Chat system, terminal device therefor, display method of chat system, and recording medium

• US 7,313,594 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsuda, Masahiro, Murakami, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US10/066,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 715751-760, 715/767, 715/727
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A chat system in which conversations by characters in plural channels are displayed, and of these conversations, a conversation in a main channel and conversations in other channels are displayed in individual regions 23, 24 on a display screen, and an inputted statement is displayed in an intermediate region 22 of the individual regions 23, 24. The chat system hence realizes a display method having a notice function for use while working in an office, and information extracting function enabled by electronic expression of conversations, along with a recording medium used for execution thereof.

Claims

1. A display method for a chat system, comprising:

setting a keyword;

determining whether the keyword exists in a conversation and in a response carried out using the chat system;

displaying said keyword in bold type or generating a specified sound when said keyword exists in a displayed conversation; and

returning to a display of a conversation when said keyword is received while the conversation is not displayed, and emphasizing said keyword.

2. The display method for the chat system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

storing said keyword together with a portion of the conversation including a specific number of lines before and after said keyword; and

listing and displaying said keyword and said portion of the conversation according to an instruction.

3. The display method for the chat system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising listing and displaying said keyword together with said portion of the conversation when said keyword is input after said keyword is stored.

4. The display method for the chat system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

registering said keyword together with said portion of the conversation in a list application program provided outside the chat system; and

saving said registered keyword and said statements portion of the conversation after the conversation ended.

5. The display method for the chat system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising listing and displaying said keyword and said portion of the conversation after the conversation ended.

6. The display method for the chat system as set forth in claim 5, further comprising listing and displaying said keyword together with said portion of the conversation when said keyword is input after said keyword is stored.

7. The display method for the chat system as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

registering said keyword together with said portion of the conversation in a list application program provided outside the chat system; and

saving said registered keyword and said portion of the conversation after the conversation ended.

8. A computer readable storage medium storing executable code that when executed causes a computer to execute a method for displaying a conversation in a chat system, the method comprising:

sending and receiving conversations in plural chat channels;

displaying the conversations;

setting a keyword;

determining whether the keyword exists in a conversation and in a response carried out using one of the plural chat channels;

displaying said keyword in bold type or generating a specified sound when said set keyword exists and the conversation is displayed; and

returning to a display of a conversation when said keyword is received while the conversation is not displayed.

9. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8, the method further comprising listing and displaying said keyword, when said keyword is input after said storing of said keyword together with a portion of the conversation including a specific number of lines before and after said keyword.

10. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8, the method further comprising storing said keyword together with a portion of the conversation including a specific number of lines before and after said keyword.

11. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 10, the method further comprising listing and displaying said keyword together with said portion of the conversation, when said keyword is input after said storing of said keyword together with said potion including a specific number of lines before and after said keyword.

12. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 8, the method further comprising registering said keyword together with said portion of the conversation including a specific number of lines before and after said keyword in a list application program provided outside the chat system after the conversation ended.

13. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 10, the method further comprising listing and displaying said keyword together with said portion of the conversation after the conversation ended.

14. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 13, the method further comprising registering said keyword together with said portion of the conversation in a list application program provided outside the chat system after the conversation ended.

15. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 13, the method further comprising listing and displaying said keyword together with said portion of the conversation, when said keyword is input after said storing of said keyword.

16. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 15, the method further comprising registering said keyword together with said portion of the conversation in a list application program provided outside the chat system after the conversation ended.

17. A computer readable storage medium storing code implementing a chat system, which code when executed cases a computer to:

send and receive conversations in plural channels;

display the conversations;

set a keyword;

determine whether the keyword exists in a conversation;

display said keyword in bold type or generate a specified sound when said set keyword exists in a displayed conversation; and

return to a display of a conversation when said keyword is received while the conversation is not displayed.

18. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 17, said code further causes said computer to list and display said keyword together with a portion of the conversation including a specific number of lines of before and after said keyword, when said keyword is input after said setting said keyword.

19. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 17, wherein said code further causes said computer to store said keyword together with a portion of the conversation including a specific number of lines before and after said keyword.

20. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 19, wherein said computer code further causes said computer to list and display said keyword together with said portion of the conversation, when said keyword is input after said storing of said keyword and said portion of the conversation.

21. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 17, wherein said computer code further causes said computer to register said keyword together with a portion of the conversation including a specific number of lines before and after said keyword in a list application program provided outside the chat system, after the conversation ended.

22. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 19, wherein said computer code further causes said computer to:

display said conversations; and

list and display said keyword together with said portion of the conversation, after the conversation ended.

23. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 22, wherein said computer code further causes said computer to register said keyword together with said portion of the conversation in a list application program provided outside the chat system, after the conversation ended.

24. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 22, wherein said computer code further causes said computer to list and display said keyword together with said portion of the conversation, when said keyword is input after said storing of said keyword together with said portion of the conversation.

25. The computer readable storage medium as set forth in claim 24, wherein said computer code further causes said computer to register said keyword together with said portion of the conversation in a list application program provided outside the chat system after the conversation ended.

26. A display method used in a chat system for performing conversations in the form of characters among terminal devices each having a display screen connected by a network, comprising:

dividing the display screen into a plurality of regions each of which displays a character string of a conversation of a main channel and a character string of a conversation of the other channels, and when a URL is included in the conversations in the regions of the display screen, the URL is extracted together with the character strings preceding and following the URL; and

detecting an appearance of a character string indicating a name of a terminal user when a character string indicating the name of the terminal user previously specified appears, and informing the terminal of the appearance, and displaying the content of the conversations including the detected character string in the region of the screen for the main channel.

27. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program which when executed on a computer causes the computer to execute a display method of a chat system, the method comprising:

transmitting and receiving conversations in the form of characters via a network;

displaying the conversations;

storing a URL displayed in the conversations, together with a character string of statements preceding and following the URL;

listing the stored URL when a predetermined instruction is issued;

setting a keyword;

determining whether the keyword exists in a conversation;

displaying the keyword with emphasis when the conversation is displayed; and

resuming displaying the conversation upon receiving the keyword when the conversation is not displayed.

28. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program of a display method of a chat system, said computer program comprising:

a first module causing a computer to transmit and receive, by a network, conversations in the form of characters;

a second module causing a computer to display the conversations;

a third module causing a computer to store a URL displayed in the conversations, together with character strings of statements including the URL;

a fourth module causing a computer to list the stored URL when predetermined instruction is issued;

a fifth module causing a computer to set a keyword;

a sixth module causing a computer to produce a predetermined sound when the keyword exists in a displayed conversation; and

a seventh module causing a computer to resume the display of a conversation by receiving the keyword when the conversation is not displayed.