Electronic mail distributing method and apparatus
First Claim
1. An electronic mail distributing apparatus, comprising:
- a receiving unit which receives an electronic mail scheduled to be sent to a recipient at a specified date and time;
a mail storing unit which stores the electronic mail received by said receiving unit;
a detection unit which detects an electronic mail whose specified date and time becomes the present date and time;
a retrieval unit which retrieves the electronic mail detected by said detection unit, from said mail storing unit; and
a transmitting unit which sends the electronic mail retrieved by said retrieval unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic mail distributing apparatus which automatically sends out electronic mail which is scheduled to arrive at a recipient at specified future date and time. A receiving unit receives the electronic mail which is scheduled to arrive at the recipient at specified future date and time. A mail database stores information in a manner such that the electronic mail is associated with the specified date and time. A detection unit detects an electronic mail to be sent out, by comparing the specified date and time with the present date and time. A retrieval unit retrieves the to-be-sent electronic mail detected in the detection unit, from the mail database. A transmitting unit sends out the thus retrieved electronic mail to the recipient at the date and time specified by the sender.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An electronic mail distributing apparatus, comprising:
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a receiving unit which receives an electronic mail scheduled to be sent to a recipient at a specified date and time;
a mail storing unit which stores the electronic mail received by said receiving unit;
a detection unit which detects an electronic mail whose specified date and time becomes the present date and time;
a retrieval unit which retrieves the electronic mail detected by said detection unit, from said mail storing unit; and
a transmitting unit which sends the electronic mail retrieved by said retrieval unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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7. A method of distributing electronic mail, comprising:
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receiving an electronic mail scheduled to be sent to a recipient at a specified date and time;
storing the electronic mail received;
detecting an electronic mail stored whose specified date and time becomes the present date and time;
retrieving the electronic mail as a result of said detecting, from the stored electronic mails; and
transmitting the electronic mail as a result of said retrieving.
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8. A method of distributing electronic mail, comprising:
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receiving an electronic mail sent from an originating client;
judging whether or not date and time specified by the originating client are effective, and notifying the originating client if the specified date and time has already passed the present date and time so as to prevent wrong registration of the electronic mail;
storing the electronic mail when the specified date and time indicates future date and time; and
sending the stored electronic mail on the specified date and time to a recipient.
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Specification