Method and device for data retrieval, and computer product

• US 20050246339A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Shibafuji, Kazuhisa, Kamegaya, Masakatsu
• Application Number:
  US10/928,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246339A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A data retrieval system is provided in which it is obligatory for a user to sign up as a member by registering with the system to register a message on a server. When registering the message, the member specifies at least one e-mail address of a person (permitted user) who is permitted to view the message registered by him/her. A seeker need not register to retrieve a message from the server. However, the seeker should have been specified as a permitted user by at least one member. In other words, as the server returns as a search result only the messages of the member who has specified the e-mail address of the seeker as the permitted user, the seeker who has not been specified as a permitted user by any of the members will be unable to view any message.

Claims

1. A data retrieval method that retrieves messages registered in a database, comprising:

receiving a retrieval request from a first user;

identifying the first user based on the retrieval request;

retrieving a second user from the database who has specified the first user as a permitted user;

retrieving a message from the database that is registered by the second user; and

transmitting the message to the first user.

2. The data retrieval method according to claim 1, wherein the retrieving a second user includes retrieving a plurality of second users, and retrieving, from among the second users, a second user who has been specified by the first user in the retrieval request.

3. The data retrieval method according to claim 2, wherein the retrieving a second user includes retrieving, from among the second users, the second user based on name specified by the first user in the retrieval request.

4. The data retrieval method according to claim 1, wherein retrieval request is in the form of an e-mail message, and the identifying includes identifying the first user based sender'"'"'s address in the e-mail message.

5. A computer program that includes instructions which when executed on a computer cause the computer to execute retrieval of messages registered in a database, the computer program making the computer execute:

receiving a retrieval request from a first user;

identifying the first user based on the retrieval request;

retrieving a second user from the database who has specified the first user as a permitted user;

retrieving a message from the database that is registered by the second user; and

transmitting the message to the first user.

6. The computer program according to claim 5, wherein the retrieving a second user includes retrieving a plurality of second users, and retrieving, from among the second users, a second user who has been specified by the first user in the retrieval request.

7. The computer program according to claim 6, wherein the retrieving a second user includes retrieving, from among the second users, the second user based on name specified by the first user in the retrieval request.

8. The computer program according to claim 5, wherein retrieval request is in the form of an e-mail message, and the identifying includes identifying the first user based sender'"'"'s address in the e-mail message.

9. A data retrieval device that retrieves messages registered in a database, comprising:

a receiving unit that receives a retrieval request from a first user;

an identifying unit that identifies the first user based on the retrieval request;

a user retrieving unit that retrieves a second user from the database who has specified the first user as a permitted user;

a message retrieving unit that retrieves a message from the database that is registered by the second user; and

a transmitting unit that transmits the message to the first user.

10. The data retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein the user retrieving unit retrieves a plurality of second users, and retrieves, from among the second users, a second user who has been specified by the first user in the retrieval request.

11. The data retrieval device according to claim 10, wherein the user retrieving unit retrieves, from among the second users, the second user based on name specified by the first user in the retrieval request.

12. The data retrieval device according to claim 9, wherein retrieval request is in the form of an e-mail message, and the identifying unit identifies the first user based sender'"'"'s address in the e-mail message.

13. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a computer program that includes instructions which when executed on a computer cause the computer to execute retrieval of messages registered in a database, the computer program making the computer execute:

receiving a retrieval request from a first user;

identifying the first user based on the retrieval request;

retrieving a second user from the database who has specified the first user as a permitted user;

retrieving a message from the database that is registered by the second user; and

transmitting the message to the first user.

14. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein the retrieving a second user includes retrieving a plurality of second users, and retrieving, from among the second users, a second user who has been specified by the first user in the retrieval request.

15. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 14, wherein the retrieving a second user includes retrieving, from among the second users, the second user based on name specified by the first user in the retrieval request.

16. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 13, wherein retrieval request is in the form of an e-mail message, and the identifying includes identifying the first user based sender'"'"'s address in the e-mail message.