Relay device and relay method

Abstract

To make it harder for an email to be sent to an inappropriate address.SOLUTION: A relay device 1 includes a receiving processing unit 131 that receives a first e-mail from a first information terminal 2-1 and stores mail identification information for identifying the first e-mail in a memory unit 12, an instruction accepting unit 132 that accepts an instruction to correct at least one first address included in the first e-mail to a second address in association with the mail identification information, a correction unit 133 that corrects the first address included in the second e-mail to the second address when a second e-mail including the mail identification information is received from the second information terminal 2-3 after the instruction accepting unit 132 accepts the instruction, and a sending processing unit 134 that sends the second e-mail corrected by the correction unit 133 to the second address.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a relay device and a relay method for relaying e-mail. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a communication device that allows a user to easily contact the sender of an e-mail that has been sent to an incorrect address (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-108485 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] If an email sent to an incorrect destination address contains multiple addresses, and the recipient sends a reply containing all the addresses, the reply will also be sent to the incorrect destination address. This results in a problem where a large number of emails are sent to inappropriate destination addresses.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and has an object to make it difficult for e-mails to be sent to inappropriate addresses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a relay device that receives a first e-mail from a first information terminal and stores in a memory unit mail identification information for identifying the first e-mail; an instruction receiving unit that receives an instruction to correct at least one first address included in the first e-mail to a second address in association with the mail identification information; a correction unit that corrects the first address included in the second e-mail to the second address when a second e-mail including the mail identification information is received from a second information terminal after the instruction receiving unit has accepted the instruction; and a transmission processing unit that transmits the second e-mail after the correction by the correction unit to the second address.

[0007] The receiving processing unit may store the first e-mail in the memory unit in association with the e-mail identification information, the correction unit may correct the first address contained in the first e-mail to the second address after the instruction receiving unit receives the instruction, and the sending processing unit may send the first e-mail after being corrected by the correction unit to the second address.

[0008] The transmission processing unit may notify at least one of the sender address of the first e-mail and an address other than the first address contained in the first e-mail that the first address has been corrected to the second address.

[0009] When the instruction receiving unit receives the instruction from an address other than the first address, the transmission processing unit may notify the first address that the first email was sent in error.

[0010] The instruction receiving unit may receive the instruction including the email identification information, the first address to be corrected, and the second address after the correction.

[0011] A relay method of a second aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: receiving, by a computer, an instruction to correct at least one first address contained in a first e-mail received from a first information terminal to a second address in association with mail identification information for identifying the first e-mail; when, after receiving the instruction, a second e-mail including the mail identification information is received from a second information terminal, correcting the first address contained in the second e-mail to the second address; and sending the corrected second e-mail to the second address. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively prevent e-mails from being sent to inappropriate addresses. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a relay device 1. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an email to be sent. [Diagram 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a relay device 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in a storage unit 12. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing a process flow in the relay device 1. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram showing a communication sequence between a relay device 1 and a plurality of information terminals 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] [Overview of relay device 1] 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a relay device 1. The relay device 1 is a device, such as a computer, that relays emails transmitted and received between multiple information terminals 2. The relay device 1 may be included in a mail server, or may be a computer different from the mail server.

[0015] The information terminal 2 has a function for a user to create and send e-mail, such as a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. In Fig. 1, information terminals 2-1 to 2-4 used by users U1, U2, U3, and U4 are shown as information terminals 2 to which the relay device 1 relays e-mail via the network, but the number of information terminals 2 to which the relay device 1 relays e-mail is arbitrary.

[0016] When the relay device 1 receives a notification from a user who has received an e-mail that the e-mail was sent to an incorrect address (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "first address"), along with a notification of the correct address (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "second address"), the relay device 1 stores the first address, the second address, and mail identification information (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "mail ID") for identifying the e-mail in association with each other. The mail ID is, for example, the Message-ID attached to the e-mail, but the subject of the e-mail or other information may also be used as the mail ID.

[0017] After storing the first address, the second address, and the mail ID, when the relay device 1 receives an e-mail containing the stored mail ID, the relay device 1 replaces the first address contained in the e-mail as a destination with the second address and then sends the e-mail. This prevents e-mails containing an incorrect address from being continuously sent and received.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an e-mail to be sent. Below, an overview of the operation of the relay device 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 1, it is assumed that the information terminal 2-1 first sends an e-mail ((1) in Fig. 1). Here, it is assumed that when user U1 intended to send an e-mail to users U3 and U4, user U1 mistakenly sent the e-mail shown in Fig. 2(a) (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "misdirected e-mail") to the addresses of users U2 and U3.

[0019] The erroneously sent email sent from information terminal 2-1 is sent to information terminal 2-2 and information terminal 2-3 via relay device 1 ((2) in FIG. 1). Now, assume that user U2 using information terminal 2-2 realizes based on the contents of the erroneously sent email that the erroneously sent email should have been sent to user U4, who has an address similar to that of user U2. In this case, based on an instruction from user U2, information terminal 2-2 sends information indicating that the received erroneously sent email was sent by mistake, the incorrect first address, and the correct second address to relay device 1 ((3) in FIG. 1).

[0020] As an example, the information terminal 2-2 transmits the incorrect first address (U2@abc.com) and the correct second address (U4@abc.com) to the address of the relay device 1 together with the erroneously sent email or the email ID of the erroneously sent email, based on the instruction of the user U2. The address of the relay device 1 is, for example, the URL of the relay device 1 that the relay device 1 adds to the email sent by the relay device 1. The user U2 may write the first address and the second address in the email body, or may write the first address and the second address in the subject of the email. Based on the instruction of the user U2, the information terminal 2-2 may display a screen for reporting the erroneously sent email, and transmit the first address and the second address entered on the displayed screen to the relay device 1. The relay device 1 stores the email ID, the first address, and the second address transmitted from the information terminal 2-2 in association with each other as the correction target.

[0021] Next, the relay device 1 notifies the information terminal 2-1, which is the sender of the erroneously sent email, and the information terminal 2-3, which corresponds to an address other than the first address in the erroneously sent email, that there was an error in the sent email ((4) in FIG. 1). The relay device 1 may notify the information terminals 2-1 and 2-3 that the address of the erroneously sent email has already been corrected. By providing such a notification, when user U2 has made the correction, user U1 or user U3 does not need to make the correction.

[0022] The relay device 1 also transmits the erroneously sent email after the address has been corrected to the information terminal 2-4 corresponding to the second address ((5) in FIG. 1). By transmitting the erroneously sent email after the address has been corrected to the information terminal 2-4, even if the erroneously sent email does not include the second address, the user U4 to whom user U1 intended to send the email can understand the contents of the erroneously sent email.

[0023] Thereafter, assume that user U3, unaware that the first address listed in the erroneously sent email is incorrect, sends a reply email shown in FIG. 2(b) to user U1 and user U2 to all addresses listed in the erroneously sent email ((6) in FIG. 1). The relay device 1 receives the reply email, and if the received reply email contains the message ID and first address stored as the address to be corrected, replaces the first address with the second address and then sends the reply email shown in FIG. 2(c) ((7) in FIG. 1). In the example shown in FIG. 1, the relay device 1 sends reply emails to information terminal 2-1, which is the sender of the erroneously sent email, and to information terminal 2-4, which corresponds to the second address.

[0024] By operating the relay device 1 as described above, even if an erroneously sent email is sent with an incorrect first address, a reply email to the erroneously sent email will not include the first address, but will include the correct second address. As a result, it is possible to prevent emails that should not be delivered from being continuously sent to the information terminal 2-2 corresponding to the incorrect first address.

[0025] [Configuration of relay device 1] 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the relay device 1. The relay device 1 has a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The control unit 13 has a reception processing unit 131, an instruction acceptance unit 132, a correction unit 133, and a transmission processing unit 134.

[0026] The communication unit 11 is a communication interface for transmitting and receiving e-mails to and from a plurality of information terminals 2. The communication unit 11 inputs received e-mails to the reception processing unit 131, and transmits the input e-mails from the transmission processing unit 134. Furthermore, when the communication unit 11 receives an instruction from the information terminal 2 to correct the first address to the second address, the communication unit 11 inputs the received instruction to the instruction receiving unit 132.

[0027] The storage unit 12 has storage media such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 12 stores a program executed by the control unit 13. The storage unit 12 also stores an e-mail received by the communication unit 11 in association with a mail ID. The storage unit 12 also stores a first address that needs to be corrected, a corrected second address, and a mail ID in association with each other.

[0028] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in storage unit 12. In Fig. 4, a message ID, an address before correction (first address), and an address after correction (second address) are associated with each other. As shown in the example of Fig. 4, the address after correction may be an address of the same domain as the address before correction, or may be an address of a different domain from the address after correction.

[0029] The control unit 13 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 13 executes a program stored in the storage unit 12 to function as a reception processing unit 131, an instruction receiving unit 132, a correction unit 133, and a transmission processing unit 134.

[0030] The receiving process unit 131 receives a first e-mail from one information terminal 2 (first information terminal) via the communication unit 11, and stores a mail ID for identifying the first e-mail in the storage unit 12. The receiving process unit 131 may store the body of the first e-mail in the storage unit 12 in association with the mail ID of the first e-mail received from the information terminal 2-1, for example.

[0031] The instruction receiving unit 132 receives an instruction to correct at least one first address included in the first e-mail to a second address in association with the mail ID. The instruction receiving unit 132 receives a correction instruction including a mail ID, a first address to be corrected, and a second address after the correction. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the address of user U2 included in the first e-mail sent by user U1 is the erroneously written first address, and the instruction receiving unit 132 receives an instruction from the information terminal 2-2 via the communication unit 11 to correct the address of user U2 to the address of user U4. The instruction receiving unit 132 may receive an instruction from an information terminal 2 other than the information terminal 2-2.

[0032] The instruction receiving unit 132 may not accept the correction instruction if the mail ID included in the correction instruction is not stored in the storage unit 12. In this case, the instruction receiving unit 132 may transmit a notification that the mail ID is incorrect to the information terminal 2 that transmitted the correction instruction. By operating the instruction receiving unit 132 in this manner, it is possible to prevent the contents of an inappropriate correction instruction from being stored in the storage unit 12.

[0033] When a second e-mail including a mail ID stored in storage unit 12 as a correction target is received from a second information terminal different from the first information terminal after instruction receiving unit 132 receives an instruction, correction unit 133 corrects the first address included in the second e-mail to the second address. The second information terminal is, for example, information terminal 2 included in the destination of the first e-mail, and in the example shown in FIG. 1, information terminal 2-3 is the second information terminal.

[0034] When the correction unit 133 receives the second e-mail, it determines whether or not the first address and the second address are stored in the storage unit 12 in association with the mail ID included in the received second e-mail. When it determines that the first address and the second address are stored in the storage unit 12 in association with the mail ID included in the second e-mail, the correction unit 133 corrects the first address included in the second e-mail to the second address, and notifies the transmission processing unit 134 of the corrected second e-mail.

[0035] The transmission processing unit 134 transmits the second e-mail corrected by the correction unit 133 to the second address. If the second e-mail contains addresses other than the first address, the transmission processing unit 134 transmits the corrected second e-mail to the addresses other than the first address as well as to the second address.

[0036] By causing each part of the control unit 13 to operate as described above, it is possible to prevent a second e-mail, which is a reply e-mail to a first e-mail with an incorrect destination address, from being sent to an incorrect destination after the first e-mail has been sent.

[0037] However, if the first e-mail does not reach the destination to which the sender of the first e-mail intended to send the first e-mail, the user of the destination will not receive the necessary information. Therefore, after the instruction receiving unit 132 receives an instruction, the correction unit 133 may correct the first address included in the first e-mail to the second address, and the transmission processing unit 134 may transmit the first e-mail corrected by the correction unit 133 to the second address. By the control unit 13 operating in this manner, the user U4 in the example shown in FIG. 1 can understand the contents of the first e-mail that was erroneously sent to the user U2.

[0038] The transmission processing unit 134 may notify at least one of the sender address of the first e-mail and the address other than the first address contained in the first e-mail that the first address has been corrected to the second address. At this time, the transmission processing unit 134 may notify that the first address in e-mails containing the same e-mail ID will be automatically replaced with the second address.

[0039] 1, the transmission processing unit 134 transmits e-mails to the information terminals 2-1 and 2-3 indicating that the erroneously written address of user U2 will be corrected to the address of user U4. By transmitting such a notification by the transmission processing unit 134, even if user U1 who sent the first e-mail or user U3 who received the first e-mail notices that the address of user U2 is incorrect, user U1 or user U3 does not need to carry out a process to correct the first address to the second address.

[0040] When the instruction receiving unit 132 receives a correction instruction from an address other than the first address, the transmission processing unit 134 may notify the first address that the first e-mail was sent by mistake. That is, when the instruction receiving unit 132 receives a correction instruction from a user (e.g., user U3) different from the user corresponding to the first address (e.g., user U2), the transmission processing unit 134 notifies the user corresponding to the first address that the first e-mail was sent by mistake. By transmitting such a notification by the transmission processing unit 134, it is possible to prevent user U2, to whom the first e-mail was sent by mistake, from misunderstanding that the first e-mail was sent to him / herself when he / she does not realize that the first e-mail was sent by mistake.

[0041] [Processing flow in relay device 1] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the relay device 1. The flowchart shown in Fig. 5 starts from the point in time when the user U1 sends the first e-mail.

[0042] When the reception processing unit 131 receives a first e-mail (S11), the reception processing unit 131 stores the first e-mail in the storage unit 12 in association with the mail ID of the received first e-mail (S12).

[0043] Thereafter, when the instruction receiving unit 132 acquires a correction instruction (S13), the instruction receiving unit 132 associates the mail ID included in the correction instruction with the incorrect first address and the correct second address and stores them in the storage unit 12 (S14). Then, the transmission processing unit 134 notifies the sender that the first address has been corrected to the second address (S15). At this time, the transmission processing unit 134 may notify the address included in the destination of the first e-mail that the first address has been corrected to the second address.

[0044] Furthermore, the transmission processing unit 134 transmits the first e-mail after correcting the first address to the second address to the second address (S16). The transmission processing unit 134 may transmit the first e-mail after correcting the first address to the second address to all addresses included in the first e-mail other than the first address. At this time, the transmission processing unit 134 may notify that an address included in the previously transmitted first e-mail contained an error in part, and therefore the address has been corrected and resent.

[0045] Thereafter, when the reception processing unit 131 receives a second e-mail including the mail ID stored in the storage unit 12 in association with the first address and the second address (S17), the correction unit 133 determines whether or not there is an error in the destination of the second e-mail (S18). Specifically, the correction unit 133 determines whether or not the first address stored in the storage unit 12 in association with the mail ID included in the second e-mail is included in the second e-mail.

[0046] If the correction unit 133 determines that the second e-mail contains the first address and that the destination is incorrect (YES in S18), it corrects the destination by replacing the first address with the second address (S19). The transmission processing unit 134 transmits the corrected second e-mail (S20). If the correction unit 133 determines that the destination is not incorrect in S18 (NO in S18), it proceeds to S21.

[0047] The control unit 13 repeats the processes from S17 to S21 until the predetermined period has elapsed (NO in S21). The predetermined period is, for example, a period set by an administrator of the relay device 1. The predetermined period is, for example, a period of one month from the transmission of the first e-mail until the second e-mail may be transmitted. Setting such a predetermined period prevents the amount of e-mails that the memory unit 12 needs to store from increasing too much.

[0048] [Communication sequence] 6 is a diagram showing a communication sequence between the relay device 1 and a plurality of information terminals 2. The sequence diagram shown in FIG. 6 corresponds to the flow of the process described in FIG.

[0049] When the information terminal 2-1 sends the first e-mail, the relay device 1 that receives the first e-mail sends the first e-mail to the information terminals 2-2 and 2-3 that are the destinations of the first e-mail. When a user U2 who uses the information terminal 2-2 notices that the address included in the first e-mail is incorrect and issues a correction instruction, the information terminal 2-2 sends a correction instruction to the relay device 1.

[0050] When the relay device 1 receives the correction instruction, it stores the correction target including the mail ID, the first address, and the second address in the storage unit 12. Then, the relay device 1 transmits a correction notification indicating that the correction has been made to the information terminals 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3. In addition, the relay device 1 transmits a first corrected email in which the first address included in the first email has been corrected to the second address to the information terminals 2-3 and 2-4, which are the original destinations of the first email.

[0051] Thereafter, when the second e-mail, which is a reply e-mail to the first e-mail, is created in the information terminal 2-3, the relay device 1 corrects the first address, which is the destination included in the second e-mail, to the second address. The relay device 1 transmits the second corrected e-mail, in which the first address included in the second e-mail has been corrected to the second address, to the information terminal 2-1 and the information terminal 2-4.

[0052] [Effects of relay device 1] As described above, the relay device 1 includes an instruction receiving unit 132 that receives an instruction to correct at least one first address included in a received first e-mail to a second address in association with a mail ID, and a correction unit 133 that corrects the first address included in the second e-mail to the second address when a second e-mail including a mail ID is received after the instruction receiving unit 132 receives the instruction. By configuring the relay device 1 in this way, it is possible to prevent a reply e-mail to an e-mail having an error in a destination address from being continuously sent to an incorrect and inappropriate address.

[0053] As described above, the relay device 1 may be a device different from the mail server. In this case, the relay device 1 transmits and receives e-mails to and from a plurality of information terminals 2 via the mail server. In this case, the above-mentioned functions and effects are also obtained.

[0054] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, all or part of the device can be configured by distributing or integrating functionally or physically in any unit. In addition, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effect of the new embodiment resulting from the combination combines the effect of the original embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1. Relay device 2. Information terminal 11 Communications Department 12 Storage section 13 Control section 131 Receiving processing unit 132 Instruction Reception Department 133 Corrections Department 134 Transmission processing unit

Claims

1. a reception processing unit that receives a first email from a first information terminal and stores email identification information for identifying the first email in a storage unit; an instruction receiving unit that receives an instruction to correct at least one first address included in the first email to a second address in association with the mail identification information; a correction unit that corrects the first address included in the second e-mail to the second address when a second e-mail including the mail identification information is received from a second information terminal after the instruction reception unit has received the instruction; and a transmission processing unit that transmits the second e-mail corrected by the correction unit to the second address; A relay device having the above configuration.

2. The receiving processing unit stores the first email in the storage unit in association with the email identification information; the correction unit corrects the first address included in the first email to the second address after the instruction reception unit receives the instruction; the transmission processing unit transmits the first email corrected by the correction unit to the second address. The relay device according to claim 1 .

3. the transmission processing unit notifies at least one of a sender address of the first e-mail and an address other than the first address included in the first e-mail that the first address has been corrected to the second address; The relay device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the instruction receiving unit receives the instruction from an address other than the first address, the transmission processing unit notifies the first address that the first electronic mail was sent in error. The relay device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. the instruction receiving unit receives the instruction including the email identification information, the first address to be corrected, and the second address after the correction. The relay device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The computer executes receiving an instruction to correct at least one first address included in the first email to a second address in association with email identification information for identifying the first email received from a first information terminal; when a second email including the mail identification information is received from a second information terminal after receiving the instruction, correcting the first address included in the second email to the second address; sending the corrected second email to the second address; The relay method has the following features.

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