JP5102163B2 - E-mail server, e-mail system, and e-mail relay method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an e-mail server, an e-mail system, and an e-mail system that can send e-mails with private information to a non-registered user in a state in which the personal information is made public to non-registered users. The present invention relates to an e-mail relay method.

  Normally, when an e-mail is sent, the recipient's e-mail address is known. In addition, a so-called “signature” action in which personal information such as name and telephone number is added to the body of an e-mail is also common, but this causes the personal information to be grasped by the recipient of the mail.

  Therefore, if the mail recipient is malicious, personal information obtained from the e-mail may be misused. For example, if an e-mail address is known to a malicious person, a large amount of spam mail may be sent. In such a case, it is necessary to use a spam filter to prevent spam mail, or in the worst case, the mail address may be changed.

For this reason, e-mail users should only tell their e-mail address to an acquaintance partner, and other personal information should be included in the text only when sending e-mail to a trusted party. It was necessary to pay attention such as to do.
Or, it was necessary to use different mail addresses for acquiring multiple mail addresses and sending them to a trusted party and sending them to an untrusted party.

  In recent years, communities and auctions on the Internet have become widespread, but when using these services, it may be necessary to send e-mails to unacquainted parties. As mentioned above, personal information including at least one's own mail address is known to the other party by sending an e-mail, which has been a psychological hindrance to using the Internet community and auctions. .

As a technique related to sending an e-mail while maintaining anonymity, there is Patent Literature 1. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 is to transmit to the second user after replacing the transmission source address of the e-mail addressed to the second user from the first user with another temporary address. is there.
JP 2002-73475 A

  However, the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not guarantee anonymity regarding personal information other than the mail address of the sender. Therefore, the psychological hindrance to using the Internet community and auction could not be removed sufficiently.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. For users who have been registered, personal information is disclosed, and for unregistered users, personal information is not disclosed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an e-mail server, an e-mail system, and an e-mail relay method that can be transmitted.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, as a first aspect, an electronic mail server having a function of receiving an electronic mail issued from an information processing apparatus and transmitting the received electronic mail to a destination address. When relaying an e-mail addressed to a non-registered e-mail address from a registered e-mail address, a one-time address is generated, the e-mail address of the sender is converted to a one-time address, and then to the non-registered e-mail address Means for detecting personal information that can identify a specific individual included in the body of an e-mail addressed to an unregistered e-mail address from a registered e-mail address, and the detected personal information as the original information Provides an e-mail server characterized by having means for replacing dummy data with no relation .

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, as a second aspect, an electronic mail characterized in that the electronic mail server according to the first aspect of the present invention is connected to at least one information processing apparatus. A system is provided.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned goal, as a third aspect, the present invention provides an electronic mail server having a function of receiving an electronic mail issued from an information processing apparatus and transmitting the received electronic mail to a destination address In the e-mail relay method, a one-time address is generated when an e-mail addressed to a non-registered e-mail address is relayed from a registered e-mail address, and the sender e-mail address is converted to a one-time address. Means for sending to a non-registered e-mail address, means for detecting personal information that can identify a specific individual contained in the body of an e-mail addressed to a non-registered e-mail address from a registered e-mail address, and detection an electronic-mail relay method characterized in that it comprises a means for replacing the unrelated dummy data to the personal information of the original information Is shall.

  According to the present invention, an e-mail server and an e-mail that can send e-mails with private information to a non-registered user in a state in which the personal information is made public to the unregistered user A system and an e-mail relay method can be provided.

  A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows an e-mail system to which an e-mail server suitably implementing the present invention is applied. An unspecified number of information processing apparatuses 20 a to 20 n are connected to the electronic mail server 10 via the network 30. This e-mail system is connected to an e-mail server 40 used by unregistered users, and electronic mail is transmitted between the registered user and the unregistered user via the e-mail server 10 and the e-mail server 40. Mail can be sent and received.

  FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the electronic mail server 10. The e-mail server 10 includes a communication unit 11, a mail receiving unit 12, a mail address storage unit 13, an e-mail conversion unit 14, a mail transmission unit 15, and a dummy data storage unit 16. The electronic mail server 10 has a function of receiving electronic mails (for example, SMTP) issued from the information processing apparatuses 20a to 20n and a function of transmitting the received electronic mails to a destination address (for example, POP3).

  The communication unit 11 performs protocol processing (for example, TCP / IP protocol processing) for transmitting and receiving data via the network 30. The mail receiving unit 12 acquires e-mail data from the data received by the communication unit 11 and determines whether the e-mail satisfies a specific condition. Specific conditions will be described later. The mail address storage unit 13 stores the user's e-mail address registered in advance and information (correspondence table) indicating the correspondence between the one-time address and the original address described later. Note that any method can be applied to the method of registering the user's e-mail address (the method of storing the e-mail address in the e-mail address storage unit 13). For example, a known online registration function may be provided in the electronic mail server 10, or user data may be stored in the mail address storage unit 13 by an operator manually. The e-mail conversion unit 14 performs predetermined conversion processing on e-mails acquired by the mail receiving unit 12 that satisfy a specific condition. The contents of the conversion will be described later. The mail transmission unit 15 outputs the email data output from the email conversion unit 14 to the communication unit 11. The dummy data storage unit 16 stores dummy data used by the e-mail conversion unit 14 for conversion processing. The address management unit 17 performs processing for invalidating the one-time address stored in the mail address storage unit 13.

  The e-mail conversion unit 14 includes an address conversion unit 141, a personal information conversion unit 142, and a warning text addition unit 143. The address conversion unit 141 generates a one-time address that is a unique e-mail address that is different each time, converts the source address into the generated one-time address, and an e-mail returned to the one-time address And a process of converting the destination of the e-mail to the original e-mail address. The personal information conversion unit 142 performs processing for extracting personal information included in the body of the e-mail and replacing it with dummy data stored in the dummy data storage unit 16. The warning part adding unit 143 adds a sentence for inquiring whether or not to continuously receive the e-mail from the account of the reply source to the body of the e-mail returned to the one-time address.

FIG. 3 shows an operation flow of the electronic mail server 10.
When the e-mail server 10 receives e-mails transmitted from the information processing apparatuses 20a to 20n via the network 30, the e-mail receiving unit 12 sets the e-mail address of the transmission source to the e-mail address storage unit 13 and sends the e-mail address to the e-mail address storage unit 13. It is confirmed whether or not the user is a registered user (hereinafter referred to as a registered user) (step S101). If the e-mail address of the transmission source is that of a registered user (step S101 / Yes), the mail receiving unit 12 checks whether or not the destination address is that of a registered user (step S102).

If the destination address is not for a registered user (step S102 / No), the e-mail converter 14 generates a one-time address by the address converter 141 (step S103). If a one-time address that matches the combination of the source address and the destination address has already been generated, the generated one-time address may be used without generating a new one-time address. . The address conversion unit 141 replaces the transmission source address with the generated one-time address (step S104). Information indicating the correspondence between the generated one-time address and the original electronic mail address is stored in the electronic mail address storage unit 13 as a correspondence table.
Next, the e-mail conversion unit 14 uses the personal information conversion unit 142 to extract the personal information included in the body of the e-mail. When personal information is included in the text (step S105 / Yes), the personal information conversion unit 142 replaces the extracted personal information with dummy data stored in the dummy data storage unit 16 (step S106). In addition to replacing the personal information with dummy data, a message for prompting user registration may be added to the text. For example, a message including a URL may be added so that an operation for user registration can be performed from the URL site. The e-mail conversion unit 14 outputs the e-mail obtained by converting the transmission source address or the e-mail obtained by converting the transmission source address and the personal information in the text to the mail transmission unit 15 (step S107).

  When the source address of the received e-mail is not that of a registered user (step S101 / No), or when the destination address is a registered address (step S102 / Yes), the mail receiving unit 12 With reference to the correspondence table stored in the mail address storage unit 13, it is confirmed whether or not the electronic mail is a reply to the one-time address (step S108). If it is a reply to the one-time address (step S108 / Yes), the mail receiving unit 12 checks whether or not the one-time address that is the destination is valid (step S109). If the destination one-time address is valid (step S109 / Yes), the mail conversion unit 14 converts the destination one-time address into the original address by the address conversion unit 141 (step S110). If the sender address is not registered in the email address storage unit 13 (step S111 / No), the email conversion unit 14 uses the warning text adding unit 143 to send the email from the reply source account to the body of the email. Is added to inquire whether or not to continue to be received (step S112). Then, the e-mail conversion unit 14 outputs the e-mail with the inquiry sentence added to the e-mail transmission unit 15 (step S107).

On the other hand, if the destination one-time address is invalid (step S109 / No), the mail conversion unit 14 generates an error mail indicating that the destination is invalid and outputs the error mail to the mail transmission unit 15 (step S113). .
If the reply is not a one-time address, the e-mail conversion unit 14 outputs the e-mail to the mail transmission unit 15 without performing any conversion processing (step S107).

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a sequence when the user of the information processing apparatus 20a (hereinafter referred to as user A) transmits an e-mail to the user of the information processing apparatus 20b (hereinafter referred to as user B). Here, it is assumed that the email address of the user A is registered in the email address storage unit 13, and the email address of the user B is not registered in the email address storage unit 13.

  When the user A operates the information processing apparatus 20a to transmit an email to the user B, the email addressed to the user B is delivered to the email server 10 (A101). When the e-mail server 10 receives an e-mail addressed to the user B from the user A, the e-mail server 10 checks whether or not the transmission source and destination e-mail addresses are stored in the e-mail address storage unit 13 (A102). Here, since only the mail address of the user A is registered, the electronic mail is to be converted. For this reason, the e-mail conversion unit 14 converts the mail address of the user A who is the transmission source into a one-time address, and also replaces the portion corresponding to the personal information in the text with dummy data (A103). Thereafter, the e-mail server 10 transmits an e-mail in which the part corresponding to the transmission source address and the personal information in the text is replaced to the e-mail server 40 to which the user B subscribes (A104). The e-mail addressed to the user B sent to the e-mail server 40 is downloaded or distributed to the information processing apparatus 20b at an arbitrary timing (A105).

  In the e-mail sent by the above sequence, the sender's address is replaced with a one-time address, and the portion corresponding to the personal information in the text is replaced with dummy data. There is no fear.

Next, FIG. 5 shows an example of a sequence in the case where the user B returns an e-mail addressed to the one-time address.
When the user B operates the information processing apparatus 20b to return a mail to the one-time address, the electronic mail addressed to the one-time address is delivered to the electronic mail server 10 via the electronic mail server 40 (B101). The e-mail server 10 checks whether or not the source and destination e-mail addresses are stored in the e-mail address storage unit 13 (B103). Here, since the reply is to a valid one-time address, the e-mail is to be converted. For this reason, the e-mail conversion unit 14 replaces the destination one-time address with the e-mail address of the user A, and adds an inquiry sentence as to whether or not to receive e-mail from this account in the future (B103). Thereafter, the e-mail server 10 transmits the e-mail with the destination address replaced and the inquiry sentence added to the information processing apparatus 20a (B104). The e-mail transmission method may be pull distribution downloaded in response to a request from the information processing apparatus 20a, or the e-mail server 10 may perform push distribution.

  When the user A performs an operation for revoking the one-time address in the information processing apparatus 20a, the fact is notified to the electronic mail server 10 (B105). Upon receiving this notification, the electronic mail server 10 registers the corresponding one-time address as an invalid one-time address. Although the method for invalidating the one-time address is arbitrary, for example, the warning sentence adding unit 143 adds an inquiry sentence including the URL, and makes the one-time address invalid from the site of the URL. It only has to be able to perform the operation. In addition, when there are a plurality of one-time addresses in which the combination of the transmission source address and the destination address matches, it is possible to invalidate one of the other one-time addresses.

  When the user B operates the information processing apparatus 20b again to return a mail to the one-time address, the electronic mail addressed to the one-time address is delivered to the electronic mail server 10 via the electronic mail server 40 (B106). The e-mail server 10 checks whether or not the source and destination e-mail addresses are stored in the e-mail address storage unit 13 (B107). In this case, since the reply is an invalid one-time address, the electronic mail server 10 transmits an error mail to the electronic mail server 40 with which the user B subscribes (B108). The error mail addressed to the user B sent to the electronic mail server 40 is downloaded or distributed to the information processing apparatus 20b at an arbitrary timing (B109).

  FIG. 6 shows an example of a sequence when user A transmits an e-mail to user B. Here, it is assumed that the mail addresses of the user A and the user B are registered in the mail address storage unit 13.

  When the user A operates the information processing apparatus 20a to transmit an email to the user B, the email addressed to the user B is delivered to the email server 10 (C101). When the e-mail server 10 receives the e-mail addressed to the user B from the user A, the e-mail server 10 checks whether or not the transmission source and destination e-mail addresses are stored in the e-mail address storage unit 13 (C102). Here, since the email addresses of user A and user B are registered, the email is not subject to conversion. Therefore, the e-mail server 10 transmits the e-mail to the e-mail server 40 with which the user B contracts without performing the conversion process (C103). The email addressed to the user B sent to the email server 40 is downloaded or distributed to the information processing apparatus 20b at an arbitrary timing (C104).

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a sequence in the case where user B returns an e-mail addressed to the one-time address. Here, when replying to a one-time address, if the addresses of both users are stored in the mail address storage unit 13 (user B who has received mail from the one-time address is registered before the reply) If you have done so).

  When the user B operates the information processing apparatus 20b to return a mail to the one-time address, the electronic mail addressed to the one-time address is delivered to the electronic mail server 10 via the electronic mail server 40 (D101). The e-mail server 10 checks whether or not the source and destination e-mail addresses are stored in the e-mail address storage unit 13 (D103). Here, since the reply is to a valid one-time address, the e-mail is to be converted. Therefore, the e-mail conversion unit 14 replaces the destination one-time address with the mail address of the user A (D103). Then, the e-mail server 10 transmits the mail whose destination address is converted to the information processing apparatus 20a (D104). The e-mail transmission method may be pull distribution downloaded in response to a request from the information processing apparatus 20a, or the e-mail server 10 may perform push distribution.

  As described above, according to the e-mail system of the present embodiment, personal information is disclosed to users who have been registered, and personal information is not disclosed to unregistered users. You can send mail. Therefore, it is not necessary to use different e-mail addresses and signatures according to the recipients.

In addition, the said embodiment is an example of suitable implementation of this invention, and this invention is not limited to this.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example is given in which a message for prompting user registration is added to the body and an email is sent to an unregistered user. However, an email containing a message prompting for registration is sent separately. Also good.
As described above, the present invention can be variously modified.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the electronic mail system which concerns on suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the electronic mail server which concerns on suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flow of operation | movement of an electronic mail system. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation | movement sequence of an electronic mail system. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation | movement sequence of an electronic mail system. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation | movement sequence of an electronic mail system. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation | movement sequence of an electronic mail system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 40 E-mail server 11 Communication part 12 Mail receiving part 13 Mail address storage part 14 Mail conversion part 15 Mail transmission part 16 Dummy data storage part 17 Address management part 20 Information processing apparatus 30 Network

Claims (9)

An e-mail server having a function of receiving an e-mail issued from an information processing apparatus and transmitting the received e-mail to a destination address,
When relaying an e-mail addressed to an unregistered e-mail address from a registered e-mail address, a one-time address is generated, the e-mail address of the sender is converted to the one-time address, and then the non-registered e-mail address is addressed Means for sending to
Means for detecting personal information capable of identifying a specific individual included in the body of an e-mail addressed to an unregistered e-mail address from the registered e-mail address;
An e-mail server comprising means for replacing detected personal information with dummy data not related to the original information . 2. The e-mail server according to claim 1, further comprising means for converting a destination address of an e-mail returned to the one-time address into an original registered e-mail address . If the source address of the e-mail sent back to the one-time address is unregistered, an inquiry message as to whether or not to receive an e-mail from that e-mail address, the destination address as the original registered 3. The e-mail server according to claim 2, further comprising means for adding to the e-mail converted to the e-mail address . In response to a request from the information processing apparatus operated by the owner of the registered mail address, the one-time address is invalidated, and an email returned to the invalid one-time address 4. The electronic mail server according to claim 2 , wherein the destination address is not converted into the original registered mail address . 5. An e-mail system, wherein the e-mail server according to claim 1 is connected to at least one information processing apparatus . An e-mail relay method in an e-mail server having a function of receiving an e-mail issued from an information processing device and transmitting the received e-mail to a destination address,
When relaying an e-mail addressed to an unregistered e-mail address from a registered e-mail address, a one-time address is generated, the e-mail address of the sender is converted to the one-time address, and then the non-registered e-mail address is addressed Means for sending to
Means for detecting personal information capable of identifying a specific individual included in the body of an e-mail addressed to an unregistered e-mail address from the registered e-mail address;
An e-mail relay method , comprising: means for replacing detected personal information with dummy data not related to the original information . 7. The e-mail relay method according to claim 6, wherein a destination address of an e-mail returned to the one-time address is converted into an original registered e-mail address . If the source address of the e-mail sent back to the one-time address is unregistered, an inquiry message as to whether or not to receive an e-mail from that e-mail address, the destination address as the original registered e-mail relay method of claim 7, wherein that you added to and converted to email email. In response to a request from the information processing apparatus operated by the owner of the registered mail address, the one-time address is invalidated, and an email returned to the invalid one-time address is based on the destination address. 9. The e-mail relay method according to claim 7, wherein the e-mail relay method is not converted to a registered e-mail address .

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