Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-29
2003-06-24
Dinh, Dung C. (Department: 2153)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
C709S205000, C709S207000, C709S224000, C370S260000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06584494
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to technology for promoting user conversation and smoothing the flow of communications in a system wherein a plurality of computer users mutually share the same network, enabling simultaneous conversation.
In the present invention, “chat system” refers to a system comprising a chat server and a plurality of chat clients, wherein chat clients share the same space and can conduct conversations. A “channel” refers to a virtual space shared by the chat clients. A “nickname” refers to identification information used to specify uniquely a user in the chat system.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional chat systems, the conversations of channel participants are displayed lined in time series or within a described balloon. In addition to the conversations of channel participants, information is also displayed that indicates the fact that a user has joined or parted from a channel.
In addition to the aforementioned information, a chat system that can register users' self-status and user-specified keywords has been offered lately. In this chat system, the chat client detects whether a user-registered keyword is included in the remarks from another chat clients If a keyword is detected, the chat client consults the self-status previously set by the user, and notifies the other chat client that uttered the keyword of the user's self-status Examples of user self-status designations that are registered include “away from desk” and “absent.” In addition, a chat system is also provided that gives notification not only of the self-status, but also of a predetermined message in accordance with the self-status.
The aforementioned chat system, wherein the self-status can be reported, has the following problems.
Since the user must set the self-status beforehand, the chat client cannot respond to the utterance of a keyword from another client if the user forgets to set his or her self-status. Moreover, unless a user sets self-status by him or herself, user status, such as the user's location and actions, will be completely unknown to other users. For example, even if a user sets the self-status to “absent” when leaving his or her desk, there is a tendency for the user to forget to reset the self-status to “present” upon returning. If a keyword is uttered by another chat client in this situation, even though the user himself or herself tries to respond, the chat client ends up sending a message to the effect that the user is absent.
Further, when someone is composing a long-text answer to remarks from other user(s), the other users will not realize that person's status—whether a response is being composed to their messages, whether the person is not at his or her desk, or whether he or she is busy running another application for example. These are aspects which therefore make it difficult to take full advantage of chat systems wherein conversations can be conducted in real time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to smooth the flow of communications among network computer users conducting conversations in real time.
Toward solving the aforementioned problems, a first aspect of the invention in the present application presents a communication support method wherein a plurality of users mutually share the same network, used in a communication device that is simultaneous, bi-directional communication-enabled. The method provides
(A) preparing a correlation between predetermined text information and the users;
(B) detecting the utterance of any of the text information by a first user on a network;
(C) in response to the text information detection, finding the status of a second user correlated with the detected text information; and
(D) sending the detected second user status to the network on which the text information was uttered.
Taking a chat system comprising a chat server and a chat client as an example will illustrate: User A stores a keyword on the terminal of user A. If a keyword registered by user terminal A is uttered by another user terminal B on a channel #CH
1
in which user terminal A is participating, the utterance of that keyword is detected by user terminal A. Next, user terminal A detects the status of user A. For example the fact that a screen saver is operating or that a text message is being composed on another channel is detected. Subsequently, notification is given of the detected status to user terminal B on the channel on which the keyword was uttered.
A second aspect of the invention in the present application presents a communication support system wherein identical networks are mutually shared, used in a communication device that is simultaneous bi-directional communication-enabled. The communication support system is provided with a first storage means, a detection means, a decision means and a reporting means.
The first storage means stores predetermined text information correlated with communication devices on a networks. The detection means detects the sending of any text information from a first communication device on a network. The decision means, in accordance with the detection of the text information, based on the status of a second communication device correlated with the detected text information judges the user status of the second communication device. The reporting means sends the user status to the network to which the text information was sent.
Taking a chat system comprising a chat server and a chat client as an example will illustrate: In any terminal, the first storage means correlates user keywords with users. If a keyword registered by user terminal A is uttered by another user terminal B on a channel #CH
1
in which user terminal A is participating, that keyword is detected by the detection means in user terminal A.
Next, the decision means in user terminal A judges the status of user A based on the status of user terminal A. For example, the fact that a screen saver is operating or that a text message is being composed on another channel is detected, and the status of user A is thereby judged. Examples of user situations include “absent,” “working,” and “responding.” Next, the decision means sends the judged user status to the reporting means. The reporting means uses a chat client and notifies the other user terminal of the status of user A on channel #CH
1
.
A decision means is provided in each user terminal. The first storage means, detection means and reporting means may be provided in each user terminal and, moreover, may be provided in any information terminal that can run the chat client.
A third aspect of the invention in the present application is the communication support system according to the second aspect of the invention, but further presents a second storage means that stores communication devices that report user status and text-information sending-source communication devices, correlated with the communication devices on the network. The communication support system reporting means determines user status report destinations in accordance with the second storage means, and reports the user status to the report destination via the network.
For example, the second storage means stores a report destination table, wherein are recorded, for instance, content such as the following. For user terminal A, the report destination is set to user terminal B if the keyword was sent from user terminal B, and the report destination is set to user terminals B, C if the keyword was sent from user terminal C. Likewise, the remark source of the keyword and the report destination of the user status are also set for other user terminals. If the user wants to give notification of the status of another communication device other than the communication device that sent the keyword, the user can specify the report destination using the report destination table.
A fourth aspect of the invention in the present application is the communication support system according to the second aspect of the invention, but further
Kakuta Jun
Manabe Ai
Okuyama Satoshi
Choudhary Anita
Dinh Dung C.
Fujitsu Limited
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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