JP2002123694A - Agent managing device and agent managing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an agent managing device, a server and an agent managing method by which messages are exchanged in user-friendly and interactive environment for users using an agent. SOLUTION: In this agent management system (10, 30, 50), an agent to imitate a sheep is displayed in a user's virtual space to imitate a pasture. A user can transmit the sheep to other users. An agent processing executing part 14 of a terminal 10 at a transmitting origin adds personal data of the user to object data of the sheep generated in the virtual space as the personal data of the user of generation origin and the data is transmitted by a transmitting and receiving part 16. The personal data of the user at the pasture where the sheep is born is transmitted to a routine run destination as rumor by distribution of the sheep since an individual user of users at a generation origin is extracted and displayed from object data of the sheep at the routine run destination of the sheep.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for managing an agent. More particularly, the present invention relates to an agent management apparatus and an agent management method for managing transmission and reception of an agent whose activity is a virtual space defined for each user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Systems capable of exchanging messages among a large number of users connected to the Internet, such as mailing lists, electronic conference rooms, bulletin boards, and chats, have become widespread, and opportunities for communicating with others on the Internet have increased. Under such circumstances, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-1
No. 5758 (hereinafter referred to as a prior application) discloses that a real-world oriented GUI is used to send and receive e-mails using an agent simulating an animal or the like to provide entertainment.
A method for promoting communication in a manner familiar to the user is disclosed. When e-mail first appeared, it was mainly for business use, for example, to convene meetings and notify minutes, but the technology described in this prior application was used to establish e-mail as a means of communication at the individual level. It played a major role.

[0003]

However, in order to further expand communication by e-mail and other electronic tools, the present applicant has come to recognize the following problems. In other words, electronic mail is a means of communicating with a person who knows each other, and communication is not a thing involving unknown people, even if promoted among those who already know. If you introduce a mechanism to expand the circle of communication to strangers,
Electronic communication is further accelerated.

The present applicant has made the present invention based on the above recognition, and an object of the present invention is to provide a message exchange technology capable of providing an opportunity to meet and communicate with a user on a network such as the Internet like a game. On offer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an agent management apparatus, a server, and an agent management method that can exchange messages in an interactive environment that is friendly to a user and uses an agent.

[0006]

One embodiment of the present invention relates to an agent management apparatus (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "apparatus" or "present apparatus"). This device includes an object storage unit, an agent processing execution unit, and a transmission / reception unit. The object storage stores object data of an agent to be displayed in the user's virtual space. The agent processing execution unit operates and displays the agent in the virtual space of the user based on the object data. The transmission / reception unit moves the agent between the user's virtual spaces by transmitting / receiving the object data between the users.

[0007] The functions of the present apparatus may be realized in a server / client system via the Internet. In this case, the client may function as a front processing unit that receives a user operation and executes an agent process, and the server may function as a back processing unit that controls the agent agent. The object storage unit may be provided in the server or the client. A user may log in to an agent management system provided as a server / client system (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “the present system”) and enjoy services provided by the present system.

The virtual space is defined for each user. A user is a user who operates a terminal on which a virtual space is displayed. When the user logs in to the agent management system, a virtual space corresponding to the user is displayed on the terminal. An agent may simulate a person or animal, interact with the user or other agents in the user's virtual space, and exchange information. Agent object data, for example,
It may include a still image, a moving image, a sound, a description of an action, words, and the like of the agent, and may define the appearance and movement of the agent when it is displayed, and the content of the dialogue. In the virtual space, an agent generated by a user corresponding to the virtual space and an agent moved from another user's virtual space may be mixed. The “user corresponding to the virtual space” refers to, for example, the user when the virtual space is displayed on an information terminal used by the user.

The object data of the agent received by the transmission / reception unit and stored in the object storage unit includes personal data of a generation source user corresponding to a virtual space from which the agent is generated and starts moving. It may be. The agent processing execution unit may cause the stored agent to output the personal data of the source user.

[0010] A destination setting unit having a mode for setting a destination user to an unspecified state when one of the agents is selected for transmission may be further included.
The transmission / reception unit may transmit the object data of the selected agent in a state where a destination user has not specified the object data. If the destination user is sent without being specified,
In the server, a transmission destination may be determined and transmitted to the transmission destination. For example, the server may transmit the agent whose destination is not specified to the user who logs in earlier, that is, the user who has used the system for a longer time. Further, an agent whose destination is not specified may be transmitted to a user who has few agents in the virtual space.

[0011] A personal data storage unit for storing personal data of a user corresponding to the virtual space may be further included.
The object storage unit stores object data of an agent generated in the virtual space, and the agent processing execution unit determines that the agent selected for transmission is an agent generated in the virtual space. The personal data of the user corresponding to the virtual space may be added to the object data of the agent. As described above, the agent generated in the virtual space may be added with the information for identifying the user of the virtual space and the personal data of the user, and transmitted to another virtual space. As the agent travels through the virtual space, the personal data of the generation source user can be transmitted to the destination.

The agent contacts another agent existing in the virtual space, exchanges information stored in the agent's object data, and obtains information from the user by interacting with the user in the virtual space. Is also good. The information that the agent acquires in the virtual space is hereinafter also referred to as "rumors". "Rumors"
May include personal data of the user of the virtual space or data regarding the status of the virtual space. The user's personal data may include basic attribute information such as the user's gender, age, address, occupation, and the like, and information about preferences such as hobbies, preferences, and interests. For example, when the virtual space is a breeding place of the agent, the state data of the agent such as the health state and the growing state of the kept animal, Breeding place status data such as hygiene status, management status, and number of animals kept may be included.

[0013] The received object data of the agent may include status data on the virtual space of the destination acquired by the agent contacting an agent existing in the virtual space of the destination, and the agent processing The execution unit may cause the received agent to output the status data. The agent processing execution unit may add situation data of the virtual space to object data of an agent existing in the virtual space.

In the virtual space, as one form of the agent, a lead type agent having the virtual space as a base of the activity may be provided. The guiding agent may be transmitted to the destination together with the agent transmitted by the user, and then returned to the virtual space of the transmitting user. The object storage unit stores object data of a guiding agent belonging to a user corresponding to the virtual space, and the transmitting / receiving unit transmits the object data of the guiding agent together with the agent, and the destination returns the destination. Upon receiving the object data of the lead type agent, the agent processing execution unit causes the lead type agent to output status data relating to the destination virtual space acquired by contacting the agent in the destination virtual space. You may. Thus, when transmitting the agent, the user can acquire the status data of the destination virtual space.

[0015] The information processing apparatus may further include a message setting unit for adding a message to be transmitted to a user corresponding to the destination virtual space to the object data of the agent. This message may be an email, bulletin board, or chat message.

[0016] The information processing apparatus may further include an address storage unit for storing the identification information of the generation source user included in the received object data of the agent as a destination of a communication partner in the future. By exchanging the agents, the agents circulate in the virtual space, and the identification information and the personal data of the user who generated the agent can be spread as "rumors" among the users.
The user may acquire information about the originating user based on “rumors” possessed by the circulating agent, register the originating user in an e-mail or chat address book, and increase the number of communication partners. Further, the agent may be transmitted by designating the new user thus obtained as the transmission destination, and it is possible to broaden the communication circle in a game-like manner.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a server to which a user terminal connects via the Internet. The server includes: a state storage unit that stores a state of a virtual space defined for each user; a receiving unit that receives, from a terminal of a transmission source user, object data of an agent existing in a user's virtual space; When a destination user is not specified, a destination setting unit that checks a state of the virtual space and sets a user corresponding to the virtual space having a small number of agents as a destination user,
A transmission unit that transmits the object data to the terminal of the set destination user.

[0018] The transmission unit may further include a connection confirmation unit for confirming connection with the terminal of the transmission destination user, wherein the transmission unit, when the connection is not confirmed by the connection confirmation unit, transmits the object data to the transmission source user. You may reply to the terminal. As a result, the agent can be returned to the virtual space of the user who has not logged in without being transmitted.

[0019] The apparatus further includes a connection maintaining unit for maintaining a connection with the terminal of the transmission source user, wherein the transmission unit transmits the object data returned from the terminal of the transmission destination user to the transmission source maintaining the connection. It may be transmitted to the user terminal. Since the connection with the terminal of the transmission source user is maintained, it is possible to send back to the transmission source when the guiding agent is returned from the transmission destination.

[0020] When the connection of the transmission source user is disconnected by the terminal of the transmission source user, the transmission unit may transmit a warning message when the terminal of the transmission source user connects to the server again. Since the guiding agent must be returned from the destination and sent back to the source, the user can be warned that the connection must not be disconnected until the guiding agent returns.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium. The recording medium has a function of receiving object data of an agent to be displayed in a virtual space defined for each user, a function of operating and displaying an agent in a user's virtual space, and a function of displaying the object data. A function of extracting and outputting personal data of a generation source user corresponding to a virtual space from which the agent is generated and from which movement starts, and transmitting one of the agents existing in the virtual space for transmission. A function of selecting, and, when the selected agent is an agent generated in the virtual space, a function of adding personal data of a user corresponding to the virtual space to object data of the agent;
A program for causing a computer to execute the function of transmitting the object data of the selected agent is stored.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an agent management method. The method includes the steps of receiving object data of an agent movable between virtual spaces defined for each user, and operating and displaying the agent in a user's virtual space based on the received object data. And obtaining personal data of the generation source user corresponding to the virtual space from which the agent is generated and starts moving from the object data. Selecting one of the agents present in the user's virtual space for transmission, and, if the selected agent is an agent generated in the virtual space, personal data of the user corresponding to the virtual space To the object data of the agent, and transmitting the object data of the selected agent.

It is to be noted that any combination of the above-described components and those expressing the present invention as a method or a system are also effective as embodiments of the present invention.

[0024]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an agent management system according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which the agent management system is realized as a server / client system connected via the Internet. The agent management system includes the source terminal 10
And a destination terminal 50 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a “terminal”) is a system connected to the server 30 via the Internet. Although the main functions of the agent management device of the present embodiment are realized by a user terminal, a part of the functions of the agent management device may be provided to a server. In the figure, in order to clarify the exchange of data between the source terminal 10 and the server 30 and the exchange of data between the destination terminal 50 and the server 30, the source terminal 10, the destination terminal 50 and the server 30 The intervening Internet is omitted.

The source terminal 10 has a message setting unit 11
, Transmission destination setting unit 12, agent processing execution unit 14
, A transmission / reception unit 16, an object storage unit 18, a personal data storage unit 20, and an address storage unit 22.
The source terminal 10 is connected to an input device (not shown) such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a display device such as a CRT display. The server 30 includes a connection maintenance unit 32, a connection confirmation unit 34, a transmission / reception unit 36, a transmission destination setting unit 38, an object storage unit 40, and a virtual space state storage unit 42. Since the destination terminal 50 has the same configuration as the source terminal 10, the functional configuration is omitted.

The source terminal 10, the destination terminal 50, and the server 30 have a function as a normal computer, and the configuration thereof can be realized by hardware such as a computer CPU and a memory and other elements. In terms of software, it is realized by a program having an agent management function or the like. Here, functional blocks realized by their cooperation are illustrated. Therefore,
These functional blocks can be realized in various forms by a combination of hardware and software. In addition, these functional blocks are stored in a storage medium 24 as software.
May be stored in a hard disk, installed on a hard disk, read out to a memory, and processed by a CPU.

In the agent management system of this embodiment, as described later in FIG. 6, a virtual space simulating a ranch is defined for each user, and an agent simulating a sheep and a sheepdog operates on the ranch. Agents interact with users and exchange information between agents. The user owns a single sheepdog, and owns a plurality of sheep virtually on a ranch. Sheep include those generated by the user himself and those that have moved from the ranch of another user. Sheep have a user associated with the ranch of origin (hereinafter also referred to as “home rancher” or “generation user”) and a user associated with the ranch where the sheep currently exists (hereinafter referred to as “owner” or “administrative user”). Say)
Are associated with each other. The user can select the sheep, set the destination to another user or an unspecified user, and send the sheep. The sheep whose destination is not specified is transmitted to the terminal of the specific user according to the judgment of the server 30.
The sheep moves on the ranch with the sheepdog, and the sheepdog returns to the user's ranch, but the sheep remains at the destination ranch and is owned by the user on the destination ranch.

The transmission / reception unit 16 of the transmission source terminal 10
From 0, sheep object data is received. The received sheep object data is stored in the object storage unit 18. The agent processing execution unit 14 reads out the sheep object data stored in the object storage unit 18, displays an image of the sheep on the display device according to the description of the object data, and operates the sheep. The user selects the displayed sheep for transmission using the input device. The agent processing execution unit 14 extracts the object data of the selected sheep and sheepdog from the object storage unit 18. When the sheep to be transmitted is generated in the virtual space of the user, the agent processing execution unit 14 stores the personal data of the user in the personal data storage unit 20.
And adds it to the object data of the sheep. The destination setting unit 12 sets another user specified by the user using the address book stored in the address storage unit 22 as a destination user. If the user does not specify the destination user, the destination setting unit 12 sets the destination user to unspecified. The destination setting unit 12 adds the destination user to the object data of the sheep to be transmitted. The message setting unit 11 adds a message input by the user to the object data of the sheep to be transmitted. Transceiver 1
6 is a server 3 that stores object data of sheep and sheepdog
Send to 0.

The transmission / reception unit 36 of the server 30 receives the object data of the sheep and the sheepdog from the transmission source terminal 10 and temporarily stores the object data in the object storage unit 40. The connection maintaining unit 32 maintains a connection with the transmission source terminal 10. When the destination user set in the sheep object data is unspecified, the transmission destination setting unit 38 investigates the state of the user's virtual space stored in the virtual space state storage unit 42, and searches for a specific user, For example, a user with few sheep on the ranch is selected as a destination user and added to the sheep object data. The connection confirmation unit 34 confirms the connection of the destination user with the destination terminal 50, and checks whether the destination user has logged in to the agent management system. The transmission / reception unit 36 transmits the object data of the sheep and the sheepdog to the destination terminal 50 whose connection has been confirmed. If the connection confirmation unit 34 cannot confirm the connection with the destination terminal 50, the object data of the sheep and the sheepdog are returned to the source terminal 10. The transmission / reception unit 36 includes a destination terminal 50
Waits for the return of the object data of the sheepdog from the server, and when the object is returned, transmits the object data of the sheepdog to the transmission source terminal 10 whose connection is maintained by the connection maintaining unit 32. The connection maintaining unit 32 is the source terminal 10
When the connection with the sheep dog cannot be maintained, for example, when the user of the transmission source terminal 10 logs out of the agent management system, or when the connection is disconnected due to a failure such as Internet congestion, the returned Sheepdog object data is It is stored in the storage unit 40. When the user of the transmission source terminal 10 logs in again, the server 30 transmits the object data of the sheep dog stored in the object storage unit 40 to the transmission source terminal 10 to the transmission source terminal 10 and notifies the logged-in user of the sheep dog. To warn you not to log out of the system until you return.

The server 30 checks the status of the virtual space of the logged-in user periodically or in real time, and stores the status in the virtual space status storage unit 42. As a method of investigating the state of the virtual space, the server 30 may poll the terminal of the user, or the terminal of the user may report the state of the virtual space. The state of the virtual space includes the number of sheep existing on the ranch, the health state and growing state of the sheep, the sanitary state and management state of the ranch, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing object data of a sheep, which is an example of an agent. Sheep object data includes the name of the sheep, the identity of the native rancher, the identity of the owner, the identity of the destination user, the number of visits to the ranch, the message, the personal data of the native rancher, and the rumor rumors of the patrol destination. Having. When a sheep is transmitted to another user, the user indicated by the owner identification information, that is, the user who currently owns the sheep is the transmission source user, and the user indicated by the destination user identification information is the transmission destination user. The message is a short message that the destination user wants to know when sending out the sheep. The rancher's personal data includes
Includes personal data such as the age, gender, address, hobbies, preferences, and interests of the ranch owner. The rumor data of the ranch at the patrol destination includes, as "rumors", the state of the ranch visited by the sheep, the state of the sheep and the sheepdog on the ranch, and the personal data of the rancher.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing object data of a sheep dog which is an example of the lead type agent. The object data of the sheepdog includes the name of the sheepdog, the owner identification information, the destination user identification information, the number of sheep transmissions, the rumors of the traveling ranch, and the compatibility data with the sheepdog of the traveling ranch. The number of sheep transmissions is the number of sheep transmitted by the user who owns the sheepdog.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing situation data of a ranch, which is an example of a user's virtual space. Ranch situation data
Includes sheep holdings, sheep health, ranch management, and sheep visit frequency. This status data may be stored in the object storage unit 18 of the terminal, or may be stored in the virtual space status storage unit 42 of the server 30. This situation data may be communicated by the sheep or sheepdog to other ranches as "rumors".

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the user's personal data stored in the personal data storage unit 20. The name of the user, the name of the user's sheepdog, the date of birth, the address, the hobby, the occupation, and the short message of the user are stored. These personal data are attached to the object data of the sheep generated by the user when the sheep is sent to another ranch. As a result, when the sheep visits the ranch, the personal data of the user of the ranch from which the sheep came from is transmitted as "rumors".

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the virtual space of the user displayed on the terminal. Sheepdog 60 on the ranch,
Sheep 62, 64 and an address book icon 66 are displayed. When sheep 62 is clicked, a pop-up menu 68 is displayed, from which transmission or status can be selected. These sheep 62, 64 are either user-generated sheep or sheep that have moved from other ranches. When the sheep is received, by clicking on the sheep that has moved, the screen shown in FIG. 7 is displayed, and the sheep object data can be browsed. The name 70 of the sheep, the sender 72 who sent the sheep, the origin 74 indicating the ranch where the sheep came from, the number of visits to the ranch, the health status of the sheep, the personal data 76 of the ranch, and the rumors data 78 of the patrol destination. Is displayed.

The ranch owner's personal data 76 displays the personal data of the ranch owner Hiromi.
It is possible to know who the user who originally owned this sheep was. The rumor data 78 of the patrol destination includes
The status of other ranches is displayed, for example, it is possible to know which sheep dog of a certain ranch is compatible with which sheep dog, and that a certain ranch has a cold. The information about these sheep and the rumors obtained by the sheep are stored in the sheep object data, and are also displayed when the status is selected in the sheep pop-up menu 68 in FIG.

When transmission is selected from the sheep pop-up menu 68 in FIG. 6, a screen shown in FIG. 8 for transmitting sheep is displayed. The sheep sender 80 is a user of the ranch. Origin 82 is the user of the ranch where this sheep was generated. The number of visits indicates how many times this visit is. In the message field 84, the user can write a short message. When the "adventure" button 86 is pressed, the sheep is transmitted to the server 30 in a state where the destination is not specified, and is transmitted to a user on any ranch according to the judgment of the server 30. When the "visit" button 88 is pressed, the user can select any of the users listed in the address book 66 as the destination user, and the sheep is transmitted to the specified destination. Pressing the "Cancel" button cancels the sheep transmission.

The user operates the sheep dog 60 shown in FIG.
By clicking, the status of the sheep dog 60 can be seen as shown in FIG. The owner 92 is a user of the ranch. The sheepdog name 94 is also used as information for identifying a user when another user selects the user as a partner for mail or chat. The number of sheep transmissions is the number of sheep sent out by the sheepdog. The sheep may be configured to jump out or get lost without the sheepdog leading. In that case, the sheepdog chases after sheep leaving the ranch. That is, the transmission of the sheep and the sheepdog may be performed with a time lag, which is also referred to herein as "the sheepdog was sent out together with the sheep", including the fact that the sheepdog "led" the sheep.

The compatibility 96 with other sheepdogs indicates whether they are in a romantic relationship with other sheepdogs on a ranch, in a unrequited state, or touched. The visitor's rumor data is situation data of another ranch acquired by contact with a sheepdog or a sheep at a destination ranch when the sheepdog sends out sheep. Here, “contact” means that the agents communicate with each other to exchange information, or that the agent interacts with the user (including not only the user of the ranch but also the users of other ranches) by interacting with the user. It means to interact.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the address book 66. The owner name, sheepdog name, and number of visits are displayed for each user. When one or a plurality of users is specified and the telephone icon 100 or the mail icon 102 is pressed, chat or e-mail can be exchanged with the specified user. The address book may include ranchers from home sheep carry personal data as rumors. This allows new users to send chats and e-mails, expanding the circle of communication.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the state of the user's virtual space stored in the virtual space state storage unit 42 by the server 30. For each user's ranch, the owner's name, the number of sheep owned by the owner, the health status of the sheep, the management status of the ranch, and the user's login date and time are stored. The destination setting unit 38 of the server 30 uses this state data to select the destination of the sheep sent in a state where the destination is unspecified. For example,
Select a user who has a small number of sheep, that is, a user who is actively sending sheep, as a destination, or a user on a ranch with good management conditions or a ranch with good health conditions, A user who sends sheep can be prioritized, for example, by selecting a user who has logged in to, that is, a user who has been using the system for a long time, as a destination, thereby increasing the fun of the game.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a process in which the source terminal 10 transmits a sheep. The user selects to send any sheep on the ranch (S40). Enter the message to be added to the sheep object data and send it (S
42). The user selects either to put the sheep on an adventure or to make the sheep visit (S44). In the case of an adventure, the destination is set to unspecified (S48), and in the case of a visit, the user is designated to specify the destination (S46). The destination user may select from the address book stored in the address storage unit 22. If the sheep is a sheep generated by the user, the personal data of the user is attached to the object data of the sheep as the personal data of the home rancher. The transmission / reception unit 16 transmits the object data of the sheep and the sheepdog (S50).
The transmission / reception unit 16 waits for the return of the sheep dog (S52). When the sheepdog is returned, the sheepdog displays the rumors of the ranch to be visited to the user (S5).
4).

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a process in which the server 30 transmits and receives a sheep dog and a sheep dog. Server 30
The transmission / reception unit 36 receives the object data of the sheep and the sheepdog from the transmission source terminal 10, and the connection maintaining unit 32
The connection with the transmission source terminal 10 is maintained (S10). The data of the destination user is acquired from the object data of the sheep (S12). It is checked whether or not the destination user is set to be undesignated (S14). If it is not specified, the owner of the ranch having the least number of sheep is designated as the transmission destination user using the ranch situation data of the user stored in the virtual space state storage unit 42 (S16). , Processing S1
Proceed to 8. If the destination user has been specified in step S14, the process proceeds to step S18. The connection check unit 34 checks whether the specified destination user is connected to the server 30, that is, whether the user is logged in to the agent management system (S18). If the user has not logged in, the sheep and the sheepdog are returned to the source terminal 10 of the source user. At the time of reply, the sheep dog or the sheep is accompanied by a message notifying that the destination user is not logged in.

If the destination user has logged in in step S18, the transmitting / receiving unit 36 transmits the object data of the sheep and the sheepdog to the destination terminal 50 of the destination user (S20). The transmission / reception unit 36 includes a destination terminal 50
Waits for the object data of the sheepdog to be returned from the server (S22). When the sheep dog is returned, the object data of the sheep dog is stored (S23).
The connection maintaining unit 32 confirms whether or not the connection between the transmission source user, that is, the user who is the owner of the sheepdog and the transmission source terminal 10 is disconnected (S24). If the connection has not been disconnected, the object data of the returned sheep dog is transmitted to the transmission source terminal 10 (S26).

If the connection with the terminal of the transmission source user has been disconnected in step S24, the process proceeds to step S28 in FIG. The object data of the sheep dog to be returned is temporarily stored in the object storage unit 40 (S28). Wait until the source terminal 10 of the source user connects to the server 30 again and logs in to the agent management system (S
30). If the sending user logs in, the sending terminal 1 sends a message warning that sheep must not be logged out of the system until the sheepdog returns when sending sheep.
0 and display it to the source user (S32). The transmission / reception unit 36 extracts the sheep dog object data temporarily stored in the object storage unit 40 and transmits the same to the transmission source terminal 10 (S34).

According to the agent management system of this embodiment, by exchanging sheep raised between users, the personal data of the user who owns the sheep's home ranch can be transmitted to other users as rumors. It can help users create new email friends and chat partners, and expand the circle of communication like a game.

The present invention has been described based on several embodiments. These embodiments are exemplifications, and it is understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the combination of each component and each processing process, and such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. By the way.

As one example, in the above description, the main function of the agent management device is provided to the client-side user terminal in the server / client system. However, in order to reduce the load on the user terminal, the agent management device is used. Some of the functions described above may be provided to the server. For example, instead of storing the agent displayed on the user's terminal in the object storage unit 18 of the terminal, the agent may be stored in the object storage unit 40 of the server 30. In addition, the function of the agent processing execution unit 14 of the terminal may be provided to the server 30,
Alternatively, the server 30 and the terminal may cooperate to advance the processing of the agent. The configuration in which the server 30 and the terminal cooperate to operate the agent is based on CGI (Common Gateway I).
nterface), the main processing functions remain on the server side, such as Java (TM) Applet and ActiveX
(Trademark), the main function of processing moves to the client side, API (Application Program Interface)
The present invention can be realized in various modes such as an e) type configuration in which a Java application or the like, which is a main function of processing, is arranged in both the server and the client.

Further, every time the sheep patrolls, the personal data of the rancher at the patrol destination may be cumulatively added to the object data of the sheep. Also, every time the number of sheep patrols reaches a predetermined number, the information of the source user may be cleared, and the owner of the ranch where the sheep exists at that time may be set as the source user.

In addition to the above-mentioned "rumors", data indicating pathogens such as colds and flower species may be added to the object data of sheep. Or flowers may bloom. This allows the user to raise the sheep while maintaining the hygiene of the ranch in a game-like manner, thereby increasing the fun of exchanging sheep and helping to promote communication.

In the above description, the sheepdog, like the sheep, is configured so as to spread the rumors of the visiting place or to change the accompanying parameters and operations depending on the event. However, the load on the server is reduced, and the communication data is reduced. For the purpose of reducing the amount, the function of the sheepdog may be limited. For example, the sheepdog may be configured so as not to obtain rumors data from the ranch of the visited place, to have the accompanying parameters constant and unchanged, and to select one of the predetermined patterns for the spoken language.

The ranch situation data may be stored on either the server or the user's terminal. For example, the number of sheep held may be stored in the server, and the health status of the sheep may be attached to the object data of each sheep. The object data of the sheep may be stored in the server, and when the user terminal is started and the user logs in to the present system, the object data of the sheep may be read from the server. In addition, the server may store the overall health condition of the sheep kept on the ranch. The management status of the ranch, for example, the amount of grass, whether or not flowers are blooming, may be stored in the user terminal or may be stored in the server. If stored in the server, even if the user terminal crashes, the state of the ranch when previously logged in can be restored.

In the above description, in FIG.
0 has the virtual space state storage unit 42, but a similar functional configuration may be provided to the user terminal, and data relating to the virtual space may be stored in the user terminal. As a result, the process of downloading virtual space data from the server at the time of startup can be omitted, and the load on the server can be reduced. Also, the user terminal may be configured to receive only updated or added data from the server in the virtual space data stored in the server from the server at the time of startup, and to update the virtual space data stored in the terminal. Good.

The virtual space state storage unit 42 of the server 30
May include a reception rejection list 42A in which a user who refuses to receive sheep is specified for each user, as shown in FIG.
The server 30 refers to the reception refusal list 42A,
The object data of the sheep from the partner who does not want to receive the sheep may not be transmitted to the user terminal but may be returned to the user terminal of the transmission source. Further, a warning notifying that the reception has been rejected may be displayed on the transmission source terminal. Furthermore, the object data of the sheep whose reception has been refused is not returned to the terminal of the user of the transmission source, and the server 30
May be deleted.

When a message is included in the object data of the sheep whose reception is rejected, the server 30 may return the object data of the sheep together with the message to the transmission source terminal, or may delete only the message and delete the message. May be returned to the transmission source terminal, or the object data of the sheep may be deleted together with the message without being returned.

As a result, the user can refuse to receive the sheep from the specific user, for example, sent by mischief. The user terminal does not receive the sheep from the partner whose reception has been refused, and the sheep is returned to the partner when the object data of the sheep arrives at the server, so that no load is applied to the user terminal.

The above-mentioned reception refusal list 42A may be set at the user terminal by means such as the address book 66 shown in FIG. The identification information of the party whose reception is rejected, which is set in the terminal, is transmitted to the server 30 and the server 3
It may be configured to be stored in the reception refusal list 42A of the virtual space status storage unit 32 of 0. The user's e-mail or chat partner is managed in the terminal address book 66, and the reception refusal list 42A is managed in the server 30, so that the load can be distributed between the server 30 and the user's terminal. Depending on the load on the server 30, the address book 66 may be stored in the virtual space status storage unit 42 of the server 30, and the user's address book 66 may be collectively managed together with the reception refusal list 42 A on the server 30 side. May be.

[0058]

According to the present invention, agents can be circulated between virtual spaces of a user, and the circle of communication can be expanded.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an agent management system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing object data of a sheep, which is an example of an agent.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing object data of a sheep dog which is an example of a lead type agent.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing ranch state data which is an example of a user's virtual space.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of personal data of a user stored in a personal data storage unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a virtual space of a user displayed on a terminal.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display example of the content of the received sheep object data.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a sheep transmission screen.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the status of a sheep dog.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an address book.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user virtual space state stored in a virtual space state storage unit of a server.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a process in which a transmission source terminal transmits a sheep.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a process in which a server transmits and receives a sheep dog to and from a sheep.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a process performed by the server when the connection with the transmission source terminal is disconnected.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 sender terminal, 11 message setting unit, 12
Destination setting unit, 14 agent processing execution unit,
16 transmission / reception unit, 18 object storage unit, 20
Personal data storage, 22 Address storage, 24
Recording medium, 30 server, 32 connection maintaining unit, 3
4 connection confirmation section, 36 transmission / reception section, 38 destination setting section, 40 object storage section, 42 virtual space state storage section, 50 destination terminal, 60 sheepdog, 62 sheep, 66 address book.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Masashi Kato 4-7-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Communication Network Co., Ltd. In-house F-term (reference) 5B049 AA01 AA02 BB61 DD01 FF03 GG02 GG04 GG07

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. An object storage unit for storing object data of an agent to be displayed in a user's virtual space, and an agent for operating and displaying the agent in the user's virtual space based on the object data. A processing execution unit, including a transmission / reception unit that moves the agent between the user's virtual spaces by transmitting / receiving the object data between the users, the reception / reception unit receiving and storing the object data in the object storage unit. The agent object data includes personal data of a generation source user corresponding to a virtual space from which the agent is generated and starts moving, and the agent processing execution unit performs the generation on the stored agent. The former user's personal data Agent management apparatus according to claim. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: a destination setting unit having a mode for setting a destination user to an unspecified state when one of the agents is selected for transmission. 2. The agent management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when set, the object data of the selected agent is transmitted without being specified by a destination user. 3. When the agent selected for transmission is an agent generated in the virtual space, the agent processing execution unit transmits the personal data of the user corresponding to the virtual space to the agent. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the data is added to object data.
An agent management device according to item 1. 4. The received object data of the agent includes status data on the virtual space of the destination acquired by the agent contacting an agent existing in the virtual space of the destination, and the agent processing. The agent management device according to claim 1, wherein the execution unit causes the received agent to output the status data. 5. The agent management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the agent processing execution unit adds situation data of the virtual space to object data of an agent existing in the virtual space. 6. The object storage unit stores object data of a lead type agent whose activity is based on the virtual space, and the transmission / reception unit transmits the object data of the lead type agent together with the agent and moves the object data. Receiving the object data of the lead type agent returned from the destination, the agent processing execution unit, the lead type agent, the destination virtual space acquired by contacting the agent of the destination virtual space The agent management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the agent management apparatus outputs status data related to the agent management information. 7. The agent according to claim 2, further comprising a message setting unit that adds a message to be transmitted to a user corresponding to a destination virtual space to the object data of the agent. Management device. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an address storage unit configured to store identification information of a generation source user included in the received object data of the agent as a destination of a communication partner in the future. Agent management device. 9. A state storage unit for storing a state of a virtual space defined for each user, a receiving unit for receiving object data of an agent existing in a virtual space of a transmission source user from a terminal of the transmission source user, When a destination user is not specified in the object data, a state of the virtual space is checked, and a destination setting unit that sets a user corresponding to the virtual space having a small number of agents as a destination user, A transmission unit for transmitting object data to the terminal of the set destination user. 10. A connection confirmation unit for confirming connection with a terminal of the transmission destination user, wherein the transmission unit transmits the object data to the transmission source user when the connection is not confirmed by the connection confirmation unit. The server according to claim 9, wherein the server sends a reply to the terminal. 11. A connection maintaining unit for maintaining a connection with the terminal of the transmission source user, wherein the transmission unit transmits the object data returned from the terminal of the transmission destination user to the connection maintained. 11. A transmission to a terminal of a transmission source user.
Server as described in. 12. When the connection of the transmission source user is disconnected by the terminal of the transmission source user, the transmission unit transmits a warning message when the terminal of the transmission source user connects to the server again. The server according to claim 11. 13. A transmission rejection list in which a transmission refusal list is specified for each user for which the transmission rejection is specified, and when the transmission destination user is a transmission refusal reception from the transmission source user, the transmission unit includes 10. The server according to claim 9, wherein the server returns object data to a terminal of the transmission source user. 14. A recording medium readable by a computer, the recording medium comprising: a function of receiving object data of an agent to be displayed in a virtual space defined for each user; A function of operating and displaying an agent in a space; and a function of extracting and outputting, from the object data, personal data of a generation source user corresponding to a virtual space from which the agent is generated and starts moving. And a function of selecting one of the agents existing in the virtual space for transmission, and, when the selected agent is an agent generated in the virtual space, an individual of a user corresponding to the virtual space A function for adding data to the object data of the agent; A recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a function of transmitting object data. 15. A process of receiving object data of an agent that can move between virtual spaces defined for each user, and operating the agent in a user's virtual space based on the received object data. A method for managing an agent, comprising the steps of: displaying; and acquiring, from the object data, personal data of a generation source user corresponding to a virtual space from which the agent is generated and starts moving. 16. A process for selecting one of the agents present in the user's virtual space for transmission, and, if the selected agent is an agent generated in the virtual space, corresponding to the virtual space. 16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: adding personal data of a user to the agent to object data of the agent; and transmitting object data of the selected agent.
Agent management method described in.