Portable communication terminal and method of transmission of electronic mail

• US 20050221803A1
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Hayashi, Keiichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,228,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A portable communication terminal includes a non-contact IC card. The non-contact IC card receives, from a passage verification apparatus, information indicating a passage of the non-contact IC card through the passage verification apparatus including a gate for verifying a passage; a passage detection device receives the information on the passage from the non-contact IC card, and then detects the passage of the portable communication terminal through the passage verification apparatus; and a mail transmission control device controls transmission of the electronic mail reserved for transmission in accordance with the detection.

Claims

1. A portable communication terminal capable of detecting a passage through a passage verification apparatus including a gate for verifying a passage, the portable communication terminal comprising:

passage detecting means for detecting a passage of the portable communication terminal through the passage verification apparatus; and

mail transmission control means for controlling transmission of an electronic mail reserved for transmission after detection of the passage.

2. The portable communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

adding means for automatically adding information to the electronic mail to be transmitted, said information representing the passage verification apparatus in which a passage takes place and a time of the passage.

3. The portable communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

retaining means for investigating, before transmission of the electronic mail, whether the portable communication terminal is within a communication range, which indicates the electronic mail can be transmitted, or out of the communication range, which indicates the electronic mail cannot be transmitted, and if a result of the investigation indicates the portable communication terminal is out of the communication range, retaining transmission of the electronic mail until the portable communication terminal enters the communication range.

4. The portable communication terminal according to claim 3, further comprising:

automatic transmission means for automatically transmitting the retained electronic mail when the portable communication terminal enters the communication range.

5. A portable communication terminal, comprising:

a non-contact IC card which receives, from a passage verification apparatus, information indicating a passage of the non-contact IC card through the passage verification apparatus including a gate for verifying a passage;

passage detecting means for detecting a passage of the portable communication terminal through the passage verification apparatus by receiving the information on the passage from the non-contact IC card; and

mail transmission control means for controlling transmission of an electronic mail reserved for transmission in accordance with the detection.

6. The portable communication terminal according to claim 5, further comprising:

adding means for automatically adding information to the electronic mail to be transmitted, said information representing the passage verification apparatus in which the passage takes place and the time of detection of the passage, on the basis of the information received from the non-contact IC card.

7. The portable communication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the mail transmission control means investigates, before transmission of the electronic mail, whether the portable communication terminal is within a communication range, which indicates the electronic mail can be transmitted, or out of the communication range, which indicates the electronic mail cannot be transmitted, and if a result of the investigation indicates the portable communication terminal is out of the communication range, retains transmission of the electronic mail until the portable communication terminal enters the communication range.

8. The portable communication terminal according to claim 7, wherein the mail transmission control means automatically transmits the retained electronic mail when the portable communication terminal enters the communication range.

9. A transmission method of an electronic mail with a portable communication terminal, comprising:

detecting a passage of the portable communication terminal through a passage verification apparatus which includes a gate for verifying a passage; and

controlling transmission of the electronic mail reserved for transmission after detection.

10. The transmission method of an electronic mail according to claim 9, further comprising:

automatically adding information to the electronic mail to be transmitted, said information representing the passage verification apparatus in which the passage takes places and a time of the passage.

11. The transmission method of an electronic mail according to claim 9, further comprising:

investigating, before transmission of the electronic mail, whether the portable communication terminal is within the communication range, which indicates the electronic mail can be transmitted, or out of the communication range, which indicates the electronic mail cannot be transmitted; and

retaining transmission of the electronic mail until the portable communication terminal enters the communication range, if a result of the investigation indicates the portable communication terminal is out of the communication range.

12. The transmission method of an electronic mail according to claim 11, wherein the retained electronic mail is automatically transmitted when the portable communication terminal enters the communication range.

13. A transmission method of an electronic mail by use of a portable communication terminal equipped with a non-contact IC card, the transmission method comprising:

receiving by the non-contact IC card, from a passage verification apparatus, information indicating a passage of the non-contact IC card through the passage verification apparatus including a gate for verifying a passage;

detecting the passage of the portable communication terminal through the passage verification apparatus by receiving the information on the passage from the non-contact IC card; and

controlling transmission of the electronic mail reserved for transmission in accordance with the detection.

14. The transmission method of an electronic mail according to claim 13, further comprising:

detecting which passage verification apparatus the passage takes place, on the basis of the information received from the non-contact IC card;

measuring the time at the passage when the passage through the passage verification apparatus is detected; and

adding information to the electronic mail to be transmitted, said information representing the passage verification apparatus in which the passage takes place and the time of detection of the passage.

15. The transmission method of an electronic mail according to claim 13, further comprising:

investigating, before transmission of the electronic mail, whether the portable communication terminal is within the communication range, which indicates the electronic mail can be transmitted, or out of the communication range, which indicates the electronic mail cannot be transmitted; and

retaining transmission of the electronic mail until the portable communication terminal enters the communication range, if a result of the investigation indicates the portable communication terminal is out of the communication range.

16. The transmission method of an electronic mail according to claim 15, wherein the retained electronic mail is automatically transmitted when the portable communication terminal enters the communication range.

17. A portable communication terminal capable of detecting a passage through a passage verification apparatus including a gate for verifying a passage, the portable communication terminal comprising:

passage detector that detects a passage of the portable communication terminal through the passage verification apparatus; and

mail transmission controller that controls transmission of an electronic mail reserved for transmission after detection of the passage.

18. The portable communication terminal according to claim 17, further comprising:

adding device that adds information automatically to the electronic mail to be transmitted, said information representing the passage verification apparatus in which a passage takes place and a time of the passage.

19. The portable communication terminal according to claim 17, further comprising:

retaining device that investigates, before transmission of the electronic mail, whether the portable communication terminal is within a communication range, which indicates the electronic mail can be transmitted, or out of the communication range, which indicates the electronic mail cannot be transmitted, and if a result of the investigation indicates the portable communication terminal is out of the communication range, retains transmission of the electronic mail until the portable communication terminal enters the communication range.

20. The portable communication terminal according to claim 19, further comprising:

automatic transmission device that transmits the retained electronic mail automatically when the portable communication terminal enters the communication range.

21. A portable communication terminal, comprising:

a non-contact IC card which receives, from a passage verification apparatus, information indicating a passage of the non-contact IC card through the passage verification apparatus including a gate for verifying a passage;

passage detector that detects a passage of the portable communication terminal through the passage verification apparatus by receiving the information on the passage from the non-contact IC card; and

mail transmission controller that controls transmission of an electronic mail reserved for transmission in accordance with the detection.

22. The portable communication terminal according to claim 21, further comprising:

adding device that adds information automatically to the electronic mail to be transmitted, said information representing the passage verification apparatus in which the passage takes place and the time of detection of the passage, on the basis of the information received from the non-contact IC card.

23. A computer program product for causing a computer to execute processing for transmitting an electronic mail with a portable communication terminal, said processing comprising:

detecting a passage of the portable communication terminal through a passage verification apparatus which includes a gate for verifying a passage; and

controlling transmission of the electronic mail reserved for transmission after detection.