Method for sending and receiving a plurality of mail contents and display condition information

• US 7,123,902 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsuda, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramos-Feliciano, Eliseo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Iwuchukwu, Emeka D.
• Application Number:
  US10/769,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20040214552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.2, 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 379/114.13, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53375 Message broadcasting

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a mail sending and receiving devices and methods. In one embodiment, a communication device comprises a display unit, and a receiving unit configured to receive a mail which includes a plurality of mail contents and condition information governing which of the plurality of mail contents can be displayed. A storage unit is configured to store the mail which is received by the receiving unit. A control unit is configured to control display of the plurality of mail contents by the display unit in response to the condition information, when a display instruction of the mail which is stored in the storage unit is inputted.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a display unit;

a receiving unit configured to receive a mail which includes a plurality of mail contents and condition information governing which of the plurality of mail contents can be displayed, the condition information including information corresponding to the plurality of mail contents based on an already-read number of the mail;

a storage unit configured to store the mail which is received by the receiving unit; and

a control unit configured to control display of the plurality of mail contents by the display unit in response to the condition information and the already-read number of the mail, when a display instruction of the mail which is stored in the storage unit is inputted.

2. The communication device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the condition information includes information indicating that display of the mail is prohibited after a predetermined date, and wherein when a display instruction of the mail is inputted after the predetermined date, the display unit displays a message showing that the mail contents of the mail cannot be displayed.

3. The communication device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of mail contents comprise mail text.

4. A communication device comprising:

a display unit;

a receiving unit configured to receive communication information which includes a plurality of message contents and condition information governing which of the plurality of message contents can be displayed, the condition information including display condition information corresponding to the plurality of message contents based on an already-read number of the communication information;

a storage unit configured to store the communication information which is received by the receiving unit; and

a control unit configured to control display of the plurality of message contents by the display unit in response to the condition information and the already-read number of the communication information, when a display instruction of the communication information which is stored in the storage unit is inputted.

5. A method for sending a mail, the method comprising:

preparing a mail which includes a plurality of mail contents and display condition information corresponding to the plurality of mail contents based on an already-read number of the mail; and

sending the prepared mail to an address of a mail sending destination.