JP4454826B2 - Server computer that manages e-mail addresses - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for managing e-mail addresses.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Due to the widespread use of computer networks, especially the Internet, communication using electronic mail has been widely performed. Electronic mail on the Internet is sent to a desired partner with an identifier called an electronic mail address as a destination.
[0003]
An e-mail address is generally expressed in a format in which “@” is inserted between a user name (user code) and a domain name to which the user belongs. The e-mail can be transmitted to the other party without worrying about the time and place because the e-mail can identify the user with this e-mail address and send it to the other party's information terminal.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the user's domain changes due to a job change, provider change, etc., the e-mail address must also be changed. In such a case, if the e-mail address before the change is closed, the e-mail transmitted with the e-mail address before the change as the destination is returned to the sender with the unknown destination. For this reason, the sender who knows only the e-mail address before the change cannot send the e-mail to the other party.
[0005]
In addition, some users have a plurality of e-mail addresses, such as contracting with a plurality of providers. At this time, an e-mail transmitted to an e-mail address other than the e-mail address used mainly may be late for the other party to notice the incoming call. For this reason, it is convenient for the sender of the e-mail if it is possible to know the e-mail address that the other party is currently main.
[0006]
A first object of the present invention is to provide a system in which a user who has changed an e-mail address or a user having a plurality of e-mail addresses can register an e-mail address currently used as a main. It is in.
[0007]
A second object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of searching for an e-mail address currently used as a main by the other party who sends the e-mail.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a server computer that accepts registration of an e-mail address,
  Means for accepting an input of a main email address of a user who registers an email address;
  Means for accepting input of an e-mail address as a subordinate of a user who registers an e-mail address;
  Storage means for storing the main e-mail address and the subordinate e-mail address in association with each other,
Means for accepting a secondary e-mail address to be searched from a user searching for an e-mail address;
Retrieve the received secondary e-mail address from the storage means,
When a secondary e-mail address is extracted, the search user is searched for information regarding the disclosure of the e-mail address associated with the main e-mail address associated with the extracted subordinate e-mail address. Means for notifying the user who has registered the e-mail address of information relating to the user to be searched if the confirmation is recorded;
A server computer is provided.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
In the present embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to a mail address management system will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a mail address management system.
[0014]
As shown in the figure, the mail address management system 11 is configured on a server computer 10. The server computer 10 is connected to the Internet 30 via a line such as a telephone line.
[0015]
A plurality of terminal computers 20a, 20b,... Are connected to the Internet 30 via lines such as telephone lines. A user of the mail address management system 11 can access the server computer 10 using the terminal computer 20 that can be used by the user.
[0016]
Among the users of the mail address management system 11, the user who registers the mail address mails the mail address currently used as the main and the mail address used in the past or the mail address used as the sub. It can be registered in the address management system 11.
[0017]
On the other hand, a user who searches for an e-mail address transmits to the e-mail address management system 11 a past e-mail address of the search target person or an e-mail address used as a sub. Then, the e-mail address management system 11 searches the database using the received e-mail address as a key, and notifies the user of the e-mail address currently used as the main registrant of the extracted e-mail address. In this way, the searcher can obtain the mail address currently used as the main by the search target person.
[0018]
The server computer 10 can be configured using, for example, a hardware system as shown in FIG. In this figure, the server computer 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 51, a main storage device 52, an image processing device 53, a communication control device 54, an external storage device 55, an input control device 56, and these. And a system bus 57 for connecting the two.
[0019]
A keyboard 58 and a mouse 59 are connected to the server computer 10 via the input control device 56. Further, a monitor 60 which is an image output device is connected via the image processing device 53. Then, it is connected to the Internet 30 via the communication control device 54. Of course, the hardware configuration of the server computer 10 is not limited to this example.
[0020]
The CPU 51 is a device that performs central control of the server computer 10 and has a function of decoding and executing a program. The main storage device 52 has a function of temporarily storing data, programs and the like handled by the server computer 10. The image processing device 53 performs operations for generating an image. The communication control device 54 is composed of devices such as a modem and a TA, for example, and controls transmission / reception of data via the network. The external storage device 55 is composed of, for example, a hard disk device or the like, and stores basic software, application software, various other data, and the like in a nonvolatile manner. The input control device 56 performs data control when accepting an operator's instruction.
[0021]
A mail address management system 11 constructed on the server computer 10 incorporates a WWW server program 12. The entire system is controlled by the CPU 51 performing processing according to this program. The mail address management system 11 includes a mail transmission / reception means 13 and a database management means 14, and performs transmission / reception of mail, reading / writing of data in a database to be managed, etc. according to the WWW server program 12.
[0022]
The mail address management system 11 includes a registered member database 15, a mail address database 16, and a hold information database 17 as databases managed by the database management means 14.
[0023]
The registered member database 15 is a database that stores information about users registered as members in this system. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of information registered in the registered member database 15. As shown in the figure, the registered member database stores a member ID 151, a member name 152, a password 153, a current mail address 154, an address 155, and mail address public information 156.
[0024]
The member ID 151 stores an identifier for specifying a member. The member name 152 stores the name of the member. The password 153 stores a code used for member authentication in combination with the member ID 151. The current mail address 154 stores the mail address currently used by the member. The address 155 stores the member's address. The e-mail address public information 156 stores information as to whether or not the member approves the disclosure of the current e-mail address 154 when the e-mail address is searched. Specifically, in this embodiment, one of “disclosure”, “non-disclosure”, and “confirm partner” is stored. The current e-mail address of the member in which “disclosure” is stored is unconditionally disclosed to the search partner. The current email address of the member in which “non-disclosure” is stored is not disclosed. The member's current mail address in which “confirm partner” is stored is disclosed to the search partner when the search partner is confirmed and the member consents to be disclosed.
[0025]
The items stored in the registered member database 15 are not limited to those described above, and for example, personal information such as age, gender, occupation, credit card information, and the like may be stored.
[0026]
The mail address database 16 stores the mail address for which registration has been received in association with the member ID. The e-mail address stored in the e-mail address database 16 is an e-mail address that serves as a search key, such as an e-mail address that has been used by a member in the past and an e-mail address that is not normally used. For the convenience of search, the mail address database 16 may store, for example, information about the time when the mail address was used.
[0027]
The hold information database 17 stores information related to a search request when a target email address is not found in response to a search request for an email address received from a member. The hold information database 17 stores, for example, a member ID and an e-mail address as a search key in association with each other. Information related to the search request stored in the hold information database 17 is searched again when the registered member database 15 or the mail address database 16 is updated later.
[0028]
Note that each means and each database of the mail address management system 11 may be distributed among a plurality of computers.
[0029]
As with the server computer 10, the terminal computer 20 can be configured using a hardware system as shown in FIG. Further, a printing device such as a printer, an auxiliary storage device such as a magnetic disk drive, and the like may be provided. Of course, it is not necessarily limited to these structures.
[0030]
Next, the process of the mail address management system 11 in this Embodiment is demonstrated using drawing.
[0031]
First, processing when a user registers an email address in the email address management system 11 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0032]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of transition of screens displayed on the monitor 60 connected to the terminal computer 20 when the user accesses the mail address management system 11 using the terminal computer 20.
[0033]
The user first displays the mail address registration page 300. If it is a non-member who has not been registered in the mail address management system 11, a “non-member” button 301 can be clicked, and if it is a registered member, a “member” button 302 can be clicked.
[0034]
The system 11 that has received the click of the “non-member” button 301 displays the member information and mail address input screen 310 as member registration processing, and prompts the user to input. The mail address input screen 310 includes a member information input field 311, a mail address input field 312, and a “Register” button 313 as shown in the figure.
[0035]
On this screen, the user can input information excluding the member ID 151 and the password 153 from the information stored in the registered member database 15 in the member information input field 311. Specifically, the member name, current e-mail address, address, e-mail address disclosure information, etc. are input.
[0036]
In the e-mail address input field 312, the e-mail address to be registered, that is, the e-mail address that has been used in the past, the sub e-mail address that is not normally used, and the like can be entered.
[0037]
The user can input necessary information in the member information input field 311 and the mail address input field 312 and click the “Register” button 313.
[0038]
The system 11 that has received the click of the “Register” button 313 issues a member ID and a password (S101). The entered member information is stored in the registered member database 16 in association with the issued member ID and password (S102). Further, the mail address input in the mail address input field 312 is stored in the mail address database 17 in association with the issued member ID (S102).
[0039]
Then, the member ID / password notification screen 320 is displayed, the issued member ID and password are notified to the user, and the mail address registration process is terminated.
[0040]
When the user clicks the “member” button 302 on the mail address registration page 300, the system 11 displays an authentication screen 330 and prompts for the member ID and password.
[0041]
When the “OK” button 332 is clicked, the registered member database 15 is searched using the member ID and password input in the member ID and password input field 331 as a key, and the member information is extracted, thereby authenticating the member. (S103).
[0042]
When member information is extracted and authenticated as a result of the member authentication, the system 11 displays a mail address input screen 340. At this time, the extracted registered member information is displayed in the registered member information display column 341. Further, the already registered mail address is extracted from the mail address database 16 using the member ID as a key and displayed in the mail address input field 342.
[0043]
On this screen 340, the user can add a mail address to be registered to the mail address input field 342. When the member information is changed, the member information displayed in the member information display column 341 can be corrected. In particular, when the main email address is changed, the current email address displayed in the member information display column 341 is transferred to the email address input column 342, and the new main email address is displayed in the member information display. Enter in the current mail address field of the field 341.
[0044]
When the system 11 accepts a click on the “Register” button 343, if the member information display field 341 is changed, the registered member database 15 is updated, and the mail address is added to the mail address input field 342. If so, the data is added to the mail address database 16 and the mail address registration process is terminated.
[0045]
Next, a process in which the mail address management system 11 retrieves a current mail address using a mail address such as the past in response to a user request will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the user who performs the search is referred to as the searcher, and the owner of the mail address that is the search target is referred to as the search target person.
[0046]
FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen displayed when a user accesses the mail address management system 11 in order to search for a mail address, and an example of contents of an e-mail transmitted from the mail address management system 11. FIG.
[0047]
First, a case where a searcher who has completed membership registration searches for an e-mail address will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0048]
First, in order to confirm that the searcher is a member, the mail address management system 11 prompts the searcher to input a member ID and a password, and performs an authentication process (S201). As a result of the authentication process, when it is confirmed that the member registration has been completed, the mail address management system 11 displays a screen as shown in FIG. 7A, and inputs the mail address as a search key to the searcher. (S202).
[0049]
When receiving an input of a mail address as a search key from the searcher, the system 11 checks whether or not the received mail address exists in the mail address database 16 (S203).
[0050]
If the received mail address is not found from the mail address database 16, a screen as shown in FIG. 7B is displayed on the monitor 60 of the searcher's terminal computer 20, and the corresponding mail address is found. The searcher is notified that there is no notification and that notification will be made if the corresponding e-mail address is registered in the future (S204).
[0051]
The system 11 registers the e-mail address not found and the member ID of the searcher in the hold information database 17 and ends the process (S205).
[0052]
When the accepted e-mail address is found from the e-mail address database 16, the member ID related to the accepted e-mail address is extracted from the e-mail address database 16 and the registered member database 15 is referred to. Then, the member data is extracted, and the mail address public information 157 of the extracted member data is checked (S206).
[0053]
If the mail address disclosure information 157 is “public”, the extracted member data, that is, the current mail address 154 of the search target person is displayed on the terminal computer 20 of the searcher (FIG. 7C, S207). .
[0054]
If the e-mail address public information 157 is “non-public”, the corresponding e-mail address has not been found (or the e-mail address is non-public) and the corresponding e-mail address is registered in the future (public) If so, a message to notify is displayed on the terminal computer 20 of the searcher (FIG. 7B, S214). Then, the e-mail address serving as a search key and the member ID of the searcher are registered in the hold information database 17, and the process is terminated (S215).
[0055]
If the e-mail address disclosure information 157 is “confirm partner”, the searcher's terminal computer 20 is notified that the corresponding e-mail address has not been found and that the e-mail address will be notified if the e-mail address is registered in the future. It is displayed (FIG. 7B, S209), and the process is once terminated.
[0056]
After that, as shown in FIG. 7D, information on the searcher is notified to the search target person, and an e-mail requesting confirmation of whether or not the e-mail address can be disclosed is transmitted (S210). The searcher information can be obtained by referring to the registered member database 15 using the member ID input at the time of authentication as a key. Further, the searcher information to be notified can be, for example, a name, an address, an e-mail address, or the like.
[0057]
Note that a confirmation number is attached to the e-mail, and the same number is attached to the reply, so that the reply from the search target person can be collated with the search case. Of course, the collation method is not limited to this.
[0058]
As a result, when receiving a response from the search target person to approve the disclosure of the e-mail address, an e-mail notifying the search person of the e-mail address of the search target as shown in FIG. Transmit (S212).
[0059]
On the other hand, when receiving a reply from the search subject that the e-mail address is not permitted to be released, the e-mail address as a search key and the member ID of the searcher are registered in the hold information database 17 and the process is terminated. (S213).
[0060]
Through the above processing, the searcher can obtain the current mail address of the search target person. Further, the search target person can determine whether or not to disclose his / her mail address by checking the information of the searcher.
[0061]
Next, a case where a searcher who has not registered as a member searches for an e-mail address will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0062]
First, the mail address management system 11 prompts the searcher to input a mail address as a search key (FIG. 7 (a), S301).
[0063]
When receiving an input of a mail address as a search key from the searcher, the system 11 checks whether or not the received mail address exists in the mail address database 16 (S302).
[0064]
If the received mail address is not found from the mail address database 16, as shown in FIG. 7E, if the corresponding mail address is not found and the member is registered, the corresponding mail address is changed in the future. A notification to be notified when registered is displayed on the searcher's terminal computer 20 together with a registration button and an end button (S303).
[0065]
If the searcher clicks the end button without requesting membership registration, the process ends.
[0066]
When the searcher wants to register and clicks the registration button, the member information and e-mail address input screen 310 shown in FIG. 4 is displayed as a member registration process. Then, the input of registration contents is accepted and recorded in the registered member database (S316). Then, the e-mail address serving as a search key and the member ID set at the time of registration are recorded in the hold information database 17 (S317), and the process is terminated.
[0067]
When the accepted email address is found from the email address database 16, the member ID related to the accepted email address is extracted from the email address database 16 and the registered member database 15 is referenced. Then, the member data is extracted, and the mail address public information 157 of the extracted member data is checked (S304).
[0068]
If the mail address disclosure information 157 is “public”, the current mail address 154 of the search target person is displayed on the searcher's terminal computer 20 (FIG. 7C, S305).
[0069]
If the e-mail address disclosure information 157 is not “public”, the registration button and the end that the corresponding e-mail address has not been found and that the e-mail address will be notified in the future if the member registration is made It is displayed on the searcher's terminal computer 20 together with the button (FIG. 7 (e), S306).
[0070]
If the searcher clicks the end button without requesting membership registration, the process ends.
[0071]
When the searcher wants to register and clicks the registration button, the member information and e-mail address input screen 310 shown in FIG. 4 is displayed as a member registration process. Then, the input of registration contents is accepted and recorded in the registered member database (S308). Then, the process is once terminated.
[0072]
Next, if the e-mail address disclosure information 157 of the member information of the search target extracted in step S304 is “non-disclosure”, the e-mail address serving as a search key and the member ID of the searcher are stored in the hold information database. 17 is registered (S310).
[0073]
If the e-mail address disclosure information 157 is “confirm partner”, the search target information as shown in FIG. 7D is notified to the search target person and whether or not the e-mail address may be disclosed. An e-mail requesting confirmation is transmitted (S311).
[0074]
As a result, when receiving a response from the search target person to approve the disclosure of the e-mail address, an e-mail notifying the searcher of the e-mail address is transmitted (S313). The searcher information can be obtained by referring to the information input at the time of member registration. Further, the searcher information to be notified can be, for example, a name, an address, an e-mail address, or the like.
[0075]
In addition, by attaching a confirmation number to the e-mail, it becomes possible to collate with an answer from a search respondent.
[0076]
As a result, when an answer to the effect that the e-mail address is approved is received from the search target person, an e-mail notifying the e-mail address of the search target person is transmitted to the searcher (FIG. 7 (f), S313). ).
[0077]
On the other hand, when receiving a reply from the search subject that the e-mail address is not permitted to be released, the e-mail address as a search key and the member ID of the searcher are registered in the hold information database 17 and the process is terminated. (S314).
[0078]
With the above processing, the searcher can obtain the current e-mail address if the search target person discloses the e-mail address without registering as a member.
[0079]
Next, processing for searching for an email address again from the email address recorded in the hold information database 17 and the member ID of the searcher will be described.
[0080]
When the contents of the registered member database 15 or the mail address database 16 are updated, the electronic mail management system 11 searches the mail address database 16 using the mail address recorded in the hold information database 17 as a key. As a result, when the e-mail address is found, the member ID related to the e-mail address is extracted from the e-mail address database 16 and the registered member database 15 is referred to extract the e-mail address disclosure information 157 of the member. If the mail address public information 157 is “public”, the e-mail address of the member corresponding to the member ID of the searcher in the hold information database 17 is extracted from the registered member database 15, and the e-mail address is searched for. Send the subject's email address information. Then, the data related to the information transmitted from the hold information database 17 is deleted.
[0081]
In this way, the e-mail address of the search target person who could not be notified because the unregistered e-mail address public information 157 was “non-public” at the time of the first search was re-searched. It will be possible to be notified if the situation can be released.
[0082]
In the above example, the latest e-mail address of the search target person is extracted using the e-mail address as a key. However, the present invention is not limited to this, for example, the telephone number of the search target person, The latest e-mail address can be extracted using the name or the like as a key.
[0083]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a user who has changed an e-mail address or a user who has a plurality of e-mail addresses can register an e-mail address currently used as a main. .
[0084]
In addition, it becomes possible to search for an e-mail address currently used as a main by the other party to whom the e-mail is sent.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a mail address management system.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an example of a hardware configuration of a server computer.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of information registered in a registered member database.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of transition of screens displayed when a user accesses the mail address management system 11 in order to register a mail address.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining processing when a searcher who has completed member registration searches for an e-mail address;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining processing when a searcher who has not completed membership registration searches for an e-mail address;
FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen displayed when a user accesses the mail address management system 11 in order to search for a mail address, and contents of an email transmitted from the mail address management system 11; It is a figure which shows an example.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Server computer
11 ... E-mail address management system
12 ... WWW server program
13 ... Mail transmission / reception means
14: Data management means
15. Registered member database
16 ... Email address database
17 ... Hold information database
20 ... Terminal computer
21 ... WWW browser
22 ... Mail transmission / reception means
30 ... Internet
51 ... CPU, 52 ... main storage device, 53 ... image processing device
54 ... Communication control device, 55 ... External storage device, 56 ... Input control device
57 ... System bus
58 ... Keyboard, 59 ... Mouse, 60 ... Monitor

Claims (4)

A server computer that accepts registration of email addresses,
Means for accepting the input of the main email address of the user who registers the email address;
Means for accepting input of an e-mail address that is a subordinate of the user who registers the e-mail address;
Storage means for associating and storing the primary email address and the secondary email address;
From the user to search for the e-mail address, and means for receiving the e-mail address to which the search target of the slave,
Retrieve the received secondary e-mail address from the storage means,
When a secondary e-mail address is extracted, the search user is searched for information related to the disclosure of the e-mail address associated with the main e-mail address associated with the extracted subordinate e-mail address. Means for notifying a user who has registered the e-mail address of information relating to the user to be searched if a confirmation is recorded;
Server computer, wherein the obtaining Bei a. The server computer according to claim 1, wherein authentication processing of a user who registers an e-mail address is performed. The server computer according to claim 1, wherein authentication processing of a user who searches for an e-mail address is performed. 4. The server computer according to claim 1, wherein one main e-mail address is stored, and a plurality of subordinate e-mail addresses are allowed to be stored. Server computer.

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