JPH09265457A - Online conversation system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] In the conventional online conversation system, since the list of the utterances from each terminal is only displayed on the display screen of the communication terminal, the operation screen of the communication terminal in the online conversation system is displayed. To make it visually easy to understand and to enhance the realism of conversation. SOLUTION: On a communication terminal 101 connected to a host computer 103 via a communication network 102, a connection terminal display means 109 for displaying a symbol image corresponding to each communication terminal having a conversation at the same time, and a last speaker. The transmission source emphasizing means 110 for emphasizing and displaying the symbol image of the communication terminal corresponding to is provided. The communication terminal 101 receives from the host computer 103 the character data of the utterance content and the identification information of the speaker (sender terminal), displays the utterance content, and highlights the symbol image corresponding to the sender.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data processing technique using a computer and an online communication technique using a communication network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A communication terminal equipped with input means such as a keyboard, display means such as CRT, and communication means such as MODEM, for example, personal computers, is connected by a communication network such as a public line so that characters can be displayed. You can build an online conversation system by. That is, the character data input by one communication terminal is transmitted to the other party's terminal, and the other party's communication terminal displays the received character data on the display means, thereby exchanging the contents of mutual remarks. it can. Here, if the conversation partner cannot be uniquely identified, that is, if a similar online conversation system is constructed among three or more communication terminals, data is not directly transmitted and received between the communication terminals, Usually, an indirect method is used through a common data storage area provided in a host computer or the like. In other words, each communication terminal writes character data in the common data storage area by sending character data to the host computer, and the host computer participates in the conversation system with the content written in the common data storage area. The communication contents are transmitted to all communication terminals by transmitting them to all communication terminals.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an operation screen of the online conversation system. Here, an example of conversation between three communication terminals having identification names A, B and C is shown. On the display screen 201 of the communication terminal A, the sender identification display 202 indicating the speaker and the contents 203 to 206 of the message are displayed. The utterance that is later in time is displayed below the display screen 201. In FIG. 2A, the statement content 206 corresponds to the latest statement. Here, when the character data “I am Taro” is transmitted from the communication terminal A, the content 2 of the message in FIG.
It is additionally displayed like 07.

In the prior art, in addition to the online conversation system mainly composed of the character data as described above, there is an example in which the scene of the conversation is visually displayed in order to enhance the realism of the conversation. FIG. 3 illustrates Worlds Inc. "Wor
It is explanatory drawing of the example of the operation screen of the online conversation system called "lds Chat." Display screen 3 of communication terminal
01 is composed of a statement content display area 302 and a participant display area 303. The statement content display area 302 is
The configuration is basically the same as the display screen described in FIG. The participant display area 303 is composed of symbol images corresponding to individual communication terminals participating in the online conversation system. FIG. 3 shows an example in which a conversation is held between three communication terminals, and symbol images 304 to 306 corresponding to the respective communication terminals are displayed.

[0005]

In the prior art shown in FIG. 3, the effect of the participant display area 303 in which the participants are visually displayed is that the participants can be listed.
Another example is to make the conversation more realistic.
However, after the online conversation has started, only the utterance content display area 302 is necessary, and the participant display area 3
03 is not useful for the operation. In other words, during conversation,
As shown in the example of FIG. 2, only a list of utterance contents is displayed, and it cannot be said that the sense of presence is high. In addition, since the area of the participant display area 303 in the display screen is not used, it cannot be said to be an efficient display method. One of the problems to be solved by the present invention is to integrate the participant display area 303 and the statement content display area 302 in the prior art to realize an operation screen with a high sense of presence even during conversation. Further, in the related art, the utterance content is composed of character data, but by transmitting and receiving voice data instead, it is possible to construct a more realistic online conversation system. In this case, the speech content is output as voice,
The utterance content display area 302 is unnecessary, and only the visual participant display area 303 is sufficient. However, when the participant display area 303 is eliminated, the sender identification display is also eliminated from the operation screen, and it is difficult to determine which communication terminal is making the speech. Therefore, another problem to be solved by the present invention is to clearly indicate the sender of the utterance content on the operation screen without the participant display area.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the online conversation system of the present invention comprises the following means.

A first communication means including a character input means such as a keyboard and a tablet device, a display means such as a CRT and a liquid crystal panel, a telephone for connecting to a communication network and transmitting and receiving data, a MODEM and the like. And a symbol image setting means for creating display data of the symbol image based on the connection terminal list information received from the host computer, and a symbol image storage means for storing the display data of the symbol image, which is composed of a memory, a hard disk, or the like. A symbol image corresponding to the communication terminal identified by the transmission source identification information received from the host computer, and the connection terminal display means for outputting the symbol image stored in the symbol image storage means to the display means. Search from the symbol image data stored in the storage means A communication terminal having a source emphasizing means for changing the display data of the corresponding symbol image, a communication network and the like public line or a dedicated line,
A second communication means such as a telephone or a MODEM for connecting to a communication network and transmitting / receiving data, a character data received from the second communication means, and a sender identification for specifying a communication terminal as a sender of the data It is composed of a reception data storage means such as a memory and a hard disk for storing information, and a host computer provided with a connection terminal storage means such as a memory and a hard disk for storing connection terminal list information for specifying a connected communication terminal. To be done.

Further, it is preferable that the above-mentioned communication terminal is provided with a voice input means such as a microphone for inputting voice data. Further, it is preferable to include a voice output unit such as a speaker for outputting voice data.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an online conversation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The online conversation system according to the present embodiment, when a conversation using character data or voice data is performed between a plurality of communication terminals connected to a host computer via a communication network, the content and the statement from each terminal It is configured to notify the person identification information.

As shown in FIG. 1, the online conversation system of the present invention generally comprises a communication system 101, a communication network 102, and a host computer 103. Although a plurality of communication terminals 101 are connected to the communication network 102, only a single communication terminal 101 is shown in FIG. 1 for convenience of explanation. Each block configuration will be described below.

First, the configuration of the communication terminal 101 will be described. A keyboard, a tablet device, etc., and a character input means 104 for inputting character data, which is the content of the utterance to the online conference, by an input operation of the user of the communication terminal 101, a CRT, a liquid crystal panel, etc., from the host computer 103. The communication network 102 includes the display means 105 for displaying the received character data and the symbol image showing the communication terminal connected to the host computer at the same time, the line terminal device, the MODEM and the like.
A symbol image storage unit 107 that is connected to the host computer 103 and that transmits and receives data to and from the host computer 103 and a storage device such as a memory or a hard disk and that stores display data of a plurality of symbol images.
And a data processing device such as a CPU and a storage device such as a memory, namely, three data processing means, that is, a symbol image setting means 108, a connection terminal display means 109, and a transmission source emphasizing means 110. The first communication unit 1 includes a voice input unit 114 including a microphone, which inputs voice data such as a user's voice, and a speaker.
The audio output means 115 for outputting audio data or the like received from the host computer 103 may also be included depending on 06.

The first communication means 106 is the character input means 1
Character data input from 04 and voice input means 114
Voice data etc. input from the communication network 1
02 to the host computer 103. Further, via the communication network 102, it receives data relating to the content of the utterance such as character data and voice data from the host computer 103 and outputs it to the display means 105 and the voice output means 115. In addition, the host computer 103
The transmission source identification information is received from and transmitted to the transmission source emphasizing means 110. Also, the connection terminal list information is received from the host computer 103 and notified to the symbol image setting means 108. The connection terminal list information includes not only identification information of communication terminals but also information about display data of symbol images corresponding to each communication terminal, for example, image data of symbol images, pattern numbers of symbol images, or color of symbol images. It is preferable that display attributes such as

The symbol image setting means 108 creates display data of a symbol image corresponding to the communication terminal specified by the connection terminal list information received from the host computer by the first communication device 106. In creating the symbol data, it is preferable to copy and use the display data of the symbol image stored in the communication terminal in advance. It is also preferable to receive and use the display data of the symbol image as the connection terminal list information from the host computer.

The connection terminal display means 109 outputs a symbol image on the display screen of the display means 105 based on the display data stored in the symbol image storage means 107.

The transmission source emphasizing means 110 selects the symbol image corresponding to the communication terminal specified by the transmission source identification information received from the first communication means 106 from the symbol images stored in the symbol image storage means 107. Search and change the display data of the corresponding symbol image.

The configuration of the communication network 102 is as follows.
Regardless of wired or wireless communication, public line,
Alternatively, regardless of the leased line, a plurality of communication terminals 1 can be simultaneously
01 and the host computer 103 are connected to each other, and a communication network according to the related art which can mediate the transmission and reception of data is used.

Next, the configuration of the host computer 103 will be described. Second communication means 111, which is composed of a line terminal device or MODEM, is connected to the communication network 102, and transmits / receives data to / from a plurality of 101.
The second communication means 11 includes a memory and a hard disk.
1. Received data storage means 112 that stores the data received from 1 and transmission source identification information that identifies the communication terminal that is the source of the data, and connection terminal that stores connection terminal list information that identifies the communication terminal that is currently connected. The storage means 113 is included.

The received data storage means 112 stores data relating to the content of the utterance such as character data and voice data received from the second communication means, and transmission source identification information for specifying the communication terminal of the transmission source of the data.

The connection terminal storage means 113 stores connection terminal list information for specifying the communication terminal being connected.

Next, the data structure of the connection terminal list information and the display data of the symbol image used in the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The structure of the connection terminal list information will be described with reference to FIG. Data table 4 of connected terminal list information
01 is usually composed of the identification information of the communication terminal, for example, the identification number 402 as shown in FIG. This identification information corresponds to each connected communication terminal on a one-to-one basis and does not overlap. The host computer 103 monitors the connected communication terminal so that only the identification information corresponding to the connected communication terminal is stored in the data table 401. Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, the display data 403 of the symbol image of each connected communication terminal may be stored.

The structure of the display data of the symbol image is shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. Display data data table 50
1 indicates, for example, terminal identification information 502 such as an identification number of a communication terminal, coordinate information 503 such as display coordinates of a symbol image on a screen of a display device, size information 504 such as a symbol image size and a magnification, and a symbol image. It includes elements such as display color information 505 such as color and brightness, graphic data 506 such as image data of a symbol image, and transmission source identification information 507 for identifying the communication terminal of the latest transmission source. The communication terminal of the latest transmission source identified by the transmission source identification information 507 is the communication terminal of the transmission source of the character data or the voice data transmitted last from the host computer 103 to each communication terminal 101. That is. Here, graphic data 5
06 may store a plurality of symbol images.
Accordingly, a plurality of symbol images can be switched and displayed on one communication terminal according to the state.

Next, regarding the operation of the communication terminal 101, the symbol image setting means 108 and the connection terminal display means 109.
Then, the flow of processing of the transmission source emphasizing means 110 will be described.

FIG. 6 is a processing flow of the symbol image setting means 108. In step 601, data for one terminal is read from the connected terminal list information received from the host computer 103. At this time, each time the first communication unit 106 receives data for one terminal, the data may be read in step 601. Alternatively, the first communication unit 106 may be read once.
May receive data for a plurality of terminals, store the data in a storage device such as a memory, and read the data for one terminal from the storage device in step 601. In step 602, it is detected whether the read data for one terminal includes the display data of the symbol image. As described with reference to FIG. 4, the connection terminal list information may include display data for displaying a symbol image corresponding to each communication terminal on the display device, in addition to the identification information of each communication terminal. This step 60
If it is determined in step 2 that the display data for the symbol image is not included, in step 603, the display data for the symbol image, which is stored in advance in a storage device such as a memory in the communication terminal 101, is read, It is the display data of the corresponding communication terminal. At step 604, the identification information of the communication terminal and the display data of the symbol image are stored in the symbol image storage means 107. These data are stored in the structure of the data table described with reference to FIG. In step 605, it is determined whether the processing up to step 604 has been performed for all the communication terminals specified by the connection terminal list information received from the host computer 103, and the processing is ended. The above-described processing of the symbol image setting means 108 is executed every time the connection terminal list information is received from the host computer 103, and the symbol image storage means 1 is sequentially executed.
The data of 07 is updated to the latest contents.

FIG. 7 is a processing flow of the connection terminal display means 109. In step 701, the display data of the symbol image for one terminal is read from the symbol image storage means 107. In step 702, the symbol image storage means 10
It is determined whether the symbol images are displayed for all the communication terminals stored in 7. When it is determined that there is an undisplayed communication terminal, the display data of the corresponding symbol image is read and output to the display device 105 in step 703. When outputting the symbol image, 503 to 50 in FIG.
Display is performed based on the data set in 6.

FIG. 8 is a processing flow of the transmission source emphasizing means 110. In step 801, the first receiving means 106 reads the sender identification information from the data received from the host computer 103. In step 802, the symbol image corresponding to the communication terminal specified by the read transmission source identification information is stored in the symbol image storage means 107.
Search from the data stored in. When the example of FIG. 5 is used, the transmission source identification information is the identification number of the communication terminal, and the data matching this identification number is searched while comparing with the data of the identification information 502. In step 803, the content of the display data of the retrieved symbol image is changed. The content to be changed is one or more of the display coordinates 503, the size information 504, the display color information 505, and the graphic data 506. Also, the sender identification information 507
May be changed. This transmission source identification information 507 is
It takes two values, and a value indicating that it is not a transmission source is usually set, and a value indicating a transmission source is set only for the symbol image searched in step 802. That is, the transmission source identification information 507 takes a value different from other values only for the communication terminal corresponding to the newest speaker. When the data for a plurality of images is stored in the graphic data 506, the normal symbol image and the emphasizing symbol image are switched and displayed according to this value.

Finally, an operation screen example of the communication terminal 101 according to the above-described embodiment will be described. FIG. 9 shows a case where the display color information 505 in the display data of the symbol image is changed by the transmission source emphasizing means 110. FIG.
In (a), in the display screen diagram 901 of the communication terminal 101, symbol images 902 to 90 corresponding to the communication terminal being connected are displayed.
4 is displayed. The message contents from the communication terminal corresponding to these symbol images 902 to 904 are displayed on the message contents displays 905 to 907, respectively. Of the communication terminals corresponding to these three symbol images 902 to 904, the utterance from the communication terminal corresponding to the symbol image 902 is the newest, so only the symbol image 902 has a different display color. Subsequently, when the communication terminal corresponding to the symbol image 903 makes a statement as shown by 903 in FIG. 9B, the display color of the symbol image 902 returns to the same as that of the other symbol images, and instead, the symbol image is displayed. 90
The display color of 3 is different from the others. In the example of FIG. 9,
The user of the communication terminal 101 can identify the newest speaker by the display color of the symbol image.

FIG. 10 shows a case where the graphic data 506 of the display data of the symbol image is changed by the transmission source emphasizing means 110. In this case, the graphic data 506 stores two types of different forms, a symbol image at the time of a statement and a symbol image at other times. In FIG. 10A, in the display screen diagram 1001 of the communication terminal 101, symbol images 1002 to 1004 corresponding to the communication terminal being connected are displayed. The utterance contents from the communication terminal corresponding to these symbol images 1002 to 1004 are displayed in the utterance contents displays 905 to 907, respectively. These three symbol images 902 to 9
Among the communication terminals corresponding to 04, the communication terminal corresponding to the symbol image 1002 is the latest, so only the symbol image 1002 is an image of a different form showing the speaker. Then, when the communication terminal corresponding to the symbol image 1004 makes a statement as shown by 1007 in FIG. 9B, the image of the symbol image 1002 returns to the same as other symbol images, and instead, the symbol image 100
The image of 4 has a different form showing the speaker. FIG.
In the case of the above example, the user of the communication terminal 101 can identify the newest speaker by the form of the symbol image.

FIG. 11 shows the transmission source emphasizing means 110.
This is a case where the coordinate information 503 and the size information 504 are changed in the display data of the symbol image. In FIG. 11 (a),
In the display screen view 1101 of the communication terminal 101, symbol images 1102 to 1106 corresponding to the communication terminal being connected are displayed. These symbol images 1102 to 1
Among the utterance contents from the communication terminal corresponding to 106, the newest contents are displayed in the utterance contents frame 1107.
Of the communication terminals corresponding to these five symbol images 1102 to 1106, the utterance from the communication terminal corresponding to the symbol image 1104 is the latest, so the content of the utterance is displayed in the utterance frame 1107, and only the symbol image 1104 is displayed.
It has moved to a position closer to the center of the screen, and the size has also increased. Subsequently, when the communication terminal corresponding to the symbol image 1106 makes a remark as shown by 1107 in FIG. 11B, the image of the symbol image 1104 returns to the screen peripheral side and has the same size as other symbol images. Return to the same size as other symbol images. Instead, the image of the symbol image 1106 moves to a position closer to the center of the screen and the size increases. In the case of the example in FIG. 11, the user of the communication terminal 101 is
The position and size of the symbol image makes it possible to identify the newest speaker.

Further, in the examples used in FIGS. 9 to 11 described above, the contents of the utterance from each communication terminal are treated as character information, but the same can be realized by using voice data. That is, instead of displaying the content of the statement, the communication terminal 1
The audio output means 115 provided in 01 outputs. In this case, the character data may be displayed and output together with the voice output.

In addition, by storing the moving image data as the display data, it is possible to realize the moving image display of the symbol image of the transmission source with the same configuration as this embodiment.

[0033]

According to the online conversation system of the present invention, in the conventional online conversation system, the operation screen, which merely displays the list of the utterance contents from each terminal, can be made visually easy to understand. It is possible to further enhance the realism of conversation.

First, the technology of displaying the participant display area, which is seen in the operation screen of the conventional communication terminal, has been further developed so that the speech content itself of the conversation can be visually displayed. Especially, if you are not familiar with computer operation,
For beginners, the child can be provided with a familiar operating environment.

Secondly, when a plurality of utterance contents are visually displayed at the same time as described above, or when a conversation is carried out by voice data, the communication terminal side which receives the utterance has a problem that the utterance order is confused. Occurs. In the present invention,
The communication terminal that has transmitted the last utterance can be visually notified by emphasizing the symbol image, which is easy for a beginner to understand.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an online conversation system.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of connection terminal list information.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of display data of a symbol image.

FIG. 6 is a processing flowchart of a symbol image setting unit.

FIG. 7 is a processing flowchart of a connection terminal display unit.

FIG. 8 is a processing flowchart of a transmission source emphasizing unit.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of display data of a symbol image.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of display data of a symbol image.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of display data of a symbol image.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... Communication terminal, 102 ... Communication network, 103
... host computer, 104 ... character input means, 105
Display unit 106 First communication unit 107 Symbol image storage unit 108 Symbol setting unit 109
Connection terminal display means, 110 ... Source emphasis means, 111 ...
Second communication means 112 ... Received data storage means 113
... connection terminal storage means, 114 ... voice input means, 115 ...
Audio output means.

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A character input means such as a keyboard and a CRT.
Display means and a first communication means connected to a communication network, and the character data input from the character input means is transmitted by the first communication means,
Communication terminal for outputting the character data received from the communication means to the display means, the communication network, the second communication means connected to the communication network, the character data received from the second communication means, and the character data A receiving data storage means for storing transmission source identification information for identifying the communication terminal of the transmission source of the connection source and a connection terminal storage means for storing connection terminal list information for identifying the communication terminal being connected, To the communication terminal, the online conversation system composed of the character data stored in the reception data storage means and the host computer that simultaneously transmits the transmission source identification information, wherein the host computer is the connection terminal storage means. The stored connection terminal list information is transmitted to each communication terminal, and the communication terminal uses the received connection terminal list information. Based on the display data stored in the symbol image storage means, the symbol image setting means for creating the display data of the symbol image, the symbol image storage means for storing the symbol image, corresponding to the individual communication terminals specified, On the display means
The connection terminal display means for displaying the symbol image and the symbol image corresponding to the communication terminal specified by the transmission source identification information are searched from the symbol images stored in the symbol image storage means, and the corresponding symbol image An online conversation system comprising a source emphasizing means for changing display data. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal means includes a voice input means such as a microphone and a voice output means such as a speaker, and the voice data input from the voice input means is transmitted by the first communication means. The voice data received from the first communication means is output by the voice output means, and the host computer specifies the voice data received from the second communication means and the communication terminal from which the voice data is transmitted. An online conversation system in which the transmission source identification information is stored in the reception data storage means, and the voice data and the transmission source identification information stored in the reception data storage means are simultaneously transmitted to a plurality of connected communication terminals. . 3. The display data of the symbol image according to claim 1 or 2, wherein display attributes such as color and brightness of the symbol image are included, and the transmission source emphasizing means includes the display data in the display data. An online conversation system that changes display attributes. 4. The display data of the symbol image according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display data of the symbol image includes an attribute of a size such as a size of the symbol image and an enlargement ratio, and the transmission source emphasizing means selects one of the display data. An online conversation system for changing the attribute of the size. 5. The display data of the symbol image according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display data of the symbol image includes coordinate data such as display coordinates of the symbol image, and the transmission source emphasizing unit displays the coordinate data of the display data. Online conversation system to change. 6. The symbol image storage according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of symbol images per communication terminal and display symbol identification data for specifying a symbol image to be displayed from among the plurality of symbol images are stored. An online conversation system stored in the means, wherein the source emphasizing means changes the display symbol identification data.