JP2004287726A - Mail matter reception proxy system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow a user to receive only necessary mail matters by preliminarily setting delivery conditions for mail matters to the user's own destination. <P>SOLUTION: This system is provided with a means for accepting the member's name, address, and electronic mail address of a user who wants vicarious execution of receiving mail matters, and for registering them by applying a post-office box number in a member management database, a means for storing and managing the delivery condition data of the mail matter delivered to the mail matter reception address of the target of vicarious reception in a delivery condition database, and a means for reading a sender's address and name, post-office box number, and receiver's name described in the mail matter delivered to the mail matter reception address. Furthermore, this system is provided with a means for acquiring the delivery condition data of the member corresponding to the read receiver's name from the delivery condition database, and for generating a WWW page to which only the member can refer, and for carrying the sender's address and name, post-office box number, and receiver's name read by the reading means, and a means for receiving the next instruction to the mail matter to the member's destination carried on the WWW page. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mail receiving agency system and method for providing a post office box number to a user registered as a member and receiving mail on behalf of the user. Systems and methods for delivering in accordance with established conditions.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventionally known postal or parcel delivery service assigns a post office box to a user and receives mail. The received mails are delivered to the user at the request of the user or at a time interval set in advance. A user may go directly to a post office box to receive mail.
Conventionally, there is a system disclosed in Patent Document 1 as this type of system.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-150177
The system disclosed in Patent Literature 1 relates to a parcel delivery service system for receiving parcel items at a substitute store other than the home. This is to collect information on stores that act as agents for receipt and store it as a database, and to conclude a contract with the user who wants to act as agent. The user searches for a receiving agency store meeting the conditions via the WWW page.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventionally known postal or parcel delivery service will collectively deliver the postal or parcel items received on your behalf, so that anything sent to the user will arrive without omission. However, there is a problem that direct mails and the like which are completely unnecessary for the user are delivered together.
Further, the system described in Patent Document 1 is a system in which a contractor receives a notification of a parcel delivered by a receiving agency from a receiving agency and picks up the parcel, and the received parcel is delivered. There is a problem that the goods must be collected and the collection of unnecessary direct mail cannot be refused.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to set a delivery condition in advance for a mail piece that has been received on behalf of the user, confirm the mail piece on behalf of the received mail via a network, and allow a user to receive only necessary mail. An object of the present invention is to provide a mail receiving agency system and method.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the mail receiving agency system according to the present invention provides a registered member with a mail receiving address and receives mail sent to the registered member on behalf of the registered member. A mail receiving agency system for delivering mail to a member, wherein a member registration screen is transmitted in response to a member registration request from a member terminal of a user who wishes to receive mail, and the member name is displayed in the member registration screen. , An address and an e-mail address, a member management means for assigning a post office box number and registering it in the member management database, and transmitting a mail delivery condition setting screen to the member terminal, and receiving a mailing address for a reception agency Delivery condition management means for receiving delivery condition data of the mail delivered to the mail, storing and managing the delivery condition data in a delivery condition database, and front and back surfaces of the mail delivered to the mail receiving address Reading means for reading the sender's name, post office box number and recipient's name described, and member's delivery condition data corresponding to the read recipient's name are obtained from the delivery condition database, and a WWW page which can be referred to only by the member is obtained. A receiving mail WWW page generating means for generating and posting a sender address name, a post office box number and a recipient name read by the reading means, and notifying the member of the URL of the WWW page by e-mail; From the member terminal of the member who has accessed the page, the next instruction for the mail addressed to the member posted on the WWW page is received, and it is determined whether or not the intervention of an operator who performs reception agency is necessary, and the operator intervention is performed. If necessary, notify the operator terminal. Characterized in that it comprises the a receipt postal instruction receiving means for performing a delivery instruction of the mailpiece.
Further, it is characterized in that as the delivery condition data, discarding or refusal to receive without delivery to the member is registered.
[0008]
The mail receiving agency method according to the present invention provides a mail receiving address to a registered member, receives mail sent to the registered member by proxy, and delivers the mail to the member. This is a receiving agency method, in which a member registration screen is transmitted in response to a member registration request from a member terminal of a user who wishes to receive mail on behalf of the mail, and the member name, address, and e-mail address are accepted on the member registration screen. A first step of assigning a post office box number and registering it in the member management database; transmitting a mail delivery condition setting screen to the member terminal; A second step of receiving delivery condition data, storing and managing the delivery condition database in a delivery condition database, and a sender address name and a post office box described on the front and back sides of the mail delivered to the mail receiving address. A third step of reading the issue name and the recipient name, and acquiring the delivery condition data of the member corresponding to the read recipient name from the delivery condition database, generating a WWW page that can be referred to only by the member, A fourth step of posting the sender's address name, post office box number and recipient's name read in the step, and notifying the member of the URL of the WWW page by e-mail; From the member terminal, the next instruction for the mail addressed to the member posted on the WWW page is received, and it is determined whether or not the intervention of an operator who performs reception agency is necessary. And instructing, if unnecessary, a processing instruction for the postal matter received in accordance with the delivery condition data. It is characterized in.
Further, it is characterized in that as the delivery condition data, discarding or refusal to receive without delivery to the member is registered.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mail receiving agency system to which the present invention is applied.
The client 1, which is a terminal of a member who requests a mail receipt service, has a function of displaying a WWW browser 101 and a mail client 102. The client 1 connects to the mail receiving system 2 via the Internet 103.
The mail receiving system 2 includes a member information managing unit 104 and a received mail managing unit 105. A plurality of member information management units 104 do not exist, but a plurality of reception mail management units 105 may exist for each mail reception address. The mail receipt management unit 105 is installed, for example, in a post office at the end of a postal service that delivers mail to ordinary households, or in a convenience store that performs a reception agency service. Hereinafter, the facility that performs the agency service is referred to as the postal agency.
The WWW browser 101 of the client 1 communicates with the WWW server 106 of the member information management unit 104 via the Internet 103. The WWW server 106 transmits a membership registration form in response to a membership registration URL request from the WWW browser 101. The member enters the member information in the member registration form displayed on the WWW browser 101. The member information includes the e-mail address and name of the member.
When the WWW server 106 receives the member information input and transmitted by the member, the WWW server 106 requests the member registration unit 107 to register the member information (details will be described in (1) Member registration processing described later).
[0010]
Further, the WWW server 106 transmits a delivery condition setting form in response to a delivery condition setting URL request of the WWW browser 101. The member enters the delivery conditions in the delivery condition setting form displayed on the WWW browser 101.
When the WWW server 106 receives the delivery condition input and transmitted by the member, the WWW server 106 requests the delivery condition setting unit 108 to set the delivery condition (details will be described in (2) delivery condition setting process described later).
[0011]
The reception mail WWW page generation unit 109 of the reception mail management unit 105 is activated by the operator when receiving mail for the member at the mail reception address, and generates a WWW page for the member to confirm the mail ( The details will be described in (3) Receiving postal WWW page generation processing described later).
The URL of the WWW page generated by the received mail WWW page generation unit 109 is distributed by the mail server 114 to the member's mail server 115 via the Internet 103. The mail delivered to the mail server 115 is received by the mail client 102 of the member.
When the member clicks on the URL in the mail received by the mail client 102, the WWW browser 101 is activated, communicates with the WWW server 116 of the received mail management unit 105 through the Internet 103, and receives the received mail WWW page generation unit 109. Is obtained. The member designates an instruction for at least the next instruction waiting mail in the WWW page.
When the WWW server 116 receives the instruction information input and transmitted by the member, the WWW server 116 requests the received postal instruction receiving unit 117 to update the received postal instruction. The received postal instruction receiving unit 117 updates the postal matter DB 110 based on the received instruction, and displays the instructions that require the intervention of the operator on the operator terminal 118 (for details, refer to (4) the received postal instruction receiving process described later). State).
[0012]
The outline of the mail receiving agency method in the present embodiment is as follows.
Assign a member identifier and post office box number to those who wish to receive it. As a result, the person who wishes to be a transfer agent becomes a member. The member uses the address (mail receiving address) of at least one of the plurality of mail receiving agencies that is easy to use among the plurality of mail receiving agencies that are easy to use, adds a post office box number, and mails to himself / herself. Use as a destination for goods. That is, if the user wishes to receive the mail addressed to him / her via the receiving agency, the sender is sent the address of the receiving agency as the destination address. At this time, have the PO Box number also be added.
When the member registration is completed, the member accesses the mail delivery condition setting screen of the WWW server 106 using the member identifier. On this screen, the delivery conditions for mail addressed to the user sent to the mail receiving address are set. Delivery conditions include "Send Now", "Send Weekend", "Send Weekend", "Send Now", "Send Weekend", "Send Monthly", "Open Scan", and " Rejection ".
[0013]
When the mail is actually sent to the mail receiving address, a mail identifier is assigned. Then, the operator scans the front and back surfaces of the mail using a reading device such as an OCR. The scanned data is stored in the mail DB 110 together with the mail identifier. An OCR program is also used for the scan data to identify the PO Box number and the recipient and sender. When the post office box number and the recipient are specified, the delivery condition set by the recipient, that is, the member, is obtained from the delivery condition setting DB 113, and the processing according to the condition is determined. The determined processing is stored in the mail DB 110.
A WWW page listing the mail scan data and the processing according to the conditions is generated for the member to whom the mail is to be delivered. If the mail does not meet any of the delivery conditions, it is described on the WWW page that it is waiting for the next instruction, such as discarding or delivering, or opening and scanning the contents. When the WWW page is generated, the URL is notified to the member by e-mail.
[0014]
The member who has received the e-mail clicks on the URL in the e-mail, and accesses the WWW page of the WWW server 116 of the received mail management unit 105. Here, the member confirms the postal matter and gives an instruction at least for the next mail in the instruction waiting state.
The instruction input by the member is received by the received mail instruction receiving unit 117, and the mail DB 110 is updated. Information on mail items that need to be discarded, delivered, or opened by the operator is displayed on the operator terminal 118. The operator performs necessary processing such as delivery or disposal according to the instruction from the member.
[0015]
FIGS. 2A to 2C show the outline of various DBs 119, 113, and 110 used in the present embodiment.
The member management DB 119 includes at least a member identifier for identifying the member, a post office box number for identifying the member at the mail receiving address, a delivery address and name used for delivering the mail on behalf of the member, and a mail. Holds the email address used to notify members of the arrival of the item.
Each time a member registration is performed, the record of the DB 119 is added by the member registration unit 107.
The delivery condition DB 113 holds at least a member identifier for identifying a member, “condition 1”, “condition 2”, a keyword, and an action. When the item specified by the keyword in the item specified by “condition 1” is in the state of “condition 2”, the processing specified by the action is performed. "Condition 1" includes at least the sender, the receiving address, and the date. “Condition 2” includes at least “includes”, “does not include”, “exactly match”, “until”, and “after”. Actions include at least “Discard Now”, “Weekend Discard”, “Month-End Discard”, “Deliver Now”, “Weekend Delivery”, “Month-End Delivery”, “Open Scan”, and “Reject Receipt”.
A record is added, deleted, or edited in the DB 113 by the delivery condition setting unit 108 every time the delivery condition is set by the member. Also, every time a new mail arrives at the mail receiving address, a request to access the DB 113 is made by the received mail WWW page generation unit 109 by e-mail.
[0016]
The postal matter DB 110 includes at least a postal matter identifier assigned to identify the postal matter, a member identifier used for delivering the postal matter, a delivery destination name, a delivery destination address, and a mail address set for the postal matter. The action of the delivery condition or the instruction dynamically given on demand is held as the action. Actions include at least "Discard Now", "Weekend Discard", "Month-End Discard", "Deliver Now", "Weekend Delivery", "Month-End Delivery", "Received Receipt", "Open Scan" and "Waiting Instruction" Is included.
Each time a new mail arrives at the mail receiving address, a record is added to the mail DB 110 by the received mail WWW page generation unit 109. Also, each time an instruction for mail is received from the member, the received mail instruction receiving unit 117 updates the received mail instruction.
[0017]
(1) Member Registration Processing The processing when the member registration unit 107 receives a member registration request from the WWW browser 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.
This process is executed when the member inputs and transmits the member information from the member registration form 401 displayed on the WWW browser 101 as shown in FIG. 4 and the WWW server 106 which has received the member information requests the member registration unit 107 to perform the process. You. In the member registration form 401 shown in FIG. 4, a member's name, address, and e-mail address are input.
First, when the WWW server 106 receives the member information (step 301), the member registration unit 107 searches the member management DB 119 (step 302) and checks whether or not the same member has already been registered (step 303). ). If registered, an error message is transmitted to the client 1 of the member, and the process ends (step 310).
However, if not registered, a member identifier is assigned (step 304), a post office box number is assigned (step 305), and registered as member information in the member management DB 119 as shown in FIG. 2A (step 304). 306).
When the above processing is completed, the member is notified of the post office box number and the member registration is completed (step 307).
[0018]
(2) Delivery Condition Setting Processing The processing when the delivery condition setting unit 108 receives a delivery condition setting request from the WWW browser 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.
This process is performed when a member sets and transmits a delivery condition from a delivery condition setting form 601 displayed on the WWW browser 101 as shown in FIG. 6 and the WWW server 106 that receives the request requests the delivery condition setting unit 108 to perform a process. Be executed.
In the example of FIG. 6, “condition 1”, “keyword”, “condition 2”, and “action” are set. For example, setting 1 shows an example in which “condition 1” = sender, “keyword” = stock company, “condition 2” = include, and “action” = month-end discarding. The member can set a plurality of delivery conditions.
First, when the WWW server 106 receives the delivery condition input from the delivery condition form 601 in FIG. 6 from the client 1 (step 501), it requests the delivery condition setting unit 108 to set the delivery condition. The delivery condition setting unit 108 searches the delivery condition setting DB 113 (step 502), and checks whether the delivery condition of the member has already been set in the delivery condition setting DB 113 (step 503). If any data has already been registered, the data is deleted (step 505). Then, the delivery condition received in step 501 is stored in the delivery condition setting DB 113.
When the “add condition” button 602 is operated on the delivery condition setting form 601 in FIG. 6, the information is stored as an additional condition.
[0019]
(3) Receiving post WWW page generation processing The processing of the receiving post WWW page generation unit 109 started by the operator when mail to the member is delivered to the post receiving address will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. I do.
The received mail WWW page generation unit 109 first assigns a mail identifier to the delivered mail (step 701). Next, prompting the operator's intervention, the front and back of the delivered mail are scanned by an image scanner (step 702), and the OCR program is applied to the scanned data to recognize the sender, recipient, and post office box number (step 702). Step 703). It is confirmed whether the reading by the OCR program was performed normally (step 704). If the reading was not performed normally, the operator's intervention is urged, and the sender, recipient, and post office box number are manually input (step 710). Further, the weight of the mail is measured by prompting the operator to intervene (step 705).
Next, the received mail WWW page generation unit 109 requests the condition reference client 111 to obtain the delivery condition setting using the post office box number obtained from the mail as a key. The condition reference server 112 receives a processing request from the condition reference client 111 via the Internet 103, accesses the member management DB 119 to obtain the member identifier, the member address and the member name from the post-office box number, and accesses the delivery condition setting DB 113 to obtain the member identifier. Are obtained and returned to the condition reference client 111.
[0020]
The condition reference client 111 returns the data returned from the condition reference server 112 as the member's delivery condition for the delivered mail to the received mail WWW page generation unit 109 (step 706).
The received mail WWW page generation unit 109 compares the sender, date, and the like of the delivered mail with the delivery conditions acquired in step 706 to determine a process for the mail, and determines a process for the mail as shown in FIG. Is generated (step 707).
Example 1 of the mail confirmation page in FIG. 8 is a display example when the delivery condition set by the member is matched, and Example 2 of the mail confirmation page is the delivery condition set by the member. It is an example of a display when it does not match any. In addition, on the mail confirmation page, the weight of the mail is displayed for reference in addition to the image of the front and back of the mail. With this weight display, the member can easily determine whether or not it is appropriate to select “open scan”. As will be described later, in the case of “opening scan”, the contents are scanned by the intervention of the operator in the receiving mail instruction receiving process, but when there are many contents, scanning all of them imposes a burden on the operator. This is because even if the information is given and sent by e-mail, a load is imposed on the communication.
Subsequently, the received mail WWW page generation unit 109 writes the information obtained in the above processing into the mail DB 110 (step 708), and sends an electronic mail including the URL of the created WWW page through the Internet 103 using the mail server 114. The mail is delivered to the mail server 115 of the member (step 709), and the notice is sent to the mail receiving agency.
[0021]
(4) Received Mail Instruction Receiving Process The processing when the received mail instruction receiving unit 117 receives a processing request for received mail from the WWW browser 101 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
In this process, the member inputs / transmits the process for the received mail from the mail confirmation page displayed on the WWW browser 101 as shown in FIG. 8, and the WWW server 116 which has received it inputs the process to the received mail instruction receiving unit 117. Executed when requested.
First, when the WWW server 116 receives a process for a received mail (step 901), the received mail instruction receiving unit 117 displays an operator's message such as "Discard Now", "Deliver Now", "Open Scan", and "Reject". It is confirmed whether or not a process requiring intervention is specified (step 902). If it is determined that operator intervention is required, the fact is displayed on the operator terminal 118 to urge the operator intervention (step 904).
Then, the instruction designated by the member is stored in the mail DB 110 (step 903). If it is determined that no intervention is required, that is, if the processing specified in the delivery conditions is performed, the process ends without updating the mail DB 110.
[0022]
If instructions requiring operator intervention, such as "discard now", "delivery now", "open scan", and "reject", the operator processes the mail in accordance with the instructions. For example, when "open scan" is instructed, the mail is opened, the contents are scanned by an image scanner, and the image data is transmitted by e-mail or posted on a WWW page addressed to the member, and a new mail is sent. Wait for instructions.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a member can receive delivery of postal matter in accordance with a preset delivery condition or a processing method instructed on demand. Disappears.
In addition, it is possible to reduce the cost of delivery by specifying delivery time and collectively delivering low priority mail items.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a mail receiving agency system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of various management DBs used in an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a member information registration process.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a member registration form according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a delivery condition setting process.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a delivery condition setting form according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a received mail WWW page generation process for generating a confirmation page by a member of a postal matter on behalf of which reception has been performed.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a mail confirmation page according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a process of receiving a processing request input for a mail from a mail confirmation page.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Client, 2 ... Mail reception agency system, 101 ... WWW browser, 102 ... Mail client, 103 ... Internet, 104 ... Member information management unit, 105 ... Received mail management unit, 106 ... WWW server, 107 ... Member registration unit , 108: delivery condition setting unit, 109: received mail WWW page generation unit, 110: mail DB, 111: condition reference client, 112: condition reference server, 113: delivery condition setting DB, 114: mail server, 115: mail Server 116: WWW server 117: Received mail instruction receiving unit 118: Operator terminal 119: Member management DB

Claims (4)

A mail receiving agent system for providing a mail receiving address to a registered member, receiving mail sent to the registered member on behalf of the member, and delivering the mail to the member,
A member registration screen is transmitted in response to a member registration request from the member terminal of the user who wishes to receive postal mail, a member name, address and e-mail address are accepted on the member registration screen, and a post office box number is assigned. Member management means registered in the member management database,
A delivery condition management means for transmitting a mail delivery condition setting screen to the member terminal, receiving delivery condition data of the mail delivered to the mail receiving address of the receiving agent, storing and managing the delivery condition database in a delivery condition database, ,
Reading means for reading a sender address name, a post office box number and a recipient name described on the front and back sides of the mail delivered to the mail receiving address;
The delivery condition data of the member corresponding to the read recipient name is acquired from the delivery condition database, a WWW page which can be referred to only by the member is generated, and the sender address name, post office box number and recipient name read by the reading means are read. Receiving WWW page generation means for notifying the member of the URL of the WWW page by e-mail,
The following instructions are received from the member terminal of the member who has accessed the WWW page and directed to the mail addressed to the member listed on the WWW page, and it is determined whether or not intervention by an operator performing a reception agency is necessary. And a receiving mail instruction receiving means for instructing the operator terminal if the intervention of the mail is necessary, and instructing the delivery of the mail received on behalf of the mail according to the delivery condition data if unnecessary. The postal receipt system according to claim 1, wherein registration of rejection or rejection without delivery to a member is registered as the delivery condition data. A mail receiving agency method of providing a mail receiving address to a registered member, receiving mail sent to the registered member on behalf of the member, and delivering the mail to the member,
A member registration screen is transmitted in response to a member registration request from the member terminal of the user who wishes to receive postal mail, a member name, address and e-mail address are accepted on the member registration screen, and a post office box number is assigned. A first step of registering in the member management database;
A second step of transmitting a mail delivery condition setting screen to the member terminal, receiving delivery condition data of the mail delivered to the mail receiving address to be received, and storing and managing the delivery condition database in a delivery condition database; ,
A third step of reading the sender's address name, post office box number and recipient name on the front and back of the mail delivered to the mail receiving address;
The delivery condition data of the member corresponding to the read recipient name is acquired from the delivery condition database, a WWW page that can be referred to only by the member is generated, and the sender's address name, post office box number, and the receipt read in the third step are read. A fourth step of posting the name of the person and notifying the member of the URL of the WWW page by e-mail;
The following instructions are received from the member terminal of the member who has accessed the WWW page and directed to the mail addressed to the member listed on the WWW page, and it is determined whether or not intervention by an operator performing a reception agency is necessary. A step of notifying the operator terminal if the intervention of the mail is necessary, and instructing the processing of the mail received on the basis of the delivery condition data if the intervention is unnecessary, a fifth step. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein registration of rejection or refusal of delivery without delivery to the member is registered as the delivery condition data.

Images