JPH0879298A - Electronic mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain an electronic mail system capable of confirming the accumulation of a transmitted document. CONSTITUTION: In an electronic mail system circulating documents by successively performing the transmissions and receptions of the documents between plural terminals and the mail box 60 on a host side, a document circulation table 50 where first information composed of the document name and the document preparing person of a transmitted document and second information composed of the location of the document in the circulation process and the latest date and time of the transmission are stored, a table control means 21 updating the second information of the document circulation table 50 every time the document is transmitted, a circulation status inquiry means 13 inquiring the circulation status of the document, a circulation status reply part 23 acquiring the location of the document and the latest date and time of the transmission and preparing the reply to the inquiry by calculating the retaining period based on this latest transmission date and hour, and a circulation status display control part 14 displaying the location of the document and the stored period on a CRT 1 based on the reply of the circulation status reply part 23.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic mail system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electronic mail system is known in which terminal devices such as a personal computer, a telex or a word processor exchange information of characters and voices via a computer network system. The conventional e-mail system is generally a one-to-one correspondence system or a one-to-many correspondence system, but recently, an e-mail system for sequentially transmitting documents according to a distribution channel has been developed.

[0003]

However, in the electronic mail system for transmitting a document according to the above-mentioned distribution route, when the transmitted document stays in the middle of the distribution route, there is a problem that the status of retention cannot be confirmed. there were.
Therefore, it has been desired to develop a device that can confirm the staying status including the staying period when the sent documents are staying.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an electronic mail system of the present invention comprises a mail box compatible with all users and a plurality of terminal devices. In an electronic mail system for distributing a document by sequentially transmitting and receiving the document to and from a mail box, the first information including the document name of the document to be transmitted and the document creator, and the location and the latest of the document in the distribution process. Document distribution table that stores the second information including the transmission date and time of the document, table management means that updates the second information of the document distribution table each time the document is transmitted to the mail box, and the distribution state of the document. And a distribution status inquiring means for inquiring about the location of the document from the document distribution table when the distribution status inquiring means makes an inquiry. The distribution status replying means that obtains the transmission date and time of the document and calculates the retention period based on the latest transmission date and time to create an answer to the inquiry, and the location and retention of the document based on the response of the distribution status response means. A distribution status display means for displaying the period is provided.

[0005]

In the document distribution table according to the present invention, the first information including the document name of the document to be transmitted and the document creator, and the second information including the location of the document in the distribution process and the latest transmission date and time are stored. Is stored. Then, the table management means updates the second information of the document distribution table each time the document is sent to the mail box. The distribution status inquiry means makes an inquiry about the distribution status of the document, and when the distribution status inquiry means makes an inquiry, the distribution status reply means acquires the location of the document and the latest transmission date and time from the document distribution table. , The retention period is calculated based on this latest transmission date and time, and an answer to the inquiry is created. Further, the distribution status display means displays the location and staying period of the document based on the reply from the distribution status reply means.

[0006]

1 is a block diagram of an electronic mail system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a CRT that performs screen display, 2 is an output control unit that controls display on the CRT 1, 3 is a keyboard that inputs documents, and the like, 5 is a mouse, and 7 is a control of these keyboard 3 and mouse 5. It is an input control unit for performing. Reference numeral 9 is a transmission processing unit that performs a document transmission process, 11 is a reception processing unit that performs a document reception process, 13 is a distribution status inquiry unit that inquires the location, state, and retention date and time of the transmitted document, and 14 is a distribution status response described below. Part 23
A distribution status display control unit for displaying the reply contents from the CRT 1, a data storage unit 15 for storing data such as input documents, and a destination storage unit 17 for storing the destination of the data stored in the data storage unit 15. Is. The above device is attached to each terminal device.

Reference numeral 19 is a transmission / reception data storage device for storing transmission / reception data for all users, 21 is a table management means for managing each table described later in the transmission / reception data storage device 19, and 23 is an inquiry from the distribution status inquiry unit 13. It is a distribution status answering unit that receives and confirms the distribution status of a document. The above devices are attached to the host side.

A virtual reality space shown in FIG. 2 is displayed on the CRT 1, and a predetermined menu is executed by clicking an icon existing in this virtual reality space with a mouse. In the present embodiment, the open box 31 means a storage menu of unprocessed documents, the open box 33 means a transmission menu of the open documents, and the monitor 35 means a confirmation menu of the distribution status of the documents. It recognizes and interprets commands input from the mouse 5.

The transmission / reception data storage device 19 stores a document distribution table 50 for managing the distribution status of documents and a mail box 60 corresponding to each terminal device. The document distribution table 50 includes the document name of the created document, the document storage location (directory) and the document management table 51 in which the creator is stored, the location / status management table 53 for managing the location / status of the document, A distribution table 55 that stores a predetermined distribution route of each document type, a status table 57 that stores a predetermined processing state of each document type, and the latest document transmission date and time in the distribution process. Is stored in the transmission date / time table 59.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of each table stored in the transmission / reception data storage device 23. In the figure, 51a is a document name column in which the name of the document to be transmitted is described, 51b is a directory column in which the directory of the stored document is described, and 51d is a pointer to the location / status management table 53. It is a pointer column. Further, 53a is a transmission date / time column in which the date / time when the distribution document is first transmitted is described, 53b is a distribution pointer column in which a pointer to the distribution table 55 is described, and 53c is the location address of the document in the distribution table 55. Location address column, 53d is a state pointer column in which a pointer to the state table 57 is written, 53e is a state address column in which an address in the state table is written, and 53f is a transmission pointer in which a pointer to the transmission date / time table 59 is written. It is a column.

Further, in each column of the distribution table 55, the passing department in each distribution route is described. For example, second
In the route of the row, the documents are distributed in the order of the section chief F, section manager G, section manager H, and management section. In addition, in each column of the state table 57, a predetermined processing state for each circulating document is described for each column. For example, in the case of a document to be distributed from the chief to the management section, the pattern in the second column. (Waiting for inspection, waiting for approval,
Approved). Further, the transmission date / time table 59 describes the latest transmission date / time of each circulation document during distribution. That is, when the document is distributed according to the pattern in the second line of the distribution table, the date and time when the document was first transmitted to the section chief F is described in the transmission date / time table 59, and when the section chief F transmits the document to the section chief G. The transmission date table 5
The date and time of 9 is rewritten to the date and time transmitted by the section chief F to the section chief G.

Next, the relationship between the tables will be described. The number in the pointer column 51d of the document management table 51 indicates the number of lines in the corresponding location / state management table 53. For example, when the number of the pointer of the document A is 2,
The second line of the location / status management table 53 corresponds to the document A. The number in the distribution pointer column 53b of the location / state management table 53 indicates the number of lines in the distribution table 55 corresponding to this. For example, when the number in the pointer column is 2, the number in the distribution table 55 Two lines will correspond. The number in the location address column 53c of the location / state management table 53 indicates the number of columns in the distribution table 55 corresponding to this. For example, when the number in the address column is 2, the number in the distribution table 55 is Two columns will correspond. Therefore, a specific column of the circulation table 55 is designated by the numbers in the pointer column 53b and the address column 53c of the location / state management table 53, and the location of the circulation document is identified.

The number in the state pointer column 53d of the location / state management table 53 indicates the number of lines in the corresponding state table 57. For example, when the number in the pointer column is 2, the state table The second row of 57 will correspond. The number in the state address column 53e of the location / state management table 53 indicates the number of columns of the state table 57 corresponding to this, for example, the state address column 5
When the numeral 3e is 2, the second column of the state table 57 corresponds. Therefore, a specific column of the state table 55 is designated by the numbers in the pointer column 53d and the address column 53e of the location / state management table 53, and the processing state of the circulation document is specified.

The number in the pointer column of the document management table 51 is determined by the table management means 21 when the location / status management table 53 is created. Also, the numbers in each pointer column of the location / state management table 53 are determined by the table management means 21 based on the type of document to be transmitted. For example, when the document to be transmitted is a request for approval regarding a new transaction, the distribution route of the document is the pattern of the second line of the distribution table 55, and 2 is stored in the pointer column 53b. Similarly, the pattern of the processing state in this case is the pattern of the second row of the state table 57, and 2 is stored in the pointer column 53d. The number in each address column of the location / state management table 53 is determined by the table management means 21 and initially 1 is stored,
Each time the document is transmitted, the document is sequentially updated as 2, 3, ....

FIG. 4 is a diagram conceptually showing an organization directory (mail box 60) in the transmission / reception data storage device 19. As shown, the destination to which the document is sent constitutes an organizational directory.

Next, the operation of the electronic mail system configured as described above at the time of transmitting a document will be described. The created document is stored in the data storage unit 15, and its destination is stored in the destination storage unit 17, respectively. When there is a transmission instruction, the transmission processing unit 9 calls the document from the data storage unit 15, calls the destination of the document from the destination storage unit 17, and sends the document to the mail box designated by the destination. When the transmission process is performed, the table management means 21 writes predetermined information in the transmission date / time column 53a and each address column of the location / state management table 53, and also writes the transmission date / time in the corresponding column of the transmission date / time table 59. Then, the same operation is performed every time the document is transmitted according to the distribution route of the distribution table 55.

For example, the document A is the second in the distribution table 55.
When the document A is transmitted to the section chief by the transmission processing unit 9 in the case of distributing according to the line pattern, the table management unit 21 transmits the transmission date and time to the transmission date and time column 53a of the location / state management table 53 and the transmission date and time table 59. Is 9
3.8.30. AM 9:00 is stored, and 1 is stored in the location address column 53c and the state address column 53e. Next, when the section chief F transmits the document A to the section chief G, the table management means 21 is the date and time when the section chief F transmits the section 59.9.1, which is the date and time when the section chief F transmits to the section chief G.
5. Rewritten to 8:00 AM, and the location address field 5
2 is stored in the 3c and the state address column 53e. After that, the same operation is performed.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the confirmation processing of the distribution status of the distribution document. The distribution status confirmation processing of the distribution document will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. When the creator (ID: 112179) puts the pointer of the mouse 5 on the “monitor” on the screen displayed on the CRT 1 and double-clicks the mouse 5, the input control unit 7 distributes the distribution status confirmation instruction. It is transmitted to the situation inquiry unit 13. Upon receiving the distribution status confirmation instruction (S1), the distribution status inquiry unit 13 sends an inquiry instruction regarding the document transmitted by ID: 112179 to the distribution status reply unit 23.

Upon receipt of this inquiry instruction, the distribution status answering unit 23 searches the document management table 51 of the transmission / reception data storage device 19 to check the presence / absence of the transmitted document of ID: 112179 (S3). Returns to S1 and waits for a distribution status confirmation instruction. If there is a corresponding document, the distribution status response unit 23 accesses each table for each document and confirms the current whereabouts / status / holding date / time of the document. That is, for example, in the case of the present example, as can be seen from the document management table 51, since the documents transmitted with the ID: 112179 are the document A and the document B, the distribution status reply unit 23 first determines the document location of the document A. The confirmation process of is executed (S5). That is, the document management table 51
The corresponding line of the location / state management table 53 is accessed based on the number in the pointer column 51d related to the document A. In this example, since the number in the pointer column 51d is 2, the second line of the location / state management table 53 is accessed.

Next, the corresponding row of the distribution table 55 is accessed based on the number in the pointer column 53b of the location / state management table 53, and the whereabouts of the document A is determined by the number in the address column 53c of the location / state management table 53. Identify. In the case of this example, since the numbers in the pointer column 53d and the address column 53c of the location / state management table 53 are both 2, the document is placed at the section manager G corresponding to the second row, second column of the distribution table 55. I know there is.

Next, the distribution status reply section 23 executes the document processing status confirmation processing (S7). That is, the corresponding row of the status table 57 is accessed based on the number in the pointer column 53d of the location / status management table 53, and the corresponding column of the status table 57 is accessed based on the address column 53e to determine the processing status of the document. Identify. In the case of this example, since the numbers in the pointer column 53d and the address column 53e are both 2, it can be seen that the document A is in the state of waiting for approval corresponding to the second row, second column of the state table 57.

Next, the distribution status reply section 23 executes a document retention time confirmation process (S9). That is, based on the number in the point field 53f of the location / state management table 53, a predetermined field of the transmission date / time table 59 is accessed to obtain the latest transmission date / time. In the case of this example, the pointer column 53f
Is 2, the access date and time table 59 is accessed on the second line, and the latest transmission date and time (the date and time when the section chief F transmits to section manager G) is acquired on September 15, 1993 at 8 am. Then, the difference between the current date and time (when confirming the location of the document) and the latest transmission date and time is calculated to obtain the document retention period. For example, the current date and time is September 18, 1993 P
If it is M21: 00, the retention period becomes 3 days and 13 hours by the above calculation.

Next, the distribution status reply section 23 confirms whether there is another document whose distribution status is to be confirmed (S1).
1) If there is another document, the same process as above is repeated. In the case of this example, since the document B is also the confirmation target as described above, the processes of S5 to S9 are executed for the document B. When it is determined that there is no other document in the determination of S11, the distribution status reply unit 23 transmits the information of the location, processing status, and retention date and time of the document acquired by the above-described operation to the distribution status display control unit 14. To do. The distribution status display control unit 14 receiving this transmission displays these information on the CRT 1 via the output control unit 2 (S13). Figure 6
Is a diagram showing an example of this display. The above is the confirmation processing of the distribution status of the distribution document.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a process of transmitting a reminder message to a document retainer. Next, a process of transmitting a reminder message to document retained persons will be described with reference to FIG. The operator looks at the display screen shown in FIG.
A document to be reminded is selected, the pointer of the mouse 5 is moved to the reminding button 61 shown in FIG. 6, and the mouse 5 is clicked. When the dunning button 61 is clicked, the input control unit 7 sends the fact that there is a dunning instruction to the transmission processing unit 9. Upon receiving this instruction (S21), the transmission processing unit 9 causes the staying document name (document A), the location (G section manager), and the user ID (1121).
79 = XX) is acquired (S23), and a reminder message file is created based on this (S2).
5). Then, the transmission processing unit 9 transmits the reminder message file to the mail box (section manager G) where the staying document shown in FIG. 4 is located (S27). When the transmission of the dunning message file is completed, the transmission processing unit 9 confirms whether there is another document to be dunned (S29), and if there is another document, the process returns to S21 to issue a dunning instruction. wait. on the other hand,
In the determination of S29, if there is no other document, the process ends.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the process of receiving the reminder message. Next, the process of receiving the reminder message will be described with reference to FIG. The reception processing unit 11 monitors its own mail box in the transmission / reception data storage device 19 at regular time intervals (S51), and confirms whether a document has arrived in the mail box (S53). When the arrival of the document is confirmed, the reception processing unit 11 confirms whether the arrived document is a dunning message file (S55). If the document is not a dunning message file, the reception control unit 11 displays the message on the display screen of the CRT 1 via the output control unit 2. An icon indicating "there is a received document" is displayed in the open box (S57). If the arrived document is a dunning message file, the reception processing unit 11 sends the dunning message file to C via the output control unit 2.
The file is displayed on RT1 (S59), and the file is deleted after the display (S61). FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example of a reminder message. When the above processing is completed, the reception processing unit 11 monitors its own mail box again (S51), and repeats the same processing.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the location and retention period of a document can be confirmed by managing the location of the document and the latest transmission date and time in the distribution process, and the document retention person can be confirmed. Since the dunning message is sent, the document can be distributed smoothly.

In the above embodiment, the electronic mail system in which the documents are distributed by sequentially transmitting and receiving the documents between the plurality of terminal devices and the mail box on the host side has been described.・
The same function can be realized in an electronic mail system in which a box is installed. In this case, the document distribution table 50, the table management means 21, and the distribution status response unit 23, which are installed on the host side in the above embodiment, may be provided in the terminal device on the document transmission side.

[0028]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the location and retention period of a document are displayed by managing the location of the document and the latest transmission date and time in the distribution process. The distribution status of can be accurately known.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a display example of a virtual reality space.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a document distribution table.

FIG. 4 is a diagram conceptually showing an organization directory (mail box 60) in a transmission / reception data storage device 19.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing for confirming the distribution status of a distribution document.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a display of the distribution status of documents.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a reminder message transmission process for document retainers.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a process of receiving a dunning message.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example of a dunning message.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CRT 2 output control unit 3 keyboard 5 mouse 7 input control unit 9 transmission processing unit 11 reception processing unit 13 distribution status inquiry unit 14 distribution status display control unit 15 data storage unit 17 destination storage unit 19 transmission / reception data storage unit 21 table management means 23 Distribution Status Response Section 50 Document Distribution Table 60 Mailbox

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic mail which comprises a mail box compatible with all users and a plurality of terminal devices, and distributes the document by sequentially transmitting and receiving the document between each terminal device and the mail box. In the system, a document distribution table storing first information including a document name of a document to be transmitted and a document creator, and second information including the location of the document in the distribution process and the latest transmission date and time; Is sent to the mail box, table management means for updating the second information of the document distribution table, distribution status inquiring means for inquiring the distribution status of the document, and inquiries from the distribution status inquiring means. sometimes,
A distribution status replying unit that acquires the location of the document and the latest transmission date and time from the document distribution table, calculates a retention period based on the latest transmission date and time, and creates an answer to the inquiry; An electronic mail system comprising: a distribution status display means for displaying the whereabouts and the staying period of a document based on the answer of 1. 2. An electronic mail system for transmitting and receiving a document between mail boxes set corresponding to a plurality of terminal devices, the first information including a document name of a document to be transmitted and a document creator, A document table in which the second information including the date and time of transmission of the document is stored, table management means for writing the second information in the document table when the document is transmitted to the mail box, and a staying status of the document. The staying status inquiry means for inquiring, and when there is an inquiry from the staying status inquiry means,
A staying status replying unit that acquires a sending date and time of the document from the document table, calculates a staying period based on the sending date and time, and creates an answer to the inquiry, and a document based on a reply from the staying status replying unit. And a staying status display means for displaying the staying period of the electronic mail system. 3. A dunning instruction means for giving a dunning instruction to a document staying person, and a dunning message sending means for creating a dunning message file and sending it to the document staying person when there is a dunning instruction from the dunning instruction means. A dunning message receiving means for monitoring the mailbox at a predetermined interval and confirming that the dunning message file has been sent to the mailbox, and calling the dunning message file to display the dunning message. The electronic mail system according to item 1 or 2.