On-line forum-type electronic conference system maintaining consistency of messages

• US 6,154,764 A
• Filed: 07/09/1997
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ishibashi, Naoki, Suehisa, Tetsuya, Nitta, Minoru, Tomita, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US08/890,448
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.03, 395/200.15, 395/200.04, 395/800, 395/200.13, 370/62, 370/94.1, 379/202, 379/204, 379/158, 709/224, 709/200, 709/221
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

An electronic conference system in which a plurality of users post and read messages includes a message-deletion unit for deleting posted messages so that no access can be made to deleted messages. The electronic conference system further includes a deleted-message-information-management unit for storing identification information of the deleted messages.

Claims

1. A system providing on-line, forum-type electronic conference services in which a plurality of users post and read messages, comprising:

message-deletion means for deleting posted messages;

a deletion table storing identification information of the deleted messages;

a user history information memory storing identification information of accessed messages accessed by the give user; and

a user-history-information updating means for deleting the identification information of the accessed messages from said user history information if the identification information of the accessed messages is found in said deletion table when the given user starts using services of said system.

2. The electronic conference system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for discarding a message associated with one of another message and a message folder when said one of another message and said message folder is already deleted;

means for locking said message so as to prevent access to said message when said one of another message and said message folder is not deleted; and

means for unlocking said message so as to allow access to said message when said one of another message and said message folder is posted.

3. A system providing on-line, forum-type electronic conference services in which a plurality of users post and read messages, comprising:

a folder-management table storing a date and time of creation of a newest message with respect to a respective folder; and

a user history information file, provided for a given user, storing a date and time of creation of a latest message in the folder, accessed by the given user; and

a comparator comparing the data and time of creation, between the newest stored message and the latest accessed message, so as to notify the given user of unread messages.

10. The system as recited in claim 3, further comprising plural folders relating to plural, respective topics, messages relating to a given topic being contained in the respective folder for that topic and the folder-management table storing the date and time of creation of each newest message with respect to the respective folder for the topic of the newest message.

4. An electronic conference system in which a plurality of users post and read messages, said electronic conference system comprising:

discussion-management means for storing messages with respect to each discussion; and

deletion means for deleting all messages regarding a given discussion when a latest message of said given discussion has expired.

5. A system providing on-line, forum-type electronic conference services in which a plurality of users post and read messages via servers interconnected through a network, the messages being posted to initiate a discussion or in response to respective, previous messages, said system comprising:

a message-management table storing information on messages, said information including a message ID unique to each of said messages; and

means for determining said message ID for a given message by combining a hierarchy number, representing a level at which the given message is positioned, in a hierarchy in which a reply message responding to a previous message is at a next-lower level relatively to a level at which the previous message is positioned, an order number, representing a position which the given message holds in ordered messages, and path information, indicating a server to which the given message is posted.

6. A computer readable medium storing therein a computer program providing on-line, forum-type electronic conference services in which a plurality of users post and read messages, said computer program comprising:

message-deletion means for deleting posted messages;

deleted-message-information-management means for storing identification information of the deleted messages;

a user history information memory storing identification information of accessed messages accessed by the give user; and

a user-history-information updating means for deleting the identification information of the accessed messages from said user history information if the identification information of the accessed messages is found in said deletion table when the given user starts using services of said system.

7. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 6, wherein said computer program further comprises:

means for discarding a message associated with one of another message and a message folder when said one of another message and said message folder is already deleted;

means for locking said message so as to prevent access to said message when said one of another message and said message folder is not deleted; and

means for unlocking said message so as to allow access to said message when said one of another message and said message folder is posted.

8. A computer readable medium having a computer program embodied therein for providing a computer-network forum in which a plurality of users post and read messages, said computer program comprising:

first means for storing a date and time of creation of a newest message with respect to a folder relating to a respective topic;

second means for storing a date and time of creation of a latest message which is accessed by the given user in the folder; and

third means for comparing the date and time of creation between the newest stored message and the latest accessed message so as to notify the given user of unread messages.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

plural folders relating to plural, respective topics, messages relating to a given topic being contained in the respective folder for that topic;

the first means storing a date and time of creation of a newest message with respect to the respective folder therefor in accordance with the topic of the newest message;

the second means storing the date and time of creation of the latest message which is accessed by the given user with respect to the respective folder therefor; and

the third means comparing the date and time of creation between the newest stored message and the latest access message of a common topic with respect to the respective folder therefor, so as to notify the given user of unread messages in the folder.

9. A computer readable medium providing a computer program for embodying an electronic conference system in which a plurality of users post and read messages, said computer program comprising:

discussion-management means for storing messages with respect to each discussion; and

deletion means for deleting all messages regarding a given discussion when a latest message of said given discussion has expired.

12. A computer readable medium storing therein a computer program providing on-line, forum-type electronic conference services in which a plurality of users post and read messages, by:

deleting posted messages;

storing identification information of the deleted message;

storing identification information of accessed messages accessed by a given user; and

deleting the stored identification information of the accessed messages if the identification information of the access message is found at a time when a given user starts using services of the system.