2 so that the e-mail arrival notification is transmitted to the transfer destination telephone. User.

The data terminal 1 is an information processing device such as a personal computer that operates under program control. The data terminal 1 sends and receives e-mails via the provider 6 by dial-up IP connection using the terminal adapter 2.

The terminal adapter 2 can be connected to the provider 6 by dial-up IP connection via the ISDN network 3 when receiving a request from the data terminal 1, and receives mail incoming information from the provider 6. I do.

The provider 6 has a mail server, and the mail server secures a mailbox (for example, a mailbox in an area on a magnetic disk) for storing e-mail of a user who has contracted for Internet service. To send and receive e-mails. Further, in this mailbox, a telephone number of the contact information of the user and a notification mode indicating whether or not a notification of an e-mail has been registered are registered at the time of contract with the user. When an e-mail arrives from the Internet 7 to the mail server of the provider 6, the mail server checks the notification mode in the mailbox corresponding to the e-mail address. Notify incoming calls to a phone number. In the example, the user A and the user B are set in the notification mode in advance, and when the destination of the e-mail received from the Internet 7 is the user A (or the user B), the mail server of the provider 6 uses the terminal adapter 2 Has been received, and the destination e-mail address (AA)
A) (In the case of user B, the e-mail address (BB
B)) is notified to the terminal adapter 2. in this case,
The mail server of the provider 6 performs an incoming e-mail notification using the area of the user information of the D channel of the ISDN.

The telephone 5 is a device connected to the general telephone network 4 and capable of receiving a call from the terminal adapter 2 and has a telephone number to which the user A is to be transferred. Also,
The telephone 5 has a display function of displaying the caller number on the display unit and a call history function of storing the call history of the caller number in the memory.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of the terminal adapter 2 shown in FIG. 1. The terminal adapter 2 includes a processor unit 21 operated under program control by a processor (not shown), and a processor unit 2.
A display unit 22 for displaying data requested from 1;
A line control unit 23 that controls connection with the ISDN 3;
A storage unit 24, a data terminal interface unit 25 for controlling communication with the data terminal 1, and an ON / O
It comprises a switch 26 for switching FFs and a bus 27. Each of these blocks (reference numerals 21 to 2 in FIG. 2)
Data exchange between 6) is performed via the bus 27.

The storage unit 24 is a non-volatile memory (for example, a flash memory) that can be read and written (the contents are not erased even when the power is turned off), and stores a control program 241 executed by the processor unit 21. An area, an area storing the transfer destination table 242,
An area in which the voice announcement 243 is stored and an area which is a work area 244 for temporarily recording the notified e-mail address are secured. The storage unit 2
The information of the e-mail address and the telephone number of the destination in the transfer destination table 242 of No. 4 can be rewritten using the data terminal 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the transfer destination table 242
Is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the transfer table 242.
Is registered in advance from the data terminal 1 in a one-to-one correspondence with outgoing telephone numbers corresponding to the e-mail addresses of each user who uses the terminal adapter 2.

The switch 26 switches between ON and OFF each time the user switches, and indicates the setting of going out (ON) or staying at home (OFF). For example, switch 27
Is a toggle switch, so that you can see to which side you fell from outside.
(OFF side) is displayed.

The inside of the processor section 21 in FIG.
FIG. 3 shows functional blocks when a processor (not shown) reads and executes a control program in the storage unit 24. The processor unit 21 includes a control unit 211 that controls the entire terminal adapter 2 itself and an electronic A user user information control unit that extracts information (mail arrival notification, user's e-mail address) in the user user information area of the ISDN D channel used by the provider 6 as a notification means when a call arrives when a call arrives. 212, a location monitoring unit 213 for monitoring whether the switch 28 is out of the user or at home, and notifying the control unit 211 of the information, and a voice announcement for notifying of an incoming electronic mail via the line control unit 23. And a voice notification unit 214 to be sent to the other party's telephone 5.

When a mail arrival notification is received from the mail server of the provider 6, the control unit 211
If the user is out of the office, the transfer destination table 242 is searched based on the destination e-mail address set in the user information in the call setting message, and the transfer corresponding to the destination e-mail address is performed. Creates a call setup message with a function to detect the destination (outgoing) telephone number and a specific sub-address indicating an incoming mail notification in the user information area of the call setup message, and detects the created call setup message It has a function of notifying that an e-mail has arrived by transmitting it to the transfer destination telephone number via the line control unit 23. Further, when there is a mail arrival notification from the mail server of the provider 6 and the switch 28 is at home, the control unit 211 analyzes the received call setting message and indicates that an electronic mail has arrived. The display unit 22 has a function of displaying the display and the electronic mail address of the transmission source set in the user information area of the call setting message. When receiving a response from the telephone 5 which is the telephone number of the transfer destination, the control unit 211 transmits the voice data obtained by synthesizing the electronic mail address of the transmission source to the voice announcement 243 of the storage unit 24. 214 has a function of giving an instruction.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. When the e-mail addressed to the user A reaches the mail server of the provider 6, the provider 6 notifies the terminal adapter 2 that the e-mail has been received by transmitting a call setting message. That is, the mail server transmits the call setup message using the ISDN D channel, but the identifier indicating the arrival of the e-mail, the e-mail address (AAA) of the destination user A, and the e-mail of the sender are transmitted. A mail address is set in the user information area in the call setup message on the ISDN D channel and transmitted.

The control unit 221 of the terminal adapter 2
When the call setting message is received via the line control unit 23, the control is transferred to the user / user information control unit 212. The user / user information control unit 212 analyzes the call setting message and extracts e-mail incoming information [identifier indicating the incoming e-mail, the e-mail address of the sender, and the e-mail address (AAA) of the user A], E-mail incoming information (each e-mail address) is stored in the storage unit 24
In the work area 244. When confirming the e-mail incoming information, the user information control unit 212 notifies the control unit 211 that an e-mail has been received.

Upon receiving the e-mail incoming notification, the control unit 211 requests the location monitoring unit 213 to confirm the location setting of the user, and returns a release message so as to return the release message.
Request the line control unit 23.

Upon receiving the request for transmission of the release message, the line control unit 23 transmits the release message to the ISDN network (using the ISDN D channel), thereby
The connection between the mail server and the terminal adapter 2 is released. Therefore, the exchange between the mail server of the provider 6 and the terminal adapter 2 in this case is I
Since only the D channel of SDN is used, no call charges are generated.

On the other hand, in the terminal adapter 2,
Location monitoring unit 2 receiving a location confirmation request from control unit 211
13 indicates that the setting of the switch 26 is “out of office” or “at home”.
Is confirmed, and the result is notified to the control unit 211.

Upon receiving the notification of the result, the control unit 211 determines that the information from the location monitoring unit 213 is at home (switch 26).
Is "at home"), the display unit 2 of the terminal adapter 2
2 indicates that an e-mail has been received. In this case, the control unit 211 stores the work area 244 of the storage unit 24.
The e-mail address of the transmission source is read from, and the read e-mail address of the transmission source is also displayed.

The control unit 211 having received the notification of the result.
Indicates that information from the location monitoring unit 213 is out (switch 2
6 is “out of the office”), the user A information e-mail address “AA
Based on "A", the telephone number of the destination is searched from the transfer destination table 242 of the storage unit 24, and the telephone number "aaa" is detected. The control unit 211 transmits “aa”
When the search for “a” is completed, a call setting message (for example, 01: indicating that an electronic mail has arrived) is set in a predetermined area in the call setting message.
The outgoing telephone number is set in a predetermined area in the call setting message), and the line control unit 23 is instructed to make a call to the detected outgoing telephone number (aaa). The setting of the sub-address utilizes the sub-address additional service in the ISDN additional service, and the sub-address information is transmitted using this.

When a call setting message is transmitted by the line control unit 23, the call setting message
A call arrives at the telephone 5 via the DN network 3 and the general telephone line 4. The telephone 5 receiving the incoming call (call setting message)
The caller number and subaddress set in the call setup message are read out, the number with the specific subaddress (01) added as the caller number is displayed on the display unit of the telephone set 5, and the memory (for example, flash) in the telephone set 5 is displayed. The caller number to which the sub-address is added is recorded (stored) in the memory as a call history. The user A knows that a mail has arrived by checking the calling number displayed on the display unit of the telephone 5. Also, this telephone 5
Since it also has an incoming call history storage function, even if the user A cannot confirm the display of the telephone 5 when receiving an incoming call, an incoming call number with a specific subaddress (01) remains in the incoming call history. You can confirm that you have been notified.

When the user A responds to the incoming of the e-mail incoming notification using the telephone 5, the communication path (in the ISDN network 3, the IS
When the control unit 221 receives the response message via the line control unit 23 of the terminal adapter 2 and determines a response, the voice notification unit 214
To make a voice announcement notifying of the arrival of the e-mail. Voice announcement unit 214 that has been notified
Is the voice announcement 2 stored in the storage unit 24 in advance.
43 and the e-mail address of the transmission source stored in the work area 244 of the storage unit 24 are read, and the voice announcement 243 and the e-mail address of the transmission source are combined into one voice message. The data is transmitted to the telephone 5 via the line controller 23. Then
A voice announcement (for example, an e-mail has arrived at home from the e-mail address mmm@ppp.ab.-.-) is heard from the receiver of the telephone 5, and the incoming of the e-mail is known.

Similarly, when the e-mail addressed to the user B arrives at the provider 6, the terminal adapter 2 sends the e-mail address (BB
Based on B), a call is made to the outside telephone number (bbb) from the transfer destination table 242 of the storage unit 24.

In the above description, when there is an incoming call with a specific subaddress added to the caller number from the terminal adapter 2 to the telephone set 5, the telephone set 5 rejects the incoming call (replies release) and specifies The caller number to which the subaddress has been added may be simply displayed on the display unit. In this case, it is possible to prevent the user from answering the telephone 5 by mistake (answering the telephone). That is, it is possible to prevent an extra call charge due to an error.

Although the general telephone line 4 has been described as a public line in the above description, the general telephone line 4 may be a mobile telephone line. That is, it goes without saying that the present invention is included in the present invention even if the telephone 5 is a mobile phone.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an e-mail arrival notification is sent to a terminal adapter while a user is out of the office, an e-mail arrival notification is automatically received from the terminal adapter to an outgoing telephone. Has the effect of being able to confirm that there is an e-mail arrival notification even on the go.

Further, according to the present invention, a terminal adapter receives an outgoing call at a destination telephone registered for each user on the basis of a destination e-mail address of the user of the sent e-mail, thereby allowing each user to go out. This has the effect that the arrival of the e-mail can be confirmed earlier.

According to the present invention, it is not easy to change the setting of the mail server, especially the mail server of the provider, when changing the telephone number of the notification destination of the e-mail. Since the registered transfer destination table is stored in the storage unit in the terminal adapter, there is an effect that the telephone number of the destination can be easily changed by locally changing the data end.

Further, according to the present invention, the terminal adapter comprises:
Sending a mail arrival notification to the telephone only when the user is out of the office has the effect of minimizing the generation of call charges.

Further, according to the present invention, a specific sub-address is added to the caller ID when an e-mail is notified to an outgoing telephone, so that a normal incoming call can be received without answering the telephone. This has the effect of distinguishing between e-mail and incoming e-mail notifications.

Further, according to the present invention, when an e-mail is notified to a transfer destination telephone, the user responds to the telephone, and the terminal adapter adds the e-mail address of the transmission source of the e-mail. Since the data is sent to the destination telephone number, the sender of the e-mail can be surely identified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the terminal adapter of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a configuration in a transfer destination table of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 data terminal 2 terminal adapter 3 ISDN network 4 general telephone line 5 telephone 6 provider 21 processor unit 22 display unit 23 line control unit 24 storage unit 25 data terminal interface unit 26 switch 27 bus 211 control unit 212 user user information control unit 213 Monitoring unit 214 Voice notification unit 241 Control program 242 Transfer destination table

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04L 12/58

Claims (8)

[Claims] A terminal adapter is connected to an Internet service provider having a mail server via an ISDN network. When the mail server receives an e-mail from the Internet, the e-mail is stored and D-channel packet communication is used. In the e-mail receiving method of notifying the terminal adapter of incoming mail, the mail server, when transmitting the e-mail received from the Internet to the terminal adapter, the destination e-mail address of the e-mail and A first notifying means for notifying a mail arrival by setting a source e-mail address in an area in a first call setting message and transmitting the set first call setting message to the destination telephone number. And the terminal adapter Storing means for storing a table in which an e-mail address of a user using the terminal adapter and an outgoing telephone number corresponding to the e-mail address are stored, and switching indicating whether the user is out or at home. Switching means for performing, and searching the table based on the destination e-mail address described in the call setting message if the mail means is notified from the mail server and the switching means is out. Detecting means for detecting the outside telephone number, and second notifying means for notifying the incoming mail to the outside telephone number detected by the detecting means. . 2. The notification means sets a specific subaddress indicating the mail arrival notification in an area in a second call setup message, and transmits the set second call setup message to the destination telephone number. 2. The electronic mail arrival notification system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The telephone set having the outgoing telephone number, upon receiving the second call setup message, analyzes the second call setup message and specifies the identification information included in the second call setup message. 2. An electronic mail arrival notification system according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the source telephone number to which the sub-address is added. 4. The notifying means analyzes the first call setup message when the switching means is at home when the mail server notifies the mail arrival notification from the mail server, and receives an e-mail message. 2. The electronic mail arrival notification system according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying the message and the source electronic mail address set in the first call setting message. 5. The terminal adapter according to claim 1, wherein when the telephone having the outgoing telephone number responds to the second call setup message, an e-mail is received from the source e-mail address by voice message. The electronic mail arrival notification system according to claim 2, further comprising a voice notification unit for notifying. 6. A terminal adapter is connected to an Internet service provider having a mail server via an ISDN network. When the mail server receives an e-mail from the Internet, the e-mail is stored and the D-channel packet communication is used. An e-mail receiving method of notifying the terminal adapter of an incoming mail, wherein the mail server sets a destination e-mail address and a source e-mail address of the e-mail in a first call setup message. And transmitting the set first call message to a terminal adapter. When the terminal adapter receives the first call setting message, the terminal adapter sets the destination e-mail address and a pre-registered e-mail address. Compare and if they match their registered E-mail reception method characterized performing an incoming call notification e-mail to the telephone number addressed which is previously registered in correspondence with that mail address. 7. The incoming call notification of the electronic mail sets a specific sub-address indicating the incoming call notification in a second call setup message, and transmits the set second call setup message to the telephone number. 7. The electronic mail arrival notification method according to claim 6, wherein 8. When the terminal adapter responds to the notification of the arrival of the e-mail from the telephone number, the terminal adapter synthesizes the pre-registered voice message with the source e-mail address, and synthesizes the synthesized voice. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a message is sent to the telephone number to notify that an e-mail has been received from the source e-mail address.