File management apparatus and file management method

• US 20020062321A1
• Filed: 10/25/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Shibata, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A file management apparatus includes a receiver for receiving an electronic message having an attached file; a first acquirer for acquiring information concerning an original sender of the received electronic message; and a device for attaching the information concerning the original sender to the attached file. A file management method includes the steps of receiving an electronic message including information concerning an original sender of the electronic message and an attached file; acquiring the information concerning the original sender from the received electronic message; and attaching the information concerning the original sender to the attached file.

Claims

1. A file management apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving an electronic message having an attached file;

first acquirer for acquiring information concerning an original sender of the received electronic message; and

an attacher for attaching the information concerning the original sender to the attached file.

2. The file management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said attacher adds the information concerning the original sender as a header to the attached file.

3. The file management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information concerning the original sender includes the original sender'"'"'s address.

4. The file management apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a designator for designating said attached file;

a second acquirer for acquiring the original sender'"'"'s address from the information attached to the attached file; and

a transmitter for transmitting the attached file to the original sender'"'"'s address.

5. A file management method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic message including information concerning an original sender of the electronic message and an attached file;

acquiring the information concerning the original sender from said received electronic message; and

attaching the information concerning the original sender to the attached file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said attaching step includes adding the information concerning the original sender as a header to the attached file.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the information concerning the original sender includes the original sender'"'"'s address.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

designating said attached file;

acquiring the original sender'"'"'s address from the information attached to the attached file; and

transmitting the attached file to the original sender'"'"'s address.

9. A file management program which manages an attached file according to the steps of:

receiving an electronic message including information concerning an original sender of the electronic message and an attached file;

acquiring the information concerning the original sender from said received electronic message; and

attaching the information concerning the original sender to the attached file.

10. The file management program of claim 9, wherein the attaching step includes adding the information concerning the original sender as a header to the attached file.

11. The file management program of claim 9, wherein the information concerning the original sender includes the original sender'"'"'s address.

12. The file management program of claim 11, wherein the program further includes the steps of:

designating said attached file;

acquiring the original sender'"'"'s address from the information attached to the attached file; and

transmitting the attached file to the original sender'"'"'s address.

13. A file management apparatus, comprising:

a receiver for receiving an electronic message with an attached file;

a recorder for recording information concerning the attached file and a sender of the electronic message in a database;

a memory for storing the attached file;

an identifier for subsequently identifying the attached file in the memory;

a determiner for determining information concerning the sender of the electronic message from the database based on the identified attached file; and

a transmitter for transmitting the identified attached file to the sender of the electronic message based on the determined information concerning the sender of the electronic message.

14. A file management method, comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic message with an attached file;

recording information concerning the attached file and a sender of the electronic message in a database;

storing the attached file in a memory;

subsequently identifying the attached file in the memory;

determining information concerning the sender of the electronic message from the database based on the identified attached file; and

transmitting the identified attached file to the sender of the electronic message based on the determined information concerning the sender of the electronic message.

15. A file management program that manages an attached file according to the steps of:

receiving an electronic message with an attached file;

recording information concerning the attached file and a sender of the electronic message in a database;

storing the attached file in a memory;

subsequently identifying the attached file in the memory;

determining information concerning the sender of the electronic message from the database based on the identified attached file; and

transmitting the identified attached file to the sender of the electronic message based on the determined information concerning the sender of the electronic message.