JP3675744B2 - A method for communicating between user terminals using an e-mail service and a messenger service, a program for causing a computer to execute the method, a recording medium storing the program, an e-mail service and a messenger service System for communicating between user terminals, and server system used as a messenger server in this system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for performing communication between user terminals using an electronic mail service and a messenger service, a program for causing a computer to execute the method, a recording medium storing the program, an electronic mail service, and a messenger service. The present invention relates to a system that communicates between user terminals using a server, and a server system used as a messenger server in this system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, with the rapid spread of the Internet, most terminals such as personal computers owned by individuals in the office and homes have an Internet connection function. A terminal having an Internet connection function can use electronic mail.
[0003]
When sending an e-mail, the sender activates the e-mail software, enters the message body, specifies the destination e-mail address, and performs the sending operation. Then, the mail software adds a predetermined mail header to the message and sends it to the mail server having jurisdiction over the destination mail address. In the terminal of the destination address, similarly, the mail software is activated, and when the mail software accesses the mail server, the message delivered to the address is taken into the terminal and displayed. Thereby, the user of the transmission destination can view the mail that has been delivered to him / her.
[0004]
In this way, in e-mail, messages can be sent directly to the other party's terminal, and since the sent mail is stored on the mail server, the mail is lost even if the other party is absent or sent. There is no need to send emails to other people. In these respects, e-mail is much more convenient than conventional communication means such as telephone and FAX. For these reasons, e-mail is generally used as communication means.
[0005]
However, as described above, the e-mail is first sent from the source terminal to the destination mail server and stored, and the mail software of the destination terminal accesses the mail server and retrieves the stored mail. For this reason, there is a certain time delay between when the mail transmission operation is performed and when the mail reaches the destination terminal. That is, e-mail is not always suitable for real-time communication.
[0006]
On the other hand, recently, a service called a messenger service is spreading. This messenger service is capable of exchanging messages (conversations) in real time among a plurality of users who have logged into a predetermined messenger server. That is, when a message is input at a computer terminal of a certain user, the message is immediately displayed on the computer terminal of the other user who is logged in.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the messenger service supplements the real-time property that has been a weak point of e-mail, and it is expected that a more effective means of communication can be realized if both can be used together. However, conventionally, the e-mail service and the messenger service are provided separately and independently, and it has not been considered to provide a service that combines the two.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to enable more convenient communication by integrating an electronic mail service and a messenger service.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is a method of performing communication between user terminals using an electronic mail service and a messenger service,
The user terminal of the e-mail sender receives a messenger account for the e-mail sender to use the messenger service and an e-mail ID for identifying the e-mail for the e-mail that has been sent by the user. The steps to add,
A procedure in which the user terminal of the sender transmits the e-mail to which the messenger account and the e-mail ID are added to a designated e-mail address;
A procedure in which the user terminal of the e-mail recipient receives an e-mail sent to the e-mail address of the recipient;
When the user terminal of the recipient determines whether or not the messenger account is added to the received e-mail, and determines that the messenger account is added, the messenger account and mail ID are determined from the received e-mail. With the steps to get
When the user terminal of the recipient acquires a messenger account and a mail ID from the received e-mail , a user of the acquired messenger account logs in to the messenger server with respect to a messenger server that provides the messenger service. A procedure for inquiring whether or not
If the user terminal of the recipient determines that the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in by the inquiry , a procedure for displaying a screen indicating that the user is logged in;
The recipient user terminal logs into the messenger server in response to a user operation for the screen display ;
After the recipient's user terminal logs into the messenger server, the acquired mail ID is transmitted to the acquired messenger account via the messenger server, and the user terminal of the user of the acquired messenger account To display a messenger window for conversation with the messenger service,
In response to receiving the mail ID, the sender's user terminal reads and displays the sent mail corresponding to the mail ID, and has a conversation with the receiver's user terminal by a messenger service. And a procedure for displaying a messenger window .
[0010]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the sender's messenger account added to the e-mail is acquired at the user terminal on the e-mail receiving side, and the sender is logging in to the messenger server based on the messenger account. It is determined whether or not. When logged in, messages can be exchanged with the mail sender's user terminal via the messenger server. Therefore, according to the present invention, after the e-mail is received, messages can be automatically exchanged with the mail sender using the messenger service, and the convenience of integrating the e-mail service and the messenger service is high. Communication can be realized. In addition, the mail ID included in the mail received by the user terminal on the receiving side is notified to the user terminal on the transmitting side via the messenger server, and the content of the transmitted mail corresponding to the mail ID at the user terminal on the transmitting side By displaying, the user on the transmission side can exchange messages via the messenger server while confirming the content of the email that has been responded by the recipient.
[0011]
The invention described in claim 2 is a program for performing communication between user terminals using an electronic mail service and a messenger service,
To the computer that is the user terminal on the sender side of the email,
Adding a mail ID for identifying a messenger account and e-mail for the user to use the messenger service to the e-mail;
Sending the e-mail with the messenger account and e-mail ID attached to a designated e-mail address;
After sending the e-mail, when the e-mail ID added to the e-mail is received via a messenger server that provides the messenger service, the sent e-mail corresponding to the e-mail ID is read and displayed. And a procedure for displaying a messenger window for carrying out a conversation by a messenger service with a terminal of a user who is a destination of the e-mail,
To the computer that is the user terminal on the e-mail recipient side,
A procedure for receiving an email sent to the recipient's email address;
Determining whether or not the messenger account is added to the received e-mail, and if it is determined that the messenger account is added, a procedure of acquiring the messenger account and the mail ID from the received e-mail;
When the messenger account and the mail ID are acquired from the received e-mail, the messenger server that provides the messenger service is inquired whether the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in to the messenger server. Procedure and
If it is determined by the inquiry that the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in, a procedure for displaying a screen indicating that the user is logged in;
A procedure for logging in to the messenger server in response to an operation for the screen display;
After logging in to the messenger server, the acquired mail ID is transmitted to the acquired messenger account via the messenger server, and a conversation with the terminal of the user of the acquired messenger account by a messenger service is performed. And a procedure for displaying a messenger window .
[0015]
The invention described in claim 3 relates to a recording medium on which the program according to claim 2 is recorded.
[0016]
The invention described in claim 4 is a system for performing communication between user terminals using an electronic mail service and a messenger service,
A messenger server that provides the messenger service;
A first user terminal and a second user terminal connected to the messenger server via a network;
The first user terminal is
Means for adding a messenger account for the mail sender to use the messenger service and a mail ID for identifying the e-mail to the e-mail that has been sent by the user;
Means for transmitting the e-mail with the messenger account and the e-mail ID added to a designated e-mail address;
The second user terminal is
It is determined whether or not a messenger account for using the messenger service is added to the received e-mail, and when it is determined that the messenger account is added, the messenger account is determined from the received e-mail. And means for obtaining the mail ID;
When the messenger account and the mail ID are acquired from the received e-mail, the messenger server that provides the messenger service is inquired whether the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in to the messenger server. Means,
If it is determined by the inquiry that the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in, means for displaying a screen indicating that the user is logged in;
Log in to the messenger server in response to a user operation on the display screen,
After logging in to the messenger server, the acquired mail ID is transmitted to the acquired messenger account via the messenger server, and a conversation with the terminal of the user of the acquired messenger account by a messenger service is performed. Means for displaying a messenger window;
The first user terminal further includes:
In response to receiving the mail ID, means for reading out and displaying a sent mail corresponding to the mail ID and displaying a messenger window for carrying out a conversation with a destination user of the e-mail by a messenger service. It is characterized by having .
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, a large number of user terminals 12 are connected to the Internet 10. The Internet 10 is connected to a mail server 14 that manages each domain, a messenger server 16 that provides a messenger service, and the like. The user terminal 12 may be a computer terminal such as a personal computer, or may be a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone or a PDA having an Internet connection function. Further, the user terminal 12 may be connected to the Internet 10 via a LAN in an organization such as a company. In that case, the mail server 14 may be provided on the LAN.
[0020]
First, the outline of the messenger service will be described. A user who intends to use the messenger service performs user registration by accessing the messenger server 16 in advance, obtains a messenger account and a password, and downloads software dedicated to the messenger service (hereinafter referred to as messenger software). Get it and install it. When the messenger software is activated on the user terminal 12, the messenger server 16 is accessed. When the user inputs a messenger account and a password, the messenger server 16 authenticates the user and then logs in the user. to approve.
[0021]
When the login to the messenger server 16 is permitted, the messenger software establishes a connection between the user terminal 12 and the messenger server 16 using a predetermined protocol, and thereafter maintains this connection until logout is performed. Further, the messenger server 16 allocates a unique buffer memory area to each login user.
[0022]
On the display screen of the messenger software, a message transmission operation addressed to other users can be performed. That is, when a transmission operation is performed after a messenger account of a destination user is specified and a message is input, this message is immediately transmitted to the messenger server 16 and written to the buffer memory area of the source user, and also to the destination user. If is logged in, the same message is written to the buffer memory area. The message written in the buffer memory area of each user is immediately transmitted to the user terminal 14 of the user and displayed. Therefore, if the destination user is logged in, a message transmitted from a certain user is immediately displayed on the user terminal 12 of the destination user, and real-time message exchange, that is, conversation is performed between the logged-in users. be able to.
[0023]
The system of the present embodiment integrates an electronic mail service and the above messenger service, and makes it possible to shift from transmission / reception of electronic mail to a conversation between mail transmission / reception persons using the messenger service. That is, in the system according to the present embodiment, when a certain user A sends an e-mail to another user B, the user A is logging in to the messenger server 16 for the user terminal 12 of the user B who has received this e-mail. It is notified whether or not. If the user A is logged in, the user B automatically logs in to the messenger server 16 to enable a conversation using the messenger service with the user A who is the mail sender.
[0024]
Hereinafter, the content of the processing in the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 2 by taking as an example the case where the user A and the user B communicate. In FIG. 2, the user terminals of user A and user B are represented by reference numerals 12a and 12b, respectively, and the mail servers that manage the respective mail addresses of user A and user B are represented by reference numerals 14a and 14b.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 2, a communication program 20 is installed in each of the user terminal 12a of user A and the user terminal 12b of user B. The communication program 20 may be provided on a portable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, floppy disk, etc. and installed in the user terminals 12a, 12b, or may be installed on the user terminals 12a, 12b via the Internet 12. It may be downloaded and installed on the computer.
[0026]
The communication program 20 has a mail function as mail software for using the e-mail service and a messenger function as the messenger software described above. When the communication program 20 is started, the electronic mail function includes a display field for displaying a list of transmitted / received mails, a text of a selected received mail, etc., and a mail creation menu, etc., as in normal mail software. The mail window is displayed. The messenger function performs a login process to the messenger server 16 using a preset messenger account and password in response to a login operation by the user, and a messenger window including a message display column and the like is displayed.
[0027]
The user A starts the communication program 20 on the user terminal 12a and logs in to the messenger server 16 in advance. Then, a mail creation menu is selected in the electronic mail window, a destination mail address is specified, a mail text message is input, and a transmission operation is performed (S100). In response to this, the communication program 20 adds a mail header to the input mail body (S102). This mail header includes the sender mail address, the destination mail address, the mail ID unique to the mail, etc. included in the normal electronic mail, as well as the messenger account of the user A. Then, the mail with the mail header added is sent to the mail server 14a (S104). The mail server 14a transfers this mail to the mail server 14b of the user B in accordance with the destination mail address included in the header of the sent mail (S106).
[0028]
On the other hand, on the user B side, when the communication program 20 is activated on the user terminal 12b, the mail function accesses the mail server 14b and takes the mail addressed to the user B's mail address into the user terminal 12b. The mail text is displayed (S108). Then, it is determined whether or not the sender's messenger account is included in the fetched mail header (S110), and if included, the messenger account and mail ID are acquired from the mail header (S112). On the other hand, if the messenger account is not included, processing as normal mail software is performed thereafter (S114). In the case of this example, the user A's messenger account is included in the mail header in the user terminal 12a that is the transmission source, so that an affirmative determination is made in S110.
[0029]
Next, the messenger server 16 is inquired whether or not the user (that is, the e-mail sender) of the acquired messenger account is logged in (S116). As a result of the inquiry, if the sender is logged in, the user B is notified of this by displaying an “online” button on the screen, for example (S118). On the other hand, if the mail sender is not logged in, the normal mail software is operated thereafter (S114).
[0030]
FIG. 3 shows an example of a screen displayed on the user terminal 12b of the user B at this point. In the case of this example, since user A who is the mail sender is logged in, an “online” button is displayed along with the display of the received mail text in the electronic mail window. When the “online” button is clicked on this screen (S120), login processing to the messenger server 16 is performed (S122). Then, after logging in, a mail ID notification message including the mail ID of the received mail is transmitted to the mail sender's messenger account (S124), and the user A who is the mail sender and the messenger service have a conversation. The messenger window is displayed (S126).
[0031]
FIG. 4 shows an example of a display screen on which a messenger window is displayed. As shown in the figure, the contents of the received e-mail and a messenger window for conversation with the user A who is the transmission source user are displayed side by side.
[0032]
When the user terminal 12a of the user A who is the sender receives the mail ID notification message (S128), the transmitted mail corresponding to the mail ID is read and displayed (S130), and the user B and the messenger service. A messenger window for performing a conversation is displayed on the same screen (S132). FIG. 5 shows an example of this display screen. Similar to the screen on the user terminal 12b side shown in FIG. 4, the contents of the transmitted e-mail and the messenger window for carrying out a conversation with the user B who is the destination user are displayed side by side.
[0033]
Thereafter, the user A and the user B can talk with each other in the messenger window while referring to the contents of the displayed mail on the user terminals 12a and 12b (S134). In the messenger window shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the remarks to the other party are entered in the lower column, and the remarks of yourself and the other party are sequentially displayed in the upper column.
[0034]
As described above, according to the system of the present embodiment, the sender's messenger account is acquired from the mail header of the received mail on the receiving side by including the sender's messenger account in the mail header when sending the e-mail. Then, a message can be sent to the sender in real time using the messenger service. That is, after the e-mail is received, it is possible to automatically log in to the messenger server 16 by the function of the communication program 20 and to have a conversation with the messenger service between the e-mail senders and receivers. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to realize communication between user terminals with high convenience by combining the electronic mail service and the messenger service.
[0035]
In addition, the mail ID included in the mail header of the mail received by the user terminal 12b is notified to the user terminal 12a on the transmission side via the messenger server 16, and the sent mail corresponding to the mail ID is sent to the user terminal 12a. By displaying the contents, the user on the transmission side can exchange messages via the messenger server 16 while confirming the contents of the electronic mail that has been answered by the recipient.
[0036]
In the above embodiment, it is assumed that the user A transmits an e-mail to the single user B, and the user B can receive a conversation using the messenger service between the two users A and B after receiving the mail. However, by using a server that enables conversations between three or more users as the messenger server 16, for example, the user A designates a plurality of users B, C, and D as email destinations and sends an e-mail. Also in the case of transmission, each of the mail recipients B, C, D sends a mail ID notification message to the sender A via the messenger server 16 in the same manner as in the above embodiment, so that the users A, B, A conversation between C and D can be performed. It is cumbersome and time consuming to exchange messages between three or more people by e-mail, but if you use the messenger service, conversations between these many people will be very smooth. Can do. Therefore, it is extremely useful to be able to conduct a conversation between a large number of people using a messenger service, triggered by an electronic mail addressed to a plurality of names transmitted from a user A.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, after an e-mail is received at the recipient's terminal, a conversation using the messenger service can be automatically performed between the user terminals of the mail sender / receiver, and the e-mail service and the messenger service It is possible to realize highly convenient communication that integrates.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating, as an example, a case where user A and user B communicate the contents of processing in the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when it is determined that the sender is logging in to the messenger server at the user terminal of user B who is the mail recipient.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen on which a messenger window for performing a conversation with a user A who is a mail sender is displayed on a user terminal of a user B who is a mail receiver.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen when a mail ID is notified from a user terminal of a user B who is a mail receiver in a user terminal of a user A who is a mail sender.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Internet 12, 12a, 12b User terminal 14, 14a, 14b Mail server 16 Messenger server 20 Communication program

Claims (4)

A method for communicating between user terminals using an email service and a messenger service,
The user terminal of the e-mail sender receives a messenger account for the e-mail sender to use the messenger service and an e-mail ID for identifying the e-mail for the e-mail that has been sent by the user. The steps to add,
A procedure in which the user terminal of the sender transmits the e-mail to which the messenger account and the e-mail ID are added to a designated e-mail address;
A procedure in which the user terminal of the e-mail recipient receives an e-mail sent to the e-mail address of the recipient;
When the user terminal of the recipient determines whether or not the messenger account is added to the received e-mail, and determines that the messenger account is added, the messenger account and mail ID are determined from the received e-mail. With the steps to get
When the user terminal of the recipient acquires a messenger account and a mail ID from the received e-mail , a user of the acquired messenger account logs in to the messenger server with respect to a messenger server that provides the messenger service. A procedure for inquiring whether or not
If the user terminal of the recipient determines that the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in by the inquiry , a procedure for displaying a screen indicating that the user is logged in;
The recipient user terminal logs into the messenger server in response to a user operation for the screen display ;
After the recipient's user terminal logs into the messenger server, the acquired mail ID is transmitted to the acquired messenger account via the messenger server, and the user terminal of the user of the acquired messenger account To display a messenger window for conversation with the messenger service,
In response to receiving the mail ID, the sender's user terminal reads and displays the sent mail corresponding to the mail ID, and has a conversation with the receiver's user terminal by a messenger service. And a procedure for displaying a messenger window . A program for communicating between user terminals using an email service and a messenger service,
  To the computer that is the user terminal on the sender side of the email,
  Adding a mail ID for identifying a messenger account and e-mail for the user to use the messenger service to the e-mail;
  Sending the e-mail with the messenger account and e-mail ID attached to a designated e-mail address;
  After the e-mail is transmitted, when the mail ID added to the e-mail is received via the messenger server that provides the messenger service, the transmitted mail corresponding to the e-mail ID is read and displayed. And a procedure for displaying a messenger window for carrying out a conversation by a messenger service with a terminal of a user who is a destination of the e-mail,
  To the computer that is the user terminal on the e-mail recipient side,
  A procedure for receiving an email sent to the recipient's email address;
  Determining whether or not the messenger account is added to the received e-mail, and if it is determined that the messenger account is added, a procedure of acquiring the messenger account and the mail ID from the received e-mail;
  When the messenger account and mail ID are acquired from the received e-mail, the acquisition is performed for the messenger server that provides the messenger service. For inquiring whether the user of the selected messenger account is logged in to the messenger server,
  If it is determined by the inquiry that the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in, a procedure for displaying a screen indicating that the user is logged in;
  A procedure for logging in to the messenger server in response to an operation for the screen display;
  After logging in to the messenger server, the acquired mail ID is transmitted to the acquired messenger account via the messenger server, and a conversation with the terminal of the user of the acquired messenger account by a messenger service is performed. A program for executing a procedure for displaying a messenger window. A recording medium on which the program according to claim 2 is recorded. A system for communicating between user terminals using an email service and a messenger service,
  A messenger server that provides the messenger service;
  A first user terminal and a second user terminal connected to the messenger server via a network;
  The first user terminal is
  Means for adding a mail account for identifying a messenger account for use of the messenger service by the mail sender and an e-mail to the e-mail sent by the user;
  Means for transmitting the e-mail with the messenger account and the e-mail ID added to a designated e-mail address;
  The second user terminal is
  It is determined whether or not a messenger account for using the messenger service is added to the received e-mail, and when it is determined that the messenger account is added, the messenger account is determined from the received e-mail. And means for obtaining the mail ID;
  When the messenger account and the mail ID are acquired from the received e-mail, the messenger server providing the messenger service is inquired whether the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in to the messenger server. Means,
  If it is determined by the inquiry that the user of the acquired messenger account is logged in, means for displaying a screen indicating that the user is logged in;
  Log in to the messenger server in response to a user operation on the display screen,
  After logging in to the messenger server, the acquired mail ID is transmitted to the acquired messenger account via the messenger server, and a conversation with the terminal of the user of the acquired messenger account by a messenger service is performed. Means for displaying a messenger window;
  The first user terminal further includes:
  In response to receiving the mail ID, means for reading and displaying a transmitted mail corresponding to the mail ID, and displaying a messenger window for carrying out a conversation by a messenger service with a user of the e-mail. A system characterized by comprising.

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