Computer able to link electronic mail functions with telephone functions

• US 5,483,352 A
• Filed: 08/26/1993
• Issued: 01/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Fukuyama, Noriyuki, Matsuda, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers, Scott A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, CHEUKFAN
• Application Number:
  US08/112,071
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93, 379/100, 379/67, 379/355, 358/400, 358/442, 358/440, 358/434, 358/468, 358/402, 358/403, 358/404, 358/407, 358/444, 358/435, 358/439
• US Class Current: 358/402
• 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 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components

Abstract

In a computer linked to a terminal display, and an input device such as a keyboard, being able to transmit and receive electronic mail by using a transmitting and receiving part for transmitting and receiving electronic mail consists of a random access memory for storing received electronic mail, a display controller for displaying the contents of an electronic mail stored in the memory originally provided in the computer, and a linkage function to a telephone exchange for automatically connecting an own telephone to the telephone of a sender of electronic mail by using a part of the data, for example, a telephone number, in the received electronic mail when a telephone connection request is input to the computer by the receiver of the electronic mail. The linkage function part includes a memory for storing an own telephone number, a reading or retrieving part for obtaining a sender'"'"'s telephone number, and a controller for controlling a telephone exchange to connect the own telephone and the sender'"'"'s telephone.

Claims

1. A computer, linked to a terminal display and an input means such as a keyboard, being able to transmit and receive electronic mail by using a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving said electronic mail, a random access memory means for storing received electronic mail, and a display control means for displaying contents of said electronic mail, stored in said random access memory means, which are provided in the computer, said computer comprising:

a telephone connection request receiving means for outputting a telephone connection operation signal when an address data, indicating a telephone number of a sender of said electronic mail, and a telephone connection request are input to the computer;

a first read-out means, activated by said telephone connection request receiving means, for reading out said telephone number of said sender of said electronic mail from said random access memory means in accordance with said address data by using part of data in said received electronic mail;

a receiver telephone number memory means for storing a receiver telephone number previously set therein;

a second read-out means, activated by said telephone connection request receiving means, for reading out said receiver telephone number from said receiver telephone number memory means;

a telephone-exchange-interface-controlling means for outputting a request signal for requesting a connection between a receiver telephone and a sender'"'"'s telephone by using said telephone number of said sender obtained from said first read-out means through said telephone connection request receiving means and said receiver telephone number obtained from said second read-out means through said telephone connection request receiving means; and

a telephone exchange interface means for controlling a telephone exchange to connect said receiver telephone and said sender'"'"'s telephone when said request signal is input from said telephone-exchange-interface-controlling means,

wherein said computer links with said telephone exchange for automatically connecting said receiver telephone to said telephone of said sender of said electronic mail by using said part of data in said received electronic mail when said telephone connection request is input to said computer.

2. A computer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the telephone exchange is a private branch exchange and the telephone of the sender of electronic mail is an extension telephone connected to the private branch exchange.

3. A computer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the telephone of the sender of electronic mail is in a public telephone network.

4. A computer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving electronic mail is connected to a computer network and the electronic mail is transmitted or received via said computer network.

5. A computer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving electronic mail is connected to a telephone line by means of modem and the electronic mail is transmitted or received via the telephone line.

6. A computer, linked to a terminal display and an input means such as a keyboard, being able to transmit and receive electronic mail by using a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving said electronic mail, a first random access memory means for storing received electronic mail, and a display control means for displaying contents of said electronic mail, stored in said first random access memory means, which are provided in the computer, said computer comprising:

a telephone connection request receiving means for outputting a telephone connection operation signal when an address data, indicating a telephone number of a sender of said electronic mail, and a telephone connection request are input to the computer;

a second random access memory means for storing telephone numbers corresponding to electronic mail identification codes;

a first read-out means, activated by said telephone connection request receiving means, for retrieving one of said electronic mail identification codes, from said first random access memory means for storing received electronic mail, and for reading out said telephone number of said sender of said electronic mail from said second random access memory means in accordance with said electronic mail identification code by using a part of data in said received electronic mail;

a receiver telephone number storing memory means for storing a receiver telephone number previously set therein;

a second read-out means, activated by said telephone connection request receiving means, for reading out said receiver telephone number from said receiver telephone number storing memory means;

a telephone-exchange-interface-controlling means for outputting a request signal for requesting a connection between a receiver telephone and a sender'"'"'s telephone by using said sender'"'"'s telephone number obtained from said first read-out means through said telephone connection request receiving means and said receiver telephone number obtained from said second read-out means through said telephone connection request receiving means; and

a telephone exchange interface means for controlling a telephone exchange to connect said receiver telephone to said sender'"'"'s telephone when said request signal is input from said telephone-exchange-interface-controlling means,

wherein said computer links with said telephone exchange for automatically connecting said receiver telephone to said sender'"'"'s telephone of said electronic mail by using said part of data in said received electronic mail when said telephone connection request is input to said computer.

7. A computer as set forth in claim 6, wherein the telephone exchange is a private branch exchange and the telephone of the sender of the electronic mail is an extension telephone connected to the private branch exchange.

8. A computer as set forth in claim 6, wherein the telephone of the sender of the electronic mail is in a public telephone network.

9. A computer as set forth in claim 6, wherein the transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving electronic mail is connected to a computer network and the electronic mail is transmitted or received via said computer network.

10. A computer as set forth in claim 6, wherein the transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving an electronic mail is connected to a telephone line by means of modem and the electronic mail is transmitted or received via the telephone line.

11. A computer as set forth in claim 6, wherein the telephone exchange is a private branch exchange and the telephone of the sender of the electronic mail is an extension telephone connected to the private branch exchange.

12. A computer, linked to a terminal display and an input means such as a keyboard, being able to transmit and receive electronic mail by using a transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving said electronic mail, and random access memory means for storing received electronic mail, and a display control means for displaying contents of said electronic mail, stored in said random access memory means, which are provided in the computer, said computer comprising:

a telephone connection request receiving means for outputting a telephone connection operation signal when an address data, indicating a telephone number of a sender of electronic mail, and a telephone connection request are input to the computer;

a first read-out means, activated by said telephone connection request receiving means, for outputting a request signal to retrieve said telephone number of said sender of said electronic mail by using a part of data in said received electronic mail;

a retrieving means, activated by said first read-out means, for retrieving said telephone number of said sender of said electronic mail from data in said electronic mail which is stored in said random access memory means;

a receiver telephone number storing memory means for storing a receiver telephone number previously set therein;

a second read-out means, activated by said telephone connection request receiving means, for reading out said receiver telephone number from said receiver telephone number storing memory means;

a telephone-exchange-interface-controlling means for outputting a request signal for requesting a connection between a receiver telephone and a sender'"'"'s telephone by using said sender'"'"'s telephone number obtained from said first read-out means through said telephone connection request receiving means and said receiver telephone number obtained from said second read-out means through said telephone connection request receiving means; and

a telephone exchange interface means for controlling a telephone exchange to connect said receiver telephone and said sender'"'"'s telephone when said request signal is input from said telephone-exchange-interface-controlling means,

wherein said computer links with said telephone exchange for automatically connecting said receiver telephone to said sender'"'"'s telephone by using said part of data in said received electronic mail when said telephone connection request is input to said computer.

13. A computer as set forth in claim 12, wherein the telephone exchange is a private branch exchange and the telephone of the sender of electronic mail is an extension telephone connected to the private branch exchange.

14. A computer as set forth in claim 12, wherein the telephone of the sender of electronic mail is in a public telephone network.

15. A computer as set forth in claim 12, wherein the transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving electronic mail is connected to a computer network and the electronic mail is transmitted or received via said computer network.

16. A computer as set forth in claim 12, wherein the transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving electronic mail is connected to a telephone line by means of modem and the electronic mail is transmitted or received via the telephone line.