Patent ID: 8359359

Claim:
A device comprising: a history information storing unit for storing history information comprising transmitted electronic messages in chronological order, wherein each message includes a header part and a body part; a first extracting unit coupled to the history information storing unit, the first extracting unit for extracting a first electronic message from the stored history information, wherein the first electronic message comprises a most recently stored message; an instruction accepting unit coupled to the first extracting unit, the instruction accepting unit for accepting an instruction indicating that a body part of the first electronic message extracted by the first extracting unit is necessary; a determining unit coupled to the instruction accepting unit, the determining unit for determining whether the instruction accepting unit has accepted the instruction indicating that the body part is necessary; a body part storing unit coupled to the determining unit, the body part storing unit for storing the body part of the first electronic message in response to a determination by the determining unit that the instruction has been accepted; a second extracting unit coupled to the determining unit, the second extracting unit for extracting a second electronic message from the stored history information, wherein the second electronic message comprises next most recently stored message; a source determining unit coupled to the second extracting unit, the source determining unit for determining whether information on a source in a header part of the second electronic message matches information on an author of a reply message; an address setting unit coupled to the source determining unit, the address setting unit for setting an address of the source to an address of a destination of the reply message in response to a determination by the source determining means that the information on the source does not match the information on the author; a body part adding unit coupled to the address setting unit, the body part adding unit for adding the stored body part of the first electronic mail to the reply message; and a history information adding unit coupled to the body part adding unit, the history information adding unit for adding, to the reply message, history information preceding the second electronic message.