Content providing device and device for browsing provided content

• US 7,631,049 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Tanimoto, Yoshifumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/810,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20040225741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,080 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 709/224, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control

Abstract

A teleconference system is large-scale. In the present invention, an IM server provides instant message service to a first client, a second client and a content providing device. The first client adds position information of a first cursor to an instant message and transmits the instant message to the content providing device. The content providing device transmits an instant message including the position information to the second client which displays the same content as the first client. The second client draws a third cursor at a position on the content specified by the position information. Accordingly, a conference or a meeting with a person at a remote location can be carried out by a relatively small system architecture.

Claims

1. A content providing device comprising:

a providing unit that provides prescribed content to a first client device;

a receiving unit that receives a first message from said first client device including position information which specifies a prescribed position of a cursor on the content at said first client device;

an extracting unit that extracts the position information from the first message; and

a transmitting unit that transmits a second message including the extracted position information to a second client device that is browsing the content,

wherein the position information is extracted from the second message and displayed at the second client device, and

wherein the first and second messages are instant messages that are transmitted according to the Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP).

2. The content providing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a browsing condition database that holds content identification information which identifies the content and a login ID of a client;

wherein in accordance with the message received by the receiving unit, content identification information of the content and a login ID of a client are registered in the browsing condition database.

3. The content providing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a browsing condition database that holds content identification information which identifies the content and a login ID of a client;

wherein the transmitting unit sets a destination of the message in accordance with the browsing condition database.

4. A content browsing device comprising:

a content obtaining unit that obtains desired content from a providing device that provides content;

a display unit that displays the obtained content and a cursor movable according to an instruction of a user of the content browsing device;

a position information obtaining unit that obtains position information of the cursor on the content; and

a transmitting unit that adds the position information to a message and transmits the message to the providing device wherein the position information is processed, at the providing device, to display the cursor at the providing device,

wherein the message is an instant message that is transmitted according to the Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP).

5. The content browsing device according to claim 4, wherein when receiving a transmission instruction from a user, the position information obtaining unit obtains position information of the cursor on the content.

6. The content browsing device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a user information database that holds information indicating whether another user is under active status.

7. A content browsing device comprising:

a content obtaining unit that obtains prescribed content from a providing device which provides content;

a receiving unit that receives a message including position information from the providing device wherein the position information includes a position of a cursor on the content at the providing device;

an extraction unit that extracts the position information from the received message; and

a display unit that displays the cursor on the content in accordance with the position information,

wherein the message is an instant message that is transmitted according to the Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP).

8. The content browsing device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a display position adjusting unit that adjusts a display position of the content with the mark.

9. The content browsing device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a mark shape setting unit that sets a shape of the mark according to a transmitter of the position information.

10. A content providing device comprising:

means for providing prescribed content to a first client device;

means for receiving a first instant message from said first client device including position information that specifies a prescribed position of a cursor on the content at said first client device;

means for extracting the position information from the first instant message; and

means for transmitting a second instant message including the extracted position information to a second client device that is browsing the content,

wherein the position information are extracted from the second instant message and displayed at the second client device, and

wherein the first and second instant messages are transmitted according to the Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP).

11. A content browsing device comprising:

means for obtaining desired content from a providing device that provides content;

means for displaying the obtained content;

means for displaying on the content, a cursor movable according to an instruction of a user of the content browsing device;

means for obtaining position information of the cursor on the content; and

means for adding the position information to an instant message and transmitting the instant message to the providing device wherein the position information is processed, at the providing device, to display the cursor at the providing device,

wherein the instant message is transmitted according to the Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP).

12. A content browsing device comprising:

means for obtaining prescribed content from a providing device that provides content;

means for receiving an instant message including position information from the providing device wherein the position information includes a position of a cursor on the content at the providing device;

means for extracting the position information from the received message; and

means for displaying the cursor on the content in accordance with the position information,

wherein the instant message is transmitted according to the Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP).