Patent ID: 7536438

Claim:
A method of issuing a mail address to a user who makes e-mail communication with a mail-receiver through a server, comprising: (a) on receipt of a request from said user to issue an interim mail address, issuing an interim mail address to said user from said server; (b) recording a mail address of said user, a mail address of said mail-receiver, said interim mail address, and a maximum number by which said user is allowed to receive e-mails addressed to said interim mail address, into a mail-address recording table in a set; (c) when an e-mail addressed to said interim mail address is received at said server, if the number of receiving e-mails addressed to said interim mail address is smaller than said maximum number, judging said interim mail address of the received e-mail valid; and (d) when a mail address of a transmitter of the received e-mail is identical with a mail address of said mail-receiver recorded in said mail-address recording table and further when said interim mail address is judged valid, reading a mail address of said user out of said mail-address recording table, and converting said interim mail address to said mail address of said user, wherein said request is made when said server receives an e-mail from said user which e-mail is addressed to a mail-receiver not recorded in a user's telephone directory stored in said server, and further comprising converting a mail address of a transmitter in said e-mail received from said user, into said interim mail address.