System for Visualizing a Community Activity and a Method Thereof

• US 20070220128A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NHN Corporation
• Original Assignee: NHN Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Zoo Il
• Granted Patent: US 8,296,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for visualizing a visitor'"'"'s activity in a community such as a cafe, homepage, blog, miniroom, or mini-homepage, and the like, which are established in web sites on the Internet. The method includes the steps of: a) by a visitor, accessing the community and selecting a community activity visualizing item prepared in the community; b) by the visitor, selecting one of a plurality of blocks forming an image of the community activity visualizing item; c) by the visitor, leaving a visitor log in a text input window corresponding to the selected block; and d) storing data in which the visit log is recorded and updating the community activity visualizing item. According to the present invention, by visually providing community activity visualizing items, which are contents allowing community visitors to dynamically participate in the community, a plurality of visitors can be attracted to participate in the community, the extent of participation of the visitors in the community increases, and re-visit of the visitors to the community can be promoted.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for visualizing a user'"'"'s activity in an online social network, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a predetermined graphic image, the predetermined graphic image including a plurality of cells;

changing the color of each cell of the predetermined graphic image in response to a user'"'"'s message, the changed color of the cells forming a colored graphic image, the user inputting the message data using a text input interface; and

displaying a partially colored graphic image in a manner visible to at least some of user terminals connected to the online social network the partially colored graphic image showing degree of the user'"'"'s previous participation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying a complete predetermined graphic image in a manner visible to at least some of user terminals connected to the online social network when the color of all the cells has been changed in response to users'"'"' accumulated messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the cells a forming the predetermined graphic image are provided in the form of a dot block icon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cells with the changed color are highlighted.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing at least one of information on the overall number of the cells whose color is changeable, the number of the cells whose color has been changed, and the recordable number of cells blocks.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input interface stores at least one of user identification, visit time, and record contents.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

confirming whether the user wins in a prize winning event when the user inputs the message; and

providing the prize to the user when the user wins the prize winning event.

20. The method of claim 1,

activating a pop-up window by moving a user'"'"'s cursor over a cell whose color has been changed, the display window showing the message previously inputted by a user.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pop-up window, the pop-up window showing the message previously inputted by the first user when the second user moves a cursor over the cell whose color has been changed.

2-3. -3. (canceled)

10. A system for visualizing visitor activity in a community established on a web site, comprising:

a connector for determining whether or not a community visitor is permitted to access the community;

a community activity visualizing item composed of a plurality of blocks for activating each of the blocks to record the visit log;

an item management unit for managing the visitor'"'"'s access to the community, the item management unit selecting the community activity visualizing item prepared in the community, the item management unit making and storing the visit log; and

an item database for storing data of the visit log made in the community activity visualizing item the item database updating the community activity visualizing item.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an editor for editing a record of the visit log inputted to the community activity visualizing item.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the community activity visualizing item is in the form of a cross-stitch item activating each of the blocks to complete an image shape.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the item database stores and accumulates data of visit logs recorded whenever a visitor visits the community.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein, when all of the data of the visit logs are accumulated to complete the community activity visualizing item, the item management unit provides the completed community activity visualizing item to the visitor'"'"'s friends or neighborhoods on-line.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein a plurality of blocks forming the image of the community activity visualizing item are provided in the form of a dot block icon.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the community activity visualizing item includes at least one of information on the overall number of blocks in which the visit log can be recorded, the currently recorded number of blocks, and the recordable number of blocks.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the visit log record data inputted to the plurality of blocks includes at least one of visitor identification, visit time, and record contents.

18. An apparatus for visualizing visitor activity in an online social network, the apparatus comprising:

a predetermined graphic image, the predetermined graphic image being displayed in a manner visible to at least some of user terminals connected to the online social network, the predetermined graphic image including a plurality of cells to form the predetermined graphic image, color for each of the cells being changed in response to a first user'"'"'s log, the changed color of the cells forming the complete colored graphic image;

a text input interface, the text input interface allowing a user to record a visit log in a cell whose color has not been changed; and

a database, the database storing and updating the visit log data.

19. (canceled)

22. A computer-implemented method for visualizing a user'"'"'s visitor'"'"'s activity in an online social network a community established on a web site, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a predetermined graphic image, the predetermined graphic image including a plurality of cells;

changing the color of each cell of the predetermined graphic image in response to a user'"'"'s log, the changed color of the cells forming a predetermined colored graphic image; and

displaying a graphic image with the changed colored cells in a manner visible to at least some of user terminals connected to the online social network, the changed colored graphic image showing degree of the user'"'"'s participation.