`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`EX. GOOG 1007
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`United- States Patent [19]
`Morikawa
`
`|lllllIlllllllIllllllllllllllllllllll|||ll|ll||llllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`5,613,108
`Mar. 18, 1997
`
`US005613108A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`[54] ELECTRONIC MAIL PROCESSING SYSTEM
`AND ELECTRONIC MAIL PROCESSING
`METHOD
`
`[75] Inventor: Takashi Morikawa, Nishinomiya,
`Japan
`
`[73] Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha,
`Osaka, Japan
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 198,900
`[22] Filed:
`Feb. 18, 1994
`[30]
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Feb. 24, 1993
`
`[JP]
`
`Japan .................................. .. 5-035273
`
`[51] Int. Cl.6 ........................................ .. G06F 17/30
`
`[52] US. Cl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _
`
`. . . . . .. 393/616; 379/93
`
`[58] Field of Search ............................. .. 395/600; 379/93;
`364/419
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,208,748
`5,379,340
`
`5/1993 Flores et a1. .......................... .. 364/419
`1/1995 Overend .................................. .. 379/93
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4129446 4/1992 Japan .
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`PTO Of?ce of Integrated Software Systems, “Microsoft
`Mail for Windows, a guide to using MS Mail on PTOnet”,
`May 1993.
`
`Primary Examiner—Thomas G. Black
`Assistant Examiner—Cheryl Lewis
`Attorney, Agent, or Finn—Price, Gess & Ubell
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`An electronic mail system in which a mail management
`method is improved in order to reduce the complexity and
`labour of handling transmitted information so that its con
`venience is increased. In an electronic mail system in which
`a plurality of data processing systems exchange messages
`through mailboxes MB utilizing the stored and forward
`system, the data processing system which receives a mail M
`transferred from the mailbox MB is provided with an
`electronic mail terminal utility. When the data processing
`system receives the mail M, the electronic mail terminal
`utility classi?es a data ?le written in the mail M according
`to speci?c data contained in the mail M and stores the data
`?le in an appropriate folder based on a result of the classi
`?cation.
`
`20 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
`
`_l_ ELECTRONIC MAIL SYSTEM
`
`HOST
`2 “* (M‘AILB OX
`
`3
`
`M
`
`MANAGER) éw
`
`ELECTRONIC
`ELECTRONIC
`MAIL TERMINAL ~5 MAIL TERMINAL ~5
`UTILITY
`UTILITY
`
`€§§$€£AIL
`
`USER MAIL‘ ~ 6
`SERVER
`
`FOLDER TABLE
`
`Fm MESSAGE
`F0
`FOLDER
`SHARED
`FOLDER
`
`F l
`DEDICATED
`F2
`FOLDER
`I
`DEDICATED
`OLDER
`I
`
`g
`
`F3
`
`TED
`
`F OLDER TABLE
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 18, 1997
`
`Sheet 1 of 8
`
`5,613,108
`
`Fig. 1
`
`_1__ ELECTRONIC MAIL SYSTEM
`
`(MAILBOX
`MANAGER)
`
`ELECTRONIC
`MAIL TERMINAL 5
`UTILITY
`
`ELECTRONIC
`MAIL TERMINAL 5
`UTILITY
`
`6
`
`L
`ER
`ISJERVERAI
`
`C
`
`Fm
`
`IMESSAGE I
`
`FOLDER
`
`USER MAIL 6
`SERVER__
`
`F0
`
`' FOLDER TABLE
`
`SHARED
`FOLDER
`
`F 1
`
`FOLDER
`
`F2
`
`IDEDICATEDI
`
`DEDICATED
`FOLDER
`
`DEDICATED
`FOLDER
`
`FOLDER TABLE
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 18, 1997
`
`Sheet 2 of 8
`
`5,613,108
`
`Fig.2
`
`(
`
`MA, d,
`
`ME
`
`MAIL ENVELOP
`
`PART
`
`__
`
`v
`,U CONTENT PART
`MC FIEEDIIZIEGSSAGE "'-
`:
`INFO MATION) E
`6
`'-.
`A}? + HF '
`ATTACHMENT .
`FILE D ATA
`i‘
`‘INFO MON) 5;
`
`SERIAL NO.
`
`D 1
`
`POSTAL INDICATIONS
`
`D2
`
`MAIL NAME
`ADDRESSER'S
`IDENTIFICATION CODE
`ADDRESSEE'S
`IDENTIFICATION CODE
`
`D3
`D4
`
`D5
`
`D6
`SENDING DATE
`D7
`MAIL LENGTH
`NUMBER OF ATTACHMENT D8
`FILES
`
`ATTACHMENT FILE NAME D9
`
`FILE ATTRIBUTE
`
`D10
`
`'3 ATTACHMENT FILE LENGT D11
`
`SPECIFIED FOLDER NAME D12
`
`RE UEST FOR CREATING
`A N W FOLDER
`
`D13
`
`-- I--
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 18, 1997
`
`SIIeet 3 of 8
`
`5,613,108
`
`#10
`
`SELECTING
`FUNCTION
`IN MENU
`
`CREATING
`A MAIL
`#11 WRITE MAIL NAME I
`
`#12 WRITE
`
`>2
`RECEIVING
`ENVIRONMENT
`SETTING
`COMPLETED
`TRANSMITTED
`#21
`DISPLAY A LIST I
`
`#22 EESTPAEPOR
`
`EDITING
`PROCESSING
`
`EDITING
`
`COMPLETED
`
`TRANSMITTING
`' INSTRUCTION
`XISTS?
`
`DATA FOR
`TRANSMISSION
`EXISTS?
`
`ES
`
`WRITE SENDING
`DATE
`
`PROCESSING
`
`TRANSMITTING
`PROCESSING
`
`#17 CALCULATE DATA
`LENGTH OF EACH
`PART OF MAIL
`
`#18v STORE MAIL IN
`TRANSMITTING
`FOLDER
`
`I
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`m
`
`7w
`
`Sheet 4 of 8
`
`5,613,108
`
`
`
`
`
`ompmdzouezmzzomSzmozEmummav.5
`
`
`
`aozammuommMQZmozEmomm
`
`A3%
`
`ozwfimm2%HQ
`
`022me
`
`zoEmzovoz
`
`oszmmuoEmg
`
`mHmeij/wMAE
`
`PZNEEU<FH<
`
`UZHmmmUOME
`
`Em
`
`FZWEIU/wfixx
`
`Mummzaflg
`
`QEmHUmmm
`
`mmqum
`
`OHmAE
`
`EX. GOOG 1007
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 18, 1997
`Fig. 5
`
`Sheet 5 of 8
`
`5,613,108
`
`ATTACHMENT FILE
`REGISTER PROCESSING
`
`#161
`REGISTER ATTACHMENT
`
`FOLDER
`SPECIFICATION
`
`REGISTER SPECIFIED
`FOLDER NAME
`
`REQUEST FOR
`CREATING
`FOLDER
`XISTS ?
`
`#165
`YES
`REGISTER RE UEST FOR
`CREATING NE FOLDER
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 18, 1997
`
`Sheet 6 of 8
`
`5,613,108
`
`Fig. 6
`
`ATTACHMENT FILE
`ANALYSIS PROCESSING
`
`NO
`
`#341
`FOLDER
`SPECIFICATION
`XISTS ?
`
`#342
`SPECIFIED
`FOLDER
`
`YES
`#343
`SET FOLDER TO WHICH
`ATTACHMENT FILE
`TRANSFERRED
`
`#348
`READ HEADER OF
`ATTACHMENT FILE
`
`#349 SEARCH FOLDER
`
`HEADER
`EXISTS
`N TABLE ‘.7
`
`#351
`
`“ READ CORRESPONDINGI
`FOLDER NAME
`#352
`v
`SET FOLDER TO WHICH
`ATTACHMENT FILE
`TRANSFERRED
`
`#345
`RE UEST FOR
`CRE TING NEW
`OLDER EXISTS '2
`
`NO
`
`#346
`
`Y ES
`
`I CREATE FOLDER I
`
`#347
`DELETE SPECIFIED
`FOLDER
`
`3
`
`NEXT
`ATTACHMENT
`ILE EXISTS ?
`
`NO
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 18, 1997
`
`Sheet 7 of 8
`
`5,613,108
`
`Fig. 7
`
`l FOLDER TAB LE
`Att
`3
`FOLDER
`HEADER CODE STRINGS
`(FILE ATTRIB UTE INFORMATION) NAME
`0C
`1B
`57
`5O
`31
`FOLDER 1
`0C
`1B
`43
`4B
`31
`FOLDER 2
`
`0C
`
`1B
`
`2D
`
`46
`
`31
`
`FOLDER 3
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`US. Patent
`
`Mar. 18,1997
`
`Sheet 8 0f 8
`
`5,613,108 A
`
`Fig. 8
`
`CONDITION
`DEFINING
`PROCESSING
`
`INPUT OF
`TABLE
`INFORMATION
`EXISTS ‘.7
`
`NO
`
`FOLDER
`ATTRIB UTE
`INFORMATION
`REGISTERED ?
`
`#415
`REGISTER FILE
`ATTRIB UTE
`INFORMATION
`
`#416
`CREATE FOLDER
`
`#414
`REGISTER FOLDER
`NAME
`
`@
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`1
`ELECTRONIC MAIL PROCESSING SYSTEM
`AND ELECTRONIC MAIL PROCESSING
`METHOD
`
`5,613,108
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`( 1) Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to an electronic mail pro
`cessing system and electronic mail processing method.
`(2) Related Arts
`Data communication called “electronic mail” in which a
`store and forward system is adopted is widely made through
`various networks such as local area networks and private
`communication networks.
`An electronic mail system is generally composed of a host
`processor undertaking the management of electronic mail
`boxes and a plurality of computer systems with the function
`of transmitting and receiving mails. A mail, which is one unit
`of transmitted data, consists of an envelop part containing
`control information such as a user’s address and postal
`indications; and a content part containing optional informa
`tion which is the main information of transmitted data.
`Control information in the envelop part is used when the
`host processor performs mail transfer processing and the
`format (the arrangement of data) of the envelop part is ?xed
`in the system.
`Optional information in the content part is classi?ed into
`message information such as messages to be conveyed from
`one end user to another and data information such as
`programs and numerical data. Usually, when data informa
`tion is transmitted, message information is also transmitted
`as a “transmission notice” and in such a case, the content
`part consists of one or a plurality of heading ?les corre
`sponding to the message information and one or a plurality
`of data ?les corresponding to the data information. In this
`case, each of the data ?les is incorporated in a mail, being
`attached to the heading ?le, and the data ?le is, therefore,
`called “attachment ?le”.
`In a known electronic mail system, a computer system
`(hereinafter referred to as “receiving terminal”) which
`receives a mail from a host processor stores a mail in a
`receiving folder (storage area) irrespective of the contents of
`the mail.
`The operator for the receiving terminal (a user operating
`the receiving terminal) looks at a list of mails stored in the
`receiving folder at a convenient time and accesses a desired
`mail to see its contents. If there is an attachment ?le, the
`operator instructs “folder changing”, i.e., transferring of an
`attachment ?le from the receiving folder (shared folder) to
`a dedicated folder. At that time, the operator identi?es the
`?le attribute of the attachment ?le from message information
`(e.g., a ?le name or addressee’s name) and speci?es a
`dedicated folder suited for the identi?ed ?le attribute.
`In such a system, the classi?cation of ?le attributes is at
`the discretion of the operator and the operator can prelimi'
`narily create dedicated folders in consideration of the work
`ing situation of the system. For example, if the ?le is created
`by using applications software which allows the user to
`create attachment ?les, the ?le will be transferred to a
`dedicated folder for word-processing software and if the ?le
`is created by using worksheet software, it will be transferred
`to a dedicated folder for worksheet software.
`When a plurality of users operate receiving terminals, for
`example, in an o?ice, a dedicated folder is provided for
`
`10
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`2
`every hierarchically classi?ed item, that is, each user has his
`own dedicated folders.
`Since attachment ?les are thus sorted by the use of the
`dedicated ?les, when the operator carries out, later on, a
`speci?c type of work such as word-processing, invoicing or
`accounting using particular applications software, the
`attachment ?les can be easily accessed by the applications
`software and therefore the operational e?iciency of the
`system increases. Even if there are a plurality of users, each
`user can readily access his attachment ?le.
`Such an electronic mail system makes it more convenient
`to use information received in the form of attachment ?les.
`Such a conventional system, however, presents the dis
`advantage that sorting of attachment ?les is not executed
`until the operator’s instruction is released and the operator
`has to take the burden of doing many works at the time of
`sorting, such as accessing a mail, con?rming message infor
`mation, identifying the attribute of each attachment ?le,
`selecting a dedicated folder for each attachment ?le and
`instructing a transfer of an attachment ?le to the dedicated
`?le which has been selected.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`A prime object of the invention is therefore to reduce the
`complexity and labour of handling transmitted information
`such as data information, thereby increasing the conve
`nience of an electronic mail system.
`The above object is ful?lled by an electronic mail pro
`cessing system comprising a receiving device for receiving
`an electronic mail from a host processor which undertakes
`the management of mailboxes, a plurality of folders for
`storing an electronic mail, and a management device for
`classifying a data ?le written in the received electronic mail
`in accordance with speci?c data included in the electronic
`mail, and selecting a folder for storing the data ?le in
`accordance with a result of the classi?cation.
`The electronic mail received by the receiving device may
`comprise an envelop part containing control information
`used for transmission processing performed by the host
`processor and a content part containing main information to
`be transmitted, the data ?le and the speci?c data may be
`contained in the content part, and the management device
`may comprise a data ?le extraction unit for extracting the
`data ?le from the content part and a folder selection unit for
`classifying the extracted data ?le in accordance with the
`speci?c data, and selecting a folder for storing the data ?le
`in accordance with a result of the classi?cation.
`The data ?le to be classi?ed may be an attachment ?le
`attached to a heading ?le containing message information,
`and the data ?le extraction unit may be an attachment ?le
`extraction unit for discriminating between the heading ?le
`and the attachment ?le which are contained in the content
`part and extracting the attachment ?le from the content part.
`The speci?c data may be ?le attribute information con
`tained in the attachment ?le, the management device may
`include a ?le attribute information extraction unit for
`extracting the ?le attribute information from the attachment
`?le extracted by the attachment ?le extraction unit, and the
`folder selection unit may include a table for showing the
`association between the ?le attribute information and folders
`and a table search unit for searching the table in accordance
`with the extracted ?le attribute information to classify the
`attachment ?le.
`The electronic mail received by the receiving device may
`comprise an envelop part which contains control informa
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`3
`tion used for transmission processing performed by the host
`processor and whose format is ?xed, and a content part
`containing main information to be transmitted, the speci?c
`data may be folder speci?cation information written in the
`envelop part, and the management device may include a
`folder selection unit for classifying the data ?le based on the
`folder speci?cation information written in the envelop part
`and selecting a folder for storing the data ?le in accordance
`with a result of the classi?cation.
`The management device may further include a folder
`creating unit for creating a new folder if the folder selected
`by the folder selection unit does not exist.
`The data ?le to be classi?ed may be an attachment ?le
`attached to a heading ?le containing message information,
`and the management device may include an attachment ?le
`extraction unit for discriminating between the heading ?le
`and the attachment ?le which are contained in the content
`part and extracting the attachment ?le from the content part.
`The electronic mail received by the receiving device may
`comprise an envelop part which contains control informa
`tion used for transmission processing performed by the host
`processor and a content part containing main information to
`be transmitted, the data ?le to be classi?ed may be an
`attachment ?le attached to a heading ?le which is included
`in the content part, containing message information, and the
`management device may include a folder speci?cation infor
`mation searching unit for searching the envelop part for
`folder speci?cation information and selecting a folder used
`to store the attachment ?le in accordance with the folder
`speci?cation information if it exists in the envelop part, a
`folder creating unit for creating a new folder if the folder
`selected by the folder speci?cation information searching
`unit does not exist, and an attachment ?le attribute infor
`mation searching unit for extracting ?le attribute informa
`tion from the attachment ?le and selecting a folder used to
`store the attachment ?le in accordance with the extracted ?le
`attribute information if the folder speci?cation information
`does not exist in the envelop part.
`The above object is ful?lled by an electronic mail pro
`cessing method comprising the lst step of receiving an
`electronic mail from a host processor which undertakes the
`management of mailboxes, the 2nd step of storing the
`received electronic mail in a ?rst folder, the 3rd step of
`classifying a data ?le written in the electronic mail which
`has been stored in the ?rst folder in accordance with speci?c
`data contained in the electronic mail, the 4th step of select~
`ing a second folder for storing the data ?le in accordance
`with a result of the classi?cation in the 3rd step, and the 5th
`step of transferring the data ?le written in the electronic mail
`stored in the ?rst folder to the second folder.
`The electronic mail may comprise an envelop part con
`taining control information used for transmission processing
`performed by the host processor and a content part contain~
`ing main information to be transmitted, the data ?le and the
`speci?c data may be contained in the content part, and the
`3rd step may include the lst sub-step of extracting the data
`?le from the content part of the electronic mail stored in the
`?rst folder and the 2nd sub~step of classifying the extracted
`data ?le in accordance with the speci?c data.
`The data ?le to be classi?ed may be an attachment ?le
`attached to a heading ?le containing message information,
`and the lst sub-step of the 3rd step may be for discriminating
`between the heading ?le and the attachment ?le which are
`contained in the content part of the electronic mail stored in
`the ?rst folder and extracting the attachment ?le from the
`content part.
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`5,613,108
`
`10
`
`25
`
`30
`
`4
`The speci?c data may be ?le attribute information con
`tained in the attachment ?le, and the 2nd sub-step of the 3rd
`step may be for extracting the ?le attribute information from
`the attachment ?le extracted in the 1st sub-step and search
`ing a table which shows the association between the ?le
`attribute information and folders, based on the extracted ?le
`attribute information in order to classify the attachment ?le.
`The above object is also ful?lled by an electronic mail
`processing method comprising the 1st step of receiving an
`electronic mail from a host processor which undertakes the
`management of mailboxes, the 2nd step of storing the
`received electronic mail in a ?rst folder, the 3rd step of
`classifying a data ?le written in the electronic mail which
`has been stored in the ?rst folder in accordance with speci?c
`data contained in the electronic mail, the 4th step of select
`ing a second folder for storing the data ?le in accordance
`with a result of the classi?cation in the 3rd step, and the 5th
`step of transferring the data ?le written in the electronic mail
`stored in the ?rst folder to the second folder.
`The electronic mail received by the receiving device may
`comprise an envelop part which contains control informa
`tion used for transmission processing performed by the host
`processor and whose format is ?xed, and a content part
`containing main information to be transmitted, the speci?c
`data may be folder speci?cation information written in the
`envelop part, and the 3rd step may include the sub-step of
`selecting a folder for storing the data ?le in accordance with
`the folder speci?cation information written in the envelop
`part.
`The 4th step may include the sub-step of creating the
`second folder if the second folder which has been selected
`does not exist.
`The data ?le to be classi?ed may be an attachment ?le
`attached to a heading ?le containing message information,
`the sub~step of the 3rd step may be for discriminating
`between the heading ?le and the attachment ?le which are
`contained in the content part of the electronic mail stored in
`the ?rst folder and extracting the attachment ?le from the
`content part.
`The above object is also ful?lled by an electronic mail
`processing method comprising the lst step of receiving an
`electronic mail from a host processor which undertakes the
`management of mailboxes, the 2nd step of storing the
`received electronic mail in a ?rst folder, the 3rd step of
`classifying a data ?le written in the electronic mail which
`has been stored in the ?rst folder in accordance with speci?c
`data contained in the electronic mail, the 4th step of select
`ing a second folder for storing the data ?le in accordance
`with a result of the classi?cation in the 3rd step, and the 5th
`step of transferring the data ?le written in the electronic mail
`stored in the ?rst folder to the second folder.
`The electronic mail received by the receiving device may
`comprise an envelop part containing control information
`used for transmission processing performed by the host
`processor and a content part containing main information to
`be transmitted, the data ?le to be classi?ed may be an
`attachment ?le attached to a heading ?le, and the attachment
`?le is included in the content part while the heading ?le
`contains message information, and the 3rd step may include
`the lst sub-step of searching the envelop part for folder
`speci?cation information and selecting a folder used for
`storing the attachment ?le in accordance with the folder
`speci?cation information if it exists in the envelop part, the
`2nd sub-step of creating a new folder if the selected folder
`does not exist, and the 3rd sub-step of extracting ?le
`attribute information from the attachment ?le and selecting
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`5
`a folder for storing the attachment ?le in accordance with the
`?le attribute information if the folder speci?cation informa—
`tion does not exist in the envelop part.
`The 3rd sub-step of the 3rd step may be for searching a
`table which shows the association between the ?le attribute
`information and folders, in accordance with the extracted ?le
`attribute information to classify the attachment ?le if the
`folder speci?cation information does not exist in the envelop
`part and for selecting a folder for storing the attachment ?le
`in accordance with a result of the classi?cation.
`According to the invention, when a mail is received from
`the mail box, a data ?le corresponding to a part of or whole
`transmitted information excluding the envelop part is clas
`si?ed for management in accordance with speci?c data
`stored in any part of the whole mail including the envelop
`part. Speci?cally, a data ?le of a received mail will be stored
`in a folder speci?ed by the contents of speci?c data in the
`mail. This enables automatic sorting of data ?les of a
`plurality of mails which have been received in batches or
`separately.
`'
`With this arrangement, the labour and complexity of
`handling transmitted information such as data information
`can be reduced so that the convenience of the electronic mail
`system is increased.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`These and other objects, advantages and features of the
`invention will become apparent from the following descrip
`tion thereof taken in conjugation with the accompanying
`drawings which illustrate a speci?c embodiment of the
`invention. In the drawings:
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the
`structure of an electronic mail system according to an
`embodiment of the invention;
`FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of data in a
`mail;
`FIG. 3 is a ?owchart schematically showing processing
`performed by an electronic mail terminal utility;
`FIG. 4 is a ?owchart schematically showing processing
`performed by an electronic mail terminal utility;
`FIG. 5 is a ?owchart showing the details of the attachment
`?le register processing of FIG. 3;
`FIG. 6 is a ?owchart showing the details of the attachment
`?le analysis processing of FIG. 4;
`FIG. 7 is a diagram showing one example of the contents
`of a folder table; and
`FIG. 8 is a ?owchart showing the details of the condition
`de?ning processing of FIG. 4.
`
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`FIG. 1 schematically shows, in block form, the structure
`of an electronic mail system 1 according to one embodiment
`of the invention.
`The electronic mail system 1 is composed of a host 2
`undertaking the management of mailboxes MB; and a plus
`rality of data processing systems 3, 4 for transmitting data to
`each other through the host 2.
`The host 2 is, for example, a general-purpose large-sized
`computer system and has the function of providing various
`network services including electronic mail service (i.e.,
`mailbox service).
`
`5,613,108
`
`6
`When a mail M addressed to the data processing system
`4 is input (put in the post) from the data processing system
`3 for example, the host 2 once stores the mail M in the
`mailbox MB for the data processing system 4. Upon receipt
`of a request for transferring from the data processing system
`4 or at a predetermined time, the host 2 transfers (delivers)
`the mail M to the data processing system 4.
`Each of the data processing systems 3, 4 is a stand-alone
`computer system composed of, for example, a personal
`computer, display unit, hard disk etc. and various kinds of
`application programs can be used with it.
`In the data processing systems 3, 4, an electronic mail
`terminal utility 5, which is a kind of application program,
`performs processing on signals concerned with mail services
`provided by the host 2.
`The electronic mail terminal utility 5 maintains a user
`mail server 6 which is a data base having a plurality of
`folders for storing data associated with electronic mails, and
`a folder table 7 in which types of data are shown in relation
`to folder names for ready reference.
`The contents of the user mail server 6 and the folder table
`7 are created individually for each of the data processing
`systems 3, 4 and therefore their contents in the data pro“
`cessing system 3 are usually different from those of the data
`processing system 4. However, the users of the data pro
`cessing systems 3, 4 may make arrangements for using the
`same number of folders and/or the same folder names. In the
`data processing system 4 of this embodiment, the user mail
`server 6 has, as shown in FIG. 1, a message folder Fm, a
`shared folder F0 and three dedicated folders F1 to F3 as
`receiving folders.
`FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of data in the mail M. The
`mail M is composed of a content part MC containing
`optional information to be conveyed from one end user to
`another and an envelop part ME containing control infor
`mation used to correctly transmit the content part MC and to
`properly manage the content part MC at the receiving side.
`The content part MC is composed of one or a plurality of
`heading ?les HF that are a group of text data corresponding
`to message information and one or a plurality of attachment
`?les AF that are attached to the heading ?les HF in order to
`send data information. The ?le arrangement (i.e., the number
`and type of data ?les which are a collection of data repre
`senting optional information) of the content part MC varies
`for every case. In some cases, the mail M to be transmitted
`includes the content part MC which consists of only data
`?les corresponding to message information or only data ?les
`corresponding to data information.
`The format of the envelop part ME is ?xed in the
`electronic mail system 1 and the envelop part ME is com
`posed of 13 items of directory data D1 to D13 by which
`processing operations performed by the host 2 and the data
`processing systems 3, 4 are speci?ed.
`The directory data D1 to D13 are 13 items of data
`indicating a serial No. allocated to every mail M; the postal
`indication of the mail M (ordinary, registered, con?dential,
`express, multiple address etc.); the name of the mail M; an
`addresser’s identi?cation code; an addressee’s identi?cation
`code; a sending date; the length of the mail M (excluding the
`attachment ?les AF); the number of attachment ?les AF; the
`name of the attachment ?le AF; the attribute of the attach
`ment ?le AF; the length of the attachment ?le AF; the name
`of the speci?ed folder; and the presence or absence of a
`request for creating a new folder, respectively.
`One set of the directory data D9 to D13 corresponds to
`one attachment ?le AF, and therefore, when N_number of
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`Ex. GOOG 1007
`
`

`

`7
`attachment ?les AF exist in the content part MC, N-sets of
`directory data D9 to D13 are written in the envelop part ME.
`The attribute of the attachment ?le AF mentioned herein
`is the type of ?le classi?ed in accordance with a desired
`feature such as applications software used for creating the
`?le, or the presence or absence of a protect.
`FIGS. 3 and 4 schematically show the ?ow of the pro
`ccssing performed by the electronic mail terminal utility 5.
`The electronic mail terminal utility (hereinafter referred to
`as “utility”) 5 has four functions, i.e., creating the mail M,
`transmitting the mail M, receiving the mail M and environ
`ment setting such as registering the management conditions
`of the mail M.
`When the operator of the data processing system 4 for
`example starts up the utility 5, the utility 5 displays a
`function-selection screen (initial menu) on a display unit,
`showing the four functions as well as termination as com
`mands to be selected, and checks which command has been
`selected from the initial menu.
`[Creating the mail M]
`When the operator selects the mail creating function, the
`utility 5 writes a mail name, an addresser’s identi?cation
`code and an addressee‘s identi?cation code in the envelop
`part ME as the directory data D3, D4, D5, these pieces of
`information having been input by the operator through a key
`board. Thereafter, the utility 5 displays an interactive screen
`to require an operator’ 5 instruction and then executes editing
`processing for creating the content part MC (#11 to 13).
`Upon receipt of an instruction to terminate the editing, the
`utility 5 executes attachment ?le register processing for
`writing the name of the attachment ?le AF (directory data
`D9) in the envelop part ME. Then, the utility 5 calculates the
`length of the attachment ?le AF and the length of the mail
`M to store in the envelop part ME as the directory data D11,
`D7 (#14 to 17). The substantially ?nished mail M is stored
`in the transmitting folder (#18).
`FIG. 5 shows the ?ow of the attachment ?le register
`processing of FIG. 3.
`In this subroutine, the utility 5 writes the attachment ?le
`name input by the operator in the envelop part ME as the
`directory data D9 (#161). With this step, one attachment ?le
`AP has been registered as transmitted data.
`When specifying a folder for storing the attachment ?le
`AF at the receiving side, the name of the speci?ed folder is
`written as the directory data D12. If a request for creating a
`new folder is made when the speci?ed folder does not exist
`at the receiving side, a ?ag for indicating the presence of the
`request is set and stored as the directory data D13 (#162 to
`165).
`If there are a plurality of attachment ?les AF, the same
`processing is performed for every attachment ?le AF, and
`then, the program proceeds to Step 17 in FIG. 3 (#166).
`[Transmitting the mail M]
`When the operator selects the transmitting function in the
`initial menu (see FIG. 3), the utility 5 ?rstly displays a list
`of mails M stored in the transmitting folder (#21).
`The utility 5 selects one or a plurality of mails M speci?ed
`by the operator as data to be transmitted. In response to a
`transmitting instruction sequentially input by the operator, a
`sending date (directory data D6) is written in the envelop
`part ME of the mail M selected as data to be transmitted and
`then the mail M is sent to the host 2 (#22 to 26).
`[Receiving the mail M]
`When the operator selects the receiving function in the
`initial menu, the utility 5 makes enquiries to the host 2 about
`
`35
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`5,613,108
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`8
`the presence or absence of the mail M addressed to the data
`processing system 4, and performs receiving processing for
`receiving the mail M if there exists (#31, 32). During the
`receiving processing, the heading ?le HF is stored in the
`message folder FM whilst ‘the attachment ?le AF is once
`stored in the shared folder F0.
`Thereafter, the utility 5 performs attachment ?le analysis
`processing in which a folder suited for the attachment ?le AF
`is set and the attachment ?le AF is transferred from the
`shared folder F0 to the set, suitable folder (one of the
`dedicated folders F1 to F3 or a new folder) (#33, 34, 35). In
`short, the attachment ?le AF is classi?ed (attribute identi
`?cation) and stored. This facilitates the editing operation
`(processing) of the attachment ?le AF which will be per~
`formed later by the use of applications software.
`FIG. 6 shows the ?ow of the attachment ?le analysis
`processing of FIG. 4.
`If folders are speci?ed for all the attachment ?les AF of
`the mail M at the transmitting side and there exist all the
`speci?ed folders within the user mail server 6, the utility 5
`sets, in this sub-routine, the dedicated folders F1 to F3
`speci?ed by the directory data D12 (the name of a speci?ed
`folder) as folders suitable for storing the attachment ?les AF
`(i.e., transferring destination for the attachment ?les AF) and
`terminates the processing of the sub~routine (#341 to 344).
`If a request for creating a new folder is made when the
`folder speci?ed by the transmitting side does not exist within
`the user mail server 6, a new folder having the speci?ed
`name is created and set as the transferring destination for the
`attachment ?le AF. On the other han