E-Mail Distribution System, and E-Mail Distribution Method

• US 20080233923A1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone KK (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shinya, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,271,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems

Abstract

A method and device capable of automating registration of a transmission mail address allowed for reception in a white list and reducing a user burden without an input error is provided. From a mobile unit, in respect of registration of a transmission address allowed for reception in a white list of an e-mail server, it becomes possible to eliminate a work of making an operation of inputting list data for updating the white list by utilizing information electronically stored in an address directory, and further, it becomes possible to reliably register the latest data free of an input error as a white list. In addition, the data stored in the white list of the e-mail server is transferred to a mobile terminal device, thereby making it easy to update an address directory due to a device model change.

Claims

1. A server device for distributing an e-mail via a communication line to a mobile communication terminal device, said server device characterized by comprising:

receiving means for receiving from the mobile communication terminal device an address directory having stored therein an e-mail address of a communication partner;

register means for registering in a list the e-mail address stored in the address directory received by the receiving means; and

distribution means for, when an e-mail address of a transmitter of an e-mail to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is included in the list, distributing the e-mail to the mobile communication terminal device.

2. The server device of claim 1, characterized in that, in the case where a change has been made with an address directory of the mobile communication terminal device, the receiving means receives from the mobile communication terminal device an address directory from which a change has been made.

3. The server device of claim 1, characterized in that, every time a predetermined time has elapsed, the receiving means receives an address directory from the mobile communication terminal device.

4. The server device of claim 1, characterized in that the receiving means receives an address directory from the mobile communication terminal device in accordance with an arbitrary timing.

5. The server device of claim 1, characterized in that, in the case where a change has occurred with a communication network used for mail communication, the receiving means receives an address directory from the mobile communication terminal device.

6. The server device of claim 1, characterized in that, an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of a transmitter in an e-mail to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is not included in the list, when another mail address of the transmitter is included in the list, the distribution means distributes the e-mail to the mobile communication terminal device.

7. The server device of claim 6, characterized in that the distribution means is capable of making a search for storage means for storing an e-mail address assigned to a subscriber of a mobile communication service, and another mail address of a transmitter is acquired by making a search for the storage means, based on an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of the transmitter in an e-mail to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device.

8. The server device of claim 6, characterized in that the register means registers in the list an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of a transmitter in the e-mail, as one of the e-mail addresses of the transmitter.

9. The server device of claim 1, characterized in that the register means is capable of making a search for storage means for storing an e-mail address assigned to a subscriber of a mobile communication service, and, in the case where another mail address of the predetermined communication partner is stored in the storage means, said another mail address is registered in the list as one of the e-mail addresses of the predetermined communication partner.

10. The server device of claim 9, characterized by comprising transmission means for transmitting the e-mail address registered in the list to the mobile communication terminal device.

11. The server device of claim 10, characterized in that information indicating which of the e-mail addresses registered in the list is an e-mail address acquired from the storage means is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal device.

12. The server device of claim 9, characterized by comprising transmission means for transmitting to the mobile communication terminal device, mail addresses excluding the e-mail address acquired from the storage means among the e-mail addresses registered in the list.

23. The server device of claim 2, characterized in that, in the case where a change has occurred with a communication network used for mail communication, the receiving means receives an address directory from the mobile communication terminal device.

24. The server device of claim 3, characterized in that, in the case where a change has occurred with a communication network used for mail communication, the receiving means receives an address directory from the mobile communication terminal device.

25. The server device of claim 4, characterized in that, in the case where a change has occurred with a communication network used for mail communication, the receiving means receives an address directory from the mobile communication terminal device.

26. The server device of claim 2, characterized in that, an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of a transmitter in an e-mail to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is not included in the list, when another mail address of the transmitter is included in the list, the distribution means distributes the e-mail to the mobile communication terminal device.

27. The server device of claim 3, characterized in that, an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of a transmitter in an e-mail to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is not included in the list, when another mail address of the transmitter is included in the list, the distribution means distributes the e-mail to the mobile communication terminal device.

28. The server device of claim 4, characterized in that, an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of a transmitter in an e-mail to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is not included in the list, when another mail address of the transmitter is included in the list, the distribution means distributes the e-mail to the mobile communication terminal device.

29. The server device of claim 5, characterized in that, an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of a transmitter in an e-mail to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is not included in the list, when another mail address of the transmitter is included in the list, the distribution means distributes the e-mail to the mobile communication terminal device.

30. The server device of claim 2, characterized in that the register means is capable of making a search for storage means for storing an e-mail address assigned to a subscriber of a mobile communication service, and, in the case where another mail address of the predetermined communication partner is stored in the storage means, said another mail address is registered in the list as one of the e-mail addresses of the predetermined communication partner.

31. The server device of claim 3, characterized in that the register means is capable of making a search for storage means for storing an e-mail address assigned to a subscriber of a mobile communication service, and, in the case where another mail address of the predetermined communication partner is stored in the storage means, said another mail address is registered in the list as one of the e-mail addresses of the predetermined communication partner.

32. The server device of claim 4, characterized in that the register means is capable of making a search for storage means for storing an e-mail address assigned to a subscriber of a mobile communication service, and, in the case where another mail address of the predetermined communication partner is stored in the storage means, said another mail address is registered in the list as one of the e-mail addresses of the predetermined communication partner.

33. The server device of claim 5, characterized in that the register means is capable of making a search for storage means for storing an e-mail address assigned to a subscriber of a mobile communication service, and, in the case where another mail address of the predetermined communication partner is stored in the storage means, said another mail address is registered in the list as one of the e-mail addresses of the predetermined communication partner.

34. The server device of claim 6, characterized in that the register means is capable of making a search for storage means for storing an e-mail address assigned to a subscriber of a mobile communication service, and, in the case where another mail address of the predetermined communication partner is stored in the storage means, said another mail address is registered in the list as one of the e-mail addresses of the predetermined communication partner.

13. A method for a server device to distribute an e-mail via a communication line to a mobile communication terminal device, said method characterized by comprising the steps of:

a server device receiving from the mobile communication terminal device an address directory having stored therein an e-mail address of a communication partner, and then, registering in a list the e-mail address stored in the address directory;

the server device distributing an e-mail to the mobile communication terminal device when an e-mail address of a transmitter of the e-mail to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is included in the list.

14. A mobile communication terminal device for receiving an e-mail via a communication line from a server device, said terminal device characterized by comprising:

an address directory which stores, an e-mail address of a communication partner, transmission means for transmitting the address directory to the server device; and

receiving means for, when an e-mail address of a transmitter of an e-mail maintained by the server device so as to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is a list of the server device, the e-mail address being included in a list having registered therein an e-mail address stored in an address directory received from the transmission means, receiving the e-mail from the server device.

15. The mobile communication terminal device of claim 14, characterized in that, even if an e-mail address of a transmitter of an e-mail maintained by the server device so as to be distributed to the mobile communication terminal device is not included in the list of the server device, when another mail address of the transmitter is included in the list, the receiving means receives the e-mail from the server device.

16. The mobile communication terminal device of claim 15, characterized in that another mail address of the transmitter is acquired by means of the server device by making a search for storage means for storing an e-mail address assigned to a subscriber of a mobile communication service, based on an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of the transmitter in the e-mail.

17. The mobile communication terminal device of claim 15, characterized in that an e-mail address described as an e-mail address of a transmitter in the e-mail is registered in the list as one of the e-mail addresses of the transmitter by means of the server device.

18. The mobile communication terminal device of claims 14, characterized in that, among mail addresses assigned to communication partners included in the list, an e-mail address that has not been included in the list, the e-mail address being stored in only storage means for storing mail addresses assigned to subscribers of a mobile communication service, is acquired from the storage means by means of the server device, and the acquired mail address is registered.

19. The mobile communication terminal device of claim 18, characterized by comprising receiving means for receiving from the server device via a communication line an e-mail address included in the list of the server device.

20. The mobile communication terminal device of claim 19, characterized in that only mail addresses excluding mail addresses acquired by the storage means among the e-mail addresses received by the receiving means is available to a user of the mobile communication terminal device.

21. The mobile communication terminal device of claim 20, characterized in that the receiving means receives information indicating which of the e-mail addresses included in the list is an e-mail address acquired from the storage means, and recognizes which of the e-mail addresses received by the receiving means is an e-mail address acquired from the storage means based on the information.

22. The mobile communication terminal device of claim 19, characterized in that the receiving means receives from the server device mail addresses excluding mail addresses acquired from the storage means among the e-mail addresses registered in the list of the server device.

35. The mobile communication terminal device of claim 15, characterized in that, among mail addresses assigned to communication partners included in the list, an e-mail address that has not been included in the list, the e-mail address being stored in only storage means for storing mail addresses assigned to subscribers of a mobile communication service, is acquired from the storage means by means of the server device, and the acquired mail address is registered.