JPH0575643A - Mail service control system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Send a message from a service user to a desired destination at the desired time of the service user by a mail service center and a network that accommodates a plurality of sending lines and receiving lines. It is a technical object of the present invention to improve the service by preventing over-retransmission in the mail service control method. [Constitution] The mail service center of the present invention is a line control unit (5) for managing the use state of the reception and transmission lines.
A message management unit (4) for managing messages to be transmitted, a message storage unit (3) for storing the message, and connection or disconnection of a line with a destination according to an instruction from the line control unit (5). And a transmission waiting queue (8) for holding the message when all the transmission lines or the transmission destination line are in use when the message is transmitted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a case where a plurality of senders send mail to the same destination in a mail service method of sending a message to a sender's desired destination at a desired time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a mail service control system, all users who have registered for service use are connected to a network.

Then, the service use registrant issues a service use request to the mail service control device when transmitting a message. Upon receiving the service use request, the mail service control device stores the message, the destination and the delivery time. Next, at the accumulated delivery time, the mail service control device reads the accumulated message and transmits it to the destination via the network.

Here, the mail service control device is
At the same time, when a plurality of senders send messages to the same destination, they are queued. When the destination line is in use, the message to be transmitted is treated as a retransmission. Then, when the use of the line is completed, the line is transmitted again.

Further, when the line of the transmission destination is in use when performing line connection, the plurality of messages are made to stand by at the same time interval, and when the use of the line is completed, only the first message is transmitted. To be done. Then, the subsequent message is treated again as a retransmission and waits.

[0006]

However, in the above method, the time intervals for delivering a plurality of mails to the same destination are short, and when the mail service is communicating to the destination, mails from other sending lines are sent. When the delivery of the above is tried, there is a problem that the transmission destination line is in use and the message to be transmitted is treated as a retransmission and can be kept waiting for a certain period of time.

In the above case, the delivery time of the message is significantly delayed, and it becomes impossible to comply with the desired time of the sender using the service. Further, when the same message is retransmitted many times, the specified number of retransmissions is reached, and it becomes impossible to send the message to the destination.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is a technical object to prevent over-retransmission and improve the service.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is as follows. This will be described based on the principle diagram of FIG.

In a mail service control system for transmitting a message from a service user to a desired destination at a desired time of the service user by a network and a mail service center accommodating a plurality of transmission lines and reception lines. When the mail service center 1 receives the call information of the service use applicant from the network 2, the mail service center 1 determines whether or not the service use applicant is a person who has previously registered for use of the service. A receiving side control unit 5a for controlling distribution of receiving lines, a receiving side line switch 6 for switching connection or disconnection of lines according to an instruction from the receiving side control unit 5a, and the receiving side control unit 5
a message management unit 4 that manages a message from the service user transferred from a and destination information and transmission time information; a message storage unit 3 that temporarily stores the message from the service user; A transmission side control unit 5b that detects an idle transmission line from the line and detects the usage status of the transmission destination line, and switching of connection or disconnection of the line with the transmission destination according to the instruction of the transmission side control unit 5b. A mail service characterized by comprising: a transmission side line switch 7 for performing the message; and a transmission waiting queue 8 for holding the message when all the transmission lines or the destination line are in use when the message is transmitted, and 8. The control method was adopted.

Further, in the transmission side control section 5b, it is determined whether or not the line is being used together with the telephone number information of the transmission destination, whether or not the transmission line number is a representative number, and other than the representative number. A line state management table 10 indicating the idle state of the line and a retransmission counter 9 for counting the number of times of retransmission for each message that cannot be transmitted and is retransmitted are provided.

The waiting queue 8 includes a transmission waiting queue 8a for temporarily holding the message when all the transmission lines are in use, and a single destination line, and the line is used. A queue waiting queue 8b is provided for temporarily holding the queue in the middle.

Then, as soon as the transmission line and the destination line become idle, the transmission side control section 5b determines that the same destination is selected from the messages waiting in the queue queue 8b. I tried to read it out and queue up.

[0014]

The operation of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, the case of transmitting a registered message will be described.

In step 201, the message management unit sends a message corresponding to the message at the transmission time.
Read from the message storage. In step 202, the message management unit requests the transmission side control unit to send the message read in 201.

In step 203, the transmission side control section reads the retransmission counter of the message and, if the message is a retransmission message, determines whether or not the retransmission is within the prescribed number of retransmissions defined in advance. .. That is, in the case of a retransmission message, it is determined whether the number of retransmissions exceeds the specified number of retransmissions, and if the number of retransmissions exceeds the specified number of retransmissions, transmission to the destination is not performed.

Then, the following processing is performed only when the number of times the message is transmitted is the first and when the number of times the message is retransmitted is within the specified number of retransmissions. In step 204, the transmission side control unit monitors all the transmission lines and detects an idle transmission line among them. Here, if there is no transmission line in the idle state, the process proceeds to step 208, and if there is a transmission line in the idle state, the process proceeds to step 205.

In step 208, the message is once linked to the waiting queue in the waiting queue, and the process fades back to step 204. On the other hand, in step 205, it is determined whether the line to which the message is transmitted is in use (busy) or in an idle state.

In step 205, if the destination line is in use, the process proceeds to step 206, and if it is in the idle state, the process proceeds to step 214. In step 214, the transmission side control unit connects the transmission line in the idle state and the transmission destination line via a network and transmits the message.

In step 206, the transmission side control unit determines whether or not the above destination number is the representative number in the transmission of the message based on the line state management table. That is, it is determined whether or not the destination has a line in addition to the line in use. If the destination number of the destination is not the representative number, the process proceeds to step 210, and if the destination number of the destination is the representative number, the process proceeds to step 207.

In step 207, a line other than the representative number which is in an idle state is detected. If there is no free line, the message is once linked to the transmission waiting queue in step 208 and faded back to step 204. Then, when there is an idle line, the process proceeds to step 214, where the transmission line and the transmission destination line are connected via the network to transmit the message.

On the other hand, in step 210, the message is linked to the queue waiting queue set in the control unit. Then, in step 211, the transmission side control unit waits for the message until the transmission destination line becomes idle. In step 212, the transmission-side control unit reads the message ahead of the queue for waiting for connection and transmits it to the transmission destination.

In step 213, it is determined whether or not the transmission in step 212 has been completed successfully, and when it has been completed successfully, the transmission processing for the message ends. Further, when the message is not successfully completed, the message is treated as a retransmission, and the message shown in FIG.
The process proceeds to step 9 and the retransmission counter is incremented by 1, and the process returns to step 203.

[0024]

EXAMPLE In this example, a fax mail service control center will be described as a configuration of a service center.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the fax mail service control center according to the present embodiment. The fax mail service control center includes a message management unit 14, a message storage unit 13, and a reception side control unit 15a.
And a line control unit 15 including a transmission side control unit 15b, a communication management unit 16, a reception side and transmission side line switch 17,
18, a fax function control unit 21, a transmission waiting queue 19, a queue waiting queue 20, and a line state management table 12.

The functions of the above components will be described below. The message management unit 14 manages a message transmitted from a service user, destination information, and transmission time.

The message storage unit 13 has a function of storing the message by the message management unit 14 until the transmission time arrives. The receiving side control unit 15a
Whether the call is made by the service use applicant and is made by the service use registrant, and if it is made by the service use registrant, which reception line among the plurality of reception lines is used. And whether to connect with.

At the transmission time, the transmission side line control unit 15b receives the transmission request together with the destination information of the message read by the message management. Then, it is determined which transmission line of the transmission lines of this system is used to transmit the message.

The receiving side line switch 17 and the transmitting side line switch 18 are both switches for switching connection or disconnection of lines. The communication management unit 16 issues an instruction to switch connection or disconnection of the receiving side or transmitting side line switches 17 and 18 according to the instruction of the transmitting side control unit 15b or the receiving side control unit 15a, and at the same time, the line control unit 15
Notify the usage status of the line to.

The fax function unit 21 realizes a facsimile function. The transmission waiting queue 19 links a message to be transmitted when there is no transmission line in an idle state, the destination line is a representative number, and all the lines including the representative number are in use. To do.

The queue queue 20 links messages to be transmitted when the destination line is not the representative number (the destination subscriber has only one line) and the destination line is in use. It is something to keep.

The line status management table 12 is installed in the line control unit 15 and indicates the usage status of all the lines accommodated in the fax mail service control center 11, and also the telephone number of the communication destination and the usage status of the line. Furthermore, it indicates whether or not the telephone number is a representative number. here,
The line status management table 12 is shown in Table 1 below.

[0033]

[Table 1]

Next, the message processing process of the fax mail service control center will be described below. The receiving side control unit 15a determines whether or not the call from the service use applicant is a previously registered service use registrant, and when the call is a service use registrant. Determines which reception line to connect to and issues a connection command to the communication management unit 16 of the reception line.

The communication management unit 16 which has received the connection command,
The receiving side line switch 17 on the receiving line is switched to the connecting side. Then, the reception side control unit 15a transfers the message, the destination information and the desired transmission time information from the service use registrant to the message management unit 14.

The message management unit 14 stores the message information in the message storage unit 13 and notifies the line state management table 12 of the destination information. Then, at the desired transmission time of the service use registrant, the message management unit 14 reads out the message to be transmitted at the transmission time from the message storage unit 13, and the transmission side control unit 1
Send a request to 5b.

Upon receiving the message transmission request from the message management unit 14, the transmission side control unit 15b determines whether the message is a retransmission or a first transmission, and if it is a retransmission, the transmission is performed. The number of retransmissions is read from the retransmission counter 22 provided in the side controller 15b to determine whether or not the number of retransmissions is within the specified number of retransmissions. If the number of retransmissions exceeds the specified number of retransmissions, the message is transmitted. Shall not be performed.

On the other hand, in the case of the first transmission and the retransmission within the specified number of retransmissions, the transmission side control unit 15b
Monitors each transmission line from the line state management table 12 and detects an idle transmission line. When all the transmission lines are in use, the message is linked to the transmission waiting queue 19 and the transmission line is waited for.

Next, when there is an available transmission line, the transmission side control unit 15b causes the line state management table 1
2, the idle state of the destination line of the message is monitored.

When the destination line is free as a result of the monitoring, the transmission side control unit 15b issues a line connection command to the network to the communication management unit 16 on the transmission line, and the communication management unit 16 Switches the transmission side line switch 18 to the connection side and transmits the message to the destination.

On the other hand, when the destination line is in use (busy), the transmission side control unit 15b refers again to the line state management table 12 and the line number in use is the representative number. It is determined whether or not the destination subscriber has a line other than the line in the used state.

When the destination line is the representative number, the transmission side control unit 15b refers to the line state management table 12 and determines whether or not there is an idle line other than the representative number. If there is an idle line other than the representative number, the message is transmitted from the transmission line, and if all the lines including the representative number line are in use, the transmission waiting queue 19 Link the message.

On the other hand, when the destination line is not the representative number, the message is linked to the queue queue. Then, when the transmission destination line becomes idle, the transmission side control unit 15b reads the message of the same transmission destination as the transmission destination from the messages linked to the queue waiting queue 20 and transmits the message. Here, if the transmission is not normally performed, it is treated as a retransmission, and the transmission side control unit 15b
The counter of the retransmission counter 23 attached to is incremented.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, since the line control section grasps all the use states of the lines in the fax mail service control center by the line state management table, it is possible to alleviate the traffic congestion at the time of message transmission in the center. .. In addition, it is possible to prevent a delay in the transmission time that occurs when a message that has been treated as a retransmission is transmitted.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, it becomes possible for the mail service control center to prevent a delay in the transmission time, which occurs when a message is retransmitted, and the delivery specified by the user. You can follow the time.

Further, the mail service center can be expected to reduce the frequency of occurrence of the number of resends when transmitting a message, and the service system is improved. Further, it is possible to prevent message congestion in the center and reduce the disk load on the message storage unit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation process of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a facsimile mail service control center according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Mail service center 2 ... Network 3 ... Message storage unit 4 ... Message management unit 5 ... Line control unit 6 ... Receiving side line switch 7 ... Sending side line switch 8 ... Wait queue 9 ... Retransmission counter 10 ... Line status management table 11 ... Facsimile mail service control center 12 ... Line status management table 13 ... Message storage unit 14 ... Message management unit 15 ... Line control unit 16 ... Communication management unit 17 ...・ Receiver line switch 18 ・ Sender line switch 19 ・ Transmission waiting queue 20 ・ ・ Queue waiting queue 21 ・ ・ Fax function 22 ・ ・ Retransmission counter

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A mail service center accommodating a plurality of transmission lines and reception lines and a network,
In a mail service control method for transmitting a message from a service user to a desired destination at a desired time of the service user, the mail service center (1) calls a service user from the network (2). A receiving side control section (5a) for judging whether or not the service use applicant is a person who has previously registered for use of the service when receiving the information, and controlling distribution of receiving lines of the line; and the receiving side. A receiving side line switch (6) for switching connection or disconnection of a line according to an instruction from the control unit (5a), and a message and a transmission destination information and transmission from a service user transferred from the receiving side control unit (5a). A message management unit (4) for managing time information, and a message storage unit (3) for temporarily storing messages from the service user.
And a transmission side control unit (5b) that detects an idle transmission line from the transmission line and detects the usage status of the transmission destination line, and the transmission destination according to the instructions of the transmission side control unit (5b). A line switch (7) on the transmission side for switching connection or disconnection of the line with and, and a transmission queue for holding the message when all the transmission lines or destination lines are in use when the message is transmitted. (8) A mail service control method comprising: 2. The transmission side control unit (5b), whether or not the line is being used together with the telephone number information of the transmission destination, and whether or not the transmission line number is a representative number and a representative 2. The mail service control method according to claim 1, further comprising a line status management table (10) indicating a free status of lines other than numbers. 3. The waiting queue (8) includes a transmission waiting queue for temporarily holding the message when all the transmission lines are in use, and a single destination line, and the line is 2. The mail service control method according to claim 1, further comprising a queue waiting queue for temporarily holding the queue when it is in use. 4. The retransmission control unit (5b) is provided with a retransmission counter (9) for counting the number of retransmissions for each message that cannot be transmitted and is retransmitted. Mail service control method. 5. The transmission side control unit (5b) determines, as soon as the transmission line and the transmission destination line are idle, that the same destination is selected from the messages waiting in the queue. The mail service control method according to claim 1, wherein the mail service control method reads out and transmits the mail.