JP6234099B2 - Information communication system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information communication system, and more particularly, to a technology for communicating information such as characters, sounds, images, and images to each other via an information communication means.

  SNS (Social Networking Service) is known as a member-based website for presenting and exchanging information such as characters, voices, images, and videos via an information communication network such as the Internet.

  In general, in SNS, a tool for facilitating communication between friends and acquaintances is provided based on real name registration. For example, there is often a mechanism for promoting the construction of a new human relationship with a “friend of a friend” based on an address book installed in a member terminal device. In this way, the use of SNS is promoted by building new human relationships.

  On the other hand, there is a problem that it becomes difficult to protect personal information, for example, as personal relationships are spread and the possibility of inappropriate use increases as new human relationships are built.

  For the purpose of solving such problems, in order to form new friendships, it is necessary to form agreements between the strangers and between the three parties. There has been proposed a technique for strengthening the connection in the Internet and appropriately protecting personal information (see paragraphs [0033] to [0036] of FIG. 13 and FIG. 15).

  However, once the friendship is established, the telephone number and e-mail address are known to the other party (see paragraph [0030] of FIG. 10 of Patent Document 1). Even in such a case, there is a risk that the other party will receive a phone call or send an e-mail.

In this case, you may want to change your phone number or email address to stop contact with the other party, but the phone number or email address may be used for other purposes, In many cases, it cannot be changed.

JP 2009-44591 A

The present invention solves such a conventional problem, suppresses the diffusion of important personal information such as telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, and easily and surely contacts with the other party when contact with the other party is no longer desired. An object is to provide an information communication system and the like that can be disconnected.

  An information communication system according to the present invention is an information communication system including a server device including a database and a plurality of client devices capable of communicating information with the server device via an information communication unit, The database is a relationship between users of two or more client devices, and communication of information is permitted between the client device of any one user in the relationship and the client devices of one or more other users. As information indicating that there is a communication connection having the relationship, the profile information of the user arbitrarily specified by each user belonging to the communication connection is stored in association with each other, and the client device is stored in the database. Communication to which the user of the client device belongs Profile information related to the communication connection and / or profile index information indicating the profile information of the user of the client device that is another user belonging to the connection and is allowed to communicate information with the client device A client-side communication control unit having a profile display means for displaying on the client device, and the server device specifies profile information or profile index information displayed on the client device by the profile display means from the client device. When receiving an information communication request signal for requesting information communication, the communication relay relays information communication between the client device and the partner client device specified by the information communication request signal. When a connection disconnection request signal for requesting disconnection from the communication connection to which the user of the client device belongs is received from the client device, the profile information related to the communication connection of the user stored in the database and the communication connection are stored. A server-side communication control unit provided with connection disconnecting means for releasing the user of the client device from the communication connection by releasing the association with the profile information related to the communication connection of another user belonging to It is characterized by.

The features of the present invention can be broadly shown as described above, but the configuration and contents thereof, together with the objects and features, will be further clarified by the following disclosure in view of the drawings.

  An information communication system according to a first invention of the present application is an information communication system including a server device provided with a database and a plurality of client devices capable of communicating information with the server device via information communication means. The database is a relationship between users of two or more client devices, and communication of information between the client device of any one user in the relationship and the client devices of one or more other users. As information indicating that there is a communication connection that is allowed, the user's profile information arbitrarily specified by each user belonging to the communication connection is stored in association with each other, and the client device stores a database Based on the data stored in the Acquire profile information related to the communication connection and / or profile index information indicating the profile information of the user of the client device that is another user belonging to the communication connection and is allowed to communicate information with the client device. A server-side communication control unit having profile display means for displaying on the client device, and the server device receives profile information or profile index information displayed on the client device by the profile display means from the client device. When an information communication request signal for requesting information communication is received, information communication between the client device and the partner client device specified by the information communication request signal is relayed. When a connection disconnection request signal for requesting disconnection from the communication connection to which the user of the client device belongs is received from the relay unit and the client device, the profile information and the communication connection related to the communication connection of the user stored in the database A server-side communication control unit including connection disconnection means for releasing the user of the client device from the communication connection by releasing the association with the profile information related to the communication connection of another user belonging to It is characterized by this.

  Thus, in this system, when the user of the client device contacts the user of the other client device, any personal profile information and / or profile index information (hereinafter, referred to as the user's personal information) These are simply referred to as “profile information”).

  In this system, the content of the user's personal information (the user's own profile information) disclosed to the other user by the user is arbitrarily designated by the user for each communication connection according to the purpose and purpose of the communication connection. Therefore, personal information that is more important than personal information, such as important information such as phone numbers and e-mail addresses, is disclosed regardless of the purpose and purpose of communication. Can be suppressed.

  Further, when it is not desired to contact the other party for some reason, it is possible to disconnect from the communication connection to which the other party belongs by transmitting a connection disconnection request signal to the server device. As a result, communication with the other party can be interrupted.

  Therefore, you can easily disconnect from the other party, and if you select your profile information to be disclosed to the other party properly, it will be as important as your phone number and email address even after you disconnect. Since personal information that is difficult to change does not remain on the other party, you can be surely disconnected from the other party. Of course, after disconnecting from the communication connection to which the other party belongs, the profile information here cannot be seen from the client apparatus of the other party.

  In other words, an information communication system, etc. that can suppress the spread of important personal information such as telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, and can easily and reliably disconnect the other party when contact with the other party is no longer desired. Can be realized.

  The information communication system according to the second invention of the present application is the information communication system according to the first invention of the present application, wherein the server-side communication control unit is a signal for requesting creation of a communication connection from each of the two client devices, When a connection creation request signal including profile information of the user arbitrarily designated by the user of the client device is received, connection creation means for creating the communication connection by storing both profile information in a database in association with each other It is characterized by comprising.

  Therefore, the users of the two client devices who wish to contact each other can both send a connection creation request signal including their own profile information to the server device, so that they can communicate with each other. A new communication connection can be easily created.

  For this reason, a communication connection can be easily set up with the other party only by disclosing his / her desired profile information to the other party.

  The information communication system according to the third invention of the present application is the information communication system according to any one of the first or second invention of the present application, wherein the server side communication control unit further joins an existing communication connection from the client device. When a connection subscription request signal including a user's profile information arbitrarily designated by the user of the client device is received, the subscription from the client device of the user belonging to the existing communication connection is permitted. The user's profile information of the client device is stored in the database in association with the profile information related to the communication connection of the user belonging to the existing communication connection Device user's Further comprising a connection subscription means for implementing the subscription to the existing communication connection, characterized by.

  Therefore, when a user of a client device desires to join an existing communication connection, a connection join request signal including its own profile information designated by the client device is transmitted to the server device, and a permission (consent) is obtained from the other party. Just do it.

  For this reason, it is possible to easily join an existing communication connection simply by disclosing desired profile information.

The information communication system according to the fourth invention of the present application is the information communication system according to any one of the first to third inventions of the present application, wherein the database further includes an expiration date of the communication connection set for each user belonging to the communication connection. And at least one of the server-side communication control unit and the client-side communication control unit further determines whether the communication connection has expired for the user based on the data stored in the database. If it is determined that the time limit has expired, the profile information related to the communication connection of the user who has expired and stored in the database and the profile information related to the communication connection of other users belonging to the communication connection By canceling the association with Further comprising a connection automatic withdrawal means for automatically disengaged from the communication connection, characterized by.

  By configuring the expiration date of the communication connection for each user belonging to the communication connection, each user can change the usage / purpose of each user even for the same communication connection depending on the circumstances of the user. It is possible to automatically leave the communication connection at a desired time.

  Therefore, it is possible to automatically disconnect from a communication connection that has existed although a predetermined period has elapsed since the creation or subscription, and is unnecessary for the user.

  For this reason, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a necessary communication connection is buried and not found due to an unnecessary communication connection forgetting to leave.

The information communication system according to the fifth invention of the present application is the information communication system according to the fourth invention of the present application, wherein at least one of the server-side communication control unit and the client-side communication control unit further has a predetermined communication connection expiration date for the user. Whether it is before the period or not is determined based on the data stored in the database, and when it is determined that it is before the predetermined period before the expiration date, the user's client device is notified of the withdrawal from the communication connection. It is characterized by comprising a connection disconnection notice notifying means for notifying.

  Therefore, the user of the client device is automatically notified of a communication connection that is necessary but has not been used for a while, for example, by receiving a notification before a predetermined period before the communication connection related to itself expires. Before leaving, it is possible to take measures such as contacting the other party.

  An information communication system according to a sixth invention of the present application is the information communication system according to any one of the fourth to fifth inventions of the present application, wherein the server side communication control unit further communicates from the client device to another client device. And a connection automatic extension means for automatically extending the expiration date of the communication connection for the user of the client device stored in the database when communication of information using is performed. .

  Therefore, the user has not been contacted for a long period of time, that is, the user automatically leaves the communication connection that is not necessary for the user, while the user frequently contacts the other party, By configuring so as to automatically extend the expiration date of the communication connection that is highly necessary for the user, only the communication connection that is really necessary for the user can be automatically continued.

  A server device according to a seventh invention of the present application is a server device used in the information communication system according to any one of the first to sixth inventions of the present application.

  Therefore, by using these server devices in the information communication system, the same effects as in any of the first to sixth inventions can be obtained.

  A client device according to an eighth invention of the present application is a client device used in the information communication system according to any one of the first to sixth inventions of the present application.

  Therefore, by using this client device for the information communication system, the same effects as in any of the first to sixth inventions can be obtained.

  The program according to the ninth invention of the present application is a program for causing a computer to function as the server-side communication control unit of the server device according to the seventh invention of the present application or the client-side communication control unit of the client device according to the eighth invention.

  Therefore, by causing the computer to execute the program, the same effects as those of the seventh invention or the eighth invention are achieved.

  A recording medium according to the tenth invention of the present application is a recording medium storing a program according to the ninth invention of the present application.

  Therefore, by causing a computer to execute the program stored in these recording media, the same effects as those of the ninth invention can be obtained.

  An information communication method according to an eleventh invention of the present application is an information communication comprising a server device provided with a database and a plurality of client devices capable of communicating information with the server device via information communication means. An information communication method performed using a system, wherein a database is a relationship between users of two or more client devices, and a client device of any one user in the relationship and one or more other users As information indicating that there is a communication connection that allows communication of information with the client device, the user's profile information arbitrarily specified by each user belonging to the communication connection is associated with each other. Based on the data stored in the database, the client device Indicates profile information and / or profile information relating to the communication connection of the user of the client device that is another user belonging to the communication connection to which the user of the client device belongs and is allowed to communicate information with the client device A profile display step of acquiring profile index information and displaying it on the client device, and a server device specifying profile information or profile index information displayed on the client device in the profile display step from the client device, When receiving an information communication request signal for communication, the communication is in progress to relay information communication between the client device and the partner client device specified by the information communication request signal. And when the server apparatus receives a connection disconnection request signal for requesting disconnection from the communication connection to which the user of the client apparatus belongs from the client apparatus, profile information related to the communication connection of the user stored in the database, A connection leaving step for releasing the user of the client device from the communication connection by releasing the association with the profile information related to the communication connection of another user belonging to the communication connection, To do.

  Therefore, by using the method using the server device, the client device, and the database, the same effects as those of the first invention can be obtained.

  In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, a “user” refers to a user of each client device and an organization such as a natural person or a corporation registered in the system in order to use the system.

The “QR code” described in the present specification and drawings is a registered trademark indicating a two-dimensional barcode.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information communication system 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the server device 4. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the client device 6. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the server device 4 illustrated in FIG. 2 and the client device 6 illustrated in FIG. 3, in which one computer is used as each of the server device 4 and the client device 6. It is an example. FIG. 5A is a diagram schematically representing a private connection. FIG. 5B is a diagram schematically representing a circle connection. FIG. 5C is a diagram schematically showing the square connection. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the connection table 21. FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the profile table 22. FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the account master table 25. FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the command queue table 23. FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the update table 24. FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local connection table 41. FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local profile table 42. FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local member table 44. FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local message session table 45. FIG. 10C is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local message history table 46. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an outline of a basic procedure of processing related to update processing in the information communication system 2. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an application activation / main routine. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a client terminal application activation process. FIG. 14A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connection discard local process. FIG. 14B is a flowchart illustrating an example of the local processing for connection discard notice. FIG. 15A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connection discard command process. FIG. 15B is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connection discard advance notice command process. FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the expiration date management service process. FIG. 17A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connection discard server process. FIG. 17B is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connection discard advance notice server process. FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connection creation process. FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connection creation process using a shake process. FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating an example of connection creation processing by QR code processing. FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connection creation process based on a public / search process. FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating an example of how a connection-in-public connection is managed in the public / search process. FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating an example of how a requesting connection is managed in the publishing / searching process. FIG. 24A is a flowchart illustrating an example of a public cancellation process. FIG. 24B is a flowchart illustrating an example of a request cancellation process. FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing an example of processing when the message function is used as the connection type, and shows an example when the message function is used from the connection list. FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing an example of processing when the message function is used as the connection type, and shows an example when the message function is used from the connection list. FIG. 27 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the expiration date extension process. FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing an example of processing when the message function is used as the connection type, and shows an example when the message function is used from the message history screen. FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating an example of connection discard processing by a user at an arbitrary time. FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the profile update process. FIG. 31A is a diagram showing a screen 71 which is an example of an initial screen displayed on the display device 62 of the client terminal 6. FIG. 31B is a diagram showing a screen 72 which is an example of a connection creation screen. FIG. 32A is a diagram showing a screen 73 which is an example of a screen displayed in step S74. FIG. 32B is a diagram showing a screen 74 which is an example of a screen for selecting whether the user is to display the QR code or to read the displayed QR code. FIG. 33A is a diagram illustrating a screen 75 which is an example of a screen on which a QR code is displayed. FIG. 33B is a diagram illustrating a screen 76 which is an example of a screen displayed on the display device 62 when reading the QR code. FIG. 34A is a diagram illustrating a screen 77 which is an example of a screen for the user to select whether to receive a request or to search and make a request. FIG. 34B is a diagram showing a screen 78 which is an example of a screen on which profile information 113 being opened, expiration date 114 and search code 115 are displayed. FIG. 35A is a diagram showing a screen 79 which is an example of a screen on which the public profile list 116 is displayed. FIG. 35B is a diagram showing a screen 80 which is an example of a screen displayed on the display device 62 in step S111. FIG. 36A is a diagram illustrating a screen 81 that is an example of a screen on which the connection list 130 is displayed. FIG. 36B is a diagram showing a screen 82 which is another example of the screen on which the connection list is displayed. FIG. 37A is a diagram showing a screen 83 which is still another example of the screen on which the connection list is displayed. FIG. 37B is a diagram showing a screen 84 which is an example of a session selection screen dedicated to circle connection. FIG. 38A is a diagram illustrating a screen 85 that is an example of a screen that displays the about ass 121. FIG. 38B is a diagram illustrating a screen 86 which is an example of a screen displayed when the “member only” button 122 is operated. FIG. 39A is a diagram showing a screen 87 which is an example of a screen displayed when the “Invite” button 123 is operated. FIG. 39B is a diagram illustrating a screen 88 which is an example of a screen displayed on the display device 62 of the user's client terminal 6 in the connection subscription processing disclosure / search processing. FIG. 40A is a diagram illustrating a screen 89 which is an example of a connection information screen. FIG. 40B is a diagram illustrating a screen 90 which is an example of a connection information screen on which the own profile information 148 is displayed. FIG. 41A is a diagram illustrating a screen 91 which is an example of a screen displaying a message. FIG. 41B is a diagram illustrating a screen 92 which is an example of a screen displayed on the display device 62 when the call function is used. FIG. 42 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the client device 206 configured by two or more computers.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an information communication system 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The information communication system 2 includes a server device 4 and a plurality of client devices 6, 6,..., And the server device 4 and each client device 6 have characters, Communication of information such as voice, image, video, and control signal is possible.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the server device 4.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the server device 4 includes a database 20 and a server-side communication control unit 10.

  The database 20 is a relationship between users of two or more client devices 6, 6,..., And a client device 6 of any one user in the relationship and a client device 6 of one or more other users. Information indicating that there is a communication connection (hereinafter, simply referred to as “connection” for convenience of explanation) that is allowed to communicate information between each user and each user belonging to the connection The user's profile information arbitrarily designated by each is stored in association with each other.

  The database 20 further stores an expiration date of the connection set for each user belonging to the connection.

  The database 20 includes a connection table 21, a profile table 22, a command queue table 23, an update table 24, and an account master table 25.

  The server-side communication control unit 10 includes a connection creating unit 11, a connection joining unit 12, a communication relay unit 13, a connection disconnecting unit 14, a server-side automatic connection disconnecting unit 15, a server-side connection disconnection notifying unit 16 And automatic connection extension means 17.

  The connection creation means 11 receives a connection creation request signal including the profile information of the user arbitrarily designated by the user of the client device 6 from each of the two client devices 6, 6. Upon receipt, the connection is created by storing both profile information in the database 20 in association with each other.

  When the connection joining means 12 receives a connection joining request signal including a profile information of the user arbitrarily designated by the user of the client device 6 from the client device 6 as a signal for joining the existing connection. The user profile information of the client device 6 is stored in the connection of the user belonging to the existing connection on the condition that the subscription permission signal for permitting the subscription from the client device 6 of the user belonging to the existing connection is received. By storing them in the database 20 in association with the profile information related to the above, the user of the client device 6 can join the existing connection.

  When the communication relay unit 13 receives an information communication request signal for requesting communication of information by specifying profile information or profile index information displayed on the client device 6 by the profile display unit 31 (described later) from the client device 6, It relays information communication between the client device 6 and the client device 6 of the other party specified by the information communication request signal.

  When the connection disconnection unit 14 receives a connection disconnection request signal for requesting disconnection from the connection to which the user of the client device 6 belongs from the client device 6, the connection disconnecting unit 14 stores profile information related to the connection of the user stored in the database 20. The user of the client device 6 is disconnected from the connection by releasing the association with the profile information related to the connection of another user belonging to the connection.

  The server-side automatic connection disconnecting means 15 is an automatic connection disconnecting means provided in the server-side communication control unit 10, based on the data stored in the database 20 as to whether or not the connection has expired for the user. If it is determined that the expiration date has expired, the profile information related to the connection of the user whose expiration date has expired and the connection of other users belonging to the connection are stored in the database 20. By canceling the association with the profile information, the user is automatically disconnected from the connection.

  The server-side connection disconnection notice unit 16 is a connection disconnection notice unit provided in the server-side communication control unit 10, and indicates whether or not a predetermined period before the connection expires for the user in the database 20. When the determination is made based on the stored data and it is determined that it is before the predetermined period before the expiration date, a notice of disconnection from the connection is notified to the client device 6 of the user.

  The automatic connection extension means 17 enables the connection for the user of the client device 6 stored in the database 20 when the communication of information using the connection is executed from the client device 6 to the other client device 6. Automatically extend the deadline.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the client device 6.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the client device 6 includes a client side communication control unit 30 and a local database 40.

  The local database 40 stores data read from the database 20 of the server device 4 via the information communication unit 8. In addition to the above data, the local database 40 also stores data unique to the client device 6. That is, the local database 40 is configured based on data stored in the database 20 and data unique to the client device 6.

  By using the local database 40, the processing in the client device 6 that is executed based on the data stored in the database 20 can be executed without accessing the database 20.

  For this reason, it is possible to greatly reduce the time required for data acquisition when executing the processing. Further, even if the server device 4 is in a state where communication with the server device 4 is impossible, the processing can be executed.

  Note that the local database 40 may be configured based only on data unique to the client device 6. However, in this case, it is necessary to access the database 20 of the server device 4 when executing the processing in the client device 6 described above.

  The local database 40 includes a local connection table 41, a local profile table 42, a local command queue table 43, a local member table 44, a local message session table 45, a local message history table 46, and a local open connection table 47. And a local request connection table 48.

  Among these, the local connection table 41, the local profile table 42, and the local command queue table 43 correspond to the connection table 21, the profile table 22, and the command queue table 23 of the database 20, respectively.

  The client-side communication control unit 30 includes profile display means 31, client-side connection automatic disconnection means 32, and client-side connection disconnection advance notice means 33.

  Based on the data stored in the database 20, the profile display means 31 is another user who belongs to the connection to which the user of the client device 6 belongs, and communication of information with the client device 6 is permitted. Profile information relating to the connection of the user of the client device 6 and / or profile index information indicating the profile information is acquired and displayed on the client device 6.

  The client-side automatic connection disconnecting means 32 is an automatic connection disconnecting means provided in the client-side communication control unit 30, based on the data stored in the database 20 as to whether or not the connection has expired for the user. If it is determined that the expiration date has expired, the profile information related to the connection of the user whose expiration date has expired and the connection of other users belonging to the connection are stored in the database 20. By canceling the association with the profile information, the user is automatically disconnected from the connection.

  The client-side connection disconnection advance notice means 33 is a connection disconnection advance notice means provided in the client-side communication control unit 30, and indicates whether or not a predetermined period before the connection expires for the user in the database 20. When the determination is made based on the stored data and it is determined that it is before the predetermined period before the expiration date, a notice of disconnection from the connection is notified to the client device 6 of the user.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the server device 4 illustrated in FIG. 2 and the client device 6 illustrated in FIG. 3, in which one computer is used as each of the server device 4 and the client device 6. It is an example.

  The server device 4 is not particularly limited, but has the same configuration as a general server computer in this example.

  The server device 4 is a recording medium storing a program on the server device 4 side of the information communication system 2, and an auxiliary storage device 55 such as an HDD (hard disk drive) including a hard disk that is also a storage medium of the database 20, an auxiliary storage device 55, a main storage device 54 loaded with a program stored in the CPU 55, a CPU 51 corresponding to the server-side communication control unit 10 that executes the program loaded in the main storage device 54, a display device 52 such as an LCD (liquid crystal display device), An input device 53 such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a track pad, and a communication interface 56 for communicating with the client device 6 via the information communication means 8 are provided.

  The client device 6 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a personal computer, a tablet computer, a portable information terminal device, or a so-called smartphone. It may be a mobile phone.

  The client device 6 is a recording medium that stores a program on the client device 6 side of the information communication system 2, and an auxiliary storage device 65 such as an SSD (solid state drive) equipped with a flash memory that is also a storage medium of the local database 40. A main storage device 64 to which a program stored in the auxiliary storage device 65 is loaded, a CPU 61 corresponding to the client-side communication control unit 30 that executes the program loaded in the main storage device 64, a display such as an LCD (liquid crystal display device) A device 62, an input key 63, an input device 63 such as a touch panel, and a communication interface 66 for communicating with the server device 4 via the information communication means 8 are provided.

  Hereinafter, the client device 6 configured using one computer shown in FIG. 4 may be expressed as a client terminal 6.

  The information communication unit 8 is a communication unit for transmitting information converted into an electric signal, an optical signal, or the like, regardless of whether it is wired or wireless. As the information communication means 8, a computer network such as a WAN (Wide Area Network) represented by the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), a communication line such as a telephone line (including a mobile phone line), a dedicated line, a communication cable, Examples include direct connection using infrared rays or a combination of these.

  5A, FIG. 5B, and FIG. 5C are drawings that schematically represent each form of connection in the information communication system 2.

  FIG. 5A is a diagram schematically representing a private connection which is a basic form of the connection.

  The private connection is a connection that defines a one-to-one relationship, and among the users of the client terminals 6, 6, 6,..., Profile information P1 of one user U1 and one other user U2 And the profile information P2 are stored in the database 20 in association with each other.

  In this case, the user U1 and the user U2 use the client terminals 6 and 6 to communicate information such as characters, sounds, images, and videos between each other (hereinafter referred to as “contact each other”). However, the user U1 can know only the profile information P2 of the user U2 through his client terminal 6 as the information on the other party to contact using the private connection. U2 can know only the profile information P1 of the user U1 via his client terminal 6.

  That is, between the users U1 and U2 belonging to the private connection, only the profile information P1 and P2 of both users U1 and U2 is shared as personal information.

  In the private connection, the users U1 and U2 belonging to the private connection are equal and both are called sharers.

  FIG. 5B is a diagram schematically representing a circle connection which is an application form of the connection.

  A circle connection is a connection that defines a many-to-many relationship (an accumulation of one-to-many relationships. That is, a relationship in which a one-to-many relationship is established from any user belonging to the circle connection). Among the users 6, 6, 6,..., For example, the profile information P3, P4, P5, P6 of each of the four users U1, U2, U3, U4 is stored in the database 20 in association with each other. It is established by storing in the database 20 that the connection is a circle connection.

  In this case, any one user, for example, the user U1, individually contacts with the other three users U2, U3, U4, or the information transmitted by any one of the users, for example, the user U1, is displayed as a bulletin board, for example. Or share it with everyone at the same time. Further, the same information can be shared at the same time among some users of the circle connection (for example, users U2, U3, U4).

  And between each user U1, U2, U3, U4 which belongs to a circle connection, each profile information P3, P4, P5, P6 is shared by all as personal information.

  Furthermore, in the circle connection, all the users U1, U2, U3, U4 belonging to the circle connection can share the profile information of the circle connection itself.

  By configuring in this way, for example, when a new user is urged to join an existing circle connection (hereinafter referred to as “invite a new user” for convenience of explanation), for example, a circle has already been created. Even if any user who belongs to the connection invites, it is possible to publish the profile information of the circle connection itself instead of its own profile information and invite the other user. It is.

  In this embodiment, after one user, for example, user U1, becomes an owner (founder) and starts up a circle connection, other users U2, U3, and U4 are invited. Among users belonging to the circle connection, users other than the owner are called users.

  The circle connection can be used as a hobby circle or a school contact network, for example. When used as a school communication network, for example, after a class teacher has started a circle connection, a class student or a guardian may be invited as a user.

  In this case, for a circle connection of the class, for example, if a predetermined expiration date is set in accordance with the time when the class ends, that is, the expiration date for each user belonging to the circle connection is unified to the predetermined value. If you do not need to keep in touch, for example, after the class ends, the contact network can be automatically deleted.

  In this way, it is necessary to pay attention to the management of personal information that remains after it is no longer needed, such as the conventional paper-based telephone communication network and e-mail communication network, by utilizing the circle connection for a limited time. In addition, it is possible to effectively prevent the diffusion of personal information.

  FIG. 5C is a diagram schematically showing a square connection, which is another application form of the connection.

  A square connection is a connection that defines a one-to-many relationship, and for example, profile information of each of four users U1, U2, U3, U4 among users of client terminals 6, 6, 6,... P7, P8, P9, and P10 are associated with each other and stored in the database 20, and the fact that the connection is a square connection is stored in the database 20.

  In the square connection, after one user U1 becomes an owner (founder) and starts up the square connection, other users U2, U3, and U4 are invited. Users other than the owner among the users belonging to the square connection are called users.

  In the square connection, the user U1 who is the owner can individually communicate with the other three users U2, U3 and U4 who are users, but each user, for example, the user U2 is the owner. Although it is possible to communicate with a certain user U1, it is not possible to individually communicate with other users U3 and U4. Further, regardless of the owner or the user, the information transmitted by any one user can be shared with all the members at the same time, for example, like a bulletin board.

  In the square connection, the user U1 who is the owner discloses his / her profile information P7 to all the users, but each user, for example, the user U2 discloses his / her profile information P8 to the user U1 who is the owner. However, this is not disclosed to other users U3 and U4.

  For example, the square connection can be operated in such a manner that a company or a store becomes an owner and a customer is invited as a user. In this case, the customer can become a user just by disclosing any profile information specified by the customer, and can easily leave the square connection at any time. Can do. Moreover, it is not necessary for a company or a store to manage the personal information of customers, and it is possible to effectively prevent the diffusion of personal information.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the connection table 21 that configures the database 20 provided in the server device 4. FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the profile table 22. FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the account master table 25. FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the command queue table 23. FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the update table 24.

  As shown in FIG. 7B, the account master table 25 stores account information related to user attributes. Each record stored in the account master table 25 is called an account record.

  Of the fields in the account master table 25, the user ID 25a is a user identification mark.

  In the present specification, unless otherwise specified, the field names of the respective tables constituting the database 20 and the local database 40 are indicated by a sign (for example, “user ID 25a”). (Field value).

  The password 25b is a password when the user uses the system 2, the name / nickname 25c is a common name by the user's own declaration when using the system 2, and the default mail address 25d is a password from the system 2 to the user. This is the user's e-mail address used for communication.

  The extension period setting value 25e is a default value of the extension period of the expiration date of the connection for each user (described later).

  Next, in the connection table 21 shown in FIG. 6, information on a portion related to each user belonging to the connection (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as “user-specific connection”) in the connection, and a template (described later). Information about is stored.

  Of the records stored in the connection table 21, a record related to information related to the connection for each user is called a connection record for each user, and a record related to information related to the template is called a template record.

  Among the fields of the connection table 21, the record serial 21a is an identification mark for connection by user or an identification mark for template. The connection ID 21b is a connection identification mark as a set of connections by user. By attaching the same connection ID 21b, a plurality of connections by user are associated with each other. In the connection table 21, a set of connection records for each user having the same connection ID 21b is referred to as a connection record.

  The user ID 21c of the connection table 21 is the same data as the user ID 25a of the account master table 25, and the record of the connection table 21 and the record of the account master table 25 are associated with the user ID 21c and the user ID 25a. .

  The connection form 21d is data indicating a connection form, that is, "private", "circle", or "square", or data indicating that the record is a template record, That is, it is composed of “template”.

  The connection type 21e indicates the type of connection. In this embodiment, the case of using text information as in the so-called SMS (Short Message Service) and the case of using voice information as in the so-called Internet phone are exemplified as means for communicating with the other user through the connection. The connection type (connection type) using the former as a communication means is called a message, and the connection type using the latter is called a call.

  Note that the means for communicating with the user of the other party through the connection to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the above example, and is generally applicable to means for communicating information such as e-mail, text, voice, image, video, etc. The present invention can be applied.

  The user can normally select one or more desired connection types when creating a connection or joining a connection, and the selected connection type is stored in the database 20 as a connection type 21e.

  The connection ownership state 21f indicates the status of the user in the connection for each user.

  The expiration date 21g is the expiration date of the connection for each user (hereinafter simply referred to as “expiration date”). A user can usually set a desired expiration date for his / her connection for each user.

  The extension period setting value 21h of the connection table 21 is an extension period of the connection for each user, and usually a desired period is set by the user for each connection for each user.

  In the expiration date extension process shown in FIG. 27, the extension period setting value 21h of the connection table 21 is preferentially used as the extension period of the connection for each user, and the extension period setting value 21h of the connection table 21 is not significant data ( For example, the extension period setting value 25e of the account master table 25 is used only when the data is “Null”.

  The automatic update 21i is data indicating whether or not to automatically update the expiration date in the above-described expiration date extension process. If this data is “1”, the automatic update is performed. If the data is “0”, the automatic update is performed. Do not do.

  The connection name 21j is the name of the connection for each user and the template. In the case of connection by user, for the connection name 21j, for example, the following information is used as a default value for each connection form.

  That is, in the case of a private connection, profile representative information (profile information representing a profile, in this example, “name / nickname” (see FIG. 7A)) among the profile information of the other party is used as the connection name 21j.

  In the case of the circle connection and the square connection, out-about representative information (about-as information representing about (as described below)) is used as the connection name 21j.

  The connection name 21j as the name of the connection for each user is changed by default profile representative information (for example, “name / nickname”) and about representative information of the other party by profile update processing (described later). Even in this case, the change is not reflected in the connection name 21j, and the original name is maintained.

  While allowing the other party to update profile representative information and the like, the connection name 21j as an identification mark for identifying the other party and the like is maintained as it is.

  However, the connection name 21j can be changed to a desired name by itself. The connection name 21j as an identification mark for identifying the other party for the user can be changed so as to be easily understood by the user.

  The invalidation 21m is data indicating whether or not the connection for each user is invalid. If this data is “1”, the communication for each user is invalid, and if it is “0”, it is valid. Show.

  When the connection by user is invalidated, it is considered that the connection by user does not exist. As a result, the profile information (described later) stored in association with the connection by user and the other user by connection with the connection The association with the profile information of other users stored in association with the connection is released. As a result, the user leaves the connection.

  The notification time 21n is the time at which the terminal device 6 of the user is notified of the withdrawal notice from the connection regarding the connection by user.

  The notified 21p is data indicating whether or not the terminal device 6 of the user has been notified of the advance notice of disconnection from the connection. If this data is “1”, the notification has been made. If not, it has not been notified.

  Next, the user's profile information is stored in the profile table 22 shown in FIG. 7A.

  Of the fields of the profile table 22, the record serial 22a is the same data as the record serial 21a of the connection table 21, and the record serial 21a and the record serial 22a are used to record the connection table 21 and the profile table 22 record. And are associated.

  The item name 22b is an item name of profile information. The item value 22c is profile information corresponding to the item name.

  Of the profile information stored in the profile table 22, what is prepared in advance by the user according to the purpose and purpose of the connection prior to the creation of the connection or participation in the connection is referred to as template information.

  Whether or not the record of the profile table 22 indicates template information can be determined by whether or not the connection form 21d of the record of the connection table 21 linked to the record is “template”.

  A set of profile information having the same record serial 22a may be expressed as a profile, and a set of template information having the same record serial 22a may be expressed as a template.

  Next, information related to command queue processing (described later) is stored in the command queue table 23 shown in FIG. 8A.

  Of the fields of the command queue table 23, the record serial 23a is the same data as the record serial 21a of the connection table 21, and the record serial 21a and the record serial 23a are used to record the record of the connection table 21 and the command queue table 23. Is associated with a record. A record in the command queue table 23 is called a command record.

  The command 23b is a command (instruction) accumulated by command queue processing. The option 23c is data used for command execution. The queue time 23d is a time when the command queue processing is performed.

  Next, the update table 24 shown in FIG. 8B stores information related to update processing (described later).

  Of the fields of the update table 24, the record serial 24a is the same data as the record serial 21a of the connection table 21, and the record serial 21a and the record serial 24a are used to record the record of the connection table 21 and the record of the update table 24. And are associated. A record in the update table 24 is referred to as an update record.

  The notified flag 24b is data indicating whether or not the server apparatus 4 has notified the corresponding client terminal 6 to execute the update process. When notified, “1” is written.

  The processed flag 24c is data indicating whether or not the update process has been executed in the client terminal 6, and “1” is written when it is executed.

  The command 24d, option 24e, and queue time 24f are the same data as the command 23b, option 23c, and queue time 23d of the command queue table 23, respectively.

  The notification time 24g is the time when the server device 4 notifies the corresponding client terminal 6 to execute the update process. The process completion time 24h is the time when the update process is completed in the client terminal 6.

  FIG. 9A is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of the local connection table 41 that constitutes the local database 40 provided in the client terminal 6 of each user. FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local profile table 42. FIG. 10A is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local member table 44. FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local message session table 45. FIG. 10C is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of the local message history table 46.

  The local connection table 41 shown in FIG. 9A is composed of records having the same contents as the records related to the user among the records constituting the connection table 21 of the database 20.

  Next, the local profile table 42 shown in FIG. 9B is the user and other users belonging to the connection to which the user belongs among the records constituting the profile table 22 of the database 20, and the terminal device 6 of the user. And the record of the same content as the record related to the user of the terminal device 6 that is allowed to communicate information.

  Next, in the local member table 44 shown in FIG. 10A, the users belonging to the connection to which the user belongs are encoded and stored.

  Of the fields of the local member table 44, the member ID 44b is data obtained by encoding a user belonging to the connection to which the user belongs. In this embodiment, for each connection, self is stored as “0”, and other users are stored as “1”, “2”, “3”,.

  The connection ID 44a and the record serial 44c are the same data as the connection ID 21b and the record serial 21a of the connection table 21, respectively. The record serial 21a and the record serial 44c are used to record the records in the connection table 21 and the local member table 44. Associated with a record.

  The record of the local member table 44 is added, for example, when a new connection is created or when a new user joins an existing connection.

  Next, the local message session table 45 shown in FIG. 10B stores information related to the structure of the message session (described later).

  Of the fields of the local message session table 45, the message session ID 45a is a message session identification mark.

  The member ID list 45c is data indicating a list of users who participate in the message session (hereinafter, may be expressed as “participating members”). For the data indicating each participating member included in the list, the same value as the member ID 44b of the local member table 44 is used.

  The connection ID 45b is the same data as the connection ID 44a in the local member table.

  Therefore, the record of the local message session table 45 and the record of the local member table 44 are associated with each other by the member ID list 45c and the connection ID 45b, and the member ID 44b and the connection ID 44a.

  Next, the local message history table 46 shown in FIG. 10C stores information on the history of message sessions.

  Of the fields of the local message history table 46, the message session ID 46a is the same data as the message session ID 45a of the local message session table 45. By this message session ID 45a and the message session ID 46a, the record of the local message session table 45 is recorded. And a record of the local message history table 46 are associated with each other.

  The member ID 46 b indicates the user who sent the message, and is the same as the data indicating the participating members constituting the member ID list 45 c of the local message session table 45.

  The message 46d is the content of the message transmitted by the participating member indicated by the member ID 46b in the message session.

  The reception date and time 46c is the date and time when the message is received.

  FIG. 11 to FIG. 30 are flowcharts showing an example of the processing flow in the information communication system 2. FIGS. 31A to 41B are diagrams illustrating examples of display screens (hereinafter simply referred to as “screens”) displayed on the display device 62 of the client terminal 6 in the processing in the information communication system 2.

  A processing procedure in the information communication system 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 41B.

  In the drawings included in this application, the characters indicated in <> indicate the item name of the data, and those indicated by <item name> are indicated by the item name unless otherwise specified. It shall represent the data of the item. When the item name is a field name in each table constituting the database 20 or the local database 40, <field name> represents data of the corresponding field in the table unless otherwise specified. In addition, the characters described in “” represent the data itself.

  In this embodiment, as described above, each client terminal 6 includes a local database 40, and the local database 40 and the database 20 of the server device 4 are partly identical in data. Is remembered. Therefore, in the processing in the information communication system 2, synchronization processing between the database 20 and the plurality of local databases 40 is necessary. An update process is executed in association with this synchronization process.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining an outline of a basic procedure of processing related to update processing in the information communication system 2. The update process here refers to a process (command) required in another client terminal 6 due to an event occurring in one client terminal 6 or server apparatus 4.

  Examples of update processing include connection destruction command processing (command: deleteConnection), connection destruction advance notice command processing (command: notifyDeleteConnection), profile update command processing (command: updateProfile), message reception local processing (command: receiveMsg) Can do. These processes will be described later.

  As shown in FIG. 11, first, command processing is executed in the client terminal 6 or the server device 4 in connection with the update processing. That is, when various events occur in the client terminal 6 or the server device 4, a command corresponding to the generated event is written in the command queue table 23 of the server device 4 (step S1).

  Subsequently, command expansion processing and notification service processing are performed in the server device 4. In the command expansion process, the CPU 51 of the server apparatus 4 reads out a command record for one record from the command queue table 23 (step S2), and extracts a user to be processed by the read command record from the connection table 21 ( In step S3), a command is expanded for each extracted user, and is written in the update table 24 as an update record (step S4).

  In the notification service process, the CPU 51 of the server device 4 reads the oldest update record with the notified flag 24b being “0” from the update table 24 (step S5), and the user corresponding to the read update record. The state of the client terminal 6 is determined (step S6), and if it is online, the client terminal 6 is notified directly to the client terminal 6 via the information communication means 8 that an update process is necessary ( Step S7) If it is offline, for example, register with a push notification service provided as a standard in the OS (Operating System) to notify when it comes online (Step S8), and a notification flag of the update record Set 24b to "1" to update the record After the (step S9), and control returns to step S5, and until the relevant update record is eliminated, the processing is repeated.

  In the client terminal 6, a client terminal side update notification reception process is executed. In the client terminal-side update notification reception process, when the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 receives a notification from the server apparatus 4 that an update process is necessary (step S10), the client terminal 6 updates the client terminal 6 from the update table 24 of the server apparatus 4. 6 is an update record related to the user 6 and the processed flag 24c is “0” and the oldest update record is read (step S11), and the update process related to the read update record is executed (step S12). .

  When the update process ends, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 sets the processed flag 24c of the update record to “1” and updates the record (step S13), and then performs an unprocessed update related to the client terminal 6 It is determined whether or not a record remains (step S14). If the record remains, control is returned to step S11, and the process is repeated until there is no corresponding update record.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an application activation / main routine. Based on FIG. 12, an application activation process and a main routine in the client terminal 6 will be described.

  When a program in the client terminal 6 of the present system 2 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “application”) is started, the CPU 61 first executes a client terminal application start process (step S15).

  As shown in FIG. 13, in the client terminal application activation process, the CPU 61 first determines whether or not there is a connection for each user whose expiration date 41g has expired based on the data stored in the local connection table 41. If so, this is extracted (step S24), and the connection discard local process related to the connection for each user is executed (step S25).

  As shown in FIG. 14A, in the connection discarding local process, the CPU 61 represents the extracted record relating to the connection for each user (in the drawing, it may be expressed as “connection record specified by record serial”). The target record is specified (step S32), and “1” is set in the invalidation 41m of the target record to update the target record (step S33).

  Further, the record associated with the target record stored in the local profile table 42 is deleted (step S34), and a connection discard command (deleteConnection) for the target record (record related to the user-specific connection) is issued. Write to the local command queue table 43 (step S35). Although not particularly illustrated, the data structure of the local command queue table 43 is the same as that of the command queue table 23 of the server device 4.

  Returning to FIG. 13, based on the data stored in the local connection table 41, the CPU 61 determines whether or not there is a connection for each user that has reached the predetermined period before the expiration date 41 g, that is, the notification time and has not yet been notified. If it exists, it is extracted (step S26), and the local processing for notifying the connection discarding notice relating to the connection for each user is executed (step S27).

  As shown in FIG. 14B, in the connection discard advance notice local processing, the CPU 61 identifies the record related to the extracted connection for each user as the target record of the processing (step S36), and the display device 62 of the client terminal 6 In addition, a notice that the user-specific connection is discarded after a predetermined period is displayed (step S37).

  Then, “1” is set in the notified 41p of the target record, the time of the advance notice is written in the notification time 41n, and the target record is updated (step S38). Further, the connection table 21 of the server device 4 is updated. The command for setting “1” to the notified 21p of the same record as the target record is written in the local command queue table 43 (step S39).

  Returning to FIG. 13, the CPU 61 determines whether or not its own client terminal 6 is online (step S28). If it is online, the CPU 61 reads a record from the local command queue table 43 (step S29). ) The read record is transferred to the command queue table 23 of the server device 4 (step S30), and the server device 4 is requested to notify if there is an update notification to the client terminal 6 (step S31). ), The client terminal application activation process (step S15) is terminated. If it is offline, the client terminal application activation process is terminated without doing anything.

  Returning to FIG. 12, the CPU 61 next displays a predetermined initial screen (for example, the screen 71 shown in FIG. 31A) on the display device 62 of its own client terminal 6 (step S <b> 16), and then its own client terminal 6. Is monitored whether or not a signal requiring various processing (for example, message transmission processing for another user) is input from the input device 63, and if it is input, the processing is executed (steps S17 to S19). ). As the initial screen, a screen at the end of the latest application can be used.

  Then, it is determined whether or not its own client terminal 6 is online (step S20). If it is online, the record is read from the local command queue table 43 (step S21), and the read record is stored in the server. The request is transferred to the command queue table 23 of the device 4 (step S22), and the server device 4 is requested to be notified if there is an update notification or the like to the client terminal 6 (step S23), and then control is passed to step S17. return. If offline, control is returned to step S17 without doing anything.

  On the other hand, as described above (see FIG. 11), in the server device 4, the CPU 51 periodically executes command expansion processing and notification service processing, and one client terminal 6 is connected via the command queue table 23. When a command is received from the server apparatus 4, processing (for example, update processing of the database 20) in the server device 4 itself determined according to the command is executed, and the command is sent to another client terminal 6 as necessary. Send update notifications.

  When the other client terminal 6 receives the update notification from the server device 4, it executes the client terminal side update notification reception process as an interrupt process to the main routine (step S17 to step S23 in FIG. 12). .

  For example, the connection discard command (deleteConnection) written in the local command queue table 43 in step S35 of the connection discard local process (see FIG. 14A) executed in the client terminal 6 is the client terminal application start process (see FIG. 13). ) Or step S21 to step S22 of the main routine (see FIG. 12) of the client terminal 6 is transferred to the command queue table 23 of the server device 4.

  When a connection discard command is received from the client terminal 6 via the command queue table 23, the CPU 51 of the server device 4 executes processing in the server device 4 itself that is defined for the connection discard command.

  The processing in the server device 4 itself determined for this connection discard command is an invalidation 21m for the record (update target record) of the connection table 21 that has been expanded by the command expansion process (see FIG. 11) and is subject to update processing. Is set to "1" and updated, and the record associated with the update target record stored in the profile table 22 is deleted.

  The update target record related to the connection discard command is only the target record when the connection ownership state 21f of the target record of the connection discard command (record related to the user-specific connection) is “user”. When the ownership state 21f is “shared” or “owner”, it is all records belonging to the connection to which the target record belongs.

  Then, when there is an update target record other than the connection discard command target record, the CPU 51 of the server device 4 sends an update notification related to the connection discard command to the other client terminals 6 related to the update target record. It transmits (refer FIG. 11, step S7, step S8).

  FIG. 15A shows a flow of a connection discard command process which is one of the update processes (step S12) executed in the client terminal side update notification reception process (see FIG. 11) in the other client terminal 6 that has received the update notification. It is the illustrated flowchart.

  In the connection discard command processing, the CPU 61 of the other client terminal 6 updates the update target record in the local connection table 41 by setting “1” in the invalidation 41m (step S40) and the local profile table 42. Deletes the record associated with the update target record stored in (step S41).

  As described above, when the connection discard local process (see FIG. 14A) is executed in one client terminal 6, the same process is automatically executed in the other client terminals 6 and the server apparatus 4 related to the process. As a result, between the local database 40 of the client terminal 6 and the database 20 of the server device 4 (specifically, between the local connection table 41 and the connection table 21 and between the local profile table 42 and the profile table). 22), the same record (shared record) is synchronized, and the identity of the shared record is maintained. The same applies to processes other than the connection discard local process.

  In the above description, the case where the processing related to the cancellation of the connection by user based on the expiration date and the notification of the discard advance notice is started from the client terminal 6 (see FIG. 13) has been described. It can also be configured.

  As described above, the process that starts from the process in the client terminal 6 and spreads to the process in the server apparatus 4 and / or another client terminal 6 is expressed as a client trigger type process, and starts from the process in the server apparatus 4. Thus, processing that affects one or more client terminals 6 may be expressed as server-triggered processing.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an expiration date management service process which is an example of the latter (server trigger type process). The processing in step S43 to step S46 constituting the expiration date management service processing is the same type of processing as the former (client trigger type processing), that is, the processing in steps S24 to S27 in FIG.

  That is, the process of accessing the various tables of the local database 40 in the former is the process of accessing the various tables of the database 20 corresponding to these in the latter.

  The connection discard server process in step S44 detailed in FIG. 17A and the connection discard advance notice server process in step S46 detailed in FIG. 17B are respectively performed in step S25 (see FIG. 13) detailed in FIG. 14A. This is the same processing as the connection discarding local processing, which is the same processing as the connection discarding notice local processing in step S27 (see FIG. 13) detailed in FIG. 14B.

  In the connection discard advance notice server processing of FIG. 17B, a connection discard advance notice command for the user related to the target record is written in the command queue table 23 instead of step S37 of the connection discard advance notice local process of FIG. 14B ( Step S52).

  Further, in the connection discard advance notice server process of FIG. 17B, there is no process corresponding to step S39 of the local process of the connection discard advance notice of FIG. 14B.

  In this way, when the server discard type process, which is the connection discard server process in FIG. 17A and the connection discard advance notice server process in FIG. 17B, is completed, the command expansion process and the notification service process by the server device 4 shown in FIG. After that, the client terminal-side update notification reception process for the corresponding user is performed.

  In this client terminal side update notification reception process, the connection discard command process shown in FIG. 15A described above is executed as an update process (step S12) corresponding to the connection discard server process of FIG. 17A.

  In addition, as an update process (step S12) corresponding to the connection discard advance notice server process of FIG. 17B, the connection discard advance notice command process shown in FIG. 15B is executed. In this process, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 displays a notice that the connection for each user is discarded after a predetermined period on the display device 62 (step S42).

  Next, a connection creation process in a private connection will be described with reference to FIG. For example, when the user operates (tap, click, etc.) the “+” button 101 on the screen 71 (see FIG. 31A), the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 uses the local profile table 42 associated with the local connection table 41. Template information is extracted (step S54), and a screen 72 including the template is displayed on the display device 62 based on the extracted template information (step S55). This screen may be expressed as a connection creation screen 72.

  In the connection creation screen 72, an area where a template is displayed is referred to as a template display area 102. The template displayed in the template display area 102 is switched when the template selection button 103 is operated by the user.

  When a desired template is selected by operating the template selection button 103 (step S56), the usage mode of the template is determined by the user. As a usage mode, the template can be used as it is (step S57), modified and used (step S58), or a new template can be created without using the template (step S59).

  When a new template is created, a template record relating to the template is added to the local connection table 41, and template information constituting the template is stored in the local profile table 42 in association with the template record. .

  The template thus determined becomes the profile of the user in the connection, and the template information constituting the template becomes the profile information of the user in the connection.

  Next, a connection creation method is selected by the user (step S60). In this selection, any of the three buttons for selecting the connection creation method displayed on the connection creation screen 72, that is, the “shake” button 104, the “QR code” button 105, and the “public / search” button 106 is selected. It is done depending on what is operated.

  When the “shake” button 104 is operated, connection creation processing by the shake processing (step S61) is started, and when the “QR code” button 105 is operated, connection creation processing by the QR code processing (step S62) is started. When the “publish / search” button 106 is operated, a connection creation process by the publish / search process (step S63) is started.

  FIG. 19 is an example of a flowchart illustrating a procedure of connection creation processing by shake processing. When the “shake” button 104 and the “create connection” button 107 on the connection creation screen 72 are operated in this order by the user, the CPU 61 displays a screen (not shown) on the display device 62 indicating that it is waiting for shake. It is displayed (step S64), and the shaking operation of the terminal device 6 (shaking the terminal device 6) by the user is monitored (step S65, step S66).

  During the monitoring of the shake operation, the presence or absence of a cancel operation from the user is also monitored (step S75). If there is a cancel operation, a message to that effect is displayed (step S77), and the shake process is terminated.

  In step S66, when a shake operation of the terminal device 6 is sensed by an acceleration sensor or the like (not shown) provided in the client terminal 6, the CPU 61 performs a GPS (Global Positioning System) function or the like equipped in the client terminal 6 ( The current location information of the client terminal 6 is acquired using the clock function (not shown) provided in the client terminal 6 and the current position information of the client terminal 6 is acquired (step S67). (Step S68).

  The CPU 61 transmits to the server apparatus 4 a connection creation request command that is a connection creation request signal including the acquired position information, time information, user profile information of the client terminal 6, and user ID (step S69). ). The profile information included in the connection creation request command is determined in steps S56 to S59.

  The CPU 51 of the server device 4 authenticates the eligibility of the connection creation request command based on the account table 25 (step S78).

  When the shake process is selected as the method for creating a private connection, the same process as the process from step S54 (see FIG. 18) to step S78 for one user is executed for the other user of the connection. Will be.

  When the CPU 51 of the server device 4 determines that the two position information and the two time information included in the received two connection creation request commands are both within a predetermined error range, the two connection creation request commands For the two client terminals 6 and 6 according to the above, it is determined that the shake operation has been performed at the same point at the same time.

  As a result, the CPU 51 determines that the two connection creation request commands are a pair of connection creation request commands for mutual connection creation, and performs connection setting processing (step S79).

  In the connection setting process, the CPU 51 registers the profile information of the two users included in the two connection creation request commands in the database 20 in association with each other.

  More specifically, in the connection setting process, the CPU 51 issues a new connection ID 21b, creates two user-specific connection records that share the connection ID 21b, and registers them in the connection table 21 (see FIG. 6). . These two user-specific connection records relate to two users who seek to create a connection with each other. Different record serials 21a are assigned to the two user-specific connection records as identification marks.

  Further, the CPU 51 registers the profile information of the two users in the profile table 22 (see FIG. 7A). The record serial 22a related to the profile information registered in the profile table 22 and the record serial 21a of the connection table 21 associate profile information for one user with a connection record for each user.

  Then, two user-specific connection records are associated with each other by the common connection ID 21 b, whereby the profile information of the two users is associated with each other in the database 20.

  In the connection setting process, the CPU 51 includes, in each user's client terminal 6, information related to the connection for each user related to the user and profile information related to the connection (related to both users related to the connection). Send information that the connection creation was successful.

  If the CPU 51 receives one connection creation request command but does not receive another connection creation request command within a predetermined time-out period, the CPU 51 notifies the client terminal 6 of the user related to the one connection creation request command. Send information indicating that connection creation failed.

  Returning to FIG. 19, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 monitors the response from the server device 4 (steps S70 and S71), and if there is a response, the response indicates that the connection creation was successful. (Step S72), if the information indicates that the connection has been successfully created, the local connection table 41 stores the user associated with the user based on the received information that the connection has been successfully created. Another connection record is stored, and profile information related to the connection (related to both users related to the connection) is stored in the local profile table 42 (step S73).

  Then, a display to the effect that the connection has been created is displayed on the display device 62 of the client terminal 6 (step S74), and the shake process ends. FIG. 32A illustrates the screen 73 displayed in step S74. In this example, the profile information of the other user is also displayed.

  On the other hand, if no response is received from the server device 4 in step S71, it is determined whether or not a predetermined waiting time has elapsed (step S76). If so, a display indicating that no connection has been created is displayed on the display device 62 (step S77), and the shake processing ends.

  In step S72, when information indicating that the connection creation has failed is received from the server device 4, the display device 62 displays that the connection has not been created (step S77), and the shake processing is terminated.

  FIG. 20 is an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of connection creation processing by QR code processing. When the user operates the “QR code” button 105 and the “connection creation” button 107 on the connection creation screen 72 (see FIG. 31B) in this order, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 displays the QR code. A screen 74 (see FIG. 32B) for selecting whether to read the displayed QR code or not is displayed on the display device 62 and waits for the user's selection (step S80).

  When the “display” button 108 on the screen 74 is operated, the CPU 61 determines that the user has selected to display a QR code, and performs a QR code acquisition process (step S81).

  In the QR code acquisition process, the CPU 61 transmits a signal for requesting issuance of a QR code, which is a connection creation request signal, to the server apparatus 4 and receives QR code data transmitted from the server apparatus 4 in response thereto. The signal requesting the issuance of the QR code includes information such as the user ID of the user and the expiration date of the QR code.

  When the CPU 51 of the server apparatus 4 receives a signal requesting issuance of a QR code, it stores various information included in the signal in the database 20, issues a QR code, and stores the QR code in the database 20. The QR code data is transmitted to the client terminal 6 that is the transmission source of the signal for requesting the issuance of the QR code (step S101).

  The CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 that has received the QR code data displays the QR code on the display device 62 based on the QR code data (step S82). FIG. 33A illustrates a screen 75 on which a QR code is displayed.

  On the other hand, when the “read” button 109 on the screen 74 (see FIG. 32B) is operated in step S80, the CPU 61 causes the user to read the QR code displayed on the client terminal 6 of the other user. The camera (not shown) equipped in the client terminal 6 is activated to read the QR code (step S91). FIG. 33B illustrates a screen 76 displayed on the display device 62 when reading the QR code.

  The CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 that has read the QR code transmits a signal for requesting authentication of the QR code, which is a connection creation request signal including the QR code data of the read QR code and its own user ID. (Step S92).

  When the CPU 51 of the server device 4 that has received the signal requesting QR code authentication compares the received QR code data with the QR code data of the QR code issued in step S101, and determines that they are the same, It is determined that the QR code is displayed and read between the two client terminals 6 and 6 (step S102).

  Thereby, the CPU 51 determines that the signal for requesting the issuance of the QR code and the signal for requesting the authentication of the read QR code are a pair of connection creation request commands for requesting mutual creation of the connection, and connection setting processing Is performed (step S103).

  Since the processing after the connection setting processing (step S103) in the QR code processing is substantially the same as the processing after the connection setting processing (step S79) in the shake processing (see FIG. 19), description thereof is omitted.

  In the QR code processing, the CPU 61 of each client terminal 6 monitors whether or not the “Cancel” button 110 on the screen 74 of the display device 62 is operated, for example, before creating a connection. (Step S84, Step S94) When the button 110 is operated, the connection creation in the server device 4 is stopped, and a predetermined error is displayed on the display device 62 (Step S90, Step S100).

  FIG. 21 to FIG. 24B are examples of flowcharts showing the procedure of the connection creation process by the public / search process. When the user operates the “public / search” button 106 and the “connection creation” button 107 on the connection creation screen 72 (see FIG. 31B) in this order, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 displays the user's own profile information. And a screen 77 for selecting whether to receive a connection creation request by publishing a search code (to be described later) or to search a public profile information or search code of another person and request a connection creation request (Refer to FIG. 34A) is displayed on the display device 62 and waits for the user's selection (step S104).

  When the “accept request” button 112 on the screen 77 is operated, the CPU 61 determines that the user has selected to accept his / her profile information and search code and accept a connection creation request, Publication request processing is performed (step S105).

  In the profile publication request process, the CPU 61 transmits a profile publication request signal including its own profile information desired to be published, an expiration date (request acceptance period), and its own user ID to the server device 4, and in response to this, the server 61 The public profile information and search code transmitted from the device 4 are received.

  When receiving the profile disclosure request signal, the CPU 51 of the server device 4 stores various information included in the signal in the database 20 and transmits the profile information included in the signal to the client terminal 6 as profile information being disclosed. Further, a search code is issued, and the search code is stored in the database 20 and transmitted to the client terminal 6 (step S114).

  Next, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 stores the received profile information and the record including the search code in the local public connection table 47 (see FIG. 3) (step S106), and stores them in the display device 62. Information is displayed (step S107). FIG. 34B shows an example of a screen 78 on which profile information 113 being opened, expiration date 114, and search code 115 are displayed.

  As described above, a connection candidate for each user who waits for a connection creation request from the other party by disclosing his profile information or the like (connection for each user related to an uncreated connection) may be expressed as an open connection.

  On the other hand, when the “search and request” button 111 on the screen 77 (see FIG. 34A) is operated in step S104, the CPU 61 searches for the profile information and search codes of other people disclosed to the user. It is determined that the user has selected to make a connection creation request, and a search condition such as a keyword or a search code is input via the input device 63 (step S108).

  When the search condition is input, a signal requesting issuance of a public profile list including the user ID of the user and the input search condition is transmitted to the server apparatus 4, and the server apparatus 4 is transmitted in response thereto. A search result including a public profile list is received (step S109).

  The CPU 51 of the server device 4 that has received the signal requesting the issuance of the public profile list searches the database 20 in accordance with the received search condition, extracts a public profile that matches the search condition, and provisionally connects to the extracted public profile. An ID is assigned, and the list of extracted public profiles is transmitted to the client terminal 6 as a search result together with the assigned temporary connection ID (step S115).

  The CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 displays a list of public profiles on the display device 62 based on the received search result (step S110). FIG. 35A illustrates a screen 79 on which the public profile list 116 is displayed. The public profile list 116 is a list of profile representative information (profile information representing each profile, for example, “name / nickname” (see FIG. 7A)) among the profile information being disclosed.

  When the profile representative information 117 of the partner whose connection is to be created is selected from the public profile list 116 on the screen 79, the entire profile 118 is displayed (step S111). FIG. 35B is an example of a screen 80 displayed on the display device 62 in this step.

  When the “request connection” button 119 on the screen 80 is operated, the CPU 61 determines that the user wants to create a connection with the user related to the profile being displayed, and the server 61 A connection request signal that is a connection creation request signal including a temporary connection ID related to the profile being displayed is transmitted to the device 4 (step S112), and a record including profile information and a temporary connection ID related to the connection being requested is received. It is stored in the local request connection table 48 (see FIG. 3) (step S113).

  The CPU 51 of the server device 4 receives the connection request signal (step S116).

  In this way, a connection candidate for each user that requests to create a connection with the above-described open connection and waits for a connection creation request from the other party (a connection for each user related to an uncreated connection) is referred to as a requesting connection. May be expressed.

  FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 are diagrams showing examples of flowcharts detailing how open connections and connections in request are managed in the public / search process, respectively.

  In the open connection management process shown in FIG. 22, the CPU 51 of the server device 4 sends a connection request to the client terminal 6 of the user related to the open connection related to the received connection request signal following the process of step S116 of FIG. A connection request reception notification, which is a notification that the signal has been received, is transmitted (step S135), and the temporary connection ID specified in the received connection request signal and the partner profile information are transmitted (step S136).

  When the validity period of the public connection has expired, the notification in step S135 related to the public connection is not transmitted, and an error message indicating a timeout is transmitted in step S136.

  On the other hand, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 waits for the connection request reception notification from the server device 4 (step S117) and cancels the open connection by the user himself (for example, “cancel acceptance” on the screen 78 shown in FIG. 34B). It is monitored whether or not the operation of the button 120 has been performed (step S118), and when the canceling operation for the public connection is performed, the public cancel process (step S129, which will be described later) is executed and then the control is performed in step S117. When the cancel operation is not performed, it is determined whether or not there is a notification from the server device 4 (step S119).

  When there is a notification from the server device 4, it further receives information from the server device 4 (step S120), determines whether the received notification is a connection request reception notification (step S121), and If it is a connection request reception notification, the other party's profile information is displayed on the display device 62 (step S123) and waits for the user to select whether to approve or reject the connection request from the other party (step S123). S124, step S125).

  When a signal to approve the connection request from the other party is input from the user via the input device 63, a request approval command, which is a connection creation request signal, is transmitted to the server device 4 (step S126). After executing the processes of S127 and S128, the control is returned to step S117. Since the processing of step S127 and step S128 is the same as the equivalent processing (step S73, step S74) in the shake processing (see FIG. 19), description thereof will be omitted.

  In step S125, when a signal is input from the user via the input device 63 to reject the connection request from the other party, a request rejection command is transmitted to the server device 4 and then control returns to step S117 ( Step S134).

  In this embodiment, the request approval command and the request rejection command are both transmitted to the server device 4 via the local command queue table 43 and the command queue table 23.

  When the CPU 51 of the server apparatus 4 receives the request approval command, the request approval command and the connection request signal received in step S116 (see FIG. 21) are a pair of connection creation request commands for mutually creating a connection. It is determined that there is a connection, and connection setting processing is performed (step S137).

  Since the process in the connection setting process (step S137) is substantially the same as the connection setting process (step S79) in the shake process (see FIG. 19), description thereof is omitted.

  If the received notification is an error message indicating a timeout in step S121 of FIG. 22, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 displays the error message on the display device 62 (step S132), and then discloses it. Cancel processing is executed, and control is returned to step S117 (step S129).

  If there is no notification from the server device 4 in step S119, the CPU 61 determines whether or not the validity period of the open connection has expired (step S130). The process returns to S117, and if it has expired, public disclosure processing is executed (step S129), and then control returns to step S117.

  Next, in the in-request connection management process shown in FIG. 23, the CPU 51 of the server apparatus 4 receives a request approval command (see step S126) or a request rejection command (see step S134) from the client terminal 6 of the user related to the open connection. Is received (step S148), and the connection created in step S137 (see FIG. 22) is transmitted to the client terminal 6 of the user related to the requesting connection related to the command (step S148). Among the records, information such as a connection record for each user related to the user is transmitted (step S149).

  On the other hand, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 waits for the reception notification from the server device 4 (step S138) and monitors whether or not the cancel operation for the requesting connection has been performed by the user himself (step S139). ) When a cancel operation for the connection being requested is performed, the request cancel process (step S146, which will be described later) is executed, and then the control is returned to step S138. When the cancel operation is not performed, the request from the server device 4 The presence / absence of a notification is determined (step S140).

  If there is a notification from the server device 4, it further receives information from the server device 4 (step S141), and determines whether or not the received notification is a notification that the request approval command has been received. However, if the notification is that the request approval command has been received (step S142), the processing of step S143, step S144, and step S145 is executed, and then control is returned to step S138.

  In step S <b> 144, the CPU 61 deletes the record related to the connection being requested stored in the local request connection table 48. This is because the connection related to the requesting connection has been created and the record is no longer necessary.

  Since the processes in steps S143 and S145 are the same as the equivalent processes (step S73 and step S74) in the shake process (see FIG. 19), the description thereof is omitted.

  In addition, in step S142 in FIG. 23, a notification that the received notification has received a request rejection command or a public cancel command (a command that notifies the public connection that the public connection has been canceled). If it is, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 displays an error message to that effect on the display device 62 (step S147), executes request cancel processing, and returns control to step S138 (step S146).

  If there is no notification from the server device 4 in step S140, the CPU 61 returns the control to step S138 as it is.

  24A and 24B are flowcharts illustrating examples of the public cancellation process and the request cancellation process, respectively.

  In the public cancellation process shown in FIG. 24A, when the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 performs a cancel operation on the open connection by the user himself (for example, operation of the “cancel acceptance” button 120 on the screen 78 shown in FIG. 34B) A public cancel command is transmitted to the device 4 (step S150), and the record related to the public connection is deleted from the local public connection table 47 (step S151).

  In the request cancel process shown in FIG. 24B, when the user cancels the requesting connection, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 transmits a request cancel command to the server device 4 (step S152), and the local request. The record related to the connection being requested is deleted from the medium connection table 48 (step S153).

  Next, a connection joining process in a circle connection (hereinafter, simply referred to as “connection joining process”) will be described. Also in this connection joining process, the basic process is the same as the connection creation process in the private connection (see FIGS. 18 to 24B. Hereinafter, it may be simply expressed as “connection creation process”).

  However, as described above, in the connection joining process, the circle connection is already registered in the system 2 by one user (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “owner”). It is different from the case of.

  That is, prior to the connection joining process, a connection record for each user related to the owner of the circle connection is registered in the connection table 21 and the local connection table 41, and the owner is registered in the profile table 22 and the local profile table 42. Such profile information is stored.

  Also, the database 20 and the local database 40 store profile information of the circle connection itself (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as “about information”).

  The connection subscription process is a process in a case where the owner invites a new user (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “user”) under such a situation.

  In connection connection processing, the owner generally uses predetermined about ass (a set of about ass information) as profile information to be disclosed instead of that of an individual. Accordingly, the processing at step S54 to step S59 in FIG. 18 is not necessary as the processing on the owner side.

  For example, the “member only” button 122 is operated by the CPU 61 of the owner's client terminal 6 from the state where the screen 85 (see FIG. 38A) for displaying the about ass 121 of the connection is displayed on the display device 62. Then, the CPU 61 displays a screen 86 (see FIG. 38B) on the display device 62.

  Next, when the “Invite” button 123 on the screen 86 is operated, the CPU 61 displays a screen 87 (see FIG. 39A) on the display device 62.

  The “shake” button 124, the “QR code” button 125, the “search for invitee” button 126, and the “accept request” button 127 on the screen 87 are the “shake” button 104, “ This button corresponds to the “QR code” button 105, the “search and request” button 111 and the “accept request” button 112 on the screen 77 in FIG. 34A.

  Therefore, when the “shake” button 124 and the “QR code” button 125 on the screen 87 are operated by the owner, they are the same as the above-described shake process (see FIG. 19) and QR code process (see FIG. 20), respectively. When the process is executed as the process on the owner side and the “accept request” button 127 or the “search for an invitee” button 126 is operated, the same as the above-described publication / search process (see FIGS. 21 to 24B). This process is executed as a process on the owner side.

  On the other hand, the process on the user side is executed in the same manner as the connection creation process.

  A screen 88 shown in FIG. 39B is an example of a screen displayed on the display device 62 of the user's client terminal 6 in the public / search process of the connection subscription process. The screen 88 is the same screen as the screen 80 (see FIG. 35B) displayed on the display device 62 of the user client terminal 6 in the public / search processing of the connection creation processing.

  A “send participation request” button 128 on the screen 88 corresponds to a “request connection” button 119 on the screen 80.

  The connection joining process in the square connection is the same as the connection joining process in the circle connection. However, in this embodiment, in the circle connection, a new user can be invited by the owner or a user registered in the circle connection, whereas in the square connection, a new user can be invited. Only the owner can invite.

  In addition, in the circle connection, as the profile information disclosed by the owner, the default about information is used instead of that of the owner, but in the square connection, as the profile information disclosed by the owner, The owner's personal profile information (in square connection, this is sometimes referred to as about as information) is used.

  It should be noted that among the signals that are transmitted from the client terminal 6 to the server device 4 in the connection connection process of the circle connection and the square connection, and are invited among the signals corresponding to the connection creation request signal used in the connection creation process. A signal transmitted from the client terminal 6 of the user on the side corresponds to a connection subscription request signal, and a signal transmitted from the client terminal 6 of the user on the inviting side corresponds to a subscription permission signal.

  FIGS. 25 and 26 are flowcharts showing an example of the flow of processing when the message function is used as the connection type, and shows an example when the message function is used from the connection list.

  For example, when the “all connections” button 129 on the screen 71 displayed on the display device 62 of the client terminal 6 is operated, the CPU 61 reads the connection names 41 j of all the connection records for each user from the local connection table 41. Then, a list (connection list) in which the read connection names 41j are collected in a list is displayed on the display device 62 (steps S154 and S155). An example of the displayed connection list 130 is a screen 81 (see FIG. 36A).

  It should be noted that in order to narrow down the partners for message communication (message session), buttons other than the “all connections” button 129 on the screen 71 (see FIG. 31A) can be operated.

  For example, to narrow down by connection type, the “message” button 141 on the screen 71 may be operated. When the “message” button 141 is operated, the CPU 61 reads the connection name 41j of the connection record for each user including “message” in the connection type 41e from the local connection table 41, and collects the read connection names 41j in a list. The list is displayed on the display device 62. An example of the displayed connection list is a screen 82 (see FIG. 36B).

  In addition, in order to narrow down by the connection form (for example, circle connection), the “circle” button 142 on the screen 71 may be operated. When the “Circle” button 142 is operated, the CPU 61 reads the connection name 41j of the connection record for each user whose connection type 41d is “circle” from the local connection table 41, and the connection name 41j that has been read is summarized in a list. The list is displayed on the display device 62. An example of the displayed connection list is a screen 83 (see FIG. 37A).

  Returning to the screen 81 in FIG. 36A, among the connection names 41j displayed in the connection list 130, those related to the private connection correspond to the profile index information.

  When the user selects one of the connection names to which a message session is possible (in this example, a balloon graphic) from the connection list 130 (step S156), the CPU 61 selects the connection name. The connection form related to the connection name is determined based on the local connection table 41 (step S157).

  For example, when the button 131 in the connection list 130 is selected, the CPU 61 determines that the connection form is a private connection, and based on the local member table 44, determines the member ID 44b of the party (session member) of the session. Read (step S158), control proceeds to step S161.

  In the case of a private connection, the member ID 44b of the session member is two member IDs 44b corresponding to the connection ID 44a related to the connection (that is, “0” representing self and “1” representing the other user).

  On the other hand, for example, when the button 132 is operated, the CPU 61 determines that the connection form is a circle connection, and displays the session selection screen 84 dedicated to the circle connection shown in FIG.

  On the session selection screen 84, a list (component member individual list) 133 in which the profile index information of each user other than the user belonging to the circle connection is displayed in a list is displayed. Each of the buttons 137 to 140 constituting the constituent member individual list 133 displays the profile index information of each user.

  In addition to the individual member list 133, the session selection screen 84 also displays a list (group list) 134 in which group index information that is index information of each group in the circle connection is collected. For example, the button 135 constituting the group list 134 relates to a group including all users belonging to the circle connection as constituent members, and the button 136 includes two or more specific users belonging to the circle connection as constituent members. Related to the group.

  As the group index information displayed on each button constituting the group list 134, the profile index information of each user constituting the group is directly selected as a button 136, for example, or indirectly as a button 135, for example. Is displayed. By displaying in this way, it is possible to know which user is configured with the group to be contacted.

  When one of the buttons 135 to 140 is operated by the user on the session selection screen 84, the CPU 61 determines that the session to be executed is specified, and determines the session based on the local member table 44. The member ID 44b of the session member is read (step S159), and the control proceeds to step S161.

  In step S159, when any of the buttons belonging to the constituent member individual list 133 on the screen 84 (that is, any of the buttons 137 to 140) is operated, the member ID 44b of the session member is changed to the connection ID 44a related to the connection. Among the corresponding member IDs 44b, the two are related to the session (that is, “0” representing self and data representing the partner user, for example “2”).

  On the other hand, when any button (that is, the button 135 or the button 136) belonging to the group list 134 on the screen 84 is operated in step S159, the member ID 44b of the session member is the member corresponding to the connection ID 44a related to the connection. The member ID 44b of all members belonging to the group related to the operated button in the ID 44b (that is, “0” representing self and data representing all other members, for example, “1” and “2”).

  Since the process when the connection form is a square connection (step S160) is substantially the same as the process when the connection is a circle connection (step S159), description thereof is omitted. However, in the process of the square connection, unlike the process of the circle connection, the processing contents are different when the session is started from the owner and when the session is started from the user.

  In the square connection, when starting a session from the owner, a screen (not shown) corresponding to the session selection screen 84 (see FIG. 37B) lists the profile index information of each user belonging to the square connection. A list (a list corresponding to the individual member list 133 on the selection screen 84) and a button (button corresponding to the button 135 on the selection screen 84) indicating that the session is for all users belonging to the square connection. ) Is displayed.

  On the other hand, when a session is started from the user, a button (selection) in which the profile index information of the owner of the square connection is displayed on a screen (not shown) corresponding to the session selection screen 84 (see FIG. 37B). And a button indicating that the session is for all users belonging to the square connection, similar to the case where the session is started from the owner. Is done.

  In the square connection, a session for all users may be expressed as a public session, and a session for only a specific user (user or specific user) may be expressed as a private session.

  Next, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 includes the member ID 44b of the session member related to the session read from the local member table 44 in step S158, step S159, or step S160, and the member ID list 45c of the local message session table 45. If they match, the message session ID 45a of the matched record is read. If they do not match, nothing is read (that is, “Null” is read) (step S161).

  The CPU 61 evaluates the read result (step S162). If it is not “Null”, the CPU 61 reads from the local message history table 46 the message 46d of the record having the same message session ID 46a as the read message session ID 45a (step S162). (S163) After displaying on the display device 62 (step S164), the control proceeds to step S166.

  FIG. 41A shows an example of a screen 91 displaying the message 46d displayed in this way. On the screen 91, three messages 46d are displayed in order from the bottom.

  On the other hand, if “Null” is read in step S162, it is determined that there is no existing message session, a new message session ID 45a is issued, a new record including necessary data is created, and a local message is created. After adding to the session table 45 (step S165), control proceeds to step S166.

  In FIG.26 S166, if the input of the transmission message which is the message data from the input device 63 by a user is started, CPU61 of the client terminal 6 will judge whether the input of the said transmission message was complete | finished ( In step S167), if it is determined that the processing has ended, a message transmission command including the transmission message, which is information communication request information, is transmitted to the server device 4 via the local command queue table 43 (step S168). An expiration date extension process (step S169, described later) is performed.

  Next, the CPU 61 determines whether or not an input for ending the message function has been made from the input device 63 (step S170), and if it is determined that an input for ending the message function has been made, Terminate use.

  If it is determined in step S170 that there is no input for terminating the message function, the message reception notification from the server device 4 is monitored (step S171). If there is no message reception notification, the control returns to step S166. .

  On the other hand, if there is a message reception notification, a received message that is message data related to the message reception notification is received from the server device 4 (step S172) and displayed on the display device 62 (step S173). The processes in steps S172 and S173 are the update process related to message reception (step S12 in FIG. 11). This update process is a message reception local process (command: receiveMsg).

  After the update process related to message reception, the CPU 61 returns control to step S166.

  On the other hand, the CPU 51 of the server device 4 receives the message transmission command (see step S168) transmitted from the client terminal 6 of one user via the command queue table 23 (step S174), and the command expansion shown in FIG. Through the processing and notification service processing, a message reception notification is transmitted as an update notification to the other client terminal 6 (step S175), and is included in the message transmission command transmitted from the client user 6 of the above one user Message data is transmitted (step S176).

  Next, FIG. 27 shows a flowchart exemplifying the procedure of the expiration date extension process (step S169 in FIG. 26).

  In the expiration date extension process, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 determines whether the automatic update 41i of the user-specific connection record related to the message transmission stored in the local connection table 41 is “0” or “1” (step 1). S177, step S178), if “0”, the expiration date extension process is terminated without extending the expiration date. If “1”, the extension period setting value 41h of the record is “Null”. If it is not “Null”, the record is updated by setting the current time plus the extended period setting value 41h as a new expiration date 41g (step S181).

  If the extension period setting value 41h is “Null” in step S179, the extension period setting value 25e of the account master table 25 is acquired via the server device 4 (step S180), and the acquired extension is obtained at the current time. The record is updated by adding the period set value 25e as the new expiration date 41g, and the new expiration date data is transmitted to the server device 4 (step S181).

  On the other hand, the CPU 51 of the server device 4 transmits the extension period setting value 25e of the account master table 25 to the client terminal 6 in response to the request from the client terminal 6 in step S180 (step S183), and the client terminal 6 in step S181. When the new expiration date data transmitted from is received, the expiration date 21g of the connection record for each user in the connection table 21 is updated based on the received data (step S184).

  In the expiration date extension process, in order to update the data stored in the local connection table 41 based on the data stored in the local connection table 41, and then synchronize with the data in the local connection table 41 The data of the connection table 21 is updated.

  However, conversely, the data stored in the connection table 21 is updated based on the data stored in the connection table 21, and then the data in the local connection table 41 is synchronized with the data in the connection table 21. It can also be configured to perform the update.

  Next, FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow when the message function is used as the connection type, and shows an example when the message function is used from the message history screen.

  In this case, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 generates a screen (not shown) representing a list of existing message sessions based on the local message session table 45 and displays it on the display device 62 (step S185, step S185). S186).

  When the user selects a desired message session from the list of message sessions (step S187), the CPU 61 reads from the local message history table 46 the message 46d corresponding to the message session ID 46a of the selected message session. Is read (step S188) and displayed on the display device 62 (step S189).

  The screen displayed in this way is the same screen as the screen 91 (see FIG. 41A) displayed in step S164 of FIG. Subsequent processing is the same as the processing shown in FIGS. 26 and 27, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  In the above description, the processing in the case where the message function is used as the connection type has been described. However, the processing does not include processing unique to the message function, but the processing in the case of using another connection type, for example, the call function. It can be applied to processing when used. FIG. 41B is a diagram illustrating a screen 92 which is an example of a screen displayed on the display device 62 when the call function is used.

  Next, FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure of the connection discarding process by the user at an arbitrary time.

  In this connection discarding process, for example, when the “all connections” button 129 on the screen 71 (see FIG. 31A) displayed on the display device 62 of the client terminal 6 is operated, the CPU 61 reads all from the local connection table 41. The connection name 41j of the user-specific connection record is read out, and a connection list in which the read connection names 41j are listed is displayed on the display device 62 (steps S190 and S191). The displayed connection list 130 is illustrated on the screen 81 (see FIG. 36A).

  When the user operates the connection information display button 143 related to the connection name 41j arranged in the connection list 130 in association with the connection name 41j (in the vicinity of the right side of the connection name 41j in this example), the CPU 61 Reads out the predetermined connection information of the connection record for each user related to the connection name 41j from the local connection table 41, and reads out the profile information of the other user related to the connection name 41j from the local profile table 42 and displays it. The information is displayed on the device 62 (step S192).

  FIG. 40A illustrates the connection information screen 89 displayed in this way. On the connection information screen 89, connection information 144 and partner profile information 145 are displayed.

  When the user confirms the connection information 144 and the other party's profile information 145 and operates the “discard connection” button 146, the CPU 61 sets the invalidation 41m of the connection record for each user in the local connection table 41 to “1”. The profile information associated with the connection record for each user in the local profile table 42 is deleted (step S194).

  Subsequently, the CPU 61 transmits a connection discard command (deleteConnection), which is a connection disconnection request signal for the connection record for each user, to the server device 4 via the local command queue table 43 (step S195).

  The CPU 51 of the server apparatus 4 receives the connection discard command transmitted from the client terminal 6 of one user via the command queue table 23, and passes through the command expansion process and the notification service process shown in FIG. A connection discard command notification is transmitted as an update notification to the client terminal 6 of the other party, and data included in the connection discard command transmitted from the client terminal 6 of the first user is transmitted (step S196).

  In the client terminal 6 of the other party that has received the connection discard command notification, a client terminal side update notification reception process (see FIG. 11) is executed. The contents of the update process in this process are the same as the connection discard command process shown in FIG.

  Subsequent to step S196, the CPU 51 of the server apparatus 4 sets the invalidation 21m of the record relating to the connection discard command among the connection records for each user stored in the connection table 21 to “1” (step S197). The profile information associated with the connection record for each user in the profile table 22 is deleted (step S198).

  When the “My Public Information” button 147 is operated on the connection information screen 89 (see FIG. 40A) on which the profile information 145 of the other party is displayed, the CPU 51 of the client terminal 6 is exemplified in FIG. 40B. A connection information screen 90 on which the own profile information 148 is displayed is displayed on the display device 62.

  When the “discard connection” button 149 on the connection information screen 90 is operated, the same processing as when the “discard connection” button 146 on the connection information screen 89 is operated is executed. This is to cope with a case where the user considers discarding the connection after confirming his / her own profile information 148.

  Of course, when the “partner” button 150 on the connection information screen 90 is operated, the display on the display device 62 returns to the connection information screen 89.

  Next, FIG. 30 shows an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of profile update processing.

  In the profile update process, first, a process (step S199 to step S201) for displaying the own profile information to be updated on the display device 62 is required. This process is performed in, for example, the connection discard process in FIG. The connection information screen 90 (see FIG. 40B) on which the own profile information 148 is displayed can be executed in the same procedure as the process of displaying on the display device 62 (step S190 to step S192).

  Next, when a profile update button (not shown) is operated while the connection information screen 90 is displayed, a profile update screen (not shown) is displayed, and the profile information is updated (added or changed) by the user. Or deletion) is performed (step S202). The updating of the profile information by the user is, for example, the same procedure as that in the case of generating the new profile information by modifying the existing template in the above connection creation process (see step S58 in FIG. 18 and screen 72 in FIG. 31B). Can be done.

  Next, the CPU 61 updates the profile information of the local profile table 42 related to the connection for each user (step S203), and updates the connection ID 21b, the user ID 21c, and a profile update command (updateProfile) including the updated contents of the profile information to the local command. The data is transmitted to the server device 4 via the queue table 43 (step S204).

  The CPU 51 of the server apparatus 4 receives the profile update command transmitted from the client terminal 6 of one user via the command queue table 23, and passes through the command expansion process and the notification service process shown in FIG. A profile update command notification is transmitted as an update notification to the client terminal 6 of the other party, and data included in the profile update command transmitted from the client user 6 of the first user is transmitted (step S205).

  In the client terminal 6 of the other party that has received the profile update command notification, a client terminal side update notification reception process (see FIG. 11) is executed. In the update process (that is, the profile update command process) in this process, the CPU 61 of the client terminal 6 determines the corresponding local profile table 42 based on the connection ID 21b, user ID 21c, and profile information update contents included in the received data. The profile information is updated (step S207).

  Subsequent to step S205, the CPU 51 of the server device 4 updates the corresponding profile information in the profile table 22 based on the data included in the profile update command transmitted from the client user 6 of the one user (step S206). . In this way, the profile update process is completed.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the server device and the client device have been described by way of example using one computer, but the present invention is not limited to this. The server device can also be configured by two or more computers. In this case, the two or more computers can be connected via the information communication means 8.

  Further, the client device can be configured by two or more computers. Also in this case, the two or more computers can be connected via the information communication means 8.

  FIG. 42 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the client device 206 configured by two or more computers. The client device 206 includes a terminal device 7 and a web server 5.

  The hardware configuration of the terminal device 7 is the same as that of the client device 6 shown in FIG. The hardware configuration of the web server 5 is the same as that of the server device 4 shown in FIG. 4 when the web server 5 is configured by a single computer. When the web server 5 is composed of two or more computers, the configuration of each computer is the same as that of the server device 4 shown in FIG.

  The terminal device 7 and the web server 5 can communicate with each other via, for example, the information communication unit 8. When the web server 5 is composed of two or more computers, these computers can communicate with each other via, for example, the information communication means 8.

  The terminal device 7 is equipped with a web browser 3.

  FIG. 42 illustrates a state in which the user has logged in to a web page dedicated to the user on the web server 5 (hereinafter referred to as “dedicated page”) via the web browser 3 of the terminal device 7.

  In this state, the web server 5 is configured to perform the same functions as the client-side communication control unit 30 and the local database 40 of the client device 6 shown in FIG. Of the constituent elements of the web server 5 shown in FIG. 42, those having the same functions as those of the constituent elements of the client device 6 shown in FIG.

  That is, in the client device 206, functions corresponding to the client-side communication control unit 30 and the local database 40 in the client device 6 are provided from the web server 5 by the ASP (Application Service Provider) method.

  In other words, in the state where the user is logged in to the dedicated page, the client device 206 constituted by the terminal device 7 and the web server 5 performs the above-described processes, and the client device 6 shown in FIG. It is an equivalent device.

  The client device 206 is used as follows. Here, it is assumed that an identification mark (hereinafter referred to as “login ID”) and a login password for logging in to the user's dedicated page are given in advance.

  The user can log in to the dedicated page of the user by inputting the login ID and the login password via the web browser 3 of the terminal device 7.

  When logging in to the dedicated page, the dedicated page is displayed on the display device of the user terminal device 7. The content of this dedicated page is the same as that of the screen 71 shown in FIG. 31A, for example.

  When the user performs an operation (click or tap) on the dedicated page via the web browser 3 of the terminal device 7, the same processing as that in the case of the client terminal 6 is executed in the web server 5, and the processing is performed. The progress and the processing result are displayed on the display device via the web browser 3 of the terminal device 7.

  Thus, although the user's terminal device 7 and the web server 5 are united to constitute the user's client device 206, the user is not aware of the existence of the web server 5, The terminal device 7 itself can be operated as if it were the client terminal 6.

  42 illustrates the configuration illustrated in FIG. 42 as the client device 206 using the ASP method, but the configuration of the client device 206 is not limited to this. For example, in FIG. 42, all the functions of the client side communication control unit 30 and the local database 40 in the client device 206 are executed in the web server 5, but these functions are performed by the web server 5 and the terminal device. 7 can also be configured so as to share the processing.

  Even when configured in this manner, in the state where the user is logged in to the dedicated page, the client device 206 configured by the terminal device 7 and the web server 5 is used to execute the above-described processes. This is an apparatus equivalent to the client apparatus 6.

  In the information communication system 2, both one user and another user can use the client device 206, one can use the client device 206, and the other can use the client terminal 6. . Furthermore, the client device 206 and the client terminal 6 can be used properly depending on the situation.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, when a user is disconnected from a communication connection, the user-specific connection record related to the user is invalidated in the connection table 21 and is associated with the user-specific connection record in the profile table 22. Although the stored record is configured to be deleted, the present invention is not limited to this.

  When the user is disconnected from the communication connection, the record can be configured not to be deleted only by invalidating the record in the connection table 21. Even if configured in this way, by invalidating the connection record for each user, the association between the connection record for the user related to the user and the connection record for the user related to another user belonging to the same communication connection is broken. This is because other users can no longer access the user record stored in the profile table 22 in association with the connection record for each user.

  Further, when the user is disconnected from the communication connection, the connection table 21 is configured to invalidate the connection record for each user related to the user, but when the client device 6 or 206 is disconnected from the communication connection, for example, The user-specific connection record can be deleted from the connection table 21.

  Step S79 shown in FIG. 19, step S103 shown in FIG. 20, or step S137 shown in FIG. 22 corresponds to the connection creating means 11 and the connection joining means 12 constituting the server side communication control unit 10 of the server apparatus 4 in FIG. . Steps S174 to S176 illustrated in FIG. 26 correspond to the communication relay unit 13.

  Step S 197 shown in FIG. 29 corresponds to the connection disconnecting means 14. Steps S43 to S44 shown in FIG. 16 correspond to the server-side automatic connection disconnecting means 15. Steps S <b> 45 to S <b> 46 correspond to the server-side connection disconnection notice unit 16. Step S184 shown in FIG. 27 corresponds to the connection automatic extension means 17.

  Steps S154 to S155 shown in FIG. 25 correspond to the profile display unit 31 constituting the client side communication control unit 30 of the client device 6 of FIG. Steps S24 to S25 shown in FIG. 13 correspond to the client side automatic connection disconnecting means 32. Steps S26 to S27 correspond to the client-side connection disconnection notice unit 33.

  In this embodiment, the hard disk mounted on the HDD is exemplified as a recording medium storing the program on the server device 4 side of the information communication system 2 and a recording medium storing the program on the client device 206 side. The flash memory mounted on the SSD is illustrated as a recording medium storing the program on the client terminal 6 side, but the recording medium storing the program is not limited to these, and as a recording medium storing the program For example, an external memory card, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a flexible disk, or a magnetic tape can be used. Further, the main storage device can also be used as a recording medium storing a program.

  In addition, the distribution mode of the program is not particularly limited, and the program may be distributed via a wired or wireless information communication unit in addition to distributing the program stored in a recording medium.

  The recording mode of the program is not particularly limited. In addition to being stored or distributed in a recording medium in a form that can be directly executed, it can be stored or distributed in a recording medium in a compressed form so as to be decompressed and used, for example.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where each function of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 or FIG. 42 is realized by using a computer has been described as an example. You may make it comprise using.

  Further, the above-described block diagram, hardware configuration, flowchart, database configuration, display screen configuration, and the like are given as examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Although the present invention has been described above as a preferred embodiment, the terminology has been used for description rather than limitation and departs from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Without departing from the scope of the appended claims. Also, while the above describes only some exemplary embodiments of the present invention in detail, those skilled in the art will recognize the exemplary implementations described above without departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present invention. It will be readily appreciated that many variations in form are possible. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

4: Server device 6: Client terminal 11: Connection creation means 14: Connection release means 20: Database

Claims (11)

An information communication system comprising a server device provided with a database and a plurality of client devices capable of communicating information with the server device via an information communication means,
The database is a relationship between users of two or more client devices, and information communication is performed between a client device of any one user in the relationship and a client device of one or more other users. As information indicating that there is a communication connection in an allowable relationship, the user's profile information arbitrarily specified by each user belonging to the communication connection is stored in association with each other,
The client device is
Based on the data stored in the database, the communication of the user of the client device that is another user belonging to the communication connection to which the user of the client device belongs and is allowed to communicate information with the client device Profile display means for acquiring profile information related to connection and / or profile index information indicating the profile information and displaying the profile information on the client device,
A client-side communication control unit with
The server device
When receiving an information communication request signal for identifying the profile information or profile index information displayed on the client device by the profile display means and requesting communication of information from the client device, the client device and the information communication request Communication relay means for relaying information communication with the client apparatus of the other party specified by the signal;
When a connection disconnection request signal for requesting disconnection from the communication connection to which the user of the client device belongs is received from the client device, the profile information related to the communication connection of the user stored in the database and the communication connection A connection disconnecting means for releasing the user of the client device from the communication connection by releasing the association with the profile information related to the communication connection of the other user;
A server side communication control unit with
An information communication system. The information communication system of claim 1,
The server side communication control unit further includes:
When receiving a connection creation request signal including the profile information of the user arbitrarily designated by the user of the client device from each of the two client devices, the profile information of both is obtained. A connection creation means for creating the communication connection by storing in the database in association with each other;
It is characterized by. In the information communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 2,
The server side communication control unit further includes:
When a connection request signal is received from the client device for requesting to join an existing communication connection and includes profile information of the user arbitrarily designated by the user of the client device, the existing communication connection The profile related to the communication connection of the user belonging to the existing communication connection is changed to the profile information of the user of the client device on the condition that the subscription permission signal is received from the client device of the user belonging to the user. A connection joining means for realizing the joining of the user of the client device to the existing communication connection by storing in the database in association with information;
It is characterized by. In the information communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The database further stores an expiration date of the communication connection set for each user belonging to the communication connection,
At least one of the server side communication control unit and the client side communication control unit ,
Whether or not the communication connection has expired for the user is determined based on the data stored in the database, and when it is determined that the expiration date has expired, the validity stored in the database By canceling the association between the profile information related to the communication connection of the expired user and the profile information related to the communication connection of another user belonging to the communication connection, the user is automatically removed from the communication connection. Automatic connection disconnection means for disconnecting,
Having
It is characterized by. The information communication system according to claim 4,
At least one of the server side communication control unit and the client side communication control unit ,
Whether or not the user is before a predetermined period before the expiration date of the communication connection is determined based on the data stored in the database, and the user is determined to be before the predetermined period before the expiration date is expired Connection disconnection notice means for notifying the client device of the disconnection notice from the communication connection,
Having
It is characterized by. The information communication system according to any one of claims 4 to 5,
The server side communication control unit further includes:
When communication of information using a communication connection is executed from the client device to another client device, the expiration date of the communication connection for the user of the client device stored in the database is automatically extended. Automatic connection extension means,
Having
It is characterized by.   The server device used in the information communication system according to claim 1.   The client device used in the information communication system according to claim 1.   A program for causing a computer to function as a server-side communication control unit of the server device according to claim 7 or a client-side communication control unit of the client device according to claim 8.   A recording medium storing the program according to claim 9. An information communication method performed using an information communication system including a server device including a database and a plurality of client devices capable of communicating information with the server device via an information communication unit,
The database is a relationship between users of two or more client devices, and information communication is performed between a client device of any one user in the relationship and a client device of one or more other users. As information indicating that there is a communication connection in an allowable relationship, the user's profile information arbitrarily specified by each user belonging to the communication connection is stored in association with each other,
Based on the data stored in the database, the client device is another user belonging to the communication connection to which the user of the client device belongs, and the client device is allowed to communicate information with the client device. A profile display step of acquiring profile information related to the communication connection of the user and / or profile index information indicating the profile information and displaying the profile information on the client device;
When the server device receives from the client device an information communication request signal that specifies the profile information or profile index information displayed on the client device in the profile display step and requests information communication, the client device A communication relay step for relaying communication of information with the counterpart client device specified by the information communication request signal;
When the server device receives a connection disconnection request signal for requesting disconnection from the communication connection to which the user of the client device belongs from the client device, profile information related to the communication connection of the user stored in the database; A connection leaving step for releasing the user of the client device from the communication connection by releasing the association with the profile information related to the communication connection of another user belonging to the communication connection;
Having
An information communication method characterized by the above.