JP2009100200A - E-mail communication apparatus and control method for e-mail communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic mail communication apparatus having a function of notifying that a transmitted electronic mail has not been delivered is provided.
When electronic mail non-delivery detection processing is started, a connection to a mail server is made (S40), and a login request is made to the mail server (S42). Next, if there is a new unopened e-mail (S44: YES), the e-mail is acquired from the mail server (S46). If a message is embedded in the acquired email (S48: YES), whether the message ID of the embedded message matches any of the message IDs held in the email specific information storage table Is determined (S50). If they match (S50: YES), the fact that the transmission of the e-mail has failed is notified (S52), and the e-mail specific information is deleted from the e-mail specific information storage table (S54).
[Selection] Figure 10

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic mail communication device, and more particularly to an electronic mail communication device having a function of notifying that a transmitted electronic mail has not been delivered.

  Some so-called multi-function machines having a scanner function and a printer function are provided with a function that allows an image read using the scanner function to be filed in a format such as Tiff and transmitted as an e-mail. In addition, there is a function of converting a document image received as a fax into a file and sending it as an e-mail.

  When this e-mail transmission function is used, the multi-function device performs e-mail transmission processing by requesting the mail server to transmit an e-mail. That is, when the request for sending an email to the mail server ends normally, the multifunction peripheral determines that the processing for sending the email has ended normally.

  However, even if the mail server normally accepts an e-mail transmission request, the e-mail may not normally reach the destination e-mail address. This is because the e-mail is sent from the mail server that has accepted the transmission process to a public network such as the Internet, but the destination e-mail address is incorrect or the destination e-mail address is lost. This is because e-mail may not be delivered.

  In such a case, in the conventional multi-function device, after the exchange with the mail server for sending the e-mail is completed, the multi-function device detects the non-delivery of the e-mail because it is not involved in the transmission of the e-mail. It could not be detected. For this reason, the user who sent the e-mail has no way of knowing that the e-mail he / she sent did not reach the e-mail address of the other party.

In the facsimile apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-121274 (Patent Document 1), when the received fax is not delivered when the received fax is transferred by email, the sender of the fax is sent. The function to notify is provided. However, the mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-121274 is incorporated into the facsimile apparatus on the fax receiving side, and the notification destination of the non-delivery error is also the sender of the fax.
JP-A-9-121274

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic mail communication apparatus having a function of notifying that a transmitted electronic mail has not been delivered.

In order to solve the above problems, an electronic mail communication device according to the present invention provides:
An e-mail sending means for sending an e-mail to an e-mail address that is a destination;
E-mail specifying information holding means for holding e-mail specifying information which is information for specifying the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmitting means;
An e-mail acquisition unit that acquires an e-mail addressed to an e-mail address that is a transmission source of the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit;
A citation format in which the e-mail acquired by the e-mail acquisition unit uses the e-mail specific information held by the e-mail specific information holding unit and cites the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit E-mail judging means for judging whether or not the e-mail is,
When the e-mail determination unit determines that the e-mail acquired by the e-mail acquisition unit is a citation-type e-mail quoting the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit, A notification means for notifying that the e-mail sent by the mail sending means has not been delivered;
It is characterized by providing.

In this case, the electronic mail communication device
E-mail specific information generating means for generating the e-mail specific information;
An e-mail generating unit that generates an e-mail in which the e-mail specifying information generated by the e-mail specifying information generating unit is embedded;
May be further provided.

In this case, the e-mail specifying information generating means generates a unique message ID as the e-mail specifying information,
The e-mail specifying information holding unit may hold the message ID as the e-mail specifying information.

  In this case, the message ID may be generated including at least a random number.

  In addition to the message ID, the e-mail specific information holding means may hold the e-mail transmission time.

  In this case, the e-mail communication apparatus acquires the e-mail transmission time from the e-mail specific information holding unit, and holds the e-mail specific information for e-mail specific information that has passed a predetermined time from the transmission time. You may make it further provide the e-mail specific information deletion means deleted from a means.

  Further, the e-mail generating means uses the file generated based on the image read using the scanner function or the file generated based on the image received using the fax function, to store the e-mail. You may make it produce | generate.

The control method of the electronic mail communication device according to the present invention includes:
Sending the first e-mail to the e-mail address that is the destination;
E-mail specifying information holding means for holding e-mail specifying information that is information for specifying the first e-mail; and
Obtaining a second e-mail addressed to an e-mail address that is a transmission source of the first e-mail;
Whether or not the second e-mail is a citation-type e-mail quoting the first e-mail using the e-mail specifying information held by the e-mail specifying information holding means A process of determining
A step of notifying that the first e-mail has not been delivered when it is determined that the second e-mail is a citation-type e-mail quoting the first e-mail; When,
It is characterized by providing.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a network configuration diagram of a multifunction machine system 10 including a multifunction machine 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an internal configuration of the multifunction machine 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows an example of a block diagram of the internal configuration of the mail server 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a multifunction machine system 10 according to the present embodiment includes one or more multifunction machines 30, one or more computers 40, and one mail server 50 via an internal network 20. Are connected to each other. In the present embodiment, the network 20 is a local network, and can be configured by a network of any standard such as Ethernet (registered trademark).

  The multifunction machine 30 is also connected to the fax line network 22. This fax line network 22 may be a line dedicated to fax, or may be a common line with voice such as a telephone line network. The multi-function device 30 can send and receive faxes via the fax line network 22.

  The mail server 50 is connected to an external network 60 such as the Internet. For example, the mail server 50 receives an e-mail transmitted from the multi-function device 30, and the received e-mail is addressed to an e-mail address (mailbox) managed by the e-mail, or other mail servers are included. It is determined whether the destination is the e-mail address (mailbox) to be managed. If the e-mail destination is an e-mail address managed by the mail server 50, the received e-mail is stored in the destination mailbox. On the other hand, when the e-mail destination is not the e-mail address managed by the mail server 50 but the e-mail address managed by the mail server 70, for example, the external network 60 is used. Then, the electronic mail is transmitted to the mail server 70.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the multifunction machine 30 according to the present embodiment is a so-called multi-function printer that includes at least a scanner function unit 31 and a printer function unit 32. The multifunction machine 30 further includes an operation unit 33, a network interface 34, a control unit 35, and an information storage unit 36. The scanner function unit 31 is a function unit for reading a document set by the user on the multifunction machine 30. In general, the scanner function unit 31 reads a document set on a document reading surface with a line sensor, and generates image information based on the read image.

  The printer function unit 32 is a function unit that prints print data transmitted from the computer 40 to the multifunction device 30 and prints image information based on an image read by the scanner function unit 31. In general, print data and information based on images are developed into printable data, and printing is performed by a print engine such as a laser beam method or an ink jet method.

  The operation unit 33 is a unit for the user to input various instructions to the multifunction machine 30. In the present embodiment, the operation unit 33 is configured by, for example, a touch panel on which various information is displayed and an instruction can be input by touching by the user.

  The network interface 34 is an interface for connecting the multifunction machine 30 to the network 20 or the fax line network 22. The multifunction machine 30 can print the fax received from the fax line network 22 by the printer function unit 32. Further, the multifunction machine 30 can send the image read by the scanner function unit 31 to the fax line network 22 as a fax.

  The control unit 35 is a unit for performing overall control of the multifunction machine 30. In the present embodiment, the control unit 35 includes a central processing unit (CPU) that is a main body that performs control, a random access memory (RAM) that holds information necessary for control in a volatile manner, A ROM (Read Only Memory) in which a program for performing the above operation is held in a nonvolatile manner, an electrically rewritable EEPROM (Electronically Erasable and Programmable ROM), and the like are provided. In this embodiment, in particular, a program for executing an e-mail transmission process, an e-mail non-delivery detection process, and an e-mail specific information deletion process, which will be described later, is stored in this ROM, and these processes are executed. Information necessary for this is temporarily stored in the RAM.

  In the information storage unit 36, received fax data and image data read by the scanner function unit 31 are stored and held as necessary. In the present embodiment, the information storage unit 36 is configured by an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the mail server 50 includes at least a network interface 51, a control unit 52, and an information storage unit 53. The network interface 51 is an interface for connecting the mail server 50 to the network 20 or the external network 60. The control unit 52 is a unit that performs overall control of the mail server 50. In this embodiment, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that is a main body unit that performs control, a RAM (Random Access Memory) in which information necessary for performing control is stored in a volatile manner, A ROM (Read Only Memory) in which a program to be executed is held in a nonvolatile manner is provided.

  The information storage unit 53 manages user authentication information (user ID, password, etc.) managed by the mail server 50, information on an email address (mailbox) managed by the mail server 50, and electronic mail stored in a mailbox managed by the information server 53. Mail data etc. are stored and maintained. In the present embodiment, the information storage unit 53 is configured by an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive.

  In this embodiment, the internal configuration of the mail server 70 in FIG. 1 is the same as the internal configuration of the mail server 50 shown in FIG.

  Next, based on FIG. 4, an e-mail transmission process executed by the multifunction machine 30 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the contents of the e-mail transmission process according to the present embodiment. The e-mail transmission process shown in FIG. 4 is a process executed by the control unit 35 in the multifunction machine 30. More specifically, the CPU provided in the control unit 35 is also provided in the control unit 35. This is a process realized by reading and executing an e-mail transmission processing program from the ROM.

  The e-mail transmission process is started when the user instructs the multi-function device 30 to send an e-mail. That is, the user inputs an instruction to the multi-function device 30 so as to send an image of a document read using the scanner function unit 31 as a file by e-mail, or sends a document received by fax as a file by e-mail. As described above, the process is started by inputting an instruction to the multifunction device 30 or the like.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, it is assumed that a function selection screen W10 that is a main menu is displayed on the touch panel 100 of the operation unit 33. In the example of FIG. 5, a copy function selection button B10, a printer function selection button B12, a scanner function selection button B14, a fax function selection button B16, and a device setting button B18 are displayed on the function selection screen W10. Yes.

  In this state, when the user touches the copy function selection button B10, the multifunction device 30 shifts to a mode for performing copying, and when the user touches the printer function selection button B12, the multifunction device 30 receives the print received from the computer 40. Switch to data printing mode. When the user touches the scanner function selection button B14 on the function selection screen W10, the multifunction device 30 shifts to a mode for using the scanner function unit 31, and when the user touches the fax function selection button B16, the multifunction device 30 is touched. Shifts to a mode in which a function related to fax is used. On the other hand, when the user touches the device setting button B18, the multifunction device 30 shifts to a setting mode for performing various settings of the multifunction device 30.

  When the user touches the scanner function selection button B14 among these buttons, for example, a scan function selection screen W20 as shown in FIG.

  In the example of FIG. 6, a scan to file button B20, a scan to fax button B22, and a scan to mail button B24 are displayed on the scan function selection screen W20. When the user touches the scan-to-file button B20 on the scan function selection screen W20, the image information generated by scanning with the scanner function unit 31 is transmitted and stored in the save destination folder designated by the user. Enter mode. Further, when the user touches the scan to fax button B22 on the scan function selection screen W20, the image information generated by scanning with the scanner function unit 31 is faxed to the fax destination number designated by the user and transmitted. Enter mode.

  On the other hand, when the user touches the scan-to-mail button B24 on the scan function selection screen W20, the image information generated by scanning with the scanner function unit 31 is transmitted to the e-mail address designated by the user. Migrate to In the present embodiment, when the user touches this scan-to-mail button B24, the e-mail transmission process of FIG. 4 is started.

  On the other hand, when the user touches the fax function selection button B16 on the function selection screen W10 in FIG. 5, for example, a fax function selection screen W30 as shown in FIG.

  In the example of FIG. 7, a fax to file button B30 and a fax to mail button B32 are displayed on the fax function selection screen W30. When the user touches the fax-to-file button B30 on the fax function selection screen W30, the mode shifts to a mode in which the image information of the designated fax is transmitted and stored in the save destination folder designated by the user. Further, when the user touches the fax to mail button B32 on the fax function selection screen W30, the mode shifts to a mode in which the designated fax image information is transmitted to the e-mail address designated by the user. In the present embodiment, when the user touches the fax to mail button B32, the e-mail transmission process of FIG. 4 is started.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the e-mail transmission process is started, the multifunction machine 30 connects to the mail server 50 (step S10). In the present embodiment, for example, SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used as a communication protocol between the multifunction machine 30 and the mail server 50. In this case, the multifunction machine 30 becomes a transmission side SMTP client, and the mail server 50 becomes a reception side SMTP server.

  Next, the multi-function device 30 requests the mail server 50 to log in (step S12). Specifically, the multifunction device 30 transmits a user ID and a password to the mail server 50. These user IDs and passwords are input to the multi-function device 30 in a mode to be shifted by touching the device setting button B18 described above, and stored in the EEPROM provided in the control unit 35 or the information storage unit 36. ing.

  Next, the multifunction device 30 sets a mail sender for the mail server 50 (step S14). In the process of step S14, the multi-function device 30 transmits the source e-mail address (that is, the e-mail address of this user) to the mail server 50 using the MAIL command. This e-mail address of the transmission source is input to the multi-function device 30 in a mode to be shifted by touching the device setting button B18 described above, and stored in the EEPROM provided in the control unit 35 or the information storage unit 36. Stored. Further, here, the e-mail address of the transmission source is an e-mail address where a mail box is provided in the mail server 50.

  Next, the multifunction machine 30 transmits the mail recipient setting to the mail server 50 (step S16). In other words, the e-mail address of the mail recipient that is the transmission destination is transmitted to the mail server 50 using the RCPT command. The e-mail address of the recipient mail recipient may be input by the user in a mode that shifts by touching the device setting button B18 described above, or input to the user by this e-mail transmission process. You may be prompted to enter.

  Next, the multifunction device 30 performs processing for generating data to be transmitted by electronic mail (step S18). For example, when the user inputs an instruction to send an image of a document read by the scanner function unit 31 as an e-mail, the multifunction machine 30 drives the scanner function unit 31 to read the document and read the read image. Information is filed and data to be transmitted is generated. If the user inputs an instruction to send the received fax document as an e-mail, the multi-function device 30 converts the fax document image specified by the user into a file and generates data to be transmitted. To do. Data relating to a fax document is stored in, for example, the information storage unit 36 of the multifunction machine 30, and the user designates which fax document is to be transmitted.

  Further, in the data generation in step S18, the multi-function device 30 generates a unique message ID (message-ID) as e-mail specifying information and embeds it in the data to be transmitted. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of e-mail data generated by the multifunction machine 30 and transmitted to the mail server 50. As shown in FIG. 8, the multi-function device 30 embeds a message ID, which is e-mail identification information, in the e-mail data to be transmitted. In FIG. 8, a message ID, which is e-mail specific information, is inserted at the beginning of e-mail data.

  In the example of FIG. 8, the message ID is generated by combining the sender's e-mail address with a random number, but there are various modes for generating the message ID. For example, in addition to the random number or instead of the random number, the date and time when the message ID is generated may be used, or a part of the text of the mail body may be used.

  Next, the multi-function device 30 stores e-mail specifying information, which is unique information for specifying the e-mail, in the e-mail specifying information storage table (step S20). FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the e-mail specific information storage table TB10 for holding this message ID and its transmission time.

  As shown in FIG. 9, a message ID and a transmission time are stored in the e-mail specific information storage table TB10 according to the present embodiment. The transmission time is the time at which this e-mail transmission process is executed, and can be specified by the system clock of the multifunction machine 30. The multi-function device 30 retains this message ID in order to confirm whether or not this message ID is included in the e-mail acquired from the mail box of the mail server 50 in e-mail non-delivery detection processing described later. . In the present embodiment, this e-mail specific information storage table TB10 is formed and held, for example, in the EEPROM of the control unit 35 or the information storage unit 36 described above.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the multi-function device 30 uses the DATA command to notify the mail server 50 that the e-mail data is to be transmitted (step S22). Subsequently, the multi-function device 30 transmits the e-mail data generated in step S18 (step S24). That is, an e-mail as shown in FIG. 8 is transmitted.

  The multi-function device 30 that has transmitted all the data ends the data transmission (step S26), and disconnects from the mail server 50 using the QUIT command (step S28). Thereby, the e-mail transmission process according to the present embodiment is completed.

  Here, it is assumed that the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmission process has an e-mail address with a mail box in the mail server 70 as a transmission destination. In this case, the mail server 50 sends this e-mail to the external network 60 because the e-mail address that manages the mailbox is not the transmission destination. If there is no trouble, the e-mail arrives at the mail server 70 via the external network 60 and is stored in the mailbox of the e-mail address that is the transmission destination.

  Next, based on FIG. 10, an e-mail non-delivery detection process executed by the multifunction machine 30 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for explaining the contents of the e-mail non-delivery detection process according to the present embodiment. The e-mail non-delivery detection process shown in FIG. 10 is a process executed by the control unit 35 in the multifunction machine 30. More specifically, the CPU provided in the control unit 35 is also provided in the control unit 35. This process is realized by reading out and executing the e-mail non-delivery detection processing program from the read ROM.

  The e-mail non-delivery detection process is a process periodically executed at predetermined time intervals. For example, it is automatically started and executed at a predetermined cycle, such as every hour or every four hours.

  As shown in FIG. 10, when the e-mail non-delivery detection process is started, the multifunction machine 30 connects to the mail server 50 (step S40). In this embodiment, for example, POP3 is used as a communication protocol when the multi-function device 30 acquires an e-mail from the mail server 70. Further, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the mail server 50 is provided with the mailbox of the user who uses the multifunction machine 30.

  Next, the multifunction device 30 requests the mail server 50 to log in (step S42). Specifically, the multifunction device 30 transmits a user ID and a password to the mail server 50. As described above, these user ID and password are stored in the EEPROM provided in the control unit 35 or the information storage unit 36.

  Next, the multi-function device 30 determines whether or not there is a new e-mail to be acquired that has not been opened in the mailbox of the mail server 50 (step S44). For example, the multi-function device 30 uses the UIDL command to check whether there is a new e-mail that has not yet been received in the mailbox of the mail server 70. In the present embodiment, a mail box is formed in the information storage unit 53 of the mail server 50, and an electronic mail of each user who uses the multifunction machine 30 is stored in the mail box.

  If there is a new unopened e-mail to be acquired (step S44: YES), the multi-function device 30 acquires the e-mail from the mail server 70 (step S46). That is, using the RETR command, one new e-mail that has not yet been received is acquired from the mailbox of the mail server 70.

  Next, the multi-function device 30 determines whether or not the acquired e-mail is an e-mail in a format in which a message is embedded (step S48). FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of electronic mail acquired from the mail server 50 by the multi-function device 30. As illustrated in FIG. 11, in this embodiment, the multi-function device 30 determines whether the expression “Content-Type: message / rfc822” exists in the acquired electronic mail. This Content-Type: message / rfc822 is a tag inserted when a message is embedded in an electronic mail. In the present embodiment, the Content-Type: message / rfc822 is used to detect that the e-mail transmitted in the e-mail transmission process is quoted and incorporated in the e-mail acquired from the mail server 50. In the example of FIG. 11, the transmission e-mail shown in FIG. 8 is quoted and incorporated after the Content-Type: message / rfc822.

  If the message is not embedded in the acquired electronic mail (step S48: NO), the multi-function device 30 returns to the above-described step S44 and determines whether or not there is an additional electronic mail to be acquired. .

  On the other hand, when a message is embedded in the acquired electronic mail (step S48: YES), the message ID of the embedded message is one of the message IDs held in the electronic mail specific information storage table TB10. Then, it is determined whether or not they match (step S50). That is, the message ID included in the e-mail text quoted in the e-mail acquired in step S46 is acquired, and the acquired message ID is stored in the e-mail specific information storage table TB10. It is determined whether or not it matches the message ID.

  If the message ID embedded in the quoted e-mail is not included in the message ID held in the e-mail specific information storage table TB10 (step S50: NO), the process proceeds to step S44 described above. Return and determine whether there are more e-mails to be acquired.

  On the other hand, if the message ID embedded in the quoted e-mail matches one of the message IDs held in the e-mail specific information storage table TB10 (step S50: YES), the e-mail The user is notified that the transmission has failed (step S52).

  In other words, if the e-mail transmitted in the e-mail transmission process does not reach the destination e-mail address for some reason, an e-mail notifying that the e-mail has not arrived reaches the e-mail address of the transmission source. Here, since it is assumed that the e-mail address of the transmission source is in the mail server 50, the undelivered e-mail reaches the mail server 50. The undelivered e-mail is stored in the mailbox of the e-mail address of the transmission source. However, since the configuration of the multi-function device 30 is different from that of a normal computer, the user directly enters the mailbox. I can't go see. Therefore, in this embodiment, the multi-function device 30 executes an e-mail non-delivery detection process and checks whether such non-delivery e-mail has arrived at the mail server 50.

  In the e-mail non-delivery detection process according to the present embodiment, if both message IDs match, the e-mail transmitted in the e-mail transmission process does not reach the e-mail address of the transmission destination, and the mail server has an error. It judges that it has returned to 50, and notifies a user.

  The notification in step S52 can be performed, for example, by displaying non-delivery on the touch panel 100. In this case, for example, the transmission time of the undelivered e-mail and the name of the user who transmitted the e-mail can be displayed on the touch panel 100. However, if there is a lot of information to be notified to the user and cannot be displayed on the touch panel 100, the notification contents are displayed in the printer function unit 32 in addition to the display on the touch panel 100 or instead of the display on the touch panel 100. Can be printed to inform the user.

  Further, when a scanned image or a fax image transmitted by e-mail can be saved, or when a destination e-mail address can also be saved, such information is also displayed on the touch panel 100 or the printer function unit 32. You may make it print with. Alternatively, non-delivery may be notified by e-mail to the e-mail address of the administrator registered in advance.

  Next, the multi-function device 30 deletes the e-mail specifying information of the e-mail that has not been delivered from the e-mail specifying information storage table TB10 (step S54). That is, the message ID and transmission time of the undelivered e-mail are deleted from the e-mail specific information storage table TB10. And it returns to step S44 mentioned above.

  If it is determined in step S44 that there is no unopened new e-mail to be acquired in the mailbox of the mail server 50 (step S44: NO), that is, if it is determined that there is no unread e-mail. The multifunction machine 30 disconnects the connection with the mail server 50 using the QUIT command (step S56). Thereby, the e-mail non-delivery detection process according to the present embodiment is completed.

  Next, the e-mail specific information deletion process executed by the multifunction machine 30 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for explaining the content of the e-mail specific information deletion process according to the present embodiment. The e-mail specific information deletion process shown in FIG. 12 is a process executed by the control unit 35 in the multifunction machine 30. More specifically, the CPU provided in the control unit 35 is also provided in the control unit 35. This process is realized by reading and executing the e-mail specific information deletion processing program from the read ROM.

  The e-mail specific information deletion process is a process periodically executed at predetermined time intervals. For example, it is automatically started and executed at a predetermined cycle, such as every hour or every four hours. This e-mail specific information deletion process may be started at the same cycle as the above-described e-mail non-delivery detection process, or may be started at a different cycle.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when the e-mail specific information deletion process is started, the multifunction machine 30 acquires the transmission time in the e-mail specific information of each e-mail from the e-mail specific information storage table TB10 (step S70). ).

  Next, based on the acquired transmission time, the multi-function device 30 determines whether there is e-mail specifying information of an e-mail that has passed a predetermined time from the transmission time (step S72). That is, the current time is acquired from the system clock, and it is determined whether or not there is one in which the difference between the current time and the transmission time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. For example, it is determined whether there is e-mail specifying information whose time such as 24 hours or 48 hours has elapsed from the transmission time.

  If there is e-mail specific information of an e-mail that has passed a predetermined time from the transmission time (step S72: YES), the e-mail specific information is deleted from the e-mail specific information storage table TB10 (step S74). For example, in the example of the e-mail specific information storage table TB10 of FIG. 9, the e-mail specific information is set to be deleted when 48 hours or more have elapsed from the transmission time, and the current time is July 9, 2007. If it is 20 o'clock, the e-mail specifying information whose transmission time at the top is July 7, 2007 19:15:22 is deleted. This is presumed that if an undelivered e-mail has not arrived even after a certain amount of time has passed since the e-mail was sent, the e-mail has arrived at the destination e-mail address safely. Because it can. For example, in the above-described example, it can be estimated that the transmitted electronic mail reaches the mail server 70.

  When this step S74 is completed or when it is determined that there is no e-mail specific information after a predetermined time has passed in step S72 (step S72: NO), this e-mail specific information deletion process ends.

  As described above, according to the multi-function device 30 of the multi-function device system 10 according to the present embodiment, it is periodically checked whether or not an undelivered e-mail related to the transmitted e-mail has arrived. If it has arrived, this is notified to the user. For this reason, the user can know that the e-mail transmitted by himself / herself has not been delivered.

  Further, since it is possible to automatically determine whether or not the e-mail is transmitted by the multi-function device 30 based on the e-mail identification information generated by the multi-function device 30 at the time of e-mail transmission, the user has to perform complicated operations. You can know that your e-mail has not been delivered.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can deform | transform variously. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the e-mail non-delivery detection process and the e-mail specific information deletion process are realized as separate processes. However, these processes may be combined into one process. For example, e-mail specifying information that has passed a predetermined time from the transmission time may be deleted by e-mail non-delivery detection processing.

  Further, in the above-described e-mail specific information deletion process, at the time of deleting the e-mail specific information, the user is notified that it can be estimated that the transmitted e-mail has arrived at the mailbox of the destination e-mail address. It may be.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the multifunction device 30 as an example of the electronic mail communication device has been described as an example. However, the present invention is also applied to other types of electronic mail communication devices. Can do.

  In the above-described embodiment, the communication protocol between the multifunction machine 30 and the mail server 50 is SMTP, and the communication protocol when the multifunction machine 30 acquires an email from the mail server 70 is POP3. Although the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be applied even when other communication protocols are used.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network configuration of a multifunction machine system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of a multifunction peripheral included in the multifunction peripheral system of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an internal configuration of a mail server included in the multifunction machine system of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an e-mail transmission process executed by the multifunction machine according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a function selection screen displayed on the touch panel of the multifunction peripheral according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a scan function selection screen displayed on the touch panel of the multifunction peripheral according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a fax function selection screen displayed on the touch panel of the multifunction peripheral according to the present embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the email transmitted by the email transmission process which concerns on this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an e-mail specific information storage table held by the multifunction peripheral according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an email non-delivery detection process executed by the multifunction peripheral according to the embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the electronic mail showing the non-delivery acquired by the multifunctional machine in an electronic mail non-delivery detection process. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of e-mail specific information deletion processing executed by the multifunction peripheral according to the present embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 MFP system 20 Network 22 Fax line network 30 MFP 31 Scanner function part 32 Printer function part 33 Operation unit 34 Network interface 35 Control unit 36 Information storage part 40 Computer 50 Mail server 51 Network interface 52 Control unit 53 Information storage part 60 External network 70 Mail server

Claims (8)

An e-mail sending means for sending an e-mail to an e-mail address that is a destination;
E-mail specifying information holding means for holding e-mail specifying information which is information for specifying the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmitting means;
An e-mail acquisition unit that acquires an e-mail addressed to an e-mail address that is a transmission source of the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit;
A citation format in which the e-mail acquired by the e-mail acquisition unit uses the e-mail specific information held by the e-mail specific information holding unit and cites the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit E-mail judging means for judging whether or not the e-mail is,
When the e-mail determination unit determines that the e-mail acquired by the e-mail acquisition unit is a citation-type e-mail quoting the e-mail transmitted by the e-mail transmission unit, A notification means for notifying that the e-mail sent by the mail sending means has not been delivered;
An electronic mail communication apparatus comprising: E-mail specific information generating means for generating the e-mail specific information;
An e-mail generating unit that generates an e-mail in which the e-mail specifying information generated by the e-mail specifying information generating unit is embedded;
The electronic mail communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The e-mail specifying information generating means generates a unique message ID as the e-mail specifying information,
The e-mail specifying information holding means holds the message ID as the e-mail specifying information;
The electronic mail communication device according to claim 2.   4. The electronic mail communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the message ID is generated including at least a random number.   5. The electronic mail communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the electronic mail specific information holding unit holds a transmission time of the electronic mail in addition to the message ID.   E-mail specific information that acquires the e-mail transmission time from the e-mail specific information holding means, and deletes e-mail specific information that has passed a predetermined time from the transmission time, from the e-mail specific information holding means 6. The electronic mail communication apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising deletion means.   The e-mail generation unit generates the e-mail using a file generated based on an image read using a scanner function or a file generated based on an image received using a fax function. The electronic mail communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electronic mail communication apparatus is an electronic mail communication apparatus. Sending the first e-mail to the e-mail address that is the destination;
E-mail specifying information holding means for holding e-mail specifying information that is information for specifying the first e-mail; and
Obtaining a second e-mail addressed to an e-mail address that is a transmission source of the first e-mail;
Whether or not the second e-mail is a citation-type e-mail quoting the first e-mail using the e-mail specifying information held by the e-mail specifying information holding means A process of determining
A step of notifying that the first e-mail has not been delivered when it is determined that the second e-mail is a citation-type e-mail quoting the first e-mail; When,
A method for controlling an electronic mail communication apparatus, comprising:

Images