WO2007010613A1

WO2007010613A1 - Portable terminal device and electronic mail transmission method

Info

Publication number: WO2007010613A1
Application number: PCT/JP2005/013449
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yoshitaka Nakagawa
Original assignee: Fujitsu Limited
Priority date: 2005-07-22
Filing date: 2005-07-22
Publication date: 2007-01-25

Abstract

A portable terminal device searches inside a memory card removably mounted, recognizes as a mail file a text file which is in a prescribed format and stored in a previously specified folder in the memory card, automatically fetches the file into the portable terminal device and makes mail transmission or editing by the portable terminal device possible.

Description

Specification

Mobile terminal device and e-mail transmission method

Technical field

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a mobile terminal device including a mobile phone capable of sending and editing e-mails, and in particular, having a detachable memory card and improving the operability of sending and editing e-mails. The present invention relates to a portable terminal device and an e-mail transmission method.

Background art

[0002] In recent mobile phone services, the capacity of packet communications has been increasing due to the increase in packet communication speed by supporting 3G mobile communications (3G) and the introduction of a flat fee system. . Among them, the e-mail functions provided by mobile phones are increasing the number of characters that can be sent and the maximum size of attachments that can be attached. With the increase in the number of characters that can be sent, e-mail transmission is required to improve the operability of mobile phones during editing.In other words, a function that allows easy input of more characters and sentences It is required as a telephone function.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a conventional e-mail sending / editing operation using a mobile phone. As shown in Fig. 1 (a), the most common means of editing e-mail on a mobile phone is to input characters by operating buttons on the mobile phone. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1 (b), a mail document created by inputting characters using a keyboard and a keyboard can be created using a dedicated software on the PC and a PC (such as a USB cable). For example, there is a means for transferring to a mobile phone connected by (see Patent Documents 1 and 2 below).

[0004] In Patent Document 3 below, image data included in an e-mail received by a mobile terminal is stored in a memory card attached to the mobile terminal, and the image data stored in the memory card is read out by a home fixing device. Thus, a configuration for printing is disclosed.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-101661

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-290737

Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-333450 Disclosure of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

[0005] However, the means for inputting characters by button operation on a mobile phone generally requires multiple button operations in order to input one character, and is excellent in operability. It ’s hard to say. Although it may be possible to input many characters in a short time by proficiency, it is not enough to input with a general keyboard.

[0006] On the other hand, in a means for transferring data (mail document) by connecting a mobile phone and a personal computer with a cable, a personal computer keyboard can be used for character input. Has the disadvantage that it requires cables and dedicated software and cannot be used in situations where a pre-prepared environment is in place.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal device and an e-mail transmission method that improve the operability of sending and editing e-mail.

Means for solving the problem

[0008] A first configuration of a mobile terminal device for achieving the above object is to search for the attached storage medium in a mobile terminal device to which a storage medium is detachable, and to store the predetermined storage stored in the storage medium. It is characterized by comprising extraction means for extracting the format file from the storage medium and transmission means for transmitting the file extracted by the extraction means as an e-mail.

[0009] In a second configuration of the mobile terminal device of the present invention, in the first configuration described above, the extraction unit extracts a file having the predetermined format and including a predetermined file name from the storage medium. It is characterized by that.

[0010] A third configuration of the mobile terminal device of the present invention is the same as the first configuration described above, except that the extraction step force includes a file having the predetermined format, including a predetermined file name, and including a predetermined extension. Extracting from the storage medium.

[0011] A fourth configuration of the mobile terminal device of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores a time stamp of a file transmitted as an e-mail by the transmission unit in the first configuration, and the extraction unit includes A file having a predetermined format, including a predetermined file name, including a predetermined extension, and having a time stamp stored in the storage means; The file is extracted from the storage medium.

[0012] In a fifth configuration of the mobile terminal device of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth configurations, the content of the file extracted from the storage medium force by the extraction unit is edited. The editing means transmits the contents edited by the editing means as an e-mail.

[0013] A sixth configuration of the mobile terminal device of the present invention includes a detection unit that detects attachment of the memory card to the mobile terminal device in any of the first to fifth configurations.

The extraction means starts searching for the file based on detection of attachment of the storage medium by the detection means.

[0014] In a seventh configuration of the mobile terminal device of the present invention, in any one of the first to sixth configurations, the extraction unit is a predetermined folder that is preliminarily determined in the storage medium. It is characterized by searching only.

[0015] In an eighth configuration of the mobile terminal device of the present invention, in any one of the first to seventh configurations, the predetermined format identifies a title, a text, and a destination mail address of an email. It is characterized by including the character string for.

[0016] A first e-mail transmission method of the present invention is an e-mail transmission method in a portable terminal device to which a storage medium can be attached and detached, wherein the attached storage medium is searched and stored in the storage medium. An extraction step for extracting the file of the predetermined format, which has the storage medium power, and a transmission step for transmitting the file extracted by the extraction step as an e-mail.

[0017] A second e-mail transmission method of the present invention is the above-described first method, wherein in the extraction step, a file having the predetermined format and including a predetermined file name is extracted from the storage medium. It is characterized by that.

[0018] A third e-mail transmission method of the present invention is the above-described first method, wherein the extraction step includes a file having the predetermined format, including a predetermined file name, and including a predetermined extension. The storage medium power is also extracted.

[0019] A fourth e-mail transmission method of the present invention is the above-described first method, wherein the portable terminal device is a time-stamp for a file transmitted as an e-mail in the transmission step. Storage means for storing a file, and in the extracting step, the file has a predetermined format, includes a predetermined file name, includes a predetermined extension, and stores a time stamp in the storage means. The storage medium power is also extracted.

[0020] A fifth e-mail transmission method according to the present invention includes an editing step of editing the contents of the file extracted from the storage medium force in the extraction step in any of the first to fourth methods. In addition, in the transmission step, the content edited in the editing step is transmitted as an e-mail.

[0021] A sixth e-mail transmission method of the present invention further comprises a detection step of detecting attachment of the memory card to the portable terminal device in any of the first to fifth methods, In the extraction step, the search for the file is started based on detection of attachment of the storage medium in the detection step.

[0022] In the seventh e-mail transmission method of the present invention, in any of the first to sixth methods, only the predetermined folder in the storage medium is searched in the extraction step. It is characterized by being.

[0023] In an eighth e-mail transmission method of the present invention, in any one of the first to seventh methods, the predetermined format is for identifying a title, a text, and a destination mail address of the e-mail. The character string is included.

[0024] A first computer program of the present invention is a computer program executed by a portable terminal device to which a storage medium can be attached and detached, and searches for the attached storage medium, and is stored in the storage medium. And an extraction process for extracting the file in the predetermined format, and a transmission process for transmitting the file extracted by the extraction process as an e-mail.

[0025] A second computer program of the present invention includes a storage process for storing a time stamp of a file transmitted as an e-mail by the transmission process in the first computer program, and the extraction is performed. The process includes extracting the file from the storage medium having the predetermined format, including a predetermined file name, including a predetermined extension, and storing a time stamp in the storage process. . [0026] A third computer program of the present invention comprises an editing process for editing the contents of the file extracted by the extraction process in the storage medium in the first or second computer program, The transmission process is characterized in that the content edited by the editing process is transmitted as an e-mail.

The invention's effect

[0027] By the portable terminal device and the electronic mail transmission method of the present invention, a mail file (text file) created and edited on a personal computer, for example, via a removable storage medium such as a memory card can be easily portable terminal. It can be loaded into the device, improving the operability of sending mail with the power of the mobile terminal device. In addition, since the mail file created and edited on the personal computer is imported to the mobile terminal device, mail editing operations on the mobile terminal device are significantly less than when creating mail first. In addition, the operability of email editing on mobile terminal devices is improved.

[0028] If there is a personal computer near the mobile terminal device, create a mail using the personal computer, and create the mail by using the mobile terminal device by importing the created mail file into the mobile terminal device with a memory card. ) Can be saved, and long mails can be created and sent easily.

[0029] In addition, dedicated software and a connection cable for transferring data to a personal computer-powered portable terminal device are not required.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a conventional e-mail sending / editing operation using a mobile phone.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware block configuration of a mobile terminal device that works according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a software configuration incorporated in a mobile terminal device that works according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a format example of a mail file used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a folder configuration example of a memory card in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an example of a user setting screen for setting whether or not to search for a mail file in a memory card in a portable terminal device that is useful for an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a first example of a menu screen on which a search operation for a mail file in a memory card can be selected in a mobile terminal device that is useful for an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a second example of a menu screen on which a search operation for a mail file in a memory card can be selected in a mobile terminal device that is useful for an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an operation flowchart of the mobile terminal device in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a search operation by the memory card engine unit 11. Explanation of symbols

[0031] 11: Memory card engine unit, 12: Memory card UI unit, 13: Menu unit, 14: Mail UI unit, 100: Application control unit, 101: ROM, 102: RAM, 103: Application CPU, 104: Memory card reader

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, such an embodiment does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0033] In the embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method capable of sending and editing an e-mail using a memory card that is removable from a mobile terminal device. Specifically, the mobile terminal device searches the installed memory card, recognizes a text file of a predetermined format saved in a pre-designated folder in the memory card as a mail document, and stores it in the mobile terminal device. Automatically import to

[0034] A mail file edited in advance on a personal computer is stored in a memory card, and when the memory card is inserted into a mobile terminal device, the mobile terminal device automatically extracts a mail file from the memory card. Therefore, complicated character input work on the mobile terminal device becomes unnecessary or reduced, and the dedicated software for transferring the mail file edited on the personal computer or the personal computer and the mobile terminal device is connected. Eliminates the need for cables, and allows users to easily edit and send e-mails using mobile terminal devices. Become. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0035] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the mobile terminal device that works on the embodiment of the present invention. The mobile terminal device includes an application control unit 100 and a wireless control unit 110. The application control unit 100 includes a ROM 101 and a RAM 102 that store the above-described various software, and the application CPU 103 executes the various software. The portable terminal device has a function of reading and writing data from and to a memory card, and has a memory card reader / writer (memory card RZW) 104 for that purpose. In addition, a display unit 105 as an external interface, an audio control unit 106 for controlling an audio signal in which speaker and microphone power for a call are also input and output, and an interface (Audio Interface Unit: AIU) 107 with the speaker and microphone are also provided. Provided. Further, the wireless control unit 110 includes a CPU 111, an interface 112, and a wireless signal transmission / reception unit (RF) 113 that control transmission / reception of wireless signals in various communications such as telephone, electronic mail, and the Internet.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a software configuration incorporated in the mobile terminal device that works well with the embodiment of the present invention. For example, the software is stored in the ROM 101 in FIG. 2 and is executed by the application CPU 103. The software also includes a memory card engine unit 11, a memory card UI unit 12, a menu unit 13, and a mail UI unit 14. The memory card engine unit 11 searches and checks the text file in the memory card in response to a request from another application. The memory card UI unit 12 provides a user interface and realizes various settings and selection operations by the user. The menu unit 13 is provided with a menu for fetching mail in the memory card. After fetching mail data, the mail data is passed to the mail UI unit 14. The mail UI section 14 provides a user interface related to mail transmission or mail editing.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a format example of a mail file used in the embodiment of the present invention. The mail file is a text file, and includes character strings of “Subject”, “To”, and “Body” and input items corresponding to each. “Subject” is an item for inputting an e-mail title, “To” is an item for inputting an e-mail address of a destination, and “Body” is an item for inputting an e-mail body. The memory force engine unit 11 in FIG. 3 has a predetermined folder force text file in the memory card, as will be described later. When a file is detected, the character strings “Subject”, “To”, and “Body” are searched, and by detecting these character strings, the mail file is recognized. Also, the presence of input contents corresponding to each input item is also determined.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a folder configuration example of the memory card in the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, for example, a folder “MAIL” dedicated to storing electronic mail documents is provided under the “PRIVATE” folder in the memory card. The e-mail document storage folder “MAIL” is created, for example, when the memory card is initially formatted. The memory force engine unit 11 in FIG. 3 searches the “MAIL” folder of the installed memory card to determine whether there is a mail file.

FIG. 6 is an example of a user setting screen for setting whether or not to search for a mail file in the memory card in the mobile terminal device that is useful for the embodiment of the present invention. When a user installs a memory card in the mobile terminal device and detects the installation of the mobile terminal device memory card, the user can set whether to automatically search for mail files in the memory card. it can. The setting screen shown in FIG. 6 is called from the menu unit 13, and the setting value (ON or OFF) set by the user is stored in the non-volatile memory in the mobile terminal device, and the power of the mobile terminal device is temporarily turned on. The setting continues even if it is turned off and turned on again.

[0040] The memory card UI unit 14 refers to the setting value set on this screen. If the setting value is ON (setting to search), the memory card is inserted when the memory card is inserted in the mobile terminal device. The gin part 11 searches the “MAIL” folder and determines whether or not there is a text file including the character strings “Subject”, “To”, and “Body”.

[0041] In the user setting screen shown in FIG. 6, even when the set value is off (not automatically searched), the search is instructed to search in the memory card mounted on the menu screen of the mobile terminal device. You may want to search for mail files in the memory card according to the user's selection action.

FIG. 7 is a first example of a menu screen on which a search operation for a mail file in a memory card can be selected in a mobile terminal device that is useful for an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 7 (a), there is a menu for editing mail (card), and the user selects this menu. Then, a search in the memory card is performed, and when a mail file is extracted, the mail edit screen shown in Fig. 7 (b) is displayed. The user performs a predetermined editing operation and sends a transmission instruction to send an e-mail.

FIG. 8 is a second example of a menu screen on which a search operation for a mail file in a memory card can be selected in the mobile terminal device that is useful for the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 8 (a), there is a “Mail Send (Card)” menu. When the user selects this menu, a search in the memory card is performed and when a mail file is extracted, The sending process is performed, and the mail sending screen shown in Fig. 8 (b) is displayed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an operation flowchart of the portable terminal device in the embodiment of the present invention. When the memory card UI 12 detects that a memory card is installed (S101), it refers to the setting value for whether or not to search the “MAIL” folder of the memory card (S102), and the setting value is on (search In the case of “Yes”, the memory card engine unit 11 is requested to search for a mail file in the “MAIL” folder, and the memory card engine unit 11 performs a search (S 103). If the mail file exists as a result of the search (S104), the memory card engine unit 11 notifies the search result to the memory card UI unit 12, and the memory card UI unit 12 displays an operation selection screen (S105). ). The operation selection screen displays the choice of whether to send the searched mail file as it is (send) or edit it on the mobile terminal (edit), and the user selects one of them. .

[0045] The selected operation is notified to the memory card UI unit 12, and the memory card UI unit 12 sends a mail to the mail UI unit 14 according to the selected operation (transmission process or edit process). A request for communication processing or mail editing processing is made. Specifically, when the transmission process is selected, the mail UI unit 14 extracts the searched mail file, and the title (content input in the “Subjectj” item) and the text (“ It is sent to the e-mail address (the content entered in the “To” item) without correcting the content entered in the “Body” item (S106). On the other hand, when the editing process is selected, the searched mail file is read, and the mail editing screen in which the contents entered for “Subject”, “To”, and “Body” have been entered is displayed (S108). .

[0046] When a mail file is extracted from a memory card, the time stamp of the file is Save to the source memory (S107, S109). This is so that the mail file that has already been sent will not be extracted again when the memory card is inserted the next time.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flowchart of the search operation by the memory card engine unit 11. FIG. 10 is a detailed flowchart of step S103 in FIG. When a file search request is made from the memory card UI unit 12 to the memory card engine unit 11, the memory card engine unit 11 first stores the mail file in the present embodiment in the directory structure of the memory card. A dedicated folder (“Mail” folder) is searched to determine whether a file exists (S201). If there is no file, the memory card UI unit 12 is notified of the search result indicating no file (S207). If the file exists, go to the next step.

[0048] Subsequently, the memory card engine unit 11 checks the file name (S202). The file name of the mail file includes a predetermined character string. For example, the character string decided by force is “mail”, and when storing multiple files in a dedicated folder, the file names are, for example, “maill”, “mail2”, and so on. Suppose that it is a combination of a string and a number that has been decided by force. If there is no character string decided in advance in the file name (when out of the rules), the search result of no file is notified to the memory card UI unit 12 (S207). If the file name contains a predefined character string (as per the convention), go to the next step.

Subsequently, the memory card engine unit 11 checks the extension of the searched file (S203). Since the mail file is a text file, it is determined whether or not the extension is “txt”. If the extension is not “txt” (if it is out of the rules), the search result of no file is displayed in the memory card UI 12 Notification is made (S207). If the extension is “txt” (as per the convention), go to the next step.

[0050] Next, the memory card engine unit 11 checks whether or not the time stamp of the retrieved file is stored in the nonvolatile memory (S204). This is to check whether the mail file has already been sent. Files with time stamps stored in non-volatile memory can be considered files that have already been sent. When the time stamp of the searched file is stored in the nonvolatile memory, the memory card UI unit 12 is notified of the search result indicating no file (S207). File timestamp is non-volatile If it is not stored in the memory, go to the next step.

[0051] Next, the memory card engine unit 11 checks whether or not the retrieved file has a predetermined format (S205). Specifically, it is checked whether or not the above-mentioned character strings “Subject”, “To”, and “Body” are included in the file. The memory card engine unit 11 recognizes the character string following “Subject” as the subject of the email, the character string following “To” as the destination email address, and the character string following “Body” as the body of the email. If it is not in the predetermined format (when it is out of the rules), the memory card UI unit 12 is notified of the search result indicating no file (S207). If it is in a predetermined format (according to the rules), the presence of the file is notified, and the file itself is transferred (S206).

As described with reference to FIG. 9, the file transferred to the memory card UI unit 12 is subjected to transmission processing or editing processing according to the user's selection.

[0053] The mobile terminal device of the present invention is not limited to a mobile phone, and can be applied to all mobile terminal devices to which a memory card is removable and have an e-mail function. The memory capability is, for example, a storage medium such as an SD card or a memory stick, and is not limited to the shape of the card.

Industrial applicability

The present invention realizes an improvement in the operability of sending / editing an e-mail in a portable terminal device in which a storage medium such as a memory card is removable.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] For portable terminal devices with removable storage media!

An extraction means for searching the mounted storage medium and extracting the file of a predetermined format stored in the storage medium;

Transmitting means for transmitting the file extracted by the extracting means as an e-mail.

[2] In claim 1,

The mobile terminal apparatus, wherein the extraction unit extracts a file having the predetermined format and including a predetermined file name from the storage medium.

[3] In claim 1,

The portable terminal device characterized in that the extracting means extracts the file having the predetermined format and including a predetermined file name and including a predetermined extension.

[4] In claim 1,

Storage means for storing a time stamp of a file transmitted as an e-mail by the transmission means;

The extraction means extracts the file from the storage medium having the predetermined format, including a predetermined file name, including a predetermined extension, and having a time stamp stored in the storage means! A portable terminal device.

[5] In any one of claims 1 to 4,

Editing means for editing the contents of the file extracted by the extracting means.

The mobile terminal device, wherein the transmission means transmits the content edited by the editing means as an electronic mail.

[6] In any one of claims 1 to 5,

It comprises a detecting means for detecting attachment of the memory card to the portable terminal device, and the extracting means starts searching for the file based on detection of attachment of the storage medium by the detecting means. Mobile terminal device.

[7] In any one of claims 1 to 6,

The portable terminal device characterized in that the extraction means searches only a predetermined folder determined in advance in the storage medium.

[8] In any one of claims 1 to 7,

The mobile terminal device, wherein the predetermined format includes a character string for identifying a title, a text, and a destination mail address of an electronic mail.

[9] In an e-mail transmission method in a portable terminal device to which a storage medium can be attached / detached, an extraction in which the attached storage medium is searched and a file of a predetermined format stored in the storage medium is extracted from the storage medium Steps,

An e-mail transmission method comprising: a transmission step of transmitting the file extracted in the extraction step as an e-mail.

[10] In claim 9,

In the extracting step, a file having the predetermined format and including a predetermined file name is extracted from the storage medium.

[11] In claim 9,

In the extracting step, a file having the predetermined format and including a predetermined file name and including a predetermined extension is extracted from the storage medium.

[12] In claim 9,

The portable terminal device includes storage means for storing a time stamp of a file transmitted as an e-mail by the transmitting step,

In the extraction step, the file is extracted from the storage medium having the predetermined format, including a predetermined file name, including a predetermined extension, and storing a time stamp in the storage means. E-mail transmission method characterized.

[13] In any one of claims 9 to 12,

An editing step of editing the contents of the file extracted from the storage medium by the extraction step;

In the sending step, the content edited in the editing step is an e-mail. An e-mail transmission method characterized by being transmitted.

[14] In any one of claims 9 to 13,

A detection step for detecting the mounting of the memory card to the portable terminal device further comprising: in the extraction step, starting a search for the file based on the detection of the mounting of the storage medium by the detection step! An e-mail transmission method characterized by the above.

[15] In any one of claims 9 to 14,

In the extracting step, only a predetermined folder determined in advance in the storage medium is searched.

[16] In any one of claims 9 to 15,

The e-mail transmission method, wherein the predetermined format includes a character string for identifying the e-mail title, text, and destination e-mail address.

[17] In a computer program executed by a portable terminal device to which a storage medium is removable,

An extraction process for searching the mounted storage medium and extracting a file in a predetermined format stored in the storage medium from the storage medium;

A computer program comprising: a transmission process for transmitting the file extracted by the extraction process as an e-mail.

[18] In claim 17,

A storage process for storing a time stamp of the file transmitted as an e-mail by the transmission process;

The extraction process includes the predetermined format, includes a predetermined file name, includes a predetermined extension, and stores a time stamp in the storage process! A computer program characterized by that.

[19] In claim 17 or 18,

An editing process for editing the content of the file extracted from the storage medium by the extraction process;

The transmission process transmits the content edited by the editing process as an e-mail. A computer program characterized by that.