STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A MAIL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, AND MAIL MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20100235456A1
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Jun, UCHIYAMA, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,667,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A storage medium storing a mail management program, the mail management program causing a computer to execute: receiving from a first user, a designation of a first electronic mail addressed to the first user as an open mail, which is made open to a second user, first setting a receiving date and time at which the designation is received as date and time information corresponding to the open mail, second setting another receiving date and time at which a second electronic mail which is not the open mail and is addressed to the second user is received by the computer, as the date and time information corresponding to the second electronic mail and outputting, upon receipt of an output instruction from the second user, the open mail and the second electronic mail in accordance with the date and time information.

Claims

1. A storage medium storing a mail management program, the mail management program causing a computer to execute an operation comprising:

receiving from a first user, a designation of a first electronic mail addressed to the first user as an open mail, the first electronic mail is made open to a second user to be the open mail;

first setting a receiving date and time at which the designation is received as first date and time information corresponding to the open mail;

second setting another receiving date and time at which a second electronic mail is received by the computer as second date and time information corresponding to the second electronic mail, the second electronic mail is not the open mail and is also addressed to the second user; and

upon receipt of an output instruction from the second user, outputting the open mail and the second electronic mail in accordance with the first and second date and time information, respectively.

2. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic mail is addressed and sent to the first user via webmail.

3. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein outputting the open mail and the second electronic mail comprises:

referring to a mail information storage unit for storing first mail information indicating content of the open mail and second mail information indicating content of the second electronic mail;

obtaining the first mail information and the second mail information from the mail information storage unit; and

outputting the obtained first mail information and the obtained second mail information.

4. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the mail management program causes the computer to execute the operation that further comprises:

receiving an opening operation performed on the open mail by the second user;

setting opening information to indicate an opening state of the open mail as a result of the opening operation performed by the second user; and

providing the opening information upon receipt of a state request from the first user for requesting a provision of the opening state of the open mail.

5. The storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the mail management program causes the computer to execute the operation that further comprises:

receiving an input of a comment to the open mail from the first user; and

outputting the open mail and the second electronic mail includes outputting the comment together with the open mail.

6. A mail management apparatus comprising:

a mail setting receiving unit to receive a designation of a first electronic mail addressed to a first user as an open mail, which is made open to a second user to be the open mail;

an information setting unit to set a receiving date and time at which the designation is received as first date and time information corresponding to the open mail and to set another receiving date and time at which a second electronic mail is received by the computer as second date and time information corresponding to the second electronic mail, the second electronic mail is not the open mail and is addressed to the second user; and

a mail providing unit to provide, upon receipt of an output instruction from the second user, information about the open mail and the second electronic mail in accordance with the first and second date and time information.

7. The mail management apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first electronic mail is addressed and sent to the first user via webmail, and the second electronic mail is received by the computer via webmail.

9. The mail management method according to claim 7, wherein the first electronic mail is addressed and sent to the first user via webmail.

8. A mail management method executed by a computer, comprising:

receiving from a first user, a designation of a first electronic mail addressed to the first user as an open mail, the first electronic mail is made open to a second user to be the open mail;

first setting a receiving date and time at which the designation is received as first date and time information corresponding to the open mail;

second setting another receiving date and time at which a second electronic mail is received by the computer as second date and time information corresponding to the second electronic mail, the second electronic mail is not the open mail and is also addressed to the second user; and

upon receipt of an output instruction from the second user, outputting the open mail and the second electronic mail in accordance with the first and second date and time information, respectively.