JP2007028025A - Electronic mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To hold the same message and opinion in common at any time by a plurality of grouped interested persons containing a sender and a receiver, and to easily and surely control a history. <P>SOLUTION: An electronic mail system has a message retrieving extracting means 9 for retrieving and extracting data related to the message specified as the receiver by a user from a database 6, a sight display means 10 for displaying the sight screen of the message, and a message display means 11 for displaying a message screen containing the message. The electronic mail system further has an opinion input-screen display means for displaying an input screen for an opinion to the message, and an opinion storage means 13 relating to the opinion input from the input screen for the opinion to the message and storing the opinion in the database. The opinion related to the message is contained in data related to the message, and the message display means is constituted so that the opinion related to the message is also displayed together with the message when the message screen is displayed at a user terminal. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic mail system for transmitting and receiving electronic mail in an environment in which a user terminal and an electronic mail server are connected to each other via an information communication network.

A conventional electronic mail system is configured by connecting a plurality of user terminals and a mail server to each other via an information communication network such as the Internet. Then, the mail sent by the sender specifying the recipient from the user terminal is sent to the mail server via the information communication network, and is sorted into a dedicated mailbox prepared in advance for each recipient at the mail server. Saved. On the other hand, when the recipient accesses the mail server from the user terminal via the information communication network, the mail server takes out the email from the mailbox dedicated to the recipient, and sends the email to the recipient's user terminal. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-244960 A

  However, in the above-described conventional e-mail system, information is transmitted between the sender and the recipient via e-mail. There was a problem that the modified version message was derived and the history management became complicated immediately.

  In the above-described conventional e-mail system, information can be shared between a sender and a plurality of recipients by sending a message by designating a plurality of recipients. Since there are only multiple information transmissions between them, if sending and replying are repeated among multiple parties, multiple modified versions of the first message will be derived, and history management will become increasingly important. There was a problem of increasing complexity.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and a plurality of grouped parties including a sender and a receiver can share the same message and opinion at any time, and history management can be performed. An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic mail system that can be easily and reliably performed.

  The present invention is an electronic mail system for sending and receiving electronic mail in an environment in which a user terminal and a mail server are connected to each other via an information communication network, and responds to a message browsing request from the user terminal. In response to this, the user who requested the browsing retrieves data related to the message designated as the receiver from the database, extracts the message search and extraction means, and the list screen based on the data related to the message extracted by the message search and extraction means Is displayed on the user terminal, in response to a message selection request from the list screen, a message display means for displaying a message screen including the message on the user terminal, and the message display means Opinions about messages displayed on the device In response to the creation request, opinion input screen display means for displaying an input screen of opinion on the user terminal, and an opinion input from the input screen of opinion displayed on the user terminal in association with the selected message Opinion storing means for storing in the database, the message search extracting means searches from the database, and the data relating to the message to be extracted includes an opinion associated with the message, and the message display The means is configured to display an opinion associated with the message together with the message when the message screen is displayed on the user terminal.

  Further, in response to a new message creation request from the user terminal, a new message input screen display means for displaying a new message input screen on the user terminal, and a recipient specified from the new message input screen are input. New message storage means for storing the new message in the database in association with the recipient.

  Further, the new message input screen display means may be configured to be able to display a predetermined standardized new message input screen on the user terminal based on a request from the user terminal.

  Further, the image processing apparatus may further include document conversion means capable of converting a document configured by inputting a message into the predetermined stylized new message input screen into another type of stylized document.

  Furthermore, a document dividing unit that can divide a document configured by inputting a message into the new message input screen into a plurality of stylized documents may be further provided.

  Furthermore, a status management unit may be provided that determines whether the message has been read or not read based on the presence or absence of a message selection operation from the list screen and displays the determination result on the user terminal.

  Further, the status management means determines whether or not the message has been approved by the recipient based on the presence or absence of the recipient's approval operation from the message screen displayed on the user terminal of the message recipient. It may be configured to perform.

  Furthermore, a message transmission determination unit that determines whether the message can be transmitted to a person other than the sender and the receiver based on the determination result of the status management unit may be further provided.

  Further, it may further comprise message disclosure restriction means capable of designating a range for restricting disclosure to a person other than the sender and recipient based on the request of the sender and receiver of the message.

  Still further, it comprises unread message extraction means for extracting only data relating to messages determined to be unread by the status management means, and the list display means is based on a request from the user terminal by the unread message extraction means. An unread message list screen may be displayed on the user terminal based on the extracted data related to unread messages.

  Furthermore, a file attachment processing unit that can select a file stored in the user terminal based on a request from the user terminal and attach the file to the message may be provided.

  Further, in response to a request for creating a reply opinion for the opinion displayed on the user terminal by the message display means, a reply opinion input screen display means for displaying a reply opinion input screen on the user terminal, and display on the user terminal A reply opinion storage unit that stores the reply opinion input from the input screen of the reply opinion in the database in association with the opinion, and the message search and extraction unit searches and extracts the message from the database The data relating to the response includes a reply opinion associated with the opinion, and the message display means displays the reply opinion associated with the opinion together with the opinion when the message screen is displayed on the user terminal. It may be configured to.

  Further, a new version message input screen display means for displaying a new version message input screen on the user terminal in response to a request to create a new version message for the already input message, and a new version displayed on the user terminal New version message storage means for storing a new version message input from the message input screen of the version in a database in association with the already input message, the message search and extraction means from the user terminal In response to the message browsing request, the user who requested the browsing retrieves and extracts data related to the latest version of the message specified as the recipient from the database, and the list display means includes the message search A list screen is displayed on the user terminal based on the data related to the latest version message extracted by the output means, and the message display means displays the latest version message in response to a message selection request from the list screen. You may be comprised so that it may display on the said user terminal.

  Furthermore, the message display means may be configured to display an old version message in response to a request from the user terminal.

  Further, a sticky note setting unit that can arbitrarily set a sticky note for classifying the message from the user terminal to the message, and only data related to the message for which the same sticky note is set by the sticky note setting unit from the database. And a list display means for setting the same sticky note based on data relating to the message extracted by the sticky note setting message extracting means in response to a request from the user terminal. The message list screen may be displayed on the user terminal.

  Furthermore, the sticky note setting means may be configured to be able to set a sticky note for the new message based on data relating to the sticky note input from the new message input screen.

  Further, a sticky note edit screen in which addition, change, and deletion of the sticky note can be set may be configured to be displayed on the user terminal based on a request from the message list screen.

  Furthermore, the sticky note set from the user terminal may be configured to be displayed only on the user terminal that has set the sticky note.

  According to the present invention, since all the recipients designated as senders can share the same message and the opinion and reply opinion associated with the message at any time, the transmission of information between the grouped parties Thus, various excellent effects such as easy and reliable management of history can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, a case where the Internet is used as an information communication network will be described as an example.

  First, the configuration of the electronic mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Here, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the electronic mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The e-mail system according to the present embodiment is configured by connecting a plurality (three in FIG. 1) of user terminals 1, 2, 3 and a mail server 4 to each other via the Internet 30. The server 4 includes a control unit 5 that controls each component of the present system and a database 6 that stores various data related to messages, opinions, and the like.

  The control unit 5 of the mail server 4 responds to a request for creating a new message from the user terminals 1, 2, 3 and displays a new message input screen on the user terminals 1, 2, 3. And a new message storage unit 8 for storing a new message inputted by designating a recipient from the input screen of the new message in the database 6 in association with the recipient, and browsing of messages from the user terminals 1, 2, 3 In response to the request, the database 6 retrieves data related to the message designated by the user who requested the browsing as the recipient, and extracts the message search extraction unit 9 to extract the data related to the message extracted by the message search extraction unit 9. Based on the list display unit 10 for displaying the list screen on the user terminals 1, 2, 3 and the message from the list screen. In response to a request for selection of a message, a message display unit 11 that displays a message screen including the message on the user terminals 1, 2, and 3; , 2 and 3, an opinion input screen display unit 12, an opinion storage unit 13 that stores an opinion input from the input screen of the opinion in the database 6 in association with the selected message, and a message from the list screen Based on the presence or absence of the selection request operation, the status management unit 14 that determines whether the message has been read or unread and displays the determination result on the user terminals 1, 2, and 3 is determined as unread by the status management unit 14. Unread message extraction unit 15 for extracting only data related to the received message, and files stored in user terminals 1, 2 and 3 In response to a request to create a reply opinion for the opinion displayed on the terminals 1, 2 and 3, and a file attachment processing unit 16 that can select and attach the file to the message, the user terminal 1 2 and 3, the reply opinion input screen display unit 17 to be displayed, and the reply opinions input from the reply opinion input screens displayed on the user terminals 1, 2, 3 are stored in the database 6 in association with the opinions. An opinion storage unit 18, a new version message input screen display unit 19 that displays a new version message input screen on the user terminals 1, 2, 3 in response to a request to create a new version message for an already input message; , A new version message entered from this new version message input screen And a new version message accumulating unit 20 that accumulates in the database 6 in association with the message.

  Next, the operation of the electronic mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 to 13.

  First, the operation when the user receives a message will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 to 7. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when the user receives a message, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a message list screen, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a message screen, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an opinion input screen. 6 is a diagram showing an opinion screen, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a reply opinion input screen.

  First, when the user inputs authentication data such as an ID and password on the login screen of the user terminal 1 and selects a login button, the authentication data is transmitted to the mail server 4 via the Internet 30 (S201). The mail server 4 performs user authentication based on the authentication data transmitted from the user terminal 1 (S202). If the user can be authenticated, the process proceeds to the next step 204 and the authentication cannot be performed. If the user authentication is successful, the user is prompted to input authentication data until the user can be authenticated (S203).

  In step 204, the message search / extraction unit 9 searches and extracts data related to the message in which the user authenticated in step 203 is designated as a sender and a receiver from the database 6, and the list display unit 10 1, the message list screen 41 extracted by the message search and extraction unit 9 is displayed (S205).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the list screen 41 displays a message title list 42, a message unread display field 43 that displays whether the message is unread or read, and whether an opinion on the message is unread or read. An opinion unread display field 44, a sender name field 45, a date field 46, a recipient name field 47, etc. are displayed, and the recipient unread the message according to the character color of each recipient name. It is possible to determine whether it has been read or approved.

  Next, the user selects a specific message from the list screen 41, for example, No. 1 in FIG. When the message 129 is selected (S206), this selection request is transmitted to the mail server 4. In the mail server 4, the message search / extraction unit 9 selects NO. The data of the message 129 is searched and extracted from the database 6 (S207), and the message display unit 11 displays the message screen 51 of No129 on the user terminal 1 based on the data of the message (S208). Further, at this time, the status management unit 15 determines the No. 1 based on the message selection request in step 206. It is determined that the message 129 has been read, and the circle mark is deleted from the unread display field 43 of the message on the list screen 41.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the message screen 51 includes a message display unit 52 that displays information about a message and an opinion display unit 53 that displays information about an opinion on the message. In addition to the message content display field 54, the message display unit 52 displays a message version information 55, a sender name field 56, and a field for displaying whether each recipient has been unread or already read together with the receiver name. 57, etc. are displayed. In the opinion display section 53, in addition to the field 58 for displaying the beginning part of the opinion, the unread opinion display field 59 for displaying whether the opinion is unread or read, the sender A name column 60, a writing date / time column 61, and a recipient name column 62 are displayed, and the recipient can determine whether the recipient has read an opinion or not based on the character color of each recipient name. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the message screen 51 is provided with an approval button. When the “approve” button is selected, a column 57 (“FIG. 4“ The display in the “Nakamura” column) changes from read to approved, and other recipients are notified whether the recipient has approved the message. When the message is approved, the “Approve” button is replaced with the “Cancel Approval” button, and the “Cancel Approval” button is selected to display the column 57 for displaying the recipient name and the like. It changes from approval to read.

  Next, when the user selects the “add opinion” button on the message screen 51, an opinion creation request is transmitted to the mail server 4 (S209). In the mail server 4, based on this opinion creation request, the opinion input screen display unit 12 transmits opinion input screen data to the user terminal 1 (S 210), and the opinion input screen 71 is displayed on the user terminal 1. (S211).

  As shown in FIG. 5, the opinion input screen 71 is provided with an opinion input field 72. When an opinion is input in the opinion input field 72 and the “Add” button is selected, the opinion is sent to the mail server. 4 (S212). In the mail server 4, the opinion accumulation unit 13 sends this opinion No. 129 is stored in the database 6 in association with the message 129 (S213), and thereafter, when the user makes a request for browsing the message No 129, the message search extraction unit 9 This opinion is searched and extracted together with the message 129. And the message display part 11 is No. Simultaneously with the message 129, No. This opinion associated with the message 129 is displayed on the user terminals 1, 2 and 3.

  Furthermore, when a specific opinion, for example, the opinion displayed at the bottom of the opinion display section 53 of FIG. 4 is selected from the message screen 51 of FIG. 4, the message display section 11 causes the user to display the message as shown in FIG. An opinion screen 73 is displayed on the terminal 1. When the user selects “Reply to this opinion” on the opinion screen 73, a reply opinion input screen 74 is displayed on the user terminal 1 by the reply opinion input screen display unit 17 as shown in FIG. When a reply opinion is input in the reply opinion input field 75 of the reply opinion input screen 74 and an “add” button is selected, the reply opinion is transmitted to the mail server 4. In the mail server 4, the reply opinion accumulation unit 18 assigns this reply opinion No. When the user makes a browsing request for the message No. 129 after that, the message display unit 11 displays the message No. 129 in association with the message No. 129. This reply opinion is displayed on the user terminals 1, 2, 3 together with the message 129 and the opinion on it.

  Next, an operation when the user creates a new message will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when the user creates a new message, and FIG. 9 shows a new message input screen. In this case, since the processing procedure until the message list screen 41 is displayed is the same as the processing procedure when the user receives the message, the description is omitted here.

  In step 205, when the user selects a “new postcard” button from the message list screen 41 (see FIG. 3) displayed on the user terminal 1 by the list display unit 10, a request for creating a new message is sent to the mail server 4. (S301). In the mail server 4, based on this new message creation request, the new message input screen display unit 7 transmits input screen data for the new message to the user terminal 1 (S 302), and the new message input screen is displayed on the user terminal 1. 81 (see FIG. 9) is displayed (S303).

  As shown in FIG. 9, on the new message input screen 81, in addition to a new message input field 82, a recipient designation field 83, a version information field 84, and the like are displayed. When a message is entered in the message input field 82 and the “Send” button is selected, a new message is sent to the mail server 4 (S304). At this time, when the user selects the “attach file” button and designates a predetermined file stored in the user terminal 1, the file attachment processing unit 16 attaches the designated file to the new message, The new message is transmitted to the mail server 4 together with the new message.

  At this time, the user can also save a new message to be written in the mail server 4 as a draft by selecting the “Save as draft” button. In the mail server 4, the new message storage unit 8 stores this new message transmitted from the user terminal 1 in the database 6 in association with the recipient together with the attached file when the attached file exists ( S305).

  Next, an operation when the user creates a new version message will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when a user creates a new version message, FIG. 11 is a view showing a display screen of an already input message, and FIG. 12 is an input screen for a new version message. FIG. In this case, since the processing procedure until the message list screen 41 is displayed is the same as the processing procedure when the user receives the message, the description is omitted here.

  In step 205, from the message list screen 41 displayed on the user terminal 1 by the list display unit 10, a message previously created by itself (in this case, “Tamura”), for example, No. 1 in FIG. When the message 132 is selected (S401), this selection request is transmitted to the mail server 4. In the mail server 4, the message search / extraction unit 9 selects NO. Data relating to the message 132 is retrieved and extracted from the database 6 (S402), and the message display unit 11 displays the message screen 91 of No132 on the user terminal 1 based on the data relating to this message (S403). In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, a “new version” button is displayed on the message screen 91 instead of the “approve” button.

  Next, when the user selects the “new version” button on the message screen 91, a request to create a new version message is sent to the mail server 4 (S404). In the mail server 4, the new version message input screen display unit 19 transmits the new version message input screen data to the user terminal 1 based on the request for creating the new version message (S 405). The version message input screen 101 is displayed (S406).

  As shown in FIG. 12, in the new message input screen 101, in addition to the new version message input field 102, a recipient designation field 103, a version information field 104, as well as the new message input screen 81 in FIG. In this case, “2” is displayed in the version information column 104, and it is displayed that the message has been upgraded from “1” to “2”. When the user inputs a message in the new version message input field 102 and selects the “Send” button, the new version message is sent to the mail server 4 (S407). At this time, the user can attach a file to the message or save the message as a draft as in the case of creating a new message.

  In the mail server 4, the new version message accumulation unit 20 accumulates the new version message transmitted from the user terminal 1 in the database 6 in association with the recipient together with the attachment file when the attachment file exists. (S408). Then, after this, the user is no. When the request for browsing the message No. 132 is made, the message search extraction unit 9 131, the latest version of the message is searched and extracted. When the user selects an old version in the version information column of the new message input screen 81 or the new version message input screen 91, the message search and extraction unit 9 . The message display unit 11 searches the user terminals 1, 2, and 3 to search and extract 132 specified old version messages.

  Next, an operation when displaying an unread message will be described with reference to FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. Here, FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure when an unread message is displayed. In this case, since the processing procedure until the message list screen 41 is displayed is the same as the processing procedure when the user receives the message, the description is omitted here.

  In step 205, when the message list screen 41 (see FIG. 3) displayed on the user terminal 1 by the list display unit 10 is checked, the “display only unread” box 48 is checked and the “update” button is selected (S501). ), The selection request is transmitted to the mail server 4, and the mail server 4 causes the unread message extraction unit 15 to search and extract data related to the unread message from the database 6 (S 502), and the extracted data related to the unread message. The message display unit 11 displays a list screen of unread messages on the user terminal 1 (S503). In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, check the “From you” box, and the sender narrows down to your own unread messages, or check the “To you” box. The user can narrow down to only his own unread messages, or check the “Do not display deleted” box to exclude the deleted unread messages from the display target.

  Next, an e-mail system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  This embodiment is characterized in that a new message input screen is standardized in a predetermined form, and the other points are the same as in the case of the first embodiment described above. Therefore, in the following description, for the sake of simplification, the description will focus on differences from the first embodiment described above, and a detailed description of the same configuration and operation as in the first embodiment will not be given. Omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the control unit 5 of the mail server 4 according to the present embodiment adds a predetermined standardized new message in addition to the components in the case of the first embodiment described above. A document conversion unit 21 that can convert a document configured by inputting a message into the input screen into another type of stylized document, and a document configured by inputting a message into the new message input screen A message dividing unit 22 that can divide the document into documents, and a message transmission determination that determines whether the message can be transmitted to a person other than the sender and the recipient based on the approval states of the sender and the receiver of the message Unit 23 and a message disclosure restriction unit capable of designating a range for restricting disclosure to a person other than the sender and recipient based on the request of the sender and receiver of the message. Further comprising a 4. The new message input screen display unit 7 is configured to be able to display a predetermined standardized new message input screen on the user terminals 1, 2, 3 based on requests from the user terminals 1, 2, 3. In addition, the status management unit 14 receives the message based on the approval of the recipient from the message screen displayed on the user terminal 1, 2, 3 of the recipient of the message. It is configured to determine whether the person has been approved.

  FIG. 15 shows a processing procedure when the user on the orderer side transmits a new message (order book) from the standardized new message input screen. The processing procedure until the message list screen 41 is displayed is as follows. This is the same as the processing procedure in the case of the first embodiment described above.

  First, in the message list screen 41 displayed on the user terminal 1 on the orderer side (S205), the user selects a predetermined input screen from among a plurality of stylized new message input screens, for example, a draft purchase order. When a new input screen is selected (S601), this selection request is transmitted to the mail server 4. In the mail server 4, the new message input screen display unit 7 transmits the input screen data of the draft of the purchase order to the user terminal 1 (S602), and the input screen of the draft of the purchase order standardized in the user terminal 1 ( (Not shown) is displayed (S603).

  Next, when the user designates the recipient, inputs the order contents, and selects the “Send” button, the draft of the purchase order is sent to the mail server 4 (S604). At this time, the user can attach a predetermined file to the purchase order as in the case of the first embodiment. In the mail server 4, the new message storage unit 8 stores the order contents of this purchase order transmitted from the user terminal 1 in the database 6 in association with the recipient together with the attached file if the attached file exists. At the same time, the message is transmitted to the user terminals 2 and 3 of the predetermined recipient (S605).

  In the user terminals 2 and 3, the message display unit 11 displays the original screen 111 of the purchase order (S606). As shown in FIG. 16, the purchase order draft screen 111 includes a sender name column 112, a column 113 for displaying whether each recipient has been unread or read, and a version information column 114. In addition to the above, the order contents 115 are standardized and displayed so that the recipient can determine whether the draft of the purchase order is unread, read or approved by the character color of each recipient name. It has become. The draft screen 111 of the purchase order has an approval button. When the “Approve” button is selected, a column 57 (“Nakamura” in FIG. 16) displays the name of the recipient who selected the message. Display) changes from read to approval, and other receivers are notified whether the receiver has approved the message.

  In addition, it is possible to create an opinion on the contents of the order described in the draft of the purchase order by selecting the “Add Opinion” button by each sender or recipient. In this way, it is possible to efficiently discuss the order contents among the grouped parties. Then, as a result of the discussion between the parties concerned, if necessary, the draft of the purchase order is prepared again, and the final draft of the purchase order including the opinions of the parties concerned is compiled as a new version message.

  Next, the status management unit 14 determines whether or not the contents of the order are based on whether or not each recipient has performed an operation of selecting the “Approve” button in each terminal with respect to the contents of the final order of the purchase order. It is determined whether each recipient has been approved (S607). At this time, in addition to the case where all the recipients approve, the recipients when a certain number of recipients approve or when a specific one of the recipients (for example, a responsible person) approves the recipients. It can also be set so that the status management unit 14 determines that it has been approved.

  In step 607, if the status management unit 14 determines that the final order contents of the purchase order are approved by the recipient, the message transmission determination unit 23 transmits the purchase order to the ordering party. The document conversion unit 21 converts the final draft of the purchase order into a document standardized for order destination transmission, and instructs transmission (S608). At the time of conversion of this document, since the contents inputted in the draft of the purchase order are transferred as they are to the document that is standardized for transmission to the purchaser, there is no possibility that a transfer mistake will occur. It should be noted that after the document conversion unit 21 converts the draft of the purchase order into a document that is standardized for sending to the ordering party, items that are not included in the draft of the purchase order, for example, the order date, the person in charge of the order, Etc. may be newly added.

  On the other hand, if the status management unit 14 determines in step 607 that the order contents are not approved by the recipient, the message transmission determination unit 23 does not allow the ordering party to transmit the purchase order. .

  In the mail server 4, the new message storage unit 8 stores the finally agreed order contents of the purchase order transmitted from the user terminal 1 in the database 6 in association with the recipient as a new version message. At the same time, the data is transmitted to the user terminal of the predetermined receiver on the contractor side (S609). Further, the finally agreed order contents are displayed in the order destination transmission document on the terminal of the person in charge based on the request of the person in charge on the orderer side.

  FIG. 17 shows a processing procedure when the user on the contractor side receives a standardized new message (purchase order). The processing procedure until the message list screen 41 is displayed is the first procedure described above. This is the same as the processing procedure in the embodiment.

  First, in the message list screen 41 displayed on the user terminal on the side of the contractor (S205), when the user selects a purchase order (S701), this selection request is transmitted to the mail server 4. In the mail server 4, the message search / extraction unit 9 searches and extracts data related to the order contents of the purchase order from the database 6, and transmits the data to the user terminal (S702).

  In the user terminal, the message display unit 11 displays the screen 121 of the purchase order as a document that is standardized for the order destination transmission (S703). As shown in FIG. 18, the purchase order display screen 121 includes a sender name column 122, a column 123 for displaying whether each recipient has been read or acknowledged, a version information column 124, etc. In addition, the order contents 125 are standardized and displayed, and the recipient can determine whether the recipient has read, read, or approved the opinion based on the character color of each recipient name. This purchase order display screen 121 is provided with an approval button. When the “approve” button is selected, the display of the column 57 for displaying the name of the recipient who selected the message is changed from the read to the approval. Instead, other recipients are notified whether the recipient has acknowledged this message.

  In addition, it is possible to create an opinion on the order contents described in the purchase order by selecting the “add opinion” button by each of the senders and receivers, as described in the first embodiment. As a result, it is possible to efficiently discuss the order contents between the grouped parties. At this time, for an opinion or the like that the person in charge of the contractor determines that it should not be disclosed to the orderer, a predetermined range is designated on the order sheet screen 121 from the user terminal on the contractor's side. When the “Publish” button (not shown) is selected, the message disclosure restriction unit 24 makes the specified range of messages private to the orderer.

  Next, the status management unit 14 determines whether or not the order contents of the purchase order are based on whether or not each recipient has selected the “Approve” button on the screen 121 of the purchase order. It is determined whether each recipient has been approved (S704). At this time, in addition to the case where all the recipients approve, the recipients when a certain number of recipients approve or when a specific one of the recipients (for example, a responsible person) approves the recipients. It can also be set so that the status management unit 14 determines that it has been approved.

  In step 705, when the status management unit 14 determines that the order content has been approved by the receiver, the message transmission determination unit 23 permits the transmission of the sales order to the ordering source, and the document conversion unit 21 converts the contents of the purchase order into a document (order receipt) standardized for order source transmission, and instructs transmission (S608). At the time of conversion of this document, since the contents of the purchase order are transferred as they are to a document that is standardized for transmission of the order source, there is no possibility that a transfer mistake will occur.

  On the other hand, if the status management unit 14 determines in step 705 that the order contents are not approved by the recipient, the message transmission determination unit 23 does not permit the orderer to transmit the order. .

  At this time, as a result of the discussion between the person in charge on the orderer side and the person in charge on the orderer side, if a part of the contents described in the purchase order is another order, When a predetermined range is specified on the purchase order screen 121 from the user terminal and a “divide” button (not shown) is selected, the document dividing unit 22 divides the specified range of the message.

  Next, in the mail server 4, the new message storage unit 8 stores the contents of the order received from the user terminal in the database 6 in association with the receiver, and the user of the predetermined receiver on the orderer side. The data is transmitted to the terminals 1, 2 and 3 (S706).

  In the above-described second embodiment, the purchase order has been described as a stylized document. However, this is merely an example, and the present invention, for example, sends the contents ordered by the contractor to the logistics department. In addition to shipping instructions, manufacturing instructions, purchase instructions, purchase orders, shipping reports, invoices, sales reports, and transfer slips to apply, accept and accept and apply -It can also be applied to stylized documents used in any business that has a relationship of being asked.

  As described above, according to the e-mail system according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention, the grouped parties of all the recipients designated as the sender are always in the same message and the message. The associated opinions and reply opinions can be shared, and the messages and opinions can be grasped as to whether or not each person concerned has been unread, read or approved. Therefore, information can be smoothly transmitted between the grouped parties, and history management can be easily and reliably performed.

  In each of the embodiments described above, the user arbitrarily sets sticky notes such as “important”, “hold”, “look later”, “★”, etc. for the message, and sorts and sorts the messages. It can also be made to be able to easily do. In this case, the control unit 5 of the mail server 4 includes a tag setting unit (not shown) that can arbitrarily set a tag for classifying the message from the user terminal 1 to the message, and the tag setting unit. Is further provided with a tag setting message extraction unit (not shown) that extracts only data related to messages set with the same tag from the database 6, and the list display unit 10 responds to a request from the user terminal 1. Based on the data related to the message extracted by the tag setting message extraction unit, a list screen of messages set with the same tag can be displayed on the user terminal 1.

  FIG. 19 shows an example of the message list screen at this time. A sticky note list 131 is displayed at the left end, and a sticky note column 132 is displayed between the title column and the sender name column of each message. It is like that. This sticky note is configured to be displayed only on the user terminal 1 to which the sticky note is set, and is not displayed on other user terminals.

  Further, in this case, as shown in FIG. 22, a sticky note input field 135 is displayed on the right side of the message title input field on the message display screen, and the sticky note setting unit displays the sticky note input field 135 of the message display screen. The tag can be set for the message based on the data regarding the tag input from. Thereby, the user can arbitrarily classify and organize the messages received by the user.

  Further, in this case, by selecting an “edit” button in the tag list 131 on the message list screen (see FIG. 19), a tag that can be set to add, change, or delete the tag as shown in FIG. An editing screen 134 is displayed.

  Note that the above-described functions relating to sticky notes can be configured not only for the above-described message but also for opinions and reply opinions. Further, as shown in FIG. 20, a sticky note input field 133 may be provided on the new input screen so that the sender can set a sticky note in advance for the new message from the sticky note input field 133. In this case, the new message is sent to each designated recipient with a sticky note attached, and the sticky note is displayed on the terminal of each recipient.

  Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, when opinions are displayed, the exchange of opinions can be displayed hierarchically (so-called “thread display”), or a function for closing the addition of opinions can be added. .

  Furthermore, although cases have been described with the above embodiments where the Internet is used as an information communication network, this is merely an example, and the present invention can be applied to other information communication networks such as a dedicated communication line as the information communication network. Needless to say, the present invention can be implemented even in an environment using a computer.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an electronic mail system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence when a user receives a message in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the message list screen in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the message screen in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the input screen of the opinion in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the opinion screen in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the input screen of the reply opinion in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence when a user produces a new message in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the input screen of the new message in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence when a user produces the message of a new version in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the display screen of the message already input in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the input screen of the message of the new version in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence when displaying an unread message in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the whole structure of the electronic mail system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence when a user transmits a new message in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the display screen of the purchase order displayed on the orderer's side terminal in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence when a user receives a new message in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the screen of the purchase order displayed on the terminal of an order receiver side in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows another example of the message list screen in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st or 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows another example of the input screen of a new message in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st or 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the tag edit screen in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st or 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows another example of the message display screen in the electronic mail system which concerns on the 1st or 2nd embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 User terminal 2 User terminal 3 User terminal 4 Mail server 6 Database 7 New message input screen display part 8 New message storage part 9 Message search extraction part 10 List display part 11 Message display part 12 Opinion input screen display part 13 Opinion storage part 14 Status management unit 15 Unread message extraction unit 16 File attachment processing unit 17 Reply opinion input screen display unit 18 Reply opinion storage unit 19 New version message input screen display unit 20 New version message storage unit 21 Document conversion unit 22 Document division unit 23 Message transmission Judgment unit 24 Message disclosure restriction unit 30 Internet 41 List screen 51 Message screen 71 Opinion input screen 81 New message input screen 101 New version message input screen

Claims (18)

An email system for sending and receiving emails in an environment in which a user terminal and a mail server are connected to each other via an information communication network,
In response to a message browsing request from the user terminal, a message search and extraction means for searching and extracting data related to a message in which the user who requested the browsing is designated as a recipient;
List display means for displaying a list screen on the user terminal based on the data related to the message extracted by the message search extraction means;
In response to a message selection request from the list screen, message display means for displaying a message screen including the message on the user terminal;
In response to a request for creating an opinion on the message displayed on the user terminal by the message display means, an opinion input screen display means for causing the user terminal to display an opinion input screen;
Opinion accumulating means for accumulating the opinion input from the input screen of the opinion displayed on the user terminal in the database in association with the selected message;
With
The data related to the message searched and extracted from the database by the message search and extraction means includes an opinion associated with the message, and the message display means displays the message screen on the user terminal. An e-mail system characterized in that, at the same time, an opinion associated with the message is displayed together with the message. In response to a new message creation request from the user terminal, a new message input screen display means for displaying a new message input screen on the user terminal, and a new message inputted by designating a recipient from the new message input screen 2. The electronic mail system according to claim 1, further comprising new message storage means for storing a message in a database in association with the recipient. 3. The e-mail according to claim 2, wherein the new message input screen display means is configured to display a predetermined standardized new message input screen on the user terminal based on a request from the user terminal. system. 4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a document conversion unit capable of converting a document configured by inputting a message into the predetermined standardized new message input screen into another type of standardized document. Mail system. 5. The electronic mail system according to claim 3, further comprising a document dividing unit capable of dividing a document configured by inputting a message into the new message input screen into a plurality of stylized documents. 6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising status management means for determining whether the message has been read or unread based on presence / absence of a message selection operation from the list screen and displaying the determination result on the user terminal. The e-mail system according to any one of claims. The status management means determines whether or not the message has been approved by the recipient based on the presence or absence of the recipient's approval operation from the message screen displayed on the user terminal of the message recipient. The electronic mail system according to claim 6, configured as described above. 8. The electronic mail system according to claim 7, further comprising message transmission determination means for determining whether or not the message can be transmitted to a person other than the receiver and the sender based on the determination result of the status management means. 9. The message disclosure restriction unit according to claim 8, further comprising: a message publication restriction unit capable of designating a range for restricting publication to a person other than the sender and the recipient based on a request from the sender and the recipient of the message. Email system. It comprises unread message extraction means for extracting only data relating to messages determined to be unread by the status management means, and the list display means is extracted by the unread message extraction means in response to a request from the user terminal. The electronic mail system according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein an unread message list screen is displayed on the user terminal based on data related to unread messages. 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a file attachment processing unit that selects a file stored in the user terminal based on a request from the user terminal and attaches the file to the message. The e-mail system described in the section. In response to a request for creating a reply opinion for the opinion displayed on the user terminal by the message display means, a reply opinion input screen display means for displaying a reply opinion input screen on the user terminal;
Reply opinion storage means for storing the reply opinion input from the reply opinion input screen displayed on the user terminal in the database in association with the opinion;
Further comprising
The message search / extraction means searches and extracts data from the database, the data relating to the message includes a reply opinion associated with the opinion, and the message display means displays the message screen on the user terminal. The electronic mail system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, which is configured to display a reply opinion associated with the opinion together with the opinion. New version message input screen display means for displaying a new version message input screen on the user terminal in response to a request to create a new version message for an already input message;
New version message storage means for storing the new version message input from the message input screen of the new version displayed on the user terminal in the database in association with the already input message;
The message search and extraction means, in response to a message browsing request from the user terminal, retrieves data related to the latest version message from the database, among the messages specified by the user who requested the browsing as a recipient. Search, extract, the list display means, based on the data about the latest version of the message extracted by the message search extraction means, to display a list screen on the user terminal, the message display means from the list screen 13. The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein the latest version of the message is displayed on the user terminal in response to a message selection request. 14. The electronic mail system according to claim 13, wherein the message display means is configured to display an old version message in response to a request from the user terminal. Only sticky note setting means capable of arbitrarily setting a sticky note for classifying the message from the user terminal to the message, and only data relating to a message for which the same sticky note is set by the sticky note setting means is extracted from the database. A tag setting message extracting unit, and the list displaying unit is set with the same tag based on data related to the message extracted by the tag setting message extracting unit in response to a request from the user terminal. The electronic mail system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein a message list screen is configured to be displayed on the user terminal. The electronic mail system according to claim 15, wherein the sticky note setting unit is configured to be able to set a sticky note for the new message based on data related to the sticky note input from the new message input screen. The electronic mail according to claim 15 or 16, wherein a sticky note edit screen in which addition, change, and deletion of the sticky note can be set is displayed on the user terminal based on a request from the message list screen. system. The electronic mail system according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the sticky note set from the user terminal is configured to be displayed only on the user terminal set with the sticky note.

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