Electronic mail system

• US 7,016,992 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2001
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shimoji, Tatsuya, Yamamuro, Keisei, Tanaka, Yasunori, Okamura, Kazuo, Kusumi, Yuki, Nishimura, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US09/929,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 710/100, 709/206, 709/203, 709/219, 709/200, 358/1.15, 358/402, 370/471, 379/100.08
• US Class Current: 710/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

The present invention provides a system capable of individually controlling each of receiving devices while making full use of the advantages of broadcasting. Simultaneous transmission is carried out from a broadcasting device 2 to a plurality of receiving devices 6 via a broadcasting path. Further, the broadcasting device 2 sends operation control data to the receiving device 6 through a communication path. The receiving device 6 changes its operation in accordance with the operation control data when received broadcasting is decoded. In this way, each of the receiver devices 6 can be controlled individually using the operation control data while making full use of the advantages of broadcasting.

Claims

1. A transmission device for transmitting an electronic mail to a receiving device, wherein the transmission device transmits electric mail data, the data comprising:

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said operation control data comprises instruction for format of image of a button of the receiving device and/or instruction for operation when the button is pushed.

2. A transmission device for transmitting an electronic mail to a receiving device, wherein the transmission device transmits electric mail data, the data comprising:

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said received operation data instructs the receiving device to change the control assigned to each operation button.

3. A transmission device for transmitting an electronic mail to a receiving device, wherein the transmission device transmits electric mail data, the data comprising:

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region,

the operation control data includes a description for making a reservation for recording a program to be transmitted via the broadcasting path and another description for assigning a function of making a reservation for recording the program to which of the operation button, and

wherein the receiving device assigns the function of making a reservation for recording the program to one of the operation buttons in accordance with the description of the operation control data.

4. A receiving device for receiving an electronic mail, wherein the receiving device outputs a body of the received electronic mail to a user and constructs a user interface for performing a control related with the body of the electronic mail in accordance with operation mode data transmitted with the body of the electronic mail, the data comprising:

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said operation control data comprises instruction for format of image of a button of the receiving device and/or instruction for operation when the button is pushed.

5. A receiving device for receiving an electronic mail, wherein the receiving device outputs a body of the received electronic mail to a user and constructs a user interface for performing a control related with the body of the electronic mail in accordance with operation mode data transmitted with the body of the electronic mail, the data comprising:

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said received operation data instructs the receiving device to change the control assigned to each operation button.

6. A receiving device for receiving an electronic mail, wherein the receiving device outputs a body of the received electronic mail to a user and constructs a user interface for performing a control related with the body of the electronic mail in accordance with operation mode data transmitted with the body of the electronic mail, the data comprising:

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region,

the operation control data includes a description for making a reservation for recording a program to be transmitted via the broadcasting path and another description for assigning a function of making a reservation for recording the program to which of the operation button, and

wherein the receiving device assigns the function of making a reservation for recording the program to one of the operation buttons in accordance with the description of the operation control data.

7. A communication method for transmitting an electronic mail from a transmission device to a receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing the electronic mail data, and

transmitting the electronic mail data prepared by the preparing step,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said operation control data comprises instruction for format of image of a button of the receiving device and/or instruction for operation when the button is pushed.

8. A communication method for transmitting an electronic mail from a transmission device to a receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing the electronic mail data, and

transmitting the electronic mail data prepared by the preparing step,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said received operation data instructs the receiving device to change the control assigned to each operation button.

9. A communication method for transmitting an electronic mail from a transmission device to a receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing the electronic mail data, and

transmitting the electronic mail data prepared by the preparing step,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region,

the operation control data includes a description for making a reservation for recording a program to be transmitted via the broadcasting path and another description for assigning a function of making a reservation for recording the program to which of the operation button, and

wherein the receiving device assigns the function of making a reservation for recording the program to one of the operation buttons in accordance with the description of the operation control data.

10. A communication method for receiving an electronic mail from a transmission device to a receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the electronic mail data, and

constructing a user interface for performing a control in accordance with the electronic mail data,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said operation control data comprises instruction for format of image of a button of the receiving device and/or instruction for operation when the button is pushed.

11. A communication method for transmitting an electronic mail from a transmission device to a receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the electronic mail data, and

constructing a user interface for performing a control in accordance with the electronic mail data,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said received operation data instructs the receiving device to change the control assigned to each operation button.

12. A communication method for transmitting an electronic mail from a transmission device to a receiving device, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing the electronic mail data, and

transmitting the electronic mail data prepared by the preparing step,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region,

the operation control data includes a description for making a reservation for recording a program to be transmitted via the broadcasting path and another description for assigning a function of making a reservation for recording the program to which of the operation button, and

wherein the receiving device assigns the function of making a reservation for recording the program to one of the operation buttons in accordance with the description of the operation control data.

13. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program realizing a transmission device, for transmitting an electronic mail to a receiving device, using a computer, the program comprising the step of:

transmitting operation control data, for controlling a user interface of the receiving device when a control related with a body of the electronic mail is performed at the receiving device, together with the body of the electronic mail so as to be included in the body,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said operation control data comprises instruction for format of image of a button of the receiving device and/or instruction for operation when the button is pushed.

14. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program realizing a transmission device, for transmitting an electronic mail to a receiving device, using a computer, the program comprising the step of:

transmitting operation control data, for controlling a user interface of the receiving device when a control related with a body of the electronic mail is performed at the receiving device, together with the body of the electronic mail so as to be included in the body,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said received operation data instructs the receiving device to change the control assigned to each operation button.

15. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program realizing a transmission device, for transmitting an electronic mail to a receiving device, using a computer, the program comprising the step of:

transmitting operation control data, for controlling a user interface of the receiving device when a control related with a body of the electronic mail is performed at the receiving device, together with the body of the electronic mail so as to be included in the body,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region,

the operation control data includes a description for making a reservation for recording a program to be transmitted via the broadcasting path and another description for assigning a function of making a reservation for recording the program to which of the operation button, and

wherein the receiving device assigns the function of making a reservation for recording the program to one of the operation buttons in accordance with the description of the operation control data.

16. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program realizing a receiving device for receiving an electronic mail, using a computer, the program comprising the steps of:

outputting a body of the received electronic mail to a user; and

constructing a user interface for performing a control related with the body of the electronic mail in accordance with operation control data transmitted with the body of the electronic mail,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said operation control data comprises instruction for format of image of a button of the receiving device and/or instruction for operation when the button is pushed.

17. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program realizing a receiving device for receiving an electronic mail, using a computer, the program comprising the steps of:

outputting a body of the received electronic mail to a user; and

constructing a user interface for performing a control related with the body of the electronic mail in accordance with operation control data transmitted with the body of the electronic mail,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region, and

said received operation data instructs the receiving device to change the control assigned to each operation button.

18. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program realizing a receiving device for receiving an electronic mail, using a computer, the program comprising the steps of:

outputting a body of the received electronic mail to a user; and

constructing a user interface for performing a control related with the body of the electronic mail in accordance with operation control data transmitted with the body of the electronic mail,

wherein said e-mail data comprising;

a body region describing content of the electronic mail; and

an auxiliary region describing data necessary for transmitting the electronic mail;

wherein operation control data for controlling an operation mode of the receiving device is included into the auxiliary region,

the operation control data includes a description for making a reservation for recording a program to be transmitted via the broadcasting path and another description for assigning a function of making a reservation for recording the program to which of the operation button, and

wherein the receiving device assigns the function of making a reservation for recording the program to one of the operation buttons in accordance with the description of the operation control data.