System for transmission/reception of e-mail with attached files

• US 7,664,824 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2001
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Susumu, Ueda, Eiji, Ohmura, Takeshi, Sumita, Tetsuji, Nakanishi, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue; Larry D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Karen C
• Application Number:
  US09/910,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,129 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/201, 709/217, 713/193, 707/204
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

A mail gateway generates an identifier for each attached file included in the e-mail addressed to a user and held in a mail server, and notifies a mail terminal belonging to the user of a list of generated IDs. When the user selects attached files that the user wants to attach to the e-mail from the list of IDs that is notified from the mail gateway, the mail gateway constructs e-mail including the selected attached files and the mail server transmits the constructed e-mail to addresses of the receivers of the e-mail.

Claims

1. An e-mail transmission/reception system including a mail terminal, a mail server, and a mail gateway, wherein said mail gateway is connected to said mail terminal via a network and to said mail server via another network,

wherein said mail server comprises:

an attached file holding unit operable to receive a single e-mail addressed to a user of said mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, and to hold the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail; and

a mail management unit operable to generate a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

wherein said mail gateway comprises;

an attached file acquisition unit operable to receive from said mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to said mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and to receive from said mail server the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail in response to the request;

an identifier generation unit operable to generate the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

a list transmission unit operable to generate an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated by said identifier generation unit and to transmit the identifier list to said mail terminal;

a reception unit operable to receive a forwarding e-mail from said mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from said mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at said mail terminal, at least of one the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier; and

a mail transmission and reception unit operable to transmit to said mail server a request for transmitting to said mail gateway the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier and to receive from said mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail;

wherein said mail terminal comprises;

a list reception unit operable to receive the identifier list from said mail gateway;

a selection receiving unit operable to display the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner;

a preparation unit operable to prepare the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of said mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier; and

a transmission unit operable to transmit the prepared forwarding e-mail to said mail gateway;

wherein said attached file acquisition unit is operable to receive from said mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail;

wherein said mail gateway further comprises;

a construction unit operable to construct a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file received from said mail server to the forwarding e-mail received from said mail terminal; and

wherein said mail server further comprises;

a mail distribution unit operable to receive the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from said mail gateway and to distribute the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

2. The e-mail transmission/reception system of claim 1, wherein:

said mail management unit is operable to, whenever said attached file holding unit receives an e-mail that includes attached files, generate the list of the plurality of attached files and pass the list of the plurality of attached files to said attached file acquisition unit; and

said identifier generation unit is operable to generate the unique identifier for each of the plurality of attached files, respectively, in accordance with the list of the plurality of attached files passed by said mail management unit.

3. The e-mail transmission/reception system of claim 1,

wherein said mail terminal further comprises:

a file format registration unit operable to register one or more file formats of attached files for each user'"'"'s address in said mail gateway;

wherein said mail gateway further comprises;

a file format storage unit operable to store users'"'"' addresses and file formats that are registered by said file format registration unit; and

a file format conversion unit operable to convert a file format of each attached file for each user'"'"'s address in accordance with the users'"'"' addresses and the file formats that are stored in the said file format storage unit; and

wherein said construction unit is operable to construct the file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching each attached file converted by said file format conversion unit from and as a substitute for each attached file received by said attached file acquisition unit, respectively.

4. The e-mail transmission/reception system of claim 1,

wherein said mail terminal further comprises:

a sharing notification unit operable to notify said mail gateway that one or more attached files included in an e-mail addressed to the user of said mail terminal are to be shared with other users;

wherein said mail gateway further comprises;

an attached file sharing unit operable to, when receiving the notification that the one or more attached files are to be shared with the other users from said mail terminal, share each of the attached files held by said attached file holding unit with the other users; and

a shared identifier generation unit operable to generate a shared identifier for each of the attached files shared by said attached file sharing unit, the shared identifier being available for sharers of the attached files;

wherein said sharing notification unit includes;

a shared file notification unit operable to notify said mail gateway of one or more identifiers selected by the user from the identifier list as substitutes for the one or more attached files that are permitted to be shared; and

a sharer notification unit operable to notify said mail gateway of one or more sharers of each of the attached files that are to be shared with the other users;

wherein said attached file sharing unit is operable to share attached files that correspond to the identifiers notified from said shared file notification unit among attached files held by said attached file holding unit with the sharers notified from said sharer notification unit;

wherein said list transmission unit is further operable to transmit a list of the shared identifiers to the sharers of the attached files;

wherein said attached file acquisition unit is further operable to acquire attached files that correspond to the shared identifiers; and

wherein said list reception unit is further operable to receive a list of shared identifiers that have a one to one correspondence to each of the attached files that are shared by the user of said mail terminal as one member of the sharers.

5. An e-mail transmission/reception system including a mail terminal and a mail gateway, said mail gateway being connected to said mail terminal via a network,

wherein said mail gateway comprises:

an attached file holding unit operable to receive a single e-mail addressed to a user of said mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files and to hold the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

a mail management unit operable to generate a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

an attached file acquisition unit operable to receive from said mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to said mail terminal each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and to acquire from said attached file holding unit the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

an identifier generation unit operable to generate the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the acquired list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

a list transmission unit operable to generate an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated by said identifier generation unit and to transmit the identifier list to said mail terminal; and

a reception unit operable to receive a forwarding e-mail from said mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from said mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at said mail terminal, at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier; and

wherein said mail terminal comprises;

a list reception unit operable to receive the identifier list from said mail gateway;

a selection receiving unit operable to display the unique identifiers in the received identifier list, in a selectable manner;

a preparation unit operable to prepare the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of said mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier; and

a transmission unit operable to transmit the forwarding e-mail prepared by said preparation unit to said mail gateway;

wherein said attached file acquisition unit is operable to acquire from said attached file holding unit the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail; and

wherein said mail gateway further comprises;

a construction unit operable to construct a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired from said attached file holding unit to the forwarding e-mail received from said mail terminal; and

a mail distribution unit operable to distribute the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

6. The e-mail transmission/reception system of claim 5, wherein:

said mail management unit is operable to, whenever said attached file holding unit receives an e-mail that includes attached files, generate the list of the plurality of attached files and pass the list of the plurality of attached files to said attached file acquisition unit; and

said identifier generation unit is operable to generate the unique identifier for each of the attached files, respectively, in accordance with the list of the plurality of attached files passed by said mail management unit.

7. The e-mail transmission/reception system of claim 5,

wherein said mail terminal further comprises:

a file format registration unit operable to register one or more file formats of attached files for each user'"'"'s address in said mail gateway;

wherein said mail gateway further comprises;

a file format storage unit operable to store users'"'"' addresses and file formats that are registered by said file format registration unit; and

a file format conversion unit operable to convert a file format of each attached file for each user'"'"'s address in accordance with the users'"'"' addresses and the file formats that are stored in said file format storage unit; and

wherein said construction unit is operable to construct the file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching each attached file converted by said file format conversion unit from and as a substitute for each attached file acquired by said attached file acquisition unit, respectively.

8. The e-mail transmission/reception system of claim 5,

wherein said mail terminal further comprises:

a sharing notification unit operable to notify said mail gateway that one or more attached files included in the e-mail addressed to the user of said mail terminal are to be shared with other users;

wherein said mail gateway further comprises;

an attached file sharing unit operable to, when receiving the notification that the one or more attached files are to be shared with the other users from said mail terminal, share each of the attached files held by said attached file holding unit with the other users; and

a shared identifier generation unit operable to generate a shared identifier for each of the attached files shared by said attached file sharing unit, the shared identifier being available for sharers of the attached files;

wherein said sharing notification unit includes;

a shared file notification unit operable to notify said mail gateway of one or more identifiers selected by the user from the identifier list as substitutes for the one or more attached files that are permitted to be shared; and

a sharer notification unit operable to notify said mail gateway of one or more sharers of each of the attached files that are to be shared with the other users;

wherein said attached file sharing unit is operable to share attached files that correspond to the identifiers notified from said shared file notification unit among attached files held by said attached file holding unit with the sharers notified from said sharer notification unit;

wherein said list transmission unit is further operable to transmit a list of the shared identifiers to the sharers of the attached files;

wherein said attached file acquisition unit is further operable to acquire attached files that correspond to the shared identifiers; and

wherein said list reception unit is further operable to receive a list of shared identifiers that have a one to one correspondence to each of the attached files that are shared by the user of said mail terminal as one member of the sharers.

9. A mail gateway that is connected to a mail terminal via a network and a mail server via another network, the mail server receiving a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, said mail gateway comprising:

an attached file acquisition unit operable to receive from the mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and to receive from the mail server the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

an identifier generation unit operable to generate the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

a list transmission unit operable to generate an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated by said identifier generation unit and to transmit the identifier list to the mail terminal;

a reception unit operable to receive a forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal, at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier; and

a mail transmission and reception unit operable to transmit to the mail server a request for transmitting to said mail gateway the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier and to receive from the mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail;

wherein the mail terminal comprises;

a list reception unit operable to receive the identifier list from said mail gateway;

a selection receiving unit operable to display the unique identifiers in the received identifier list, in a selectable manner;

a preparation unit operable to prepare the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier; and

a transmission unit operable to transmit the forwarding e-mail prepared by the preparation unit to said mail gateway;

wherein said attached file acquisition unit is operable to receive from the mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail; and

wherein said mail gateway further comprises;

a construction unit operable to construct a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file received from the mail server to the forwarding e-mail received from the mail terminal; and

wherein the mail server further comprises;

a mail distribution unit operable to receive the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from said mail gateway and to distribute the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

10. The mail gateway of claim 9, wherein:

the mail server functions, whenever receiving an e-mail that includes attached files, so as to generate the list of the plurality of attached files and pass the list of the plurality of attached files to said mail gateway; and

said identifier generation unit is operable to generate the unique identifier for each of the attached files, respectively, in accordance with the list of the plurality of attached files passed by the mail server.

11. The mail gateway of claim 9, further comprising:

a file format storage unit operable to store users'"'"' addresses and file formats that are registered by the mail terminal; and

a file format conversion unit operable to convert one or more file formats of attached files for each user'"'"'s address in accordance with the users'"'"' addresses and the file formats that are stored in said file format storage unit;

wherein the mail terminal functions so as to register the one or more file formats of attached files for each user'"'"'s address in said mail gateway; and

wherein said construction unit is operable to construct the file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching each attached file converted by said file format conversion unit from and as a substitute for each attached file acquired by said attached file acquisition unit, respectively.

12. The mail gateway of claim 9, further comprising:

an attached file sharing unit operable to, when receiving a notification that attached files are to be shared with other users from the mail terminal, share each of the attached files held by the mail server with the other users;

a shared identifier generation unit operable to generate a shared identifier for each of the attached files shared by said attached file sharing unit, the shared identifier being available for sharers of the attached files;

wherein the mail terminal functions so as to notify said mail gateway that one or more attached files are to be shared with other users by means of identifiers respectively corresponding to the one or more attached files, the attached files being included in an e-mail addressed to the user of the mail terminal and being permitted to be shared with other users, and notify said mail gateway of the one or more sharers who are to share the one or more attached files;

wherein said attached file sharing unit is operable to share the one or more attached files that correspond to the one or more identifiers notified from the mail terminal out of attached files held by the mail server among the notified sharers;

wherein said list transmission unit is further operable to transmit a list of the shared identifiers to the sharers of the attached files; and

wherein said attached file acquisition unit is further operable to acquire attached files that correspond to the shared identifiers.

13. A mail gateway that is connected to a mail terminal via a network, said mail gateway comprising:

an attached file holding unit operable to receive a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, and to hold the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

a mail management unit operable to generate a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

an attached file acquisition unit operable to receive from the mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and to acquire from said attached file holding unit the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

an identifier generation unit operable to generate the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the acquired list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

a list transmission unit operable to generate an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated by said identifier generation unit and to transmit the identifier list to the mail terminal;

a reception unit operable to receive a forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique, identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal, at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

wherein the mail terminal comprises;

a list reception unit operable to receive the identifier list from said mail gateway;

a selection receiving unit operable to display the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner;

a preparation unit operable to prepare the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier; and

a transmission unit operable to transmit the prepared forwarding e-mail to said mail gateway;

wherein said attached file acquisition unit is operable to acquire from said attached file holding unit the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail;

wherein said mail gateway further comprises;

a construction unit operable to construct a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired from said attached file holding unit to the forwarding e-mail received from the mail terminal; and

a mail distribution unit operable to distribute the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

14. The mail gateway of claim 13, wherein:

said mail management unit is operable to, whenever said attached file holding unit receives an e-mail that includes attached files, generate the list of the plurality of attached files and pass the list of the plurality of attached files to said identifier generation unit; and

said identifier generation unit is operable to generate the unique identifier for each of the attached files, respectively, in accordance with the list of the plurality of attached files passed by said mail management unit.

15. The mail gateway of claim 13, further comprising:

a file format storage unit operable to store users'"'"' addresses and file formats that are registered by the mail terminal; and

a file format conversion unit operable to convert one or more file formats of attached files for each user'"'"'s address in accordance with the users'"'"' addresses and the file formats that are stored in said file format storage unit,

wherein the mail terminal functions so as to register the one or more file formats of attached files for each users'"'"' address in said mail gateway, and

said construction unit is operable to construct the file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching each attached file converted by said file format conversion unit from and as a substitute for each attached file acquired by said attached file acquisition unit, respectively.

16. The mail gateway of claim 13, further comprising:

an attached file sharing unit operable to, when receiving a notification that attached files are to be shared with other users from the mail terminal, share each of the attached files held by said attached file holding unit with the other users; and

a shared identifier generation unit operable to generate a shared identifier for each of the attached files shared by said attached file sharing unit, wherein the shared identifier is available for sharers of the attached files;

wherein the mail terminal functions so as to notify said mail gateway that one or more attached files are to be shared with other users by means of identifiers respectively corresponding to the one or more attached files, the attached files being included in an e-mail addressed to the user of the mail terminal and being permitted to be shared with the other users, and notify said mail gateway of one or more sharers who share the one or more attached files;

wherein said attached file sharing unit is operable to share the one or more attached files that correspond to the one or more identifiers notified from the mail terminal out of attached files held by the mail server among the notified sharers;

wherein said list transmission unit is further operable to transmit a list of the shared identifiers to the sharers of the attached files; and

wherein said attached file acquisition unit is further operable to acquire attached files that correspond to the shared identifiers.

17. A mail terminal that is connected to a mail gateway via a network, the mail gateway being connected to a mail server via another network, the mail server receiving a single e-mail addressed to a user of said mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, the mail server holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail and generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, the mail gateway receiving from said mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to said mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and the mail gateway receiving from said mail server the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request, the mail gateway generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, the gateway generating an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated by the mail server and transmitting the identifier list to said mail terminal, the mail gateway receiving a forwarding e-mail from said mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from said mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one of the unique identifiers being selected at the mail terminal, the mail gateway transmitting to the mail server a request for transmitting to the mail gateway at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifiers and receiving from the mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail, said mail terminal comprising:

a list reception unit operable to receive the identifier list from the mail gateway for each of the plurality of attached files included in the e-mail;

a selection receiving unit operable to display the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner;

a preparation unit operable to prepare the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of said mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier; and

a transmission unit operable to transmit the forwarding e-mail prepared by said preparation unit to the mail gateway;

wherein the mail gateway is operable to receive from the mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail; and

wherein the mail gateway comprises;

a construction unit operable to construct a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file received from the mail server to the forwarding e-mail received from said mail terminal; and

wherein the mail server comprises;

a mail distribution unit operable to receive the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail gateway and to distribute the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

18. The mail terminal of claim 17, further comprising:

a file format registration unit operable to register one or more file formats of attached files for each user'"'"'s address in the mail gateway;

wherein the mail gateway functions so as to store users'"'"' addresses and file formats that are registered by said mail terminal, and convert file formats of attached files for each user'"'"'s address in accordance with the stored users'"'"' addresses and file formats.

19. The mail terminal of claim 17, further comprising:

a sharing notification unit operable to notify the mail gateway that one or more attached files included in an e-mail addressed to the user of said mail terminal are to be shared with other users;

wherein said sharing notification unit includes;

a shared file notification unit operable to notify the mail gateway of one or more identifiers selected by the user from the identifier list as substitutes for the one or more attached files that are permitted to be shared; and

a sharer notification unit operable to notify the mail gateway of one or more sharers of each of the attached files that are permitted to be shared with the other users; and

wherein the mail gateway functions so as to share attached files respectively corresponding to the identifiers notified from said shared file notification unit among the sharers notified from said sharer notification unit and generate a shared identifier for each of the shared attached files, the shared identifier being available for the sharers.

20. A method for controlling an e-mail transmission/reception system including a mail terminal, a mail server, and a mail gateway, the mail gateway being connected to the mail terminal via a network and to the mail server via another network, said method comprising:

receiving, in the mail server, a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, and holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail in the mail server;

generating, in the mail server, a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail terminal, a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

generating, in the mail gateway, the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating, in the mail gateway, an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated in said generating of the unique identifiers for each of the attached files, and transmitting the identifier list from the mail gateway to the mail terminal;

receiving, in the mail terminal, the identifier list from the mail gateway;

displaying, in the mail terminal, the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner;

preparing, in the mail terminal, a forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected in said displaying of the unique identifiers at the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

transmitting the forwarding e-mail prepared in said preparing of the forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal to the mail gateway;

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail transmitted in said transmitting of the forwarding e-mail;

acquiring, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

constructing, in the mail gateway, a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached files acquired in said acquiring of the at least one attached file to the forwarding e-mail received in said receiving of the forwarding e-mail; and

receiving, in the mail server from the gateway, the file attached forwarding e-mail and distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail from the mail server to the another mail terminal.

21. A method for controlling an e-mail transmission/reception system including a mail terminal and a mail gateway, the mail gateway being connected to the mail terminal via a network, said method comprising:

receiving, in the mail gateway, single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, and holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail in the mail gateway;

generating, in the mail gateway, a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

receiving for the mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and acquiring the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

generating, in the mail gateway, the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating, in the mail gateway, an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated in said generating of the unique identifiers for each of the attached files, and transmitting the identifier list from the mail gateway to the mail terminal;

receiving, in the mail terminal, the identifier list generated in said generating of the identifier list from the mail gateway;

displaying, in the mail terminal, the unique identifiers in the received identifier list, in a selectable manner;

preparing, in the mail terminal, a forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail being forward from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding the at least one unique identifier;

transmitting the forwarding e-mail prepared in said preparing of the forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal to the mail gateway;

receiving, in the mail gateway, the forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail terminal to the mail gateway in said transmitting of the forwarding e-mail;

acquiring, in the mail gateway, the at least one attached files included in the single e-mail, based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

constructing, in the mail gateway, a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired in said acquiring of the at least one attached file to the forwarding e-mail received from the mail terminal; and

distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail constructed in said constructing of the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

22. A method for controlling a mail gateway that is connected to a mail terminal via a network and to a mail server via another network, the mail server receiving a single e-mail addressed to the user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, holding the plurality of attached files included in the received single e-mail, and generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, said method comprising:

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail terminal, a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and receiving in the mail gateway from the mail server, the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated in said generating of the unique identifiers, and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal;

receiving a forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal;

transmitting, in the mail gateway to the mail server, a request for transmitting to the mail gateway at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

acquiring, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired in said acquiring of the at least one attached file to the forwarding e-mail received in said receiving of the forwarding e-mail;

transmitting the forwarding e-mail constructed in said constructing of the file attached forwarding e-mail to the mail server;

receiving, in the mail terminal, the identifier list from the mail gateway, displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner, preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier, and transmitting the prepared forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway; and

receiving, in the mail server, the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail gateway and distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

23. A method for controlling a mail gateway that is connected to a mail terminal via a network, said method comprising:

receiving, in the mail gateway, a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, and holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail

generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail terminal, a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and acquiring the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the acquired list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated in said generating of the unique identifiers for each of the plurality of attached files, and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal;

receiving a forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal;

acquiring the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail, based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired in said acquiring of the at least one attached file to the forwarding e-mail received in said receiving of the forwarding e-mail;

distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail constructed in said constructing of the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal; and

receiving, in the mail terminal, the identifier list from the mail gateway, displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner, preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier, and transmitting the prepared forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway.

24. A method for controlling a mail terminal that is connected to a mail gateway via a network, the mail gateway being connected to a mail server via another network, the mail server receiving a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, a plurality of attached files being included in the single e-mail, the mail server holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail and generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, the mail gateway receiving from the mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and the mail gateway receiving from the mail server the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request, the mail gateway generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, the mail gateway generating an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated by the mail gateway and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal, the mail gateway receiving a forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal, the mail gateway transmitting to the mail server a request for transmitting to the mail gateway at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier and receiving from the mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail, said method comprising:

receiving the identifier list from the mail gateway for each of the plurality of attached files included in the e-mail;

displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list, in a selectable manner;

preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

transmitting the forwarding e-mail prepared in said preparing of the forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway;

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file received from the mail server to the forwarding e-mail received from the mail terminal; and

receiving, in the mail server, the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail gateway and distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

25. A recording medium which is readable by a computer connected to a mail terminal via a network and to a mail server via another network, the mail server receiving a single e-mail addressed a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, holding the plurality of attached files included in the received single e-mail, and generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, a computer program embodied on said recording medium causing the computer to conduct operations a method comprising:

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail terminal, a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating an identifier list of the identifiers generated in said generating of the unique identifiers, and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal;

receiving a forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal;

transmitting, in the mail gateway to the mail server, a request for transmitting to the mail gateway at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

acquiring, in the mail gateway from the mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, the at least on attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired in said acquiring of the at least one attached file to the forwarding e-mail received in said receiving of the forwarding e-mail;

transmitting the file attached forwarding e-mail constructed in said constructing of the file attached forwarding e-mail to the mail server;

receiving, in the mail terminal, the identifier list from the mail gateway, displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner, preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier, and transmitting the prepared forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway; and

receiving, in the mail server, the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail gateway and distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

26. A recording medium which is readable by a computer that is connected to a mail terminal via a network, a computer program embodied on said recording medium causing the computer to conduct a method comprising:

receiving, in the mail gateway, a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, and holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail terminal, a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and acquiring the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the acquired list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating the identifier list of the unique identifiers generated in said generating of the unique identifiers for each of the plurality of attached files, and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal;

receiving a forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal;

acquiring the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail, based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired in said acquiring of the at least one attached file to the forwarding e-mail received in said receiving of the forwarding e-mail;

distributing the forwarding e-mail constructed in said constructing of the forwarding e-mail to the other mail terminal; and

receiving, in the mail terminal, the identifier list from the mail gateway, displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner, preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier, and transmitting the prepared forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway.

27. A recording medium which is readable by a computer that is connected to a mail gateway via a network, the mail gateway being connected to a mail server via another network, the mail server receiving a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, the mail server holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail and generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, the mail gateway receiving from the mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and the mail gateway receiving from the mail server the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request, the mail gateway generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, the mail gateway generating an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated by the mail gateway and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal, the mail gateway receiving a forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal, the mail gateway transmitting to the mail server a request for transmitting to the mail gateway at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier and receiving from the mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail, a computer program embodied on said recording medium causing the computer to conduct a method comprising:

receiving the identifier list from the mail gateway for each of the plurality of attached files included in the e-mail;

displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list, in a selectable manner;

preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

transmitting the forwarding e-mail prepared in said preparing of the forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway;

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file received from the mail server to the forwarding e-mail received from the mail terminal; and

receiving, in the mail server, the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail gateway and distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

28. A program embodied on a computer-readable medium of a computer connected to a mail terminal via a network and to a mail server via another network, the mail server receiving a single e-mail addressed to the a of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, holding the plurality of attached files included in the received single e-mail, and generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, said program causing the computer to conduct a method comprising:

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail terminal, a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated in said generating of the unique identifiers, and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal;

receiving a forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal;

transmitting, in the mail gateway to the mail server, a request for transmitting to the mail gateway at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

acquiring, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least on unique identifier;

constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired in said acquiring of the at least one attached file to the forwarding e-mail received in said receiving of the forwarding e-mail;

transmitting the forwarding e-mail constructed in said constructing of the file attached e-mail to the mail server;

receiving, in the mail terminal, the identifier list from the mail gateway, displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner, preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier, and transmitting the prepared forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway; and

receiving, in the mail server, the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail gateway and distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.

29. A program embodied on a computer-readable medium of a computer that is connected to a mail terminal via a network, said program causing the computer to conduct a method comprising:

receiving, in a mail gateway, a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, the single e-mail including a plurality of attached files, and holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail terminal, a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and acquiring the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request;

generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the acquired list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail;

generating the identifier list of the unique identifiers generated in said generating of the unique identifiers for each of the plurality of attached files, and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal;

receiving a forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal;

acquiring the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, the at least on attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file acquired in said acquiring of the at least one attached file to the forwarding e-mail received in said receiving of the forwarding e-mail;

distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail constructed in said constructing of the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another e-mail terminal;

receiving, in the mail terminal, the identifier list from the mail gateway, displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list in a selectable manner, preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier, and transmitting the prepared forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway.

30. A program embodied on a computer-readable medium of a computer that is connected to a mail gateway via a network, the mail gateway being connected to a mail server via another network, the mail server receiving a single e-mail addressed to a user of the mail terminal, a plurality of attached files being included in the single e-mail, the mail server holding the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail and generating a list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, the mail gateway receiving from the mail terminal a request for transmitting unique identifiers to the mail terminal, each of the unique identifiers identifying a respective one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, and the mail gateway receiving from the mail server the list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, in response to the request, the mail gateway generating the unique identifiers identifying each of the plurality of attached files, based on the received list of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail, the mail gateway generating an identifier list of the unique identifiers generated by the mail gateway and transmitting the identifier list to the mail terminal, the mail gateway receiving a forwarding e-mail from the mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail being forwarded from the mail terminal to another mail terminal, the forwarding e-mail including at least one of the unique identifiers, the at least one unique identifier being selected at the mail terminal, the mail gateway transmitting to the mail server a request for transmitting to the mail gateway at least one of the plurality of attached files included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier and receiving from the mail server the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail, said program causing the computer to conduct a method comprising:

receiving the identifier list from the mail gateway for each of the plurality of attached files included in the e-mail;

displaying the unique identifiers included in the received identifier list, in a selectable manner;

preparing the forwarding e-mail, the forwarding e-mail including the at least one unique identifier selected by the user of the mail terminal as a substitute for the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail corresponding to the at least one unique identifier;

transmitting the forwarding e-mail prepared in said preparing of the forwarding e-mail to the mail gateway;

receiving, in the mail gateway from the mail server, the at least one attached file included in the single e-mail based on the at least one unique identifier included in the forwarding e-mail, constructing a file attached forwarding e-mail by attaching the at least one attached file received from the mail server to the forwarding e-mail received from the mail terminal; and

receiving, in the mail server, the file attached forwarding e-mail transmitted from the mail gateway and distributing the file attached forwarding e-mail to the another mail terminal.