Information gathering system, terminal unit, program for information gathering, and program for a terminal

An information gathering system comprising:

• a host unit in communication with a network and including a memory unit, the memory unit having a plurality of data storage areas, each of the data storage areas being respectively associated with one of a plurality of memory addresses;
• and
• a terminal unit in communication with the network, wherein
• the host unit
• creates and encrypts e-mail, wherein
• the e-mail includes one or more sorts of identification information, and
• the identification information is associated with one of the memory addresses in accordance with a predetermined correspondence rule, and
• sends the e-mail that has been created and encrypted to the network;
• the terminal unit
• receives the e-mail from the network,
• decrypts the e-mail received from the network, and
• causes a printer to print information printed material so that the identification information included in the e-mail that has been received and decrypted is printed on the information printed material, and
• the host unit
• reads the information printed material on which the identification information has been printed,
• converts the identification information printed on the information printed material and written information written in a predetermined position of the information printed material into data, and
• stores the data of the written information in one of the data storage areas as a reply of an information gathering candidate so that a memory address of the one of the data storage areas corresponds to a memory address associated with the identification information printed on the information printed material.

A terminal unit comprising:

• a monitor;
• display means for displaying reply requesting information on the monitor wherein the terminal unit receives encrypted e-mail having an attached file including the reply requesting information and one or more sorts of identification information, wherein
• the display means displays the reply requesting information in a state in which the e-mail having the attached file is decrypted and in which reply information from an information gathering candidate can be added,
• the identification information is associated with one of a plurality of memory addresses of a plurality of data storage areas of a host unit in accordance with a predetermined correspondence rule, and
• the reply requesting information is information for requesting a reply from the information gathering candidate;
• and
• sending means for sending to the host unit the e-mail having the attached file and the reply information that has been added, wherein modification of the identification information is forbidden at least in a period extending from a time at which the encrypted e-mail is decrypted to a time at which the decrypted e-mail having the attached file is encrypted again.