Mail processing device and mail processing program

Abstract

To collect results of a questionnaire using e-mail without depending on e-mail software used by users.SOLUTION: An e-mail processing apparatus 10 specifies, from among e-mail sent from user terminals 20, e-mail containing a standard text or a keyword indicating a request for a reply, as request e-mail, extracts e-mail identification information for identifying the request e-mail from the request e-mail, specifies, from among e-mail replied from the user terminals 20, replies e-mail replied for the request e-mail on the basis of the e-mail identification information, and acquires and aggregates contents of replies from the reply e-mail.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an email processing technique for conducting a survey using email. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, some email software for sending and receiving electronic mail (hereinafter referred to as email) uses a technique for conducting a survey using email. For example, in Non-Patent Document 1, the email software is configured to send an email with a voting button and voting details added to the email body to each voter, obtain and tally the voting results from the reply emails returned in response to the voter's operation of the voting button, and display the survey results on a screen. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Create a poll in Outlook", [online], Microsoft, [searched July 2, 2021], Internet<URL:https: / / support.microsoft.com / ja-jp / office / outlook> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, according to such conventional technology, not only the creator but also the voters must use a specific email software, which means that users who use other email software cannot vote, resulting in a problem that the environment in which the survey can be conducted is limited.

[0005] The present invention is made to solve such problems, and has an object to provide an email processing technique that collects response results using email, without relying on the email software used by the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the mail processing device according to the present invention includes a control unit configured to acquire and aggregate reply contents from reply mails sent in response to request mails for a reply, the control unit comprising: 1. Identifying, from among the emails sent from the user terminal, an email that includes a template or keyword indicating a request for a survey as the request email, extracting email identification information for identifying the request email from the request email and registering the email identification information in a storage unit; Second The system is configured to identify a reply mail sent in response to the request mail based on the mail identification information from the reply mail from the user terminal, and acquire and tally up the reply contents from the reply mail.

[0007] In one configuration example of the mail processing device according to the present invention, the control unit extracts a first message ID for identifying the request mail from the request mail as the mail identification information and registers the extracted first message ID in the storage unit; Second The system is configured to extract a second message ID for identifying the original sent email from the reply email from the user terminal, and if the second message ID matches the first message ID registered in the memory unit, identify the reply email as the response email.

[0008] In one configuration example of the mail processing device according to the present invention, the control unit extracts a destination address of the request mail from the request mail and registers the destination address in the storage unit; SecondThe reply mails specified from among the reply mails from the user terminals are sequentially stored in the storage unit, and when it is confirmed that reply mails have been returned from all destination addresses based on the destination addresses registered in the storage unit, the reply contents are obtained from these reply mails and compiled.

[0009] Further, an email processing program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to function as an email processing device having a control unit configured to acquire and aggregate reply contents from reply emails sent in response to request emails for a reply, the control unit comprising: 1. A step of identifying, from among emails sent from the user terminal, an email that includes a template or keyword indicating a request for a survey as the request email; extracting email identification information for identifying the request email from the request email and registering the email identification information in a storage unit; Second The system executes a step of identifying reply mails sent in response to the request mail based on the mail identification information from among reply mails sent from user terminals, and a step of acquiring reply contents from the reply mails and tallying them up. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an email processing technique for collecting survey results using email, without relying on the email software used by the user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a mail processing device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the questionnaire information. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of the request email. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a main part of the reply email. [Diagram 5]FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the questionnaire result collection process. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing the questionnaire result collection process (continuation). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Mail processing device] First, a mail processing device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mail processing device.

[0013] This mail processing device 10 is configured to monitor mail exchanged between multiple user terminals 20 (#A, #B, #C, #D), such as PCs and smartphones, connected to a subordinate local area network LAN (hereinafter referred to as LAN) via a mail server 30 in a communication network NW, and to obtain and tally up the response contents from response emails sent in reply to request emails requesting responses to questionnaires, etc.

[0014] The present invention is configured to identify as a request email an email that contains a standard phrase or keyword indicating a survey request, and to note that such request email contains email identification information.The invention is configured to identify, from among the reply emails from user terminal 20, a response email that has been replied to the original request email based on the email identification information, and to obtain and tally the response contents from the response email.

[0015] [Configuration of mail processing device] Next, the configuration of the mail processing device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0016] 1, the mail processing device 10 is connected to a path that relays a user terminal 20 connected to a subordinate LAN to a communication network NW such as the Internet. The mail processing device 10 may be configured separately from a network control device such as a UTM (Unified Threat Management) device or a gateway, or may be implemented within these network control devices.

[0017] The mail processing device 10 mainly comprises a network I / F 11, a LAN I / F 12, a storage unit 13, and a control unit 14.

[0018] [Network side I / F] The network side I / F 11 is configured to perform data communication with the communication network NW via the communication line L. [LAN side I / F] The LAN side I / F 12 is configured to perform data communication with the user terminal 20 via the LAN.

[0019] [Storage] The storage unit 13 is generally composed of a storage unit such as a semiconductor memory, and is configured to store various processing information and programs 13P used in mail processing executed by the control unit 14.

[0020] Program 13P is a mail processing program that cooperates with the CPU of control unit 14 to realize various processing units for executing mail processing by control unit 14 and causes the computer to function as a mail processing device. Program 13P is stored in advance in storage unit 13 from an external device or recording medium (neither shown) connected to mail processing device 10 via communication line L or LAN.

[0021] [Message ID list] The main processing information stored in the storage unit 13 includes survey information 13A and answer mail 13B.

[0022] The survey information 13A is list data in which a first message ID for identifying a request email sent from the user terminal 20 and a destination address indicating the destination of the request email are registered as a pair. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of survey information. In the example of Fig. 2, a destination address indicating the destination of the request email is registered for each first message ID.

[0023] The reply mail 13B is a reply mail sent in response to the request mail, and is obtained from the mail server 30 and stored in the storage unit 13 until the time for counting arrives.

[0024] [Control Unit] The control unit 14 can be realized by a computer having a CPU and its peripheral units. The control unit 14 is configured to realize a processing unit that executes various processes of the mail processing device by making the CPU and the program 13P of the storage unit 13 work together.

[0025] The control unit 14 is configured to monitor emails exchanged between multiple user terminals, and acquire and tally up the contents of responses from reply emails sent in response to request emails for responses to a questionnaire or the like.

[0026] Specifically, the control unit 14 is configured to identify, from among the emails sent from the user terminal 20, those that contain a standard phrase or keyword indicating a survey request as request emails, extract email identification information for identifying the request email from the request email, and register the email in the survey information 13A in the memory unit 13.

[0027] In addition, the control unit 14 is configured to identify, from among the reply emails from the user terminal 20, the reply email sent in response to the request email based on the email identification information registered in the survey information 13A, and to obtain and tally the answer contents from the reply email.

[0028] The control unit 14 also extracts a message ID for identifying the request email from the request email as email identification information, and registers it in the survey information 13A of the storage unit 13. The control unit 14 is configured to extract a second message ID for identifying the original sent email from the reply email from the user terminal 20, and if the second message ID matches the first message ID registered in the survey information 13A, to identify the reply email as a response email.

[0029] This allows the reply email to be accurately identified through a relatively simple process. The email identification information is not limited to the message ID, and any information that can identify the email, such as a subject that can be extracted from the email or a sending timestamp, may be used.

[0030] The control unit 14 is also configured to extract the destination address of the request email from the request email and register it in the survey information 13A in the memory unit 13, sequentially accumulate the answer emails identified from the reply emails from the user terminal 20 in the memory unit 13, and when it is confirmed that answer emails have been returned from all destination addresses based on the destination addresses registered in the survey information 13A, or when a certain response rate has been reached, obtain and tally the answer contents from these answer emails.

[0031] This makes it possible to stop waiting for responses to the survey and tally up the responses even before the response deadline set in the request email arrives, for example.

[0032] At this time, the control unit 14 may be configured to acquire and tally up the contents of responses from all response emails stored in the memory unit 13 when a preset response deadline arrives, even if response emails have not been returned from all destination addresses registered in the memory unit 13.

[0033] This makes it possible to stop waiting for responses to the survey and tally up the responses, for example, when the response deadline set in the request email arrives, even if response emails have not been returned from all destination addresses.

[0034] When the control unit 14 confirms that a reminder timing, which is a certain period before the answer deadline based on the answer deadline registered in the survey information 13A, has arrived, it may compare the destination address registered in the survey information 13A with the answer email 13B stored in the storage unit 13 to identify the destination address of the unanswered answer, generate a reminder email for the user terminal 20 of the destination address to reply to the survey, and send it to the mail server 30. This allows the reminder email to be sent automatically, and the response rate can be increased.

[0035] The control unit 14 may be configured to reserve the transfer of the reply mail to the sender of the request mail when the reply mail is stored in the storage unit 13, and transmit all reply mails stored in the storage unit 13 to the sender of the request mail when it is confirmed that reply mails have been returned from all destination addresses registered in the storage unit 13, or when a preset reply deadline has arrived. At this time, each reply mail may be transmitted one by one, or all reply mails may be transmitted together in a single mail.

[0036] [About email headers and message IDs] Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the main part of a request email. The email header of the email has several fields, and in the example of Fig. 3, there are shown a To field, a cc field, and a bcc field in which the destination of the request email is described, a From field in which the sender of the email is described, a Subject field in which the subject of the email is described, a Message-ID field in which a message ID for identifying the email is described, and a Date field in which the email sending timestamp is indicated.

[0037] At this time, the Subject field includes a fixed phrase "◆Questionnaire◆" indicating that the email is a questionnaire request email, and the control unit 14 identifies the request email based on this fixed phrase.

[0038] Also, the content of the questionnaire is described in the email body, and "Attendance / Absence" is specified as an answer option, and the control unit 14 can easily and accurately extract the answer content from the reply email. The reply deadline is specified in the email body, and the control unit 14 can easily determine the arrival of the aggregation timing based on the reply deadline extracted from the request email.

[0039] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the main part of the reply email. In the email header of the reply email, in addition to the aforementioned To field, From field, Subject field, Message-ID field, and Date field, an In-Reply-To field in which the message ID of the original sent email is described is provided. In the example of FIG. 4, in the In-Reply-To field, the message ID "<2021063>0102030aaa@saxa.jp>" of the request email shown in FIG. 3 is described.

[0040] The request email in the present embodiment is the original email first sent from the user terminal 20 and is not a reply email or a forwarded email to any email. Therefore, the first message ID for identifying the request email is unique, and the reply email necessarily includes a second message ID equal to the first message ID of the original request email. Therefore, a reply email including a second message ID that matches the first message ID can be accurately identified as a reply email.

[0041] [Operation of the Present Embodiment] Next, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the operation of the mail processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a questionnaire result collection process. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing the continuation of the questionnaire result collection process.

[0042] Here, an example is described in which a survey request email is sent from user terminal #A to user terminals #B, #C, and #D, and the responses are tallied from the response emails returned from user terminals #B, #C, and #D in response to the survey request email. Note that the number of user terminals 20 is not limited to this.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 5, first, when the control unit 14 of the mail processing device 10 detects a request mail sent from the user terminal #A via the LAN and the LAN side I / F 12 (step 100), the control unit 14 transfers the request mail from the network side I / F 11 to the mail server 30 via the communication line L and the communication network NW (step 101).

[0044] This request mail is temporarily stored in the mail server 30, and then transferred to the user terminals #B, #C, and #D via the communication network NW, the mail processing device 10, and the LAN (step 105).

[0045] Meanwhile, the control unit 14 recognizes that the request email is a survey request email because the subject of the request email contains a preset fixed phrase, and extracts the first message ID and the destination address from the request email (step 102), and registers them in the survey information 13A in the storage unit 13 (step 103). At this time, the control unit 14 extracts the response deadline from the body of the request email, and registers it in the survey information 13A.

[0046] Next, when the control unit 14 detects a reply email returned from the user terminal #B via the LAN and the LAN side I / F 12 (step 110), it transfers the reply email from the network side I / F 11 to the mail server 30 via the communication line L and the communication network NW (step 111).

[0047] Thereafter, when the control unit 14 detects the reply mail forwarded from the mail server 30 via the communication network NW, the communication line L and the network side I / F 11 (step 112), it extracts the second message ID from the reply mail (step 113), refers to the survey information 13A in the memory unit 13 (step 114), and by comparing it with the registered first message ID, determines that the reply mail is a reply mail to the registered original request mail, and suspends the forwarding of the reply mail to terminal #A and stores the reply mail in the memory unit 13 (step 115).

[0048] Next, when the control unit 14 detects a reply email returned from the user terminal #C via the LAN and the LAN side I / F 12 (step 120), it transfers the reply email from the network side I / F 11 to the mail server 30 via the communication line L and the communication network NW (step 121).

[0049] Thereafter, when the control unit 14 detects the reply mail forwarded from the mail server 30 via the communication network NW, the communication line L and the network side I / F 11 (step 122), it extracts the second message ID from the reply mail (step 123), refers to the survey information 13A in the memory unit 13 (step 124), and by comparing it with the registered first message ID, determines that the reply mail is a reply mail to the registered original request mail, and suspends the forwarding of the reply mail to terminal #A and stores the reply mail in the memory unit 13 (step 125).

[0050] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the control unit 14 confirms that the reminder timing, which is a certain period of time before the answer deadline based on the answer deadline registered in the survey information 13A, has arrived (step 130), it compares the destination address registered in the survey information 13A with the answer email 13B stored in the memory unit 13 to identify the destination address of the unanswered item, and generates a reminder email to the user terminal 20 of the destination address, in this example user terminal #D, to reply to the survey, and sends the email to the mail server 30 (step 131).

[0051] This reminder mail is temporarily stored in the mail server 30, and then transferred to the user terminal #D via the communication network NW, the mail processing device 10, and the LAN (step 132). As a result, a reply mail is sent from the user terminal #D.

[0052] When the control unit 14 detects a reply email returned from the user terminal #D via the LAN and the LAN side I / F 12 (step 140), it transfers the reply email from the network side I / F 11 to the mail server 30 via the communication line L and the communication network NW (step 141).

[0053] Next, when the control unit 14 detects the reply email forwarded from the mail server 30 via the communication network NW, the communication line L and the network side I / F 11 (step 142), it extracts the second message ID from the reply email (step 143), refers to the survey information 13A in the memory unit 13 (step 144), and by comparing it with the registered first message ID, determines that the reply email is a reply email to the registered original request email, and suspends the forwarding of the reply email to terminal #A and stores the reply email in the memory unit 13 (step 145).

[0054] When the control unit 14 confirms that the time for collection has arrived based on the response deadline registered in the survey information 13A (step 150), it transfers all response emails 13B stored in the memory unit 13 to the user terminal #A via the LAN side I / F 12 and the LAN (step 151).

[0055] The control unit 14 tally up the responses to the questionnaire from all response emails 13B stored in the memory unit 13 (step 160), generates a tally result email containing the tally obtained results (step 161), and transfers the tally result email from the network side I / F 11 via the communication line L and the communication network NW to the mail server 30 (step 162).

[0056] The aggregated results may be, for example, a list of the options selected by each user who sent a response email, for each user's username, or data obtained by counting the number of times each option was selected for each option listed in the request email.

[0057] This tally result email is temporarily stored in the mail server 30, and then transferred to the user terminal #A via the communication network NW, the mail processing device 10, and the LAN (step 163). As a result, the survey tally result is notified to the user terminal #A.

[0058] This tally result email may be sent not only to user terminal #A, but also to user terminals #B, #C, and #D based on the destination address of the request email. The tally result email may be sent not only to the sender of the request email, but also to the destination. Furthermore, the tally result may be stored in storage unit 13, and the URL may be notified to the sender and destination so that these users can view it at their discretion.

[0059] [Advantages of this embodiment] In this manner, in this embodiment, the control unit 14 of the mail processing device 10 identifies, from among the emails sent from the user terminal 20, those that contain a template or keyword indicating a survey request as request emails, extracts email identification information for identifying the request email from the request email and registers it in the memory unit 13, identifies, from among the reply emails from the user terminal 20, answer emails that have been replied to the request email based on the email identification information, and obtains and tallys the answer contents from the answer emails.

[0060] This allows creators and voters to conduct surveys using email without using email software such as Outlook that includes technology for conducting surveys using email. This significantly simplifies the environment in which the survey can be conducted, making it possible to achieve extremely high versatility.

[0061] [Extended embodiment] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 10...mail processing device, 11...network side I / F, 12...LAN side I / F, 13...memory unit, 13A...survey information, 13B...answer email, 13P...program, 14...control unit, 20...user terminal, 30...mail server, L...communication line, LAN...local area network, NW...communication network.

Claims

1. a control unit configured to acquire and tally up answer contents from answer emails replied to a request email for requesting an answer; The control unit is configured to identify, from among the emails sent from the first user terminal, one that includes a fixed phrase or a keyword indicating a request for a reply as the request email, extract email identification information for identifying the request email from the request email and register it in the storage unit, identify, from among reply emails from the second user terminal, an answer email that has been replied to the request email based on the email identification information, and acquire and tally up the contents of the answers from the answer email.

23. A mail processing device comprising:

2. 2. The mail processing device according to claim 1, The control unit is configured to extract a first message ID for identifying the request email from the request email as the email identification information and register it in the memory unit, extract a second message ID for identifying the original sent email from the reply email from the second user terminal, and if the second message ID matches the first message ID registered in the memory unit, identify the reply email as the reply email.

3. 3. The mail processing device according to claim 1, The control unit is configured to extract the destination address of the request email from the request email and register it in the memory unit, sequentially accumulate the reply emails identified from the reply emails from the second user terminal in the memory unit, and when it is confirmed that reply emails have been returned from all destination addresses based on the destination addresses registered in the memory unit, obtain and compile the reply contents from these reply emails.

4. A program for causing a computer to function as an email processing device having a control unit configured to acquire and aggregate response contents from response emails replied to request emails for responses, The control unit, identifying, from among emails sent from the first user terminal, an email that includes a template or a keyword indicating a request for a reply as the request email; extracting mail identification information for identifying the request mail from the request mail and registering the extracted mail in a storage unit, and identifying a reply mail sent in response to the request mail from among reply mails sent from a second user terminal based on the mail identification information; A step of acquiring and aggregating the contents of the responses from the response emails; A mail processing program that runs

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