JP2007104273A - Messaging system, server device, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide IM (Instant Messaging) having few problems in privacy. <P>SOLUTION: A server device 200 is provided with a client group data storage 540, a group image-quality data storage 550, and a static-image storage 560. The controller 510 of the server device 200 refers to the storages 540 and 550, and distributes an image obtained by converting an image received from one client device so as to have image quality associated with a group to which other client devices of distributing destinations belong, to the other client devices. The controller 510 refers to the storage 560, and distributes a static image associated with the group to which the other client devices of the distributing destinations belong, to the other client devices. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a messaging system, a server device, and a program.

  An instant messaging (IM) service for exchanging messages on a communication network is known. An IM user can present information indicating his / her state to a communication partner for the convenience of exchanging messages with the communication partner. This “information indicating its own state” is called presence information.

  Presence information includes, for example, text information and image information indicating its own status such as “present”, “absent”, and “busy”. The IM user sees the other party's presence information, determines the other party's status, and sends a message.

In the conventional IM, the IM user needs to set presence information. For this reason, IM users often forget to update presence information, and the reliability of presence information is low.
In order to solve such a problem, in Patent Document 1, a camera and a microphone are provided in a terminal using IM, and an image and sound obtained by imaging the periphery of the terminal are transmitted to the other terminal. A technique of outputting these as presence information at a counterpart terminal is disclosed.
JP 2004-214934 A

  With the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the IM user feels resistance and restraint that all the other parties are monitored by the same image, and as a result, a camera for transmitting presence information, I started to refrain from using the microphone.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to easily provide appropriate presence information in a messaging system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a messaging system that does not give the user a sense of being monitored or restrained when using the user's image as presence information.

In order to solve the above problem, a messaging system according to a first aspect of the present invention provides:
A messaging system comprising a server device and two or more client devices connected via a communication network, wherein the client device exchanges messages with other client devices,
The server device
Image receiving means for receiving image data from the client device;
Client group storage means for storing client group data in which information for specifying the client device is associated with information for specifying a group to which the client device belongs;
Group image quality storage means for storing group image quality data in which information for specifying a group and information for specifying the image quality of an image transmitted to the client device belonging to the group are associated with each other;
Still image storage means for storing still image display position data in which still image data, the display position of the still image, and information for specifying a destination group to which the still image is transmitted are associated;
With reference to the selection of received still image data, still image display position data, client group data, and group image quality data, the image data of the image quality associated with the group to which one client belongs, and the selected Image transmitting means for transmitting still image data and a display position corresponding to the still image as presence information to one client device;
Consisting of
The client device is
Imaging means for capturing an image of a user's planned location and outputting image data;
Image transmission means for transmitting image data to the server device;
Presence information reception output means for receiving and outputting presence information of the other client device;
Message transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving a message to / from the other client device according to a user instruction;
It is comprised from these.

The client device is
Means for transmitting the contents of the change of the still image display position data stored by the still image position display means;
The server device
The apparatus further comprises means for receiving the content of the change of the still image display position data from the client device and changing the still image display position data according to the content.
This may be a feature.

The presence information receiving / outputting means includes:
When image data, selected still image data, and a display position corresponding to the still image are received as presence information, the image data is displayed and superimposed on the image, and the still image data is displayed at the display position. The apparatus may further include means for displaying the image.

The server device
Means for accepting changes to client group data;
A group changing means for changing a group associated with one client device in response to the change of the received client group data;
May be further provided.

The server device
Means for accepting the contents of the group image quality data change;
Image quality changing means for changing the image quality of an image to be transmitted to the client device belonging to one group in accordance with the contents of the change of the received group image quality data;
May be further provided.

In order to solve the above problem, a server device according to a second aspect of the present invention provides:
A server device connected to two or more client devices connected via a communication network,
Image receiving means for receiving image data from the client device;
Client group storage means for storing client group data in which information for specifying the client device is associated with information for specifying a group to which the client device belongs;
Group image quality storage means for storing group image quality data in which information for specifying a group and information for specifying the image quality of an image transmitted to the client device belonging to the group are associated with each other;
Still image storage means for storing still image display position data in which still image data, display position of the still image, and information specifying a destination group to which the still image is transmitted are associated with each other;
With reference to the selection of received still image data, still image display position data, client group data, and group image quality data, the image data of the image quality associated with the group to which one client belongs, and the selected Image transmitting means for transmitting still image data and a display position corresponding to the still image as presence information to one client device;
It is comprised from these.

In order to solve the above problem, a program according to the third aspect of the present invention is:
A computer connected to two or more client devices connected via a communication network;
An image receiving procedure for receiving image data from the client device;
A still image selection receiving procedure for receiving still image data selection from the client device;
A client group storage procedure for storing client group data in which information for specifying the client device is associated with information for specifying a group to which the client device belongs;
A group image quality storing procedure for storing group image quality data in which information specifying a group is associated with information specifying the image quality of an image to be transmitted to the client device belonging to the group;
A still image storage procedure for storing still image display position data in which still image data, the display position of the still image, and information for specifying a destination group to which the still image is transmitted are associated with each other;
With reference to the selection of received still image data, still image display position data, client group data, and group image quality data, the image data of the image quality associated with the group to which one client belongs, and the selected An image transmission procedure for transmitting still image data and a display position corresponding to the still image as presence information to one client device;
Is executed.

According to the present invention, since each client device can be grouped and the image quality of the user's image can be different for each group, appropriate presence information can be provided, It is possible to reduce the feeling of restraint.
In addition, by displaying a predetermined still image over the user's image, the user can conceal the part of the user's image that he / she does not want to see. It is possible to reduce the feeling of feeling and restraint.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a messaging system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example in which client devices 100A to 100N and a server device 200 constituting a messaging system 1 of the present invention are connected to a communication network C. In FIG. 1, only three client devices 100 appear, but the number of client devices 100 is not limited.

  The communication network C is a communication network based on a communication protocol such as TCP / IP (Transmission Protocol / Internet Protocol).

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the client device 100. The client device 100 includes a control unit 310, a storage unit 320, a communication control unit 330, a display unit 340, an input unit 350, and a bus 390. Control unit 310, storage unit 320, communication control unit 330, display unit 340, and input unit 350 are connected to each other via bus 390.

  The control unit 310 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each unit based on an operation program stored in the storage unit 320.

  The storage unit 320 includes, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a hard disk device, stores an operating system (OS) and application programs for controlling the operation of the control unit 310, and the control unit 310 performs operations. A work area is provided to store data. The programs stored in the storage unit 320 include, for example, a program for exchanging messages with other client devices 100 and a program for controlling the camera 352 described later.

  The communication control unit 330 includes a communication device such as a NIC (Network Interface Card), for example, and performs data transmission / reception with the server device 200 under the control of the control unit 310.

  The display unit 340 includes, for example, a CPU, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a VRAM (Video Random Access Memory), an audio D / A (Digital / Analogue) converter, a display, and a speaker. Receives and displays image data, and receives and emits sound data.

  The input unit 350 is configured by, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus), and is connected to a connected input device 351 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a camera 352. The input unit 350 captures input information from the input device 351 and the camera 352 and supplies the input information to the control unit 310.

  The input device 351 includes a keyboard, a mouse, an input pad, and the like, and inputs messages and various instructions when exchanging messages with other client apparatuses 100.

The camera 352 captures a user's presence (location) scheduled area, generally the front area of the client apparatus 100, in order to transmit the user's image as presence information to the partner client apparatus 100.
As shown in FIG. 3, the camera 352 includes a lens 400, an imaging unit 410, a drive mechanism 420, and a subject distance measurement unit 430.

  The imaging unit 410 is configured by, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or the like, and transmits the incident light from the lens 400 converted to dot matrix data to the control unit 310 via the input unit 350.

  The drive mechanism 420 is composed of, for example, a step motor, and moves the position of the lens 400 in the optical axis direction.

  The subject distance measuring unit 430 measures the distance to the subject using, for example, an autofocus mechanism.

  The control unit 310 causes the subject distance measurement unit 430 to measure the distance to the subject so that the imaging unit 410 can obtain an image focused on the subject. Based on the measured distance, the control unit 310 causes the driving mechanism 420 to determine whether the subject is the lens 400. The position of the lens 400 is moved so as to fall within the focal length of the image, and the image data captured by the imaging unit 410 is transmitted to the server device 200 via the communication control unit 330.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the server device 200. The server device 200 includes a control unit 510, a storage unit 520, a communication control unit 530, a client group data storage unit 540, a group image quality data storage unit 550, a still image storage unit 560, and a bus 590. The Control unit 510, storage unit 520, communication control unit 530, client group data storage unit 540, group image quality data storage unit 550, and still image storage unit 560 are connected to each other via a bus 590.

  Control unit 510 is constituted by a CPU, for example, and controls each unit based on an operation program stored in storage unit 520.

  The storage unit 520 is composed of, for example, a RAM or a hard disk device, stores an operating system or application program for controlling the operation of the control unit 510, provides a work area for the control unit 510 to perform calculations, and stores data To remember.

  The program stored in the storage unit 520 includes, for example, an image quality changing program that generates an image in which the image quality of the received image is changed to a predetermined image quality. Examples of the image quality changing method include transcoding of an image, recompression by changing an image bit rate, and intentional loss of an image data packet.

  The communication control unit 530 includes, for example, a communication device such as a NIC, and transmits / receives data to / from the client device 100 under the control of the control unit 510.

  The client group data storage unit 540 is composed of, for example, a hard disk, and stores to which group a certain client device 100 belongs.

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of data stored in the client group data storage unit 540.
For example, the first entry of the data in FIG. 5A means that the client device 100A belongs to the group α, and the second entry means that the client device 100B belongs to the group β.

  The group image quality data storage unit 550 is composed of, for example, a hard disk, and stores what image quality the image received by the server device 200 is transmitted to the client device 100 of a certain group.

FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of data stored in the group image quality data storage unit 550.
For example, the first entry in FIG. 5B shows the moving image received from the client device 100A for the client device 100 in the group α, 720 dots wide × 480 dots high, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) − The second entry indicates that the moving image received from the client device 100A is sent to the client device 100 of the group β in the horizontal 100 dots × vertical 75 dots, MPEG-4 format. Means to send.

  The still image storage unit 560 is composed of, for example, a hard disk, and stores still image data to be displayed superimposed on the image data transmitted by the server device 200 in association with the display position.

FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of data stored in the still image storage unit 560.
For example, in the first entry of FIG. 5C, the name of the still image is “circle”, and the display position is the position of the 50th vertical dot and the 50th horizontal dot from the upper left, and “circle” This means that the still image data is stored and the “circle” still image is transmitted to the group β.

  Next, operations of the client device 100 and the server device 200 at the time of image distribution will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7 using an example in which the client device 100B receives an image captured by the client device 100A.

  It is assumed that the client device 100A and the server device 200 have been activated in advance and are always operating. Further, it is assumed that the server device 200 has been activated in advance and is always in operation. In addition, the control unit 310 of the client device 100A continuously transmits the subject image captured by the imaging unit 410 to the server device 200 in parallel with other processing.

  When the user activates the message exchange function of the client device 100B and further specifies the message exchange destination (partner), the control unit 310 starts the process of FIG. 7, and the display unit 340 displays the messaging screen illustrated in FIG. Is displayed (step S1).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on the display unit 340 when the client device 100B is operating.

  The messaging screen 600 in FIG. 6 is an example when the client apparatuses 100A and 100N are designated as message exchange partners.

This messaging screen 600 has a presence display area 601, a conversation window 604, and an input box 605.
The presence display area 601 is an area for displaying an image (presence information) transmitted from the client apparatus 100 capable of exchanging messages with the client apparatus 100B. There are as many presence display areas (windows) 601 as the number of client apparatuses 100 that can exchange messages. In this example, messages can be exchanged between the client devices 100A and 100N. For this reason, two presence display areas 601 for displaying images from the client devices 100A and 100N are formed.

  In the presence display area 601, an image obtained by changing the image quality of the image captured by the camera 352 of the client apparatus 100 is displayed in the normal state. In this example, the image quality of the image of the user of the client device 100N (when it exists within the imaging range of the camera 352) is displayed. By doing so, the user can confirm the presence / absence of the other party, that is, the presence, and the partner can notify his / her presence by an image.

The conversation window 604 is an area for displaying messages exchanged between the client apparatuses 100.
The input box 605 is an area for inputting its own message. The user operates the input device 351 to input an arbitrary message here. The control unit 310 displays the input message on the conversation window 604 and transmits it to another client device 100.

  The control unit 510 of the server device 200 refers to the client group data storage unit 540 to determine which group the client device 100B belongs to (step S2). For example, when the setting of the client group data storage unit 540 is as shown in FIG. 5A, it can be seen that the client device 100B belongs to the group β.

  Subsequently, the control unit 510 of the server device 200 refers to the group image quality data storage unit 550 and determines the image quality of the subject image captured by the camera 352 of the client device 100A for the group to which the client device 100B belongs. To determine whether or not to transmit (step S3). For example, when the setting of the group image quality data storage unit 550 is as shown in FIG. 5B, since the client device 100B belongs to the group β, the control unit 510 of the server device 200 controls the client device 100A. It is determined that the moving image captured by the camera 352 is transmitted in the horizontal 100 dots × vertical 75 dots, MPEG-4 format.

  In steps S2 and S3, the image quality of the image transmitted by the server device 200 to the client device 100B is determined. Subsequently, the control unit 510 of the server device 200 generates an image obtained by converting the subject image captured by the camera 352 of the client device 100A into an image quality to be transmitted to the client device 100B (step S4). For example, when the setting of the client group data storage unit 540 is as shown in FIG. 5A and the setting of the group image quality data storage unit 550 is as shown in FIG. 5B, the control of the server device 200 is performed. The unit 510 generates a moving image in the format of horizontal 100 dots × vertical 75 dots and MPEG-4 to be transmitted to the group β including the client device 100B from the moving image captured by the camera of the client device 100A.

  Subsequently, the control unit 510 of the server device 200 determines a still image to be transmitted to the client device 100B (step S5). For example, when the setting of the client group data storage unit 540 is as shown in FIG. 5A and the setting of the still image storage unit 560 is as shown in FIG. It is determined that the still image “circle” is displayed at the position of 50 dots vertically and 50 dots horizontally in the group β.

  After step S5, the control unit 510 of the server device 200 acquires the still image and display position data determined in step S5 from the still image storage unit 560 (step S6), and the client via the communication control unit 530. The image generated in step S4, the still image acquired in step S6, and the display position data are transmitted to apparatus 100B (step S7). The control unit 310 of the client device 100B reproduces the received image (step S8), and displays the received still image superimposed on the received image at the received display position (step S9).

  In addition, after the process of step S7, the server apparatus 200 returns to step S2, performs a process, and continues transmission of an image and a still image with respect to the client apparatus 100B. On the other hand, the client device 100B returns to step S8 to perform processing, reproduces an image transmitted from the server device 200, and displays a still image.

As described above, the server device 200 of the messaging system 1 according to the present invention has the image quality of the image of one client device 100 associated with the other client device 100 to the group to which the other client device belongs. Send with.
By adopting such a configuration, the user of one client apparatus 100 can change the image quality of an image taken around the one client apparatus 100 according to the other party, and therefore, a messaging system with few privacy problems. 1 can be used.

Furthermore, the client device 100 of the messaging system 1 according to the present invention displays a predetermined still image superimposed on the image.
By adopting such a configuration, the one client apparatus 100 only performs the process of transmitting an image to the server apparatus 200, and the image captured around the one client apparatus 100 is Since it can be concealed by a still image according to the other party, the messaging system 1 with few privacy problems can be used.

  Furthermore, the client device 100 of the messaging system 1 according to the present invention only performs the process of transmitting an image to the server device 200, and changes the image quality of the image to the other client device 100. The server device 200 performs processing for transmitting an image. As a result, the performance required for the client device 100 can be reduced.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications and applications are possible.

  The storage content of the client group data storage unit 540, the storage content of the group image quality data storage unit 550, and the storage content of the still image storage unit 560 of the server apparatus 200 are, for example, input by an input device (not shown) using a text editor or the like. And may be editable. By adopting such a configuration, the group to which one client device 100 belongs, the image quality of the image transmitted to the group, the change of the still image itself, the display position of the still image, and the transmission group of the still image can be freely set. It becomes possible to change.

  The storage content of the client group data storage unit 540 of the server device 200, the storage content of the group image quality data storage unit 550, and the storage content of the still image storage unit 560 are changed content input from the input device 351 of the client device 100. Is transmitted from the control unit 310 of the client device 100 to the control unit 510 of the server device 200 via the communication control unit 330, and the control unit 510 transmits the change contents to the client group data storage unit 540 and the group image quality. The data may be reflected in the data storage unit 550 or the still image storage unit 560. By adopting such a configuration, not only from the server device 200 but also from the client device 100, the group to which the user belongs, the quality of the image transmitted to the group, the change of the still image itself, and the display of the still image are displayed. It becomes possible to freely change the transmission group of the position / still image.

  In the above-described embodiment, the camera 352 captures an in-focus image by adjusting the relative position between the lens 400 and the imaging unit 410 using the drive mechanism 420. Here, for example, by providing the image captured by the CCD as it is, it may be used instead of the focused image captured by the camera 352.

  The client device is arbitrary as long as it can reproduce images. For example, a personal computer, a mobile phone, or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) may be used.

  The format and content of the image are arbitrary. For example, JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) still images, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) -2, MPEG-4 video, 3GPP / 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project / 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2) compatible video and Motion-JPEG Video, voice, text, or a combination of these.

  The client device 100 and the server device 200 according to the present invention can be realized using a normal computer system, not a dedicated system. For example, by storing a program for executing the above-described operation on a computer-readable recording medium (flexible disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.) and installing the program on the computer, You may comprise the server apparatus and client apparatus which perform the above-mentioned process. Further, the server device and the client device may be configured by storing the program in a storage included in a server device on a communication network such as the Internet and downloading it by a normal computer system.

  Further, when the above-described function is realized by sharing of the OS and the application or by cooperation between the OS and the application, only the application part may be stored in a recording medium or storage.

  It is also possible to superimpose a program on a carrier wave and distribute it via a communication network.

It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a messaging system. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a client apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a camera. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a server apparatus. (A) is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of the data which a client group data storage part memorize | stores. (B) is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of the data which a group image quality data storage part memorize | stores. (C) is a figure which shows an example of the data structure of the data which a still image preservation | save part memorize | stores. It is a figure which shows an example of the screen which the display part of a client apparatus displays. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the operation | movement at the time of image delivery of a client apparatus and a server apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Messaging system 100 Client apparatus 200 Server apparatus 310 Control part 320 Storage part 330 Communication control part 340 Display part 350 Input part 351 Input device 352 Camera 390 Bus 400 Lens 410 Imaging part 420 Drive mechanism 430 Subject distance measurement part 510 Control part 520 Storage Unit 530 communication control unit 540 client group data storage unit 550 group image quality data storage unit 590 bus C communication network

Claims (7)

A messaging system comprising a server device and two or more client devices connected via a communication network, wherein the client device exchanges messages with other client devices,
The server device
Image receiving means for receiving image data from the client device;
Client group storage means for storing client group data in which information for specifying the client device is associated with information for specifying a group to which the client device belongs;
Group image quality storage means for storing group image quality data in which information for specifying a group and information for specifying the image quality of an image transmitted to the client device belonging to the group are associated with each other;
Still image storage means for storing still image display position data in which still image data, the display position of the still image, and information for specifying a destination group to which the still image is transmitted are associated;
With reference to the selection of received still image data, still image display position data, client group data, and group image quality data, the image data of the image quality associated with the group to which one client belongs, and the selected Image transmitting means for transmitting still image data and a display position corresponding to the still image as presence information to one client device;
Consisting of
The client device is
Imaging means for capturing an image of a user's planned location and outputting image data;
Image transmission means for transmitting image data to the server device;
Presence information reception output means for receiving and outputting presence information of the other client device;
Message transmitting / receiving means for transmitting / receiving a message to / from the other client device according to a user instruction;
A messaging system comprising: The client device is
Means for transmitting the contents of the change of the still image display position data stored by the still image position display means;
The server device
The apparatus further comprises means for receiving the content of the change of the still image display position data from the client device and changing the still image display position data according to the content.
The messaging system according to claim 1. The presence information receiving / outputting means includes:
When image data, selected still image data, and a display position corresponding to the still image are received as presence information, the image data is displayed and superimposed on the image, and the still image data is displayed at the display position. The messaging system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for displaying the images. The server device
Means for accepting changes to client group data;
A group changing means for changing a group associated with one client device in response to the change of the received client group data;
The messaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: The server device
Means for accepting the contents of the group image quality data change;
Image quality changing means for changing the image quality of an image to be transmitted to the client device belonging to one group in accordance with the contents of the change of the received group image quality data;
The messaging system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: A server device connected to two or more client devices connected via a communication network,
Image receiving means for receiving image data from the client device;
Client group storage means for storing client group data in which information for specifying the client device is associated with information for specifying a group to which the client device belongs;
Group image quality storage means for storing group image quality data in which information for specifying a group and information for specifying the image quality of an image transmitted to the client device belonging to the group are associated with each other;
Still image storage means for storing still image display position data in which still image data, the display position of the still image, and information for specifying a destination group to which the still image is transmitted are associated;
With reference to the selection of received still image data, still image display position data, client group data, and group image quality data, the image data of the image quality associated with the group to which one client belongs, and the selected Image transmitting means for transmitting still image data and a display position corresponding to the still image as presence information to one client device;
A server device comprising: A computer connected to two or more client devices connected via a communication network;
An image receiving procedure for receiving image data from the client device;
A client group storage procedure for storing client group data in which information for specifying the client device is associated with information for specifying a group to which the client device belongs;
A group image quality storing procedure for storing group image quality data in which information specifying a group is associated with information specifying the image quality of an image to be transmitted to the client device belonging to the group;
A still image storage procedure for storing still image display position data in which still image data, the display position of the still image, and information for specifying a destination group to which the still image is transmitted are associated with each other;
A still image storage procedure for storing still image display position data in which still image data, the display position of the still image, and information for specifying a destination group to which the still image is transmitted are associated;
With reference to the selection of received still image data, still image display position data, client group data, and group image quality data, the image data of the image quality associated with the group to which one client belongs, and the selected An image transmission procedure for transmitting still image data and a display position corresponding to the still image as presence information to one client device;
A program characterized by having executed.

Images