METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INSTANT MESSAGING SERVICE

• US 20140173003A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kakao Corp.
• Original Assignee: Kakao Corp.
• Inventors: Van, Seung Hwan, Kim, Yong Hyun, Han, Ka Ram, Chang, Sung Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Provided is a technique for transmitting and receiving a chat message through a message server. A user may transmit and receive a chat message to and from a friend of a first type and may receive a chat message from a friend of a second type, and receive various chat messages from a company supporting the friend of the second type.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile terminal for an instant messaging service, the method comprising:

storing a list of a plurality of friends of at least one of a first type and a second type;

receiving a chat message from a message server through a wireless communication network;

determining whether a type of a sender of the received chat message is the first type or the second type;

determining whether to display a user input window on a chat window showing the received chat message, based on the type of the sender of the received chat message; and

displaying the user input window on the chat window selectively based on the determined result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether the type of the sender of the received chat message is the first type or the second type comprises determining whether the type of the sender of the received chat message is the first type or the second type based on an identifier included in information associated with the sender of the received chat message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying additional information associated with the sender of the received chat message on the chat window when the type of the sender of the received chat message is the second type,

wherein the additional information associated with the sender includes at least one of a link to a homepage, a picture, an introductory text, a video, ranking information, and a number of friends, associated with the sender.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recommending the sender of the received chat message to another user based on a user selection input when the type of the sender is the second type.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the sender of the received chat message is able to perform a virtual communication when the type of the sender is the second type,

wherein the displaying of the user input window on the chat window selectively comprises displaying the user input window on the chat window selectively based on the determined result as to whether the sender of the received chat message is able to perform a virtual communication.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the list of the plurality of friends such that the friends of the first type and the friends of the second type are distinguished from one another.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium comprising a program for implementing the method of claim 1.

7. A method of operating a mobile terminal for an instant messaging service, the method comprising:

receiving a list of a plurality of recommended friends of at least one of a first type and a second type from a message server;

receiving ranking information of the friends of the second type; and

providing a friend recommendation window comprising the friends of the second type arranged based on the ranking information of the friends of the second type.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the ranking information of the friends of the second type is generated based on at least one of an area of interest, a location, a popularity among friends, a number of friends, a number of recommendations, and bidding information, associated with a predetermined user.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining a list of registered friends of the predetermined user;

obtaining ranking information of friends of the second type among the registered friends in the list; and

displaying a list of the friends of the second type arranged based on the ranking information of the friends of the second type.

10. A method of operating a message server for an instant messaging service, the method comprising:

storing a list of a plurality of friends of at least one of a first type and a second type for each of a plurality of users;

receiving a request for transmission of a chat message from a friend of the second type;

selecting a recipient of the chat message among the users as registered friends of the friend of the second type based on at least one of location information, an area of interest, an access state, a number of accesses, a number of used coupons, a number of recommended friends, and a number of read messages, associated with the users; and

transmitting the chat message to the selected recipient.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the chat message includes at least one of a video, coupon information, event information, advertising information, and a voting interface.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

charging for the transmission of the chat message in response to transmitting the chat message.