Multi-user interactive web server and communication method between users using the same

• US 6,487,582 B2
• Filed: 07/21/1998
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Juh-han
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US09/119,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20010042106A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 709/200-203, 709/204-207, 709/217-219, 709/224-229, 709/237, 709/238, 709/245-246, 707/9-10, 707/513, 463/41-43, 370/351-356
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

A multi-user interactive web server and a communication method between users using the same are provided. The web server for providing predetermined information to users connected through a network includes a network connection manager for providing web information thereof to the connected users and a multi-user manager having a function of exchanging user information between users connected to the network connection manager. According to the present invention, it is possible to exchange information between the users connected to the same web server as well as to use the web information, using the multi-user interactive web server including a server having a function of providing the web information and a server having a function of performing communication between the connected users, and the communication method between users using the same.

Claims

1. A multi-user interactive web server for providing information to users connected through a network, the multi-user interactive web server comprising:

a network connection manager for providing a web-based document thereof to connected users, wherein the web-based document comprises at least a first web-based document page; and

a multi-user manager for exchanging user information among users simultaneously connected to the network connection manager, thus enabling communication between two or more of said simultaneously connected users while said simultaneously connected users view said web-based document page.

2. The multi-user interactive web server of claim 1, wherein the multi-user manager comprises:

a user manager for storing user indentification information transferred by the users; and

a message processor for processing messages,

wherein when a user sends a message having the user identification information of other users to whom said message is to be transferred, the message is transferred to said other users based on the user identification information stored in the user manager.

3. The multi-user interactive web server of claim 1, wherein the network connection manager provides a port number to a user so that the user is connected to the multi-user manager.

4. A multi-user interactive web server according to claim 1, wherein said network is a wide-area-network.

5. A multi-user interactive web server according to claim 1, wherein said network is an internet.

6. A method of exchanging information among users connected to a web server, comprising:

(a) the web server providing a web-based document and allowing a user to exchange user messages on receiving a request for connection;

(b) the web server receiving and storing indentification information from said users and other users;

(c) the web server checking indentification of a subset of said other users and transferring user message on receiving said user messages while allowing the subset of said users to view the web-based document.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (a) comprises:

(a)(i) indicating port number of a predetermined web server, said web server being capable of managing user-to-user communication, the port number being used for transmitting messages among all the users connected to the web server; and

(a)(ii) transmitting the port number and opening a channel with the web server.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

(d) erasing said user identification when a user terminates connection with the web server.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein, if a user message contains user identification information of a subset of other users then the message is transferred only to the subset of users and if the user message does not contain any user identification information of other users the message is broadcast to all other users.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein along with a transferred user message a program is provided to process the message.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the program is a program in the Java programming language.