Communication system, interaction history browsing method, history management device and communication terminal

• US 20070067451A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Oshiba, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US11/520,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A history information storage unit accumulates an interaction history which corresponds to each interaction session performed by a communication terminal and which at least contains the other-party user ID and the other-party terminal ID. If User A, who is interacting with the terminal b1 of User B, sends from the terminal 1a an interaction history request containing the ID of User B and the IDs of the other terminals a2 to an owned by User A, a history information computation unit searches, from the history information storage unit, the interaction histories for each interaction session respectively corresponding to the IDs of terminals a2 to an specified in the interaction history request to retrieve and send to the requesting terminal 1a interaction history containing the other-party user identifier matching the ID of User B.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users, a call control management device which intermediates the establishment of an interaction session between said communication terminals and a history management device which manages interaction histories are connected with each other through a communication network, wherein

said history management device including a history information storage unit which accumulates an interaction history corresponding to the identifiers of said communication terminals for an interaction session between said communication terminals, which interaction history containing at least the identifier of the other-party user and the identifier of the other-party terminal;

a history information management unit which registers in said history information storage unit said interaction history; and

a history information computation unit which receives from said communication terminal an interaction history request containing the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session has been established and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal, retrieves, from said history information storage unit, the interaction history for each interaction session respectively corresponding to the identifiers of the other communication terminals specified in the interaction history request, each of which contains the other-party user identifier matching the other-party user identifier specified in the interaction history request, and sends the retrieved interaction history and the corresponding identifiers of said communication terminals to the requesting communication terminal;

wherein

said communication terminal including a history information processing unit which, when an operation to display interaction history is performed by the user while an interaction session with another communication terminal is being performed, sends to said history information computation unit an interaction history request containing the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session has already been established and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal, and displays on a display unit the interaction history received from said history information computation unit, together with the identifiers of the corresponding communication terminals.

2. The communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said history management device includes a network information storage unit which stores overlapping relationships among logical networks from the perspective of physical installation locations, and

said history information computation unit determines by referencing said network information storage unit a physical proximity between the logical network which includes said communication terminal currently performing an interaction session with said communication terminal which has sent said interaction history request belongs and the logical network which includes each of the communication terminals identified by the identifiers of the other-party terminals contained in said retrieved interaction histories, and sends the results of this determination to said requesting communication terminal.

3. The communication system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising

a location management device which is capable of communicating with said plurality of communication terminals, and

said location management device includes a user information storage unit which stores an association relationship between the identifier of the owner of said communication terminal and the identifier of said communication terminal, and a user information management unit which receives from said communication terminal a terminal identifier request containing the identifier of the owner of own communication terminal, retrieves from said user information storage unit the identifier of the communication terminal corresponding to the identifier of the owner contained in said terminal identifier request, and sends the retrieved identifier of the communication terminal to the requesting communication terminal.

4. The communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said history management device includes a network information storage unit which stores overlapping relationships among logical networks from the perspective of physical installation locations, and

said history information computation unit determines by referencing said network information storage unit a physical proximity between the logical network which includes said communication terminal currently performing an interaction session with said communication terminal which has sent said interaction history request and the logical network which includes each of the communication terminals identified by the identifiers of the other-party terminals contained in said retrieved interaction histories, and sends the results of this determination to said requesting communication terminal,

a location management device which is capable of communicating with said plurality of communication terminals is provided, and

said location management device includes a user information storage unit which stores an association relationship between the identifier of the owner of said communication terminal and the identifier of said communication terminal, and a user information management unit which receives from said communication terminal a terminal identifier request containing the identifier of the owner of own communication terminal, retrieves from said user information storage unit the identifier of the communication terminal corresponding to the identifier of the owner contained in said terminal identifier request, and sends the retrieved identifier of the communication terminal to the requesting communication terminal.

5. The communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said call control management device includes a call transfer unit which receives from said communication terminal a third-party call control setting request containing the identifiers of two communication terminals desiring to establish an interaction session and then establishes an interaction session between said two communication terminals identified by the identifiers contained in said third-party call control setting request, and

said communication terminal includes a communication data processing unit which sends to said call transfer unit a third-party call control setting request which contains, among the interaction histories displayed on said display unit and the corresponding identifiers of said communication terminals, the identifier of a communication terminal contained in the interaction history selected by the user and the identifier of said communication terminal corresponding to said selected interaction history.

6. The communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said history management device includes a network information storage unit which stores overlapping relationships among logical networks from the perspective of physical installation locations, and

said history information computation unit determines by referencing said network information storage unit a physical proximity between the logical network which includes said communication terminal currently performing an interaction session with said communication terminal which has sent said interaction history request and the logical network which includes each of the communication terminals identified by the identifiers of the other-party terminals contained in said retrieved interaction histories, and sends the results of this determination to said requesting communication terminal,

said call control management device includes a call transfer unit which receives from said communication terminal a third-party call control setting request containing the identifiers of two communication terminals desiring to establish an interaction session and then establishes an interaction session between said two communication terminals identified by the identifiers contained in said third-party call control setting request, and

said communication terminal includes a communication data processing unit which sends to said call transfer unit a third-party call control setting request which contains, among the interaction histories displayed on said display unit and the corresponding identifiers of said communication terminals, the identifier of a communication terminal contained in the interaction history selected by the user and the identifier of said communication terminal corresponding to said selected interaction history.

7. The communication system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

each interaction history stored in said history information storage unit further contains the identifier of the application used in the interaction session and the identifier of the content used in the application,

said communication data processing unit sends to said call transfer unit the application identifier and content identifier contained in said selected interaction history by including in said third-party call control setting request,

said call transfer unit sends to said two communication terminals desiring to establish an interaction session the identifier of the application and the identifier of the content which are to be used in the interaction session, and

said communication terminal activates the application corresponding to said application identifier received from said call transfer unit, and is provided with an AP processing unit which displays on the display unit the content corresponding to said content identifier received from said call transfer unit.

8. The communication system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

said interaction history stored in said history information storage unit further contains the identifier of the application used in an interaction session and the setting information,

said communication data processing unit sends to said call transfer unit the identifier of the application contained in said selected interaction history and setting information by including in said third-party call control setting request,

said call transfer unit sends to said two communication terminals desiring to establish an interaction session the identifier of the application to be used in the interaction session and setting information, and

said communication terminal activates the application corresponding to said application identifier received from said call transfer unit, and is provided with an AP processing unit which notifies said application setting information received from said call transfer unit to said application as activation parameters.

9. The communication system as set forth in claim 8, wherein

said application setting information at least contains either of skin ID or loudness level.

10. The communication system as set forth in claim 5, wherein

each interaction history stored in said history information storage unit further contains a send-and-receive type which indicates whether or not the interaction session was performed via third-party call control,

said history information computation unit counts the occurrences of the send-and-receive type of third-party call control contained in said retrieved interaction histories for each identifier of said communication terminals corresponding to said retrieved interaction histories, and ranks the identifiers of said communication terminals corresponding to said retrieved interaction histories in the descending order of participation in interaction sessions via third-party call control.

11. A method of browsing interaction histories for a communication system wherein a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users, a call control management device which intermediates the establishment of an interaction session between said communication terminals and a history management device which manages interaction histories are connected with each other through a communication network, comprising the steps of:

the history information management unit in said history management device registering an interaction history for each interaction session performed by said communication terminal, which at least contains the identifier of the other-party user and the identifier of the other-party terminal, in association with the identifier of said communication terminal,

when an operation to display interaction histories is performed by the user while an interaction session with another communication terminal is being performed, said communication terminal sending to said history information computation unit in said history management device an interaction history request which contains the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session has been established and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal,

the history information computation unit in said history management device receiving said interaction history request from said communication terminal, searching from said history information storage unit the interaction histories for each interaction session respectively corresponding to the identifiers of the other communication terminals specified in the interaction history request to retrieve interaction histories, each of which contains the other-party user identifier matching the other-party user identifier specified in said interaction history request, and sending the retrieved interaction histories and the identifiers of communication terminals corresponding to the requesting communication terminal;

and said communication terminal displaying on a display unit the interaction histories received from said history information computation unit, together with the identifiers of the corresponding communication terminals.

12. A history management device, wherein

being connected with a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users through a communication network, and

including a history information storage unit which accumulates interaction histories corresponding to the identifiers of said communication terminals, each of these interaction histories being an interaction history for an interaction session between said communication terminals and at least containing the identifier of the other-party user and the identifier of the other-party terminal,

a history information management unit which registers in said history information storage unit an interaction history for each interaction session performed by said communication terminals, and

a history information computation unit which receives from said communication terminal an interaction history request containing the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session has been established and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal, retrieves, from said history information storage unit, the interaction history for each interaction session respectively corresponding to the identifiers of the other communication terminals specified in the interaction history request, each of which contains the other-party user identifier matching the other-party user identifier specified in the interaction history request, and sends the retrieved interaction history and the corresponding identifiers of said communication terminals to the requesting communication terminal.

13. The history management device as set forth in claim 12, wherein

a network information storage unit which stores overlapping relationships among logical networks from the perspective of physical installation locations is provided, and said history information computation unit determines by referencing said network information storage unit a physical proximity between the logical network which includes said communication terminal currently performing an interaction session with said communication terminal which has sent said interaction history request and the logical network which includes each of the communication terminals identified by the identifiers of the other-party terminals contained in said retrieved interaction histories, and sends the results of this determination to said requesting communication terminal.

14. A communication terminal, wherein

being connected with a history management device which manages interaction histories between a plurality of communication terminals through a communication network, and

including a history information processing unit which, when an operation to display interaction histories is performed by the user while an interaction session with another communication terminal is being performed, sends to said history management device an interaction history request containing the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session has already been established and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal, and, in response to said interaction history request, receives from said history management device, and displays on a display unit, the interaction histories and the identifiers of the corresponding communication terminals.

15. A communication terminal, wherein

being connected with a history management device which manages interaction histories between a plurality of communication terminals through a communication network, and

including a history information processing unit which, when an operation to display interaction histories is performed by the user while an interaction session with another communication terminal is being performed, sends to said history management device an interaction history request containing the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session has already been established and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal;

in response to said interaction history request, receives from said history management device an interaction history and said corresponding communication terminal identifier, together with the results of determining a physical proximity between the logical network which includes said communication terminal with which own current terminal has established an interaction session and the logical network which includes the communication terminal identified by the identifier of the other-party terminal contained in said received interaction history;

displays a list of the identifiers of the other-party terminals for each of the received identifiers of own communication terminals contained in each of the corresponding interaction histories, arranged in ascending order of distance to the other-party communication terminal which is currently performing an interaction session; and

, when one of the own communication terminal identifiers displayed and one of the corresponding other-party communication terminal identifiers on the list are selected by the user, displays the interaction history between these two selected communication terminals.

16. A program running on a computer to serve as a history management device which is connected with a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users through a communication network and which has a history information storage unit to accumulate interaction histories corresponding to the identifiers of said communication terminals, each of these interaction histories being an interaction history for an interaction session between said communication terminals and at least containing the identifier of the other-party user and the identifier of the other-party terminal, comprising:

a history information management function which registers in said history information storage device an interaction history for each interaction session performed by said communication terminals, and

a history information computation function which receives from said communication terminal an interaction history request containing the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session is currently being performed and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal;

searches, from said history information storage unit, the interaction histories for each interaction session respectively corresponding to the identifiers of the other communication terminals specified in the interaction history request to retrieve interaction histories, each of which contains the other-party user identifier matching the other-party user identifier specified in said interaction history request; and

sends the retrieved interaction histories and the identifiers of corresponding communication terminals to the requesting communication terminal.

17. A program running on a computer to serve as a history management device which is connected with a plurality of communication terminals owned by a plurality of users through a communication network and which has a history information storage unit to accumulate interaction histories corresponding to the identifiers of said communication terminals, each of these interaction histories being an interaction history for an interaction session between said communication terminals and at least containing the identifier of the other-party user and the identifier of the other-party terminal, and a network information storage unit to store overlapping relationships among logical networks from the perspective of physical installation locations, comprising:

a history information management function which registers in said history information storage device an interaction history for each interaction session performed by said communication terminals, and

a history information computation function which receives from said communication terminal an interaction history request containing the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session is currently being performed and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal;

searches, from said history information storage unit, the interaction histories for each interaction session respectively corresponding to the identifiers of the other communication terminals specified in the interaction history request to retrieve interaction histories, each of which contains the other-party user identifier matching the other-party user identifier specified in said interaction history request;

determines by referencing said network information storage unit a physical proximity between the logical network which includes said communication terminal currently performing an interaction session with said communication terminal which has sent said interaction history request and the logical network which includes each of the communication terminals identified by the identifiers of the other-party terminals contained in said retrieved interaction histories, and sends to said requesting communication terminal a pair of said retrieved interaction history and said corresponding communication terminal identifier as well as said results of determination.

18. A program running on a computer to serve as a communication terminal connected with a history management device which manages interaction histories between a plurality of communication terminals through a communication network, comprising the history information processing functions of:

when an operation to display interaction histories is performed by the user while an interaction session with another communication terminal is being performed, sending to said history management device an interaction history request which contains the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session has been established and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal, and

in response to said interaction history request, receives from said history management device, and displays on the display unit, the interaction histories and the identifiers of the corresponding communication terminals.

19. A program running on a computer to serve as a communication terminal connected with a history management device which manages interaction histories between a plurality of communication terminals, in a mutually communicable way through a communication network, comprising the history information processing functions of:

when an operation to display interaction histories is performed by the user while an interaction session with another communication terminal is being performed, sending to said history management device an interaction history request which contains the identifier of the other-party user with which an interaction session has been established and the identifiers of the other communication terminals owned by the owner of own communication terminal, and

in response to said interaction history request, receives from said history management device an interaction history and said corresponding communication terminal identifier, together with the results of determining a physical proximity between the logical network which includes said communication terminal with which own current terminal has established an interaction session and the logical network which includes the communication terminal identified by the identifier of the other-party terminal contained in said received interaction history, and

displays a list of the identifiers of the other-party communication terminals for each of the received identifiers of own communication terminals contained in each of the corresponding interaction histories, arranged in ascending order of distance to the other-party communication terminal which is currently performing an interaction session, and, when one of the own communication terminal identifiers displayed and one of the corresponding other-party communication terminal identifiers on the list are selected by the user, displays the interaction history between these two selected communication terminals.