Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing – Priority based messaging
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-15
2001-05-01
Harrell, Robert B. (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
Priority based messaging
C709S206000, C709S207000, C709S201000, C709S238000, C709S240000, C340S870030, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226670
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an E-mail distribution system, and in particular to an E-mail distribution system which is formed of a sever and a client (equipment) including a user, and distributes an E-mail corresponding to a group which includes a plurality of clients.
In recent years, E-mails have been popular more and more. A general arrangement of a system for distributing such E-mails is shown in
FIG. 17. A
network
20
is connected to a server
21
and a plurality of clients
22
each of which includes a user. Some of such clients
22
are aggregated to compose groups G1, G2 as shown in FIG.
17
.
An actual example of such a system is shown in
FIG. 18. A
primary responder P
2
accepts a question {circumflex over (1)} from a questioner P1 on the telephone. Then, the primary responder P2 sends the contents of the question to an answerer group P3 through an E-mail {circumflex over (2)}. This is accumulated in the mail server
21
as a question mail transmission {circumflex over (2)}.
The answerer group P3 is an aggregation of a plurality of clients each including a user in the form of hardware. When an operator of the answerer group P3 sends a mail acquisition demand {circumflex over (3)} to the mail server
21
, the mail server
21
executes the mail distribution {circumflex over (4)} to the answerer group P3. An answerer of the answerer group P3 investigates the contents of the E-mail and returns an answer {circumflex over (5)} on the telephone, resulting in a help-desk operation.
Thus, in a recent E-mail distribution system, not only a single client but also a plurality of clients forming a group are provided to have a connection with a server. Accordingly, the distribution of E-mails received as a group E-mail address to client users has been required.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art E-mail distribution system in which clients
22
form a group for the connection to a server
21
is shown in
FIGS. 19 and 20
. Specifically,
FIG. 19
shows an arrangement of the server
21
, and
FIG. 20
shows an arrangement of each of the clients
22
.
The server
21
shown in
FIG. 19
is formed of an interface
1
which receives an E-mail EM1 from a network, a mail receptor
2
which accepts the E-mail through the interface
1
, a mail accumulator
3
which accumulates the E-mail accepted at the mail receptor
2
and which includes a plurality of personal mail spools
4
, a mail acquisition demand receptor
6
which accepts a mail acquisition demand MD1 from a client
22
through the interface
1
, and a mail distribution controller
9
which outputs an E-mail EM2 taken from the mail accumulator
3
by the mail acquisition demand receptor
6
through the interface
1
.
The client
22
shown in
FIG. 20
is formed of a mail acquisition demander
11
which sends the mail acquisition demand MD1 to the server
21
through an interface
10
and a mail receiver
12
which receives the E-mail EM2 through the interface
10
.
A format example of the above-mentioned mail acquisition demand MD1 is shown in FIG.
21
. This demand MD1 is formed of a user identifier UID and a password PW.
In such a prior art E-mail distribution system, the methods of distributing E-mails received with a group E-mail address to the user of the client
22
are shown in
FIGS. 22 and 23
.
FIG. 22
shows a broadcasting distribution method. When E-mails a, b, c, which correspond to E-mails EM1, EM2 of
FIG. 19
, are sent to the server
21
, the mail receptor
2
in the server
21
accepts them through the interface
1
. These E-mails a-c are stored in all of the personal mail spools
4
-
1
-
4
-
3
of the users registered in an E-mail address corresponding to a group GMA.
When the mail acquisition demand MD1 is transmitted from the client
22
to the server
21
, the mail acquisition demand receptor
6
specifies a user based on a user identifier UID and a password PW that are included in the mail acquisition demand MD1. The receptor
6
extracts the E-mails a-c from the personal mail spools
4
-
1
-
4
-
3
corresponding to the user and distributes them to the clients
22
-
1
-
22
-
3
through the mail distribution controller
9
.
Thus, when an E-mail addressed to a group E-mail address is received, the E-mail is distributed by a broadcasting method to all of the users which belong to the group corresponding to the address.
FIG. 23
shows a transferring distribution method. In this case, when such E-mails a-c are sent to the server
21
, the mail receptor
1
accepts them through the interface
1
. These E-mails a-c are stored in one of the personal mail spools
4
-
1
-
4
-
3
of the users registered in a group E-mail address GMA.
When the clients
22
-
1
-
22
-
3
transmit the mail acquisition demand MD1 to the server
21
, the mail acquisition demand receptor
6
specifies a user based on a user identifier UID and a password PW included in the mail acquisition demand MD1. The receptor
6
extracts the E-mails a-c from the personal mail spools
4
-
1
-
4
-
3
corresponding to the user, and distributes them to the clients
22
-
1
-
22
-
3
through the mail distribution controller
9
. Thus, this transferring distribution method is executed by distributing an E-mail to any user of a group.
Such a prior art E-mail distribution system as above-mentioned encounters the following problems when a question is received with an E-mail of a group E-mail address and one user of the group answers the question:
When an E-mail of a group E-mail address is accumulated in the personal mail spools corresponding to all of the users of the group by the broadcasting distribution method shown in
FIG. 22
, the E-mail is distributed to all of the users, although only one of the users of the group has to deal with the E-mail.
When an E-mail is accumulated in the personal mail spool corresponding to any of the users of the group by the transferring distribution method shown in
FIG. 23
, one of the users of the group is to deal with the E-mail. However, the accumulation is executed in the personal mail spool (accumulator) regardless of the situation of the user. Therefore, while the user is leaving his seat, the E-mail is to be accumulated in the personal mail spool so that the response to the question will be delayed.
Thus, it has been impossible to distribute E-mails transmitted with a group E-mail address to only one user of the group with the most suitable priority.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an E-mail distributing system which is composed of a server and a client including a user and distributes an E-mail corresponding to a group including a plurality of clients, in which E-mails transmitted with a group E-mail address are distributed to only one client/user of the group with the most suitable priority.
For the achievement of the above-mentioned object, in an E-mail distributing system according to the present invention, the client comprises a mail acquisition demander which transmits a mail acquisition demand including a group identifier, and the server comprises a mail accumulator which includes personal mail spools and group mail spools, a mail receptor which accumulates a received E-mail in the mail spools corresponding to an arrival address, and a mail acquisition demand receptor which extracts the group identifier included in the mail acquisition demand received from the client, a priority mail extractor which extracts an E-mail with top priority from the group mail spools corresponding to the group identifier, and a mail distribution controller which distributes the extracted E-mail to the client.
In the present invention, the server may further comprise a candidate mail extractor, and when the mail acquisition demander inserts a key word into the mail acquisition demand the mail acquisition demander extracts the group identifier and the key word and the candidate mail extractor retrieves an E-mail accumulated in the group mail spools corresponding to the group identifier based on the extract
Tsumori Yoshimi
Ueno Hideo
Fujitsu Limited
Harrell Robert B.
Helfgott & Karas P.C.
Willett S.
LandOfFree
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