Communication intermediating method, intermediating device, and communication device
First Claim
1. A communications intermediating method for mediating communications user terminals carry out sharing virtual spaces on a network, the communications intermediating method:
- furnishing network resource symbols to the user terminals;
setting up in advance a correspondence table in which identifiers for the virtual spaces and identifiers for the symbols are correlated;
providing an intermediating terminal enabling communication with the user terminals, and based on the correspondence table enabling conversion between the symbol identifiers and the virtual-space identifiers;
sending the symbol identifiers from the user terminals to the intermediating terminal; and
reporting from the intermediating terminal to the user terminals the virtual-space identifiers that correspond to the symbols;
wherein based on the reported virtual-space identifiers the user terminals participate in the virtual spaces and initiate communication with other user terminals having the same symbols.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Promoting efficient communication among users. Uses having a symbol of the same network resource are led to the same virtual space. Specifically, intermediary server 2 converting ID of merchandise icon and ID of virtual space for chat is provided. When user terminal 1 obtained a merchandise icon reports merchandise icon ID to the intermediary server 2, ID of a virtual space corresponding to the merchandise icon is returned to the user terminal 1. A user can share information on each merchandise by participating in this virtual space. Namely, users having a common purpose can chat with each other.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A communications intermediating method for mediating communications user terminals carry out sharing virtual spaces on a network, the communications intermediating method:
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furnishing network resource symbols to the user terminals;
setting up in advance a correspondence table in which identifiers for the virtual spaces and identifiers for the symbols are correlated;
providing an intermediating terminal enabling communication with the user terminals, and based on the correspondence table enabling conversion between the symbol identifiers and the virtual-space identifiers;
sending the symbol identifiers from the user terminals to the intermediating terminal; and
reporting from the intermediating terminal to the user terminals the virtual-space identifiers that correspond to the symbols;
whereinbased on the reported virtual-space identifiers the user terminals participate in the virtual spaces and initiate communication with other user terminals having the same symbols.
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2. An intermediating device for mediating communications among user terminals on a network, the intermediating device including:
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a correspondence table correlatively storing identifiers for virtual spaces, where the user terminals participate mutually to communicate, with identifiers for network resource symbols;
a first reception means for receiving the symbol identifiers from the user terminals; and
a first transmission means for transmitting to the user terminals the virtual-space identifiers that based on said correspondence table correspond to the received symbol identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a communications program for use by user terminals on a network, the computer-readable recording medium characterized by including:
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a step of acquiring via a network, and selectably displaying, network resource symbols;
a step of transmitting to an intermediating device identifiers for user-selected network resource symbols;
a step of receiving identifiers for virtual spaces that correspond to identifiers for network resource symbols transmitted based on a correspondence table in the intermediating device correlatively storing in advance network resource symbols with virtual spaces; and
a step of connecting to a given virtual space based on identifiers in received virtual spaces, and initiating chat.
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7. A merchandise information exchange support method characterized by:
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preparing a correspondence table in which merchandise and virtual chat spaces for exchanging information on the merchandise are correlated in advance;
presenting to user terminals via a network symbols prepared per merchandise item in order to display the merchandise identifiably;
identifying merchandise symbols selected in user terminals;
acquiring and reporting to the user terminals information for identifying virtual chat spaces correlated based on the correspondence table to given merchandise; and
enabling in a one user terminal exchange of information on the given merchandise with other user terminals to begin.
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8. A communications intermediating method for mediating communications user among terminals on a network, the communications intermediating method:
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correlatively storing identifiers for virtual spaces, where the user terminals participate mutually to communicate, with identifiers for network resource symbols;
receiving the symbol identifiers from the user terminals; and
transmitting to the user terminals the virtual-space identifiers that based on the stored data correspond to the received symbol identifiers.
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9. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a communications intermediating program for mediating communications among user terminals on a network, the computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a communications intermediating program for executing:
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a step of selectably displaying on user terminals network resource symbols;
a step of receiving identifiers for network resources selected in response to operations on the user terminals;
a step of acquiring identifiers for virtual spaces correlated to received network resource symbol identifiers based on a correspondence table made by correlatively storing in advance identifiers for network resource symbols with identifiers for virtual spaces; and
a step of transmitting the acquired virtual-space identifiers to the user terminals.
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10. A communications method for use by a user terminal on a network, the communications method comprising:
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acquiring network resource symbols;
transmitting identifiers for the symbols to a predetermined information terminal enabling conversion between identifiers for the virtual spaces and identifiers for the symbols, wherein communication with other user terminals is carried out;
receiving from the information terminal virtual-space identifiers corresponding to the symbols;
participating, based on the virtual-space identifiers, in the virtual spaces and initiating communication with other user terminals having the same symbols.
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11. A communications device for communicating on a network, the communications device comprising:
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acquisition means for acquiring network resource symbols;
communication means for participating in virtual spaces on the network to carry out communications with other communications devices;
a second transmission means for transmitting identifiers for the symbols to a predetermined information terminal enabling conversion between identifiers for the virtual spaces and the symbol identifiers;
a second reception means for receiving from the information terminal the virtual-space identifiers that correspond to the symbols; and
connection means for initiating, based on the virtual-space identifiers, communication with other communications devices having the same symbols. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A merchandise presentation method cooperating with a chat system to enable exchange of messages mutually among multiple user terminals sharing virtual spaces structured on a network, merchandise presentation method comprising:
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selectably presenting to a user terminal a symbol prepared for each merchandise to identifiably display the merchandise via a network;
obtaining and sending to a user terminal an identifier of a virtual chat space which is made to correlate to an identifier of a symbol and then stored when receiving an identifier of a symbol reported according to user selection; and
connecting the user terminal to the virtual chat space to start to exchange messages with other user terminals.
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16. A communications support method, characterized by:
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preparing for each merchandise a chat space virtually installed on a network which invites users interested in relevant merchandise and a correspondence table where merchandise and a chat space corresponding said merchandise are correlatively stored;
selectably presenting to a user terminal a symbol prepared for each merchandise to identifiably display said merchandise via a network;
identifying a symbol of merchandise selected by a user terminal; and
obtaining information for identifying a virtual chat space correlated to relevant merchandise according to said correspondence table to issue command for inviting relevant user terminal to relevant virtual chat space and starting communication between users having interest in common merchandise.
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Specification