Chat system and method for delivering additional information via another independent network

• US 6,678,720 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2000
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Tatsuro, Iwayama, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US09/546,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/205, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages

Abstract

Messaging system and device for enabling users simultaneously and directly to send messages to numerous persons in cases where the users cannot connect directly to a chat system. A message is received by messaging device 1 from access device 2, which is a telephone set for example, and is stored in message database 3 as is without further processing. In addition to the message, messaging device 1 also receives a message destination designation from access device 2. Messaging device 1 reports a storing location for the message on an IRC, a URL for example, by sending a text message to the message destination. The IRC client notifies the user of the text message in real time. A user who views the text message makes a request to provider device 4 to provide the message using acquisition device 8. Provider device 4 accesses the message database, reads the message, and sends it to the acquisition device 8. Thereby, the message sent from access device 2 is reported as is to another user.

Claims

1. A messaging method for use in a chat system comprising chat devices connected to networks sharing conversation spaces set up virtually on the networks, for mutually sending and receiving text in a conversational format, said messaging method comprising:

receiving from an information terminal independent of the chat devices via another network independent of the chat system networks, communication data and data designating a conversation space or designating a chat device;

storing the received communication data; and

reporting via the chat system networks a storage address for the received communication data to the designated virtual space or the designated chat device on the chat system networks.

2. A messaging system for use together with a chat system comprising chat devices connected to networks sharing conversation spaces set up virtually on the networks, for mutually sending and receiving text in a conversational format, the messaging system comprising:

a storage means directly connected to said chat system networks or connected to the chat system networks via a network-connected chat device and storing data;

a second information terminal receiving, from a first information terminal independent of the chat devices via another network independent of the chat system networks, communication data and data designating a conversation space or designating a chat device on the chat system networks;

storing the received communication data in said storage means; and

reporting via the chat system networks a storage address for the received communication data to the designated conversation space or designated chat device.

3. A messaging device for use together with a chat system comprising chat devices connected to networks sharing conversation spaces set up virtually on the networks, for mutually sending and receiving text in a conversational format, said messaging device comprising:

external communication means for receiving from one information terminal independent of the chat devices via another network independent of the chat system networks, voice data, text data and image data;

target switching means for receiving from the one information terminal independent of the chat devices via the other network designation of a conversation space or designation of a chat device on the chat system networks;

storing means for storing the received data at an address directly connected to the chat system networks or at an address connected to the chat system networks via a network-connected chat device; and

reporting means for reporting via the chat system networks a storage address of the received data to the designated conversation space or the designated chat device on the chat system networks.

4. The messaging device according to claim 3, further comprising:

authentication information storage means for storing predetermined authentication information per user; and

authentication means for authenticating a user by making a request to the one information terminal for input of predetermined authentication information and comparing the input authentication information to the stored authentication information.

5. The messaging device according to claim 3, further comprising:

message storage means for storing for each conversation space a message history of the conversation space;

conversation acquisition means for acquiring messages in the conversation space from the chat device and storing the messages in said message storage means; and

conversion means for acquiring from said message storage means, if said target switching means has received a virtual space designation from the one information terminal via the other network, the message history of the designated conversation space and converting the message history into a format suited for transmission via the other network to the one information terminal.

6. The messaging device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a message table wherein send destination, send source and storage address for the received data are correlated and stored;

recorded message monitoring means for, if a conversation space is designated by the one information terminal as a first type terminal, determining based on said message table whether data from another chat device addressed to the designated conversation space via the chat system networks has been stored, and for determining based on said message table whether data from another first type terminal addressed to the one information terminal via the other network has been stored; and

recorded message reporting means for sending, according to the determination results, the data from the other first type terminal and the other chat device to the one information terminal via the other network.

7. A computer readable recording medium storing at least one program controlling a messaging system for use with chat devices connected to chat system networks sharing conversation spaces set up virtually on the networks, for mutually sending and receiving text in a conversational format, according to a process of:

receiving from a first information terminal independent of the chat devices via another network independent of the chat system networks, voice data, text data or image data;

receiving from the first information terminal independent of the chat devices via the other network designation of a conversation space or designation of a chat device on the chat system networks;

storing the received data at an address directly connected to the chat system networks or at an address connected to the chat system networks via a network-connected chat device; and

using the chat system networks or the network-connected chat device to notify via the chat system networks the storage location of said received data to the designated conversation space or the designated chat device on the chat system networks.

8. A messaging system in communication with chat devices connected to chat system networks sharing conversation spaces set up virtually on the chat system networks for mutually sending and receiving text in a conversational format, and in communication with communication terminals independent of the chat devices and communicating via a circuit-switched network independent of the chat system networks, the messaging system comprising:

a designation unit prompting, if an incoming message including voice data, text data or image data has been detected from one of the communication terminals independent of the chat devices via the circuit-switched network independent of the chat system networks, for the designation of a report destination on the chat system networks to which data received from the communication terminal is to be reported, and for acquiring the report destination;

a storage unit storing the voice data, text data or image data received from the communication terminal in a predetermined memory device; and

a reporting unit reporting to the report destination via the chat system networks a storage address for the stored voice data, text data, or image data.