US5530739A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mail center management system
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1992-03-18
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Granted: 1996-06-25
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Expires: 2012-03-18
Abstract
Abstract A mail center management system includes a first network accommodating a plurality of subscriber terminals via lines, and a plurality of mail devices connected to the first network. Each of the mail devices, which has a device number and subscriber information about all the subscriber terminals, includes a storage medium for storing mails received from the subscriber terminals. A second network connects the mail devices to each other and transfers the mails between the mail devices. Each of the mail devices includes a first part for determining whether a request to transfer from a first one of the subscriber terminals to a second one of the subscriber terminals includes a subscriber number of the second one of the subscriber terminals or the device number of one of the mail devices together with the subscriber number. Further, each of the mail devices includes a second part for storing, via the second network, the mail in the storage medium of one of the mail devices to which the first and second ones of the subscriber terminals are connected when the first means determines that the request includes no device number and for storing, via the first and second networks, the mail in the storage medium of one of the mail devices to which the second one of the mail devices is connected when the first means determines that the request includes the device number together with the subscriber number.
Inventors
- 👤 Akihiro Okada
- 👤 Tooru Kino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 09:02
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/53; H04M3/533; H04M3/53325; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/23; H04M3/08; H04M3/12; H04M3/5307
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
A mail center management system comprising: a first network accommodating a plurality of subscriber terminals via lines; a plurality of mail devices connected to said first network, each of said mail devices having a device number and subscriber information about all the subscriber terminals, each of said mail devices comprising a storage medium for storing mails received from the subscriber terminals; and a second network connecting said mail devices to each other and transferring said mails between said mail devices, wherein each of the mail devices comprises: first means for determining whether a mail delivering request from a first one of the subscriber terminals to a second one of the subscriber terminals includes a subscriber number of said second one of the subscriber terminals or the device number of one of the mail devices together with said subscriber number; and second means for storing, via said first network, a mail in the storage medium when said first means determines that said request includes no device number, said second means also storing, via said first network, a mail in the storage medium and further delivering the mail to the mail device of said device number through the second network when said first means determines that said request includes the device number together with the subscriber number.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
215 words
A mail center management system comprising: a first network accommodating a plurality of subscriber terminals via lines; a plurality of mail devices connected to said first network, each of said mail devices having a device number and subscriber information about all the subscriber terminals, each of said mail devices comprising a storage medium for storing mails received from the subscriber terminals; and a second network connecting said mail devices to each other and transferring said mails between said mail devices, wherein each of the mail devices comprises: first means for determining whether a mail delivering request from a first one of the subscriber terminals to a second one of the subscriber terminals includes a subscriber number of said second one of the subscriber terminals or the device number of one of the mail devices together with said subscriber number; and second means for storing, via said first network, a mail in the storage medium when said first means determines that said request includes no device number, said second means also storing, via said first network, a mail in the storage medium and further delivering the mail to the mail device of said device number through the second network when said first means determines that said request includes the device number together with the subscriber number.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said lines connecting said first network to said subscriber terminals are grouped into transmission lines and reception lines; and a ratio of the transmission lines to the reception lines is between 1:1 and 1: M×N where M is the number of lines connected to one of the mail devices and N is the number of the mail devices.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mail devices each comprises means for requesting, when a fault has occurred in one of the mail devices, the subscriber terminals to send a request including the subscriber number without the device number to the mail devices other than said one of the mail devices.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said subscriber terminals are grouped into a plurality of groups, each of the groups being respectively related to a corresponding one of the mail devices; and the storage medium of each of the subscriber terminals is provided in one of the mail devices which belongs to a corresponding one of the groups.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said subscriber terminals has a mail storage having a constant storage capacity, so that each of the subscriber terminals has a mail storage capacity equal to C×N where C is said constant storage capacity and N is the number of the mail devices.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first network comprises a private branch exchange.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second network is connected to said mail devices via dedicated lines.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said subscriber information comprises data indicating whether or not each of the subscriber terminals is to allow to receive a mail delivery service.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said subscriber terminals comprise telephone sets.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said subscriber terminals comprise facsimile machines.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
251 words
A mail center management system comprising: a plurality of mail centers; and a first network connecting said mail centers to each other, wherein each of the mail centers comprises: communication means for communicating with other mail centers; a second network accommodating a plurality of subscriber terminals via lines; a plurality of mail devices in respective of said mail centers connected to said second network, each of said mail devices having a device number and subscriber information about all the subscriber terminals, each of said mail devices comprising a storage medium for storing mails received from the subscriber terminals; and means for connecting said mail devices to each other for transferring said mails between said mail devices, wherein each of the mail devices comprises: first means for determining whether a mail delivering request from a first one of the subscriber terminals to a second one of the subscriber terminals includes a subscriber number of said second one of the subscriber terminals or the device number of one of the mail devices together with said subscriber number; and second means for storing, via the second network, a mail in the storage medium when said first means determines that said request includes no device number, said second means also storing, via said second network, a mail in the storage medium and further delivering the mail to the mail device of said device number through the first network when said first means determines that said request includes the device number together with the subscriber number.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
251 words
A mail center management system comprising: a plurality of mail centers; and a first network connecting said mail centers to each other, wherein each of the mail centers comprises: communication means for communicating with other mail centers; a second network accommodating a plurality of subscriber terminals via lines; a plurality of mail devices in respective of said mail centers connected to said second network, each of said mail devices having a device number and subscriber information about all the subscriber terminals, each of said mail devices comprising a storage medium for storing mails received from the subscriber terminals; and means for connecting said mail devices to each other for transferring said mails between said mail devices, wherein each of the mail devices comprises: first means for determining whether a mail delivering request from a first one of the subscriber terminals to a second one of the subscriber terminals includes a subscriber number of said second one of the subscriber terminals or the device number of one of the mail devices together with said subscriber number; and second means for storing, via the second network, a mail in the storage medium when said first means determines that said request includes no device number, said second means also storing, via said second network, a mail in the storage medium and further delivering the mail to the mail device of said device number through the first network when said first means determines that said request includes the device number together with the subscriber number.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first network comprises: time division multiplexing devices respectively connected to the mail devices; and high-bit rate digital lines connecting said time division multiplexing devices to each other.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first network comprises a packet switching network.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 11, wherein: said lines connecting said second network to said subscriber terminals are grouped into transmission lines and reception lines; and a ratio of the transmission lines to the reception lines is between 1:1 and 1: M×N where M is the number of lines connected to one of the mail devices and N is the number of the mail devices.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
A mail center management system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said mail devices comprises means for requesting, when a fault has occurred in one of the mail devices, the subscriber terminals to send a request including the subscriber number without the device number to the mail devices other than said one of the mail devices.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-06-25 | 1999-12-25 | 2000-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-06-25 | 2003-12-25 | 2004-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-06-25 | 2007-12-25 | 2008-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |