JPH0730581A - Electronic mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To urge the prevention in the increase in charge by displaying a charge imposed on transmission of specific data to a 2nd information processing unit onto a display device by a command of the user before the transmission is commanded. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 202 executes various programs relating to management or the like of a charge at transmission of an electronic mail in a main memory 203 and controls peripheral equipments. A hard disk unit 208 stores various program and data relating to the management or the like of the charge at transmission of an electronic mail. A required utility charge is calculated when an object electronic mail is sent by a 1st calculation. An available utility charge is calculated by comparing an accumulated charge up to that point of time and a limit value of the service utility charge based on a communication charge of the electronic mail and taking the difference. The result of calculation and a message used to allow the user of the electronic mail to select a regular mail or a special delivery mail are displayed on a display device 207 and the content is informed to the user. Thus, the utility charge is saved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing system for providing an electronic mail service, and more particularly, when an information processing apparatus user receives a paid electronic mail service, an electronic mail service is provided. -E-mail system that allows you to easily know the service usage fee.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the usage charge of a communication service is notified during or after the usage of the communication service. For example, as shown in the CCITT / D recommendation, the ISDN network can automatically notify the user of the charge after communication. In addition, there was a post-communications charge service in the domestic public telephone network. Regarding the restrictions on communication charges,
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-168837, regarding facsimile transmission, a table in which communication charge information and communication charge limit value are set is provided and communication is performed by comparing the communication charge information of the sender subscriber number with the communication charge limit value. There is an example in which it is possible to manage the communication charge information that restricts the communication use for each subscriber number by determining the permission / prohibition.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and to easily know the e-mail service usage fee before sending an e-mail. Further, at that time, the user is notified of the upper limit of the usage charge of the e-mail service that can be used, and it is urged to prevent the increase of billing due to useless e-mail transmission.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems] (1) First information storing information relating to an e-mail service usage fee due to different e-mail services, differences in e-mail communication time, etc.
Files.

(2) Information on an already used e-mail for each user of the e-mail or each group to which the user belongs (date of sending the e-mail, document name of the e-mail, sender, A second file that stores the communication charges for sending email).

(3) A third file that stores information on the limit value of the charge for using the electronic mail service for each electronic mail user or electronic mail use group.

(4) Transmission condition setting means for allowing the user of the electronic mail to input the sender name, the transmission document name, and the ID that uniquely identifies the destination user.

(5) A first calculating means for calculating an electronic mail service usage fee required for transmitting a desired electronic mail using the first file.

(6) Limitation on the accumulated charge of the communication charge of the electronic mail stored in the second file for the user of the electronic mail up to that point and the electronic mail service usage charge stored in the third file A second calculating means for calculating a usable e-mail service usage charge by comparing the value with the value and taking the difference.

(7) Display means for displaying on the display device the calculation results by the first calculation means and the second calculation means, and a message for allowing the e-mail user to select the desired communication means (normal, express delivery, etc.) .

(8) Communication means instructing means for allowing an electronic mail user to select a desired communication means.

(9) Communication means Transmission means for transmitting an electronic mail by means instructed by the instruction means.

(10) The second file is created by using the information of the transmitted document (the date of transmitting the electronic mail, the document name of the electronic mail, the sender, the communication charge for the transmission of the electronic mail, etc.). Transmission document information storage means to be updated.

[0014]

When the user of the e-mail requests to send the e-mail, the sending condition setting means first gives the user of the e-mail only the sender name, the sent document name, and the destination user. Ask the user to enter an ID.

Next, using the first file storing the information on the e-mail service usage charge, the first calculation means calculates the e-mail service usage charge required for transmitting the target e-mail. calculate.

Further, the second calculation means causes the accumulated charge of the communication charges of the electronic mail stored in the second file concerning the user of the electronic mail up to that point, and the electronic mail stored in the third file. -Compare the service usage charge limit value and calculate the difference to calculate the usable e-mail service usage charge.

Then, the display means displays on the display device a calculation result by the first calculation means and the second calculation means, and a message for allowing the user of the electronic mail to select a desired communication means (normal, express delivery, etc.). Display and notify the user of the email of the contents.

Next, the communication means instructing means causes the user of the electronic mail to select the desired communication means, and the transmitting means transmits the electronic mail by the means.

Finally, the transmitted document information storage means updates the second file using the information of the document transmitted this time, in order to use the electronic mail service next time.

[0020] By the above, it becomes possible for the e-mail user to easily know the information of the e-mail / service usage fee before sending the e-mail, and the management and saving of the e-mail / usage fee. It is possible to do.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the electronic mail applied to this embodiment
An example of a service usage environment will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the e-mail service provides a function of transferring data between information processing devices,
It is mainly used by a user of one information processing device to notify a specific user of another information processing device of document data containing a message or the like. E-mail is described in Local Area Network issued by Maruzen Co., Ltd.

Information processing devices 101a to 101d are provided. Each of the information processing devices 101a to 101d has a LAN (Local Area Network).
orks) 103a-b connected to each LA
The mail servers 104a-b of N103a-b are connected to the electronic mail service providers 105a-b via the modem 107 and the public line networks 106a-b. The mail servers 104a-b perform control related to mail transmission / reception of the information processing apparatuses 101a-d connected to the LANs 103a-b. The user of the e-mail service is LA
Information processing devices 101a-d connected to N103a-b
You can get e-mail service at. LAN
Information processing device 102a not connected to 103a-b
Similarly, the same applies to the modem 107 and the public line network 106a.
It is connected to the electronic mail service providers 105a-b side via b. The information processing device 10 is used by an individual user or the like.
You can get e-mail service at 2a-b. Also, e-mail service providers 105a and 10
5b are also connected to each other via the public line network 108 or the like, so that, for example, the information processing apparatuses 101a to 101b are connected to the information processing apparatuses 101c to 101d via either of the email service providers 105a and 105b. You can send an email to.

E-mail service providers 105a-b
Is an information processing device that provides the above-mentioned e-mail service, receives a document transmitted from the information processing device by the user of the e-mail service, and determines whether it is a destination or express delivery (prioritizes the document). The information is transmitted to the e-mail service user of another information processing device in accordance with the above information. The charge for the use of the electronic mail service is stored as charging information for each user of the electronic mail service and billed to the user at regular intervals.

Next, each of the information processing devices 101a-d and 10
An example of the hardware configuration of 2a-b will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the information processing devices 101a to 101d and 102a to
Although there may be a hardware difference between b, the information processing apparatuses 101b to 101d and 102a to 102b have the same configuration as the information processing apparatus 101a.

The information processing apparatus 101a includes a central processing unit (CPU) 202, a main memory (MM) 203, a video memory (VRAM) 204, and a keyboard (KB) 2
05, a mouse (MS) 206, a display device (CRT) 207, and a fixed disk device (HDD) 20.
8, a communication control unit (CDRV) 209, and a bus 210 connecting these devices. A central processing unit (CPU) 202 executes various programs on the main memory (MM) 203 regarding management of charges at the time of sending electronic mail, and controls peripheral devices. Central processing unit (CP
The content of the display data such as the communication means selection screen 601 stored in the video memory (VRAM) 204 by the U) 202 is displayed on the display device (CRT) 207. Instructions and the like for managing the charge at the time of sending an electronic mail are performed from the keyboard (KB) 205 and the mouse (MS) 206. A fixed disk device (HDD) 208 stores various programs and data relating to management of fees when sending electronic mail. Communication control unit (CDRV) 2
09 is a public line 1 via the LAN 105 and the modem 107
The communication with another information processing apparatus 201 is performed at 06 or the like. These peripheral devices 203 to 209 and central processing unit (CPU)
Data transfer between the 202 is performed via the bus 210.

Next, each of the information processing devices 101a-d and 1
The software configuration of 02a-b will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 301 denotes an electronic mail transmission processing control program, which executes electronic mail transmission processing relating to the present invention. An operating system program 302 controls the execution of the electronic mail transmission processing control program and manages the document to be transmitted and various information files related to the present invention.

Next, the data structure of the usage charge information file 400 in which the information about the usage charge of the electronic mail service provided by the electronic mail service provider is stored will be described with reference to FIG. The usage charge information file 400 is stored in the fixed disk device (HDD) 208.

The table 410 is a mail service name 4 indicating the names of the electronic mail service providers 105a-b.
11 and charge data ptr4 indicating a pointer to a table 420 in which the data of the charge of the electronic mail service for each mail service name 411 is stored.
It is composed of twelve. E-mail usage fees are determined by communication time and document volume.

The table 420 includes a communication time 421 divided in stages and a charge 42 corresponding to each communication time 421.
2 and the capacity 423 and each capacity 423 divided in stages
It is composed of a charge 424 corresponding to.

Here, a case has been shown in which the usage fee of the electronic mail is determined by the communication time or the document capacity.
As a factor for determining the usage fee of the electronic mail, any one or more combination of communication time, document capacity, distance between the source and the destination, and the like can be considered. In such a case, as in the case of the table 420 described above, a table storing data showing the relationship between the condition for determining the charge and the communication charge corresponding to the condition may be used. An example of such a charge system is described in the Overseas Network Study Group, International VAN.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, the data structure of the billing status file 500 in which the data indicating the status of the fee spent by the user of the information processing apparatus 101 to use the electronic mail service is stored will be described. explain. In this embodiment, users of the electronic mail service are managed in a form of being hierarchically identified by groups and group members (users) belonging to each group.

A table 510 is a Gr member ptr 512 indicating a Gr name 511 indicating a group name, and a pointer to a table 530 storing the charging status of each group member belonging to the group corresponding to each Gr name 511.
Also, G indicating a pointer to a table 520 in which the charging status of the group corresponding to each Gr name 511 is stored.
r management data ptr 513.

The table 520 is for storing information on the charging status of the electronic mail service usage fee of each group, and is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with each group. The table 520 shows day 52 indicating the date when a group member in the group used the electronic mail service.
1, a name 522 indicating the name of the e-mail, a user 523 indicating the name of a group member who has transmitted the e-mail, a usage fee 524 indicating the fee required to transmit the e-mail, and the e-mail transmitted E-mail at the time
A cumulative charge 525 indicating the total usage charge of the service in the group is stored for each communication. Also, when the usage fee for the e-mail service is settled,
Processing such as setting the value of the accumulated charge 525 to 0 or returning to the basic charge charged even if it is not used is performed.

The table 530 is for storing the charging status of the electronic mail service usage charge of each group member, and is a us indicating the name of the group member in the group.
Table 5 storing r name 531 and charge usage information of each group member corresponding to each usr name 531
Usr management data ptr 532 indicating 40 pointers is stored for each group member.

The table 540 stores the charge status of the e-mail service usage charge of each group member in the group. In this table 540, a day 541 indicating the date when each group member corresponding to the usr name 531 used the electronic mail service, a name 542 indicating the name of the document,
A usage charge 543 indicating a charge for transmitting the electronic mail and a cumulative charge 544 indicating a total charge of the electronic mail service at the time of transmitting the electronic mail are stored for each transmission of the electronic mail. It Also email
When the service charge is settled, processing such as setting the value of the cumulative charge 525 to 0 is performed.

Next, regarding the data structure of the usage charge limit value file 600 in which the data of the limit value for limiting the usage charge when using the electronic mail service is stored,
This will be described with reference to FIG.

The table 610 stores a Gr name 611 indicating a group name and a limit value for defining the upper limit of the cumulative amount of the e-mail service usage charge available in the group corresponding to each Gr name 611. In-Gr charge limit value ptr6 indicating a pointer to the stored table 620
12 are stored for each group.

The table 620 is a usr name 62 indicating the name of a group member in the group corresponding to each Gr name 611.
1. A usage charge limit value 622 for each usr indicating a limit value that defines the upper limit of the accumulated amount of the e-mail service usage charge of the group member corresponding to each usr name 621 is stored for each group member. In addition, a total 623 indicating the total usage charge limit value 622 for each usr of all group members in the group, and a usage charge limit value 624 for each usr corresponding to the total 623 (that is, the e-mail service usage charge of the entire group). The limit value that defines the upper limit of the cumulative amount of is stored.

The usage charge limit value 622 for each usr and the usage charge limit value 624 for each usr are rewritten to the changed values when the limit values are changed.

Next, a method of designating a document to be transmitted will be described with reference to FIG. 7 showing an example of a display screen. 700 is a display screen, 701 is a document icon corresponding to each document one-to-one, and 702 is a scale icon for designating a document to be transmitted. The document icon 701 can be moved on the screen by the user operating the mouse. This document icon 701 is replaced with a scale icon 702
The document corresponding to the document icon 701 is designated as the transmission document by superimposing on the document.

Next, a method for calculating the amount of money such as a fee displayed on the communication means selection screen 801 and displaying the communication means selection screen 801 will be described with reference to FIG. 8 showing an example of the communication means selection screen and its processing procedure. It demonstrates using FIG. 9 shown. The communication means selection screen 801 displays fee information regarding electronic mail transmission so that the electronic mail service user can select a desired communication means.

(Step 901) First, if the electronic mail service usage fee is determined by the volume of the document, the volume of the document is determined from the name of the transmission document designated by the movement of the document icon 701 described above by the operating system.
If the electronic mail service usage fee is determined by the communication time, the communication time of the document is further calculated as a value obtained by dividing the document capacity by the transmission speed of the modem 107.

Then, the corresponding electronic mail service usage charge is obtained from the value of the document volume or communication time using the usage charge information file 400, and this value is charged.
Display as 04.

At this time, an electronic mail that can be sent to the destination
When there are a plurality of services such as express delivery and normal service, the user can select the least-charged email service by comparing the fees of each email service.

If the user has to go through a plurality of e-mail services in order to send the e-mail to the desired destination, the e-mail
It is also possible to compare the charges for each combination (route) of services and select the route with the least charge.

Further, when there are nighttime and holiday discounts by the electronic mail service, a table for storing the information is provided separately. Then, when sending an e-mail at a target time, the e-mail
It is also possible to ask for a service usage fee.

Furthermore, additional services per e-mail (receipt (notifying the sender when the other party reads e-mail), script (registration of a certain form, order entry etc. using this) Notification), email alerts (e-mail notification by telephone), priority treatment, print copy mailing, etc.), a separate table for storing that information is provided for each additional service usage. It is possible to refer to the table.

An example of such an additional service is described in the above-mentioned Overseas Network Study Group, International VAN.

(Step 902) The usage charge limit value 622 for each usr in the usage charge limit value file 600 is used to refer to the electronic mail service usage charge limit value of the user, and this value is set as the mail usage charge limit value 805. indicate.

(Step 903) Charge status file 50
With the accumulated charge 545 within 0, the accumulated charge at the stage when the e-mail was last used is referred to, and this value is displayed as the usage amount 806 up to the previous time.

(Step 904) The difference between the mail usage charge limit value 805 and the usage amount 806 up to the previous time is taken, and this value is displayed as the usable amount 807.

If an additional service (mailbox, number book entry, address list, etc.) for a certain period of time is used, a table for storing the information is provided separately, and the table is referred to for the corresponding operation. The amount is subtracted from the mail usage charge limit value 805, and the usage amount up to the previous time is 8
The difference of the value of 06 is taken and this value is displayed as the amount of money 807 that can be used. An example of such an additional service is described in the above-mentioned Overseas Network Study Group, International VAN.

(Step 905) Document name to be sent 80
2, the capacity 803 of the document 802, the above-mentioned charges 804, 8
05, 806, 807, and communication means selection buttons 810, 820 for allowing the e-mail service user to select the desired communication means (normal, express delivery, etc.), and the message 808 to the user (message (a) is made to correspond) ) Further, the communication means selection screen 801 is displayed using the field 830 (corresponding to the field (c)) for instructing selection by the user's operation of the mouse. Here, the communication means selection buttons 810 and 820 are fields in which selection can be instructed by the user operating the mouse.

Next, the procedure for transmitting an electronic mail by the communication means desired by the user who requests the electronic mail transmission will be described with reference to FIG.

(Step 1001) The user requesting the transmission of the electronic mail is caused to specify the document to be transmitted by moving the document icon 701.

(Step 1002) The user who requested the transmission of the electronic mail is made to specify the ID of the transmission destination. Note that I
D is a number or the like for uniquely identifying a user unique to each electronic mail service, and the electronic mail service provider sends an electronic mail to a mail server predetermined by this ID.

(Step 1003) The communication means selection screen display means 801 shown in FIG. 9 displays the communication means selection screen 801.

(Step 1004) Previous Step 1003
Using the communication means selection screen 801, the user requesting the transmission of the electronic mail is made to select the desired communication means (normal / express delivery, etc.) 810, 820 by operating the mouse. At this time, if the communication means is designated, the process proceeds to the next step 1005, and if not designated, the process returns to the previous step 1003 to again designate the communication means, and further, if there is an instruction to cancel, a series of processing is performed. 1003 is ended.

(Step 1005) When the communication means is selected by the user (the processing when there is no instruction will be described later), step 90 of the communication means selection screen display means
5, the message 808 and the field 830 of the communication means selection screen 801 displayed in FIG. 5 are changed to the message (b) (substitute the selected communication means for (x)) and the field (d), respectively, and the communication means is determined. Screen 801
Is displayed.

(Step 1006) The communication means specified in step 1004 is confirmed by the user who has requested the transmission of the electronic mail using the communication means determination screen 801 in the previous step 1005, and the mouse for designating the "OK" button It is decided by the operation of. At this time, if the communication means is determined, the process proceeds to the next step 1007, and if there is an instruction for re-designating the communication means by the instruction of the “redesignate” button, the process returns to step 1003 to re-designate the communication means to the user. If there is an instruction to cancel, a series of processing 1005
To finish.

(Step 1007) The electronic mail is transmitted by the communication means determined in step 1006.

(Step 1008) The transmission date of the electronic mail transmitted this time, the transmission document name, the sender name, the charge 804, and the sum of the charge 804 and the usage amount 806 up to the previous time are added to the charging status file 500.

The usage charge information file 400,
Charge status file 500, usage charge limit value file 60
The content of 0 can be displayed and confirmed on the display device at any time by the user's instruction.

By doing the above, it becomes possible for the user of the e-mail to easily know the information of the e-mail service usage fee before sending the e-mail, and to manage and save the e-mail usage fee. It is possible.

[0066]

According to the present invention, when sending an e-mail in an environment where a paid e-mail service is received, the user of the e-mail service needs the minimum e-mail The relationship between the service usage fee and the communication method (normal / express delivery, etc.) can be easily known before sending the e-mail, and can be used by the user at that point based on the e-mail service usage fee limit value. By being notified of the upper limit of the usage charge of various electronic mail services, it is possible to encourage the user to prevent an increase in billing due to useless electronic mail transmission.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic mail service network.

FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of software.

FIG. 4 is a data structure diagram of a usage charge information file.

FIG. 5 is a data structure diagram of a charging status file.

FIG. 6 is a data structure diagram of information on a usage charge limit value.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing various icons.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a communication means selection / determination screen.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a process of displaying a communication means selection screen.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a process of transmitting an electronic mail by a desired communication means.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Chiyo Akamatsu, 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Kanagawa Microelectronics Device Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Sadaji Kuwahara 292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Banchi Co., Ltd. Hitachi Electronics Microelectronics Device Development Laboratory

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A first information processing system comprising an input device capable of transmitting data to a second information processing device, a central processing unit, a storage device, a display device, and a communication device. In the device, the charge for the transmission of the specific data to the second information processing device is charged before the user of the first information processing device via the input device instructs the transmission of the data. An electronic mail system comprising means for displaying on a display device according to an instruction from a user of the information processing device via an input device. 2. A first information processing system comprising an input device, a central processing unit, a storage device, a display device, and a communication device capable of transmitting data to the second information processing device. In the device, a display device is provided with an icon representing data (data icon) and a function of transmitting the data to the second information processing device, or a function of displaying a charge that will be charged for the transmission. By the icon display means for displaying the icon (data transmission function icon) to be expressed, and the instruction of the user of the information processing device via the input device,
Function instructing means for associating the data icon with the icon data transmission function icon, and specific data represented by the data icon if the data icon is associated with the icon data transmission function icon by the function instructing means. And a fee display means for displaying on the display device a fee that will be charged for the transmission to the second information processing apparatus. 3. The electronic mail system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a fee charged for transmission of specific data to the second information processing device is a communication time required for transmitting the data, a transmission source. If any one or more of the distance between the destination and the destination and the capacity of the data is determined, a table that stores the correspondence between the element and the fee is provided, the value of the element is calculated, and the table is referred to. Then, the electronic mail system is provided with a means for obtaining a charge corresponding to the value before the user of the first information processing apparatus via the input device gives an instruction to transmit the data. 4. The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein a fee charged for transmission of the specific data to the second information processing device is a communication time required for transmitting the data, a transmission source. Before the user of the first information processing device via the input device instructs the transmission of the data, if the charge is determined by any one or more of the distance between the device and the destination and the capacity of the document. An electronic mail system, further comprising means for displaying on a display device according to an instruction from a user of the information processing device via an input device. 5. The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein a fee charged for transmission of specific data to the second information processing apparatus is classified according to communication type (express delivery / normal). In this case, the charge is made to correspond to the type of communication, and the information processing device is used via the input device before the user of the first information processing device via the input device instructs the transmission of the data. An electronic mail system comprising means for displaying on a display device according to a person's instruction. 6. The electronic mail system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a budget (cumulative amount of usage charges) usable by a user who is charged for transmission of specific data to the second information processing apparatus. ) Is provided, and the upper limit value is instructed by the user of the information processing device via the input device before the user of the first information processing device via the input device instructs the transmission of the data. An electronic mail system comprising means for displaying on a display device by means of. 7. The electronic mail system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a fee charged for transmission of specific data to the second information processing apparatus is increased or reduced by using an additional service. When the user charges the increased or decreased charge by the instruction of the user of the information processing device via the input device before the user of the first information processing device via the input device instructs the transmission of the data. An electronic mail system comprising means for displaying on a display device.