E-mail management system, mail server, forwarding method and medium

• US 20040049548A1
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Nakao, Hisayasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases

Abstract

The invention provides a technique of automatically checking the validation of a destination address to which electronic mail is to be transferred. If the destination address is validated, the transfer of the mail to the address is permitted, so that no mail is transferred to the wrong address. An electronic mail management device (1, 2) for managing the destination addresses to which electronic mail is to be transferred comprises: means for receiving a request to set a destination address corresponding to a receiving mail address, and means for checking the validity of the destination address.

Claims

1. An E-mail management system for managing a forward destination of an E-mail, comprising:

an accept unit accepting a setting request of a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail; and

a confirming unit executing a confirmation of a validity of the forward destination address.

2. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sending unit sending a test mail to the forward destination address; and

a receiving unit receiving a response to the test mail,

wherein said confirming unit commands said sending unit to send the test mail and confirms a response via said receiving unit.

3. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit communicating with a sending device sending a test mail to the forward destination and a receiving device receiving a response to the test mail,

wherein said confirming unit commands said sending device to send the test mail via said communication unit and confirms the response received by said receiving device via said communication unit.

4. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a forward destination registering unit registering the forward destination address if the confirmation proved successful; and

a forward control unit forwarding the E-mail,

wherein said forward control unit, where the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address is registered in said forward destination registering unit, forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address.

5. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit communicating with a mail server which registers the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address of the E-mail, and forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address,

wherein said confirming unit commands if the confirmation proved successful, said mail server to register the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address via said communication unit.

6. An E-mail management system according to claim 2, wherein said confirming unit confirms whether or not the response is transmitted from the receipt address.

7. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, wherein said confirming unit issues a command of sending test mails respectively to the receipt address and the forward destination address, and confirms responses to these two test mails.

8. An E-mail management system according to claim 4, wherein said forward destination registering unit registers a forward destination address unconditionally in response to said setting request for setting the forward destination address that is with in a predetermined range, and registers a forward destination address with respect to which the confirmation by said confirming unit proved successful in response to said setting request for setting the forward destination address that is beyond the predetermined range.

9. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, further comprising a notifying unit notifying that a permission of forwarding to the forward destination address with respect to which the confirmation proved unsuccessful, can not be given.

10. An E-mail management system according to claim 4, wherein said confirming unit confirms a validity of the already-registered forward destination address after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the registration thereof, and

said forward control unit suspends forwarding to the forward destination address till the confirmation proves successful after the elapse of the predetermined period of time.

11. An E-mail management system according to claim 5, wherein said communication unit receives a request for confirming the already-registered forward destination address from said mail server, and

said confirming unit confirms the validity of this forward destination address.

12. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, further comprising an information providing unit disclosing a step of the response to a test mail, to a user who is within a predetermined range,

wherein said confirming unit confirms whether or not the response conforms with the response step.

13. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, wherein said confirming unit confirms whether the response contains a predetermined data string or not.

21. An E-mail management system according to claim 1, wherein said accept unit accepts the setting request by receiving the E-mail in a predetermined format at a predetermined address.

14. An E-mail management system cooperating with a mail server which registers a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of an E-mail and forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address, said system comprising:

an accept unit accepting a setting request of a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail; and

a command unit issuing a command of confirming a validity of the forward destination address.

15. An E-mail management system according to claim 14, further comprising a sending unit sending a test mail to the forward destination,

wherein said command unit commands said sending unit to send a test mail and has a validity of the forward destination address confirmed by a response to the test mail, to said mail server from the receipt address.

16. An E-mail management system according to claim 14, further comprising a communication unit communicating with a sending device sending a test mail to the forward destination,

wherein said command unit commands said sending device to send the test mail to the forward destination address via said communication unit and has the validity of the forward destination address confirmed by a response to the test mail, to said mail server from the receipt address.

17. An E-mail management system according to claim 16, wherein said sending device is said mail server.

18. An E-mail management system according to claim 14, wherein said command unit issues a command of sending test mails respectively to the receipt address and the forward destination address, and makes said mail server confirm the validity of responses to these two test mails.

19. An E-mail management system according to claim 16, wherein said communication unit receives a request for confirming the already-registered forward destination address from said mail server, and

said command unit issues the command of confirming the validity of this forward destination address.

20. An E-mail management system according to claim 14, further comprising an information disclosure unit disclosing a step of the response to a test mail, to a user who is within a predetermined range.

22. An E-mail management system according to claim 14, wherein said accept unit accepts the setting request by receiving the E-mail in a predetermined format at a predetermined address.

23. A mail server cooperating with an E-mail management system which accepts a request for setting a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of an E-mail, said mail server comprising:

a confirming unit executing a confirmation of a validity of the forward destination address; and

a forward destination registering unit registering the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address of the E-mail,

wherein said forward destination registering unit registers the forward destination address with its validity confirmed.

24. A mail server according to claim 23, further comprising a receiving unit receiving a response to a test mail sent to the forward destination,

wherein said confirming unit confirms the validity of the forward destination address by the response.

25. A mail server according to claim 23, wherein said confirming unit confirms whether the response is transmitted from the receipt address or not.

26. A mail server according to claim 23, wherein said confirming unit confirms whether the response contains a predetermined data string or not.

27. An E-mail forward destination management method of managing a forward destination of an E-mail, comprising:

accepting a request for setting a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of an E-mail; and

executing a confirmation of a validity of the forward destination address.

28. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, further comprising:

sending a test mail to the forward destination address; and

receiving a response to the test mail,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming a validity of the forward destination address by the response received.

29. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, further comprising:

commanding a sending device sending the E-mail to send a test mail to the forward destination address; and

communicating with a receiving device receiving a response to the test mail,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming the validity of the forward destination address by the response received by said receiving device.

30. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, further comprising:

registering the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address when the confirmation proved successful; and

forwarding the received E-mail addressed to the receipt address to the forward destination address when the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address is registered.

31. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, further comprising commanding a mail server which registers the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address of the E-mail, and forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address,

wherein said mail server is commanded to register the forward destination address if the confirmation proved successful.

32. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 28, wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether or not the response is transmitted from the receipt address.

33. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, further comprising sending test mails respectively to the receipt address and the forward destination address,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming responses to these two test mails.

34. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 30, further comprising registering a forward destination address unconditionally in response to said setting request for setting the forward destination address that is within a predetermined range,

wherein there is registered a forward destination address with respect to which the confirmation proved successful in response to said setting request for setting the forward destination address that is beyond the predetermined range.

35. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, further comprising notifying that a permission of forwarding to the forward destination address with respect to which the confirmation proved unsuccessful, can not be given.

36. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 30, further comprising executing a confirmation of a validity of the already-registered forward destination address after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the registration thereof,

wherein said forwarding to the forward destination address is suspended till the confirmation proves successful after the elapse of the predetermined period of time.

37. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 31, further comprising:

receiving a request for confirming the already-registered forward destination address; and

confirming the validity of this already-registered forward destination address.

38. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, further comprising disclosing a step of the response to a test mail, to a user who is within a predetermined range,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether or not the response conforms with the response step.

39. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether the response contains a predetermined data string or not.

47. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 27, wherein said accepting includes receiving the E-mail in a predetermined format at a predetermined address.

40. An E-mail forward destination management method of managing a forward destination of an E-mail in cooperation with a mail server which registers a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail and forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address, said method comprising:

accepting a setting request of a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail; and

issuing a command of confirming a validity of the forward destination address.

41. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 40, further comprising sending a test mail to the forward destination,

wherein a validity of the forward destination address is confirmed by a response to the test mail, to said mail server from the receipt address.

42. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 40, wherein in said issuing, a sending device sending the E-mail is commanded to send a test mail to the forward destination address, and

the validity of the forward destination address is confirmed by a response to the test mail, to said mail server from the receipt address.

43. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 42, wherein said sending device is said mail server.

44. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 40, wherein in said issuing, sending test mails respectively to the receipt address and the forward destination address is commanded, and making said mail server confirm the validity of responses to these two test mails.

45. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 40, further comprising:

receiving a request for confirming the already-registered forward destination address from said ail server; and

issuing the command of confirming the validity of his forward destination address.

46. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 40, further comprising disclosing a step of the response to a test mail, to a user who is within a predetermined range.

48. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 40, wherein said accepting includes receiving the E-mail in a predetermined format at a predetermined address.

49. An E-mail forward destination management method of managing a forward destination of an E-mail in cooperation with an E-mail management system which accepts a request for setting a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail, said method comprising:

confirming a validity of the forward destination address;

registering the forward destination address; and

forwarding, when the forward destination address corresponding to an address of the E-mail received is registered, the E-mail to this forward destination address.

50. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 49, further comprising receiving a response to a test mail sent to the forward destination,

wherein said confirming includes confirming a validity of the forward destination address by the response.

51. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 49, wherein said confirming includes confirming whether the response is transmitted from the receipt address or not.

52. An E-mail forward destination management method according to claim 49, wherein said confirming includes confirming whether the response contains a predetermined data string or not.

53. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program making a computer manage a forward destination of an E-mail, said program comprising:

accepting a request for setting a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of an E-mail; and

executing a confirmation of a validity of the forward destination address.

54. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, further comprising:

sending a test mail to the forward destination address; and

receiving a response to the test mail,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming a validity of the forward destination address by the response received.

55. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, further comprising:

commanding a sending device sending the E-mail to send a test mail to the forward destination address, and

communicating with a receiving device receiving a response to the test mail,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming the validity of the forward destination address by the response received by said receiving device.

56. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, further comprising:

registering the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address when the confirmation proved successful; and

forwarding the received E-mail addressed to the receipt address to the forward destination address when the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address is registered.

57. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, further comprising commanding a mail server which registers the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address of the E-mail, and forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address,

wherein said mail server is commanded to register the forward destination address if the confirmation proved successful.

58. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 54, wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether or not the response is transmitted from the receipt address.

59. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, further comprising sending test mails respectively to the receipt address and the forward destination address,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming responses to these two test mails.

60. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 56, further comprising registering a forward destination address unconditionally in response to said setting request for setting the forward destination address that is within a predetermined range,

wherein there is registered a forward destination address with respect to which the confirmation proved successful in response to said setting request for setting the forward destination address that is beyond the predetermined range.

61. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, further comprising notifying that a permission of forwarding to the forward destination address with respect to which the confirmation proved unsuccessful, can not be given.

62. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 56, further comprising executing a confirmation of a validity of the already-registered forward destination address after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the registration thereof,

wherein said forwarding to the forward destination address is suspended till the confirmation proves successful after the elapse of the predetermined period of time.

63. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 57, further comprising:

receiving a request for confirming the already-registered forward destination address; and

confirming the validity of this already-registered forward destination address.

64. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, further comprising disclosing a step of the response to a test mail, to a user who is within a predetermined range,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether or not the response conforms with the response step.

65. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether the response contains a predetermined data string or not.

73. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 53, wherein said accepting includes receiving the E-mail in a predetermined format at a predetermined address.

66. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program making a computer manage a forward destination of an E-mail in cooperation with a mail server which registers a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail and forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address, said program comprising:

accepting a setting request of a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail; and

issuing a command of confirming a validity of the forward destination address.

67. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 66, further comprising sending a test mail to the forward destination,

wherein a validity of the forward destination address is confirmed by a response to the test mail, to said mail server from the receipt address.

68. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 66, wherein in said issuing, a sending device sending the E-mail is commanded to send a test mail to the forward destination address, and

the validity of the forward destination address is confirmed by a response to the test mail, to said mail server from the receipt address.

69. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 68, wherein said sending device is said mail server.

70. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim. 66, wherein in said issuing, sending test mails respectively to the receipt address and the forward destination address is commanded, and making said mail server confirm the validity of responses to these two test mails.

71. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 66, further comprising:

receiving a request for confirming the already-registered forward destination address from said mail server; and

issuing the command of confirming the validity of this forward destination address.

72. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 66, further comprising disclosing a step of the response to a test mail, to a user who is within a predetermined range.

74. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 66, wherein said accepting includes receiving the E-mail in a predetermined format at a predetermined address.

75. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program making a computer manage a forward destination of an E-mail in cooperation with an E-mail management system which accepts a request for setting a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail, said program comprising:

confirming a validity of the forward destination address;

registering the forward destination address; and

forwarding, when the forward destination address corresponding to an address of the E-mail received is registered, the E-mail to this forward destination address.

76. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 75, further comprising receiving a response to a test mail sent to the forward destination,

wherein said confirming includes confirming a validity of the forward destination address by the response.

77. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 75, wherein said confirming includes confirming whether the response is transmitted from the receipt address or not.

78. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a program according to claim 75, wherein said confirming includes confirming whether the response contains a predetermined data string or not.

79. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program making a computer manage a forward destination of an E-mail, comprising:

accepting a request for setting a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of an E-mail; and

executing a confirmation of a validity of the forward destination address.

80. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, further comprising:

sending a test mail to the forward destination address; and

receiving a response to the test mail,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming a validity of the forward destination address by the response received.

81. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, further comprising:

commanding a sending device sending the E-mail to send a test mail to the forward destination address; and

communicating with a receiving device receiving a response to the test mail,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming the validity of the forward destination address by the response received by said receiving device.

82. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, further comprising:

registering the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address when the confirmation proved successful; and

forwarding the received E-mail addressed to the receipt address to the forward destination address when the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address is registered.

83. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, further comprising commanding a mail server which registers the forward destination address corresponding to the receipt address of the E-mail, and forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address,

wherein said mail server is commanded to register the forward destination address if the confirmation proved successful.

84. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 80, wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether or not the response is transmitted from the receipt address.

85. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, further comprising sending test mails respectively to the receipt address and the forward destination address,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming responses to these two test mails.

86. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 82, further comprising

registering a forward destination address unconditionally in response to said setting request for setting the forward destination address that is within a predetermined range,

wherein there is registered a forward destination address with respect to which the confirmation proved successful in response to said setting request for setting the forward destination address that is beyond the predetermined range.

87. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, further comprising notifying that a permission of forwarding to the forward destination address with respect to which the confirmation proved unsuccessful, can not be given.

88. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 82, further comprising executing a confirmation of a validity of the already-registered forward destination address after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the registration thereof,

wherein said forwarding to the forward destination address is suspended till the confirmation proves successful after the elapse of the predetermined period of time.

89. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 83, further comprising:

receiving a request for confirming the already-registered forward destination address; and

confirming the validity of this already-registered forward destination address.

90. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, further comprising disclosing a step of the response to a test mail, to a user who is within a predetermined range,

wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether or not the response conforms with the response step.

91. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, wherein said confirmation includes confirming whether the response contains a predetermined data string or not.

99. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 79, wherein said accepting includes receiving the E-mail in a predetermined format at a predetermined address.

92. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program making a computer manage a forward destination of an E-mail in cooperation with a mail server which registers a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail and forwards the received E-mail addressed to this receipt address to the forward destination address, said program comprising:

accepting a setting request of a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail; and

issuing a command of confirming a validity of the forward destination address.

93. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 92, further comprising sending a test mail to the forward destination,

wherein a validity of the forward destination address is confirmed by a response to the test mail, to said mail server from the receipt address.

94. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 92, wherein in said issuing, commanding a sending device sending the E-mail is commanded to send a test mail to the forward destination address, and

the validity of the forward destination address is confirmed by a response to the test mail, to said mail server from the receipt address.

95. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 94, wherein said sending device is said mail server.

96. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 92, wherein in said issuing, sending test mails respectively to the receipt address and the forward destination address is commanded, and making said mail server confirm the validity of responses to these two test mails.

97. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 92, further comprising:

receiving a request for confirming the already-registered forward destination address from said mail server; and

issuing the command of confirming the validity of this forward destination address.

98. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 92, further comprising disclosing a step of the response to a test mail, to a user who is within a predetermined range.

100. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 92, wherein said accepting includes receiving the E-mail in a predetermined format at a predetermined address.

101. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program making a computer manage a forward destination of an E-mail in cooperation with an E-mail management system which accepts a request for setting a forward destination address corresponding to a receipt address of the E-mail, said program comprising:

confirming a validity of the forward destination address;

registering the forward destination address; and

forwarding, when the forward destination address corresponding to an address of the E-mail received is registered, the E-mail to this forward destination address.

102. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 101, further comprising receiving a response to a test mail sent to the forward destination,

wherein said confirming includes confirming a validity of the forward destination address by the response.

103. computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a A program according to claim 101, wherein said confirming includes confirming whether the response is transmitted from the receipt address or not.

104. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and encoding a program according to claim 101, wherein said confirming includes confirming whether the response contains a predetermined data string or not.