Client/server system and mail reception/display control method

• US 5,483,466 A
• Filed: 11/15/1993
• Issued: 01/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakano, Takahiro, Sakai, Hiroyuki, Kohiyama, Tomohisa, Kimura, Yuji, Yamada, Takahiro, Nakata, Junji, Kawahara, Tetsuya, Hamaguchi, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/151,813
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 364/247.7, 364/514, 364/919, 364/919.5, 395/200
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A mail reception/display control method which permits a user on a reception side to be informed the reception of an item of mail immediately upon reception of the mail even during the course of another job, and to ascertain the content of the received mail with ease upon mail reception. A mail reception detection unit included in each of the client terminals monitors the mail reception from any other client. When the mail reception has been detected, a mail attribute discrimination unit decides whether or not the received mail is to be transferred from a server to that particular client. When the mail transfer is required, a mail transfer unit transfers the mail from the server to the particular client. Subsequently, a mail reception display unit disposed at the client on the reception side presents a display to the effect that the mail has been received. Further, when the user has made a reply of confirmation to the display of the mail reception, a mail replay unit replays the received mail.

Claims

1. A client/server system, comprising:

a server which includes storage means for storing information therein; and

a plurality of clients each of which includes transfer means for registering the information in said storage means of said server, and for loading the information from said storage means,

each of said plurality of clients including;

reception detection means for monitoring if the information addressed to each client has been received by said server,

input means for accepting an instruction to display said information addressed to each client, said instruction being provided by a user of each client,

display means for displaying an output indicative of the reception of said information addressed to each client, when said reception of said information addressed to each client has been detected by said reception detection means, and for displaying said information addressed to each client, when said input means has received said instructions,

wherein said input means further accepts a confirmation reply of said reception as the user'"'"'s instruction when said reception of said information addressed to each client has been displayed by said display means, and

replay control means for directing said display means to display said information addressed to each client, when said reply of confirmation of said reception as said user'"'"'s instruction has been accepted by said input means, wherein

said server includes a management table which manages said information stored in said storage means,

each of said plurality of clients further includes record means for writing situation information and identification information into said management table, the situation information indicating a selected one of an expression "New" which signifies that said information is to be registered in said storage means and, and an expression "Replayed" which signifies that said information registered anew has been loaded from said storage means by said transfer means, the identification information identifying the addressee client of said information to be transmitted, and being written when said information is to be registered in said storage means by said transfer means,

said reception detection means refers to said management table in order to monitor if said information addressed to each client bas been received by said server, and detects said reception of said information addressed to each client when said expression "New" is borne as said situation information,

said transfer means loads said information addressed to each client and bearing said expression "New" as said situation information, from said storage means,

said record means rewrites said situation information of the loaded information to said expression "Replayed" after said information has been loaded by said transfer means,

said management table further manages any attribute which concerns said information stored in said storage means,

said record means further writes said attribute when said information is to be transmitted to said server by said translet means,

said reception detection means further detects said attribute written in said management table,

said display means displays said attribute as still another output, along with said display output which indicates said reception of said information addressed to each client,

said attribute specifies for the loading of the stored information by said transfer means, either of the timing at which said confirmation reply of said reception as said user'"'"'s instruction has been accepted by said input means and an alternative timing before accepting said user'"'"'s instruction, at which said reception of said information addressed to said each client has been detected by said reception detection means,

and said reception detection means directs said transfer means to load said stored information at the timing specified by said attribute, when it has detected said attribute written in said management table.

2. A client/server system as defined in claim 1, wherein

said server includes a management table which manages said information stored in said storage means,

each of said plurality of clients further includes record means for writing situation information and identification information into said management table, the situation information indicating a selected one of an expression "New" which signifies that said information is to be registered in said storage means anew, an expression "Replayed" which signifies that said information registered anew has been loaded from said storage means by said transfer means, and an expression "Not replayed" which signifies that said reception of the new registered information by said server has been detected by said reception detection means, and that said new registered information is not yet loaded from said storage means by said transfer means, the identification information identifying the addressee client of said information to-be-transmitted, and being written when said information is to be registered in said storage means by said transfer means,

said reception detection means refers to said management table in order to monitor if said information addressed to said each client has been received by said server, and detects said reception of said information addressed to said each client when said expression "New" is borne as said situation information,

said record means rewrites said situation information of the received information to said expression "Not replayed" when said reception has been detected by said reception detection means,

said transfer means loads said received information bearing said expression "Not replayed" as said situation information, from said storage means,

said record means rewrites said situation information of the loaded information to said expression "Replayed" after said information has been loaded by said transfer means,

said management table further manages any attribute which concerns said information stored in said storage means,

said record means further writes said attribute when said information is to be transmitted to said server by said transfer means,

said reception detection means further detects said attribute written in said management table,

said display means displays said attribute as still another output, along with said display output which indicates said reception of said information addressed to each client,

said attribute specifies for the loading of the stored information by said transfer means, either of the timing at which said confirmation reply of said reception as said user'"'"'s instruction has been accepted by said input means and an alternative timing before accepting said user'"'"'s instruction, at which said reception of said information addressed to said each client has been detected by said reception detection means,

and said reception detection means directs said transfer means to load said stored information at the timing specified by said attribute, when it has detected said attribute written in said management table.

3. A client/server system, comprising:

a server which includes storage means for storing information therein; and

a plurality of clients each of which includes transfer means for registering the information in said storage means of said server, and for loading the information from said storage means,

each of said plurality of clients including;

reception detection means for monitoring if the information addressed to each client has been received by said server,

input means for accepting an instruction to display said information addressed to each client, said instruction being provided by a user of each client,

display means for displaying an output indicative of the reception of said information addressed to each client, when said reception of said information addressed to each client has been detected by said reception detection means, and for displaying said information addressed to each client, when said input means has received said instructions,

wherein said input means further accepts a confirmation reply of said reception as the user'"'"'s instruction when said reception of said information addressed to each client has been displayed by said display means, and

replay control means for directing said display means to display said information addressed to each client, when said reply of confirmation of said reception as said user'"'"'s instruction has been accepted by said input means, wherein

said server includes a management table which manages said information stored in said storage means,

each of said plurality of clients further includes record means for writing situation information and identification information into said management table, the situation information indicating a selected one of an expression "New" which signifies the said information is to be registered in said storage means anew, and an expression "Replayed" which signifies that said information registered anew has been loaded from said storage means by said transfer means, the identification information identifying the addressee client of said information to-be-transmitted, and being written when said information is to be registered in said storage means by said transfer means,

said reception detection means refers to said management table in order to monitor if said information addressed to each clients has been received by said server, and detects said reception of said information addressed to each client when said expression "New" is borne as said situation information,

said transfer means loads said information addressed to each client and bearing said expression "New" as said situation information, from said storage means,

said record means rewrites said situation information of the loaded information to said expression "Replayed" after said information has been loaded by said transfer means,

said management table further manages any attribute which concerns said information stored in said storage means,

said record means further writes said attribute when said information is to be transmitted to said server by said transfer means,

said reception detection means further detects said attribute written in said management table,

said display means displays said attribute as still another output, along with said display output which indicates said reception of said information addressed to each client,

said attribute specifies either of an operation of presenting the display of said information addressed to each client, when said reply of confirmation of said reception as said user'"'"'s instruction has been accepted by said input means, and an operation of presenting said display when said information has been loaded by said transfer means, alternatively without accepting said user'"'"'s instruction, and

said reception detection means directs said transfer means to load said information addressed to each client as stored in said storage means and also directs said display means to display said information addressed to each client, based on a condition that said attribute written in said management table as detected by said reception detection means specifies said operation of presenting said display when said information has been loaded by said transfer means.

4. A client/server system, comprising:

a server which includes storage means for storing information therein; and

a plurality of clients each of which includes transfer means for registering the information in said storage means of said server, and for loading the information from said storage means,

each of said plurality of clients including;

reception detection means for monitoring if the information addressed to each client has been received by said server,

input means for accepting an instruction to display said information addressed to each client, said instruction being provided by user of each client,

display means for displaying an output indicative of the reception of said information addressed to each client, when said reception of said information addressed to each client has been detected by said reception detection means, and for displaying said information addressed to each clients, when said input means has received said instructions,

wherein said input means further accepts a confirmation reply of said reception as the user'"'"'s instruction when said reception of said information addressed to each client has been displayed by said display means, and

replay control means for directing said display means to display said information addressed to each client, when said reply of confirmation of said reception as said user'"'"'s instruction has been accepted by, said input means, wherein

said server includes a management table which manages said information stored in said storage means,

each of said plurality of clients further includes record means for writing situation information and identification information into said management table, the situation information indicating a selected one of an expression "New" which signifies that said information is to be registered in said storage means anew, an expression "Replayed" which signifies that said information registered anew has been loaded from said storage means by said transfer means, and an expression "Not replayed" which signifies that said reception of the new registered information by said server has been detected by said reception detection means, and that said new registered information is not yet loaded from said storage means by said transfer means, the identification information identifying the addressee client of said information to-be-transmitted, and being written when said information is to be registered in said storage means by said transfer means,

said reception detection means refers to said management table in order to monitor if said information addressed to said each client has been received by said server, and detects said reception of said information addressed to said each client when said expression "New" is borne as said situation information,

said record means rewrites said situation information of the received information to said expression "Not replayed" when said reception has been detected by said reception detection means,

said transfer means loads said received information bearing said expression "Not replayed" as said situation information, from said storage means,

said record means rewrites said situation information of the load information to said expression "Replayed" after said information has been loaded by said transfer means,

said management table further manages any attribute which concerns said information stored in said storage means,

said record means further writes said attribute when said information is to be transmitted to said server by said transfer

said reception detection means further detects said attribute written in said management table,

said display means displays said attribute as still another output, along with said display output which indicates said reception of said information addressed to each client,

said attribute specifies either of an operation of presenting the display of said information addressed to each client, when said confirmation reply of said reception as said user'"'"'s instruction has been accepted by said input means, and an operation of presenting said display when said information has been loaded by said transfer means, alternatively without accepting said user'"'"'s instruction, and

said reception detection means directs said transfer means to load said information addressed to each client as stored in said storage means and also directs said display means to display said information addressed to each client, based on a condition that said attribute written in said management table as detected by said reception detection means specifies said operation of presenting said display when said information has been loaded by said transfer means.

5. An information reception/display control method in a mail system having a plurality of terminals which transmit and receive information, and storage means for storing therein the information sent from each of the terminals, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring if the information addressed to each terminal has been stored in said storage means;

producing a display output which indicates that said information addressed to each terminal has been received by said storage means, when the storage of said information in said storage means has been detected;

accepting a confirmation reply of the reception from a user at said each terminal when said display output has been produced;

loading said information addressed to each terminal, from said storage means when said reply of confirmation of said reception has been accepted; and

displaying the loaded information addressed to said each terminal, as an output, wherein

when the information is to be transmitted from each terminal to said storage means, an attribute which specifies an operation of loading said information at the detection of said reception of said information is affixed to said information, and

based on a condition that said attribute is affixed when said storage of said information addressed to said each terminal in said storage means has been detected, said information addressed to said each terminal is loaded from said storage means upon said detection, instead of upon the acceptance of said confirmation reply of said reception.

6. An information reception/display control method in a mail system having a plurality of terminals which transmit and receive information, and storage means for storing therein the information sent from each of the terminals;

comprising the steps of;

allowing said each terminal to transmit the information to said storage means, and to affix an attribute to said information,

said attribute specifying either of an operation of displaying said information when said information has been loaded from said storage means, and an operation of displaying said information when a reply of confirmation of the reception of said information has been accepted from a user at the each terminal;

monitoring if said information addressed to said each terminal has been stored in said storage means;

discriminating said attribute, and loading said information addressed to said each terminal, from said storage means, when the storage of said information in said storage means has been detected;

producing a display output which indicates said reception of said information addressed to said each terminal, when said reception of said information has been detected;

displaying said information addressed to said each terminal, as an output at the loading of said information from said storage means, on condition that the discriminated attribute specifies said operation of displaying said information when said information has been loaded from said storage means; and

displaying said information addressed to said each terminal, as an output upon the acceptance of said reply of confirmation of said reception from said user, on condition that said discriminated attribute specifies said operation of displaying said information when said reply of confirmation of said reception has been accepted from said user.