JP2013054556A - Mail system, mail opening confirmation method, mail server, and mail opening confirmation program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mail system in which an increase in the number of received mails can be suppressed by an opening confirmation mail and an opening state can be effectively managed.SOLUTION: A portable terminal device 11 of a transmission source transmits a mail including information indicating an opening confirmation request, and a mail server 16, upon receipt of a mail requiring the opening confirmation, secures a storage area in an opening confirmation mail storage area 222, and transfers the mail to portable terminal devices 12a to 12c of a transmission destination. The portable terminal devices 12a to 12c of the transmission destination, upon receipt of the mail requiring the opening confirmation, notifies the mail server 16 of an opening result by mail after browsing the mail. The mail server 16, upon receipt of the opening result from the portable terminal devices 12a to 12c of the transmission destination, stores the opening result in the opening confirmation mail storage area 222, and collects the opening results from the portable terminal devices 12a to 12c of the transmission destination, thereby notifying the portable terminal device 11 of the transmission source of the collected opening results at a prescribed timing.

Description

  The present invention relates to a mail system having an opening notification function, a mail opening confirmation method, a mail server, and a mail opening confirmation program.

  To confirm whether the sent mail has been opened, when the mail from the sender reaches the destination, and the user of the destination opens the mail, the opening notification is returned from the destination to the sender. A mail system having an opening notification function is known. In such a read notification function, when sending a mail for a read confirmation request, the sender usually sends a mail with a control code for the read confirmation request written in the header or attach part of the mail, When the recipient receives the email, this control code determines whether it is a receipt confirmation request email. If the receipt is a receipt confirmation request email, the recipient opens the email from the recipient to the sender. A notification email is returned.

  Patent Document 1 describes that a mail server manages a normal electronic mail and a read notification separately, and sends a mail open notification from the mail server to the sender in response to a request from the user. Has been.

JP 2002-169755 A

  As described above, in the normal mail opening notification function, when an opening confirmation request mail is transmitted, an opening notification mail is returned from the transmission destination to the sender after the mail is viewed. For this reason, if an email requesting opening confirmation is sent to a large number of recipients, the email will be returned to the sender each time an email is viewed at each recipient. The number of received emails increases, making it difficult to check emails. Furthermore, when sending and receiving e-mails using a mobile terminal device, the problem is that if a large number of read confirmation e-mails are returned, the number of e-mails received increases, the operating rate of the CPU increases, and battery consumption increases. Occurs.

  Moreover, in what is shown in patent document 1, a normal e-mail and a read notification are managed separately by a mail server, and an e-mail open notification is sent from the mail server to the sender in response to a request from the user. Yes. In this case, a list of opening notifications from a plurality of transmission destinations can be created and transmitted to the sender by the mail server, so that a large number of opening confirmation mails can be prevented from being returned from each transmission destination. However, what is disclosed in Patent Document 1 is to send an open notification from a mail server to a sender in response to a request from a user. If an acquisition request is not sent from the sender to the mail server, the mail is opened. I can't confirm.

  In view of the above-described problems, the present invention can suppress an increase in the number of received emails due to an opening confirmation email, and can efficiently manage the opening state, an email opening confirmation method, a mail server, and an email. The purpose is to provide an opening confirmation program.

    In order to solve the above-described problems, a mail system according to the present invention is a mail system that transfers mail via a mail server between a terminal device of a transmission source and a terminal device of a transmission destination. The terminal device has a means for transmitting a mail including information indicating a request for opening confirmation when transmitting a mail that requires opening confirmation to the terminal device of the transmission destination. When receiving the e-mail, the means for transferring the e-mail from the source terminal device to the destination terminal device and the e-mail indicating the opening result from the destination terminal device receive the e-mail from the destination terminal device. A means for accumulating the results and a means for collecting the results of opening from the terminal device at the transmission destination and notifying the transmission source terminal device at a predetermined timing; Means for determining whether necessarily, it is determined that it is necessary to read receipt, characterized in that it comprises means for returning the mail indicating opening results after mail browsing.

  The mail confirmation method according to the present invention is a mail opening confirmation method for a mail system in which mail is transferred via a mail server between a source terminal device and a destination terminal device. When sending an email that needs to be read to the destination terminal device, the email containing the information indicating the request for opening confirmation is sent, and when the mail server receives the email from the source terminal device, When the mail from the original terminal device is transferred to the destination terminal device, and the destination terminal device receives the mail, it determines whether or not the opening confirmation is necessary, and determines that the opening confirmation is necessary. When the mail server receives the mail indicating the opening result from the destination terminal device, the mail server stores the opening result from the destination terminal device and sends it. Notifying opening results from the previous terminal to a source terminal together with a predetermined timing, characterized in.

  The mail server according to the present invention is a mail server that transfers mail between a source terminal device and a destination terminal device, and receives a mail from the source terminal device. Means for transferring the mail from the destination terminal device, means for storing the opening result from the destination terminal device upon receiving the mail indicating the opening result from the destination terminal device, and the destination terminal And a means for collectively gathering the unsealing results from the device and notifying the terminal device of the transmission source at a predetermined timing.

  A mail confirmation program according to the present invention is a mail opening confirmation program of a mail server that transfers mail between a transmission source terminal device and a transmission destination terminal device, and receives a mail from the transmission source terminal device. A step of transferring mail from the terminal device of the transmission source to the terminal device of the transmission destination, and a step of accumulating the opening result from the terminal device of the transmission destination when receiving the mail indicating the opening result from the terminal device of the transmission destination And a mail opening confirmation program for causing the computer of the mail server to execute a step of collecting the opening results from the terminal device of the transmission destination and notifying the terminal device of the transmission source at a predetermined timing.

  According to the present invention, when the mail server receives the opening result mail from the transmission destination, the mail server accumulates the opening result from the transmission destination, and collects the opening results from the transmission destination to the transmission source at a predetermined timing. Notify. For this reason, the troublesomeness for the sender to grasp the situation while looking at a plurality of mails is eliminated.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the mail server used with the mail system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing for the transfer process of the opening confirmation mail in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of creating mail with the portable terminal device of a transmission origin. It is a flowchart which shows the process when a mail server receives the mail from the portable terminal device of a transmission origin, or the portable terminal device of a transmission destination. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of an opening state notification process. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of the timer for reporting the opening condition regularly having timed out. It is a flowchart which shows a process when the portable terminal device of a transmission destination receives the mail which needs an opening notification. It is a flowchart which shows the process at the time of the timer for reporting the opening condition regularly in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention timed out.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a mobile terminal device 11 is a terminal that is a source of mail, and mobile terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c are terminals that are destinations of a mail. The mobile terminal device 11 and the mobile terminal devices 12 a to 12 c communicate wirelessly with the base station 13 and the base stations 14 a to 14 c, and can perform voice and data communication via the mobile communication network 15.

  The mail server 16 performs mail transfer between the mobile terminal device 11 and the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c. Note that the mail server 16 can also transfer mail on the Internet network by performing a gateway with the Internet network.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mobile terminal devices 11 and 12a to 12c used in the mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal devices 11 and 12a to 12c used in the mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention include a wireless unit 101, an antenna 102, a control unit 103, and a storage unit 104. A key operation unit 105 and a display unit 106.

  The wireless unit 101 transmits and receives data wirelessly between the base station 13 and the base stations 14 a to 14 c via the antenna 102. Transmission data from the control unit 103 is transmitted to the radio unit 101, modulated by the radio unit 101, and transmitted to the base station 13 and the base stations 14 a to 14 c via the antenna 102. Signals transmitted from the base station 13 and the base stations 14 a to 14 c are received by the antenna 102, demodulated by the radio unit 101, and sent to the control unit 103. Note that although there are various communication methods in the wireless unit 101, any communication method may be used in the present invention.

  The control unit 103 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 111 and performs processing of each unit based on the control program 112. The control program 112 includes a mailer program that transmits and receives mail.

  The storage unit 104 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), a flash memory, and the like. The storage unit 104 includes a temporary work area 121 during device editing and data editing, and a data storage area 122 for storing sent and received mails.

  The key operation unit 105 accepts various inputs. The key operation unit 105 includes a character input button, a mail transmission button, a mail reply button, an opening confirmation button, and the like for creating a mail. The display unit 106 includes, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays various types of information.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mail server 16 used in the mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the mail server 16 used in the mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a control unit 201 and a storage unit 202.

  The control unit 201 has a CPU 211, analyzes the received mail data based on the control program 212, and stores it in the storage unit 202. The control program 212 includes a function for confirming opening by including a specific character string indicating that opening confirmation is required in the title, in addition to a normal mail transfer function.

  The storage unit 202 is configured using a ROM or RAM, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or the like. The storage unit 202 includes a normal mail storage area 221 that does not require opening confirmation and an opening confirmation mail storage area 222 that requires opening confirmation. In the opening confirmation mail storage area 222, the mail address of the transmission destination, the opening result, and the message are described corresponding to the management number. In addition, a periodic report timer for periodically reporting the status to the sender is provided for the unsealing confirmation mail storage area 222 while all the unsealing notifications from the transmission destination have not been received.

  In the first embodiment of the present invention, when an e-mail is transmitted from the transmission source mobile terminal device 11 to the transmission destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c, when opening confirmation is necessary, for example, “open confirmation” An e-mail is transmitted with a specific character string such as “open” indicating that an opening confirmation is required. As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, by including a specific character string indicating that opening confirmation is necessary in the title, the mobile terminal device 11 of the transmission source is periodically provided with the mobile phone of the transmission destination. The unsealing status of the terminal devices 12a to 12c is collectively transmitted.

  That is, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the unloading confirmation mail transfer process in the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 4, in the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source, when an email that needs to be opened is transmitted to the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c that are the transmission destinations, the opening such as “open confirmation” or “open” is used as the title. A mail is sent with a specific character string indicating that confirmation is necessary (process PRC101).

  When the mail server 16 receives the mail and determines that the opening confirmation is necessary from the character string of the title, the mail server 16 adds a management number, and stores the opening confirmation mail storage area 222 in correspondence with the management number from the transmission destination. An area for storing the unsealing result is secured (processing PRC102). This area describes the mail address of the transmission destination, the opening result, and the message corresponding to the management number. Then, the mail server 16 adds a management number to the destination mobile terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c according to the designated mail address, and transmits the mail (processing PRC 103a to PRC 103c).

  When the destination mobile terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c receive the mail from the mail server 16 and open the mail, it is determined whether or not the title contains a specific character string indicating that the opening confirmation is necessary. To do. Then, when a specific character string is included, the mobile terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c of the transmission destination notify the opening result by e-mail when the browsing screen is closed after browsing the e-mail. At this time, the mobile terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c as transmission destinations can add a message. In this example, the mobile terminal device 12a opens the mail and notifies the mail server 16 of the opening result (processing PRC 104a). The mobile terminal device 12b has not opened the mail. The mobile terminal device 12c opens the mail, adds an “OK” message, and notifies the mail server 16 of the opening result (processing PRC 104c).

  The mail server 16 waits for an opening notification from the destination mobile terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c, collates the management number of the title with the management number in the opening confirmation mail storage area, and stores the opening confirmation mail that matches the management number When the area in the area is identified and the area with the same management number is identified, the mail address that sent the read notification is identified from the destination mail address in the read confirmation mail storage area 222, and the identified destination is opened. In the result column, record information indicating that the mail has been opened. In this example, since the opening result mail is received from the portable terminal device 12a among the portable terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c of the transmission destination, a circle is added to the opening result (processing PRC 105a), and the portable terminal device 12c Since a mail with an opening result with a message is received from the mail, a double circle is added to the opening result (processing PRC 105c). Since the opening result mail is not received from the mobile terminal device 12b, the opening result is unmarked.

  When the mail server 16 receives the opening notifications from all the destination mobile terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c, or when a certain period of time has elapsed, the mail server 16 notifies the source mobile terminal device 11 of the opening notification result by e-mail. (Processing PRC106). At this time, the mail server 16 can collectively transmit the opening notification results of the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c by mail.

  The mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source can determine the opening status of the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c that are the transmission destinations by receiving the opening notification result from the mail server 16.

  As described above, in the first embodiment of the present invention, by including a specific character string indicating that opening confirmation is necessary in the title, the mobile terminal device 11 of the transmission source is periodically provided with the mobile phone of the transmission destination. The unsealing status from the terminal devices 12a to 12c is informed, so that the unsealing status of the mail can be confirmed. Further, in the first embodiment of the present invention, since the opening confirmation can be performed only by including a specific character string in the title, the load on the system can be reduced, and it is not necessary to include a specific character string in the body. There is no restriction on the description of the text. Further, in the first embodiment of the present invention, since an area for storing the unsealing result from the transmission destination is secured in the unsealing confirmation mail storage area 222 of the mail server 16, the portable terminal devices 12a of a plurality of transmission destinations are secured. The opening notifications from ˜12c can be collected and sent to the mobile terminal device 11 as the sender. For this reason, the troublesomeness of the mobile terminal device 11 as a sender to grasp the situation while looking at a plurality of mails is eliminated. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the source mobile terminal device 11 receives the opening notification from all the destination mobile terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c, or a certain time has passed. At the timing, the opening notification result is periodically notified from the mail server 16 by e-mail, and there is no need for the user to send a request for opening notification to the mail server 16.

  Next, processing of the mail system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process when a mail is created by the mobile terminal device 11 as a sender.

  In addition, when the user of the mobile terminal device 11 as the transmission source transmits a mail for confirmation of opening, for example, a specific character string such as “open confirmation” or “open” is input as the title. In addition to entering a specific character string indicating that this read confirmation is required, you can either provide a read confirmation button on the hardware, or use a button that is used for another purpose in the mail browsing state. It is also possible to temporarily assign only at the time of input and input by pressing the button once. In this example, it is assumed that an opening confirmation button is prepared for the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source.

  In FIG. 5, the control unit 103 of the source mobile terminal device 11 determines whether the opening confirmation button is pressed when the button is pressed during mail creation (step S <b> 101).

  If it is determined in step S101 that the opening confirmation button has been pressed (Yes in step S101), the control unit 103 of the mobile terminal device 11 that is the sender searches for the title character string and confirms that opening confirmation is required. It is determined whether or not the specific character string to be indicated has been input (step S102).

  If it is determined in step S102 that a specific character string indicating that opening confirmation is necessary has already been input in the title (Yes in step S102), the control unit 103 of the source mobile terminal device 11 The process returns to S101 and waits for the next button input.

  If it is determined in step S102 that a specific character string indicating that opening confirmation is required is not input in the title (No in step S102), the control unit 103 of the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source A specific character string indicating that opening confirmation is necessary is added (step S103), the process returns to step S101, and then waits for the next button input.

  When a button other than the opening confirmation button is pressed in step S101 (No in step S101), the control unit 103 of the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source determines whether or not the mail transmission button is pressed (step S104). Here, when it is determined that the mail transmission button has been pressed (Yes at Step S104), the control unit 103 of the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source transmits the created mail (Step S105). If it is determined that the pressed button is not a mail transmission button (No in step S104), the control unit 103 of the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source continues to create a mail (step S106), and returns to step S101.

  As a result of the above processing, in the case of an e-mail that needs to be opened, the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source has a specific indication that the opening confirmation such as “opening confirmation” or “opening” is necessary in the title. Processing to send an e-mail containing a character string is performed.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing when the mail server 16 receives a mail from the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source or the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c that are the transmission destinations.

  In FIG. 6, when receiving the mail, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 analyzes the character string of the title of the received mail (step S201). Then, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 determines whether there is a specific character string indicating that an opening confirmation such as “opening confirmation” or “opening” is necessary in the title, and the opening notification is received. It is determined whether the mail is necessary (step S202).

  If it is determined in step S202 that there is a specific character string that requires opening notification in the title character string (Yes in step S202), the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 has a management number in the title character string. It is determined whether it has been added (step S203).

  If it is determined in step S203 that a management number is not added (No in step S203), the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 determines that a mail that requires an opening notification has been received from the mobile terminal device 11 that is the transmission source. Then, the management number is added to the title (step S204). Then, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 secures an area for storing the opening information in the storage unit 202 of the mail server in association with the management number, and stores the received mail in the opening confirmation mail storage area 222 ( Step S205). Then, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 issues a periodic report timer for periodically reporting the situation to the transmission source while not receiving all the opening notifications from the transmission destination (step S206). Mail is transmitted to the portable terminal devices 12a, 12b, and 12c (step S207).

  When a management number is added to the title in step S203 (step S203 Yes), the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 determines that an opening notification mail has been received from the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c. Then, an unsealed state notification process is executed (step S208). Details of the unsealed state notification process in step S208 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  In step S202, when the title does not contain a character string that requires opening notification (No in step S202), the control unit 201 stores the mail in the normal mail storage area 221 as a normal mail (step S209) and transmits it. The mail is transmitted first (step S210).

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the unsealed state notification process in step S208 described above.

  As described above, when the mail server 16 receives the mail with the management number, the opening state notification process is performed in step S208. In this case, the mail server 16 can determine that an opening notification mail has been received from the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c. The mail at this time is stored in the read confirmation mail storage area 222, and in the read confirmation mail storage area 222, the destination mail address and each mail address of the destination are associated with the management number. An area for recording the opening result and the message is secured.

  In FIG. 7, when the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 receives the mail with the management number, the control number indicated in the title and the opening confirmation mail storage area 222 are collated, and the opening whose management number matches is opened. The area of the confirmation mail storage area 222 is specified (step S301).

  If the area where the management numbers match can be identified, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 collates the mail address that has transmitted the read notification with the transmission destination mail address in the read confirmation mail storage area 222 and transmits the read notification. When the e-mail address is specified (step S302) and the e-mail address to which the opening notification is transmitted can be specified, information indicating that the e-mail has been opened is recorded in the opening result column for the specified destination (step S303). ).

  The control unit 201 of the mail server 16 determines whether or not the corresponding mail has been opened at all the transmission destinations (step S304). If it is determined that all of the corresponding mails have been opened (step S304 Yes), the periodic report The timer is stopped (step S305). Then, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 collectively notifies the transmission source mobile terminal device 11 of the unsealing results of the transmission destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c by push transmission (step S306). Push transmission refers to autonomously transmitting information without a request from the mobile terminal device 11. If it is determined in step S304 that all the destinations have not been opened (No in step S304), the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 ends the process.

  With the processing shown in FIG. 7, the opening confirmation mail storage area 222 describes the opening results of the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c as the transmission destinations. Then, if the mail server 16 receives the e-mail of the opening confirmation notification from all the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c before the periodic report timer times out, the opening results of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c are transmitted. The information is collectively notified to the original mobile terminal device 11 by push transmission.

  Here, if the unsealing results from all the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c at the transmission destination cannot be received even after a predetermined time, the periodic report timer times out. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing processing when a timer for periodically reporting the opening status times out.

  In FIG. 8, when the periodic report timer times out, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 compares the management number of the timed-out mail with the management number of the opening confirmation mail storage area 222 of the mail server 16 to determine which destination. It is determined whether or not the e-mail timer has timed out (step S401). Next, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 notifies the sender mobile terminal device 11 by push-transmitting an unsealed mail (step S402), and reissues the periodic report timer (step S403). Thereby, while not all the opening notifications from the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c are received, the opening status of the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c can be reported to the source mobile terminal device 11 periodically. .

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing when the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c receive a mail that needs to be opened.

  In FIG. 9, the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c determines whether or not the received mail is being displayed (step S501). If it is not being displayed (No in step S501), the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c ends this process. When the mail is being displayed (step S501 Yes), the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c confirms whether or not to close the displayed screen (step S502), and an operation for closing the screen is performed. Until that state is maintained.

  If it is determined in step S502 that an operation for closing the screen has been performed (Yes in step S502), the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c needs to confirm opening of the displayed received mail title. Whether or not an opening notification is necessary is determined based on whether or not a specific character string indicating this is included (step S503). In step S503, when the opening notification is unnecessary (No in step S503), the control unit 103 of the transmission destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c ends this processing without doing anything.

  When it is determined in step S503 that an opening notification is necessary (Yes in step S503), the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c determines whether the corresponding mail has not been opened before ( Step S504). If the mail has already been opened (No in step S504), the process ends without doing anything.

  In step S504, when the corresponding mail is unopened (step S504 Yes), the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c displays a message on the display unit 106 that an opening notification is necessary ( Step S505). Then, the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c displays a screen for determining whether or not to add a message to the opening notification on the display unit 106 (step S506).

  After displaying a screen for determining whether or not to add a message on display unit 106, control unit 103 of destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c determines whether or not the user has selected an opening notification with a message. (Step S507).

  When an opening notification with a message is selected in step S507 (step S507 Yes), the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c is in a character input screen so that a message to be notified to the caller can be input. (Step S508). And the control part 103 of the portable terminal device 12a-12c of a transmission destination determines whether the character input was completed (step S509), and when the character input is not completed (step S509 No), the state is completed until it completes. maintain. When the character input is completed (step S509 Yes), the control unit 103 transmits an opening confirmation notification email (step S510).

  When the opening notification with a message is not selected in step S507 (No in step S507), the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c transmits an opening confirmation notification email without adding a message ( Step S510).

  After sending the opening confirmation notification mail in step S510, the control unit 103 of the destination mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c sets that the corresponding mail has been opened (step S511).

  As a result of the above processing, in the mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c of the transmission destination, the specific character string indicating that the opening confirmation such as “opening confirmation” or “opening” is necessary for the title from the mail server 16. When an email is received and this email is browsed, a process of sending an email of an opening confirmation notification is performed when the browsing screen is closed. In addition, a message can be added when an e-mail for confirming the opening is transmitted.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The basic configuration of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment described above. However, in FIG. 10, the time-out process of the periodic report timer in FIG. For mail recipients, a process to resend email has been added.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a process when a timer for periodically reporting the unsealing status in the second embodiment of the present invention times out.

  In FIG. 10, when the periodic report timer times out, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 compares the management number of the timed-out mail with the management number in the read confirmation mail storage area 222 of the mail server 16 to determine which mail It is determined whether the timer has timed out (step S601).

  Next, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 notifies the opening state of the corresponding mail to the mobile terminal device 11 that issued the mail by push transmission (step S602), and updates the time-out count of the periodic report timer (step S603). ). Then, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 determines whether or not the number of timeouts of the periodic report timer exceeds a threshold for determining whether to retransmit the mail (step S604).

  In step S604, if the number of timeouts of the regular report timer exceeds the threshold for determining whether to retransmit the mail (step S604 Yes), the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 sends a mail to the unopened mail address. Is retransmitted (step S605). Thereafter, the control unit 201 of the mail server 16 initializes the timeout number of the regular report timer (step S606), and reissues the regular report timer (step S607).

  In step S604, if the timeout number of the regular report timer is equal to or less than the threshold for determining whether to retransmit the mail (No in step S604), the regular report timer is reissued (step S607).

  As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the opening status is periodically monitored, and if the message is not opened for a certain time, the mail is retransmitted, so that the mail recipient can notice even if it is missed. Is obtained.

  In the above-described embodiment, when opening confirmation is required, an e-mail is transmitted including a specific character string indicating that opening confirmation is required in the title, but the present invention requires opening confirmation. You may make it include the specific character string which shows that it exists in the mail text. Further, according to the present invention, a control code for an opening confirmation request may be included in the header part or attachment part of the mail.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and applications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

11: Source mobile terminal devices 12a to 12c: Destination mobile terminal devices 13, 14a to 14c: Base station 15: Mobile communication network 16; Mail server 101: Radio unit 102: Antenna 103: Control unit 104: Storage unit 105: Key operation unit 106: Display unit 111: CPU
112: Control program 121: Work area 122: Data storage area 201: Control unit 202: Storage unit 212: Control program 221: Normal mail storage area 222: Opening confirmation mail storage area

Claims (7)

A mail system for transferring mail via a mail server between a source terminal device and a destination terminal device,
The source terminal device has means for transmitting an email including information indicating an opening confirmation request when transmitting an email that needs to be opened to the destination terminal device,
When the mail server receives a mail from the source terminal device, the mail server forwards the mail from the source terminal device to the destination terminal device; and the unsealing result from the destination terminal device Means for accumulating opening results from the destination terminal device, and notifying the opening result from the destination terminal device together at a predetermined timing Have
When the destination terminal device receives the mail, the terminal device determines whether or not the opening confirmation is necessary, and if it determines that the opening confirmation is necessary, returns a mail indicating the opening result after viewing the mail. A mail system characterized by comprising means.   The mail system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined timing is every predetermined time.   3. The mail system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined timing is a timing at which opening results from all destination terminal devices are received.   The mail system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mail server has a function of resending mail to a terminal device that has not received the opening result within a predetermined time. A mail opening confirmation method for a mail system that transfers mail via a mail server between a source terminal device and a destination terminal device,
The sending terminal device, when sending an email that needs to be opened to the destination terminal device, sends an email containing information indicating an opening confirmation request,
When the mail server receives the mail from the terminal device of the transmission source, the mail server transfers the mail from the terminal device of the transmission source to the terminal device of the transmission destination,
When receiving the mail, the destination terminal device determines whether or not the opening confirmation is necessary, and when determining that the opening confirmation is necessary, returns a mail indicating the opening result after viewing the mail,
When the mail server receives the mail indicating the opening result from the destination terminal device, the mail server accumulates the opening result from the destination terminal device, and collects the opening result from the destination terminal device. A mail opening confirmation method characterized by notifying a sender terminal device at a predetermined timing. A mail server for transferring mail between a terminal device of a transmission source and a terminal device of a transmission destination,
Upon receiving a mail from the terminal device of the transmission source, means for transferring the mail from the terminal device of the transmission source to the terminal device of the transmission destination;
Means for storing the opening result from the destination terminal device upon receiving an email indicating the opening result from the destination terminal device;
A mail server comprising: means for collectively collecting a result of opening from the terminal device of the transmission destination and notifying the terminal device of the transmission source at a predetermined timing. A mail open confirmation program for a mail server that transfers mail between a terminal device of a transmission source and a terminal device of a transmission destination,
Receiving a mail from the source terminal device, transferring the mail from the source terminal device to the destination terminal device; and
When receiving an email indicating an opening result from the destination terminal device, storing the opening result from the destination terminal device;
A mail opening confirmation program for causing a computer of the mail server to execute a step of collecting the opening results from the terminal device of the transmission destination and notifying the terminal device of the transmission source at a predetermined timing.

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