Message exchange

• US 20030018718A1
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Square Co Ltd (Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Maehiro, Kazutoyo
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A message exchange method can realize a chat easily in an interface with users who are on-line using a chat window. First status information of a receiving client that will receive a message is confirmed. Then, when the receiving client is connected to a message server, a sender is asked whether chat should be carried out. A chat window is displayed in accordance with a chat instruction received from the sender, and then, the message is stored in a message log, displayed on the chat window and sent to the receiving client.

Claims

1. A message exchange method in which a message is exchanged between a sending client and a receiving client, which is intended to receive the message, through a message server, comprising:

extracting by the sending client status information of the receiving client from a memory unit for storing the status information, which indicates whether the receiving client is connected to the message server, before sending the message;

asking a sender at the sending client whether chat is to be carried out, when the extracted status information shows that the receiving client is connected to the message server;

displaying a chat window at the sending client in accordance with a chat instruction received from the sender;

storing the message in a message log contained in the memory unit at the sending client;

displaying the message on the chat window; and

sending the message to the receiving client.

2. The message exchange method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the message in a memory unit of the message server when the extracted status information shows that the receiving client is not connected to the message server.

3. A message exchange method in which a message is exchanged between a sending client and a receiving client through a message server, comprising:

displaying a message window at the receiving client when t the message~is received from the sending client;

changing the message window to a chat window at the receiving client when a receiver selects a reply to the message;

storing the message in a message log contained in the memory unit at the receiving client; and

displaying the message at the receiving client on the chat window.

4. A message exchange system in which a message is exchanged between a sending client and a receiving client through a message server, the system comprising:

the sending client comprising;

a first storage that stores status information indicating whether the receiving client is connected to the message server;

an extracting system that extracts status information of the receiving client from the storage unit before sending the message;

an inquiring system that asks a sender whether chat is to be carried out when the status information extracted from the extracting system shows that the receiving client is connected to the message server;

a first displaying system that displays a chat window in accordance with a chat instruction received from the sender;

a first storing system that stores a message in a message log contained in the first storage;

a second displaying system that displays the message on the chat window; and

a sending system that sends the message to the receiving client, and

the receiving client comprising;

a third displaying system that displays a message window when receiving the message from the sending client;

a changing system that changes the message window to a chat window when a receiver elects to reply to the message;

a second storing system that stores the message in a message log contained in a second storage at the receiving client; and

a fourth displaying system that displays the message at the receiving client on the chat window.

5. The message exchange system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a third storing system that stores the message in a storage of the message server when the extracted status information shows that the receiving client is not connected to the message server.

6. A sending client that exchanges a message with a receiving client, which is intended to receive the message, through a message server, comprising:

a extracting system that extracts status information of the receiving client, from a memory that stores status information showing whether the receiving client is connected to the message server before sending the message;

a inquiring system that asks a sender whether chat is to be carried out when the extracted status information shows that the receiving client is connected to the message server;

a first displaying system that displays a chat window in accordance with a chat instruction received from the sender;

a first storing system that stores a message in a message log contained in the memory;

a second displaying system that displays the message on the chat window; and

a sending system that sends the message to the receiving client.

7. The client according to claim 6, further comprising:

a second storing system that stores the message in the memory of the message server when the extracted status information shows that the receiving client is not connected to the message server.

8. A receiving client in which a message is exchanged with a sending client through a message server, comprising:

a first displaying system that displays a message when receiving a message from the sending client;

a changing system that changes the message window to a chat window when a receiver elects to reply to the message;

a storing system that stores the message in a message log contained in a storage at the receiving client; and

a second displaying system that displays the message at the receiving client on the chat window.

9. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a program executed by a computer of a sending client that exchanges a message with a receiving client, which is intended to receive the message, through a message server, the program causing the computer to execute:

extracting status information of the receiving client from a memory storing status information showing whether the receiving client is connected to the message server before sending the message;

asking a sender whether chat is to be carried out when the extracted status information shows that the receiving client is connected to the message server;

displaying a chat window in accordance with a chat instruction received from the sender;

storing the message in a message log contained in the memory unit;

displaying the memory on the chat window; and

sending the message to the receiving client.

10. The recording medium according to claim 9, further comprising:

storing the message in a memory unit of the message server in case that the extracted status information shows that the receiving client is not connected to the message server.

11. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a program that causes a computer to execute:

displaying a message window when a message is received from a sending client;

changing the message window to a chat window when a receiver elects to reply to the message;

storing the message in a message log; and

displaying the message on the chat window.