JP2644195B2 - Round-trip email method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic mail system,
In particular, the present invention relates to a round-trip e-mail system for processing transmission and reception of an e-mail requesting a response from a recipient.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an electronic mail system, when a recipient makes a reply to an incoming mail that requires a reply, the recipient creates a reply document and executes a reply command. The system automatically generates the destination of the reply mail from the information of the sender of the incoming mail,
A method is known in which a recipient can send a reply mail without specifying a destination. For example, JP-A-60-206
Japanese Patent Publication No. 244 proposes a method in which when a receiver calls the incoming mail, a reply mail is automatically prepared, and when the preparation of a reply document is completed, the reply mail is automatically returned to the sender.

In this method, when a recipient sends a reply mail, it is not necessary to specify a destination, but it is necessary to prepare a full text of a reply document. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-67041 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Heisei 2-1854 disclose a method in which only an answer can be entered and a reply can be made.
No. 6 proposes this.

[0004]

The above-mentioned conventional round-trip e-mail method is convenient when a receiver calls an incoming mail and immediately prepares a reply and returns a reply mail. In the case where a reply is temporarily held because a reply cannot be made and a reply is made later, it is necessary to store the reply term written in the body of the incoming mail and manage the term by the recipient himself. For this reason, there is a problem that it is often the case that the user forgets to answer the deadline.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem by performing timer monitoring on the receiving side and displaying in the incoming mail list for each recipient that the response time limit has been set and that the response time limit is imminent. It is to provide a possible round-trip e-mail system.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a round-trip electronic mail system for processing transmission and reception of an electronic mail requesting an answer from a receiver.
An outgoing mail transmitting means that adds a round-trip flag and response time limit information to a round-trip e-mail with a response deadline and sends it to the sending-side e-mail processing unit, and manages and transmits the response status of the transmitted round-trip e-mail. Timer monitoring means for notifying the user of the result of the counting, and registering response time limit information in the management list and monitoring the timer when a round-trip e-mail having a round-trip flag is received in the receiving e-mail processing unit. Means, when displaying a list of incoming mail in response to a request from the receiver terminal, referring to the management list of the timer monitoring means and displaying a response round-trip email with a response deadline and an alarm indicating that the response deadline is near. And a timer list monitor means for deleting a corresponding round-trip e-mail from the management list of the timer monitoring means when a reply mail is transmitted. Reply mail transmitting means for stopping, forcible reply returning means for creating a non-response return mail with an expiration flag with respect to a round-trip e-mail whose response time limit has been exceeded by timer monitoring by the timer monitoring means and sending it to the sender, A confirmation information returning means for creating a reception confirmation return mail with a confirmed flag added when the receiver terminal calls a round-trip e-mail with a response time limit and suspending or discarding without sending a reply mail and sending it to the sender; It is provided with.

[0007]

[0008]

[0009]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the round-trip e-mail system of this embodiment comprises a sender terminal 1, a sender e-mail processor 2, a receiver terminal 3, and a receiver e-mail processor 4. It is configured. The sending-side e-mail processing unit 2 adds a round-trip flag and response time limit information in the case of a round-trip e-mail with a response time limit, in addition to the transmission processing unit 2a and the reception processing unit 2b that perform normal processing required for sending and receiving an e-mail. Outgoing mail transmitting means 5 for editing and transmitting the outgoing mail, and reply status managing means 6 for managing the reply status of the transmitted round-trip e-mail and notifying the result of the tallying. , In addition to the transmission processing unit 4a and the reception processing unit 4b,
The timer monitoring means 7 for monitoring the received round-trip e-mail with the response time limit, and the received mail list displayed on the receiver terminal 3 based on the information from the timer monitoring means 7 indicates that the round-trip e-mail with the time limit is received. A mail list display means 8 for displaying a message indicating that the response deadline is approaching, a reply mail transmitting means 9 for stopping the timer monitoring when the reply mail is transmitted, and a round-trip email having reached the response deadline. Response returning means 10 for creating a non-response return mail with an expiration flag and sending it to the sender
Confirmation information returning means for generating a reception confirmation return mail with a confirmed flag added thereto when the receiver terminal 3 calls a round-trip e-mail with a response time limit and suspending or discarding without sending a return mail and sending it to the sender 11 are included.

The operation of each means will be described in detail in the case where the sender sends a round-trip electronic mail with a deadline specifying a reply deadline for the purpose of questionnaire survey. First, the sender terminal 1 creates a notification text including the purpose of the questionnaire request and the response deadline, and a questionnaire text (answer sheet) including the content of the question and the answer entry column, and receives the sender name, subject (title), and reception. The response time limit is input together with the name of the person, and a request is made to the sending side e-mail processing unit 2 by designating that it is a round-trip electronic mail with a time limit.

In the sending side e-mail processing unit 2 which has received the sending request from the sending terminal 1, when the sending mail transmitting means 5 detects the designation of the round-trip e-mail with a term, the round-trip electronic mail having the data structure as shown in FIG. An e-mail message is generated and transmitted to the receiving e-mail processing unit 4 to which each destination recipient belongs via the transmission processing unit 2a. As shown in FIG. 2, in addition to the sender 21, recipient 22, and subject 23 which are basic mail management information, a round-trip flag 24 as additional mail management information, Deadline 2
5 are included. After these pieces of mail management information, a notification sentence 26 and a questionnaire sentence 27 classified by identification information are provided.
Is transmitted.

The response status management means 6 is provided for collectively managing the response status (response rate, etc.) of the questionnaire, and includes information (subject, transmission information) of the time-limited round-trip e-mail transmitted from the transmission mail transmission means 5. Is registered.
Each time a reply mail or processing information is received from the recipient, the response status is recorded, edited into a designated format as needed at the request of the sender, and displayed on the sender terminal 1.

In the receiving-side e-mail processing unit 4, the received e-mail is stored in the mailbox of the receiving processing unit 4b, and when the round trip flag is detected, the timer monitoring means 7 sets the response time limit in the message to an internal management list. Register and start timer monitoring. The timer monitoring means 7 sets a flag indicating the fact in the management list when a predetermined condition (the current day or the previous day) is reached for the response deadline,
If the response time limit has passed, a control signal is sent out and the forced response return means 10 is activated.

When the recipient calls the e-mail from the recipient terminal 3, the mail list display means 8 first displays a list of incoming mail addressed to the recipient on the screen of the recipient terminal 3. At this time, the mail list display means 8 refers to the management list in the timer monitoring means 7 and, for the e-mail registered in the management list, is a round-trip e-mail at the head of the corresponding title line of the list. When a flag indicating that the answer deadline is approaching is set, a warning is displayed by, for example, displaying the title line in reverse or blinking.

When the recipient specifies the title of the round-trip e-mail from the list, the corresponding round-trip e-mail is read from the mailbox by the reception processing unit 4b, and the screen of the receiver terminal 3 displays the mail text (notification text + A questionnaire sentence) is displayed, and a message prompting an answer is displayed, and the mode is set to the answer mode. When the recipient enters the answer in the answer field of the displayed survey sentence and executes the reply command,
The reply mail transmitting means 9 replaces the sender and receiver of the corresponding round-trip e-mail and replaces the mail management information (address information).
Is generated, and a reply mail with the completed questionnaire sentence as the mail text is transmitted to the transmission-side e-mail processing unit 2 of the transmission source via the transmission processing unit 4a. At the same time, the corresponding round-trip electronic mail is deleted from the management list of the timer monitoring means 7 and the timer monitoring is stopped.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the structure of a reply mail message transmitted by the reply mail transmitting means 9. The reply mail message includes basic mail management information indicated by a sender 31, a receiver 32, and a subject 33, a reply flag 34 indicating that the mail is a reply mail to the round-trip e-mail, and a mail body 35 including a completed questionnaire message. It is composed of

The round-trip e-mail received by the receiving e-mail processing section 4 is registered in the management list of the timer monitoring means 7 and monitored by the timer as described above, and is deleted from the management list when a reply is returned. However, if there is no read request before the answer deadline due to the absence of the receiver and the time expires while being registered in the management list, the timer monitoring means 7 outputs a control signal and activates the forced answer return means 10.
The forced reply return means 10 reads the corresponding round-trip e-mail from the mailbox, automatically generates a message with an expiration flag 41 added thereto as shown in FIG. 4, and transmits the message to the sender e-mail processing unit 2 as a non-response return mail. I do.

If the receiver reads out the round-trip e-mail from the receiver terminal 3 and then performs the hold processing or the discarding processing without creating a reply, the confirmation information returning means 11 adds the confirmation flag to the reception information. Create a confirmation return email,
The message is transmitted to the transmission side e-mail processing unit 2 of the transmission source. In the case of discard processing, the corresponding round-trip e-mail is deleted from the mailbox and also deleted from the management list of the timer monitoring means 7 and timer monitoring is stopped. The e-mail is not deleted and timer monitoring is continued.

[0021] Reception processing unit 2 of originating electronic mail processing unit 2
b, when a reply mail having a reply flag is received, stores the mail text in the mailbox, and stores the mail management information together with the reception date / time information in the response status management means 6.
Pass to. The reply status management means 6 registers a reply flag indicating that the reply has been completed and the reception date and time in the corresponding recipient (sender of the return mail) field from the mail management information. When a non-response return mail with an expiration flag or a receipt confirmation return mail with a confirmed flag is received, it is passed to the response status management means 6 without being stored in the mailbox, and a flag for identifying each of them and the reception date and time are set. be registered. This allows the caller to check the answer status at any time. In other words, at any time, if there is a reply flag, it means that the reply has already been answered, if there is a confirmed flag, the recipient has seen the content but has not answered, and if there is no flag, the recipient has not answered. It turns out that you have not seen the contents.
After the response deadline, if the expired flag alone, the recipient has expired without seeing the contents due to absence, etc.If there is a confirmed flag and an expired flag, there was a will of the answer but some It can be understood that if no answer could be made for the reason, if only the confirmed flag was used, it was discarded without the will of the answer.

In the above-described embodiment, since the sender manages the answer status at any time, the reply status management means 6 is sent to the sender e-mail processor 2 and the forced reply is sent back to the receiver e-mail processor 4. Although it is provided with the means 10 and the confirmation information returning means 11, if it is not necessary to manage the response status, even without them, the recipient can view the incoming mail list and receive the round-trip e-mail whose response time limit is imminent. It can be easily recognized, and it is possible to eliminate a situation in which there is a will of the answer but the user forgets to answer.

In the case where the response status is managed, the confirmation information returning means 11 may be omitted, but by providing this, the sender can know that the receiver has confirmed the contents, and the detailed management can be performed. Becomes possible. Note that it is also possible to set a separate flag to distinguish between the hold processing and the discard processing by the confirmation information returning means 11 and to perform more detailed management.

[0024]

As described above, in the round-trip e-mail system of the present invention, response time limit information is transmitted from the sending side as mail management information of the round-trip e-mail, and the receiving side monitors the timer with respect to this response time limit information. And a warning is displayed in the incoming mail list by a method such as a blinking display for a round-trip e-mail whose expiration date is imminent, so that there is no need to manage the expiration date depending on the memory of the recipient, and there is an effect that the answer is promoted. Further, when the time limit expires, it is possible to automatically reply to the mail including the time-out flag, and it is possible to reliably and precisely manage the response status on the sender side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a message data structure of a round-trip e-mail specifying a reply time limit.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a message data structure of a reply mail from a recipient.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a message data structure of a non-response return mail when the expiration date has expired.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 sender terminal 2 sender e-mail processor 2a, 4a transmission processor 2b, 4b reception processor 3 receiver terminal 4 receiver e-mail processor 5 outgoing e-mail transmission means 6 reply status management means 7 timer monitoring means 8 e-mail List display means 9 Reply mail sending means 10 Forced reply returning means 11 Confirmation information returning means 21,31 Sender 22,32 Receiver 23,33 Subject 24 Round trip flag 25 Response deadline 26 Notification message 27 Questionnaire message 34 Reply flag 35 Mail text 41 Expired flag

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] In a round-trip e-mail system for processing transmission and reception of an e-mail requesting an answer from a receiver, a sending-side e-mail processing unit includes a round-trip flag for a round-trip e-mail for which a response deadline is set. An outgoing e-mail transmitting means for adding the response time limit information and transmitting, and a response status managing means for managing the response status of the transmitted round-trip e-mails and notifying the sender of the tally result, A timer monitoring means for registering response time limit information in a management list when a round-trip e-mail having a round-trip flag is received and monitoring the timer, and a timer monitoring means for displaying an incoming mail list upon request from a receiver terminal. A mail list display means for displaying a display indicating that the response time limit is attached to the corresponding round-trip e-mail by referring to the management list and an alarm indicating that the response time limit is near A reply mail transmitting means for deleting the corresponding round-trip e-mail from the management list of the timer monitoring means when the reply mail is transmitted, and suspending the timer monitoring; and a round-trip e-mail having exceeded the response time limit by the timer monitoring by the timer monitoring means. Means to create a non-response return e-mail with an expiration flag and send it to the sender, and the receiver terminal called a round-trip e-mail with a response expiration and suspended or discarded it without sending a reply e-mail A reciprocating e-mail system comprising: a confirmation information returning means for generating a reception confirmation return mail to which a confirmation completion flag is added and sending the mail to a sender.