JP2009031976A - E-mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To use a data delivery system from an interface of an e-mail, and also efficiently perform data communications. <P>SOLUTION: A client device 100 is connected to a proxy server 200 via a local area network 12, and a delivery server 30 is connected to the proxy server 200 via an external network 40. The client device 100 transmits an e-mail to the proxy server 200, and the proxy server 200 receives the transmitted e-mail to generate delivery data on the basis of the received e-mail. If it is determined that the destination of the received e-mail is present on the network 12, the proxy server 200 registers link information to the delivery data in the delivery server 30, and if the destination is not present on the network 12, the proxy server 200 registers the delivery data in the delivery server 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic mail system.

Email is widely used as a communication tool in business and daily life. If an e-mail file attachment function is used, data such as application data and images can be transmitted in addition to text. However, email attachments often serve as computer virus media, and the email attachment function may not be recommended. In addition, depending on the mail server, there is a restriction on the size of the attached file of the e-mail, so that it is sometimes necessary to use another data distribution system instead of the e-mail to transmit the file.
JP-A-11-272594

  By the way, when using another data distribution system for file transmission, it is necessary to use a dedicated client application, and the email application does not have a history of file transmission / reception. It was inconvenient because I couldn't.

  In addition, since the data distribution system is on the external network, even if the destination of the file is on the local area network, the file is once registered in the data distribution system on the external network and then returned to the local area network. As a result, inefficient data communication has been performed.

  One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an electronic mail system that can use a data distribution system from an electronic mail interface and can efficiently perform data communication.

  To achieve the above object, the invention of the electronic mail system according to claim 1 is an information processing apparatus, a distribution apparatus capable of registering data and distributing the registered data, and utilization for operating the information processing apparatus. A relay device that manages a user's e-mail and relays data communicated between the information processing device and the distribution device, and the information processing device is connected to the relay device via a local area network The distribution device is an electronic mail system connected to the relay device via an external network, and the information processing device includes transmission means for transmitting an electronic mail to the relay device, Means for receiving the email sent by the sending means, generating means for generating distribution data based on the received email, and the received If the determination means determines whether the destination of the e-mail is on the local area network and the determination means determines that the destination is on the local area network, it is generated by the generation means. Registration for associating link information to the distribution data with the destination, and registering the distribution data with the destination when the destination is not on the local area network. Means.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the relay device is an electronic mail address of a user whose destination is on the local area network and managed by the relay device. In some cases, further comprising: means for storing an e-mail generated based on the distribution data in the mailbox of the user; and means for registering distribution history information of the distribution data in the distribution device. It is characterized by that.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the relay device acquires link information to distribution data registered in association with the distribution device with a user to be managed as a destination. A means for acquiring the distribution data based on link information to the acquired distribution data, and an e-mail generated based on the acquired distribution data as a destination user of the distribution data And a means for registering distribution history information of the distribution data in the distribution device.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the link information to the distribution data registered in association with the distribution apparatus with the user operating the information processing apparatus as a destination And a means for acquiring the distribution data based on the link information to the acquired distribution data.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the relay device acquires distribution data registered in association with the distribution device with a user to be managed as a destination. And means for storing an electronic mail generated based on the acquired distribution data in a mailbox of a user who is the destination of the distribution data.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the data distribution system can be used from the electronic mail interface, and when the destination of the transmitted electronic mail is on the local area network, the distribution data entity is distributed to the distribution server. Therefore, data communication can be performed efficiently.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the destination of the transmitted e-mail is the user's e-mail address managed by the relay device, it is registered as the received mail in the user's mailbox as it is. Since the distribution history is registered in the distribution server, it is possible to efficiently perform data communication and centrally manage the distribution history of distribution data.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the distribution data is acquired from the relay device on the local area network based on the link information to the distribution data registered in the distribution server, and the distribution data is sent to the user's mailbox Since the distribution history is registered in the distribution server when registering to, it is possible to efficiently perform data communication and centrally manage the distribution history of distribution data.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the link information to the distribution data is acquired by directly accessing the distribution server, and the distribution data is acquired from the relay device on the local area network based on the link information. Data communication can be performed efficiently.

  According to the invention described in claim 5, the substance of the distribution data registered in the distribution server can be directly acquired.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment) will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of an electronic mail system 1 according to the present embodiment. The electronic mail system 1 is a system including client devices 100A, 100B, 100C, and 100D connected to a local area network 12, and proxy servers 200A and 200B, and a distribution server 30 connected to an external network 40 such as the Internet. An external client device 400 is further connected to the external network 40.

  When explaining the contents common to the client apparatuses 100A, 100B, 100C, and 100D connected to the local area network 12, the client apparatus 100 is used, and when explaining the contents common to the proxy servers 200A and 200B, the proxy server. 200. The user who operates the client device 100A is user A, the user who operates the client device 100B is user B, and so on.

  The local area network 12 and the external network 40 are connected via a firewall 300. The firewall 300 controls communication performed between the local area network 12 to which the client device 100 is connected and the external network 40 to which the distribution server 30 is connected, so that the local area network 12 is connected to the external network 40 from the external network 40. Protect against unauthorized access. As the firewall 300, a firewall having a packet filtering function may be used, or a firewall having a proxy function may be used. The firewall 300 may be incorporated as software in the client device 100 and the proxy server 200, or may be realized as dedicated hardware (firewall server).

  The client device 100 is an information processing device such as a personal computer operated by a user. The client device 100 operates a mail application that manages creation, editing, and transmission / reception of a user's e-mail. When the client apparatus 100 transmits an e-mail generated by a mail application, the client apparatus 100 transfers the e-mail to the proxy server 200 that functions as a mail server. When receiving an e-mail, the e-mail is received from the mail server via the proxy server 200.

  The proxy server 200 is a server computer that relays data communication between the client device 100 and the distribution server 30, and processes the email received from the client device 100 according to which network the destination of the email belongs to. In the present embodiment, the proxy server 200 also serves as a mail server, and the proxy server 200 transmits the email received from the client device 100 and distributes the email to the client device 100.

  In the present embodiment, user A and user B emails that operate client devices 100A and 100B are managed by proxy server 200A, and user C email that operates client device 100C is managed by proxy server 200B. And Note that for the user D who operates the client device 100D, there is no proxy server for managing e-mail, and he / she accesses the distribution server 30 and downloads distribution data.

  The distribution server 30 is a server computer installed in a data center, for example, and is a server computer that registers data and distributes the registered data. In the present embodiment, data registration in the distribution server 30 is performed by the proxy server 200. Authentication is required for access to the distribution server 30, and an encrypted communication path such as SSL may be used for communication with the distribution server 30.

  The external client device 400 is an information processing device such as a personal computer connected to the external network 40. The external client device 400 has a client function of the distribution server 30 that accesses the distribution server 30 and downloads distribution data.

  Next, details of functions provided in each of the client device 100, the proxy server 200, and the distribution server 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the respective devices.

  First, the client device 100 will be described. The client device 100 includes a communication unit 110, a control unit 112, a storage unit 114, a display unit 116, and an input unit 118 as functions.

  The communication unit 110 includes a network interface card (NIC) and performs data communication via the network interface card. In the present embodiment, the client device 100 performs data communication with the proxy server 200 using the TCP / IP protocol.

  The control unit 112 includes a central processing unit (CPU), and controls the hardware of each unit constituting the client device 100 and the timing of processing performed in each unit. The control unit 112 reads the program stored in the storage unit 114 and sequentially executes the instructions of the read program.

  The storage unit 114 includes a storage device such as a memory element or a magnetic disk. In addition to storing programs and data, the storage unit 114 is also used as a working memory for the control unit 112. The programs stored in the storage unit 114 include a control program such as an operating system for controlling each unit of the client device 100, a mail application program that has a client function for a mail server, and manages a user's email. included.

  The display unit 116 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and displays characters and images on the display device. The display unit 116 displays an operation screen or the like of an application (for example, an e-mail application) on the display based on the graphic data generated by the processing in the control unit 112 or the like.

  The input unit 118 receives an input operation from the user. The input unit 118 is connected to input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, for example, and receives input signals from those input devices.

  Next, the proxy server 200 will be described. The proxy server 200 includes a communication unit 210, a control unit 212, and a storage unit 214 as functions.

  The communication unit 210 includes a network interface card (NIC), and performs data communication via the network interface card. In the present embodiment, the proxy server 200 performs data communication with the distribution server 30 via the client device 100 and the firewall using the TCP / IP protocol.

  The control unit 212 includes a central processing unit (CPU), and controls the hardware of each unit constituting the proxy server 200 and the timing of processing performed in each unit. The control unit 212 reads the program stored in the storage unit 214 and sequentially executes the instructions of the read program.

  The storage unit 214 includes a storage device such as a memory element or a magnetic disk. The storage unit 214 stores programs and data, and is also used as a working memory for the control unit 212. The programs stored in the storage unit 214 include a control program such as an operating system for controlling each unit of the proxy server 200, a mail server program 220 for causing the proxy server 200 to function as a mail server for delivering electronic mail, A distribution server client program 222 for causing the proxy server 200 to function as a client that accesses the distribution server 30 is included. Further, the storage unit 224 further transmits a distribution data to be distributed to the distribution server 30 and a distribution data storage unit 224 that functions as a queue for sequentially storing related information of the distribution data (hereinafter referred to as a distribution data queue), and is transmitted from the client device 100. A temporary storage unit 226 for temporarily storing the e-mail.

  The proxy server 200 functions as an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server in accordance with the mail server program 220 stored in the storage unit 214, and includes the following mail transmission / reception function, attached file filter function, digital signature verification function, mail analysis function, and distribution data. Has a generation function.

  The mail transmission / reception function is a function including a mail transmission function that transmits a transmission mail transmitted from the client apparatus 100 according to the destination, and a mail reception function that receives a mail transmitted from another mail server. The proxy server 200 stores the function received by the mail receiving function in the storage unit 214 and returns the stored electronic mail to the client device 100 in response to a request from the client device 100.

  The attached file filter function is a function of separating attached files of electronic mail received from the client device 100 and other mail servers. The separated attachment file of the electronic mail is temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit 226.

  The digital signature verification function is a function for verifying whether or not the digital signature added to the electronic mail by the client apparatus 100 is authentic. Based on the identifier of the signer's certificate included in the digital signature, a public key certificate corresponding to the private key used for the signature is obtained from a trusted third party. When the public key certificate is attached to the e-mail, it is confirmed by verifying the signature of the third party organization whether or not the public key certificate is authentic. When it is confirmed that the public key certificate is authentic, the encrypted data included in the digital signature is decrypted with the public key included in the public key certificate to determine whether the digital signature is authentic. Validate. When it is verified that the digital signature is authentic, processing for generating distribution data to be registered in the distribution server 30 is started. On the other hand, when it is verified that the digital signature is not authentic, the data attached to the e-mail is discarded from the temporary storage unit 226, and the distribution data generation process is not performed.

  The mail analysis function is a function that analyzes an email received from the client device 100 and extracts information such as a subject, a sender address, a destination address, and a mail text included in the email.

  The distribution data generation function is a function for generating distribution data to be registered in the distribution server 30 based on the information analyzed by the mail analysis function and the attached file. The generated distribution data is sequentially stored in the distribution data storage unit 224 (distribution data queue). Hereinafter, the distribution data generated based on the distribution data generation function will be specifically described.

  FIG. 3A shows an example of distribution data generated by the proxy server 200 in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the distribution data is data including an ID, a sender, a destination, a date and time, a subject, a body text, a public key certificate, and an attached file.

  The ID is information for identifying the distribution data within the proxy server. The sender is an e-mail transmission source (From), and the destination is an e-mail transmission destination (To). The date and time are the transmission date and time of the email, the subject is the subject of the email, and the body is the message body of the email. The public key certificate is a certificate acquired by a digital signature added to the electronic mail, and the attached file is an attached file of the electronic mail.

  Next, the SSL authentication function, the data transfer function, the data acquisition function, and the e-mail generation function that the proxy server 200 has in accordance with the distribution server client program 222 stored in the storage unit 214 will be described.

  The SSL authentication function refers to an SSL request between the distribution server 30 and the proxy server 200 when the distribution server 30 is requested to authenticate using a client certificate held by the proxy server 200 and the proxy server 200 is authenticated. This function establishes an encrypted communication path.

  The distribution data transfer function is a function for transferring distribution data stored in the distribution data storage unit 224 (distribution data queue) or link information to the distribution data to the distribution server 30 after the SSL encryption communication path is established. It is. The link information may be expressed by a URL or the like, for example.

  The proxy server 200 classifies the destination of the distribution data and then executes processing according to the destination classified for the distribution data. Details of a series of processing according to the classified destination will be described later. FIG. 3B shows a list of destination types in the present embodiment. The types of destinations in this embodiment are classified into three categories: “administrative user”, “same domain user”, and “unmanaged user”.

  The “management user” is a type of destination classified when the destination of the electronic mail matches the mail address of the user managed by the proxy server 200. When the destination is classified as “administrative user”, the substance of the distribution data generated based on the e-mail is not transmitted to the distribution server 30, but instead, link information to the distribution data is transmitted to the distribution server 30. The The proxy server 200 generates an e-mail (received mail) based on the substance of the distribution data, and registers the generated e-mail in the management user mailbox that is the destination of the e-mail.

  The “same domain user” is a type of destination classified when the destination of the electronic mail does not match the mail address of the user to be managed but matches the domain of the local area network 12. In the present embodiment, it is determined that the local area network 12 is in the domain match, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a list of addresses in which the proxy server 200 exists in the same local area network 12 is used. It is also possible to determine whether or not the destination exists on the same local area network 12 by collating the destination of the electronic mail with the held list. When the destination is classified as “same domain user”, the substance of the distribution data generated based on the e-mail is not transmitted to the distribution server 30, but link information to the distribution data is transmitted to the distribution server 30 instead. The The proxy server 200 stores and holds the actual data of the distribution data in the storage unit 214. When the proxy server 200 receives a distribution data transfer request from another proxy server 200 that manages the user who is the destination of the e-mail, the proxy server 200 responds to the transfer request. The distribution data held in this way is transmitted to the other proxy server 200.

  The “unmanaged user” is a type of destination classified when the destination of the e-mail does not correspond to any of the above, that is, exists outside the local area network 12. When the destination is classified as “unmanaged user”, the substance of the distribution data generated based on the electronic mail is transmitted to the distribution server 30. When the distribution server 30 stores the transmitted distribution data and then receives a distribution data transfer request from an information processing apparatus such as the external client apparatus 400 having a legitimate authority, the distribution server 30 sends the distribution data to the information processing apparatus. Forward.

  The proxy server 200 may transfer the public key certificate of the sender of the email based on the distribution data together with the distribution data. The distribution server 30 may store the distribution data transferred from the proxy server 200 with the authority of the user corresponding to the public key certificate transferred together with the distribution data. Further, the distribution server 30 determines whether the sender and the receiver (destination) included in the distribution data are included in the user managed by the distribution server 30, and the distribution data is only determined to be included. May be executed.

  The distribution data acquisition function is a distribution server in which distribution data destined for a user managed by the proxy server 200 or link information (URL) to the distribution data is set according to a timing preset by the user of the client device 100. It is a function acquired from 30. For example, when the distribution data acquisition interval is set every 10 minutes, the proxy server 200 inquires of the distribution server 30 whether there is undistributed data addressed to the user every 10 minutes, and the undistributed data is If there is, download from the distribution server 30.

  The e-mail generation function is a function that generates an e-mail based on the distribution data acquired by the distribution data acquisition function. The generated e-mail is stored in the user's mailbox corresponding to the e-mail destination in the mail server.

  Next, the distribution server 30 will be described. The distribution server 30 includes a communication unit 310, a control unit 312, and a storage unit 314 as functions.

  The communication unit 310 includes a network interface card (NIC) and performs data communication via the network interface card. In the present embodiment, the distribution server 30 performs data communication with the proxy server 200 via a firewall using the TCP / IP protocol.

  The control unit 312 includes a central processing unit (CPU), and controls the hardware of each unit constituting the distribution server 30 and the timing of processing performed in each unit. The control unit 312 reads the program stored in the storage unit 314 and sequentially executes the instructions of the read program.

  The storage unit 314 includes a storage device such as a memory element or a magnetic disk. The storage unit 314 stores a control program for the distribution server 30 and distribution data received from the proxy server 200, and is also used as a working memory for the control unit 312. In accordance with the control program stored in the storage unit 314, the control unit 312 performs SSL client authentication of the proxy server 200, distribution data destined for the user requested by the proxy server 200, or link information (URL) to the distribution data. ) Is retrieved and distributed.

  Hereinafter, with reference to the sequence diagrams shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, an example of the processing flow in the electronic mail system 1 will be described. Data registration processing to the distribution server 30 performed when the client apparatus 100 transmits electronic mail. Each of the data distribution processes performed when the client apparatus 100 receives the distribution data as an e-mail will be described separately.

[Data registration process]
First, the data registration process will be described with reference to the sequence diagrams shown in FIGS. In the example described below, it is assumed that an e-mail is transmitted from the client device 100A to the proxy server 200A.

  The client device 100A generates an email based on the input from the user A (S101). The generated electronic mail is given a digital signature in accordance with an instruction from the user A, and is transmitted to the proxy server 200A (S102).

  The proxy server 200A receives the e-mail from the client device 100A, and verifies the given digital signature if the received e-mail is given a digital signature (S103). If the digital signature is verified as authentic, the e-mail transfer destination is determined to be the distribution server 30, and the received e-mail is analyzed to generate distribution data (S104).

  The generated distribution data is registered in the distribution data storage unit 224. The proxy server 200 notifies the client device 100 that the transmission of the e-mail has been completed when the distribution data is registered in the distribution data storage unit 224 (S105). That is, the transfer of the distribution data from the proxy server 200A to the distribution server 30 is performed asynchronously with the transfer of the e-mail from the client device 100A, so that the user does not have to wait until the distribution data registration is completed.

  When the proxy server 200A reads the distribution data from the distribution data storage unit 224, the proxy server 200A classifies the destination of the distribution data, and the classified destination is any one of “management user”, “same domain user”, and “unmanaged user”. Is determined (S106).

  When proxy server 200A determines that the destination is “administrative user” (A), link information to distribution data (hereinafter referred to as distribution) using SSL encryption communication path established by distribution server 30 and SSL client authentication. The link information is transmitted to the distribution server 30 (S107).

  The distribution server 30 stores the distribution link information received from the proxy server 200A in the storage unit 314 (S108), generates a distribution data ID of distribution data linked by the distribution link information, and generates the generated distribution data ID Is transmitted to the proxy server 200A (S109). Based on the received distribution data ID and distribution data entity data, proxy server 200A generates a reception mail of the management user who is the destination, and stores the generated reception mail in the user's mailbox (S110). The proxy server 200A notifies the distribution server 30 of the completion of distribution when the storage of the mail in the mailbox is completed (S111). The distribution server 30 that has received the distribution completion notification updates the distribution history of the distribution data to “completed” and ends the process.

  Further, when the proxy server 200A classifies the mail destination as “same domain user” (B), the proxy server 200A establishes a communication path with the distribution server 30 by SSL client authentication as in the case of “administrative user”. The distribution link information is transmitted. The distribution server 30 stores the received distribution link information (S201), generates a distribution data ID of distribution data linked to the distribution link information, and transmits the distribution data ID to the proxy server 200A (S202). The proxy server 200A stores the distribution data ID, associates the distribution ID with the substance of the distribution data, and stores them in the storage unit (S204). Unlike the case of the “administrative user”, the proxy server 200A does not generate the received mail and stores the above-mentioned storage until a distribution request is received from another proxy server 200 existing in the local area network 12 such as the proxy server 200B. The distributed data is stored and stored in the storage unit 214.

  Further, when the proxy server 200A classifies the mail destination as “unmanaged user” (C), after establishing a communication path with the distribution server 30, the proxy server 200A transmits the substance of the distribution data to the distribution server 30 ( S301). The distribution server 30 receives the distribution data, and stores the received distribution data in the storage unit 314 (S302). The distribution server 30 generates a distribution data ID of the received distribution data, and transmits the distribution data ID to the proxy server 200A (S303).

[Data distribution processing]
Next, data distribution processing performed in the electronic mail system 1 will be described.

[Data distribution to administrative users]
First, a process when distributing distribution data transmitted to a management user (referred to as user B) to the client device 100B will be described. For example, since the delivery data transmitted from the user A to the user B is already stored in the mailbox of the user B who is the management user, the client device 100B accesses the proxy server 200A to check the email address of the user B. Download the received mail (delivery data) stored in the mailbox. At this time, the client device 100B may store the downloaded electronic mail in the storage unit 114 and display the contents of the received mail on a display by a mail application.

[Distributed data for users in the same domain]
Next, with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG. 6, a description will be given of processing when distributing distribution data transmitted to the same domain user (referred to as user C) to the client device 100C. Hereinafter, as a specific example, a process of distributing distribution data linked by distribution link information to the client device 100C based on distribution link information registered by the proxy server 200A will be described.

  The proxy server 200B requests the delivery server 30 for SSL client authentication at every time interval set by the user C. Then, when the authentication is passed and the SSL encryption communication path is established, the proxy server 200B requests the distribution server 30 to transmit distribution data destined for the user (user C) being managed (S401). .

  The distribution server 30 searches the storage unit 314 for distribution link information destined for the requested user (S402), and transmits the searched distribution link information to the proxy server 200B (S403). The search is performed by searching for data whose destination associated with the distribution link information is an address corresponding to user C (for example, userC@mail.com).

  Based on the received distribution link information, proxy server 200B accesses the URL indicated in the distribution link information, and transfers the distribution data to proxy server 200A that holds the distribution data linked by the distribution link information. A request is made (S404). Upon receiving the distribution data transfer request, the proxy server 200A requests the distribution server 30 to authenticate the proxy server 200B (S405), and receives the authentication result from the distribution server 30 (S406). When the authentication of the proxy server 200B passes, the requested distribution data is retrieved from the storage unit 214 (S407), and the distribution data is transmitted to the proxy server 200B that made the request (S408).

  The proxy server 200B receives the distribution data, converts the received distribution data into an e-mail format, and stores the e-mail in the user C's mailbox that is the destination of the distribution data (S409). When the proxy server 200B finishes storing the e-mail, the proxy server 200B notifies the distribution server 30 of the distribution data distribution completion (S410).

  The client device 100C accesses the proxy server 200B and confirms the received mail (S411). The proxy server 200B transmits the received mail stored in the mailbox of the email address of the user C who has been confirmed to the client device 100C (S412). Here, the client device 100C may store the e-mail received from the proxy server 200B in the storage unit 114 and display the contents of the received mail on a display by a mail application.

  Here, the processing when the client device 100D directly accesses the distribution server 30 to acquire distribution data will be described with reference to the sequence diagram shown in FIG.

  The client apparatus 100D requests the distribution server 30 to transfer distribution data destined for the user D operating the client apparatus 100D (S501). The distribution server 30 searches the storage unit 314 for distribution link information destined for the requested user D (S502), and transmits the searched distribution link information to the client device 100D (S503). When the distribution server transmits the distribution link information to the client device 100D, the distribution server updates the distribution history assuming that the distribution of the distribution data is completed (S504).

  Based on the URL indicated in the distribution link information received from the distribution server 30, the client device 100D accesses the proxy server 200 that holds distribution data linked by the distribution link information. Then, the client device 100D requests the proxy server 200 to transfer distribution data. Upon receiving the distribution data transfer request, the proxy server 200 requests the distribution server to authenticate the client device 100D and receives the authentication result from the distribution server.

  When the client device 100D passes authentication, the proxy server 200 searches the storage unit 214 for distribution data that has received the transfer request (S508), and transmits the distribution data to the client device 100D (S509). The client device 100D converts the distribution data received from the proxy server 200 into an e-mail format, stores the converted e-mail in the storage unit, and displays the contents of the received mail on a display by a mail application.

[Distributed data for unmanaged users]
When the external client device 400 acquires distribution data addressed to an unmanaged user from the distribution server 30, the external client device 400 accesses the distribution server 30 and stores it in association with the destination of the user who operates the external client device 400. Download distribution data.

  According to the electronic mail system 1 described above, depending on the destination of the electronic mail transmitted from the client device 100, the proxy server 200 sends the data to the electronic mail destination without transmitting the substance of the distribution data to the external network 40. Since distribution is possible, communication load can be reduced without causing unnecessary data communication. In addition, even when the distribution data entity is not directly transferred from the distribution server 30, the distribution server 30 can centrally manage the distribution history of the distribution data. Further, according to the electronic mail system 1, even when a file transfer system other than electronic mail is used for file transfer, they can be easily used from the electronic mail interface.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the proxy server 200 is configured to also serve as a mail server, but the mail server may be configured as a device in a separate housing from the proxy server 200.

1 shows a system configuration diagram of an electronic mail system according to the present embodiment. FIG. It is the functional block diagram which showed the function of each apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of delivery data. It is a sequence diagram regarding a transmission mail. It is a sequence diagram regarding a transmission mail. It is a sequence diagram regarding a received mail. It is a sequence diagram regarding a received mail.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 E-mail system, 12 Local area network, 30 Distribution server, 40 External network, 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D Client device, 110 Communication part, 112 Control part, 114 Storage part, 116 Display part, 118 Input part, 200, 200A, 200B Proxy server, 210 communication unit, 212 control unit, 214 storage unit, 220 mail server program, 222 distribution server client program, 224 distribution data storage unit, 226 temporary storage unit, 300 firewall, 310 communication unit 312 Control unit, 314 Storage unit, 400 External client device, A, B, C, D users.

Claims (5)

An information processing apparatus, a distribution apparatus capable of registering data and distributing registered data, and managing an electronic mail of a user who operates the information processing apparatus, and communicating between the information processing apparatus and the distribution apparatus A relay device that relays data to be transmitted, wherein the information processing device is connected to the relay device via a local area network, and the distribution device is connected to the relay device via an external network Because
The information processing apparatus includes:
Sending means for sending an e-mail to the relay device,
The relay device is
Means for receiving an email sent by the sending means;
Generating means for generating distribution data based on the received e-mail;
Determining means for determining whether the destination of the received e-mail is on the local area network;
If the determination means determines that the destination is on the local area network, link information to the distribution data generated by the generation means is associated with the destination and registered in the distribution device, and the destination Registration means for registering the distribution data in the distribution apparatus in association with the destination when the distribution data is not on the local area network,
An e-mail system characterized by that. The relay device is
When the destination is on the local area network and is an email address of a user managed by the relay device, an email generated based on the distribution data is sent to the user's mailbox Means for storing in,
Means for registering the distribution history information of the distribution data in the distribution device;
The electronic mail system according to claim 1. The relay device is
Means for acquiring link information to distribution data registered in association with the distribution apparatus with a user to be managed as a destination;
Means for acquiring the distribution data based on link information to the acquired distribution data;
Means for storing an e-mail generated based on the acquired distribution data in a mailbox of a user of the destination of the distribution data;
Means for registering the distribution history information of the distribution data in the distribution device;
The electronic mail system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above. Means for acquiring link information to distribution data registered in association with the distribution apparatus with a user operating the information processing apparatus as a destination;
Means for acquiring the distribution data based on link information to the acquired distribution data;
The electronic mail system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic mail system is an electronic mail system. The relay device is
Means for acquiring distribution data registered in association with the distribution device with a user to be managed as a destination;
Means for storing an e-mail generated based on the acquired distribution data in a mailbox of a user of the destination of the distribution data;
The electronic mail system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein

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