APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PRIVATE CHAT IN GROUP CHAT

• US 20140298210A1
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Tae-Gun, PARK, Wan-Kyu, SEO, Jang-Seok
• Granted Patent: US 9,996,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• 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 12/185 with management of multicast group membership

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for providing a private chat in a group chat without having to switch between respective display screens. In the method, at least one group chat participant selected from group chat counterparts is designated as a private chat participant, identification information regarding the private chat participant is displayed in a message input window of a group chat window which is commonly used in a group chat and a private chat. Moreover, a group chat participant corresponding to the motion, such as a drag motion or tap motion is designated as a private chat participant, when a drag motion from a chat log of at least one group chat counterpart displayed in a chat log window to the message input window is detected.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a private chat in a group chat, comprising:

a display which displays a group chat window which comprises a chat log window and a message input window, and displays the group chat and the private chat together on a display screen of the display; and

a controller which designates at least one group chat participant selected from group chat counterparts as a private chat participant, and displays identification information regarding the private chat participant in a message input window.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification information regarding the private chat participant comprises at least one of identification (ID), a registered image, and registered information of the private chat participant.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit, wherein the controller controls the communication unit to transmit a message input in the message input window only to the private chat participant, while controlling display of the identification information of the private chat participant in the message input window.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller controls display of a group chat log and a private chat log in the chat log window that are displayed together on that chat log window of the display, and the private chat log comprises a private chat indicator which indicates that the private chat log is the private chat.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller displays the group chat window in which a private chat log window displaying a private chat log is included.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller detects a gesture from a chat log of at least one group chat counterpart displayed in the chat log window in which the detected gesture is defined to designate the at least one group chat counterpart as a private chat participant, and controls display of the designated at least one group chat counterpart in the message input window as the private chat participant.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the detected gesture comprises multiple taps of the at least one group chat counterpart displayed in the chat log window.

8. An apparatus for providing a private chat in a group chat, comprising:

a display which displays a group chat window which comprises a chat log window and a message input window, and displays the group chat and the private chat together on a display screen of the display; and

a controller which detects a drag motion from a chat log of at least one group chat counterpart displayed in the chat log window to the message input window, and designates a group chat participant corresponding to the drag motion as a private chat participant.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller controls display of identification information regarding the private chat participant in the message input window.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of identification (ID), a registered image, and registered information of the private chat participant.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller transmits a message input in the message input window only to the private chat participant, while controlling display of the identification information of the private chat participant in the message input window.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller controls display of a group chat log and a private chat log in the chat log window, and the private chat log includes a private chat indicator whose display indicates that the private chat log is the private chat.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller controls display of the group chat window in which a private chat log window displaying a private chat log is included.

14. A method for providing a private chat in a group chat, comprising:

designating by a controller at least one group chat participant selected from group chat counterparts as a private chat participant; and

displaying by a display unit identification information regarding the private chat participant in a message input window of a group chat window which displays the group chat and the private chat together on a display screen of the display unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of identification (ID), a registered image, and registered information of the private chat participant.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting by a wireless communication unit a message input in the message input window only to the private chat participant, while displaying by the display unit the identification information of the private chat participant in the message input window.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying by a display unit a group chat log and a private chat log in the chat log window, wherein the private chat log displayed by the display unit includes a private chat indicator which indicates that the private chat log is the private chat.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the group chat window in which a private chat log window displaying a private chat log is included.

19. A method for providing a private chat in a group chat, comprising:

detecting a gesture on a group chat window of a touch screen which includes a chat log window and a message input window, and which displays the group chat and the private chat together on a display screen of a display unit; and

designating a group chat participant corresponding to the gesture as a private chat participant, in accordance with the gesture being associated with a movement from a chat log of at least one group chat counterpart displayed in the chat log window to the message input window.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the gesture comprises a tapping motion.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the gesture comprises a dragging motion, and includes the touch screen detecting the drag motion on a group chat window which includes the chat log window and the message input window;

and

designating the group chat participant corresponding to the drag motion as the private chat participant, in response to the drag motion being a movement from the chat log of at least one group chat counterpart displayed in the chat log window to the message input window.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying by the touch screen identification information regarding the private chat participant in the message input window.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the identification information is at least one of identification (ID), a registered image, and registered information of the private chat participant.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting by a communication unit a message input in the message input window only to the private chat participant, while displaying the identification information of the private chat participant in the message input window.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying by the touch screen a group chat log and a private chat log together in the chat log window,

wherein the private chat log comprises a private chat indicator which indicates that the private chat log is the private chat.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

displaying by the touch screen the group chat window in which a private chat log window displaying a private chat log is included.