Chat system displaying a link arrow directed from a hyperlink to content of an associated attachment file

• US 7,509,386 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyashita, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, LE HIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/314,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,297 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/200, 709/232, 709/207, 709/203, 345/752, 705/14, 707/103.R, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations

Abstract

A body of a received e-mail is displayed in a text display field. The body displayed in the text input field includes a link indication. When a user clicks on the link indication by the mouse, a client computer displays an attachment file displaying window on a monitor and the content of an attachment file in the attachment file displaying window. Also, the client computer displays on the monitor a link arrow directed from the link indication to the attachment file displaying window.

Claims

1. A service providing system, comprising:

an information providing apparatus for sending first information and a plurality of second information to an information processing apparatus, the plurality of second information being attached to the first information and different from the first information; and

the information processing apparatus for presenting the first information and the second information received from the information providing apparatus;

wherein the information providing apparatus comprises;

sending means for sending (1) the first information, the first information including a chat log including chat text and a plurality of links respectively associated with the plurality of second information, the links being embedded at user selected positions within the chat text, and (2) the plurality of second information, to the information processing apparatus, and

means for selecting the plurality of second information for which the plurality of links are included in the chat text, and

the information processing apparatus comprises;

receiving means for receiving the first information and the second information from the information providing apparatus; and

presenting means for presenting the first information received by the receiving means as chat log data in a chat window, and for presenting the second information if one of the links included in the chat text presented is operated,

wherein the presenting means displays an arrow directed from the one of the links to the second information when presenting the second information if the one of the links is operated.

2. An information providing apparatus for sending first information and a plurality of second information to an information processing apparatus, the plurality of second information being attached to the first information and different from the first information, the information providing apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving the first information and the plurality of second information from the information processing apparatus;

storage means for storing the first information and the plurality of second information received by the receiving means; and

sending means for sending automatically (1) the first information, the first information including a chat log including chat text and a plurality of links respectively associated with the plurality of second information, the links being embedded at user selected positions within the chat text information, and (2) the plurality of second information, to the information processing apparatus and to all other information processing apparatuses participating in a chat session with the information processing apparatus.

3. An information providing method of an information providing apparatus for sending first information and a plurality of second information to an information processing apparatus, the plurality of second information being attached to the first information and different from the first information, the information providing method comprising:

receiving the first information and the plurality of second information from the information processing apparatus;

storing the first information and the plurality of second information received in the receiving step; and

a sending step of sending automatically (1) the first information, the first information including a chat log including chat text and a plurality of links respectively associated with the plurality of second information, the links being embedded at user selected positions within the chat text and (2) the plurality of second information, to the information processing apparatus and to all other information processing apparatuses participating in a chat session with the information processing apparatus.

4. A computer program product embedded on a computer readable medium, the computer program product configured to cause a computer that controls an information providing apparatus for sending first information and a plurality of second information to an information processing apparatus, the plurality of second information being attached to the first information and different from the first information, to execute:

receiving the first information and the plurality of second information from the information processing apparatus;

storing the first information and the plurality of second information received in the receiving step; and

a sending step of sending automatically (1) the first information, the first information including a chat log including chat text and a plurality of links respectively associated with the plurality of second information, the links being embedded at user selected positions within the chat text, and (2) the plurality of second information, to the information processing apparatus and to all other information processing apparatuses participating in a chat session with the information processing apparatus.

5. An information processing apparatus for presenting first information and second information received from an information providing apparatus, the second information being attached to the first information and different from the first information, the information processing apparatus comprising:

receiving means for receiving the first information, including a link to the second information, and the second information from the information providing apparatus; and

presenting means for presenting the first information received by the receiving means, and for presenting the second information if the link included in the first information presented is operated,

wherein the presenting means displays an arrow directed from the link to the second information when presenting the second information if the link is operated.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

first accepting means for accepting creation of the first information and the second information; and

sending means for sending the first information and the second information, creation of which has been accepted by the first accepting means, to the information providing apparatus.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the first information includes a text.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first accepting means displays an area for accepting input of the text, and creates the link associated with the second information at an end of the text being input to the area if an icon of the second information is dragged and dropped to the area displayed.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising second accepting means for accepting an instruction for attaching one or more sets of the second information, wherein the first accepting means creates, in response a predetermined operation by a user, the link to the second information, the instruction for attachment thereof having been accepted by the second accepting means, at an end of the text being input to the area.

10. An information processing method of an information processing apparatus for presenting first information and second information received from an information providing apparatus, the second information being attached to the first information and different from the first information, the information processing method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving the first information, including a link to the second information, and the second information from the information providing apparatus; and

a presenting step of presenting the first information received in the receiving step, and presenting the second information if the link included in the first information presented is operated,

wherein the presenting step displays an arrow directed from the link to the second information when presenting the second information if the link is operated.

11. A computer program product embedded on a computer readable medium, the computer program product configured to cause a computer that controls an information processing apparatus for presenting first information and second information received from an information providing apparatus, the second information being attached to the first information and different from the first information, to execute:

a receiving step of receiving the first information, including a link to the second information, and the second information from the information providing apparatus; and

a presenting step of presenting the first information received in the receiving step, and presenting the second information if the link included in the first information presented is operated,

wherein the presenting step displays an arrow directed from the link to the second information when presenting the second information if the link is operated.