E-mail transmission apparatus, e-mail transmission method and e-mail transmission program

• US 7,209,263 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Takayama, Norihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Kimberly
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, ASHISH
• Application Number:
  US10/073,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 709/206, 707/10, 713/202
• US Class Current: 358/402
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3208 of an e-mail or network address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A technology for use in an e-mail transmission apparatus capable of preventing or discovering ‘impersonation’ in e-mail transmission efficiently, in which an e-mail is sent not only to a receiving address, but also to a sending address set by a sender.

Claims

1. An e-mail transmission apparatus comprising:

sending address input means for receiving user input of a sending address;

receiving address input means for receiving user input of a receiving address;

list creation means for creating a receiving address list that includes at least the receiving address input via the receiving address input means;

registration means for registering a unique e-mail address assigned to the e-mail transmission apparatus;

comparing means for comparing the sending address input via the sending address means to the unique e-mail address; and

address adding means for, when a sending address input via the sending address input means does not match the unique e-mail address registered by the registration means, adding the sending address to the receiving address list.

2. An e-mail transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising sending means for sending e-mail based on the receiving address list.

3. An e-mail transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sending means sends the e-mail to the sending address in the receiving address list in parallel with sending of the e-mail to the receiving address in the receiving address list.

4. An e-mail transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sending means sends the e-mail to the sending address in the receiving address list independently of sending of the e-mail to the receiving address in the receiving address list.

5. An e-mail transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sending means sends the e-mail to the sending address in the receiving address list, and then only after a return communication is received thereto, sends the e-mail to the receiving address in the receiving address list.

6. An e-mail transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sending means sends only a portion of data comprising the e-mail to the sending address in the receiving address list.

7. An e-mail transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the address adding means adds the sending address to the receiving address list in a format such that it cannot be deleted from the receiving address list.

8. An e-mail transmission apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the receiving address and sending address contained in the receiving address list.

9. A method for use with an e-mail transmission apparatus, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving user input of a sending address;

(b) receiving user input of a receiving address;

(c) creating a receiving address list that includes at least the receiving address input at the step (b);

(d) registering a unique e-mail address assigned to a computer that is to execute the instructions;

(e) comparing the input sending address to the unique e-mail address; and

(f) adding the sending address to the receiving address list when the sending address does not match the unique e-mail address registered at the step of registering.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for transmitting e-mail, the instructions including the following steps of:

(a) receiving user input of a sending address;

(b) receiving user input of a receiving address;

(c) creating a receiving address list that includes at least the receiving address input at the step (b);

(d) registering a unique e-mail address assigned to a computer that is to execute the instructions;

(e) comparing the input sending address to the unique e-mail address; and

(f) adding the sending address to the receiving address list when the sending address does not match the unique e-mail address registered at the step of registering.

11. A computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the instructions further includes a step of sending e-mail based on the receiving address list.

12. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein at the step of sending e-mail, the e-mail is sent to the sending address in the receiving address list in parallel with sending of the e-mail to the receiving address in the receiving address list.

13. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein at the step of sending e-mail, the e-mail is sent to the sending address in the receiving address list independently of sending of the e-mail to the receiving address in the receiving address list.

14. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein at the step of sending e-mail, the e-mail is sent to the sending address in the receiving address list, and then only after a return communication is received thereto, the e-mail is sent to the receiving address in the receiving address list.

15. A computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein at the step of sending e-mail, only a portion of data comprising the e-mail is sent to the sending address in the receiving address list.

16. A computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein at the step (f), the sending address is added to the receiving address list in a format such that it cannot be deleted from the receiving address list.

17. A computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the instructions further includes a step of displaying the receiving address and sending address contained in the receiving address list.