PROGRAM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR SENDING AND RECEIVING MAIL MESSAGES
First Claim
1. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for sending and receiving electronic mail messages, the program causing a computer to function as:
- an analysis record registration unit for analyzing each received mail message to identify a sender and a source mail type thereof and generating an analysis record including an identifier of the sender as well as the source mailer type;
an analysis record database for storing the analysis records;
a mailer type determining unit for determining a destination mailer type of the received mail message, based on the identifier included in each analysis record stored in the analysis record database;
a conversion database for storing conversion data specifying a conversion process corresponding to each specific combination of a sender mailer type and a recipient mailer type;
a search unit for retrieving conversion data that matches with a combination of the source mailer type and destination mailer type of the received mail message; and
a converter for converting an element of the original mail message according to a conversion process described by the retrieved conversion data if a match is found for the combination.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer converts elements of a mail message, neither requiring prior manual registration of conversion process details, nor increasing complexity of the system. When a mail message arrives at this computer, an analysis record registration unit produces an analysis record that gives its sender'"'"'s identifier and a source mailer type and stores it in an analysis record database. Based on the identifiers found in such analysis records, destination mailer type of each received mail message is determined. A conversion database stores conversion data specifying a conversion process corresponding to each specific combination of sender and recipient mailer types. A search unit retrieves conversion data that matches with the combination of source and destination mailer types of the received message. If a match is found for that combination, a converter converts the mail message according to a conversion process specified by the retrieved conversion data.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for sending and receiving electronic mail messages, the program causing a computer to function as:
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an analysis record registration unit for analyzing each received mail message to identify a sender and a source mail type thereof and generating an analysis record including an identifier of the sender as well as the source mailer type; an analysis record database for storing the analysis records; a mailer type determining unit for determining a destination mailer type of the received mail message, based on the identifier included in each analysis record stored in the analysis record database; a conversion database for storing conversion data specifying a conversion process corresponding to each specific combination of a sender mailer type and a recipient mailer type; a search unit for retrieving conversion data that matches with a combination of the source mailer type and destination mailer type of the received mail message; and a converter for converting an element of the original mail message according to a conversion process described by the retrieved conversion data if a match is found for the combination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of sending and receiving electronic mail messages, comprising the steps of:
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analyzing each received mail message to identify a sender and a source mail type thereof and generating an analysis record including an identifier of the sender as well as the source mailer type; storing the analysis records; determining a destination mailer type of the received mail message, based on the identifiers included in the stored analysis records; storing conversion data specifying a conversion process corresponding to each specific combination of a sender mailer type and a recipient mailer type; retrieving conversion data that matches with a combination of the source mailer type and destination mailer type of the received mail message; and converting an element of the original mail message according to the conversion process if a match is found for the combination.
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10. An apparatus for sending and receiving electronic mail messages, comprising:
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an analysis record registration unit for analyzing each received mail message to identify a sender and a source mail type thereof and generating an analysis record including an identifier of the sender as well as the source mailer type; an analysis record database for storing the analysis records; a mailer type determining unit for determining a destination mailer type of the received mail message, based on the identifier included in each analysis record stored in the analysis record database; a conversion database for storing conversion data specifying a conversion process corresponding to each specific combination of a sender mailer type and a recipient mailer type; a search unit for retrieving conversion data that matches with a combination of the source mailer type and destination mailer type of the received mail message; and a converter for converting an element of the original mail message according to a conversion process described by the retrieved conversion data if a match is found for the combination.
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Specification