HK1173580A - System for confirming erroneous e-mail transmission - Google Patents

Description

System and program for confirming misdelivery of electronic mail

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system and a program for confirming erroneous transmission of an electronic mail, and more particularly to the following technologies: before an email is sent from a client terminal to a mail server, the propriety of the email is determined in the client terminal, and the result is displayed on a display, thereby providing the user with an opportunity to confirm whether there is an error in sending the email.

Background

At present, as a means of communication between enterprises, it is common to frequently send and receive confidential important documents such as an electronic mail, a contract book, and a price list as attachments to the electronic mail. Therefore, it is recognized that prevention of information outflow due to erroneous transmission of an electronic mail is a serious problem in each enterprise.

As a countermeasure for reducing the erroneous transmission of the electronic mail, as described in patent document 1 and non-patent document 1, the following techniques are put into practical use: a proxy server is provided between a client terminal of a clerk and a mail server, and the proxy server checks whether the contents of the recipient and the mail are appropriate or not, and returns the result to the client terminal.

For example, the service of non-patent document 1 includes the following functions: when the recipient (To, Cc) of the email includes an address outside the company, the address is highlighted on the transmission confirmation screen (dialog), thereby prompting the sender To pay attention.

By using these existing services, a clerk is provided with an opportunity to review contents before sending an email, and therefore, problematic emails can be prevented from being sent out unintentionally.

[ patent document 1 ] Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2007 and No. 087327

[ non-patent document 1 ] Ciphen craft/Mail Internet URL: http:// www.ntts.co.jp/products/ccraftfmail/function. html #01 retrieval day: 2010, 12 months and 15 days

Disclosure of Invention

However, when the proxy server is installed in this manner, the cost required for the introduction and maintenance is high, and complicated setting is required for the email program installed in each client terminal in accordance with the change of the SMTP server name and the port number, which is a serious obstacle to the introduction.

Further, in the case of the conventional service, the structure of the transmission confirmation screen is not sufficiently studied, and there is a problem that "providing the sender with a chance to confirm whether or not the transmission is mistaken" cannot be sufficiently exhibited.

For example, as shown in fig. 10, in the case of the transmission confirmation screen 100 disclosed in non-patent document 1, since the form in which the determination results for three components of "recipient", "body", and "attached document" of an electronic mail are displayed at once on the same screen is adopted, the attention of the sender is easily diverged, and since a general check box such as "check all recipients" and "check all attached documents" is provided, there is a problem that the confirmation behavior is easily streamlined. Also, it is pointed out that there are the following inconveniences: since the space allocated to each confirmation item is also relatively narrow, it is necessary to increase the frequency of scroll operation for confirmation to be performed carefully.

The present invention has been made to solve the above conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for presenting an erroneous transmission confirmation of an electronic mail excellent in visibility, which can be introduced without making complicated communication settings on the client terminal side, and which can prevent formalization of a confirmation operation.

To achieve the above object, a system for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to a first aspect is installed in a client terminal having an electronic mail program, and includes: a set value storage unit that prestores set values for extracting items to be confirmed from an e-mail before transmission; a unit that temporarily stops transmission to the transmission mail server when outputting an electronic mail from the electronic mail program; a confirmation item extracting unit for comparing the content of the e-mail with each setting value stored in the setting value storing unit and extracting a confirmation item; a unit for generating a confirmation screen describing a warning message indicating the existence of the item to be confirmed and displaying the screen on a display; means for displaying a send button on the confirmation screen when a confirmation completion input is made for each item to be confirmed in the confirmation screen; and a unit for transmitting the e-mail to a transmission mail server when the transmission button is pressed, wherein the confirmation screen includes confirmation pages independent at least for attachments, recipients, and texts, which are components of each e-mail, and is configured to alternately switch the confirmation pages displayed in front by selecting a tab.

The title (heading) is also included in the above "text" (the same applies hereinafter).

A system for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to a second aspect is premised on the system according to the first aspect, and further characterized in that a warning icon is displayed on the confirmation screen for each warning message indicating that there is an item to be confirmed, and when the warning icon is selected via an input device, it is regarded that the input of the confirmation completion is performed, and the warning icon is eliminated.

A system for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to a third aspect is based on the system according to the first or second aspect, and further characterized in that the warning icon is also displayed on a label for switching each confirmation page, and when the warning icon on each confirmation page is removed, the warning icon on the corresponding label is also removed.

A system for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to a fourth aspect is premised on the systems of the first to third aspects, and further characterized in that, when a predetermined security mark is embedded in an attachment of the electronic mail, an image of the security mark is displayed together with the warning message and the warning icon on a confirmation page of the attachment on the confirmation screen.

A system for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to a fifth aspect is based on the system according to the first to fourth aspects, and further characterized in that a list of detection keywords is stored in the set value storage means, and when a certain detection keyword is included in the body text of the electronic mail, the keyword is highlighted on the confirmation page.

The system for confirming the erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to the sixth aspect is based on the system according to the first to fifth aspects, and further characterized in that the system for confirming the erroneous transmission includes a transmission history storage unit that stores an address of the transmitted electronic mail as transmission history information in advance, and the item-to-be-confirmed extraction unit extracts, as the item to be confirmed, a case where a recipient whose transmission history does not exist is specified when the address for which the transmission history does not remain is included in a recipient column of the electronic mail.

The system for confirming the erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to the seventh aspect is based on the system according to the first to sixth aspects, and the item-to-be-confirmed extraction unit extracts, as the item to be confirmed, an item whose number of addresses exceeds a predetermined value when a predetermined number of addresses or more are described in a recipient field of the electronic mail.

The system for confirming the erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to the eighth aspect is based on the system of the first to seventh aspects, and further comprises a means for displaying a final confirmation button on the confirmation screen before displaying the transmission button, and when the final confirmation button is pressed, the transmission button is displayed to enable the transmission of the electronic mail.

A system for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to a ninth aspect is premised on the system according to the first to eighth aspects, further characterized in that when the transmission button is displayed on the confirmation screen, a file distribution button for using a file distribution server for downloading an electronic file to a client terminal on a destination side via a Web is also displayed together, and a user ID and a password necessary for using the file distribution server are registered in the setting value storage means, and the system for confirming an erroneous transmission includes: when the file distribution button is pressed on the confirmation screen, the unit accesses the file distribution server, inputs the user ID and the password, logs in, and then transmits an attachment, a body, and an address of a recipient of the electronic mail.

A program for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to a tenth aspect is installed in a client terminal provided with an electronic mail program, and causes the client terminal to function as: a set value storage unit that prestores set values for extracting items to be confirmed from an e-mail before transmission; a unit that temporarily stops transmission to the transmission mail server when outputting an electronic mail from the electronic mail program; a confirmation item extracting unit for comparing the content of the e-mail with each setting value stored in the setting value storing unit and extracting a confirmation item; a unit for generating a confirmation screen describing a warning message indicating the existence of the item to be confirmed and displaying the screen on a display; means for displaying a send button on the confirmation screen when a confirmation completion input is made for each item to be confirmed in the confirmation screen; and a unit for transmitting the e-mail to a transmission mail server when the transmission button is pressed, wherein the confirmation screen includes a confirmation page independent of at least an attachment, a recipient, and a body text which are components of each e-mail, and is configured to alternately switch the confirmation page displayed in front by selecting a tab. The system for confirming the erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to the first aspect and the program for confirming the erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to the tenth aspect are advantageous in that they can be easily introduced and managed by general staff without bothersome intervention because they do not require complicated settings relating to the internet, which is indispensable in the conventional system in which a proxy server is provided between a client terminal and a mail server, on the premise of being installed independently in the client terminal.

The confirmation screen displayed on the display is configured such that: since the above-described configuration is provided in which the confirmation pages independent of the attached document, the recipient, and the body text, which are main components for each email, are combined and the confirmation page displayed on the front side is switched by selecting the tab, the user can concentrate on the components of the email. The number of items to be checked displayed at a time on the check screen is limited, and as a result, there is an advantage that the space allocated to each item is relatively wide and visibility is improved.

Further, since the transmission screen is displayed for the first time when the completion of input of confirmation is performed for each warning message, and a configuration in which a plurality of items to be confirmed cannot be collectively checked as in "confirmation of all items to" is adopted, it is possible to effectively prevent the confirmation work of the user from being formalized.

A system for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to a second aspect of the present invention includes: the user can intuitively perform the confirmation work of the electronic mail because the input of the confirmation completion can be completed and the warning icon is eliminated only by clicking the warning icon corresponding to the warning message on the confirmation screen.

In the system for confirming the erroneous transmission of the electronic mail according to the third aspect, since the warning icon is displayed on the label for switching each confirmation page, the user can clearly recognize that the item to be confirmed exists on the confirmation page hidden on the back surface, and the improvement of the workability can be expected.

The system for confirming the erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to the fourth aspect is configured as follows: when a security mark such as "confidential" or "only inside the company" is embedded in the attachment, the security mark is displayed together with the warning message and the warning icon on the confirmation page, and therefore, the user can more accurately determine whether the email is appropriate.

The system for confirming the erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to the fifth aspect is configured such that: when a detection keyword set in advance is included in the body text of an electronic mail, the detection keyword is highlighted on a confirmation page, and therefore, the user can be reminded of the character string to be noticed.

The system for confirming the erroneous transmission of an electronic mail according to the sixth aspect is configured such that: the alert message is issued in a case where the first address is designated as the recipient, and therefore, the user can confirm the erroneous input of the address again.

An erroneous transmission confirmation system for an electronic mail according to a seventh aspect is configured to: the alert message is issued when the recipient column of the electronic mail specifies the number of addresses equal to or greater than the threshold value, and therefore, the user can confirm again whether the recipient specification is appropriate.

An electronic mail mistransmission confirmation system according to an eighth aspect includes: the final confirmation button is displayed before the transmission confirmation button is displayed, and when the final confirmation button is pressed, the transmission confirmation button is displayed on the confirmation screen for the first time, and the user is given a chance to confirm the whole email again, so that the user can perform the confirmation work with care again.

An e-mail mistransmission confirmation system according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is configured as follows: in the confirmation screen, a file distribution button is displayed alongside the transmission button, and when the button is pressed, instead of normal email transmission, the email is loaded into a file distribution server that downloads the email via the Web to the client terminal on the destination side.

When the fact that the electronic mail is loaded is known from the sender by the electronic mail from the file distribution server, the recipient accesses a predetermined URL from the Web browser, views the body of the electronic mail, and can download the attached file.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an e-mail erroneous transmission confirmation system according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the above system.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the above system.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of display of an attachment confirmation page on the transmission confirmation screen.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing another display example of the attachment confirmation page in the transmission confirmation screen.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of display of a recipient confirmation page on the transmission confirmation screen.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of display of a text confirmation page on the transmission confirmation screen.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example in which the final confirmation button is displayed on the transmission confirmation screen.

Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example in which a transmission button and an encrypted message button are displayed on a transmission confirmation screen.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a confirmation screen of a conventional erroneous transmission confirmation system.

Description of the reference symbols

10 a client terminal of a sender; 12 false transmission confirmation system of E-mail; 14 a transmission control unit; 16 a transmission confirmation processing unit; 18 a file transmitting section; 20 a control item setting processing unit; 22 a set value storage unit; 24 a transmission history storage unit; 24 sending a confirmation picture; 24 a transmission history storage unit; 26 a mail client; 28 control item setting screen; 30 sending a mail server; 32 the Internet; 34 sending a confirmation picture; 36 an accessory tag; 38 attachment confirmation page; 40 header area; 42 file list area; 44 warning icon; 46 popup window; 48 warning icons; 50 warning icon; a confirm complete icon 52; 54 cancel button; 56 a security marking; 58 recipient tag; 60 recipient confirmation page; 62 a header area; a 64 warning icon; 66 a warning icon; 68 recipient list area; 69 a warning icon; 70, popping up a window; 71 a confirm complete icon; 75 text label; 76 text confirmation page; 77 header area; 78 warning icon; 79 warning icon; 80 topic area; a text area of 81; 86 final confirmation button; 91 send button; 92 encrypt letter button; 93 receiving the mail server; 94 client terminals of the addressees; 95 a file distribution server; alpha e-mail; a β -attachment; gamma downloads the email for guidance.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an erroneous e-mail transmission confirmation system 12 provided in a client terminal 10, and includes a transmission control unit 14, a transmission confirmation processing unit 16, a file transmission unit 18, a control item setting processing unit 20, a setting value storage unit 22, and a transmission history storage unit 24.

The client terminal 10 is constituted by a PC, and the CPU of the PC implements the transmission control unit 14, the transmission confirmation processing unit 16, the file transmission unit 18, and the control item setting processing unit 20 by executing predetermined processing in accordance with an OS and a dedicated application program. The set value storage unit 22 and the transmission history storage unit 24 are provided in an external storage device of the PC.

The client terminal 10 is also provided with a mail client (mail client) section 26 realized by a general-purpose electronic mail program.

The user can create a new e-mail via the mail client 26 and send it to the e-mail address of the recipient.

First, the user installs an application program for realizing the erroneous transmission confirmation system 12 of the electronic mail to the client terminal 10, and then performs an operation for controlling the erroneous transmission confirmation process.

That is, when the user selects "setting of control items" from the menu of the program, the control item setting screen 28 is generated by the control item setting processing unit 20 and displayed on the display of the client terminal 10 (not shown).

The user performs the following setting, for example, through the control item setting screen 28.

(1) Whether warning display is required when inputting a large number of addresses

(2) Recipient list outside pop-up window object

(3) Whether a pop-up window is required for local address input

(4) Whether forced pop-up windows are required in the presence of attachments

(5) Detecting a list of keyboards

(6) ' Domain nameList of transformations of organization names

(7) Language switching (Japanese, English, Chinese)

(8) Final confirmation button presence or absence display

(9) Whether security flag set in accessory needs to be extracted

(10) Whether or not to use encryption information, ID and password in the case of use

The setting of the above (1) is To select whether or not To display a warning message when a large number of addresses are input To the address fields (To, Cc). Further, the number of addresses (threshold value) determined as "large number" can be set.

The setting of the above (2) is to specify the destination of the warning message which is not to be displayed in the pop-up window by the domain name or the mail address, and may use "- (arbitrary number of characters)" or "? (any one character) "specifies a wildcard.

The setting of the above (3) is to specify the local address (hereinafter, no address) when the local address is not a display target of the warning message which is sent to the company and becomes the pop-up window.

The setting of the above (4) is as follows: even if a recipient set as a recipient other than the pop-up window object is input in the setting of (2) or (3), whether or not the pop-up window is forced is determined if there is an attachment.

The setting of the above (5) is to input a list of keywords to be detected from the text of the title or body of the attached document. For example, the text strings such as "valuation order", "resolution order", "secret", etc. are related to the detection keyword.

The setting of the above (6) is to input a correspondence list of domain names and organization names used in organization name conversion (described in detail later).

The setting of the above (7) is for switching the language displayed in the pop-up window, the transmission confirmation screen, and the like.

The setting of (8) above is to select whether or not to display a final confirmation button (described in detail later) before displaying the send button.

The setting of the above (9) specifies whether or not to detect the security flag, such as "secret" or "restricted relevant person", when the security flag is attached to the accessory (described in detail later). Further, the type of the marker to be detected can be specified.

The setting of the above (10) is associated with utilization of "encrypted information" which is a kind of service that realizes secure distribution of files based on the web. That is, when the encrypted message is used, the "use encrypted message" in the setting screen is checked, and the user ID and the password are input in advance.

Wherein, the "encryption information" refers to: http:// www.nri-secure. co.jp/service/crypto/index. html.

When the user who has finished inputting the setting via the control item setting screen 28 presses the "login" button on the screen, the control item setting processing unit 20 stores the setting data in the setting value storage unit 22.

The processing contents of the system 12 will be described below with reference to flowcharts of fig. 2 and 3.

First, the transmission control unit 14 constantly monitors the communication status between the mail client 26 and the transmission mail server 30, and when it is detected that the electronic mail is transmitted from the mail client 26 to the transmission mail server 30, captures the electronic mail data and temporarily blocks the transmission to the internet 32 (S10), and passes the backup of the electronic mail data to the transmission confirmation processing unit 16.

The transmission confirmation processing unit 16 analyzes the contents of the electronic mail data and determines whether it is appropriate (S12). When determining the adequacy, the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 refers to the set value stored in the set value storage unit 22.

Next, the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 generates a transmission confirmation screen reflecting the determination result and displays the transmission confirmation screen on the display (S14).

Fig. 4 to 7 show specific examples of the transmission confirmation screen 34, and three switching tabs of "attached file", "received file", and "text" are provided.

In the case of fig. 4, the attachment tab 36 is selected, and therefore, only the attachment confirmation page 38 is displayed at the front. The attached file confirmation page 38 includes a header area 40 and a file list area 42.

Here, 3 attachments are listed in the file list area 42, the second from the top "resolution sheet (equating to 22 years, 6 months, 25 days version.) xls" attached with "! "warning icon 44, and pop-up window 46 describing a warning message" including keywords ".

Since the warning display includes "resolution" as one of the detection keywords in the file name of the attached file, the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 recognizes the item to be confirmed and inserts the item into the file list area 42.

Also, "please confirm the attachment" is also displayed in the header area 40 of the attachment confirmation page 38. A warning message including a keyword in the name of the attachment, and showing "! "warning icon 48. Also, a "! "the warning icon 50 clearly indicates that something to be confirmed exists on the attached document confirmation page 38.

Here, when the user clicks on the "resolution sheet (equating to 22 years, 6 months, and 25 days edition). xls" of the question, the application corresponding to the suffix of the file is started, and the attachment is displayed.

The contents of the attachment are checked to see if there is no problem, the user closes the file, and clicks a warning icon 44 displayed in the file list area 42.

The transmission confirmation processing unit 16 that received the confirmation input corresponding to the warning icon 44 (S16) cancels the warning icon 44 and displays the confirmation completion icon 52 of "ok" (S18). In addition, since all the warning icons in the file list area 42 are eliminated, the warning icon 48 in the header area 40 and the warning icon 50 in the attachment tab 36 are also replaced with "ok" confirmation completion icons.

On the other hand, when the user confirms the contents of the attachment and determines that there is a problem, the cancel button 54 is clicked. As a result, the electronic mail data held by the transmission control unit 14 is discarded, and the transmission itself to the transmission mail server 30 is terminated.

Thereafter, the user creates an email to which the correct file is attached again on the mail client 26, and performs transmission processing.

Fig. 5 shows other patterns of attachment problems, and in the header area 40 of the attachment confirmation page 38, "please confirm the attachment" is displayed. There is a file with a high confidentiality flag. The mail cannot be sent. "warning message, and"! "warning icon 48. Also, the attachment tab 36 displays a warning icon 50.

In the file list area 42, 3 attachments are listed, the first one of which is attached to the Judge.xls! "warning icon 44 and" privacy "security indicia 56.

And, for the third "memo. doc", attached with "! "warning icon 44 and" company only "security symbol 56.

When some security mark is embedded in the accessory, the corresponding mark ID is set as the unique attribute of the file, and therefore, the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 that detects this sets the image of the security mark associated with the mark ID in the file list area 42, thereby achieving attachment of the security mark 56.

When a file to which the security mark is set is opened by a corresponding program such as a word processor or a table calculation, a mark image such as "confidential" is displayed in the header portion of each page.

When the attachment confirmation page 38 is checked and it is determined that there is no problem even if the attachment is transmitted, the user clicks the attachment warning icon 44 displayed in the file list area 42.

As a result, the warning icon 44 is replaced with the ok confirmation completion icon 52, and the warning icon in the header area 40 and the attachment label 36 is removed, and instead, the ok confirmation icon appears.

On the other hand, when the user determines that there is a problem, the user clicks the cancel button 54 to stop the transmission of the email.

In the case of fig. 6, since the recipient tab 58 is selected, a recipient confirmation page 60 is displayed in front of the transmission confirmation screen 34.

Here, since a plurality of recipients (for example, 10 or more) are specified in the To and Cc columns, the header area 62 of the recipient confirmation page 60 displays "please confirm the recipient". At To, Cc, a large number of mail addresses are specified. "warning message, and"! "warning icon 64.

Also, the recipient tag 58 displays "! "warning icon 66 indicates that there is something to be confirmed on the page.

In the recipient list area 68 of the recipient confirmation page 60, the mail addresses are grouped in units of fields, such as "nris. In addition, "domain name" is set in advance in the set value storage unit 22In the case of the conversion information of the organization name ", the organization name is displayed instead of the domain name.

Com is stored in the set value storage unit 22, for example, "abc-laboInformation on conversion of "a, b, c, labo", hence, concerning "[ Cc]Shantian Wulang<goro_yamadaabc-labo.com>The "email address is referred to by the" a, b, c, labo corporation "organization name.

In addition, when an address for which the past transmission history information is not left in the transmission history storage unit 24 is mixed in the email address set as the recipient, the email address is given "! "and a pop-up window 70 describing a warning message" is a recipient not present in the transmission history "is displayed.

In the case of the object to which the electronic mail is to be transmitted for the first time, the electronic mail address is likely to be input erroneously, and therefore, the user's attention is called, but after confirming that there is no problem in the description of the address, when the user clicks the warning icon 69, the warning icon 69 is replaced with the ok confirmation icon 71.

In addition, even when the number of recipients is large, if it is confirmed that there is no problem, the user clicks the warning icon 64 displayed in the header area 62 to input confirmation.

As a result, the warning icon 64 is erased, and a confirmation completion icon of "ok" is displayed instead. In addition, since all the warning icons in the recipient confirmation page 60 are removed, the warning icon 66 of the recipient label 58 is also removed, and instead, a confirmation completion icon of "ok" appears.

On the other hand, when the user determines that the recipient has an error, the cancel button 54 is clicked. As a result, the electronic mail data is discarded, and the transmission itself to the transmission mail server 30 is terminated.

Thereafter, the user creates an electronic mail designating the correct recipient again in the mail client 26, and performs the transmission process.

In the case of fig. 7, the text tab 75 is selected, and therefore, a text confirmation page 76 is displayed in front of the transmission confirmation screen 34. The "text" mentioned here includes "title (heading)" in addition to the "text" in the narrow sense.

First, in a header area 77 of the page, "please confirm the title and the body text" is displayed. Include keywords in the title and text. "warning message, and"! "warning icon 78. In addition, "! "warning icon 79 clearly shows that there is something to be confirmed on the page.

In the title area 80, a title of "stock price about my company" is displayed, but since the "stock price" portion corresponds to the detection keyword stored in the setting value storage unit 22, a character string of enlarged font, colored (red character), bold font, and underlined font is emphasized and displayed.

Further, in the text area 81, "mr. shantian/underwriting concern is displayed. I am NRI safe jitian. The term "negotiation about confidential matters to be solved in the previous days" is applied to the same character string as that described above because the "confidential matters" correspond to the detection keywords stored in the setting value storage unit 22.

The above-described character string is highlighted as an example, and should not be limited thereto.

On the other hand, when the user checks the highlighted character string and confirms that there is no particular problem, the user clicks the warning icon 78 displayed in the title area 77 to confirm the input.

As a result, the warning icon 78 is erased, and a confirmation completion icon of "ok" is displayed instead. At the same time, the warning icon 79 of the text label is also eliminated and instead a confirmation complete icon of "ok" appears.

When the confirmation input is performed for the warning icons on each confirmation page and all the warning icons are changed to the confirmation completion icons (S20/Y), the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 causes the final confirmation button 86 to be displayed on the lower portion of the transmission confirmation screen 34 as shown in fig. 8 (S22).

On the other hand, the user switches the tab to perform final check of each check page, and clicks the final check button 86 if it is determined that there is no problem as a whole.

Upon receiving the input of the final confirmation (S24/Y), the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 displays the transmission button 91 and the encrypted message button 92 (file distribution button) on the lower part of the transmission confirmation screen 34 as shown in fig. 9 (S26). At this stage, the state is first brought to a state where the e-mail can be transmitted.

Here, when the user clicks the send button 91 (S28/send), the transmission confirmation processing section 16 outputs a transmission permission notification to the transmission control section 14, and the transmission control section 14 transmits the interrupted electronic mail to the transmission mail server 30 (S30).

The e-mail α is transferred from the sending mail server 30 to the receiving mail server 93, and is sent to the client terminal 94 of the addressee.

The transmission confirmation processing unit 16 records the email address described in the recipient of the email in the transmission history storage unit 24 as transmission history information (S32).

When the user clicks the encryption key button 92 instead of the send button 91 (S28/encryption key), the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 outputs a request for sending an attachment to the file sending unit 18. At this time, the file transmission unit 18 receives the email address set in the recipient of the email, the body of the email, and the attached file from the transmission confirmation processing unit 16. Then, the ID and the password of the encrypted message of the user are obtained with reference to the set value storage unit 22.

Next, the file transmitting unit 18 accesses the file distribution server 95 providing the service of the encryption letter via the internet 32, inputs the ID and the password of the encryption letter, and registers the ID and the password.

Next, the file transmission unit 18 transmits the attached file, the address of the electronic mail (the address of the sender and the address of the recipient), and the body text (including the title) received from the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 to the file distribution server 95 (S34).

The file distribution server 95 that receives the attachment β stores the attachment β in a predetermined directory in the external storage device, generates a guidance email γ for the recipient, and transmits the guidance email γ to the receiving email server 93.

In the electronic mail γ, at least a URL indicating a storage destination of the attached file, an electronic mail address of the sender, a title of the electronic mail described by the sender, and a body text are described.

When the recipient clicks the URL in the electronic mail γ on the client terminal 94, the Web browser is activated to display a download page (not shown) sent from the file distribution server 95.

Next, when the recipient clicks a "download" button provided on the download page, the attachment β is transmitted from the file distribution server 95 and stored in the external storage device of the client terminal 94.

When the size of the attached file is large, there is a possibility that the transmission is rejected by the transmission capacity limitation on the side of the transmission mail server 30 when the attached file is transmitted as an electronic mail, and therefore, it is preferable to download the attached file to the client terminal 94 of the recipient via the file distribution server 95.

When the user selects the transmission of the encryption method, the transmission control unit 14 discards the held electronic mail data (S36). In this case, the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 stores the email address specified from the recipient of the email in the transmission history storage unit 24 (S32).

In addition, when the user selects "use of encryption" on the control item setting screen 28, the encryption button 92 is not displayed on the transmission confirmation screen 34.

Similarly, when the user selects "display of final confirmation button" on the control item setting screen 28, the final confirmation button 86 is not displayed on the transmission confirmation screen 34, and the transmission button 91 is displayed on the transmission confirmation screen 34 immediately after confirmation input is completed for all items to be confirmed.

The above-described items to be confirmed by e-mail are merely examples, and it goes without saying that the transmission confirmation processing unit 16 can extract other items to be confirmed based on the setting values stored in the setting value storage unit 22 or the determination rules programmed in advance.

Claims (10)

1. An e-mail mistransmission confirmation system is installed on a client terminal having an e-mail program, and comprises the following units:

a set value storage unit that prestores set values for extracting items to be confirmed from an e-mail before transmission;

a unit that temporarily stops transmission to the transmission mail server when outputting an electronic mail from the electronic mail program;

a confirmation item extracting unit for comparing the content of the e-mail with each setting value stored in the setting value storing unit and extracting a confirmation item;

a unit for generating a confirmation screen describing a warning message indicating the existence of the item to be confirmed and displaying the screen on a display;

means for displaying a send button on the confirmation screen when a confirmation completion input is made for each item to be confirmed in the confirmation screen; and

a unit for sending the email to the email sending server under the condition that the sending button is pressed,

the system for confirming the misdelivery of the e-mail is characterized in that,

the confirmation screen includes confirmation pages independent of at least the attachment, the recipient, and the body text, which are components of each email, and is configured to alternately switch the confirmation pages displayed in front of the email by selecting the tab.

2. The system for confirming the misdelivery of an electronic mail according to claim 1,

in the confirmation screen, a warning icon is displayed for each warning message indicating that there is a matter to be confirmed,

when the warning icon is selected via the input device, it is considered that the input of the confirmation completion is performed, and the warning icon is eliminated.

3. The system for confirming the misdelivery of an electronic mail according to claim 2,

the warning icon is also displayed on the label for switching each confirmation page, and when the warning icon on each confirmation page is removed, the warning icon on the corresponding label is also removed.

4. The system for confirming the misdelivery of an electronic mail according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

when a predetermined security mark is embedded in an attachment of an electronic mail, an image of the security mark is displayed together with the warning message and the warning icon on a confirmation page of the attachment on the confirmation screen.

5. The system for confirming the misdelivery of an electronic mail according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

a list of detection keywords is stored in the setting value storage unit,

in the case where a certain detected keyword is included in the body of the electronic mail, the keyword is highlighted in the confirmation page.

6. The system for confirming the misdelivery of an electronic mail according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the mis-transmission confirming system is provided with a transmission history storage unit which stores the address of the transmitted e-mail as the transmission history information in advance,

the item to be confirmed extraction means extracts, as an item to be confirmed, a case where a recipient whose transmission history does not exist is specified when an address for which the transmission history does not remain is included in a recipient column of an electronic mail.

7. The system for confirming the misdelivery of an electronic mail according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

the confirmation item extraction unit extracts, as the confirmation item, an item whose number of addresses exceeds a predetermined value when a predetermined number of addresses or more are described in a recipient column of the electronic mail.

8. The system for confirming the misdelivery of an electronic mail according to any one of claims 1 to 7,

the system for confirming the erroneous transmission comprises a means for displaying a final confirmation button on the confirmation screen before displaying the transmission button,

when the final confirmation button is pressed, the transmission button is displayed, and it is possible to transmit the electronic mail.

9. The system for confirming the misdelivery of an electronic mail according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

when the transmission button is displayed on the confirmation screen, a file distribution button for using a file distribution server for downloading an electronic file to a client terminal on a destination side via a Web is also displayed together with a user ID and a password required for using the file distribution service registered in the setting value storage means,

the erroneous transmission confirmation system includes: when the file distribution button is pressed on the confirmation screen, the unit accesses the file distribution server, inputs the user ID and the password, logs in, and then transmits an attachment, a body, and an address of a recipient of the electronic mail.

10. A program for confirming an erroneous transmission of an electronic mail, which is installed in a client terminal provided with an electronic mail program,

the erroneous transmission confirmation program of the electronic mail causes the client terminal to function as:

a set value storage unit that prestores set values for extracting items to be confirmed from an e-mail before transmission;

a unit that temporarily stops transmission to the transmission mail server when outputting an electronic mail from the electronic mail program;

a confirmation item extracting unit for comparing the content of the e-mail with each setting value stored in the setting value storing unit and extracting a confirmation item;

a unit for generating a confirmation screen describing a warning message indicating the existence of the item to be confirmed and displaying the screen on a display;

means for displaying a send button on the confirmation screen when a confirmation completion input is made for each item to be confirmed in the confirmation screen; and

a unit for sending the email to the email sending server under the condition that the sending button is pressed,

the confirmation screen includes confirmation pages independent of at least the attachment, the recipient, and the body text, which are components of each email, and is configured to alternately switch the confirmation pages displayed in front of the email by selecting the tab.