WO2008143398A1

WO2008143398A1 - Method for providing virtual community, relation service in the virtual community and system thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2008143398A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/001142
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hyun Bong Lee; Seung Hwan Bang
Original assignee: MIENGINE CO Ltd
Current assignee: MIENGINE CO Ltd
Priority date: 2007-05-17
Filing date: 2008-02-27
Publication date: 2008-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 2009-11-17
Also published as: KR100936011B1; KR20090001757A

Abstract

A method of providing a virtual community and a method and system for providing a relation service in the virtual community are provided. The method of providing the relation service in the virtual community includes the operations of a relation server transmitting a service list to a terminal of a first user connected to a first web page at the request of the terminal of the first user for service list transmission; the relation server receiving a service identifier of a service selected by the first user from the service list and a first user key unique to the first user; the relation server receiving a service response which is output by an application server in response to the service identifier and the first user key received from the relation server; and the relation server transmitting the received service response to the terminal of the first user, wherein the terminal of the first user requests the application server for the service on the basis of the service response, and the application server provides the requested service to the terminal of the first user.

Description

METHOD FOR PROVIDING VIRTUAL COMMUNITY, RELATION SERVICE IN THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY AND

SYSTEM THEREOF

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to virtual community services, and more particularly, to a method and system by which a user connected to a virtual space can see other users connected to the same virtual space and use not only services provided in the virtual space but also services provided in other virtual spaces or by other service providers and by which when a user is a subscriber of a virtual community, the user can receive services from the virtual community even in the virtual space and can use services provided in other virtual spaces together with other users.

[2] Due to the remarkable development of computers, communications, and network technology, the Internet, which is a virtual space, becomes more closely connected with the real life and is changing to be similar to the real world. The Internet in its youth was recognized as a storehouse of information, whereas the Internet in these days becomes a virtual world that can reproduce the events occurring in the off-line real life, such as shopping, treatments, counseling, reading in the library, etc. Thus, how much such a virtual world can be the same as or similar to the real world becomes a direction in which the Internet advances.

[3] When a person goes to a certain place in the off-line real life, the person can meet and see the people existing in the place. The meeting and seeing of the people existing in the place is considered a phenomenon that naturally occurs when the person goes to the place, regardless of whether the person wants or not. Among the people existing in the place, there may be people who the person knows or people who the person does not know. When the person meets an acquaintance in the place, the person may talk or do something with the acquaintance. The person may even get to know people who the person does not know through a conversation, and then do something together. For example, when people that met each other in the place try to watch TV or play game together, the people only need a TV or a game instrument in the place. In other words, the people do not need to go to a TV manufacturing factory or a place where a game instrument is manufactured.

[4] Web pages or web sites in the online virtual world may be considered virtual spaces, which are compared with such places in the real world as described above. Users who have connected to/visited a web site may be considered people who go to a virtual space. Accordingly, when a user connects to a website (or goes to a virtual space), the user needs to be able to see people who have connected to the website (or people existing in the virtual space). In other words, when going to the virtual space, the user naturally needs to be able to see the people existing in the virtual space. Among the people existing in the virtual space, there may be people who the user knows or people who the user does not know. The user may talk with somebody among the people existing in the virtual space. The applicant of the present invention has filed a patent application for a technique of implementing this concept into the Internet, as Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0603551, entitled "Method and System for Providing Roaming Community Services" (hereinafter, referred to as a previous application). The contents mentioned in the specification of Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0603551 are included as a reference of the present specification. Background Art

[5] A virtual community in the specification may denote a roaming community disclosed in the previous application. As disclosed in the previous application, people who have already subscribed to the roaming community may be people who a user currently visiting the virtual space (i.e., the roaming community) knows or people who the current user only knows their names. In addition, the user can see even people having not subscribed to the roaming community as long as the people are present in the virtual space, although not knowing their identities. Being seen to user's eyes in the virtual space may denote that individual distinguishing marks, such as icons (for example, avatars) or temporary identifiers (IDs), for people existing in the virtual space (i.e., people connected to a web page or a web site) are seen to the user's eyes no matter whether the people existing in the virtual space have been subscribed to the roaming community or not. Of course, people having not subscribed to the roaming community may be seen as default IDs (for example, visitor 1, visitor2, anonymous 1, anonymous2, etc.). Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] The present invention provides a method and system that allows a user currently accessing a web page or a web site (hereinafter, a web space) to use even services not prepared in the web space, namely, services provided by other web spaces or by web service providers, in the web space accessed by the user.

[7] The present invention also provides a method and system that allows the current user to use the services together with other users that have accessed the same web space.

[8] The present invention also provides a method and system that allows the current user to see information about not only users who have accessed the web space but also users who have accessed other web spaces and that allows the current user to use a specific service together with the users who have accessed the other web spaces.

Advantageous Effects

[9] In a virtual community providing method according to the present invention, a user who currently accesses a web page can see information about all users that have accessed the web page, no matter whether the users have or have not subscribed to a virtual community. [10] In addition, the current user who accesses the web page can see even information about users who have accessed predetermined other web pages. [11] As described above, in a method and system for providing a relation service in a virtual community according to the present invention, a user currently accessing a web page can use even services not prepared in the web space, namely, services provided by other web pages or by web service providers, in the web page. [12] In addition, the current user can use the services together with other users that have accessed the same web page. [13] Moreover, since the current user can receive all personal services, which the current user has used for a long time, in all web spaces that provide a virtual community service, an effect where the current user carries the personal services or contents when moving between web spaces is generated. [14] Furthermore, the current user can see information about not only users who have been connected to the web page but also users who have been connected to other web pages, and can use a specific service together with the users who have been connected to the other web pages.

Brief Description of the Drawings [15] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: [16] FIG. 1 illustrates a code which is added to a web page in order to provide a relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention; [17] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a system for providing a virtual community, according to an embodiment of the present invention; [18] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a web page that provides the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention; [19] FIG. 4 is a schematic data flowchart for describing the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention; [20] FIG. 5 is a schematic data flowchart for a relation service in a virtual community, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and [21] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a data flow generated while a user is playing a game based on a relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[22] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a virtual community, the method comprising: a terminal of a user accessing a web page; and when the terminal of the user is connected to the web page, a server transmitting state information about other users connected to a specific web page to the terminal of the user.

[23] The specific web page may comprise at least one of a web page identical with the web page accessed by the terminal of the user and a web page other than the web page accessed by the terminal of the user. The other users may comprise users who do not subscribe to a service for the virtual community.

[24] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a relation service in a virtual community, the method comprising: a relation server transmitting a service list to a terminal of a first user connected to a first web page at the request of the terminal of the first user for service list transmission; the relation server receiving a service identifier of a service selected by the first user from the service list and a first user key unique to the first user; the relation server receiving a service response which is output by an application server in response to the service identifier and the first user key received from the relation server; and the relation server transmitting the received service response to the terminal of the first user, wherein the terminal of the first user requests the application server for the service on the basis of the service response, and the application server provides the requested service to the terminal of the first user.

[25] The service list may comprise at least one service designated by the first user or at least one of pieces of information about services which have been used by the first user.

[26] The service, may performed in the first web page by a web client connected to the first web page.

[27] The service list may comprise at least one of a game application, a web application, an advertisement, and contents. The service response may comprise information corresponding to data used to provide the service stored in the application server.

[28] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a relation service in a virtual community, the method comprising: a relation server transmitting a service list to a terminal of a first user connected to a first web page at the request of the terminal of the firs user for service list transmission; when the first user selects one service from the service list and selects a second user, who is to use the selected service together, based on information about at least one other user which is displayed on the terminal of the first user, the relation server transmitting information about the selected service, the first user, and the second user to an application server; the relation server receiving a service response which is output by the application server in response to the information about the selected service, the first user, and the second user; and the relation server transmitting the received service response to the terminal of the first user and a terminal of the second user, wherein the terminal of the first user and the terminal of the second user request the application server for the service on the basis of the service response, and the application server provides the requested service to the terminal of the first user and the terminal of the second user.

[29] The terminal of the second user may have been connected to one of a web page identical with the first web page and a second web page different from the first web page. The method of providing the virtual community and the method of providing the relation service in the virtual community may be recorded in the form of a program on a recording medium.

[30] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for providing a relation service in a virtual community, the system comprising: a relation module; and a service control unit receiving information about services that can be provided by an application server and managing a service list based on the information about the services, wherein the service management transmits a service list to a terminal of a first user connected to a first web page at the request of the terminal of the first user for service list transmission, and the relation module receives a service identifier of a service selected by the first user from the service list and a first user key unique to the first user, transmits the service identifier and the first user key to the application server, receives a service response from the application server, and transmits the service response to the terminal of the first user.

[31] The system may further comprise a community module for transmitting to the user of the first user information about a second user who has been connected to a web page identical with the first web page or to a second web page different from the first web page, wherein the relation module may further receive a second user key of the second user, who is selected based on the information about the second user by the terminal of the first user and is to use the selected service together with the first user, from a terminal of the second user and may also transmit the service response received from the application server to the terminal of the second user. Mode for the Invention

[32] The attached drawings for illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention are referred to in order to gain a sufficient understanding of the present invention, the merits thereof, and the objectives accomplished by the implementation of the present invention.

[33] It will be understood that when a component is referred to as "transmitting" data to another component, the component can transmit the data to the other component directly or via at least one component. In contrast, when a component is referred to as "directly transmitting" data to another component, there are no intervening components via which the data is transmitted from the former component to the latter component. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by explaining preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

[34] As disclosed in the previous application, users visiting a virtual space can talk with people that the users see, or send notes thereto. In addition, in a technical spirit of the present invention, users can do specific things in the virtual space. For example, users can play game in the virtual space. When a game service that a user wants to receive is provided in the virtual space, the user can definitely play game. However, even when the virtual space is not equipped with a game service that a user wants to receive, the user can still play game without needing to move to a place that provides the game service or a place that has equipment required for the game. Somebody only needs to provide the game service to the virtual space used by the current user so that the current user can play the game in the virtual space. Of course, the user can play game with other users that are present in the virtual space. A relation service in a virtual space according to the present invention can play a role of bringing services not provided in a virtual space where a current user is located to the user so that the user can immediately use the services in the virtual space. In other words, it is difficult for some virtual spaces to be ready for various demands of users. However, in the relation service according to the present invention, a service capable of performing a user's demand in specific virtual spaces can be provided. When the identity of a user is revealed, the user can receive a service that has been used by the user for a long time but is not provided in a current virtual space, in the current virtual space. In other words, from the viewpoint of a user, the user always carries services that the user has used for a long time, no matter what virtual community spaces the user go to. In addition, as disclosed in the previous application, a user in a virtual community can do a desired specific thing together with other users (i.e., people who the user know and/ or does not know) that exist in the virtual community and are seen to the eyes of the user. Virtual community users or visitors do not install programs at all.

[35] FIG. 1 illustrates a code which is added to a web page in order to provide a relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a predetermined web page which a user accesses may include a predetermined code (for example, an html code). The web page may include a predetermined code for providing a relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[36] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the predetermined code may be an object, a script, or a uniform resource locator (URL) address at which the object or the script is located. In other words, the web page may include the entire code of the object or the script or only the URL address of the script. Accordingly, an operator of the web page may allow users accessing the web page to use a relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention, by inserting the URL address of the script into the web page.

[37] In an important technical feature of the present invention, users accessing the web page do not need to perform installation of any programs in their own user terminals (for example, computers), which is conventionally needed to use a relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. Of course, a service subscription procedure may be needed in order to use a relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. However, service subscription is not necessarily needed, and even when a user does not subscribe to a service, the user can receive a relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention as long as the user accesses the web page including the predetermined code. A difference between when a user subscribes to a service and when a user does not subscribe to the service will be described later.

[38] In the present specification, a case where the predetermined code for the relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention is a script is illustrated. A case where the script is included in a predetermined web page does not denote only a case where the script itself is included in the predetermined web page but also denotes a case where an object and a URL address in which the script is located are included in the predetermined web page.

[39] The script may perform a roaming community service as disclosed in the previous application and the relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the roaming community service, a user who currently accesses the web page is provided with information about other users that have accessed the web page, and the current user may talk with or send a message to at least one of the other users. In other words, in the roaming community service, a user can see all users who have accessed a specific web page as long as the user accesses the specific web page, in contrast with an existing community service in which, after a user logs in a specific web page, the user can only see information about people who the user designates as a predetermined relation (for example, friends, first degrees of kinship, etc.). In other words, a user can always see people existing in a virtual space when going to the virtual space.

[40] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a web page that provides a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 3, in a service provided in the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention, that is, a roaming community service, a user is provided with information about people who have already accessed the web page. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the information about the people who have already accessed the web page may be in the form of avatars 1, 2, and 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this form, and predetermined graphical user interfaces (GUIs) or texts simply representing people's IDs may be displayed at a predetermined area of the web page. When a user who has subscribed to the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention accesses the web page, the ID of the subscribed user may be displayed as illustrated in FIG. 3. On the other hand, when a user who does not subscribe to the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention accesses the web page, a predetermined icon or a predetermined text (for example, "visitor", "anonymous", etc.) may be displayed.

[41] Of course, when there are many users that have accessed the specific web page, the users may be filtered or sorted according to a certain criterion and then displayed, or only people who meet a condition set by a current user may be displayed. For example, when information about a user A who has subscribed to the roaming community service may be an ID of the user A and information about a user B who does not subscribe to the roaming community service is "visitor", the certain criterion for being displayed is pre-set so that the current user can see only information about all people but visitors.

[42] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a system for providing a virtual community, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, a user may access a web server 200 including a predetermined web page via a wired/wireless network by using a web client 300 (for example, an Internet browser, etc.) installed in a terminal of the user. The web page may include a script for providing the relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. The web client 300 may receive a program code (for example, an HTML code) corresponding to the web page, display a page corresponding to the program code, and perform an operation corresponding to a specific code(for esample, script, etc.) when the page includes the specific code. Since the program code includes the script, the user can use the relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention by only accessing/visiting the web page.

[43] The script included in the web page may send state information to a relation server 100. The relation server 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may have a function of a VPC server disclosed in the previous application. An operation of the script will be described in greater detail later.

[44] FIG. 4 is a schematic data flowchart for describing the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, in operation SlO, a user may access the web server 200 via the web client 300 and request the web server 200 for a web page. In operation SI l, the web server 200 transmits the web page to the web client 300 at the request of the user. The transmitted web page may include a script as described above with reference to FIG. 1.

[45] In operation S 12, the web client 300 may request the relation server 100 for a actual script code in order to process the script included in the received web page. In operation S 13, the relation server 100 transmits the requested script to the web client 300 in response to the request of the web client 300. Thus, the virtual community and/ or the relation service in the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention can be provided to users that use the web client 300.

[46] In operation S 14, the script may automatically generate a key unique to the web client 300. The unique key may be unique information that can be generated based on session information which is generated when sessions of the relation server 100 and the web client 300 are set. Since the session information depends on the type of set session, the unique information can be generated based on the session information. The script may control the unique key to be generated in the relation server 100 and transmitted to the web client 300. Alternatively, the script may control the unique key to be generated in the web client 300.

[47] The generated unique key or a predetermined state message generated based on the unique key may be used as information that can represent a connection status of the web client 300. In operation S15, the web client 300 may transmit the state message to the relation server 100 under the control of the script. In operation S 16, the relation server 100 which has received the state message may recognize that the web client 300 has been connected to the web page, and may transmit a response message to the web client 300. The response message may be a message (for example, an 'acknowledgment' message) simply informing the web client 300 that the relation server 100 has received the state message. In operation S 17, the state message may be periodically transmitted to the relation server 100 according to the script. Since the script is performed only when the web client 100 is currently connected to the web page, the relation server 100 can be aware of a connection status of the web client 300. Of course, the script may be designed so as to be executed in the entire domain of a web page or only in specific web pages of a specific domain.

[48] As disclosed in the previous application, the relation server 100 may include a pre- determined database (DB) for storing state messages transmitted by the web client 300 and other web clients connected to the web page. The relation server 100 may send predetermined information for the roaming community according to an embodiment of the present invention to the web client 300 on the basis of the state messages stored in the DB or the unique key itself.

[49] As disclosed in the previous application, the predetermined information may be information about users or web clients connected to the web page.

[50] The script may basically perform the following functions. First, the script is included in a web page and transmits web clients or users information (for example, a unique key) to the relation server 100. When a user that performs the script has subscribed to the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention, the script may transmit predetermined information indicating that the user has subscribed to the roaming community service to the relation server 100 in addition to the unique key. When the user does not subscribe to the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention, the script may enable only the unique key to be sent to the relation server 100 as described above.

[51] Information about web clients or users connected to the relation server 100 according to the script can be transmitted to the web client connected to the relation server 100, according to the script. For example, when a script A is included in a web page A, all users or web clients which access the web page A are connected to the relation server 100 according to the script A. Thus, unique keys that the web clients connected to the relation server 100 according to the script A have transmitted to the relation server may be stored in the DB. The unique keys may be represented as avatars, icons, or texts and transmitted to the web clients connected to the relation server 100 according to the script A. As a result, when a user A accesses the web page A, the user A can see information (e.g., avatars, user IDs, etc.) about the users connected to the web page A. Of course, as described above, the information about users who have subscribed to the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include predetermined additional information (e.g., IDs). Thus, the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention can provide information about users connected to the web page A regardless of whether the users have subscribed to the roaming community service or not.

[52] The roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention can also provide information about users connected to web pages other than the web page A. For example, when there are web pages A and B having different domains, a user connected to the web page A can see information about other users connected to the web page A and users connected to the web page B, as long as the web pages A and B include an identical script C. Of course, the users connected to the web page B can also see information about the users connected to the web page A and other users connected to the web page B. As described above, since the script C included in both the web pages A and B informs the relation server 100 that the web pages A and B have an identical web space, information about the web clients or users connected to the relation server 100 according to the script C can be transmitted to the web clients connected to the relation server 100 according to the script C. Consequently, an effect where information about users connected to different web pages can also be displayed is generated. Of course, information about users connected to web pages may include information about the web pages which the users have accessed. Thus, the user A can recognize whether users corresponding to displayed interfaces (e.g., avatars, icons, texts, etc.) are connected to the web page A or to the web page B.

[53] Of course, in which web pages identical scripts are to be included may be determined according to the service policy. The identical scripts may denote not only a case where the scripts themselves are identical but also a case where the scripts themselves are different from each other but include information indicating that two or more web spaces are connected to each other.

[54] Consequently, in the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention, when a user accesses the web page A, the user can basically see information about users connected to a predetermined web page. The predetermined web page may be the web page A or another web page included in a separate domain. The users connected to the predetermined web page may be users who have subscribed to the roaming community service or do not subscribe thereto.

[55] In addition, as disclosed in the previous application, in the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention, a user who accesses a web page can use various services based on the displayed information about other users, such as chatting or e-mailing with the other users, movement to the web pages where the other users exist, registration of the other users as acquaintances, and other types of services.

[56] The relation service in the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention can be provided based on this roaming community service. Thus, in the relation service in the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention, a user who accesses a web page can use services not provided by the web page without needing to move to web pages that provide the services.

[57] FIG. 5 is a schematic data flowchart for the relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, a first user may access a specific web page through the web client 300. The web page includes a script for providing the relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. The web client 300 may be connected to the relation server 100 according to the script. In operation SI lO, the relation server 100 may receive information about various services provided by an application server 400 from the application server 400. The relation server 100 can maintain a basic service list based on the received information.

[58] In the relation service, when the first user is identified as a virtual community subscriber according to an identity checking method such as login or cookie information output by a terminal of the first user connected to the specific web page, the relation server 100 may request the application server 400 for services that the first user has used before, add the requested services to a basic service list provided by a first web space (or a web page), and provide the basic service list including the requested services.

[59] In other words, when the first user is a subscriber for the roaming service according to an embodiment of the present invention, the relation service 100 stores in a storage (not shown) information about services that are currently used or were used before by the subscriber. When the subscriber requests a service list, the relation server 100 may add information about the services currently used or used before by the subscriber to the basic service list and transmit a result of the addition. The subscriber may previously designate his or her desired (i.e., frequently used) services so that the desired services can be included in the basic service list. The relation server 100 may include the designated services in the basic service list and provide the service list including the designated services to the subscriber.

[60] Even when the first user is not a virtual community subscriber and the services desired by the first user are not included in the service list provided by the first web space, the relation server 100 can provide the services desired by the first user through a negotiation with the first user. The negotiation may be performed in such a way that when the first user gives information about his or her desired services to the relation server 100, the relation server 100 adds services corresponding to the information provided by the first user to the service list.

[61] The service list may include various services such as a game application, a web application, or contents. For example, companies that provide various game services on the Internet register their services in the relation server 100, and thus users can use the game services in web pages that the users currently access, without connecting to web pages that are provided by the companies.

[62] In addition, service providers that provide application solutions through the Internet may provide their own web applications through the relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, a service provider that provides a word processor service through the Internet may provide the word processor service to users by using the relation service even when the users do not install a word processor program in their terminals (e.g., PCs) and do not move to a web page of the service provider.

[63] Service providers may provide not only such an application but also various contents services through the relation service in the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, users can enjoy contents (for example, movies, VODs, music files, advertisement, etc.) selected through an interface provided by the relation service, in web pages to which the users currently connect. Of course, the contents may be contents that a service provider that operates the application server 400 has registered in the relation server 100. The present invention is not limited to these exemplified services, and various other types of services may be provided. In other words, various application services, contents services, advertisement, services for companies, etc., which users individually use or use altogether, may be provided.

[64] When the web client 300 requests the relation server 100 for the service list in operation S 120, the relation server 100 may transmit information about the service list to the web client 300, in operation S 130. In operation S 140, the first user may select at least one of the services included in the service list on the basis of the received information about the service list. If a service that can be shared by two or more users (e.g., a game, etc.) is selected, the first user may select a second user, who is to use the selected service together, based on information (e.g., avatars, icons, etc.) about users which is displayed in the roaming community service according to an embodiment of the present invention. Of course, a predetermined consent procedure may be performed through a web client of the second user.

[65] Then, in operation S 150, the web client 300 may transmit a service ID representing the service selected by the first user and a first user key corresponding to the first user to the relation server 100. When the first user selects the second user, the relation server 100 may further receive information representing the second user from the web client 300. The information representing the second user may be the second user key or information capable of identifying the second user key stored in the relation server 100. Alternatively, when the predetermined consent procedure is accepted, the web client of the second user may transmit the second user key to the relation server 100 in order to use the selected service.

[66] In operation S 160, the relation server 100 may transmit the received service ID and the first user key to the application server 400. Of course, when a service is commonly used by two or more users, the second user key may be further transmitted.

[67] Then, in operation S 170, the application server 400 may store the service ID and the first user key (or the first user key and the second user key when a service is used by two or more users) in a predetermined storage. In operation S 180, the application server 400 may transmit to the relation server 100 a service response including information required to provide a space/frame in which the service can be used. In operation S 190, the relation server 100 may transmit the received service response to the web client 300. When a service is used by two or more users, the relation server 100 may also transmit the received service response to a terminal (or a web client) of the second user.

[68] The service response may be a URL address to which the web client 300 connects in order to user the service. When the web client 300 automatically accepts (for example, clicks) the service response or there is another accept from the first user in operation S200, the web client 300 outputs a service request signal to the application server 400, in operation S210. The service request signal may include the first user key (or the first user key and the second user key when a service is used by two or more users). Accordingly, in operation S220, the application server 400 may determine whether the request for the service is made by a proper user, by comparing the first user key (or the first user key and the second user key when a service is used by two or more users) stored in the predetermined storage in operation S 170 with the first user included in the service request signal.

[69] After the determination is concluded, the application server 400 may provide the service to the web client 300. The provision of the service may denote transmission of a predetermined program (or contents), which is a type of service, to the web client 300. Of course, when the service is used by two or more users, the service is provided to both the web clients of the first and second users. When the web client 300 receives the predetermined program (or contents) from the application server 400 in order to perform the service, the web client 300 can perform the program in a predetermined area (e.g., a predetermined frame activated or a separate window activated within the web client 300) of a currently accessing web page without moving from the current web page.

[70] Consequently, users can use services which are not supported by a currently accessing web page but provided by the relation service according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the currently accessing web page without moving to web pages that provides the services. Thus, the relation service according to an embodiment of the present invention can play a role of bringing service equipment necessary for a service selected by a user to a virtual space where the user is currently located.

[71] A script for the relation service in the roaming community and the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention may be included not only in large-sized web pages such as Internet portal sites but also in all web pages which can be connected to the Internet and into which HTML codes such as personal home pages or bulletin boards of users can be inserted.

[72] For example, when a user adds a script according to an embodiment of the present invention to his or her own home page (or a blog or the like), the user can see information about users connected to his or her home page. The addition of the script, as illustrated in FIG. 1, may be performed by simply inserting only the address of the script into the home page according to an HTML syntax. As disclosed in the previous application, not only the home page owner but also all users connected to the home page may talk with other users connected to the home page or send messages thereto.

[73] Due to the simple addition of the script, all of the users connected to the home page can use various services registered in the relation server. A web server, a relation server, and an application server in the present invention are servers in terms of a software concept and may be implmented in separate physical servers or in a single computer system.

[74] In addition, users do not need to install all programs in their terminals in order to use a method of providing the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention and a relation service in the virtual community. However, programs may be installed in users terminals depending on the type of provided service. In other words, users never need to install special programs when only considering the method of providing the virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention and the relation service in the virtual community. However, depending on the type of relation service (for example, a game), installation of a predetermined program may be needed.

[75] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a data flow generated while a user is playing a game based on the relation service in a virtual community according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[76] Referring to FIG. 6, a web client of a user A and a web client of a user B may transmit service request signals based on a service response provided by the application server 400. The service request signals may include a unique key of the user A, key-a, and a unique key of the user B, key-b, respectively. Then, the application server 400 may undergo a checking procedure when needed and then transmit a predetermined program or contents for using a service to the web clients of the users A and B. The subsequent process may be performed in the same course as a data flow in a general case where a user connects to a web page providing a game and plays the game.

[77] For example, in a go-stop game as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the user A plays a game with the user B, the user A requests the application server 400 to generate the game service via a relation server. When the application server 400 generates a room/ frame (i.e., a frame or special window activated [ok??]) where the game can be performed at the request of the user A, the application server 400 may transmit information about the generated room to the user A or B. Then, the users A and B can enter the room and play the game. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the application server 400 may transmit information about the generation of the room to the user A and may transmit information about the room to the user B after receiving a connection request signal from the user B. Various embodiments for this operation may be made. Eventually, the users A and B can enter the room/frame generated in their web spaces and then play the game.

[78] A virtual community and a method of providing a relation service in the virtual community according to the present invention can be embodied as computer readable codes on a computer readable recording medium. The computer readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable recording medium include readonly memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves (such as data transmission through the Internet). The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. Also, functional programs, codes, and code segments for accomplishing the present invention can be easily construed by programmers of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[79] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. Industrial Applicability

[80] A method of providing a virtual community and a method of providing a relation service in the virtual community, according to the present invention, is applicable to Internet servers or client applications.

Claims

[1] A method of providing a virtual community, the method comprising: a terminal of a user accessing a web page; and when the terminal of the user is connected to the web page, a server transmitting state information about other users connected to a specific web page to the terminal of the user.

[2] The method of claim 1, wherein the specific web page comprises at least one of a web page identical with the web page accessed by the terminal of the user and a web page other than the web page accessed by the terminal of the user.

[3] The method of claim 1, wherein the other users comprise users who do not subscribe to a service for the virtual community.

[4] A method of providing a relation service in a virtual community, the method comprising: a relation server transmitting a service list to a terminal of a first user connected to a first web page at the request of the terminal of the first user for service list transmission; the relation server receiving a service identifier of a service selected by the first user from the service list and a first user key unique to the first user; the relation server receiving a service response which is output by an application server in response to the service identifier and the first user key received from the relation server; and the relation server transmitting the received service response to the terminal of the first user, wherein the terminal of the first user requests the application server for the service on the basis of the service response, and the application server provides the requested service to the terminal of the first user.

[5] The method of claim 4, wherein the service list comprises at least one service design ated by the first user or at least one of pieces of information about services which have been used by the first user.

[6] The method of claim 4, wherein a web client connected to the first web page performs the service in the first web page.

[7] The method of claim 4, wherein the service list comprises at least one of a game application, a web application, an advertisement, and contents.

[8] The method of claim 4, wherein the service response comprises information corresponding to data used to provide the service stored in the application server.

[9] A method of providing a relation service in a virtual community, the method comprising: a relation server transmitting a service list to a terminal of a first user connected to a first web page at the request of the terminal of the firs user for service list transmission; when the first user selects one service from the service list and selects a second user, who is to use the selected service together, based on information about at least one other user which is displayed on the terminal of the first user, the relation server transmitting information about the selected service, the first user, and the second user to an application server; the relation server receiving a service response which is output by the application server in response to the information about the selected service, the first user, and the second user; and the relation server transmitting the received service response to the terminal of the first user and a terminal of the second user, wherein the terminal of the first user and the terminal of the second user request the application server for the service on the basis of the service response, and the application server provides the requested service to the terminal of the first user and the terminal of the second user.

[10] The method of claim 9, wherein the terminal of the second user has been connected to one of a web page identical with the first web page and a second web page different from the first web page.

[11] A recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of one of claims 1 through 10.

[12] A system for providing a relation service in a virtual community, the system comprising: a relation module; and a service control unit receiving information about services that can be provided by an application server and managing a service list based on the information about the services, wherein: the service management unit transmits a service list to a terminal of a first user connected to a first web page at the request of the terminal of the first user for service list transmission; and the relation module receives a service identifier of a service selected by the first user from the service list and a first user key unique to the first user, transmits the service identifier and the first user key to the application server, receives a service response from the application server, and transmits the service response to the terminal of the first user.

[13] The system of claim 12, further comprising a community module for transmitting to the user of the first user information about a second user who has been connected to a web page identical with the first web page or to a second web page different from the first web page, wherein the relation module further receives a second user key of the second user, who is selected based on the information about the second user by the terminal of the first user and is to use the selected service together with the first user, from a terminal of the second user and also transmits the service response received from the application server to the terminal of the second user.