BCC Destination Memory Unit for Automatic Email Reply Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face labor-intensive input requirements when replying to emails, as they need to manually enter Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) destinations, which are not automatically populated like TO or CC destinations when using the 'reply' or 'reply to all' buttons.

Innovation Solution

A communication device with a BCC destination memory unit that stores past BCC destinations associated with mail data, a determination module to identify reply emails containing these BCCs, and a mail data generation module that automatically includes the stored BCCs in the reply email, reducing user input labor.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the reply button or reply to all button is selected, then the TO destination and CC destination are automatically inputted, but the BCC destination is not inputted and requires manual entry

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic population of email destinationsVSAvoidmanual input requirement for BCC destination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system stores the BCC destination in advance when the original email is sent, and automatically retrieves and populates it when a reply is generated. This preliminary storage and automatic retrieval eliminates the need for manual re-entry of the BCC destination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically identifies and populates the BCC destination field without requiring user intervention. The mail generation unit self-services by retrieving the stored BCC destination and filling it in, making the process autonomous and eliminating manual input labor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the user manually inputs the BCC destination every time, then the email can be sent correctly, but the user labor increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorrect email delivery to BCC destinationVSAvoiduser time spent on manual input

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a copy of the BCC destination information from the original email and uses it in the reply email. Instead of requiring the user to re-enter the destination, the system copies the stored BCC destination and populates it automatically, maintaining reliability while eliminating manual input time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If the BCC destination is stored and automatically populated, then user labor is reduced, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemail reply generation efficiencyVSAvoidsystem structure with BCC destination memory and determination modules

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mail generation unit performs multiple functions: it generates the reply email content, identifies the original email's BCC destination, retrieves the stored BCC destination, and populates the reply email. By making this unit multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining productivity benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10091156B2Transmission device that determines a received mail is a reply to a previously sent mail and generates a mail having a BCC recipient

Publication Date: 2018.10.02 KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A communication device is provided which includes a transmission unit, a BCC memory unit, a reception unit, a determination module, an accepting module and a mail generation module. The BCC memory unit stores the BCC destination of the mail sent in the past while being associated with the mail. The determination module determines whether or not a mail that the reception unit receives is a reply mail to the mail including the BCC destination that the transmission unit sent in the past. The mail generation module generates a mail addressed to sending destinations to which the BCC destination stored in the BCC destination memory unit while being associated with a mail of a reply source is added in addition to a sending destination that the accepting module accepts for the mail determined to be a reply mail to the mail including the BCC destination and sent in the past.