FILE ASSOCIATION DEVICE, METHOD, AND PROGRAM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce troublesomeness in a file-to-file association operation. SOLUTION: A file association device includes: a receiving means 101 which receives transmitted messages and transmitted attachment files which are attached to the transmitted messages; a first recording means 106 which records past files which are produced in the past; a determining part 102 which compares the transmitted attachment files with the past files to determine whether the transmitted attachment files are known files or new files; an association means 107 which analyzes the relations between the transmitted attachment files and the past files to correlate the relations with a correction relation or a reference relation; an attaching means 103 which deletes the transmitted attachment files which are determined to be the known files, and attaches only the new files, as the new attachment files, to the transmitted messages; and a conversion means 103 which adds the information indicating at least either the correction relation or the reference relation, as the additional information, to the transmitted messages to obtain converted messages. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT