Patent ID: 7437416

Claim:
A server apparatus comprising: a receiving means for receiving an email; a storage means for storing, in association with an email address, screening data for screening the email; a determining means for determining an email address indicating an addressee from the email received by the receiving means, the determining means further for determining whether a time of receipt of the email is within a trial period for the addressee, a reading means for reading from the storage means the screening data associated with the determined email address, the determining means further for determining whether to deliver the email to the addressee based on the read screening data, and an outputting means for outputting a determination result; if the time of receipt of the email is outside of the trial period, a reporting means for reporting information indicating the determination result to the addressee if the determination result is negative; if the time of receipt of the email is outside of the trial period, a delivery means for delivering the received email to the addressee if the determination result is affirmative; if the time of receipt of the email is within the trial period and if the determination result is negative, the reporting means further for reporting information indicating that the addressee is within the trial period and indicating that if this email were received outside of the trial period, the email would not be delivered; and if the time of receipt of the email is within the trial period and if the determination result is affirmative, the reporting means further for reporting information indicating that the addressee is within the trial period and indicating that if this email were received outside of the trial period, the email would be delivered.