Server switching between communication modes for clients coupled to the server

• US 6,154,782 A
• Filed: 03/06/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsui, Kazuki, Ohno, Takashi, Iwakawa, Akinori, Kawaguchi, Naohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US09/035,864
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 709/239, 709/203, 709/219, 709/220, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/239
• 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 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In a communication system in which a server, who offers information, and clients, who receive information offering service, are connected with each other via a network, the server has a communication mode selection unit for switching over a communication mode for each client between a one-way communication mode in which information is offered to clients on a one-way basis and a two-way communication mode in which messages are transmitted to clients and messages transmitted from the clients are received.

Claims

1. A server connected via a network to a plurality of clients for offering information to the plurality of clients, said server comprising:

communication mode selection means for switching over a communication mode for each client between a one-way communication mode in which information is offered to clients on a one-way basis and a two-way communication mode in which messages are transmitted to clients and messages transmitted from the clients are received; and

a profile data base storing profiles of clients as to utilization circumstances of the server, wherein said communication mode selection means switches over the communication mode as to a client selected referring to said profile data base from among the clients identified by information held by request holding means, from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode, wherein said communication mode selection means comprising said request holding means for holding the information to identify a client who made a request of a two-way communication service, and switches over the communication mode as to a client selected from among the clients identified by the information held by said request holding means from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode.

2. A server according to claim 1, wherein said profile data base includes information representative of a cumulative time on each client regarding accumulation of two-way communication services of the server, and said communication mode selection means switches over the communication mode as to a client involved in the longest time in the cumulative time, of the clients identified by the information held by said request holding means, from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode.

3. A server according to claim 1, wherein said profile data base includes information representative of an acceptance time on each client regarding last two-way communication service of the server, and said communication mode selection means switches over the communication mode as to a client involved in the longest time in a time elapsed since the client received the last two-way communication service of the server, of the clients identified by the information held by said request holding means, from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode.

4. A server connected via a network to a plurality of clients for offering information to the plurality of clients, said server comprising:

communication mode selection means for switching over a communication mode for each client between a one-way communication mode in which information is offered to clients on a one-way basis and a two-way communication mode in which messages are transmitted to clients and messages transmitted from the clients are received; and

an information display unit for displaying information held by request holding means, and a client designation handler for designating a client to be switched in the communication mode from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode, from among the clients identified by the information held by said request holding means, wherein said communication mode selection means switches over the communication mode as to a client designated through operation of said client designation handler, from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode, wherein said communication mode selection means comprises said request holding means for holding the information to identify a client who made a request of a two-way communication service, and switches over the communication mode as to a client selected from among the clients identified by the information held by said request holding means from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode.

5. A server according to claim 4, wherein said request holding means accepts a request of a two-way communication service issued from clients and also information associated with messages intended to be transmitted to the server when an associated client receives the two-way communication service, and holds information to identify clients who made the request of the two-way communication service and in addition information for each client associated with messages intended to be transmitted to the server, and wherein said information display unit displays the information to identify clients who made the request of the two-way communication service, said information being held by said request holding means, and also the information for each client associated with messages intended to be transmitted to the server.

6. A server according to claim 4 further comprising a profile data base for storing profiles of clients as to utilization circumstances of the server, wherein said information display unit displays the information held by said request holding means, and also the profiles stored in the said profile data base.

7. A server connected via a network to a plurality of clients for offering information to the plurality of clients, said server comprising:

a communication mode selection use handler switching over a communication mode for each client between a one-way communication mode in which information is offered to clients on a one-way basis and a two-way communication mode in which messages are transmitted to clients and messages transmitted from the clients are received, said communication mode selection use handler comprising;

request holding means for holding information to identify a client made a request of a two-way communication service, and switches over the communication mode as to a client selected from among the clients identified by the information held by said request holding means from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode, and

two-way communication service start notice means for giving notice, prior to altering a communication mode as to a client selected from among the clients identified by the information held by said request holding means, of a start of a two-way communication service to the client,

wherein said communication mode selection use handler switches over, upon receipt of a notification of complete preparation representative of a matter that a preparation for receiving a two-way communication service has been completed from the client who received the notice of the start of the two-way communication service by said two-way communication service start notice means, the communication mode as to the client from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode.

8. A server according to claim 7, wherein said communication mode selection use handler comprises notification holding means for holding information to identify a client issued the notification of complete preparation, and switches over the communication mode as to the client identified by the information held by said notification holding means from the one-way communication mode to the two-way communication mode.