JP2008203972A - Communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication terminal capable of surely returning or transferring the latest relevant reception mail among a plurality of mutually related relevant reception mail. <P>SOLUTION: After the mail transmission of return or transfer is instructed, and before the processing of mail transmission is started, whether or not relevant reception mail relevant to object reception mail, which has been received posterior to the reception of the object reception mail as the object of return or transfer, exists is decided. When it is decided that there exists relevant reception mail, a user is notified of the existence of the relevant reception mail. After the user is notified of the existence of the relevant reception mail, a reception box including the relevant reception mail may be displayed automatically or according to the operation instruction of the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication terminal device capable of sending and receiving mail, such as a mobile communication terminal such as a mobile phone, a personal computer, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a mobile phone capable of sending and receiving mail is known as this type of communication terminal device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such a mobile phone, there is a case where mail exchange is repeated a plurality of times for a common subject in order to discuss a topic between two or three or more users by mail. In this case, when a mail is received for a subject, a reply mail is sent to the sender of the received mail, or the received mail is sent to another mail address as a forward mail. In the subject of this reply mail or forwarded mail, the subject of the received mail is usually transcribed to indicate that it is related to the original received mail.
JP 2006-031622 A

However, in the above conventional mobile phone, after starting to create the reply mail or forwarded mail, before starting to send the reply mail, other relations related to the received mail that is the origin of the reply mail, etc. Received mail may be received. In such a case, if the reply mail created above is sent, the mail is replied or forwarded with respect to the old related received mail instead of the latest related received mail among the multiple related received mails with the same subject. It will be. For this reason, there is a possibility that discussion on a common topic that is being promoted by exchanging emails may not be engaged, or duplicate information, old information, incorrect information, etc. may be provided on the topic.
The problem is not only when receiving other related received mail related to the received mail that was the origin of the reply mail, etc. before starting transmission from the start of creation of the reply mail, etc. The same may occur when there is a related received mail in an unread state received before the start of the mail message and a reply mail is created based on a received mail older than the related received mail in the unread state. The above problem is not limited to the case of a mobile communication terminal such as a mobile phone having a relatively small screen display area, but also to other communication terminal devices such as personal computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) that can send and receive mail. Can occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is a communication terminal that can surely reply or forward the latest related received mail among a plurality of related received mails related to each other. Is to provide a device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a communication terminal device capable of sending and receiving mails, a storage means for storing mails, and a received mail stored in the storage means based on a user instruction. A mail processing means for creating and sending a reply or transfer mail, and after sending the reply or transfer mail instruction and before starting the mail transmission process, A determination means for determining whether or not there is a related received mail related to the target received mail, received after the target received mail is received, and it is determined that the related received mail exists; In such a case, a notification means for notifying the presence of the related received mail is provided.
In the communication terminal device according to the present invention, after a reply or transfer mail transmission is instructed to the received mail, before the mail transmission process is started, the reception of the target received mail that is the object of the reply or transfer is received. It is determined whether or not there is a related received mail received after that time, that is, the latest related received mail in an unread state that has not yet been read by the user. If there is the latest related received mail in the unread state received at the predetermined timing, the user of the communication terminal apparatus is notified of the presence of the related received mail. The user who has received this notification can re-create and send a reply or forward mail for the latest related received mail instead of the reply or forward mail once created.

  In addition, after the presence of the related received mail is notified, an inbox including the related received mail may be displayed automatically or according to a user operation instruction. The user can display the contents of the related received mail in the inbox and reply or forward the related received mail.

  In the communication terminal device, the determination unit may determine the presence of the related received mail with respect to a mail received after the creation of the reply or transfer mail is started. In this case, since there is a high possibility that the user received an unread message after the creation of the reply or forwarded mail is started, the existence of the related received mail is judged. Can be determined more efficiently.

  In the communication terminal device, the determination unit may determine the presence of the related received mail for unread mail. In this case, since the presence of the related received mail is determined for unread mail whose contents have not been confirmed by the user, the user can more efficiently determine the presence of the unread related received mail.

  Further, in the communication terminal device, the determining means may determine whether or not the related received mail exists based on at least one of the subject of the received mail, the sender, and thread information. Good. In this case, whether or not the related received mail is related to the target received mail based on at least one of the subject, sender and thread information of the received mail that is likely to be common among the related received mails related to each other. Can be judged more efficiently.

  In the communication terminal device, the notifying unit may pop up the presence of the related received mail. In this case, the pop-up display can more reliably notify the user of the presence of the related received mail.

  In the communication terminal device, the notification means may display a list of the plurality of related received mails together with the reception date / time data when there are a plurality of related received mails to be determined. In this case, the list display makes it possible to easily find the latest related received mail from a plurality of unread related received mails.

  Further, in the communication terminal device, when the presence of the related received mail is notified by the notification means, a storage means for storing the created reply or transfer mail body data as already created mail data in the storage means May be further provided. In this case, the created reply or forwarded mail body data can be reused by storing it as already created mail data.

  Further, in the communication terminal device, when the mail processing means is instructed to create a reply or transfer mail for the related received mail, the mail processing means reads out the prepared mail data stored in the storage means and sends the reply Alternatively, it may be a mail text of the transfer. In this case, since the previously created mail data is read and used as a reply or transfer mail body, a reply or transfer mail body can be efficiently created.

  According to the present invention, after creating a reply or forwarding mail for the target received mail and instructing the mail transmission, the latest related received mail in an unread state before the mail transmission processing is started. If the related received mail exists, the user of the communication terminal device is notified of this. The user who has received this notification can re-create and send a reply or forward mail for the latest related received mail instead of the reply or forward mail once created. There is an effect that the latest related received mail can be replied or forwarded reliably.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a mobile phone (mobile communication terminal) as a communication terminal device will be described.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an example of a communication system for mail transmission / reception using a mobile phone according to the present embodiment. This communication system includes a plurality of mobile phones 10 and a mobile phone communication network 20 as a mobile communication network managed by a mobile communication carrier. The mobile phone communication network 20 includes a base station 201 and a switch (not shown) (circuit switch, packet switch), etc., and is connected to the mobile phone communication network 40 by the Internet 30 or other mobile communication carriers via a gateway server (not shown). Has been. Also, the mobile phone communication network 20 and the mobile phone communication network 40 are connected to various mail servers 21 and 41 for processing mail for mobile phones such as e-mail and short message service (SMS). A mail server 31 for processing electronic mail is connected. Via these mail servers 21, 31 and 41, the mobile phone 10 can send and receive electronic mails and SMS mails to and from various communication terminals. For example, the mobile phone 10A of the user A transmits / receives mail via the mobile phone communication network 20 to / from a mobile phone contracted with the same mobile telecommunications carrier, or with other mobile telecommunications carriers. Mail can be transmitted / received to / from the contracted cellular phone 10B via the cellular phone communication network 40. The mobile phone 10 </ b> A of the user A can also send and receive mail with the personal computer 32 via the Internet 30.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the mobile phone according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front view showing an example of an external configuration of the mobile phone. The cellular phone 10 according to the present embodiment includes a main control unit 120 serving as a control unit, an internal memory 121 serving as a storage unit, a wireless communication unit 122 serving as a communication unit that performs communication via the cellular phone communication network 20, and an antenna 112. And a display unit 125 as a display unit, a key operation unit 126 as an operation unit, and a clock unit 127.

  The main control unit 120 includes, for example, a CPU, a cache memory, a ROM, a system bus, and the like, and transmits and receives data to and from each unit such as the internal memory 121 and the wireless communication unit 122 by executing a predetermined control program. And control each part. The main control unit 120 is connected to a microphone 108 as a sound input unit and a speaker 109 as a sound output unit via a sound signal processing unit 123. Further, a display unit 125 is connected to the main control unit 120 via a display control unit 124 as a display control unit. The main control unit 120 is also connected with a key operation unit 126 and a clock unit 127 operated by a user when instructing various processes and inputting various data.

  The main control unit 120 also functions as a mail processing unit that performs a reply creation or forwarding mail creation and transmission process for a received mail stored in the storage unit including the internal memory 121 based on a user instruction. Further, the main control unit 120 starts receiving the target received mail that is the target of the reply or transfer after the instruction to send the reply or transfer mail is received and before the mail transmission process is started. It also functions as a determination means for determining whether there is a related received mail received later. Here, the related received mail is a received mail related to the target received mail. In the case of “multiple related received mails” related to each other, the target received mail is included as necessary.

  Whether or not the related received mail exists may be determined for mail received after the creation of the reply mail or forwarded mail is started, or may be determined for unread mail.

  Judgment whether or not the related received mail exists in the received mail stored in the storage means is based on the received mail subject, sender name, thread information (Thread-Topic, Thread-Index), etc. Can be judged. For example, if there is a received mail having the same subject as the target received mail, it is determined that a related received mail exists. Further, if there is a received mail having the same subject as the target received mail and the same sender, it may be determined that a related received mail exists. Also, if there is a received mail with the same “Thread-Topic” or “Thread-Index” value as the thread information described in the mail header, even if it is determined that there is a related received mail Good.

  The wireless communication unit 122 and the antenna 112 as the communication means function not only as telephone communication means but also as means for sending and receiving mail.

  The internal memory 121 is constituted by a semiconductor memory such as a RAM or a ROM, and stores a control program executed by the main control unit 120 and various data. As these storage means, instead of the internal memory 121, a storage medium such as a memory card or an IC card that can be attached to and detached from the mobile phone body may be used.

  The internal memory 121 functions as a storage unit that stores various data of mail transmitted and received by the communication unit. For example, received mail, transmission standby mail, transmitted mail, edited mail, edited mail Stores data such as previously created e-mails including text.

  The display control unit 124 controls to display an image on the display unit 125 based on the drawing data sent from the main control unit 120. The display unit 125 is configured by using a display 110 including a liquid crystal panel and displays various images based on image data stored in the internal memory 121.

  In addition, the display control unit 124 and the display unit 125, when it is determined that there is a related received mail received after the reception of the target received mail that is a reply or transfer target, It also functions as a notification means for notifying the user of the existence. For example, the presence of the related received mail is displayed in a pop-up manner or a list is displayed together with the reception date / time data to notify the user of the presence of the related received mail.

  The speaker 109 receives an analog signal converted from a digital signal by the sound signal processing unit 123, and outputs a voice during a call, or outputs a mail ringtone, a telephone ringing tone, music, or the like. The sound generation means including the speaker 109 and the sound signal processing unit 123 reproduces and outputs a sound effect and music (song, melody) using an attached file attached to the received mail. Can be controlled.

  Further, the speaker 109 and the sound signal processing unit 123 may function as notification means for notifying the user of the presence of the related received mail.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the speaker 109 is configured by separately providing a receiver speaker (receiver) 109a for listening to a voice during a call and an external output speaker 109b for outputting a ring tone or music. Alternatively, a single speaker may be used so that the speaker for the receiver and the speaker for external output can be used together.

  The key operation unit 126 includes a data input key (ten key, * key, # key) 103, a call start key 104, a call end key 105, a scroll key 106, a multi-function key 107, and the like. This is used when instructing the end of conversation, menu selection, display mode switching, etc., or inputting information.

  The key operation unit 126 is operated by the user to instruct the creation of a reply mail to reply to the received mail, the creation of the forward mail to transfer the received mail, or the process of sending the reply mail or the forward mail. It also functions as mail processing instruction means for instructing and displaying related received mail.

  The microphone 108 converts the user's voice into an electrical signal (analog signal). An audio electrical signal (analog signal) output from the microphone 108 is input to the sound signal processing unit 123 and converted into a digital signal.

  The clock unit 127 is configured using an RTC (real time clock) or the like, and functions as a means for outputting current time data. The current time data output from the clock unit 127 can be used for displaying date and time information on the display unit 125 including the liquid crystal display (LCD) 110.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing when a reply mail is transmitted for the received mail received by the mobile phone 10 having the above configuration. When sending a reply mail for the received mail received by the wireless communication unit 122 and stored in the mailbox of the internal memory 121, first, the reply received mail (hereinafter referred to as “target received mail”) is displayed. In the state displayed on the unit 125, the user operates the mobile phone 10 to instruct the creation of a reply mail (S1, S2). By this reply mail creation instruction, a reply mail creation screen is displayed, and reply mail can be created and edited on this screen (S3). When the editing / creation of the reply mail is completed and the user instructs to send the edited reply mail by operating the mobile phone 10 (S4), the relation received after the reception of the target received mail is received. It is determined whether there is a received mail, that is, the latest related received mail in an unread state related to the target received mail (S5). Here, when it is determined that the latest related received mail exists (Yes in S5), the user is notified of the presence of the latest related received mail by, for example, a pop-up display on the display unit 125 ( S6). When the user who sees this notification operates the mobile phone 10, the user is instructed to create a reply mail for the latest related received mail (S7). In response to this reply mail creation instruction, a reply mail creation screen is displayed, and steps S3 to S5 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, when it is determined that the latest related received mail does not exist (No in S5), the notification is not performed, and the reply mail transmission process is started (S8).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing when a reply mail according to another embodiment is transmitted. A description of portions common to those in FIG. 4 is omitted. In the example of FIG. 5, after the user is notified of the presence of the latest related received mail (S6), a screen for selecting whether or not to read the notified related received mail is displayed. (S7). Here, when the user selects reading of the related received mail (Yes in S7), the related received mail is displayed on the mail display screen, and the mail text or the like can be confirmed. Then, the user who has confirmed the related received mail on the mail display screen operates the mobile phone 10 to instruct the creation of a reply mail for the latest related received mail (S8). In response to this reply mail creation instruction, a reply mail creation screen is displayed, and steps S3 to S5 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, when the user does not select reading of the related received mail (No in S7), the related received mail is not read and displayed, and the reply mail transmission process is started (S9).

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing when a reply mail according to still another embodiment is transmitted. A description of portions common to those in FIG. 4 is omitted. In the example of FIG. 6, when it is determined that the latest related received mail exists (Yes in S5), the presence of the latest related received mail is notified (S6), and the mail of the reply mail that has been created The body data (previously created mail body data) is temporarily stored in the storage means including the internal memory 121 (S7). The stored already created mail text data can be used for creating a reply mail created for the related received mail thereafter. When the user who sees the notification operates the mobile phone 10 to instruct the creation of a reply mail for the latest related received mail (S8), the prepared mail text data stored in the storage means is stored. The already created mail text data that has been called and read is displayed on the reply mail creation screen that is automatically written, and steps S3 to S5 are repeated.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process when a reply mail according to another embodiment is transmitted. A description of portions common to those in FIGS. 4 and 6 is omitted. In the example of FIG. 7, after the user is notified of the presence of the latest related received mail (S6), a screen for selecting whether or not to read the notified related received mail is displayed. (S7). Here, when the user selects reading of the related received mail (Yes in S7), the mail body data of the reply mail that has been created (previously created mail body data) is temporarily stored in the storage means including the internal memory 121. (S8) The related received mail is displayed on the mail display screen, and the mail text or the like can be confirmed. Then, the user who has confirmed the related received mail on the mail display screen operates the mobile phone 10 to instruct the creation of a reply mail for the latest related received mail (S9). In response to this reply mail creation instruction, the previously created mail text data stored in the storage means is called (S10), and a reply mail creation screen in which the read ready mail text data is automatically written is displayed. Steps S3 to S5 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, when the user does not select the reading of the related received mail (No in S7), the stored mail text data is not stored and the related received mail is not read and displayed, and the reply mail transmission process is started. (S11).

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process when a reply mail according to still another embodiment is transmitted. A description of portions common to those in FIG. 4 is omitted. The example of FIG. 8 shows a case where there are a plurality of unread related received mails. In this case, if it is determined that there is the latest related received mail (Yes in S5), a plurality of related received mails are displayed on the display unit 125 as a list, so that there is a plurality of related received mails. The user is notified (S6). When the user who sees the notification operates the mobile phone 10, the latest related received mail is selected from the plurality of related received mails displayed in the list (S7), and the reply mail is sent for the latest related received mail. Is created (S8). This reply mail creation instruction is displayed on the reply mail creation screen, and steps S3 to S5 are repeatedly executed.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a process when a reply mail according to another embodiment is transmitted. A description of portions common to those in FIGS. 4 and 8 is omitted. In the example of FIG. 9, after the plurality of related received mails are notified in a list display (S6), a screen for selecting whether to read the notified related received mails is displayed (S7). ). Here, when the user selects to read out the latest related received mail (Yes in S7), the user operates the mobile phone 10 on the related received mail list display screen, so that a plurality of related received mails are displayed. The latest related received mail is selected from among them (S8), the selected related received mail is read out and displayed on the mail display screen, and the mail text or the like can be confirmed. Then, the user who has confirmed the related received mail on the mail display screen operates the mobile phone 10 to instruct the creation of a reply mail for the latest related received mail (S9). This reply mail creation instruction is displayed on the reply mail creation screen, and steps S3 to S5 are repeatedly executed. On the other hand, when the user does not select the reading of the related received mail (No in S7), the related received mail is not read and displayed, and the reply mail transmission process is started (S10).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, whether or not there is the latest related received mail in an unread state after an instruction to send a reply mail to the target received mail is received and before the mail transmission process is started. If the related received mail exists, the user of the mobile phone 10 is notified of that fact. The user who has received this notification can re-create and send a reply mail for the latest related received mail instead of the reply mail once created. It will be possible to reliably reply and forward the received mail.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications can be made to the disclosed embodiments within the scope of the technical matters described in the claims without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. Can be added.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, a case where a reply mail is transmitted has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to a case where a forward mail for forwarding a received mail to a third party's mail address is transmitted. Effects can be obtained.

  Further, the present invention can be applied to various mobile communication terminals that can send and receive mail, and the same effects can be obtained. As the “mobile communication terminal” in the present invention, mobile phones such as PDC (Personal Digital Cellular), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), TIA (Telecommunications Industry Association), etc., IMT (International Mobile Telecommunications) -2000 Standardized mobile phone, TD-SCDMA (MC: Multi Carrier) mobile phone, one of TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access), PHS (Personal Handyphone System), automobile phone, fixed A telephone having a telephone call function such as a telephone is exemplified. The present invention can be applied not only to mobile communication terminals but also to other communication terminal devices capable of sending and receiving mail, such as personal computers and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance), and similar effects can be obtained. .

  The control and processing in the mobile communication terminal can also be realized by executing a predetermined program on a computer provided in the mobile communication terminal. Delivery of the program used in the computer may be performed using a recording medium such as an FD or CD-ROM in which the program is recorded as digital information, or may be performed using a communication network such as a computer network.

The schematic block diagram which shows an example of the communication system of the mail transmission / reception using the mobile telephone which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which shows an example of schematic structure of the mobile phone. The front view which shows an example of the external appearance structure of the mobile phone. The flowchart which shows an example of a process when transmitting the reply mail in this embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of a process when transmitting the reply mail in other embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of a process when transmitting the reply mail in other embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of a process when transmitting the reply mail in other embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of a process when transmitting the reply mail in other embodiment. The flowchart which shows an example of a process when transmitting the reply mail in other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Mobile phone 20, 40 Mobile phone communication network 21, 41 Mail server 30 Internet 31 Mail server 120 Main control part 121 Internal memory 124 Display control part 125 Display part 126 Key operation part

Claims (8)

A communication terminal device capable of sending and receiving mail,
Storage means for storing mail;
Mail processing means for performing reply creation or forwarding mail creation and transmission processing for the received mail stored in the storage means based on a user instruction;
Received after the reception of the target received mail that is the target of the reply or transfer, after the reply or forward mail transmission is instructed and before the mail transmission process is started, A determination means for determining whether there is a related received mail related to the target received mail;
A notification means for notifying the presence of the related received mail when it is determined that the related received mail exists;
A communication terminal device comprising: The communication terminal device according to claim 1,
The communication terminal apparatus characterized in that the determination means determines the presence of the related received mail with respect to a mail received after creation of the reply or transfer mail is started. The communication terminal device according to claim 1,
The communication terminal apparatus characterized in that the determination means determines the presence of the related received mail for unread mail. In the communication terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The communication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the related received mail exists based on at least one of a subject of the received mail, a sender, and thread information. In the communication terminal device in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4,
The notification means displays a pop-up display of the presence of the related received mail. In the communication terminal device in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5,
The communication device according to claim 1, wherein when there are a plurality of related received mails to be judged, the notification means displays a list of the plurality of related received mails together with the received date data. In the communication terminal device in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5,
In the case where the presence of the related received mail is notified by the notification means, the storage device further comprises a storage means for storing the created reply or forwarded mail body data in the storage means as already created mail data. Communication terminal device. In the communication terminal device according to claim 7,
When the mail processing means is instructed to create a reply or transfer mail for the related received mail, the mail processing means reads the pre-prepared mail data stored in the storage means to make the reply or forward mail body A communication terminal device.

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