Setting destinations of electronic mail

Abstract

A recipient selection window being displayed on a display device coupled to an input device via a processor. The input device accepts input from a user for determining recipients of an e-mail message. The recipient selection window concurrently includes: an address list section displaying an electronic mail address book that includes at least one individual name, at least one group name, or both; an address list selection button for selecting the address list section; a first destination section for specifying recipients of the e-mail message; a first destination button for placing a selected name in the destination section if the destination button is clicked; an addition recipient button for placing an addition operation symbol (+) in the destination if the addition recipient button is clicked; and a subtraction recipient button for placing a subtraction operation symbol (−) in the destination section if the subtraction recipient button is clicked.

1 . A recipient selection window being displayed on a display device of a sender communication terminal, said display device coupled to an input device via a processor, said input device configured to accept input from a user for determining recipients of an electronic mail (e-mail) message, said recipient selection window concurrently comprising: 
 an address list section displaying an electronic mail address book that includes at least one individual name of an individual, at least one group name of a mailing group, or a combination thereof;    an address list selection button for selecting the address list section;    a first destination section for specifying recipients of the e-mail message;    a first destination button for placing a selected name in the destination section in response to the destination button being clicked by the user, said selected name identifying a recipient of the e-mail message and being an individual name that is highlighted in the address list section or a group name that is highlighted in the address list section;    an addition recipient button for placing an addition operation symbol (+) in the destination section in response to the addition recipient button being clicked by the user, said addition operation symbol configured to cause an individual name or a group name appearing immediately to the right of the addition operation symbol to be added to individual or group names appearing to the left of the addition operation symbol; and    a subtraction recipient button for placing a subtraction operation symbol (−) in the destination section in response to the subtraction recipient button being clicked by the user, said subtraction operation symbol configured to cause an individual name or a group name appearing immediately to the right of the subtraction operation symbol to be removed from individual or group names appearing to the left of the subtraction operation symbol.    
   
   
       2 . The recipient selection window of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a start button for placing a start operation symbol of a left parenthesis in the destination section in response to the start button being clicked by the user;    an end button for placing an end operation symbol of a right parenthesis in the destination section in response to the end button being clicked by the user such that the end operation symbol appears to the right of the start operation symbol;    wherein individual names, group names, addition operation symbols, or subtraction operation symbols appearing between the start operation symbol and the end operation symbol are adapted to be processed together with priority relative to any individual names, group names, addition operation symbols, or subtraction operation symbols that appear in the destination section not between the start operation symbol and the end operation symbol.    
   
   
       3 . The recipient selection window of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a personal display button for specifying that only the group names and not the individual names appearing in the first destination section are to be displayed at a recipient communication terminal of each recipient of the e-mail message, in response to the personal display button being clicked by the user; and    an all display button for specifying that the group names and individual names appearing in the first destination section are to be displayed at the recipient communication terminal of each recipient of the e-mail message, in response to the all display button being clicked by the user.    
   
   
       4 . The recipient selection window of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a second destination button; and    a second destination section for listing particular recipients of the e-mail message in response to the second destination button being clicked by the user, said particular recipients of the e-mail message listed in the second destination section to be displayed at the recipient communication terminal of each recipient in accordance with whether the personal display button or the all display button has been clicked by the user.    
   
   
       5 . A communication apparatus comprising a first communication terminal that is displaying the recipient selection window of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication terminal consists of the sender communication terminal.  
   
   
       6 . A method for setting destinations of electronic mail through use of the recipient selection window of  claim 1 , said method comprising: 
 displaying the recipient selection window; and    sending the e-mail message to the recipients appearing in the first destination section in response to at least one button having been clicked by the user, said at least one button comprising the first destination button and at least one recipient button selected from the group consisting of the addition recipient button, the subtraction recipient button, and a combination thereof.    
   
   
       7 . Electronic mail software stored in a computer-readable memory device, said electronic mail software utilizing the recipient selection window of  claim 1 , said mail software comprising: 
 software for displaying the recipient selection window of  claim 1;  and    software for sending the e-mail message to the recipients appearing in the first destination section in response to at least one button having been clicked by the user, said at least one button comprising the first destination button and at least one recipient button selected from the group consisting of the addition recipient button, the subtraction recipient button, and a combination thereof.