Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-31
2004-05-11
Lim, Krisna (Department: 2153)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
C709S205000, C709S206000, C709S207000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06735615
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer system that activates and facilitates communication among a plurality of users on a computer network.
Definition of Terms
Hereinafter, a chat system is a computer communication system that includes a chat server and chat clients, in which a plurality of chat clients (computer terminals) communicate simultaneously bi-directionally over a common network, thereby defining a virtual space. The term channel refers to a virtual space or a network shared by a plurality of users, in which such conversations occur.
A mailing list system refers to a system that distributes electronic mail in a broadcasting manner to a predetermined group of electronic mail addresses. The system administers a List of the groups of electronic mail addresses, and representative addresses that represent the groups. Each representative mail address is a special address that is used for forwarding electronic mail to a group of electronic mail addresses. Electronic mail sent to a representative mail address distributed to each of the electronic mail addresses in a corresponding list associated with the representative mail address. Hereinafter, the representative mail address is referred to as mailing list.
Status changes within the chat channel can easily be observed by the clients communicating on that chat channel. Such changes include a property change of the chat channel, messages transmitted to the chat channel, or users joining or quitting the channel. However, status changes computer activities outside the chat channel cannot be recognized by participants in the chat channel. Examples of such status changes outside network or chat channel include inputting, deleting, and updating of information in external databases, and posting of e-mail associated with a mailing list.
The term database mentioned above broadly refers to any compilation of information. For instance, the term database may refer to a traditional database or may refer to webpages on the WWW (World Wide Web).
Related Technologies
Recently, use of communication system on a computer network such as chat system and electronic mail has increased rapidly. Accordingly, various means have been developed for activating and facilitating communications among users based on the communication system.
For instance, there is known an electronic communication system developed by the inventors of the instant application whereby a user can access an external database from chat system. The electronic communication system is disclosed in Japanese patent application Hei 10-243230 wherein a user can search and/or register information in an external database from chat system. In such technology, information regarding persons who have accessed the database and the context in which those persons accessed the database, can be obtained on a real-time basis, thereby promoting information sharing among users.
Another related technology promotes communication using electronic mail system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,753 in which notification is sent via e-mail of status changes of a predetermined database.
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
The aforementioned Japanese patent application Hei 10-243230 discloses a status change notification system wherein once a user participating in a chat searches or enters information in a database, all the users in the same chat channel are notified of the search results or the changes in the database. However, when a user who is not participating in the channel, such as an administrator of a database, makes a change in the database by registering, deleting, or updating information, other users cannot be notified of the status change of the database.
On the other hand, the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,753 discloses a status change notification system in which status changes in a database are notified to users by electronic mail. Therefore, there is a time lag between the time when the status change in the database actually occurs and the time when the user actually receives the notification electronic mail. Consequently, a user cannot act according to the new status during the time lag. Also, a user cannot tell whether or not other users have already received the notification electronic mail. Therefore, a user cannot always assume that he or she shares the same information with other users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a technology that notifies users of changes in status of a separate, external database in real-time, thereby allowing users to conduct communication based on an assumption that all the users share the same information.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a status change notification method for use in a simultaneous two-way communication system in which a plurality of user terminals communicates via a common network. The status change notification method comprising steps of:
A: detecting an occurrence of a status change outside the network; and
B: notifying the status change in a broadcasting manner to the plurality of user terminals via the networks.
Examples of a communication system include a chat system in which users send messages to each other in chat channel. A status change outside the network is a status change that occurs somewhere other than within the chat channel. Examples of status change include update of an external DB and/or webpages in the WWW, and posting of an electronic mail in a mailing list. In the case where a status change is defined as posting of new news in a news webpage, the update of the webpage is detected. Then, notification of the update is transmitted to a channel #CH
1
in the form of a text message. Since participants of the channel #CH
1
receive the notification message at the same time, the participants can continue their conversation with the assumption that all the users on the channel #CH
1
are aware of the update. In this case, the webpage is configured with the status change notification method such that a notification of changes or updates cause a notification to be sent to the predetermined channel #CH
1
.
In accordance with another object of the present invention a status change notification system includes a group of information terminals and monitoring means. The group of information terminals is used for conducting simultaneous two-way communication via a network. The monitoring means monitors changes in status occurring outside the network, and transmits a signal. At least one of the group of information terminals has notifying means for receiving the signal representing notification of the status change from the monitoring means and sends the notification to the network to notify other of the group of information terminals of the status change in a broadcasting manner.
The status change notification system of the present invention has similar effects as the status change notification method discussed above.
In accordance with still another object of the present invention a status change notification system includes a group of information terminals, storing means, and monitoring means. The group of information terminals is adapted to conduct simultaneous two-way communication via a network. The storing means is disposed outside the network for storing information therein. The monitoring means monitors status changes in the storing means, and is adapted to generate a signal when a status change occurs, the signal representing a notification of status change. At least one of each group of information terminals has notifying means for receiving the notification of the status change from the monitoring means, and means for sending the notification to the network to notify others of the group of information terminals of the status change in a broadcasting manner.
For instance, a plurality of information terminals in a chat system participate in channel #CH
1
via chat clients in each respective information terminal. The monitoring means monitors inputting, deletion, or update of information in a
Ito Hidenobu
Iwayama Noboru
Matsui Kazuki
Matsumoto Tatsuro
Sasaki Ken-ichi
Fujitsu Limited
Lim Krisna
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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