IMAGE DISTRIBUTION METHOD, IMAGE DISTRIBUTION SERVER DEVICE AND CHAT SYSTEM

• US 20150286365A1
• Filed: 10/17/2013
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GREE Inc.
• Original Assignee: GREE Inc.
• Inventors: Mizukami, Gaku, Yoshikawa, Ryohei
• Granted Patent: US 11,169,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• 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 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

An image distribution device receives, from a terminal device, a handwritten and input image including a trajectory handwritten and inputted by a first user in a state where a virtual space, in which characters of the first and a second user are present, is set as a background, to a display view of the terminal device on which the virtual space is displayed. By transmitting, to the terminal device, the received handwritten and input image as a message from the first user, the image distribution device displays the handwritten and input image on the display view of the terminal device on which the virtual space is displayed while associating the handwritten and input image with the character of the first user.

Claims

1. An image distribution method comprising:

receiving, at a server from a first terminal device, an image including a trajectory that is input by handwriting by a first user of the first terminal device to a display view of the first terminal device, on which a virtual space is displayed, in a state where the virtual space is set as a background and a character of the first user is present in the virtual space; and

sending, by the server, the received image to a second terminal device as a message of the first user and causing the image to be displayed on a display view of the second terminal device, on which the virtual space is displayed, in association with the character of the first user.

2. The image distribution method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the server, the first user who has input the image in response to an operation of an administrator of the server; and

for suspending, by the server, an account of the identified first user.

3. The image distribution method according to claim 1,

causing a size of the image displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in association with the character of the first user to change over time.

4. The image distribution method according to claim 1, further comprising:

causing the image displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in association with the character of the first user to be deleted after a predetermined time elapses.

5. The image distribution method according to claim 1, wherein

the server includes database that stores management information including a user ID for identifying the second user who is chatting with the first user on the second terminal device, and

causing the image to be displayed includes:

causing the image to be displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in a case of receiving the image including the trajectory that is input by handwriting by the first user.

6. A server comprising:

circuitry configured to

receive, from a first terminal device a an image including a trajectory that is input by handwriting by a first user of the first terminal device to a display view of the first terminal device, on which a virtual space is displayed in a state where the virtual space is set as a background and a character of the first user is present in the virtual space; and

send the received image to a second terminal device as a message of the first user and cause the second device to display the image on a display view of the second terminal device, on which the virtual space is displayed, in association with the character of the first user.

8. The server according to claim 6, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

identify the first user who has input the image in response to an operation of an administrator of the server; and

suspend an account of the identified first user.

9. The server according to claim 6, wherein

the circuitry is configured to cause a size of the image displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in association with the character of the first user to change over time.

10. The server according to claim 6, wherein

the circuitry is configured to cause the image displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in association with the character of the first user to be deleted after a predetermined time elapses.

11. The server according to claim 6, further comprising:

a database configured to store management information including a user ID for identifying the second user who is chatting with the first user on the second terminal device.

12. The server according to claim 11, wherein

the circuitry is configured to cause the image to be displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in a case of receiving the image including the trajectory that is input by handwriting by the first user based on the stored management information.

7. (canceled)

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer program instructions, which when executed by a server, cause the server to:

receive, from a first terminal device an image including a trajectory that is input by handwriting by a first user of the first terminal device to a display view of the first terminal device, on which a virtual space is displayed in a state where the virtual space is set as a background and a character of the first user is present in the virtual space; and

send the received image to a second terminal device as a message of the first user and cause the second device to display the image on a display view of the second terminal device, on which the virtual space is displayed, in association with the character of the first user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer program further causes the server to:

identify the first user who has input the image in response to an operation of an administrator of the server; and

suspend an account of the identified first user.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer program further causes the server to:

cause a size of the image displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in association with the character of the first user to change over time.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer program further causes the server to:

cause the image displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in association with the character of the first user to be deleted after a predetermined time elapses.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein

the server includes a database configured to store management information including a user ID for identifying the second user who is chatting with the first user on the second terminal device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program further causes the server to:

cause the image to be displayed on the display view of the second terminal device in a case of receiving the image including the trajectory that is input by handwriting by the first user based on the stored management information.