JP2002082893A - Terminal with chatting means, editing device, chat server and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that invitation to chat by selecting only users in a specified area can not be made in the conventional chat system. SOLUTION: A virtual object which can be referred only in the specified area is utilized and a function to invite the virtual object to participate in the chat and a chat starting function to specify a chat server and an identification mark of a chat room are incorporated in the chat system.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for implementing a chat, and more particularly to a system for inviting an unspecified number of moving users to chat in a limited area.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of communication networks such as the Internet, chats, which are services for exchanging text messages in real time among a plurality of users, have become widespread.

[0003] The most commonly used chat is WWW (World Wide Wed) on the Internet.
b) A plurality of users browsing a specific page log in using their own names (or pseudonyms), speak each other by typing a character string, and confirm the comments of others on the screen. It is of the system. An example of this is http: //www.j as of September 1, 2000.
Commercially available at side.com.

Further, IRC (Internet Rel)
ay Chat). In this system, a system is configured by connecting IRC-dedicated client software to a communication channel called a chat room defined in a plurality of IRC-dedicated servers arranged on the Internet.
A user's remark (character string typing) using client software connected to a certain chat room is transmitted to all client software connected to the same chat room. This allows
Real-time conversation between a plurality of users connected to the same chat room is established.
CHOCOS developed by Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. as a server dedicated to IRC, and CH-COS developed by Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. as client software
OCOA and the like. Technical information on CHOCOS and CHOCOA is available at http: // ww as of September 1, 2000.
It is disclosed on w.chocoa.com.

[0005] All of the above-mentioned ones realize communication between users only by exchanging character strings, but there are also services that provide means for conveying emotions using facial expressions and the like. For example, a comic chat software from Microsoft, which is a type of IRC client software, displays a user as a cartoon character and prepares and displays several expressions to express emotions such as emotions and emotions. It can be expressed. In addition, the character string to be passed on chat
TML (Hypertext Markup Lang)
In some cases, a change in an image, a character font, or the like can be transmitted by using “uage)”. Some can send audio. In this specification, the format of the data transferred in the chat is generically referred to as “character string or the like”.

Further, as an application of the above-described chat system technology, there is an application using a three-dimensional virtual space. In such a system, each user has his or her own avatar (incarnation), and the avatar moves in a three-dimensional virtual space. In a three-dimensional virtual space, it is possible to have a conversation with an avatar, a virtual object, a virtual creature or the like of another person who is in a short distance by chat. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-154053 discloses "3.
3D Virtual Reality Space Display Processing Apparatus, 3D Virtual Reality Space Processing Method, and Information Providing Medium ". Further, as a technology for realizing voice message exchange in a three-dimensional virtual space, there is a technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-207684 "Information processing apparatus, information processing method and medium in three-dimensional virtual reality space sharing system". .

[0007]

In the above-mentioned various chat systems, there are two means for giving an opportunity to start communication by chat. The first is
Users connected to the same WWW page or the same chat room can start chatting. The second is a case using a three-dimensional virtual space, in which users located at short distances in the virtual space can start chatting.

[0008] In the first case, the users cannot start chatting unless they connect to the same WWW page or the same chat room in advance. In the second case, chatting cannot be started unless the avatar is placed in the same virtual space and the avatar is not located at a short distance in the virtual space.

That is, none of the systems described above can meet the following requirements.

First, for example, a user (assuming that a computer at home connected to the Internet is being used) is going to go to Ginza, and a place in Ginza, for example, Ginza in order to know the state of Ginza. A request is to chat with a person who is currently at a geographically specified location in the real world (not the virtual world), such as wanting to chat with a person who is currently near the 4-chome intersection.

Second, there is a request to set up a chat session in which only persons at a plurality of specific locations, for example, Ginza 4-chome in Tokyo and Umeda 1-chome in Osaka can participate.

At present, at least a part of the mobile phone / PHS business has a technology for specifying the location of the owner of the mobile phone or PHS, so that, for example, calls of all persons near Ginza 4-chome can be made. However, it is technically possible to make a line connection with the person who first answers the telephone. The above requirements can simply be met in this way. However, such a method is annoying to those who receive the call and is unlikely to be socially acceptable. There is a need for technology that meets the above requirements in a socially acceptable manner.

[0013]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area is used. Such a virtual object is one of "Interactive System and Software VI" published by Modern Science.
The paper "Space-Time Limited Object System: SpaceTag" (hereinafter referred to as Document 1) described on pages 10 to 10 and "Multimedia, Distributed,
Collection of Symposium on Cooperation and Mobile (DICOMO'99) ”(1
(July 999) pp. 495 to 500 of the paper "Space-Time Limited Object System SpaceTag,
"Space and Design", a technique disclosed in "Design and Implementation of Prototype System" (hereinafter referred to as Document 2).
It can be realized by using “Tag”.

[0014] A SpaceTag is a virtual object that can be browsed by a user in a specific area using a portable terminal. The user can use GPS (Global Posi)
SpaceT, which has a portable terminal such as a mobile phone or a portable computer having a position measuring function such as a Tying System, and can be browsed at the position where the user is.
Only ag can be seen on the screen of the mobile terminal. That is, a virtual object called SpaceTag has
Position coordinates are determined one by one, and only users within a certain distance from the position coordinates can browse. Space
Tag can take any data format. For example, it may be a document, a moving image, a sound, or an executable program.

Hereinafter, an outline of means for starting a chat with a person in a specific area using a virtual object which can be realized by SpaceTag will be described.

In order to use a virtual object for a chat, the following means is used. As the virtual object, data that expresses a chat desire, such as "let's chat" or "let's talk", is used. A user who wants to chat with a person in a certain area (hereinafter referred to as user A) creates such a virtual object and places it in the area. For example, if user A wants to chat with someone near the Ginza 4-chome intersection,
Place the virtual object at the Ginza 4-chome intersection. Since the operation of placing in this case is a process of giving a position attribute to the virtual object, something physical is not actually placed at the intersection of Ginza 4-chome. Someone near the Ginza 4-chome intersection and having a portable terminal having a function of browsing a virtual object (hereinafter referred to as user B) finds the virtual object and chats with him. When the user B performs an operation on the mobile terminal with respect to the virtual object, the user B arranges to start chatting with the user A.

When a chat session in which only persons at a plurality of points can participate is set, a virtual object for inviting a chat to the plurality of points is placed. If any of those people who have a mobile terminal with the function of browsing the virtual object at those places find that the virtual object is acceptable and chat with them, By performing an operation on the mobile terminal, the user can participate in a chat session.

According to such a mechanism, the virtual object is apparently a character string or the like desired to be chatted and has a function internally as a client software of the chat, or activates the client software of the chat. It can be realized by providing it as a virtual object that is also a program to perform.

[0019] By doing so, in a manner that does not bother anyone other than those who are interested in chatting,
You can invite people in a particular area to start a chat.

However, a virtual object that merely displays a character string such as “let's chat” is less attractive and cannot be expected to have a high possibility of actually establishing a chat. In order to solve this problem, the present invention further uses a character having appearance such as an animal as a virtual object, employs a user interface in which the character speaks to the user, and improves the possibility of establishing a chat. .

There is also a case where it is desired to use a voice chat session without inputting a character string. This case is realized by using voice as a chat server and client software, or using a telephone.

In the embodiment of the present invention, there is a case where it is desired to confirm that the user is actually staying in a place where the chat can be performed (the user has not moved after starting the chat). And restrict chat participation from places other than those where you are allowed to participate.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Five embodiments will be described. The first embodiment is the most basic embodiment for satisfying a request that a certain user wants to chat with an unspecified user at a specific place. The second embodiment is an embodiment in which a character is used as a user interface to improve the chat establishment rate. The third embodiment is an embodiment for realizing a chat using voice. The fourth embodiment is an embodiment for satisfying a request that a manager of a chat system wants to set up a chat session between unspecified persons at a plurality of specific places. The fifth embodiment is an embodiment for preventing a user participating in a chat from continuing to participate in a chat even after moving to a place where the chat is not permitted. Each of the second to fifth embodiments is an improvement or small-scale modification of the first embodiment.

First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the present invention. The present invention includes a mobile terminal 1, a virtual object server 2, a chat server 3, and a terminal 4. It is the terminal 4 that the user who invites the chat is used. The mobile terminal 1 is used by a user who can be invited to chat. The mobile terminal 1 and the terminal 4 communicate with the virtual object server 2 and the chat server 3, respectively. The mobile terminal 1 may be anything that can be used by a moving user, and may be a notebook-sized computer, a palm-sized computer, a mobile phone, a wearable computer (a so-called wearable computer), or the like. The terminal 4 may be a fixed terminal or a portable terminal. Hereinafter, these will be described in order.

In the first embodiment, the portable terminal 1 is an embodiment of the invention according to claims 1 and 13, and the terminal 4 is according to claims 7, 17, and 21. It is an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the portable terminal 1 owned by a moving user, that is, a user who is supposed to be invited to chat in the present invention. The mobile terminal 1 includes an index receiving unit 10 that receives a first communication channel for receiving index information about the virtual object from the virtual object server 2, a positioning unit 11 that measures the position of the mobile terminal 1,
Information selecting means 12 for selecting an object to be displayed from a plurality of virtual objects; transmitting / receiving means 13 for transmitting / receiving a second communication channel for receiving the content of the virtual object from the virtual object server 2;
It comprises a user interface means 14 for realizing a user interface with a terminal user and a chat means 15 for realizing a chat.

The index receiving means 10 receives index information from the virtual object server 2 through the first communication channel. For the first communication channel, a communication method capable of performing broadcast processing at low cost is suitable. For example, a pager used under a name such as a pager (a trademark of the NTT Docomo Group) is an inexpensive broadcast channel. As an inexpensive broadcast channel, FM teletext broadcasting is also conceivable.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the format of index information that the index receiving means 10 receives from outside. One unit of index information includes information of an identification symbol, a name, a latitude, a longitude, an effective radius, a start time, an end time, and a size. One unit of index information is information on one virtual object. The identification symbol is a unique symbol for identifying the virtual object. The name is a character string or the like that briefly indicates the contents of the virtual object. The latitude and longitude indicate a position (hereinafter simply referred to as a center position) which is a center of an effective area of the virtual object. The effective radius indicates the effective distance of the virtual object. That is,
This indicates that the virtual object is valid in a circular area from the center position to a distance separated by the effective radius. Although a circular area is assumed in this example, an area other than the circular area can be defined as an effective area depending on how to give parameters of the index information. For example,
Square areas are also possible. Furthermore, by adding information about the height to the index information, the center position can be expressed in three dimensions, and the effective area of the virtual object can be defined by a sphere or another three-dimensional shape. The start time and the end time indicate the beginning and end of the time zone in which the virtual object can be browsed. The size indicates the size (such as the number of bytes) of the virtual object.

[0030] Limiting the information that can be browsed from the portable terminal by limiting the place and time in this way is described in References 1 and 2, and the technology described in these references is used. Applicable. For example, a technique for classifying virtual objects according to purpose of use (referred to as a channel in Literatures 1 and 2 but different from a communication channel referred to in this specification), a virtual object according to a distance from a center position A technique for changing the way of showing a virtual object, a technique for moving a virtual object over time, and the like are applicable. However, in References 1 and 2, index information is not treated separately, so that the communication method is different from that of the present embodiment.

Returning to the description of FIG. The positioning means 11 is a device that knows the current position and the current time of the mobile terminal 1. Specifically, GPS, which is a positioning system using satellites, is suitable, but other means may be used. For example, a device that knows the position by receiving radio waves from a plurality of base stations installed on the ground may be used.

The information selecting means 12 receives the index information from the index receiving means 10 and receives the information on the position and the time from the positioning means 11. The index information is successively sent from the index receiving means 10 to the information selecting means 12. The information selecting means 12 refers to the information on the current position and the current time obtained from the positioning means 11, and selects the current information from the index information. Select ones that are allowed to browse at the location and time.

The user interface means 14 is a set of input / output devices for the user of the portable terminal 1 to perform input / output. For example, a combination of a liquid crystal display as an output device and a keyboard as an input device. A speaker may be provided as an output device, and a microphone or a pointing device such as a touch pad may be provided as an input device.

The information selecting means 12 presents the index information selected as described above to the user using the user interface means 14. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the appearance of a user interface showing a state in which index information is presented to a user when a liquid crystal display is used as an output device. In this example, five items of index information 31a are displayed on the liquid crystal display 30.
31b, 31c, 31d and 31e are shown. In the display of one piece of index information, the start time is presented by a time or date in a 24-hour system, and a name is displayed in addition thereto. For example, in the case of the index information 31a, the start time is 13:05, and the name is "Find a lost child". Although not displayed in this example, the displayed items may be changed according to the size of the screen of the liquid crystal display 30 or the like. For example, if the screen is wide, the distance to the center position may be indicated, or the center position of the virtual object may be displayed on a map.
An example in which the center position of a virtual object is displayed on a map is also shown in Reference 2.

The user operates the user interface means 14
Is selected from the index information indicated by. For example, assume that the 31d index information "let's chat" is selected. The selected index information is sent to the information selecting means 12. The information selection unit 12 sends the identification symbol of the index information of the virtual object that the user wants to browse and the information on the current position obtained from the positioning unit 11 to the transmission / reception unit 13 and requests acquisition of the content of the virtual object.

The transmission / reception means 13 is means for performing two-way communication with the virtual object server 2 using the high-speed second communication channel. The second communication channel may be of any type. For example, there is a PHS that can communicate at 64 kbps if the technology is currently widespread. Also, what is currently being planned is the next-generation mobile phone standard IMT-2000. Assuming that the mobile terminal is connected to any wired communication medium or the like while being used, the second communication channel may be wired communication. Further, different communication means for transmission and reception, for example, different frequency bands may be used.

Now, the transmitting / receiving means 13 includes the information selecting means 1
When receiving the information about the identification symbol of the virtual object to be obtained and the current position from the virtual object server 2, it establishes a communication connection with the virtual object server 2 and sends the information about the identification symbol and the current position to the virtual object server 2. The configuration of the virtual object server 2 will be described later. If the virtual object server 2 determines that the virtual object corresponding to the identification symbol can be browsed based on the current time and the location of the mobile terminal 1, the virtual object server 2 transmits the content to the transmission / reception unit 13 of the mobile terminal 1 via the second communication channel. Send using. The transmitting / receiving means 13 sends the received content to the user interface means 14 via the information selecting means 12 or directly. User interface means 1
4 displays the content to the user.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a general format of the data of the content of the virtual object. As is clear from the figure, the format is such that the content is added to the index information in FIG. This content portion may be data of a different format for each virtual object. For example, a format such as JPEG for image data, a format such as WAV or MIDI for voice and music, a format such as HTML for compound documents, and a VR for three-dimensional shape
A format such as ML is conceivable.

FIG. 6 shows the previously selected index information 3
It is a figure which shows the outline of the content data assumed in the case of the content corresponding to 1d. In this example, the virtual object has the identification number 00123456, the name is “let's chat”, and the center position is north latitude 35.
Degree 40 minutes 04.7 seconds, east longitude 139 degrees 46 minutes 05.7 seconds, effective radius 200 meters, start time 2
At 12:50 on May 20, 2000, the end time is 13:05 on the same day, and the size is 800 kilobytes. It is assumed that the content is composed of short texts starting with “Ginza 4-chome area,...” And button definitions. There are two types of button definitions: appearance and behavior.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the content shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 30 of the user interface means 14. Part of the index information is displayed in the index information display area 32a. The text portion of the content of the virtual object is displayed in the content display area 32b. In this example, since the content further includes buttons 32c and 32d, they are displayed separately. When the user clicks the button 32c, the chat starts. When the user clicks the button 32d, the chat does not start. As described above, the description regarding these operations is also included in the content.

When the user clicks the button 32c, the chat means 15 is activated. Chat means 15
Is chat client software based on the prior art. The chat means 15 may be built in the mobile terminal 1 in advance, or may be software downloaded from the virtual object server 2 to the mobile terminal 1 together with the contents of the virtual object. In the latter case, software for chat means is added to the content portion in FIG.

In this case, the chat means 15 obtains a symbol for identifying the chat server 3 at the time of starting and a symbol for identifying the chat room on the chat server 3. These symbols are included in the definition of the operation of the button in the content of FIG. Here, the chat room is a concept corresponding to a communication channel, and a user who “enters” the same chat room is broadcasted by typing.

When the chat is started, the chat means 1
5 uses the user interface means 14 to perform input / output with the user. FIG. 8 shows the liquid crystal display 30 of the user interface means 14 during use of the chat.
It is a figure showing the example of a display of. In this example, “Hanako” is the user of the portable terminal 1 and “Taro” is the user of the terminal 4. That is, it is assumed that "Taro" invites a chat and "Hanako" responds to the invitation. The chat user interface includes a chat history screen 33a and an input field 33b.
"Hanako" inputs his / her own remark in the input field 33b.

The communication between the chat means 15 and the chat server 3 may be any communication based on the specifications of the chat server 3. For example, if the chat server 3 is connected to the Internet, an analog or digital telephone may be used, and an IP connection via an Internet service provider may be considered.

Next, an embodiment of the virtual object server 2 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the virtual object server 2 according to the present invention. The virtual object server 2 includes an index transmitting unit 50, a transmitting / receiving unit 5
1. Database management means 52, virtual object database 53, index creation means 54, registration means 5
5, a clock 56 and a network connection means 57.

The virtual object database 53 is a database in which virtual objects are collected. The logical structure of the data of one record stored in the virtual object database 53 is as shown in FIG. The virtual object database is logically a set of records having the structure shown in FIG. 5, but need not be implemented by a relational database, and may be an object-oriented database or another implementation. Absent.

The database management means 52 is a database management system for managing the virtual object database 53.

The registration unit 55 is a unit for adding a new virtual object. The registration may be performed manually or may be performed by some other automatic means. When a remote user registers a virtual object, the registration unit 55 is used via the network connection unit 57.

The database management means 52 includes the registration means 5
When a new virtual object is received from 5, the new virtual object is registered in the virtual object database 53, and the index information part is sent to the index creating means 54. Upon receiving the new index information, the index creating unit 54 passes the new index information to the index transmitting unit 50.

When no new index information is generated, the index creating means 54 sends the virtual object database 5 via the database managing means 52 to the virtual object database 5.
3 and sequentially retrieves the stored index information of the virtual object, and passes the retrieved index information to the index transmitting means 50. Various methods can be considered for the order in which the index information of the virtual object is extracted from the virtual object database 53. For example: 1. Simply extract in the order of identification symbols. 2. The virtual objects are ranked A, B, C, and so on in order of importance based on their importance, so that the higher the rank, the higher the frequency of retrieval. 3. A virtual object with a larger effective radius is extracted more frequently. 4. Make sure that virtual objects with a nearer end time are extracted more frequently. 5. Items that are within a certain time from the start time, for example, within 10 minutes, are taken out with a particularly high frequency. And so on.

When receiving the index information from the index creating means 54, the index transmitting means 50 broadcasts the index information to a plurality of portable terminals 1 by using the first communication channel.

The transmission / reception means 51 uses the second communication channel. When the transmitting / receiving unit 51 receives the identification symbol of the virtual object and the information indicating the position of the mobile terminal 1 from any of the mobile terminals 1 via the second communication channel, the transmission / reception unit 51 converts the virtual object corresponding to the identification symbol into It is received from the virtual object database 53 via the database management means 52. The current time is obtained from the clock 56. Next, the position information sent from the portable terminal 1 and the current time are compared with the virtual object, and if the virtual object can be browsed, the requester is requested using the second communication channel. Send to mobile terminal 1.

As described above, the second communication channel may be any communication means, and different communication means may be used for transmission and reception.

The network connection means 57 is means for realizing communication with an external network such as the Internet. Speaking of the range described in the present embodiment, the network connection unit 57 is used when the user of the terminal 4 registers a virtual object. In the example shown here, the user (Taro) of the terminal 4 initially wants to chat with a person near Ginza 4-chome. Therefore, the user of the terminal 4 creates a virtual object as shown in FIG. 6 and designates and registers a position near Ginza 4-chome. The virtual object thus registered is later discovered by the user "Hanako" who owns the mobile terminal 1, and a chat is established.

Next, an embodiment of the terminal 4 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the terminal 4. The terminal 4 includes at least a user interface unit 61, a virtual object editing unit 62, a communication unit 63, and a chat unit 64. A recording medium 65 can be connected to the outside.

The user interface means 61 includes the terminal 4
Is a set of input / output devices for a user to perform input / output. For example, a combination of a display as an output device and a keyboard as an input device. A speaker may be provided as an output device, and a microphone or a pointing device such as a touch pad may be provided as an input device.

The virtual object editing means 62 is software or the like for creating the above-described virtual object, for example, a virtual object having the structure shown in FIG. The virtual object editing means 62 includes at least a function for defining the appearance of the object (for example, defining that the text "let's chat" is an appearance), a symbol for identifying the chat server 3 and a chat in the chat server 3. It has a function of defining a symbol for identifying a room and incorporating it into the virtual object, and a function of defining a place where the virtual object is arranged.
In the present embodiment, as described above, since the virtual object has a button function for confirming the start of the chat, in this case, the function for defining the appearance of the button and the operation of the button is also provided by the virtual object. The editing means 62 is required. When the time during which the virtual object can be arranged is limited, the virtual object editing means 62 also needs a function for defining the effective time of the virtual object. The virtual object editing means 62 uses the user interface means 61 to interact with the user,
The user creates a desired virtual object and passes it to the communication means 63. The virtual object editing means 62 stores the virtual object being edited or edited in an external recording medium 65. It is also possible to read a virtual object from the external recording medium 65 and continue editing the virtual object.

When the communication means 63 receives the virtual object from the virtual object editing means 62, it interacts with the user using the user interface means 61, obtains the confirmation of the user, and transmits the virtual object to the virtual object server 2. Send to Virtual object server 2
When the virtual object is received via the network connection means 57, the virtual object is registered in the virtual object database 53 using the registration means 55 and the database management means 52 as described above.

The chat means 64 is client software for chat based on existing technology, and can chat using the chat server 3.

Finally, the chat server 3 of the present invention
An embodiment will be described. The chat server 3 may be a chat server based on an existing technology, and may be any one that can manage one or a plurality of chat rooms. For example, it may be an IRC server.

The above is the first embodiment of the present invention. The main points of the operation are summarized and described again as follows.
The user (Taro) of the terminal 4 creates a virtual object and registers it in the virtual object server 2. This virtual object can be viewed only by a user in a specific area. Another user (Hanako) enters an area where the virtual object can be browsed, and downloads the virtual object to the portable terminal 1. The virtual object includes the identification symbol of the chat server 3 and the identification symbol of the chat room, and the user (Hanako) connects to the chat room of the chat server 3 by using them. If the user (Taro) has already entered the chat room, a chat is established between the user (Taro) and the user (Hanako). In this way, the user (Taro) can invite a person in a specific area of the real world to chat. It does not bother anyone who is not interested in chatting.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment,
Chatting means 15 of portable terminal 1 in the first embodiment
Uses the user interface means 14.

In the second embodiment, the portable terminal 1 is an embodiment of the invention according to claims 2 and 14.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example in which a virtual object is displayed on the liquid crystal display 30 of the user interface means 14 in the second embodiment.
This is an alternative to FIG. 7 of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the appearance of the virtual object includes not only characters such as "let's chat" but also friendly characters 73 such as rabbits. The character part is interpreted as the utterance of the character 73,
It is displayed together with the balloon 71. Button 72a, 72
b is the button 32c in the first embodiment,
32d. When the user presses the button 72b, the chat means 15 is not activated. User presses button 72
Pressing a activates the chat means 15. that time,
As in the case of the first embodiment, the identification symbol of the chat server 3 and the identification symbol of the chat room are passed to the chat means 15.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which the chat means 15 provides a user with a chat function via the user interface means 14 in the second embodiment. This is an alternative to FIG. FIG. 12 shows only the conversation corresponding to the first words of “Taro” and “Hanako” in the chat conversation of FIG. In the first embodiment, FIGS. 7 and 8 are clearly different screens. The user (Hanako) of the portable terminal 1 is aware that the chat mode has been entered, and the chat partner is somewhere remote. It is also recognized that the user is another user at the same time. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the chat means 15 takes over the character 73 of FIG.
It is performed using. The utterance of the user (Hanako) of the mobile terminal 1 is displayed using another balloon 74. In this case, the user (Hanako) of the portable terminal 1 will intuitively recognize the chat partner not as another user in a remote place but as the character 73 itself. As a result, an effect useful for increasing the interest of the user and improving the probability of establishing a chat can be expected.

Further, the speech of the user (Taro) of the terminal 4 is expressed as a speech utterance using a speech synthesis technique instead of displaying characters, and the speech uttered by the user (Hanako) of the portable terminal 1 is represented by a speech recognition technique. By converting the data into a character string or the like using, and sending it to the chat server 3, an effect of further increasing the interest of the user can be expected. Such a device using the speech synthesis technology and the speech recognition technology is applicable not only to the present embodiment but also to other embodiments.

In the present embodiment, the character 7
Example 3 has the appearance of a rabbit, but animals, plants, virtual creatures, real people, fictional characters, cartoon characters, etc.
Anything that the user is familiar with can be adopted as the character.

In the second embodiment, it is necessary to add a function for editing the appearance of the character 73 to the virtual object editing means 62 of the terminal 4.

Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the third embodiment, a voice conversation is used instead of a text chat.

In the third embodiment, the portable terminal 1 is an embodiment of the invention according to claims 6 and 16, and the terminal 4 is according to claims 8, 18 and 22. It is an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the portable terminal 1 according to the third embodiment, which replaces FIG. 2 in the portable terminal according to the first embodiment. In the mobile phone of the third embodiment, telephone means 16 is used instead of chat means 15. The telephone means 16 is realized by using a terminal function of a mobile phone using an existing technology which is provided by each company in each country including Japan.

In the third embodiment, a telephone number is included in the virtual object instead of the identification symbol of the chat server 3 and the identification symbol of the chat room.
When the user of the portable terminal 1 instructs the start of the chat on the screen for confirming the start of the chat as shown in FIG. 7 or FIG. 11, the telephone number is passed to the telephone means 16 and a call is made to the telephone number. . When the telephone is connected, a voice conversation by telephone can be used by using a microphone / speaker or the like included in the user interface unit 14.

In the third embodiment, the chat server 3 is not used. The user of the terminal 4 does not use the chat means 64. Virtual object editing means 6
In 2, in place of defining the identification symbol of the chat server 3 and the identification symbol of the chat room, a telephone number is defined and embedded in the virtual object. The telephone number may be any number that can be used by the user of the terminal 4. The virtual object editing means 62 stores the virtual object being edited or edited in an external recording medium 65. It is also possible to read a virtual object from the external recording medium 65 and continue editing the virtual object.

The third embodiment is configured as described above, and the outline of the operation is as follows. The user A of the terminal 4 creates a virtual object and registers it in the virtual object server 2. This virtual object can be viewed only by a user in a specific area. Another user B enters the area that can be viewed by this virtual object,
The virtual object is downloaded to the mobile terminal 1.
The virtual object includes a telephone number, and when the user B selects to start a chat, the telephone means 16 calls the telephone number. When the user A answers the call made to this number, a voice chat is established between the user A and the user B.

In the third embodiment, the mobile phone function based on the existing technology is used. However, a technology for transmitting and receiving compressed voice using the Internet may be used. In this case, an Internet address is used instead of a telephone number.

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the first to third embodiments, only two users, a user who invites a chat and a user who is invited, are involved. In the fourth embodiment, an unspecified number of users chat.

In the fourth embodiment, the portable terminal 1 is an embodiment according to the first, second, thirteenth and fourteenth aspects of the invention, and the terminal 4 is the seventh and the fourth aspects. This is an embodiment of the invention according to claim 17 and claim 21.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a system according to the fourth embodiment, which replaces FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment. In the fourth embodiment,
The user of the terminal 4 need not be a participant in the chat, but is an administrator of the entire system or a provider of the chat service. Hereinafter, in the description of the fourth embodiment, the user of the terminal 4 is referred to as an administrator. On the other hand, there are a plurality of users who have the mobile terminal 1, and it is assumed that each user participates in the chat. The user of these portable terminals 1 can participate in the chat by entering a specific area in the real world as in the first embodiment.

In the fourth embodiment, the administrator defines the identification symbol of the chat server 3 and the identification symbol of the chat room managed by the chat server 3 in a virtual object, and defines the virtual object in a plurality of locations. To place. In this example, virtual objects are arranged at point A and point B. In order to arrange the virtual objects in a plurality of places as described above, it is only necessary to create a copy in which the coordinate values of the center position of the virtual object are at least different from each other, and register them in the virtual object server 2. The user of the portable terminal 1 can browse these virtual objects near the point A or the point B.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a virtual object assumed in the fourth embodiment, which replaces FIG. 7 in the first embodiment. And is technically the same as FIG.
It is assumed that point A is Ginza 4-chome in Tokyo and point B is Umeda 1-chome in Osaka. In this case, a chat room connecting Ginza 4-chome and Umeda 1-chome is created in the chat server 3 according to the administrator's intention, and the virtual object contains the identification symbol of the chat room. Therefore, a person who downloads this virtual object can participate in the chat. The operation after pressing the button 32c in FIG. 7 is exactly the same as in the first embodiment. This is because the chat server based on the existing technology generally allows a plurality of users to enter one chat room, and thus can be operated without any problem.

When the fourth embodiment and the second embodiment are used in combination, the character 73
Need to be displayed for the number of people. Such technology has already been realized by Microsoft's comic chat, so it should be applied.

Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The fifth embodiment is the first, second,
And a modification of the fourth embodiment.
After obtaining the identification symbol of the chat server 3 and the identification symbol of the chat room from the virtual object, these users have already obtained these identification symbols even though they have actually moved from the chat available area to another place. Solve the problem that it is possible to participate in chat using symbols.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the portable terminal 1 according to the fifth embodiment, which replaces FIG. 2 of the first embodiment. The components other than the chat means 15 are the same as those in FIG. 2, but the chat means 15 has been improved and replaced with the chat means 15a.
Also, the chat server 3 has been improved and changed to the chat server 3a.

In the fifth embodiment, the portable terminal 1 is an embodiment according to the third, fourth, fifth, and fifteenth aspects of the present invention. Up to Claim 12, Claim 19, Claim 2
0 is an embodiment according to the invention of FIG.

The chat means 15 a obtains information on the current position of the portable terminal 1 from the positioning means 11. The chat means 15a adds information on the current position and sends it each time an access request is made to the chat server 3a. Specifically, at the time of a request to enter a chat room or at the time of speech, information relating to the current position of the mobile terminal 1 is added to the chat server 3.
Send to a. Further, after entering the chat room, even when there is no remark, the location information is periodically sent to the chat server 3a to indicate that the user is participating in the chat.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the chat server 3a. The chat server 3a includes at least a conventional chat server 81, an authentication unit 82, a position limiting unit 83, and a network connection unit 84. The conventional chat server 81 is a chat server based on existing technology, like the chat server 3 and the like in the first embodiment, and can manage one or a plurality of chat rooms. The position limiting unit 83 obtains, from the outside via the network connection unit 84, information on the position where each chat room managed by the chat server 3a can be accessed, and accumulates the information. Here, it is assumed that a user or an administrator using the terminal 4 writes data in the position limiting unit 83 using the Internet or the like. The network connection means 84 may be an interface with the Internet which is usually used.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in the position limiting means 83. The data structure is a table associating chat room identification symbols (room IDs) with positions where the chat rooms can be accessed. For example, the position where the first chat room can be accessed is 35 degrees 40 minutes 04.7 seconds north latitude and 139 degrees 46 east longitude.
It is defined to be within a 500 meter radius from Ginza 4-chome at 05.7 seconds. The location where you can access the chat room No. 2 is Ginza 4-chome, the same as No. 1, and the north latitude 3
It is within a 500 meter radius from Umeda 1-chome at 4 degrees 41 minutes 46.8 seconds and 135 degrees 30 minutes 07.0 seconds east longitude, and is accessible from two areas.

Returning to the description of FIG. The authentication unit 82 obtains, from the position limitation unit 83, the restriction on the position where each chat room can be accessed. An access request to the chat server 3a from the outside is first received by the authentication unit 82. At this time, information on the current position of the requester is received along with the access request. If the position does not satisfy the restriction on the position where the chat room to be accessed can be accessed, the access request is rejected. If the position has already been entered, a request to leave the client is sent to the conventional chat server 81, Exclude from chat participants. If the location constraint is satisfied, the access request is accepted and passed to the conventional chat server 81,
Chatting becomes possible.

Since the fifth embodiment is configured as described above, as long as the owner of portable terminal 1 is not at a position where chat can be actually performed, even if the identification symbols of the chat server and the chat room are known. Unable to participate in chat. If the user moves out of the chat available area during the chat and is out of the chat room by the authentication means 82 of the chat server 3a, the chat cannot be continued.

[0091]

According to the present invention, claims 1, 7, and 1 of the present invention are provided.
According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the user of the terminal 4 assigns the identification symbol of the chat server and the identification symbol of the chat room to a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area. Can be built-in,
When the user of the mobile terminal 1 located in the area views the browsing, the user can access the chat room specified by these identification symbols. When the user of the terminal 4 enters the chat room, a chat is established between the two users. Thus, the user of the terminal 4 can invite a user in a specific area to chat.

According to the second embodiment of the present invention, a user of the portable terminal 1 displays a chat invitation and a chat conversation using a character which is familiar to the user. This has the effect of further increasing the probability of establishing a chat.

[0093] Claims 6, 8, and 1 of the present invention.
According to the sixth, the eighteenth, and the twenty-second embodiment, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained by using a telephone instead of a chat. That is, the user of the terminal 4 can invite a voice chat by telephone to a user in a specific area.

[0094] Claims 1, 7, and 1 of the present invention.
According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the chat administrator sets a chat setting that allows only the user of the portable terminal 1 in a plurality of specific areas to participate. It is possible to do.

[0095] Claims 3 to 5 and 9 of the present invention.
According to the fifth embodiment according to claims 12, 15, 19, and 20, the chat server determines whether or not the specific area where the chat can be performed is available at the time. The user of the mobile terminal 1 who is not in the area can be excluded from the chat, and the effect of thoroughly chatting with the user in the specific area can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a portable terminal 1 according to the first, second, and fourth embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a format of index information.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a user interface showing how index information is presented to a user in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a general format of data of a content of a virtual object.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of content data.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the content shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 30 of the user interface unit 14 in the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display example of the liquid crystal display 30 of the user interface unit 14 during use of a chat in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a virtual object server 2 in all embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a terminal 4 according to the first, second, third, and fourth embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example in which a virtual object is displayed on the liquid crystal display 30 of the user interface unit 14 in the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state in which a chat unit 15 provides a user with a chat function via a user interface unit 14 in the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a portable terminal 1 according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a system according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a virtual object assumed in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a portable terminal 1 according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a chat server 3a according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 18 shows a position limiting unit 8 according to the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of data stored in the inside of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 mobile terminal 2 virtual object server 3 chat server 3a chat server 4 terminal 10 index receiving means 11 positioning means 12 information selecting means 13 transmitting / receiving means 14 user interface means 15 chat means 15a chat means 16 telephone means 30 liquid crystal displays 31a to 31e index information 32a Index information display area 32b Content display area 32c, 32d button 33a Chat history screen 33b Input field 50 Index transmission means 51 Transmission / reception means 52 Database management means 53 Virtual object database 54 Index creation means 55 Registration means 56 Clock 57 Network Connection means 61 User interface means 62 Virtual object editing means 63 Communication means 64 Chat hand 65 recording medium 71 balloon 72a, 72b button 73 characters 74 balloon 81 conventional chat server 82 authentication means 83 position limiting means 84 network connecting section

Claims (22)

[Claims] 1. A terminal device comprising a user interface unit having a function of browsing a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area, wherein the user interface unit is configured to allow a plurality of users to communicate and connect to each other. When browsing the virtual object including at least an identification symbol for uniquely identifying a chat room having at least a function of broadcasting information such as a character string entered by one of the users to the plurality of users, A chat unit having a function of transmitting information such as a character string input by a user of the device to the chat room, and displaying the information such as a character string received from the chat room to a user of the terminal device; Terminal device having a function of mutually connecting the chat room to Place. 2. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein when the chat means displays information such as a character string received from the chat room to a user of the terminal device, the information is displayed as an utterance of a character. apparatus. 3. The terminal device further includes positioning means for measuring a current position of the terminal device, wherein the chat means receives information on the current position of the terminal device from the positioning means, and stores the information in the chat room. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein information on the current position of the terminal device is transmitted. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the information on the current position of the terminal device from the chat means to the chat room is performed when the chat means transmits information such as a character string input by a user of the terminal device to the chat room. 4. The terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the terminal device is operated in conjunction with the terminal device. 5. The terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the information about the current position of the terminal device with respect to the chat room is transmitted from the chat means at least once within a predetermined time. 6. A terminal device having a user interface unit having a function of browsing a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area, wherein the user interface unit browses the virtual object including at least a telephone number. A terminal device having a function of making a call to the telephone number. 7. An editing apparatus including at least a virtual object editing unit having a function of editing a virtual object that can be viewed only in a specific area, wherein the virtual object editing unit is connected to the virtual object by a plurality of users. A function of incorporating an identification code for uniquely identifying a chat room that is capable of simultaneously broadcasting information such as a character string input by one of the plurality of users to the plurality of users. An editing device, characterized by the following. 8. An editing apparatus including at least a virtual object editing unit having a function of editing a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area, wherein the virtual object editing unit has a function of incorporating a telephone number in the virtual object. An editing device, comprising: 9. At least one chat room that is connectable to a plurality of users and has at least a function of broadcasting information such as a character string input by one of the plurality of users to the plurality of users simultaneously. A chat server, comprising: an authentication unit for rejecting a connection request of the user when the position of the user does not belong to a predetermined area. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication unit further has a function of disconnecting the connection between the user and the chat server when the position of the user moves from a predetermined area to the outside. Item 10. The chat server according to item 9. 11. The chat server according to claim 9, wherein the authentication unit receives information on the position of the user from a terminal device used by the user. 12. The chat server, for each of one or more chat rooms included in the chat server, information on a predetermined area where a user of the chat room can participate in the chat room. 11. The recording device according to claim 9, further comprising a recorded position limiting unit, wherein the authentication unit obtains information on the predetermined area relating to each of the chat rooms from the position limiting unit. The chat server according to item 11. 13. A method of browsing a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area, on a recording medium readable by the terminal device, in which a program for controlling a terminal device that allows a user to perform input / output operations is recorded. One program code means and a chat room which is capable of communicating with a plurality of users and has at least a function of simultaneously broadcasting information such as a character string input by one of the plurality of users to the plurality of users. A program including second program code means for mutually connecting and connecting the terminal device and the chat room identified by the identification symbol, when an identification symbol for uniquely identifying is included in the virtual object. A recording medium characterized by being recorded. 14. The program according to claim 13, wherein the program further comprises third program code means for presenting information such as a character string received from the chat room to a user as a character utterance. recoding media. 15. The program according to claim 15, further comprising: fourth program code means for transmitting information on a current position of the terminal device to the chat room.
The recording medium according to claim 13 or claim 14. 16. A method of browsing a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area on a recording medium readable by the terminal device, in which a program for controlling a terminal device capable of performing input / output operations by a user is recorded. A program including one program code means and a second program code means for making a call to the telephone number when the telephone number is included in the virtual object is recorded. Recording medium. 17. A method for editing a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area, on a recording medium readable by the editing device, in which a program for controlling an editing device that allows a user to perform input / output operations is recorded. A program code means, and a function of allowing a plurality of users to communicate and connect to the virtual object and simultaneously broadcasting information such as a character string input by one of the plurality of users to the plurality of users. A recording medium characterized by recording at least a program having at least a second program code means for incorporating an identification symbol for uniquely identifying at least a chat room. 18. A method for editing a virtual object that can be browsed only in a specific area, on a recording medium readable by the editing device, in which a program for controlling an editing device that allows a user to perform input / output operations is recorded. A recording medium characterized by recording a program having at least one program code means and a second program code means for storing a telephone number in the virtual object. 19. At least one chat room which is connectable to a plurality of users and has at least a function of broadcasting information such as a character string inputted by one of the plurality of users to the plurality of users simultaneously. In a recording medium readable by the chat server, which stores a program for controlling the chat server including the chat server, if the position of the user does not belong to a predetermined area, the chat server requests a connection of the user. Recording medium characterized in that the program includes first program code means for rejecting the program. 20. The program further includes second program code means for disconnecting the connection between the user and the chat server when the position of the user moves out of a predetermined area. Characterized by
The recording medium according to claim 19. 21. A recording medium on which one or more virtual objects expressing arbitrary data are recorded, wherein at least one of the virtual objects includes information specifying a specific area where the virtual objects can be viewed, and An identification symbol that uniquely identifies a chat room that is capable of communication connection and has a function of simultaneously broadcasting information such as a character string entered by one of the plurality of users to the plurality of users. Recording media recorded in correspondence with each other. 22. A recording medium in which one or more virtual objects representing arbitrary data are recorded, for at least one of the virtual objects, information specifying a specific area where the virtual objects can be viewed, A recording medium in which numbers are recorded in correspondence with each other.