JP2000298629A - Method and device transferring electronic mail message and machine readabel storing medium recording program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To transfer an electronic mail to an MTA(mail transfer agent) to which the MUA(mail user agent) of a transfer destination is connected without downloading its whole text to the MUA of the transfer destination of the elec tronic mail in an electronic mail message system. SOLUTION: An MUA 210 sends a part of a reference command to an MTA 110 according to an instruction of a user 300. The MTA 110 sends only a part (e.g. header information) in a stored electronic mail for the MUA 210 to the MUA 210 in response to it. The MUA 210 displays a sent content on a console 220, and when the user 300 looks at the display and decides that an electronic mail to be transferred to another user exists in the MTA 110 and inputs the transfer destination and ID of the electronic mail from the console 220. Thus, the MUA 210 sends a transfer command including the transfer destination and the ID to the MTA 110. The MTA 110 transfers the electronic mail shown by the ID in the transfer command to the MTA shown by the transfer destination.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an MTA (MailTransfe) for transmitting / receiving electronic mail to / from an external mail server.
r Agent) and an MUA (Mail User Agent) that sends and receives e-mails to and from the MTA in accordance with a user's instruction. In particular, an e-mail sent from one user is transmitted to another user. Related to transfer technology.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of conventional e-mail system, when an e-mail destined for the own MUA stored in an MTA is transferred to another MUA, the entire text of the e-mail is downloaded from the MTA to the MUA. Then, the transfer destination address is added to the downloaded e-mail and the MTA
It was necessary to upload to.

[0003]

As described above, conventionally, when an electronic mail is transferred, it is necessary to download and upload the entire text of the electronic mail to be transferred, so that there is a problem that a communication cost is required. is there. Further, when the size of the e-mail to be transferred is large, or when the network between the MTA and the MUA is slow, there is a problem that the transfer of the e-mail takes much time. .

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to download only a part of an e-mail without downloading and uploading the full text of the e-mail, and to transfer to a destination M.
An object of the present invention is to enable a UA to transfer an e-mail to a connected MTA.

[0005] In a conventional electronic mail system, PO
P3 (RFC1929) TOP command, IMAP4
Since it is possible to refer to the header information of the electronic mail addressed to the own MUA stored in the MTA by the FETCH command of (RFC2060), the header information is referred to by using these commands. In some cases, it can be determined whether or not the electronic mail referred to is necessary to be transferred. But,
Even if it is possible to determine whether the transfer of the e-mail is necessary based on the header information, the transfer of the e-mail still requires uploading and downloading of the full text of the e-mail. ， Time is wasted.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-124417 discloses that a summary of an e-mail received by a mail server is sent to a pager carried by the user, and the user who sees the summary displayed on the pager sends the summary to the mail server. A technique of designating a transfer destination of the e-mail is described. If this technology is used, electronic mail can be transferred between MTA and MUA without uploading and downloading the entire electronic mail. However, this conventional technology, besides the e-mail system, pager,
Since a paging system or the like for sending the summary to the pager is required, there is a problem that the system configuration becomes expensive.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an electronic mail message transfer method according to the present invention provides an MTA for storing an electronic mail addressed to its own agent sent from an external mail server, and an instruction from a user. According to said M
In an e-mail system comprising a MUA for transmitting / receiving an e-mail to / from a TA, the MTA comprises:
When a partial reference command is sent from A, the contents of a predetermined part of the stored e-mail addressed to the MUA are transmitted to the MUA, and the transfer destination and the e-mail are specified from the MUA. When a transfer command including an ID for performing the transfer is transmitted, a message portion of the electronic mail indicated by the ID in the stored electronic mail is transferred to the MTA indicated by the transfer destination, and
A transmits a partial reference command to the MTA in accordance with a partial reference command transmission instruction from the user, and transmits to the user the content of a part of the e-mail sent from the MTA in response to the partial reference command. The transfer command including the transfer destination and the ID is transmitted to the MTA in accordance with a transfer command transmission instruction that indicates the transfer destination and an ID for specifying the e-mail from the user.

Here, a part of the contents of the electronic mail presented to the user can be, for example, header information.

[0009] As an apparatus suitable for realizing the above-described electronic mail message transfer method, the electronic mail message transfer apparatus of the present invention is arranged such that the MTA stores an electronic mail addressed to its own agent sent from an external mail server. And when a partial reference command is sent from the MUA, the content of a predetermined part of the e-mail addressed to the MUA stored in the mail storage is transmitted to the MUA. Mail reference means,
I for specifying the transfer destination and e-mail from the MUA
D, when the transfer command containing the D is sent, the I
Mail transfer means for transferring a message portion of the e-mail indicated by D to the MTA indicated by the transfer destination, wherein the MUA transmits a partial reference command to the MTA in accordance with a partial reference command transmission instruction from a user And in response to the partial reference command, the MTA
Mail reading means for presenting the contents of a part of the e-mail sent from the user to the user, and the transfer destination and the ID according to a transfer command transmission instruction specifying a transfer destination and an ID for specifying the e-mail from the user Mail transfer instructing means for transmitting a transfer command including the following to the MTA.

In this configuration, when the user of the MUA inputs a partial reference command transmission instruction, the mail reading means sends a partial reference command to the MTA. When the partial reference command is sent, the mail reference means in the MTA sends a part (for example, header information) of the content of the electronic mail addressed to the MUA stored in the mail storage means to the MUA.

The mail reading means in the MUA is MTA
A part of the content of the e-mail sent from is presented to the user. When the user sees the presented content and determines that the e-mail needs to be transferred, the user inputs a transfer command transmission instruction designating a transfer destination and an ID for specifying the e-mail to be transferred. This gives M
The mail transfer instruction means in the UA sends a transfer command including the ID and the transfer destination to the MTA.

[0012] When a transfer command is sent from the MUA, the mail transfer means in the MTA transmits the ID in the transfer command in the e-mail held by the mail storage means.
At least the message portion of the e-mail indicated by the transfer destination indicated by the transfer destination in the transfer command.
Transfer to TA.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, in this embodiment, a server computer 100 connected to another mail server via a network, a client computer 200 connected to the server computer 100 via a network, and a client computer 200 connected to the client computer 200 Console 220.

The server computer 100 has an MTA 110 for sending and receiving electronic mail to and from another mail server. MTA 110 is a mail transmitting / receiving means 111 for transmitting / receiving an electronic mail to / from another mail server.
A mail storage unit 112 for storing an electronic mail addressed to the own MTA sent from another mail server;
MU stored in the mail storage unit 112 in response to the full text reference command or the partial reference command from A210
The entire text or part of the e-mail addressed to A210 is MUA2
Mail reference means 113 for sending to MUA 10 and MUA 210
And a mail transfer unit 114 for transferring an e-mail specified by a transfer command from another MTA to another MTA.
In the present embodiment, the mail reference means 113 is the MUA2
When a partial reference command is sent from the server 10, only the information in the header part of the e-mail is sent to the MUA 210.

The client computer 200 is connected to the MTA 110 via a network,
The MUA 210 that transmits and receives e-mails to and from the MUA 210 is provided. The MUA 210 transmits its own M to the MTA 110.
A mail reading means 21 for transmitting a full text reference command or a partial reference command for requesting the full text or a part of the e-mail addressed to the UA 210 and displaying the information sent from the MTA 110 on the console 220 in response to this command.
1 and a transfer command including a unique ID for identifying a transfer destination and an e-mail specified by the user.
And a mail transfer instructing unit 212 for transmitting to the TA 110.

The recording medium K1 provided in the server computer 100 is a disk, a semiconductor memory, or another recording medium.
A program for functioning as a program is recorded.
This program is read by the server computer 100 and controls the operation of the server computer 100 so that the mail transmission / reception means 111, the mail reference means 113, the mail transfer means 1
14 is realized.

The recording medium K2 provided in the client computer 200 is a disk, a semiconductor memory, or another recording medium.
0 is recorded as a program for causing MUA 210 to function as MUA 210. This program is read by the client computer 200 and controls the operation of the client computer 200 to realize the mail reading unit 211 and the mail transfer instruction unit 212 on the client computer 200.

Each of these means operates as follows.

The mail transmitting / receiving means 111 receives an electronic mail addressed to the own MTA 110 from an external mail server, and stores it in the mail storing means 112.

Mail reading means 21 in MUA 200
1 is a mail reference unit 11 according to the instruction of the user 300.
3 is transmitted to the mail reference means 113.
Downloads only the contents of the header part of the e-mail addressed to the MUA 210 stored in the mail storage means 112 when the partial reference command is sent. When the header information is sent, the mail reading means 211 displays it on the console 220. When the user refers to the header information displayed on the console 220 and determines that it is necessary to transfer the e-mail having the header information to another user, the mail transfer instructing means 2
12, the transfer destination and the ID for specifying the electronic mail are instructed. Thereby, the mail transfer instructing unit 212 sends the transfer command including the transfer destination and the ID to the mail transfer unit 114 in the MTA 110, and the mail transfer unit 114 converts the electronic mail indicated by the ID in the transfer command into the transfer command. Transfer to the MTA indicated by the inside transfer destination.

[Explanation of Operation of Embodiment] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the MTA 110 when receiving an e-mail.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the MTA 110 when a partial reference command is received, and FIG.
5 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the TA 110, FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the MUA 210 at the time of instructing transmission of a partially referenced command, and FIG.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing example of A210, and FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of FIG. 1. Hereinafter, the entire operation of the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Mail transmission / reception means 111 in MTA 110
Receives e-mail from an external mail server,
It is determined based on the header information whether or not it is an electronic mail to be received by the own MTA (FIG. 2, step A).
1).

If the electronic mail is to be received by the own MTA, the electronic mail is stored in the mail storing means 112 (step A2). If the electronic mail is not to be received, the mail is retransmitted to another appropriate mail server (step A2). A3).

The user 300 of the MUA 210 determines whether there is an e-mail addressed to the own MUA and an e-mail to be transferred to another user among the e-mails stored in the mail storage means 112 as described above. To find out
A partial reference command transmission instruction is input from the console 220. Thereby, the mail reading means 211 in the MUA 210 transmits a partial reference command to the MTA 110 (FIG. 5, step D1).

MTA1 to which the partial reference command has been sent
At 10, the mail reference unit 113 checks whether an unprocessed e-mail addressed to the MUA 210 is stored in the mail storage unit 112 (FIG. 3, step B1). Then, when there is an unprocessed e-mail addressed to the MUA 210, one corresponding e-mail is extracted from the mail storage unit 112, and only the header information thereof is sent to the MTA 110 (steps B2 and B3). On the other hand, MUA2
If there is no unprocessed e-mail addressed to 10, the mail reference means 113 sends an end notification to the requesting MUA 210 (step B4), and the processing ends.

Mail reading means 21 in MUA 210
1 is a mail reference unit 11 in response to a partial reference command.
3, the header information is displayed on the display unit of the console 220 (FIG. 5, steps D2 and D2).
3). Also, when the end notification is sent from the mail reference unit 113, the mail reading unit 211 ends the processing. Here, the header information includes the mail address of the sender, the mail address of the recipient, the subject, the message ID, and the like, which are displayed on the display screen of the console 220.

The user 300 of the MUA 210 looks at one or a plurality of pieces of header information displayed on the display screen of the console 220, and stores the electronic mail to be transferred to another user in the electronic mail stored in the mail storing means 112. It is determined whether the mail exists. For example, in the e-mail in which the header information is displayed, the e-mail address of the sender is the e-mail address of the user who has negotiated the transfer of the e-mail with the user 300, and the content of the subject is the e-mail. It is determined that an e-mail to be transferred to another user is an e-mail to be transferred.

The user 300 sends the mail storing means 11 based on the header information displayed on the console 220.
2 determines that there is an e-mail to be transferred to another user, a unique ID for identifying the e-mail (for example, a message ID in the header information of the e-mail) and a transfer destination (for example, subject And a transfer command transmission instruction specifying the transfer destination user's e-mail address indicated by the content of the transfer command. As a result, the mail transfer instruction means 212 in the MUA 210 transmits a transfer command including the ID and the transfer destination to the MTA 110 (FIG. 6, step E1).

Mail transfer means 114 in MTA 110
When the transfer command is received, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the electronic mail indicated by the ID in the transfer command is extracted from the mail storage means 112 (step C1), and the destination in the header portion is read out in the transfer command. Replace with the transfer destination (step C2), and transfer the replaced e-mail to another MTA according to the destination (step C3).

In the embodiment described above, the MUA 210
When a partial reference command is sent from the e-mail, only the header information in the e-mail addressed to the MUA 210 stored in the e-mail storage means 112 is transmitted to the MUA 210. The contents of the line or only the contents of the text portion excluding the binary information portion (attachment file portion) in the message portion of the e-mail may be sent to the MUA 210.

In response to the partial reference command, the contents of a predetermined line from the beginning of the message part of the e-mail are
0, the mail reference means 1 in the MTA 110
13, the content of a predetermined line from the beginning of the message part of the e-mail and a unique ID for identifying the e-mail, instead of performing the process of step B3 in FIG.
The process of extracting the message (eg, message ID) and the process of transmitting the content and ID of the extracted predetermined line to the MUA 210 may be performed.

When only the contents of the text part of the e-mail are sent to the MUA 210 in response to the partial reference command, the mail reference means 113 is sent to the step B in FIG.
3 instead of performing the processing of E-mail MIME (M
ultipurpose Internet MailExtension) structure, processing to extract the part (text part) whose content is "text" from the e-mail based on the obtained MIME structure, and a unique ID for identifying the e-mail
What is necessary is just to perform the process of extracting the (for example, message ID) and the process of transmitting the extracted text portion and ID to the MUA 210.

[0034]

The first effect is that the communication cost can be reduced. The reason is that only a part of the e-mail needs to be transmitted and received between the MTA and the MUA, and a part of the e-mail need not be transmitted and received as in the prior art.

The second effect is that the communication time can be reduced. The reason is the same as the first effect. For example, if the network between MTA and MUA is 100
e has the ability to transfer the data of e, and if the e-mail to be transferred is 10,000 bytes, it receives the entire e-mail,
Conventional techniques of retransmitting for transfer require a minimum of 200
Although seconds are required, according to the present invention, a part of an e-mail or a command of several tens of bytes may be transmitted and received, so that the time required for communication can be made shorter than one second.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed when an MTA receives an e-mail.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example when a partial reference command of the MTA is received;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process when the MTA receives a transfer command;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing when a MUA instructs transmission of a partial reference command;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing example when a transfer command transmission instruction is issued by the MUA.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 100 server computer 110 MTA 111 mail transmission / reception means 112 mail storage means 113 mail reference means 114 mail transfer means 200 client computer 210 MUA 211 mail reading means 212 mail transfer instruction means 220 console 300 User K1, K2 ... recording medium

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An e-mail system comprising an MTA for storing an e-mail addressed to an agent sent from an external mail server and an MUA for transmitting / receiving an e-mail to / from the MTA in accordance with a user's instruction. In the MTA, when a partial reference command is sent from the MUA, the MTA transmits the content of a predetermined part of the stored e-mail addressed to the MUA to the MUA, and When a transfer command including a transfer destination and an ID for specifying an e-mail is sent from, a message portion of the e-mail indicated by the ID in the stored e-mail is indicated by the transfer destination M
The MUA transmits a partial reference command to the MTA in accordance with a partial reference command transmission instruction from a user, and a part of the e-mail sent from the MTA in response to the partial reference command. To the user, and an I-mail for specifying the transfer destination and the e-mail from the user
Sending a transfer command including the transfer destination and the ID to the MTA in accordance with a transfer command transmission instruction designating D. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined part of the electronic mail is a header part of the electronic mail. 3. The MTA according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined part of the electronic mail is an ID for identifying the electronic mail.
2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting an ID for specifying the electronic mail to the MUA when the electronic mail message does not include the setting portion of the electronic mail message. 4. The electronic mail message transfer method according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined part of the electronic mail is a predetermined line from the beginning of a message part of the electronic mail. 5. The electronic mail message according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined part of the electronic mail is a text part of the message part of the electronic mail excluding a binary information part. Transfer method. 6. An e-mail system comprising an MTA for storing an e-mail addressed to its own agent sent from an external mail server and an MUA for transmitting / receiving an e-mail to / from the MTA in accordance with a user's instruction. In the MTA, when a partial reference command is sent from the MUA, the MTA transmits the content of a predetermined part of the stored e-mail addressed to the MUA to the MUA, and When a transfer command including a transfer destination and an ID for specifying an e-mail is sent from, a message portion of the e-mail indicated by the ID in the stored e-mail is indicated by the transfer destination M
The MUA transmits a partial reference command to the MTA in accordance with a partial reference command transmission instruction from a user, and is transmitted from the MTA in response to the partial reference command. An I-mail for presenting the contents of a part of the e-mail to the user and specifying a transfer destination and the e-mail from the user;
An e-mail message transfer device, characterized in that a transfer command including the transfer destination and the ID is transmitted to the MTA in accordance with a transfer command transmission instruction designating D. 7. The MTA comprises: mail storage means for storing an electronic mail addressed to the agent sent from an external mail server; and when a partial reference command is sent from the MUA,
The content of a predetermined part of the electronic mail addressed to the MUA stored in the mail storage means is stored in the MU.
A mail reference means to be transmitted to A, and I for specifying a transfer destination and an e-mail from the MUA.
D, when the transfer command containing the D is sent, the I
Mail transfer means for transferring a message part of the e-mail indicated by D to the MTA indicated by the transfer destination, wherein the MUA transmits a partial reference command to the MTA in accordance with a partial reference command transmission instruction from a user A mail reading means for presenting a part of the e-mail sent from the MTA to the user in response to the partial reference command; and an ID for specifying a transfer destination from the user and the e-mail.
7. The electronic mail message transfer device according to claim 6, further comprising: mail transfer instruction means for transmitting a transfer command including the transfer destination and the ID to the MTA in accordance with a transfer command transmission instruction designating the following. 8. The electronic mail message transfer device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined part of the electronic mail is a header part of the electronic mail. 9. The mail reference means, if the predetermined part of the e-mail does not include an ID setting part for specifying the e-mail, the ID for specifying the e-mail is also used as the ID. 8. The e-mail message transfer device according to claim 7, wherein the e-mail message transfer device has a configuration for transmitting to an MUA. 10. The electronic mail message transfer device according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined part of the electronic mail is a predetermined line from the beginning of the message part of the electronic mail. 11. The electronic mail message according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined portion of the electronic mail is a text portion excluding a binary information portion in a message portion of the electronic mail. Transfer device. 12. A computer for MTA provided with mail storage means for storing an electronic mail addressed to its own agent sent from an external mail server. When an MUA receives a partial reference command from the MUA, Mail reference means for transmitting to the MUA the contents of a predetermined portion of the e-mail addressed to the MUA stored in the storage means; and I for specifying the transfer destination and the e-mail from the MUA.
D, when the transfer command containing the D is sent, the I
A program for functioning as a mail transfer unit for transferring a message portion of the e-mail indicated by D to the MTA indicated by the transfer destination; and a computer for the MUA, which is partially operated in accordance with a partial reference command transmission instruction from a user. Mail reading means for transmitting a reference command to the MTA and presenting to the user a part of the e-mail sent from the MTA in response to the partial reference command; ID to specify
And a program for causing the transfer command including the transfer destination and the ID to function as mail transfer instructing means for transmitting the transfer command including the transfer destination and the ID to the MTA in accordance with a transfer command transmission instruction designating the transfer command. Medium.