Patent ID: 7765285
Filing Date: 2010-07-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A mail server, comprising: a password correspondence table showing registered correlation between identification information including a virtual password assigned to a user of a client computer and a formal password assigned to the user for user authentication by another mail server on which the user has a mailbox; mail receiving request receiving means for receiving a mail receiving request sent from a client computer and authenticating the mail receiving request based on a virtual password; mail receiving request generating means for specifying, upon receipt and authentication of a mail receiving request by the mail receiving request receiving means, the another mail server on which a user having sent the received mail receiving request has a mailbox, with reference to the password correspondence table to generate a mail receiving request that includes a formal password relative to the another mail server on behalf of the user; mail receiving request transmitting means for sending the mail receiving request generated by the mail receiving request generating means to the another mail server; mail data receiving means for receiving mail data which is sent in response to the mail receiving request sent by the mail receiving request transmitting means; and mail data transmitting means for adding the mail data received by the mail data receiving means to mail data retrieved from a mailbox possessed by itself to send resultant mail data to the client computer.