E-mail sending/receiving system, e-mail sending /receiving method and recording medium having recorded the method

An e-mail sending/receiving method comprising:

• extracting mails having been stored in a first storage section of a host computer in accordance with priorities assigned to the mails;
• comparing a volume of the mails to be sent from said host computer with an available memory capacity of a second storage section of a terminal where mails sent from said host computer are stored;
• when it turns out that the available memory capacity is short, extracting the mails having been stored in said second storage section in a volume corresponding to a shortage of the available memory capacity in accordance with the priorities;
• sending back the mails extracted from said second storage section to said host computer to be stored in said first storage section;
• erasing the mails sent back and stored in said first storage section from said second storage section;
• and
• sending the mails extracted from said first storage section to said terminal.

A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program that can be used to direct a computer to perform:

• process of extracting mails stored in a first storage section of a host computer in accordance with priorities assigned to the mails;
• a process of sending the mails extracted from said first storage section to a terminal;
• a process of comparing a volume of the mails to be sent from said host computer with an available memory capacity of a second storage section of said terminal where the mails sent from said host computer are stored;
• a process of, when it turns out that the available memory capacity is short, extracting the mails having been stored in said second storage section in a volume corresponding to a shortage in accordance with the priorities;
• a process of sending back the mails extracted from said second storage section to said host computer to be stored in said first storage section;
• and
• a process of erasing the mails sent back to said host computer and stored in said first storage section from said second storage section.

A method of operating a terminal for use with a host computer of an electronic mail system, the method comprising the steps of:

• comparing a volume of electronic mail messages to be sent from said host computer to said terminal with an available space in a memory of said terminal;
• if the available space in the memory of said terminal is less than the volume of electronic mail messages to be sent, sending to said host computer for storage, in a volume corresponding to the shortage of available memory space, selected electronic mail messages currently stored in the memory of said terminal and then erasing the sent electronic mail messages from the memory of said terminal;
• and
• storing electronic mail messages sent from said host computer in the memory of said terminal.

An electronic mail system comprising a host computer and a terminal, said host computer including:

• a host memory for storing electronic mail messages;
• and
• a host control section configured to extract electronic mail messages from said host memory for sending via a communication link to said terminal, and
• said terminal including:
• a terminal memory for storing electronic mail messages;
• and
• a terminal control section configured to compare a volume of electronic mail messages to be sent from said host computer with an available space in said terminal memory and, if the available space in said terminal memory is less than the volume of electronic mail messages to be sent, to send selected electronic mail messages currently stored in said terminal memory to said host computer for storage in said host memory and to then erase the sent electronic mail messages from said terminal memory.

A method of sending and receiving e-mail in an electronic mail system comprising a host computer and a terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing electronic mail messages in a memory of said host computer;
• extracting electronic mail messages from the memory of said host computer for sending via a communication link to said terminal;
• comparing at said terminal a volume of electronic mail messages to be sent from said host computer with an available space in a memory of said terminal;
• if the available space in the memory of said terminal is less than the volume of electronic mail messages to be sent, sending selected electronic mail messages currently stored in the memory of said terminal to said host computer and then erasing the sent electronic mail messages from the memory of said terminal;
• storing the electronic mail messages sent from said terminal in the memory of said host computer;
• and
• sending the electronic mail messages extracted from the memory of said host computer to said terminal.