JP2002281090A - Service information mail transmitting/receiving system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a service information providing system for allowing a user to receive service information from a service provider through an electronic mail without letting the service provider know his or her real mail address. SOLUTION: This system is provided with a step that when a user settles the accounts to a service provider by using a credit card, the record information of the credit card and an anonymous mail address application request are transmitted from the server provider terminal to the host computer of a credit company and a step that the host computer of the credit company which receives the record information of the credit card and the anonymous mail address application request acquires an anonymous mail address corresponding to the owner of the credit card from a provider server with which the owner of the credit card makes a contract, and transmits the anonymous mail address to a service provider terminal.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a service information providing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some supermarkets and restaurants provide services such as delivery of service information to customers by e-mail. In order to receive such a service, the customer needs to notify the service provider of his / her mail address.

[0003] However, if the service provider is notified of his / her own mail address, there is a risk that the mail address is abused or that his / her mail address is known to an unexpected third party.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a service information providing system which enables a user to receive service information from a service provider by e-mail without notifying the service provider of an actual mail address. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

In a service information providing system according to the present invention, a provider server generates an anonymous mail address for a user and manages the generated anonymous mail address for each user using a mail address management table. A step of transmitting an anonymous e-mail address application request together with the record information of the credit card from the service provider terminal to the host computer of the credit company when the user makes a payment using a credit card to the service provider; When the company's host computer receives the credit card record information and the request for an anonymous e-mail address, the host computer obtains an anonymous e-mail address for the credit card owner from the provider server with which the credit card owner has contracted I Sending to the service provider terminal, the service provider terminal storing the received anonymous mail address in the service information destination database, and the service provider storing the anonymous mail address stored in the service information destination database. Sending the e-mail including the service information to the provider server as a destination e-mail address, and when the e-mail having the anonymous e-mail address as the destination e-mail address is received from the service provider, A step of transferring the electronic mail to a real mail address corresponding to the anonymous mail address.

[0006] The mail address management table contains information on the expiration date of the anonymous mail address.
When the provider server receives an e-mail from the service provider with the anonymous e-mail address as the destination e-mail address, the provider server determines the anonymous e-mail address based on the information regarding the expiration date of the anonymous e-mail address included in the e-mail address management table. It is preferable to determine whether or not the e-mail address is usable, and to transfer the e-mail to the real e-mail address corresponding to the anonymous e-mail address only when the e-mail address is judged to be usable.

[0007] The provider server provides the user terminal with a Web page for changing the information regarding the expiration date of the anonymous mail address of the user based on the access from the user terminal, and specifies the Web page specified by the user on the Web page. It is preferable that the method further includes a step of changing the information on the expiration date of the anonymous mail address in the mail address management table according to the change.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[1] Description of Basic Configuration of Service Information Providing System FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of a service information providing system.

The service information providing system includes a user terminal 1 owned by a user, a provider server 2 operated by an Internet service provider (hereinafter, simply referred to as a provider) contracted by the user, and a service provider. It is composed of an installed service provider terminal 3 and a host computer 4 of a credit card company.

The user terminal 1, the provider server 2, the service provider terminal 3, and the host computer 4 of the credit card company are connected to the Internet 10. The service provider terminal 3 and the host computer 4 of the credit card company are connected via a dedicated line 20.

The service provider terminal 3 transmits the record information of the credit card to the host computer 4 of the credit card company to obtain an inquiry result from the credit company, and possesses the credit card through the host computer 4 of the credit company. It has a function of acquiring the anonymous address of the user from the provider server 2, an e-mail transmission function, and the like.

[2] Description of Configuration of Service Provider Terminal 3

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the service provider terminal 3. The service provider terminal 3 includes a CPU 31. The CPU 31 includes, as its input / output devices, an input device 32 including an anonymous address application button 32a, a card reader 33 for reading card data of a credit card, a statement slip issuing device 34, a display device 35, a service information transmission destination database 36, The communication device 37 is provided.

[3] Outline of the flow of the entire system

FIG. 3 shows an outline of the flow of the entire system.

It is assumed that the user has a contract with a provider. Further, it is assumed that the user has a credit card. The user provides the credit company of the credit card owned by the user with the communication address of the provider server 2 of the provider with which the user has contracted. It is assumed that the communication address of the provider server 2 of the provider is registered.

The provider generates one or more anonymous mail addresses for the user in advance and records the generated anonymous mail addresses in the mail address management table (step 1).

The anonymous mail address is generated by converting the real mail address of the user using, for example, a one-way hash function. The one-way hash function is a fixed-length data h (x) from an arbitrary-length data x.
This function has the following characteristics.

X cannot be back-calculated from h (x). Given x, it is difficult to find y such that h (x) = h (y).

FIG. 4 shows that the real address is "user@user.ne.j".
This shows a mail address management table for the user "p".

The mail address management table has columns for entering an anonymous mail address, start of use, end of use, effective number of use, shop address (shop address of service provider), shop name, and comment. At the end of use, the validity count indicates the validity term and the valid use count of the anonymous address, respectively. "A24i" listed in the anonymous email address column
“kasw”, “dvd9gv2p”, and “ql20hskl” are anonymous mail addresses generated for the user.

When a user uses a credit card to shop at a service provider's shop and wants the service provider to send service information by e-mail, the user is presented with the credit card. Then, the customer is verbally informed that the provision of the service information using the anonymous mail address is permitted (step 2).

The clerk informed by the user that the provision of the service information using the anonymous e-mail address is permitted, uses the service provider terminal 3 to inquire the credit card handed by the user to the inquiry credit company. At this time, an operation for applying for an anonymous mail address is performed on the service provider terminal 3 (step 3).

That is, the clerk sets the credit card handed by the user to the card reader 33 of the service provider terminal 3 and sets the anonymous address application button 3
After pressing 2a, press the execute key.

The service provider terminal 3 sends the card data such as the credit card number of the user and the anonymous address application request to the communication device 37 and the dedicated line 2.
0 to the host computer 4 of the credit company (step 4).

Credit Company Host Computer 4
Performs an inquiry of the credit card based on the received credit card data, and sends information about the user and an anonymous address application request to the provider server 2 contracted by the owner (user) of the credit card. Transmission is made via the Internet 10 (step 5).

The provider server 2 searches the mail address management table for an anonymous mail address that has been generated for the received user and has not been issued, based on the received information about the user and the request for anonymous address application. It is transmitted to the host computer 4 of the credit company (step 6).

Credit Company Host Computer 4
Transmits the anonymous mail address received from the provider server 2 and the inquiry result of the credit card to the service provider terminal 3 (step 7).

The service provider terminal 3 issues a statement by the statement issuing device 34 based on the received credit card inquiry result, and stores the received anonymous mail address in the service information transmission destination database 36 (step). 8). The clerk of the service provider enters the amount on the issued statement, performs a procedure such as obtaining a signature from the user, and returns the credit card to the user.

When the service provider wants to provide service information to the user, the service provider terminal 3
By operating, the anonymous mail address stored in the service information transmission destination database 36 is set as a transmission destination mail address (hereinafter, referred to as a transmission destination address).
An e-mail including service information is transmitted (step 9). This e-mail is sent to the provider server 2 subscribed to by the user.

When the provider server 2 receives the e-mail, based on the e-mail address management table, the provider server 2
It is determined whether the anonymous mail address that is the transmission address is valid. If it is determined that the mail address is valid, the electronic mail is transferred to a real mail address corresponding to the anonymous mail address (step 10). The user obtains service information by opening the received e-mail (step 11).

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C show examples of the contents of an electronic mail including service information.

FIG. 5A shows an example of service information when the service provider is a supermarket, and FIG.
5 shows an example of service information when the service provider is a restaurant, and FIG. 5C shows an example of service information when the service provider is a travel agency.

When the user wants to change the contents of the mail address management table held by the provider server 2 (for example, the expiration date of an anonymous mail address) or the initial rule, the user accesses the provider server 2 to change it. Instruct the user to change the content on the Web page (step 12). The provider server 2 changes the content of the mail address management table or the initial rule according to the specified change (step 13).

[4] Detailed description of the operation of the provider server (step 10 in FIG. 3) when the provider server receives an electronic mail having the anonymous mail address as the destination address.

FIG. 6 shows the operation of the provider server when the provider server receives an electronic mail having an anonymous mail address as a destination address.

When the provider server 2 receives an e-mail from the service provider with the destination address set to the anonymous mail address (step 21), the provider server 2 determines whether or not the service provider is registered in a blacklist described later. (Step 22). If the service provider is registered in the blacklist, a warning mail is transmitted to the service provider (step 23).

If the service provider is not registered in the blacklist, it is determined whether the anonymous mail address used for the electronic mail is valid based on the mail address management table (see FIG. 4). (Step 24). Whether the anonymous e-mail address is valid is determined based on whether the anonymous e-mail address has expired (at the end of use) and whether the number of times the anonymous e-mail address has been used exceeds the number of valid uses. .

The manner in which the contents of the mail address management table are updated to understand this determination method will be described.

On September 1, 2000, the service provider "ABC Super" (mail address; abc @ supe
r.co.jp), the first time an e-mail is sent to the anonymous e-mail address "a24ikasw", the e-mail address where the anonymous e-mail address "a24ikasw" is recorded, as shown in FIG. 20 in the column at the start of use of the management table
While data representing September 1, 2000 is written,
According to the rule for determining the expiration date, data representing September 6, 2000 is written in the column at the end of use.

In the column of the number of usable times, data representing the remaining usable number of times of 5 is written based on the rule for determining the number of usable times. Further, the mail address (abc@super.co.jp) of the service provider of the mail transmission source is written in the shop address column.

Thereafter, on September 3, 2000, "ABC
When a second e-mail is sent from the “supermarket” to the anonymous e-mail address “a24ikasw”, FIG.
As shown in (b), the available remaining number of times in the column of the number of valid uses in the mail address management table in which the anonymous mail address "a24ikasw" is recorded is decremented by one.

Thereafter, on September 8, 2000, "ABC
When the third e-mail is sent from the supermarket to the anonymous e-mail address "a24ikasw", the expiration date has passed since September 6, 2000, so this anonymous e-mail address "a24ikasw" It is determined that it is not valid.

Even when the e-mail transmission date is within the expiration date, if the number of times of use exceeds the number of times of use, that is, if the remaining number of usable times in the column of number of times of use is 0, this anonymous The mail address "a24ikasw" is determined not to be valid.

If it is determined in step 24 that the anonymous mail address is valid, the electronic mail is transferred to a real mail address corresponding to the anonymous mail address (step 25).

If it is determined in step 24 that the anonymous mail address is not valid, it is determined whether the number of arrivals of the e-mail using the anonymous mail address is at least 10 times greater than the number of valid uses. (Step 26). If the number of arrivals of the e-mail using the anonymous e-mail address is not more than 10 times more than the valid use number, a message indicating that the anonymous e-mail address has expired is sent to the service provider of the transmission source. (Step 27).

If the number of arrivals of the e-mail using the anonymous mail address is 10 times or more than the number of valid uses, the service provider of the transmission source is registered in the blacklist as a malicious service provider (Step 28) ).

[5] Operation when the user changes the contents of the mail address management table held by the provider server 2 or the initial rule (step 12 in FIG. 3)
Detailed description of 13)

FIG. 8 shows a detailed procedure when the user changes the contents of the mail address management table held by the provider server 2 or the initial rules.

First, the user accesses the provider server 2 from the user terminal 1 and accesses the provider server 2 as shown in FIG.
An authentication screen including a page is acquired (step 31).
On the authentication screen, the user presses the OK button after inputting the ID and the password (step 32).

When the user presses the OK button on the authentication screen, the ID and password input by the user are sent to the provider server 2. Upon receiving the user's ID and password, the provider server 2 performs authentication, and then sends data for displaying the contents of the mail address management table for the user to the user terminal 1. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, the contents of the mail address management table and the common initial rule for the user are displayed on the user terminal 1 (step 33).

The user clicks an item (shop address or initial rule) to be changed (step 3).
4). The item specified by the user is sent to the provider server 2. When receiving the item specified by the user, the provider server 2 sends the change content input screen data corresponding to the item to the user terminal 1. Here, as the item to be changed, the shop address “abc ＠
super.co.jp "is selected. As a result, a change content input screen is displayed on the user terminal 1 as shown in FIG. 11 (step 35).

On the change content input screen data, the user
After the contents are changed or added, the OK button is pressed (step 36).

When the user presses the OK button on the content change screen, the content changed or added by the user is sent to the provider server 2. Upon receiving the content changed or added by the user, the provider server 2 changes the content of the mail address management table for the user (step 37). FIG. 12 shows an example of the mail address management table after the change.

[0056]

According to the present invention, a user can receive service information from a service provider by e-mail without notifying the service provider of an actual mail address.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a service information providing system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a service provider terminal.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of a flow of the entire system.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the contents of a mail address management table.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the content of an electronic mail including service information.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the provider server when the provider server receives an electronic mail having an anonymous mail address as a destination address.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining how a content of a mail address management table is updated.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure when the user changes the contents or the initial rule of the mail address management table held by the provider server.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an authentication screen.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a display screen of a content of a mail address management table and a common initial rule.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a change content input screen.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a mail address management table after a change.

[Description of Signs] 1 User terminal 2 Provider server 3 Service provider terminal 4 Host computer of credit card company

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Atsushi Ouchi 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Yoshio Ozawa 2-chome Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka No.5-5 Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 5K030 GA15 HA06 HC01 HD09 JT06 KA04 KA07 LD14 LD17 LD19

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A provider server generates an anonymous e-mail address for a user, and manages the generated anonymous e-mail address for each user using an e-mail address management table. Sending the anonymous e-mail address application request together with the record information of the credit card from the service provider terminal to the host computer of the credit company when making a payment using the credit card host computer; Receiving an e-mail address application request, obtaining an anonymous e-mail address for the credit card holder from a provider server with which the credit card owner has a contract, and transmitting the obtained anonymous e-mail address to a service provider terminal; provider The terminal stores the received anonymous e-mail address in the service information transmission destination database. Sending to the provider server, and when the provider server receives an e-mail from the service provider with the anonymous e-mail address as the destination e-mail address,
Transferring the electronic mail to a real mail address corresponding to the anonymous mail address. 2. The mail address management table contains information on the expiration date of an anonymous mail address. The provider server receives an e-mail from a service provider with the anonymous mail address as a destination mail address. Determines whether the anonymous e-mail address can be used based on the information on the expiration date of the anonymous e-mail address included in the e-mail address management table, and only when it is determined that the anonymous e-mail address is usable, 2. The service information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic mail is transferred to a real mail address corresponding to the electronic mail. 3. The provider server provides the user terminal with a Web page for changing information on the expiration date of the anonymous mail address of the user based on the access from the user terminal, and specifies the user terminal on the Web page. 3. The service information providing system according to claim 2, further comprising the step of changing information on the expiration date of the anonymous mail address in the mail address management table in accordance with the changed content.