JPH09200256A - Electronic mail system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To exactly transmit mail to a desired party to transmit even when a mail address is not clear by early reporting an address error to a mail user. SOLUTION: An inputted address is transmitted to a mail server 7, to which a client belongs, as a client request 4. The server 7 receives the request 4. At a data base managing part 9 of the server 7, it is retrieved from an address data base 10 by a communication function part 8 whether the transmission destination mail address received by the client request is contained in the mail user managed by the server 7 itself. When that mail address is not existent, it is retrieved from a temporary address data base 11 temporarily storing mail addresses transmitted before. When the mail address can be retrieved through these two retrieving operations, a client/server response 5 is transmitted to a mail client 1, and the existence confirmation of mail address is reported to the mail user.

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, and more particularly to electronic mail exchange between a plurality of remote places.
_{Relates to} an email system _{that does} .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional electronic mail system, for example, registered / changed / deleted address information disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 04-008038 is transmitted to each mail server, and each mail server transmits to each mail server. It had the function of exchanging e-mails with all the address information of the mail client to which it belongs. Conventional electronic mail system, as shown _{in the} block diagram of FIG. _8, the mail server the email address of the mail user inputs
Performing a communication function unit ₂₁ of the mail client ₂₀ for transmission to _25, the reception of the email sent from the mail client _{20, and,} the mail address in the address database ₂₈ managed by itself _to transmit the validity _{, And} the communication function unit ₂₆ of the mail server ₂₅ to which _the mail client ₂₀ belongs.

[0003]

In the conventional mail system described above, if there is a description error in the specified destination, it cannot be determined at the time of transmission, and the destination will not be described only after the transmission to the destination. It was understood that it became. For this reason, there was a problem that the mail user would not notice any mistakes in his / her writing unless the e-mail was sent for a certain period of time (until the e-mail was sent and the sending result is returned). .

Further, in order to solve the problem, when all the destinations to be transmitted are stored in the mail server and selected from among them, it is necessary to store all the destination information in the mail server. However, there is a drawback that the resource efficiency of the mail server becomes poor.

An object of the present invention is to check the legitimacy of the destination of an electronic mail before sending the mail, reduce errors after sending, and improve the convenience of the mail user.
To improve resource efficiency of mail server and network.

[0006]

In the electronic mail system of the present invention, an input unit _{(3) for} a mail user to input a mail.
And _a mail client that receives the data in the input section
And _{(1), belonging to the} mail _{client, the} forward e-mail from the mail client to the _destination, the _{first mail} server that relays _{(7), the} first email email address email user inputs and transmitting to the server, _the communication function section for performing the reception of the effectiveness of the determination result of the email address sent to the first mail server and _(2)
The a receiving email address transmitted from the mail client, the transmission of the effectiveness of the email the email address sent to the client, itself manages new email address or not in the address database ₍₁₀₎ has _the a request transmission and the communication function section of _the first mail server to perform the reception of the information of the first mail server information _(8), a second e-mail in a remote place when viewed from the first mail server and information contact the server, the second interval to inquire about the new e-mail address and mail server information to the mail _{server, and,} to define _the erasure period is a period that holds the information of the second mail server the server definition unit ₍₁₄₎ which are, to manage the e-mail address of the mail client to a mail server is managed by its own Address database and a mail server that the mail server does not manage, the temporary address database that manages the mail addresses of mail clients, and the mail database that manages the mail addresses sent from the mail client, Searching whether the address is registered in the temporary address database, replying to the search result of the search based on the mail address search request sent from the mail client, registering new mail address or mail server information, Receive new mail addresses and mail server information requests from the database management part of the mail server to which the mail client belongs and that deletes the mail server information that has passed the deletion period defined in the server definition part. That feeling It has a mail server that sends and responds to requests and a communication function section between the mail server and a database management section of the mail server that searches the registered mail address and mail server information after a specified date and time. Characterize.

The mail system of the present invention includes an input unit for a mail user to input a mail, a mail client for receiving data from the input unit, a mail server for transferring / relaying electronic mail from the mail client to a destination, and use of mail The communication function part of the mail client that sends the mail address entered by the person to the mail server and the judgment result of the validity of the mail address sent to the mail server and the mail address sent from the mail client. , A mail client that sends the validity of the mail address sent to the mail client, sends a request for new mail address or mail server information that does not exist in the address database managed by itself, and receives that information Communication function part of the mail server to which it belongs and the mail The information inquiry destination to the mail server in a remote place from the viewpoint of the server, the interval for inquiring new mail address or mail server information to the mail server, and the deletion period that is the period to retain the information of the mail server The server definition part that defines the mail server manages the mail address of the mail client that the mail server manages itself, and the mail address of the mail client that the mail server does not manage Search whether the temporary address database and the mail address sent from the mail client are registered in the address database managed by the mail server itself, the temporary address database, and the mail address sent from the mail client Based on search request The database of the mail server to which the mail client belongs that performs the response of the search result of the above-mentioned search, the registration of new mail address and mail server information, and the deletion of the mail server information after the deletion period defined in the server definition section. Registers after the designated date and time with the communication function unit between the mail server that receives a new mail address or mail server information request from the management unit and another mail server and sends a response to the information request It is configured by the database management unit of the mail server that searches for the registered mail address and mail server information.

[0008]

BEST _{MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION} Next, a description with reference to the drawings, _{embodiments of the} present invention.

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

The mail user uses the input unit 3 to input the address that is the destination of the electronic mail. The input address is transmitted as a client request 4 from the communication function unit 2 to the first mail server 7 to which the client ₁ belongs. The first mail server 7 receives the client request 4 _at the communication function unit 8.

The database management unit 9 of the first mail server 7 stores _the client request 4 _{received by the} communication function unit 8 _.
Destination mail address, _have rows searches whether the email contains the user who is managing the address database 10 in the first mail server 7 _{itself, if it does} not exist, previously sent email A search is performed from the temporary address database 11 in which addresses are temporarily stored. When the mail address can be searched by these two search operations, the client / server response 5 is transmitted to the mail client 1 to notify the mail user of the existence confirmation of the mail address.

When the sending mail address cannot be found by this search, the database management unit 9 of the first mail server 7 determines that the server information other than the first mail server 7 is defined in the server information at a remote location. Refer to the definition section 6,
A server request 12 is transmitted from the communication function unit 9 of the first mail server 7 to a server which inquires about the information of the mail server to be transmitted described in the mail address. The communication function unit 16 _of the second mail server 15 receives _the server request 12. The database management unit 17 of the second mail server 15 performs a search from the address database 18 or the temporary address database 19 in which the information on the mail address of the mail user belonging to the mail server in the server request 12 is stored. _{When the} mail address belonging to the mail server can be searched by _this search operation, the database management unit 17 of the second mail server 15 is searched.
Sends a server-server response 13 to the first mail server 7.

If the sending mail address cannot be found by this search, the database management unit 17 of the second mail server 15 further defines the server definition unit 14 in which server information other than the second mail server 15 is defined. referring to, _and to the server to query the information of the mail server
The server function 12 is transmitted from the communication function unit 16 of the second mail server 15. If there is no information about the mail server to be referred to when the server definition unit 14 is referred to, it is transmitted to the mail server that has transmitted the server request 12 that there is no new mail user information to be transmitted. The communication function unit 8 _of the first mail server 7 receives a server-server response 13 which is a response to the server request 12.
When the server-server response 13 returns the mail user information, the database management unit 9 registers in the temporary address database 11 having the mail address information of the mail user, and the communication function unit 8 Client-server response 5 indicating that client request 4 is valid
It performs the transmission _as. When the mail user information is not returned, the communication function unit 8 transmits a client-server response 5 that the client request 4 is invalid.

In the mail client 1, the communication function unit 2
Then, the client / server response 5 is received, and the mail user _is notified of the validity of the mail address.

Next, the operation of managing information in the temporary address database 11 will be described.

The communication function unit 8 of the first mail server 7 is
By referring to the server definition unit 6 and the temporary address database 11, if the update interval of the server definition unit 6 or more has passed from the last update date of the temporary address database 11, the server request 12 for the mail server is automatically generated. Send to. When the server-server response 13 to the server request 12 is received, the first mail server 7
The database management unit ₉ updates the temporary address database 11 and validates the address of the server.
On the contrary, when the server-server response 13 is not received, the database management unit ₉ of the first mail server 7
The information of the mail server is deleted from the temporary address database 11.

FIG. 2 shows the definition contents of the server definition part of the present invention.
_{Is shown} . The contents that describe the mail server that inquires about the mail address information and the update time interval that inquires for each mail server _{are shown.} Mail server name as the first column, contact the mail server name as the second column, the update time of server information as the third column, that update period as the fourth column _{is not defined.}

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of the address database and the temporary address database. The address database is a structure that records the mail server name and the last update date of the mail address that belongs to the mail server for each last update date of the mail server.
_{It has become} .

FIG. 4 shows the format of a client request 4 between client and server. The mail address entered by the mail user to be checked for validity and the search formula for the mail address entered by the mail user are described _. Lines that start with # as the first character are comment lines
_. The contents from START_REQ_ADDRESS to END_REQ_ADDRESS are the e-mail addresses for which the e-mail address is to be validated, and more than one can be described _. START_REQ_SR
The content from CH_ADDRESS to END_REQ_SRCH_ADDRESS is the email address to be searched for email addresses, and multiple entries are possible. Describe the search number as the first column, the search formula of the mail address as the second column, and the search formula of the mail server as the third column.

FIG. 5 shows a server request 1 between servers.
2 shows the format. For each designated mail server, a request for mail address information updated after the designated update date and a request for mail server information updated after the designated update date are described _. A line in which the first character starts with # is a comment line _. START_REQ_NEW_ADDRESS to END_REQ_NEW_
The content up to ADDRESS is the mail server that requires new additional information of the mail address, and the current last updated date is added. You can describe multiple mail servers. Describe the request number as the first column, the request mail server name as the second column, and the update date as the third column _. START_
The contents from REQ_NEW_SERVER to END_REQ_NEW_SERVER are
It is a request for mail server information updated after the specified update date.

FIG. 6 shows a format of the client-server response 5 between the client and the server. The check result of the mail address to be checked requested by the client and the search result of the search formula requested by the client are described _. A line in which the first character starts with # is a comment line _. From START_ANS_ADDRESS
The contents up to START_ANS_ADDRESS are the result of validating the email address (INVALID: invalid, VALID: valid) for each email address. START_ANS_SRCH_ADDRE
The contents from the SS search number to the END_ANS_SRCH_ADDRESS search number indicate the search result of the email address for each search number.

FIG. 7 shows the format of the server-server response 13 between the servers. The search result of the mail address added / updated after the update date on the mail server specified in the server request and the mail server information added / updated after the specified update date are described.
_. A line in which the first character starts with # is a comment line _. ST
ART_ANS_NEWS_ADDRESS Request number to END_ANS_NEWS_ADDRE
The contents up to the SS request number indicate the new addition information of the email address corresponding to the request number. If NO_NEW_RECORD is returned instead of the email address, it means that there is no email address added after the last update date. START_ANS_NEW_SERVER to END_ANS_NE
The contents up to W_SERVER indicate the mail server name updated after the specified update date.

[0023]

_{According to} the electronic mail system of the present invention,
In the past, it was known that an error in the email address description was a destination error only when the result of sending was an error.However, since the validity of the email address is judged when the email address is described, the address mistake is immediately detected. Can be judged. If the email address is unclear,
By using the search function of the mail server, it is possible to obtain an accurate mail address. To send and receive new mail address between mail server at the interval even if you add the e-mail user to a new defined in the server definition information, the client can refer to the Ku latest _information to be aware is there. Further, when the mail addresses become huge, it is not resource efficient to hold all the information in each mail server. Therefore, by defining the mail server information in the server definition unit, it becomes possible to decentralize the address database, and it is possible to efficiently operate the resources of the mail server and the network.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment _{of the} present invention.

FIG. 2 _{is a} server definition content according to _{the embodiment of the} present invention.
_FIG .

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of an address database according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a client request format according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a server request format according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a client according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the response format between servers.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a server-server response format according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a conventional _example .

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Mail Client 2 Communication Function Section 3 Input Section 4 Client Request 5 Client-Server Response 6 Server Definition Section 7 First Mail Server 8 Communication Function Section 9 Database Management Section 10 Address database 11 Temporary address database 12 Server request 13 Server-server response 14 Server definition section 15 Second mail server 16 Communication function section 17 Database management section 18 Address database 19 Temporary address database 20 Mail client

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input unit for a mail user to input a mail
₍₃₎ and _a mail client that receives the data in the input section
And _{(1), belonging to the} mail _{client, the} forward e-mail from the mail client to the _destination, the _{first mail} server that relays _{(7), the} first email email address email user inputs and transmitting to the server, and _the communication function unit which performs the reception of the effectiveness of the determination result of the email address sent to the first mail server _(2), and reception of email sent from the mail client, the and transmission of the effectiveness of the email address sent to the mail client itself manages that request the transmission of the new email address or _the first mail server information that does not exist in the address database ₍₁₀₎ and the reception of the information preparative a communication function section of _the first mail server performing _(8), a second main at a remote location when viewed from the first mail server And information contact the Rusaba, the second interval to inquire about the new e-mail address and mail server information to the mail _{server, and,} to define _the erasure period is a period that holds the information of the second mail server The server definition section ₍₁₄₎ , the address database that manages the mail addresses of mail clients that the mail server manages itself, and the mail addresses of mail clients that the mail server does not manage. Search whether the temporary address database and the mail address sent from the mail client are registered in the address database managed by the mail server itself, the temporary address database, and the mail address sent from the mail client Based on search request Database management of the mail server to which the mail client belongs, which performs the response of the search result of the search, the registration of new mail address and mail server information, and the deletion of the mail server information after the deletion period defined in the server definition section Department and other mail servers receive new mail addresses and mail server information requests, and send and respond to those information requests.Communication function between mail server and mail server and registered after the specified date and time. An electronic mail system having a mail server and a database management unit of the mail server for searching information of the mail server.