Electronic mail system using double forwarding suppressing function for administrating electronic message that having data format that can not be handled at destination side

• US 5,751,960 A
• Filed: 09/08/1994
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Ryotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US08/301,399
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/93, 379/100, 379/207, 358/402, 358/400, 364/DIG. 1, 364/284.3, 364/284, 364/DIG. 2, 395/500, 395/200.46, 395/200.62, 395/200.75
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for administrating electric mails in linking an electronic mail systems among electronic mail systems. The object is to hold the electronic mail message in the user ID means of the forwarding side when it is requested to forward an electronic mail message in a data format that cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding. In the method of linking electronic mail systems which forwards an electronic mail message from an electronic mail system of the forwarding side having a function for suppressing double forwarding to another electronic mail system, when the electronic mail message being forwarded is of a format that cannot be handled by the electronic mail system which is the destination of forwarding, the electronic mail message forwarded to a linking ID means in the electronic mail system of the forwarding side is transmitted to another linking ID means in the same electronic mail system, and the electronic mail message is forwarded from this another ID means to the user ID means of the forwarding side.

Claims

1. A method for administrating electronic messages in linking an electronic mail systems, comprising:

a linking system,

an electronic mail system which is a forwarding side having a double forwarding-suppressing function connected to said linking system,

and an electronic mail system which is the destination to which the mail message to be forwarded, and in which linking ID means controlled by the linking system are set in each of the electronic mail systems, and wherein an electronic mail message forwarded to the linking ID means from the user ID means of the electronic mail system of the forwarding side, is forwarded to a linking ID means of opposite electronic mail system of the destination to which the message to be forwarded, through the linking system, wherein at least two linking ID means are arranged at least in the electronic mail system of the forwarding side and when it is judged that the electronic mail message forwarded from electronic mail system of the forwarded side has a data format that cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination side to which the message to be forwarded, the linking system of the forwarding side transmits the electronic mail message forwarded to a first linking ID means provided in the electronic mail system of the forwarding side to a second linking ID means provided in the same electronic mail system, and transmits again the electronic mail message from the second linking ID means to the user ID means of the same electronic mail system.

2. A method for administrating electronic mails in linking an electronic mail systems according to claim 1, wherein when the linking ID means in the electronic mail system which is the forwarding side has received an electronic mail message in a data format that cannot be handled by the electronic mail system which is the destination of forwarding, the linking system transmits to the user ID means of the destination of forwarding in the electronic mail system which is the destination of forwarding a notifying message to notify the user that the electronic mail system which is the destination of forwarding has received a notifying message saying that it receive an electronic mail message data format of which cannot be handled thereby.

3. A linking system for carrying out the method for administrating electronic mails in linking an electronic mail systems according to claim 1, comprising:

a mail transmission/reception processing unit (32) having at least two linking ID means in an electronic mail system that has a function for suppressing double-forwarding and further having a function for determining whether an electronic mail message forwarded to the first linking ID means has a data format that can be handled by an electronic mail system of the destination to which the electronic mail message is forwarded; and

a mail processing unit (33) which, when said mail transmission/reception processing unit judges that the electronic mail message cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination to which it is forwarded, designates the second ID means which is separated from the first linking ID means to forward the electronic mail message to the user ID means that has forwarded the electronic mail message, and so works that said electronic mail message is transmitted from said first linking ID means to said second linking ID means and that said electronic mail message is transmitted from said second linking ID means to said user ID means of the source of forwarding.

4. A linking system according to claim 3, wherein said mail message processing unit 33 designates said first linking ID means to forward the electronic mail message to the user ID means that is the source of forwarding the electronic mail message, instructs said second linking ID means to transmit said electronic mail message to said first linking ID means, and further causes said electronic mail message to be transmitted from said first linking ID means to the user ID means of the forwarding side, instead of designating the first linking ID means to forward the electronic mail message to the second linking ID means.

5. A linking system according to claim 4, further comprising an ID correspondence table in which is stored a user ID of the destination of forwarding that corresponds to a user ID means of the forwarding side wherein, when a mail transmission/reception processing unit judges that an electronic mail message cannot be handled by an electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding, said mail processing unit forms a notifying information for notifying the user that the electronic mail message that is forwarded, cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding, and transmits said notifying information from a linking ID means in the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding to the user ID means of the destination of forwarding retrieved by said ID correspondence table.

6. A linking system according to claims 3, further comprising an ID correspondence table (31) in which is stored a user ID of the destination of forwarding that corresponds to a user ID means of the forwarding side wherein, when a mail transmission/reception processing unit judges that an electronic mail message cannot be handled by an electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding, said mail processing unit forms a notifying information for notifying the user that the electronic mail message that is forwarded, cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding, and transmits said notifying information from a linking ID means in the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding to the user ID means of the destination of forwarding retrieved by said ID correspondence table.

7. A method for administrating electronic messages in linking an electronic mail systems, comprising:

a linking system,

an electronic mail system which is the forwarding side having a double forward-suppressing function connected to the linking system,

and an electronic mail system which is the destination to which the message to be forwarded, and in which linking ID means controlled by the linking system are set in each of the electronic mail systems, and wherein an electronic mail message forwarded to the linking ID means from the user ID means of the electronic mail system of the forwarding source, is forwarded to a linking ID means of opposite electronic mail system of the destination to which the message to be forwarded, through the linking system, wherein at least two linking ID means are arranged at least in the electronic mail system of the forwarding side and when it is judged that the electronic mail message forwarded from electronic mail system of the forwarded side has a data format that cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination side to which the message to be forwarded, the linking system stores the electronic mail forwarded in the first linking ID means in the electronic mail system which is the forwarding side, transmits said electronic mail message to the second linking ID means in the electronic mail system which is the forwarding side such that the electronic mail message is transmitted from said second linking ID means to said first linking ID means, and then forwards said electronic mail message from said first linking ID means to the user ID means of the forwarding side.

8. A linking system for carrying out the method for administrating electronic mails in linking an electronic mail systems according to claim 7, comprising:

a mail transmission/reception processing unit (32) having a function for judging whether or not electronic mail message forwarded to a linking ID means in an electronic mail systems having a function for suppressing the forwarding to the ID means to which the electronic mail message has already been forwarded, can be handled by an electronic mail system of the destination to which the electronic mail message is forwarded; and

a mail processing unit (33) which, when said mail transmission/reception processing unit 32 judges that the electronic mail message cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination to which it is forwarded, controls said linking ID means to transmit said electronic mail message to the user ID means which is the source of forwarding the electronic mail message.

9. A linking system according to claim 8, further comprising an ID correspondence table in which is stored a user ID of the destination of forwarding that corresponds to a user ID means of the forwarding side wherein, when a mail transmission/reception processing unit judges that an electronic mail message cannot be handled by an electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding, said mail processing unit forms a notifying information for notifying the user that the electronic mail message that is forwarded, cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding, and transmits said notifying information from a linking ID means in the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding to the user ID means of the destination of forwarding retrieved by said ID correspondence table.

10. A method for administrating electronic mails in linking an electronic mail systems according to claim 7, wherein when the linking ID means in the electronic mail system which is the forwarding side has received an electronic mail message in a data format that cannot be handled by the electronic mail system which is the destination of forwarding, the linking system transmits to the user ID means of the destination of forwarding in the electronic mail system which is the destination of forwarding a notifying message to notify the user that the electronic mail system which is the destination of forwarding has received a notifying message saying that it receive an electronic mail message data format of which cannot be handled thereby.

11. A linking system according to claim 8, further comprising an ID correspondence table in which is stored a user ID of the destination of forwarding that corresponds to a user ID means of the forwarding side wherein, when a mail transmission/reception processing unit judges that an electronic mail message cannot be handled by an electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding, said mail processing unit forms a notifying information for notifying the user that the electronic mail message that is forwarded, cannot be handled by the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding, and transmits said notifying information from a linking ID means in the electronic mail system of the destination of forwarding to the user ID means of the destination of forwarding retrieved by said ID correspondence table.

12. An apparatus for linking electronic mail systems including the capability to forward a message, said system comprising:

an originating mail system forwarding to a destination mail system, the originating mail system and the destination mail system being coupled via a linking system, the originating mail system having a first linking ID unit, a second linking ID unit, a user ID unit, when it is determined that a data format of the message formed at the originating mail system is not compatible with a data format of the destination mail system, the linking system transmits the message transmitted to the first linking ID unit to the second linking ID unit, and the message from the second linking ID unit is again transmitted to the user ID unit within the originating mail system.

13. An method of forwarding a message from an originating mail system to a destination mail system via a linking system, the originating mail system including at least two linking ID units used for suppressing double forwarding, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining whether a data format of the message formed at the originating mail system is compatable with a data format of the destination mail system, and

(b) if the data formats as determined in step (a) are not compatable, then transmitting by the linking system the message transmitted to the first linking ID unit to the second linking ID, and then transmitting the message from the second linking ID unit to the user ID unit.