Method and apparatus for sending E-mail, method and apparatus for receiving E-mail, sending/receiving method and apparatus for E-mail, sending program supplying medium, receiving program supplying medium and sending/receiving program supplying medium

• US 6,311,195 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1997
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: So-Net Entertainment Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hachiya, Kazuhiko, Otaki, Namie, Koki, Takashi, Kitamura, Michio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US08/993,726
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 707/512, 707/103, 707/104, 345/331, 345/473, 709/206, 709/300
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

An E-mail is sent or received with animated representation as if a pet were going out of or coming into a GUI picture simulating the insides of both a sender'"'"'s room and a receiver'"'"'s room for letter delivery and dispatch. Moreover, the electronic pet, represented by animation, is virtually kept. Specifically, agent data updated responsive to experiences acquired by the pet is sent as annexed papers to the E-mail, while the receiver returns only pet data. Thus, an animation is represented on a GUI picture simulating the insides of both a sender'"'"'s room and a receiver'"'"'s room for imparting an impression as if a pet were going out of or coming into a GUI picture simulating the insides of both the sender'"'"'s room and the receiver'"'"'s room for letter delivery and dispatch. The agent data determining the behaviour of the electronic pet are updated responsive to the mouse actuation by the user, such as caressing the pet or serving refreshments to the pet, for varying the behaviour of the pet, represented by animation, depending on the keeping environment. The operating states of the mouse are reflected on representation of a pointing cursor.

Claims

1. An E-mail sending method wherein

an agent is displayed on a screen and the behavior of the agent is managed by agent parameters and wherein

on accepting a sending command for commanding sending of an E-mail, agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent are annexed to the main text of the mail having an appended mail header for sending the E-mail;

wherein a single E-mail is sent by a single agent; and

further

wherein the agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent include the sending date and time information and can be annexed to the main text of an E-mail sent next after lapse of pre-set time based on the sending date and time information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, by receiving the agent parameters determining the agent parameter, automatically returned from the destination, the agent parameters can be annexed to the main text of an E-mail sent next.

3. An E-mail sending apparatus, comprising:

an agent manager for displaying an agent on a screen and for managing the behavior of the agent depending on agent parameters;

sending command accepting means for accepting a sending command designating sending an E-mail; and

mail sending means which, on accepting a sending command designating sending an E-mail by said sending command accepting means, is controlled by said agent manager for appending the agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent to the mail header or to an annexed main text of the E-mail for sending the E-mail;

wherein said agent manager sends an E-mail by the single agent from said mail sending means;

wherein said agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent includes the sending date and time information; and

further ’

wherein said agent manager can append the agent parameters to the main text of an-E-mail sent next by said mail sending means after lapse of a pre-set time as from the sending date and time based on the sending date and time information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said agent manager receives the agent parameters determining the agent behavior, automatically returned from the destination, so that said agent parameters can be annexed to the main text of an E-mail sent next by said mail sending means.

5. A method for sending/receiving an E-mail wherein

an agent is displayed on a screen and the behavior of the agent is managed by agent parameters, and on accepting a sending command for commanding sending of an E-mail, agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent are annexed to the main text of the mail having an appended mail header for sending the E-mail, and wherein

an E-mail is received on accepting a reception command designating reception of an E-mail and the behavior of an agent is controlled responsive to agent parameters annexed to the received main text of the mail for displaying the agent on a screen;

wherein a single E-mail is sent by a single agent; and

further

wherein the agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent include the sending date and time information based on which the agent parameters can be annexed to the main text of an E-mail sent next after lapse of a pre-set time.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein, by receiving the agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent, it becomes possible to annex the agent parameters to the main text of the E-mail sent next.

7. An apparatus for sending/receiving an E-mail, comprising:

an agent manager for displaying an agent on a screen and for managing the behavior of said agent responsive to agent parameters;

sending command accepting means for accepting a sending command designating sending an E-mail;

mail sending means which, on accepting said sending command designating sending an E-mail by said sending command accepting means, annexes agent parameters determining the agent behavior to the main text of a mail having an appended mail header for sending the E-mail;

reception command accepting means for accepting a reception command designating the reception of an E-mail; and

receiving means for receiving an E-mail on accepting a reception command designating the reception of the E-mail by said reception command accepting means;

wherein said agent manager sends an E-mail by a single agent from said mail sending means;

wherein said agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent includes the sending date and time information; and

further

wherein said agent manager can append the agent parameters to the main text of an-E-mail sent next by said mail sending means after lapse of a pre-set time as from the sending date and time based o the sending date and time information.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said agent manager receives the agent parameters determining the agent behavior, automatically returned from the destination, so that said agent parameters can be annexed to the main text of an E-mail sent next by said mail sending means.

9. A sending program supplying medium for an E-mail for supplying an E-mail sending program that can be read out and executed by a computer wherein

an agent is displayed on a screen and the behavior of the agent is managed by agent parameters, wherein

on accepting a sending command for commanding sending of an E-mail, agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent are annexed to the main text of the mail having an appended mail header for sending the E-mail;

wherein a single E-mail is sent by a single agent; and

further

wherein the agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent include the sending date and time information based on which the agent parameters can be annexed to the main text of an E-mail sent next after lapse of a pre-set time.

10. The medium of claim 9 wherein, by receiving the agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent, it becomes possible to annex the agent parameters to the main text of the E-mail sent next.

11. A sending/receiving program supplying medium for an E-mail for supplying an E-mail sending/receiving program that can be read out and executed by a computer wherein

an agent is displayed on a screen and the behavior of the agent is managed by agent parameters;

on accepting a sending command designating sending of an E-mail, agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent are annexed to the main text of the mail having an appended mail header for sending the E-mail;

an E-mail is received on accepting a reception command designating reception of an E-mail; and

the behavior of an agent is controlled responsive to agent parameters annexed to the received main text of the mail for displaying the agent on a screen;

wherein a single E-mail is sent by a single agent; and

further

wherein the agent parameters determining the behavior of the agent include the sending date and time information and can be annexed to the main text of an E-mail sent next after lapse of pre-set time based on the sending date and time information.

12. The medium of claim 11 wherein, by receiving the agent parameters determining the agent parameter automatically returned from the destination, the agent parameters can be annexed to the main text of the E-mail sent next.