JP2002135293A - Mail transfer system, service-providing server and method for controlling service-providing server - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mail transfer system capable of transferring a mail from a system having a different address designating method and simply designating a large quantity of addresses, a mail transfer server, and to provide a method for controlling the mail transfer server. SOLUTION: A GW server (mail transfer server) 13 acquires telephone numbers or account ID of one or a plurality of addresses from a destination file attached to a received internet mail. The server 13 has a mail format of handling the received internet mail by a mail server 11, converts the destinations to one or a plurality of mails designated by the telephone number or the account ID, and transfers the converted mails to the mail server 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a mail transfer system, a mail transfer server, and a method for controlling a mail transfer server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a user of a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as "PC") starts Internet mail software (e-mail software) and inputs a text and a destination (mail address) in predetermined fields. , Internet mail was created and sent to the desired destination. Further, the user of the PC can transmit Internet mail to a plurality of destinations by inputting the plurality of destinations in the above-mentioned destination input field. In this case, by attaching a file storing various information such as a document file and an image file in addition to the character information to the body of the Internet mail, desired information can be broadcasted.

[0003]

However, in the case of Internet mail, it is necessary to input or specify a destination each time a mail is created. Therefore, when distributing information to a predetermined large number of destinations, the There is a problem that the input operation and the designation operation are complicated and time-consuming. On the other hand, in the field of mobile communication, mails are transferred using a protocol different from the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) used for transferring Internet mail.
Some services allow you to specify a destination by phone number. In this case, mail cannot be transferred between systems having different destination designation methods.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a mail transfer system capable of transferring mail from a system having a different destination specification method and easily specifying a large number of destinations. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mail transfer server used in a system and a method for controlling the mail transfer server.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mail transfer system for transferring a mail, the mail being transmitted to a terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system. A mail server that forwards the mail, and a mail to which a file storing destination information is attached is received from a terminal of another system, and the received mail is addressed to a terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the destination. And a mail transfer server for converting the mail into a mail and transferring the mail to the mail server.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the mail transfer system according to the first aspect, the mail transfer server comprises:
When information of a plurality of destinations is stored in the file, the received mail is converted into a plurality of mails addressed to a plurality of terminals accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the plurality of destinations, and The feature is to transfer to the server.

[0007] The invention described in claim 3 is claim 1 or 2.
Wherein the destination information stored in the file is a telephone number of a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system.

[0008] The invention described in claim 4 is claim 1 or 2.
Wherein the destination information stored in the file is unique information pre-assigned to a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system, and the mail server responds from the unique information. And a telephone number acquiring means for acquiring a telephone number of the terminal to be operated.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the mail transfer system according to the first aspect, when the mail transfer server acquires delivery confirmation information of a mail received from a terminal of the other system from the mail server, A mail including the delivery confirmation information is transmitted to a terminal of the another system.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the mail transfer system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the terminals are a plurality of mobile terminals accommodated in a mobile communication network.

The invention according to claim 7 is a mail transfer server for transferring mail transmitted from a terminal of another system to a mail server for transferring mail to a terminal accommodated in a predetermined mail transfer system. A mail receiving means for receiving a mail attached with a file storing destination information from a terminal of the other system, and transmitting the received mail to a terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the destination. Mail conversion means for converting the mail into mail and transferring the mail to the mail server.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the mail transfer server according to the seventh aspect, when the mail conversion means stores information on a plurality of destinations in the file,
The received mail is converted into a plurality of mails addressed to a plurality of terminals accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the plurality of destinations and transferred to the mail server.

[0013] The ninth aspect of the present invention is the seventh or eighth aspect.
Wherein the destination information stored in the file is a telephone number of a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the mail transfer server according to the seventh or eighth aspect, the destination information stored in the file is previously allocated to a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system. It is unique information.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the mail transfer server according to the seventh aspect, when the mail transfer server acquires delivery confirmation information of a mail received from a terminal of the another system from the mail server, And a delivery confirmation information transmitting means for transmitting a mail including the delivery confirmation information to a terminal of the another system.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing system comprising
2. The mail transfer server according to claim 1, wherein the terminals are mobile terminals accommodated in a mobile communication network.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, a mail transfer server for transferring a mail transmitted from a terminal of another system to a mail server for transferring a mail to a terminal accommodated in a predetermined mail transfer system. The method
A mail receiving step of receiving, from a terminal of the other system, a mail attached with a file storing destination information, and converting the received mail to a mail addressed to a terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the destination. And a mail conversion step of converting and transferring the converted mail to the mail server.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the method for controlling a mail transfer server according to the thirteenth aspect, in the mail conversion step, when information of a plurality of destinations is stored in the file, Is converted into a plurality of mails addressed to a plurality of terminals accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the plurality of destinations and transferred to the mail server.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the method for controlling a mail transfer server according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect,
The destination information stored in the file is a telephone number of a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the method for controlling a mail transfer server according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect,
The destination information stored in the file is unique information previously assigned to a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the method for controlling a mail transfer server according to the thirteenth aspect, when the delivery confirmation information of the mail received from the terminal of the another system is acquired from the mail server, A transmission step of transmitting a mail including the delivery confirmation information to a terminal of the system is provided.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various changes can be made within the scope of the technical idea.

(1) Configuration of Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a mail transfer system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This mail transfer system 10
A mail server 11 for transferring mail to a plurality of mobile terminals MS receiving a packet communication service of the mobile packet communication network MPN, a management server 12 for managing information of the mobile terminals MS, and connecting a network in the system 10 to the Internet. Gateway server (hereinafter, "GW
Server. " ) 13 and a center calling server 14. Here, FIG. 1 shows a case where the mobile terminal MS is used by being connected to a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or a notebook PC (Personal Computer), but the function of the mobile terminal MS is a PDA or notebook type. The mobile terminal MS and the PDA and the like may be integrally referred to as a mobile terminal MS unless otherwise specified.

The mail server 11 has a destination of the mobile terminal MS.
Is a server that transfers mail specified by a telephone number of the mobile terminal MS or an account ID assigned to the mobile terminal MS in advance, and transfers mail by a communication protocol different from a communication protocol applied to Internet mail. Further, the mail server 11 refers to the setting information of the destination mobile terminal MS stored in the management server 12,
The mail is transferred by a so-called PULL type delivery method or a PUSH type delivery method. Further, the mail server 11
Has a function of recording when the transfer of the mail to the mobile terminal MS is completed, and transmitting a transfer confirmation message when receiving a transfer confirmation reception request from the GW server 13.

The management server 12 manages setting information including telephone numbers of all mobile terminals MS, account IDs assigned in advance, capabilities (number of characters that can be displayed, etc.), and user setting information set in advance by the user of the mobile terminal MS. Server. Further, the management server 12 has a function of transmitting desired setting information of the mobile terminal MS in response to a request from the mail server 11.

The GW server 13 is a server that transmits and receives Internet mails. When an Internet mail is received, the GW server 13 converts the received mail into a mail format handled by the mail server 11, transfers the mail to the mail server 11, and transfers the mail to the mail server 11. When a mail addressed to another terminal connected to the IN is transferred from the mail server 11, the transferred mail is converted into an Internet mail format and transmitted. Here, when receiving the Internet mail, the GW server 13 acquires the telephone number or the account ID of the destination mobile terminal MS from the destination file attached to the body of the received mail. Thereby, the plurality of mobile terminals MS accommodated in the mobile packet communication network MPN transmit and receive mail not only between these mobile terminals MS but also with other terminals (PCs and the like) connected to the Internet IN. be able to.

In the mail transfer system 10, Internet mail transmitted from a content provider or an information provider (hereinafter collectively referred to as "CP / IP") stores authentication information for storing CP / IP authentication information. The file is to be attached. When the authentication information file is attached to the received Internet mail, the GW server 13 sends a delivery confirmation reception request to the mail server 11 after forwarding the mail, and upon receiving the delivery confirmation message, the GW server 13 transmits the delivery confirmation message to the CP / IP of the transmission source. An Internet mail including a delivery confirmation message is transmitted.

Here, the CP / IP is notified of the account ID of the mobile terminal MS desiring information distribution,
This prevents the telephone number of the mobile terminal MS from leaking from / IP. It should be noted that the destination file and the authentication information file are each given a predetermined extension so that the GW server 13 can determine it.

The center calling server 14 is the mail server 1
1 calls a mobile terminal MS requested to make a call via a packet gateway (not shown), and calls the mobile terminal MS.
Is a server that transmits the mail transmitted from the mail server 11 to the server. Therefore, this mail transfer system 10
If the user of the destination mobile terminal MS desires PUSH transmission, the center calling server 14 causes the mobile terminal MS to transmit.
Is transmitted, and the mail is sent by PUSH.

(2) Operation of Embodiment Next, the operation of the embodiment having the above configuration will be described. First, one or more mobile terminals MS from CP / IP
Explain when Internet mail was sent to
Next, a case where an Internet mail is transmitted to one or a plurality of mobile terminals MS from any terminal connected to the Internet will be described.

(2.1) When Internet Mail is Transmitted from CP / IP FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing a basic operation when Internet mail is transmitted to the GW server 13 from CP / IP. First, the CP / IP is a destination file for storing account IDs of one or more mobile terminals MS to which information is to be distributed after inputting information to be distributed (including attaching an information file) to the body of the Internet mail. Then, the authentication information file storing the authentication information of the own CP / IP is attached to the mail and transmitted to the GW server 13 (step S1).

Upon receiving the Internet mail, the GW server 13 issues a CP / IP authentication request to an authentication server (not shown) based on the authentication information file attached to the mail. Next, the GW server 13 executes the CP / IP
Is authenticated, the account ID of the mobile terminal MS of one or more destinations is acquired from the destination file attached to the Internet mail. And the GW server 13
A mail transmission request is made by converting the received Internet mail into a mail format handled by the mail server 11 and converting the received mail to one or more mails designated by an account ID and transferring the mail to the mail server 11 (step S2). ).

When the mail server 11 receives a mail according to a transmission request from the GW server 13, the mail server 11
(Step S3), the management server 1
Then, a setting information acquisition request is made to No. 2 (step S4). The management server 12 sends the destination mobile terminal M
The setting information of the destination mobile terminal MS is searched based on the account ID specifying S, and the corresponding setting information is transmitted to the mail server 11 as a setting information acquisition response (step S5). Then, when the setting information acquisition response is returned, the mail server 11 determines whether the destination mobile terminal MS specifies PUSH transmission based on the received setting information (step S6).

If the destination mobile terminal MS has designated PUSH transmission (step S6: YES), the mail server 11 issues a center calling request to the center calling server 14 (step S6). Step S7) The destination mobile terminal MS is called. And the mail server 11
Sends a mail to the destination mobile terminal MS when the center call request response is returned from the center call server 14 (step S8). At this time, the mail server 11 uses a format (such as the number of characters in one line) adapted to the destination mobile terminal MS based on the setting information transmitted from the management server 12.
It is made to send an e-mail.

On the other hand, if the destination mobile terminal MS does not specify the PUSH transmission in step S6 (step S6: NO),
If the UL transmission is specified, the received message is stored in a memory such as a hard disk drive (HDD) (step S9). Note that the mail server 11 has a PU
Even if SH transmission is specified, if PUSH transmission fails, the transmission is changed to PULL transmission and the mail is stored in the memory. Further, the mail server 11 records the completion of the delivery of the mail to the destination mobile terminal MS when the delivery is completed.

The GW server 13 requests the mail server 11 to receive a delivery confirmation of the mail transmitted from the CP / IP after a lapse of a predetermined period or at a predetermined period (step S).
10). Then, the GW server 13 sends the mail server 11
Receives a delivery confirmation message notifying that the mail has been delivered (step S11), makes a delivery confirmation deletion request (step S12), and returns a delivery confirmation deletion response (step S13). An Internet mail including a delivery confirmation message is transmitted to the CP / IP (step S14).

(2.2) When Internet Mail is Sent from Terminal PC Next, FIG. 3 shows a basic operation when Internet mail is sent to the GW server 13 from any terminal PC connected to the Internet. It is a sequence diagram shown. First, the user of the terminal PC connected to the Internet
After inputting the information to be transmitted in the body of the Internet mail, the GW server 1 attaches a destination file storing the telephone numbers of the mobile terminals MS of one or more destinations to the mail.
3 (step S20).

When receiving the Internet mail, the GW server 13 acquires the telephone numbers of the mobile terminal MS of one or more destinations from the destination file attached to the mail. The GW server 13 converts the received Internet mail into a mail format handled by the mail server 11, converts the received mail into one or more mails whose destinations are specified by telephone numbers, and transfers the mail to the mail server 11. A transmission request is made (step S21).

When the mail server 11 receives a mail according to a transmission request from the GW server 13, the mail server 11
Is returned (step S22), a request for setting information acquisition is made to the management server 12 (step S23). The management server 12 searches the setting information of the destination mobile terminal MS based on the telephone number of the destination mobile terminal MS in response to the setting information acquisition request, and transmits the corresponding setting information to the mail server 11 as a setting information acquisition response ( Step S24).
Then, when the setting information acquisition response is returned, the mail server 11 sets the destination mobile terminal M based on the received setting information.
It is determined whether S specifies PUSH transmission (step S25).

When the destination mobile terminal MS has designated PUSH transmission (step S25: YES), the mail server 11 makes a center call to the center call server 14, as in the case described above. Make a request (Step S2
6) When the destination mobile terminal MS is called and a center call request response is returned (step S27), an e-mail is transmitted to the destination mobile terminal MS. In this case, too, mail server 1
1 is a format (1) according to the capability of the destination mobile terminal MS based on the setting information transmitted from the management server 12.
(E.g. line length).

When the destination mobile terminal MS does not specify the PUSH transmission (step S25: NO), the mail server 11 stores the received message in the HDD (hard d).
is stored in a memory such as an iskdrive (step S28), and is transmitted when there is a reception request from the destination mobile terminal MS. Thus, a mail transmitted from a terminal PC other than the mobile terminal MS via the Internet can be transmitted to one or a plurality of mobile terminals MS.

Thus, the mail transfer system 10
In, if you receive Internet mail,
The telephone number and account ID of one or more destinations can be obtained from the destination file attached to the body of the Internet mail, and the mail can be transferred to the mobile terminal MS of the destination. Therefore, mail transfer can be performed between systems (between networks) that use different protocols for mail transfer. Further, in the mail transfer system 10, a destination can be designated by attaching a destination file. Therefore, if a destination file created in advance is attached to a mail, a large number of destinations can be easily designated. Therefore, the CP / IP can easily specify a destination even when information is distributed to a large number of mobile terminals MS regularly or a plurality of times.

(3) Modification (3.1) First Modification In the above embodiment, the mobile packet communication network MPN
The present invention has been described for the case where the present invention is applied to mail transfer between a mobile terminal MS belonging to the Internet and a device connected to the Internet. However, the present invention is not limited to this, The present invention can be widely applied in the case of transferring the communication, and the communication protocol shown in the embodiment is only an example.

(3.2) Second Modification In the above embodiment, the GW server 13 uses the CP / I
A case has been described in which a mail delivery confirmation notification is sent to the mail sender (CP / IP) only when the Internet mail is transferred from the P. However, the present invention is not limited to this. May be sent in response to the request. The GW server 13 determines whether the mail has been delivered.
Instead of the method of inquiring 1, the mail server 11 that has delivered the mail may notify the GW server 13 that the mail has been delivered.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to transfer a mail from a system having a different destination specifying method, and to easily specify a destination even if there are many mail destinations.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a mail transfer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing a basic operation when Internet mail is transmitted from a CP / IP to a GW server.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing a basic operation when an Internet mail is transmitted from a terminal connected to the GW server to the Internet.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: Mail transfer system, 11: Mail server, 12: Management server, 13: GW server (mail transfer server), 14: Center call server, MS: Mobile terminal, MPN: Mobile packet communication Network, IN: Internet, PC: Personal computer, CP / IP: Content provider / information provider.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masaki Satomi 2-11-1, Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F-term in NTT Docomo (reference) 5K030 GA17 HA06 HC01 HC09 HD03 HD09 JT09 LD02 LD11 LD13 5K101 KK02 LL02 LL12 MM07 PP03 PP09 RR05 RR18 UU19

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A mail transfer system for transferring mail, comprising: a mail server for transferring mail to a terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system; and a mail server to which a file storing destination information is attached. And a mail transfer server that receives the received mail from a terminal of the system, converts the received mail into mail addressed to a terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the destination, and transfers the mail to the mail server. Mail transfer system. 2. The mail transfer system according to claim 1, wherein, when information of a plurality of destinations is stored in the file, the mail transfer server transfers the received mail to the plurality of destinations corresponding to the plurality of destinations. A mail transfer system, wherein the mail is converted into a plurality of mails addressed to a plurality of terminals accommodated in the mail transfer system and transferred to the mail server. 3. The mail transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the destination information stored in the file is a telephone number of a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system. Mail transfer system. 4. The mail transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the destination information stored in the file is unique information assigned in advance to a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system, The mail transfer system, characterized in that the mail server has a telephone number acquisition unit for acquiring a telephone number of a corresponding terminal from the unique information. 5. The mail transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the mail transfer server acquires, from the mail server, delivery confirmation information of the mail received from the terminal of the other system, the terminal of the other system. A mail transfer system for transmitting a mail including the delivery confirmation information to the address. 6. The mail transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminals are mobile terminals accommodated in a mobile communication network. 7. A mail transfer server for transferring mail transmitted from a terminal of another system to a mail server for transferring mail to a terminal accommodated in a predetermined mail transfer system, Mail receiving means for receiving a mail attached with a file to be stored from a terminal of the other system, and converting the received mail into a mail addressed to a terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the destination, and A mail transfer server, comprising: mail conversion means for transferring the mail to a mail server. 8. The mail transfer server according to claim 7, wherein, when information of a plurality of destinations is stored in the file, the mail conversion unit converts the received mail to the plurality of destinations. A mail transfer server, wherein the mail is converted into a plurality of mails addressed to a plurality of terminals accommodated in a mail transfer system and transferred to the mail server. 9. The mail transfer server according to claim 7, wherein the destination information stored in the file is a telephone number of a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system. Mail transfer server. 10. The mail transfer server according to claim 7, wherein the destination information stored in the file is unique information previously assigned to a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system. A mail transfer server, characterized in that: 11. The mail transfer server according to claim 7, wherein the mail transfer server obtains, from the mail server, delivery confirmation information of the mail received from the terminal of the other system, the terminal of the other system. A mail transfer server comprising a delivery confirmation information transmitting means for transmitting a mail including the delivery confirmation information to the address. 12. The mail transfer server according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of terminals are mobile terminals accommodated in a mobile communication network. 13. A method for controlling a mail transfer server for transferring mail sent from a terminal of another system to a mail server for transferring mail to a terminal accommodated in a predetermined mail transfer system, comprising: Receiving a mail attached with a file storing information of the above from a terminal of the other system; and converting the received mail to a mail addressed to a terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the destination. And a mail conversion step of transferring the mail to the mail server. 14. The method for controlling a mail transfer server according to claim 13, wherein in the mail conversion step,
When information of a plurality of destinations is stored in the file, the received mail is converted into a plurality of mails addressed to a plurality of terminals accommodated in the mail transfer system corresponding to the plurality of destinations, and the mail is converted to the mail. A method for controlling a mail transfer server, wherein the mail is transferred to a server. 15. The method for controlling a mail transfer server according to claim 13, wherein the destination information stored in the file is a telephone number of a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system. Characteristic mail transfer server control method. 16. The method for controlling a mail transfer server according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the destination information stored in the file is unique information previously assigned to a destination terminal accommodated in the mail transfer system. A method for controlling a mail transfer server. 17. The method for controlling a mail transfer server according to claim 13, wherein, when the delivery confirmation information of the mail received from the terminal of the other system is obtained from the mail server, the mail is sent to the terminal of the other system. A method of controlling a mail transfer server, comprising a step of transmitting delivery confirmation information for transmitting a mail including delivery confirmation information.