Content providing device and device for browsing provided content

• US 20040225741A1
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Published: 11/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha (Muratec)
• Inventors: Tanimoto, Yoshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,049 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control

Abstract

A teleconference system is large-scale. In the present invention, an IM server provides instant message service to a first client, a second client and a content providing device. The first client adds position information of a first cursor to an instant message and transmits the instant message to the content providing device. The content providing device transmits an instant message including the position information to the second client which displays the same content as the first client. The second client draws a third cursor at a position on the content specified by the position information. Accordingly, a conference or a meeting with a person at a remote location can be carried out by a relatively small system architecture.

Claims

1. A content providing device comprising:

a providing unit that provides prescribed content to a client;

a receiving unit that receives a message including position information which specifies a prescribed position on the content;

an extracting unit that extracts the position information from the message; and

a transmitting unit that transmits a message including the extracted position information to another client that is browsing the content.

2. The content providing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a browsing condition database that holds content identification information which identifies the content and a login ID of a client;

wherein in accordance with the message received by the receiving unit, content identification information of the content and a login ID of a client are registered in the browsing condition database.

3. The content providing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a browsing condition database that holds content identification information which identifies the content and a login ID of a client;

wherein the transmitting unit sets a destination of the message in accordance with the browsing condition database.

4. The content providing device according to claim 1, wherein the message is an instant message.

5. A content browsing device comprising:

a content obtaining unit that obtains desired content from a providing device that provides content;

a display unit that displays the obtained content and a cursor movable according to an instruction of a user;

a position information obtaining unit that obtains position information of the cursor on the content; and

a transmitting unit that adds the position information to a message and transmits the message to the providing device.

6. The content browsing device according to claim 5, wherein when receiving a transmission instruction from a user, the position information obtaining unit obtains position information of the cursor on the content.

7. The content browsing device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a user information database that holds information indicating whether another user is under active status.

8. The content browsing device according to claim 5, wherein the message is an instant message.

9. A content browsing device comprising:

a content obtaining unit that obtains prescribed content from a providing device which provides content;

a receiving unit that receives a message including position information from the providing device; and

a display unit that displays a mark on the content in accordance with the position information.

10. The content browsing device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display position adjusting unit that adjusts a display position of the content with the mark.

11. The content browsing device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a mark shape setting unit that sets a shape of the mark according to a transmitter of the position information.

12. The content browsing device according to claim 9, wherein the message is an instant message.

13. A content providing device comprising:

a providing unit that provides prescribed content to a client;

a receiving unit that receives a message including position information which specifies a prescribed position on the content;

an extracting unit that extracts the position information from the message;

a mark adding unit that adds a mark to a position on the content specified by the extracted position information; and

a transmitting unit that transmits to another client, identification information of the content added with the mark.

14. The content providing device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a mark shape setting unit that sets a shape of the mark according to a transmitter of the position information.

15. The content providing device according to claim 13, wherein the message is an instant message.

16. A content providing device comprising:

means for providing prescribed content to a client;

means for receiving a message including position information that specifies a prescribed position on the content;

means for extracting the position information from the message; and

means for transmitting a message including the extracted position information to another client that is browsing the content.

17. A content browsing device comprising:

means for obtaining desired content from a providing device that provides content;

means for displaying the obtained content;

means for displaying on the content, a cursor movable according to an instruction of a user;

means for obtaining position information of the cursor on the content; and

means for adding the position information to a message and transmitting the message to the providing device.

18. A content browsing device comprising:

means for obtaining prescribed content from a providing device that provides content;

means for receiving a message including position information from the providing device; and

means for displaying a cursor on the content in accordance with the position information.

19. A content providing device comprising:

means for providing prescribed content to a client;

means for receiving a message including position information that specifies a prescribed position on the content;

means for extracting the position information from the message;

means for adding a mark to a position on the content specified by the extracted position information; and

means for transmitting to another client, identification information of the content added with the mark.