Data communication apparatus, data communication method, and storage medium storing computer program for data communication

• US 6,539,240 B1
• Filed: 08/10/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Motomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean Alland
• Application Number:
  US09/371,251
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/575, 455/93, 455/39, 455/95, 455/124, 455/76, 455/514, 455/466, 455/414, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 345/467, 345/636, 345/629, 345/472.2, 345/473, 345/474, 345/638, 345/716, 345/723, 345/24, 345/752, 345/758, 345/759, 340/7.21, 340/7.55, 340/7.56, 348/14.07, 348/14.01, 348/158, 348/552
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

It is determined whether or not a receiver responds to a call from a caller. If it is detected that the receiver has responded, a communication channel is maintained, and thereafter two characters respectively representing the caller and receiver are communicated between the caller and receiver. Two characters are synthesized and displayed. The caller and receiver communicate of intentions with each other while letting the self character take a specified action.

Claims

1. A data communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a first character representing a communication target;

an action storage for storing data representing various actions of a second character representing a user;

a specifying device for specifying an action of the second character by using an operation member;

a transmitter for reading the data of the second character corresponding to the action specified by the specifying device from the action storage and for transmitting the data read from the action storage to the communication target; and

a synthesizer for synthesizing the data received by the receiver and the data read from the action storage and for displaying a synthesized image having the first and second characters meeting each other.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage device for storing the synthesize image.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which

the action storage stores data representing various actions of a plurality of second characters;

the receiver receives identification information of a sender who transmitted data; and

the transmitter selects one of the second characters stored in the action storage based on the identification information of the sender received by the receiver.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which

the action storage stores a sequence of image data items corresponding to each action;

and

the transmitter reads a sequence of image data items corresponding to each action from the action storage.

5. A data communication apparatus according to claim 1, in which data representing the characters and data representing the action are transmitted and received in form of bitmap data.

6. A data communication apparatus according to claim 1, in which data representing the characters and data representing the action are transmitted and received in form of code data and are developed into bitmap data.

7. A data communication apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a first character representing a communication target and action information representing an action of the first character;

an image storage for storing data representing various actions of a second character representing a user;

a response action storage for storing action information of the second character responding to the action information of the first character; and

a transmitter for reading the action information of the second character responding to the action information of the first character received by the receiver from the response action storage, for reading the image data corresponding to the action information of the second character from the image storage, and for transmitting the action information read from the response action storage and the image data read from the image storage to the communication target.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a synthesizer for synthesizing the data received by the receiver and the data read from the image storage; and

a display for displaying a synthesized image having the first and second characters.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a storage device for storing the synthesized image.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, in which

the action storage stores data representing various actions of a plurality of second characters;

the receiver receives identification information of a sender who transmitted data; and

the transmitter selects one of the second characters stored in the action storage based on the identification information of the sender received by the receiver.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7, in which

the action storage stores a sequence of image data items corresponding to each action;

and

the transmitter reads a sequence of image data items corresponding to each action from the action storage.

12. A data communication apparatus according to claim 7, in which data representing the characters and data representing the action are transmitted and received in form of bitmap data.

13. A data communication apparatus according to claim 7, in which data representing the characters and data representing the action are transmitted and received in form of code data and are developed into bitmap data.

14. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable first program code for receiving image data of a character of a target user;

a computer readable second program code for, when an action of a character of a user is instructed by operating an operation member, reading image data corresponding to the instruction from an image data storage device;

a computer readable third program code for transmitting the read image data of the character of the user to the target user; and

a computer readable fourth program code for synthesizing and displaying the received image data of the character of the target user and the image data of the character of the user, wherein the image data of the character of the target user and the image data of the character of the user are shown meeting each other.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable first program code for receiving image data and action information of a character of a target user;

a computer readable second program code for reading image data of a character of a user corresponding to the action information from an image data storage device;

a computer readable third program code for transmitting the read image data of the character of the user to the target user; and

a computer readable fourth program code for synthesizing the received image data and the read image data.

16. A data communication method comprising the following steps of:

determining whether or not a receiver responds to a call from a caller;

setting a communication channel between the caller and the receiver if it is detected that the receiver has responded;

communicating two characters respectively representing the caller and the receiver between the caller and the receiver;

synthesizing two characters and displaying synthesized characters; and

making a self character take an action specified by using an operating member and transmitting the self character taking the specified action to the other party, thereby communicating of intentions of the caller and the receiver by using the characters taking the specified action, wherein the characters are shown meeting each other.

17. A data communication method according to claim 16, in which the action of the character includes a motion of the character and a display of a predetermined message generated from the character.

18. A data communication method according to claim 16, in which the motion of the character is displayed in form of an animation or a symbolic subsidiary mark expressing the motion.

19. A data communication method comprising the following steps of:

determining whether or not a receiver responds to a call from a caller;

setting a communication channel if it is detected that the receiver has not responded;

transmitting a first character representing the caller from the caller to the receiver;

transmitting a second character corresponding to the caller from the receiver to the caller;

making the first character take an action specified by the caller and transmitting the first character taking the action from the caller to the receiver; and

making the second character take an action corresponding to the action of the first character and transmitting the second character taking the action from the receiver to the caller.

20. A data communication method according to claim 19, in which the action of the character includes a motion of the character and a display of a predetermined message generated from the character.

21. A data communication method according to claim 20, in which the motion of the character is displayed in form of an animation or a symbolic subsidiary mark expressing the motion.

22. A data communication method according to claim 19, in which the receiver stores a series of images, informs of whether or not stored images exist during waiting for a call, and reproduces and displays the stored images if any in accordance with a reproduction instruction.

23. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable first program code for receiving image data of a character of a target user;

a computer readable second program code for, when an action of a character of a user is instructed by operating an operation member, transmitting to the target user image data of a character of the user which corresponds to the instruction; and

a computer readable third program code for synthesizing and displaying the received image data of the character of the target user and the image data of the character of the user, wherein the image data of the character of the target user and the image data of the character of the user are shown meeting each other.

24. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable first program code for receiving image data and action information of a character of a target user;

a computer readable second program code for transmitting to the target user image data of a character of the user which corresponds to the action information; and

a computer readable third program code for synthesizing the received image data and the read image data.

25. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, said computer data signal comprising:

a computer readable first program code for receiving image data of a character of a target user;

a computer readable second program code for, when an action of a character of a user is instructed by operating an operation member, reading image data corresponding to the instruction from an image data storage device;

a computer readable third program code for transmitting the read image data of the character of the user to the target user; and

a computer readable fourth program code for synthesizing and displaying the received image data of the target user and the image data of the character of the user, wherein the image data of the character of the target user and the image data of the character of the user are shown meeting each other.

26. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, said computer data signal comprising:

a computer readable first program code for receiving image data and action information of a character of a target user;

a computer readable second program code for reading image data of a character of a user corresponding to the action information from an image data storage device;

a computer readable third program code for transmitting the read image data of the character of the user to the target user; and

a computer readable fourth program code for synthesizing the received image data and the read image data.

27. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, said computer data signal comprising:

a computer readable first program code for receiving image data of a character of a target user;

a computer readable second program code for, when an action of a character of a user is instructed by operating an operation member, transmitting to the target user image data of a character of the user which corresponds to the instruction; and

a computer readable third program code for synthesizing and displaying the received image data of the character of the target user and the image data of the character of the user, wherein the image data of the character of the target user and the image data of the character of the user are shown meeting each other.

28. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, said computer data signal comprising:

a computer readable first program code for receiving image data and action information of a character of a target user;

a computer readable second program code for transmitting to the target user image data of a character of the user which corresponds to the action information; and

a computer readable third program code for synthesizing the received image data and the read image data.