KR100364389B1 - Method of providing mixed electronic post service - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a mixed e-mail service in which a user, a web server, an authentication server, and a plurality of mail receiving servers are connected to the Internet to output and deliver the e-mail sending information transmitted by the user through the web server. A method comprising: (a) verifying whether a user is a member and authenticating the membership; (b) determining whether a mixed email service function is called when the user is authenticated as a member in step (a); (c) determining whether payment is possible when the mixed e-mail service function is called; (d) If the payment is possible in step (c), provide a mixed email application form including the desired stamp image field, the sender information field, the recipient information field, and the contents field. If the payment is not possible, it is unavailable. Notifying the facts; (e) receiving and storing the mixed e-mail sending application form from a user, requesting e-mail sending authentication to the authentication server, and (f) when approval from the authentication server is received, in step (e). The stamp image, the sender information, the sender information, the recipient information, and the outgoing contents of the postal address so that the stored stamp image, the sender information, the recipient information, and the outgoing contents can be printed and delivered on a predetermined printing paper. It provides a mixed e-mail service providing method comprising the step of transmitting to the mail receiving server.

Description

How to provide a mixed email service {METHOD OF PROVIDING MIXED ELECTRONIC POST SERVICE}

The present invention relates to a method for providing a mixed email service using both an e-mail sending method and a real mail delivery method. When the mail transmission content including a postage stamp image is sent to a receiving server through an e-mail, the certification process has been authenticated. The present invention relates to a method for providing a mixed e-mail service in which an e-mail content is printed at a destination server of a destination, and the printed mail can be delivered to a destination through a current mail delivery method.

Currently, the actual mail delivery method is that a particular stamp issued by a stamp issuer is directly attached to a standardized envelope and sent to a postal center (aggregator for collecting and sorting the mail), which is classified as domestic or foreign postal land. It is handled through a physical method using traffic or sea traffic or air traffic. In this case, the user who intends to use the mail must visit the stamp issuer in person in order to purchase a stamp suitable for mailing, and have to deliver the mail to the mailbox or postal center with the recipient, destination and postal code and the recipient must deliver the mail. It usually takes 2-3 days for mail to be received. In particular, in the case of international mail, the delivery date is much longer than the domestic delivery date, which generally takes more than a week. Therefore, for the urgent shipment of international mail, it is necessary to pay a large amount through a separate postman. There is a problem.

Due to the above problems, a mixed e-mail system in which an e-mail and a real mail are combined has been introduced and is being serviced. According to this service, when a user transmits the contents of an e-mail to be sent to a server of each mail central office, The server receives the e-mail sent by the user, outputs the transmission contents, attaches a stamp to the output mail, and sends the mail to the destination through the real mail method. However, in order to send the transmitted e-mail to the destination by the physical mail method, there is a problem of the conventional physical mail system in which the postal mail for sending the mail must be attached to the mail in each mail concentration station.

On the other hand, it is difficult to issue stamps of various images reviving the tastes of the stamp users by using only stamps of the stamp issuing agency in the present real mail delivery method, so the user of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2000-0014743 The electronic stamp distribution method can be edited and printed by the stamp user directly. However, in this method, a problem arises in that the user-designed e-stamp is printed out more than the number of times authenticated, so that the e-stamp can be used for unjust purposes. It does not solve the hassle of use that must be cut and attached directly to the mail.

The present invention is to solve the above-described problems, the sender transmits the postal information including postage information, such as stamp image, mail content to the nearest ground receiving server of the destination and the receiving server can output the transmitted postal information In order to solve the inconvenience of the current physical mail, which requires the stamps to be attached separately, the purpose is to provide a prompt mail delivery service.

Another object of the present invention is to send the sender information, including the stamp image to be used for the requested mail, the recipient information, the contents of the mail to the nearest receiving server of the destination, more preferably the post office server closest to the destination, The purpose of the present invention is to prevent fraudulent use of electronic stamps that may occur in the existing electronic stamp distribution method.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a user, a web server, an authentication server, and a plurality of mail receiving servers connected to the Internet so that the mail sending information transmitted by the user through the web server is output from the mail receiving server. A method of providing a mixed e-mail service for delivery, the method comprising: (a) verifying whether a user is a member and authenticating the membership; (b) determining whether a mixed email service function is called when the user is authenticated as a member in step (a); (c) determining whether payment is possible when the mixed e-mail service function is called; (d) If the payment is possible in step (c), provide a mixed email application form including the desired stamp image field, the sender information field, the recipient information field, and the contents field. If the payment is not possible, it is unavailable. Notifying the facts; (e) receiving and storing the mixed e-mail sending application form from a user, requesting e-mail sending authentication to the authentication server, and (f) when approval from the authentication server is received, in step (e). The stamp image, the sender information, the sender information, the recipient information, and the outgoing contents of the postal address so that the stored stamp image, the sender information, the recipient information, and the outgoing contents can be printed and delivered on a predetermined printing paper. Characterized in that it comprises the step of transmitting to the mail receiving server.

In the above-described configuration, the mixed e-mail shipment information transmitted to the most recent postal mail receiving server is transmitted with attachment contents, sender information, and recipient information, and includes recipient information, sender information, and mail including the postage stamp image to be sent. It is preferable that the contents are configured to be output from the receiving server.

1 is a network diagram illustrating a method of providing a mixed email service according to the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a mixed email service according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a diagram illustrating various data tables provided in a data management server of a method of providing a mixed email service according to the present invention;

4 is a diagram illustrating various program modules used in the method for providing a mixed email service according to the present invention.

5 is a view for explaining the output of the e-mail issued according to the method of providing a mixed e-mail service of the present invention and its structure;

6 is a diagram showing the contents of the mixed email sending application of the mixed email service providing method of the present invention by way of example.

*** Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawing ***

10: external client 12: nearest-neighbor receiving server

20: Sender 21: Web Server

21a: backup server 22: external web server

24: LAN 25: Data Management Server

25a: storage medium 26: backup server

26a: storage medium 27: internal client

28: Settlement authority settlement server 30: Certification authority settlement management server

40: web server program module 50: PC communication program module

60: management server program module 70: output

72: barcode 74: stamp image output portion

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the method for providing a mixed email service of the present invention.

1 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration of a method of providing a mixed email service of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating various data tables provided in a data management server of the method of providing a mixed email service of the present invention. 4 is a diagram illustrating various program modules used in the method for providing a mixed email service according to the present invention. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the configuration of the system in which the mixed email service providing method of the present invention is implemented is composed of an external client 10 and an electronic subscriber who are the applicants of the electronic stamp centered on the mixed email sending agency 20. The certification body 30 which authenticates the transmission of the postal mail and cooperates directly or with another search engine and retrieves an illegally used electronic stamp is connected to an external portal site or its own search engine homepage 22. Internal resources of the mixed email sending organization 20 may be connected to the LAN 24. The mixed e-mail sending agency 20 is provided with a web server 21 as a host responsible for processing and communicating web documents. In order to distribute the throughput of the web server 21, a separate data management server ( 25) is desirable. As shown in FIG. 4, the web server 21 has a member management program module that supports member information management, address book management, settlement fee search query, mail location search, storage image management, homepage and mail dispatch management, and image production. It is designed through the design program module which supports the collection of sample images and enables the customer to create the desired design, and the 2D barcode and the design program module encoded for optical recognition after encrypting the recipient / sender information and authentication key. Web server program module 40 consisting of an electronic postage program module for combining the image and outputting it as an electronic stamp may be installed. Each program module of such a web server is said that the detailed function is implemented in the applicant's Republic of Korea Patent Application 10-2000-0014743.

Here, the optically recognizable codes may include general 1D barcodes and 3D barcodes in addition to 2D barcodes.

In addition, the data management server 25 is provided with a large storage medium 25a, which includes various tables as shown in FIG. 3 and management server program modules 60 as shown in FIG. Can be installed. Examples of the tables stored in the storage medium 25a include, for example, a member table storing member's various data, such as member information and a desired image file, a fee table for storing a member's electronic stamp usage fee, and a member's electronic stamp. An authentication key table for storing the authentication key used in the service, a payment settlement table for storing the customer's data settled after the billing, and a shipment for storing the shipping information such as mail contents sent and returned mail contents. Stores post office server information at home and abroad, including a history table, statutory postal code information, or server information from Internet service providers (ISPs) at home and abroad, and stores the information in the request of users of mixed e-mail services. And a destination server information table for providing the reception server 12 information of a nearby destination.

The mixed e-mail sending agency 20 is also provided with an internal client 27 having a management program module and the like installed to perform tasks such as stamp rate settlement, member management, settlement fee transmission, and bill delivery.

In addition, the firewall server 29 and the intrusion detection server 23 may be installed, the firewall server 29 is located between the external network, such as the Internet and the internal network, that is, the mixed e-mail sender 20, the external network Intrusion into the internal network can be detected to protect the information and resources of the internal network. That is, in order to access the internal network from the external network, the firewall server 29 must pass through to prevent hacking and traffic for information and resources existing in the internal network in advance. On the other hand, the intrusion detection server 23 can only prevent the intrusion into the internal network from the firewall server 29 can not prevent the internal user from performing illegal actions on the main server existing in the internal network. It may be provided for the purpose of blocking and detecting. The intrusion detection server 23 may also function as an HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) server for improving the speed of the Internet.

In addition to the mixed email sending organization 20 should be provided with a settlement management server 28 that is responsible for settlement between the settlement management server 30 of the certification authority. Reference numerals 21a and 26 denote backup servers to replace them when the web server 21 and the data management server 25 are not available, respectively, and 26a is a storage medium provided in the backup data management server 26. It contains a table having the same contents as that contained in the storage medium 25a.

On the other hand, the settlement management server 30 of the certification authority, when the mixed e-mail sending authority 20 requests the authentication of the mixed e-mail sending, the authentication key for this is stored and stored in the authentication key that is granted afterwards. According to the present invention, the electronic stamps that are illegally copied or used are searched out, and in addition, settlement of the stamp fee is performed between the mixed email sending agency 20. As such, communication between the settlement management server 28 of the mixed email sending agency 20 and the settlement management server 30 of the certification authority is a very important factor in securing the trustworthiness of the electronic stamp, so that hacking on the Internet is secured. It is advisable to connect a dedicated leased line that can be prevented, for example a leased line using the X.25 protocol. Further, it is preferable that the settlement management server 30 of such a certification authority is not accessible even to the insider of the mixed-email sending organization 20 except for those who are allowed access.

The external client 10 is a personal computer of an individual or a company, and the latest ground receiving connected with the high speed printer 13 to print the mail contents, the sender information, and the recipient information of the sent mixed e-mail on letter paper and a specified standard envelope. The server 12 is connected to the internet. In addition, the external client 10 may be not only a personal computer but also a communication means such as a wireless communication device or a set-top box used with a TV at home.

The external client 10 should be equipped with basic hardware such as a display device such as a monitor, an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, a data processing processor, a storage medium, or a communication device such as a modem or a LAN card. In addition, a web browser capable of reading various web documents linked to the web server 21 of the mixed email sending organization 20 and an operating system supporting a graphic user interface function such as the Microsoft Windows series, for example, Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator should be installed by default.

For reference, reference numeral 50 in FIG. 3 is for PC communication, which is given in the form of a CD-ROM to a desired customer so that the customer can purchase the electronic stamp by accessing the mixed email sending agency 20 without going through an Internet service provider. The program module is shown.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a mixed email service providing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, when an Internet user accesses the homepage of the web server 21, in step S100, whether or not a member is determined, in step S102, a form relating to membership registration is provided. You will receive a membership registration. The existing member or the user who has passed through step S102 determines whether the mixed email sending function has been called in step S106 after the member authentication procedure in step S104. After determining whether or not the call is made, if it is not called, the process returns to step S106 and waits for a function call. If the mixed e-mail sending function is called, the process proceeds to step S108 and the storage medium of the data management server 25 ( It is determined whether payment is possible with reference to the payment settlement details table in 25a). As a result of the determination, if payment is not possible, a pop-up warning message is displayed on the web page indicating that the mixed e-mail cannot be used in step S110, and the process returns to step S106.

On the other hand, if payment is possible as a result of the determination in step S108, the mail sending management module of the web server program module 40 provides a mixed email sending application in step S112. 6 is a view showing an example of a mixed email sending application of the method of providing a mixed email service of the present invention. In the mixed email sending application, it is preferable to have an item for inputting various kinds of information regarding the email sending information. For example, it could be an entry such as sender social security code, sender's name, sender's address, sender's postal code, sender's email and phone number, recipient's name, recipient's address, destination's postal code, postal type, postal content, etc. In addition to the input item, it is preferable to further include a stamp image attachment item for editing a stamp image to be output or adding a new image.

The function of editing and attaching an image of the electronic stamp may be provided through a design program of the management server program module 60. Technical description of the design program that can create and edit such electronic stamp images is implemented by the applicant of the Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2000-0014743 of the present applicant, by calling the design program module allows the member to The image can be edited and created and attached to the application. And this stamp image file is then attached to the application is sent to the nearest server of the e-mail destination, if there is no selection of a particular stamp image to be attached to the default image in the management server program module 60 Could be implemented.

The mixed e-mail item thus input is then used as data for envelope contents and letter contents output of the mail to be sent to the nearest ground receiving server 12 at the destination and sent with the sent stamp image. In the next step (S114) stores the content of the input application in the data management server 25 and requests the external certification authority 30 to send e-mail authentication. Such an external certification body is preferably designated as a central post office, which is a domestic post office.

On the other hand, if the request for the authentication of the e-mail to be sent in the step (S114) to the external certification authority 30, the external certification authority 30 is the sender settlement management server 28 and the data management server for the requested authentication In connection with (25), the settlement and authentication procedure for the e-mail to be sent is performed, and the authentication key and the settlement result are transmitted to the web server 21.

In the next step (S116) receives the authentication key for sending mail from the authentication server 30 and sends the mail to be sent to the nearest ground receiving server 12 of the mail destination. And such a recent ground receiving server 12 is preferably composed of each domestic and foreign postal concentration server. In addition, the authentication key received in the step (S116) is attached to the file transmitted when sending mail to be sent to the nearest receiving server 12 of the e-mail destination so that the verification procedure of the transmitted authentication key can be made. It is preferable.

On the other hand, the e-mail transmitted to the nearest receiving server 12 of the e-mail destination is received by the nearest receiving server 12, the sent e-mail image and the contents of the e-mail and data necessary for the e-mail transmission server Through the high-speed printer 13 connected to the printed on the prescribed standardized mail and envelopes as shown in FIG. That is, the electronic envelope image 74 sent to the standard envelope and standard mail determined by the destination server, sender information (sender name, address, zip code), recipient information (recipient name, address, zip code) 70 and The mail contents are output at a specific place, and the respective pieces of information are encrypted and output in the form of a barcode 72, so that the sorted and delivered mails can be automatically generated.

The barcode may include, for example, a mailing source, a mailing destination, a mailing address, a sender's name, a mailing cost, a mailing date and time, a mailing type, and the like. It can be delivered. The abnormal processing result or the normal processing result generated in the mail sorting and delivery process is transmitted to the data management server 25 of the calling party again. Therefore, through the mixed email delivery method, the mail content including the stamp image is printed on the mail envelope, which eliminates the trouble of attaching a physical stamp separately, thereby shortening the time of mail classification and delivery, and the distribution of the existing electronic stamp. There is an effect that can prevent in advance the illegal use of stamps that may occur in the method.

In the next step (S118) receives the postal processing result content from the nearest ground receiving server 12 of the mail destination to be stored in the data management server (25). The transmitted data is determined whether or not the normal processing in step S120, and if the normal processing, the process proceeds to step S122 and transmits the processed content to the email applicant using a communication means such as e-mail All processes are terminated, and if abnormal processing is performed, the process proceeds to step S124 to terminate all processes by transmitting the abnormally processed contents to the mail applicant.

The mixed email distribution method of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may be variously modified and implemented within the range permitted by the technical idea of the present invention. For example, the member's management and mailing application may be managed and applied through its own web server 21, but also by using an external web server 22, that is, a server of an existing portal service provider. This will entrust the member's administration and application for mailing. In addition, the most recent ground receiving server 12 of the e-mail destination may be a server of various portal service providers at home and abroad in addition to the postal concentration bureau server of each country at home and abroad. It may be a separately operated authentication server and settlement server of the portal service provider, and prints the requested mail with stamp images and sends the printed mail to the mail central office through the servers of the domestic and overseas portal service companies of the destination. It will be possible to process the sent mail, such as by mail.

According to the mixed e-mail service providing method of the present invention as described above, the postal content of the sender including the postage stamp image is transmitted to the receiving server, and the postage image and the postal mail at the receiving postal mail classification sheet which is the final step of handling the mail. By printing the contents together, the trouble of attaching the physical stamps separately is eliminated, which shortens the time for mail sorting and delivery, and prevents the illegal use of the stamps that may occur in the existing electronic stamp distribution method in advance. There is.

Claims (3)

In a method of providing a mixed e-mail service in which a user, a web server, an authentication server, and a plurality of mail receiving servers are connected to the Internet, the mail sending information transmitted by the user through the web server is output by the mail receiving server. , (a) verifying whether the user is a member and authenticating the membership; (b) determining whether a mixed email service function is called when the user is authenticated as a member in step (a); (c) determining whether payment is possible when the mixed e-mail service function is called; (d) If the payment is possible in step (c), provide a mixed email application form including the desired stamp image field, the sender information field, the recipient information field, and the contents field. If the payment is not possible, it is unavailable. Notifying the facts; (e) receiving and storing the mixed email sending application form from a user, and requesting an authentication for sending an email to the authentication server; and (f) upon approval from the authentication server, the stamp image, the sender information, the recipient information, and the transmission information stored in the step (e) to be printed and delivered on a predetermined printing paper, And transmitting the sender information, the recipient information, and the origination information to the mail receiving server closest to the mail destination. The method of claim 1, And the mail receiving server is a mail central station server. The method of claim 1, The mail receiving server is a mixed email service providing method characterized in that the portal service provider.