JP2002251364A - Electronic conference room system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To permit a client user to learn the necessity/unnecessity of a password. SOLUTION: Password necessity/unnecessity information is preserved in a sub-chat server 118 for every chat room name. When a client (video game machine 103a, for example) selects chat service, the chat room name to which the user can enter and password necessity/unnecessity information are sent from a main chat server 117 to the client. The client guides/displays password necessity/unnecessity information together with the chat room name in the form of an icon.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic conference system for exchanging messages in real time between a plurality of clients via a communication network, a client therefor, a server therefor, an electronic conference method, and a client program. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electronic conference system is a chat system or an IRC (Internet Relay).
The system is known as a system for exchanging messages between a plurality of clients. In this electronic conference system, a plurality of conference rooms called chat rooms are provided for each theme. When the electronic conference system is activated, a plurality of chat room names are displayed as shown in FIG. When the client user specifies a desired room name 500 with a pointing device such as a mouse, the client user can enter the specified chat room thereafter. The server of the electronic conference room system monitors which chat room the client has entered. When a client user sends a message,
When making a so-called remark, the server delivers the transmitted message to one or more other clients who have entered the same chat room.

[0003] The delivered message is displayed on a display screen of one or more other clients.

[0004] A chat room can be newly created according to an instruction from a client of a room manager, or a chat room that has existed so far can be deleted. Generally, the person who first creates a chat room is the room manager.

[0005] There is also known an electronic conferencing system in which personal authentication using a password is performed before entering a chat room in order to restrict those who enter the chat room.

[0006]

In an electronic conference system that requires password authentication to enter a chat room, FIG.
After the chat room guidance display, a password input screen appears according to the designation of the chat room by the client user.

However, it is inconvenient for a client user to distinguish between a chat room that anyone can freely enter and a chat room requiring a password unless a password input screen actually appears.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic conference system which enables a chat room user to know whether or not a password is required when entering a room, a client therefor, a server therefor, an electronic conference method, and a client program. Is to do.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve such an object, the invention according to claim 1 comprises a plurality of clients,
It has one server system, can exchange messages between at least two clients entering one chat room via the server system, can open a plurality of chat rooms, and can go to a specific chat room. In the electronic conference system for performing password authentication when entering a room, the server system has means for providing password necessity information associated with each of the plurality of chat rooms, and the client is provided with the provided necessity information. Is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conference system according to the first aspect, the client receives guidance information of a chat room from the server system,
The notifying unit notifies the necessity information of the password in association with the guidance of the guidance information.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conference system according to the first aspect, the password necessity information includes:
The information is input from a client who has established a chat room together with information relating to the establishment.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the electronic conference system according to the third aspect, wherein the first server for storing information regarding the established chat room and the information regarding the necessity of a password is provided between the first server and the plurality of clients. The server system has a second server that supports message exchange.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conference system according to the first aspect, the notifying unit notifies the necessity information of the password based on whether or not an icon is displayed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a client used in an electronic conference system, wherein the electronic conference system has a plurality of clients and one server system, and has at least two clients entering one chat room. Messages can be exchanged between the clients via the server system, a plurality of chat rooms can be opened, and a password is authenticated when entering a specific chat room. The necessity information is stored in association with the chat room, and a means for receiving the necessity information of the password from the server system and a means for notifying the received necessity information are provided.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the client according to the sixth aspect, there is further provided a means for receiving guide information of a chat room that can be entered from the server system, and the notification is provided in association with the guide of the guide information. The means notifies the necessity information of the password.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the client according to the sixth aspect, the necessity information of the password is inputted from the client which has established the chat room together with the information relating to the establishment. .

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the client according to the sixth aspect, the notifying unit notifies the necessity information of the password based on whether or not an icon is displayed.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a server system used in an electronic conference system, wherein the electronic conference system has a plurality of clients and one server system, and has at least one entry to one chat room. In a server system, two clients can exchange messages via the server system, can open a plurality of chat rooms, and authenticate a password when entering a specific chat room. A storage unit for storing password necessity information associated with each of the plurality of chat rooms, and a unit for providing the stored password necessity information. And is notified in association with the chat room.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the server system according to the tenth aspect, the server system has means for providing guidance information on a chat room that can enter and information on whether or not a password is required for the chat room. The client receives the guide information and notifies the password necessity information in association with the guide of the guide information.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the server system according to the tenth aspect, the password necessity information is input from a client who has established a chat room together with information relating to the establishment. I do.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the server system according to the twelfth aspect, information on the established chat room and information on the necessity of a password are stored.
And a second server that supports message exchange between a plurality of precursor clients.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of clients and one server system are provided, and messages can be exchanged between at least two clients entering one chat room via the server system. ,
A plurality of chat rooms can be opened, in the electronic conference method of authenticating a password at the time of entering a specific chat room, the server system provides information on the necessity of a password associated with each of the plurality of chat rooms, The client notifies the provided necessity information.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conference method according to the fourteenth aspect, the client receives guide information of a chat room that can enter the room from the server system, and associates the password with the guide of the guide information to associate the password with the guide of the guide information. It is characterized in that the necessity information is reported.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conference method according to the fourteenth aspect, the password necessity information includes:
The information is input from a client who has established a chat room together with information relating to the establishment.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conferencing method according to the sixteenth aspect, the first server storing information on the established chat room and the necessity information of the password is provided between the first server and the plurality of clients. The server system has a second server that supports message exchange.

The invention of claim 18 is the electronic conference method according to claim 16, wherein the client notifies the necessity information of the password by the presence or absence of an icon.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the electronic conference system has a plurality of clients and one server system,
Messages can be exchanged between at least two clients entering one chat room via the server system, a plurality of chat rooms can be opened, and password authentication is performed when entering a specific chat room. In the program executed by each of the plurality of clients, the server system provides password necessity information associated with each of the plurality of chat rooms, and receiving the provided necessity information, Notifying the received necessity information.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in the program according to the twentieth aspect, the client further includes a step of receiving, from the server system, guidance information of a chat room in which the client can enter, and in the notifying step, It is characterized in that the password necessity information is reported in association with information guidance.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, in the program according to the nineteenth aspect, the password necessity information is input from a client who has established a chat room together with information relating to the establishment. .

According to a twenty-second aspect of the present invention, in the program according to the twenty-first aspect, a message exchange between a first server for storing information on an established chat room and information on the necessity of a password and a plurality of clients. The server system has a second server that supports the following.

According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, in the program according to the nineteenth aspect, the notifying step notifies the necessity information of the password based on whether or not an icon is displayed.

The invention according to claim 24 is an electronic conference method for performing an electronic conference using an area installed on a database of a server, wherein a plurality of electronic conferences whose number can be increased or decreased at any time on the server. A conference room is provided, and a conference room list including conference room information having at least a conference room name and password necessity information indicating the necessity of a password of the conference rooms for a plurality of conference rooms is provided on the server. When the number of conference rooms on the server increases or decreases, the server reflects the increased or decreased conference room information in the conference room list and updates the conference room list, and the client instructs to enter the conference room. When transmitting the conference room list to the client, the client displays the conference room list on the client and accepts selection of a conference room from a user. And wherein the door.

[0033]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, a method of notifying the necessity of a chat room password to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows an example of a client display screen when a chat service is provided in the information service system.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1000 denotes an icon indicating a chat room requiring a password. A chat room name without an icon indicates that no password is required. 10
01 is a chat room name. By designating a desired chat room name using a pointing device, the client user can enter a desired chat room as in the related art.

Reference numeral 1002 denotes calendar information indicating the date and time when the chat room was installed. 1003 is information indicating the current number of participants / the maximum number of persons who can enter the room.

Reference numeral 1004 denotes a menu screen for inputting a processing command to the server. In this embodiment, a menu of an anchor / cursor is moved to a list (list), a currently selected zone is changed, and a chat room is displayed. Create new, chat room sorting, chat room search,
A client user can input a processing instruction such as setting various options of a chat room and switching to a previous screen by selecting an item.

In this embodiment, when the server accepts the necessity of password authentication from the client at the time of opening the chat room, the information is stored in the server in the form of a flag. When the client user uses the chat to display the screen shown in FIG. 2, the server sends the flag information to the client with the room name attached to each room name. The client displays an icon 1000 prepared in advance on the hard disk on the display screen for the chat room name requiring a password, based on the flag information.
This allows the client user to know whether or not a password is required before entering the room before the chat room.

In order to display the icon, the character code is converted into a character image for the character, the icon is taken out of the hard disk, and the character image and the icon image are combined on the work memory and displayed. What is necessary is just to create image information.

The configuration of a network service system including an electronic conference system having a function of notifying the necessity of a password in the network service system to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 3, a network service system includes a communication network 101, a server group 102 of a network service company, and a communication network 101.
Clients used by a plurality of users that can connect to the server group 102 via
4a, 104b, etc. The server group 102 and the clients 103a, 103b, 104a, 104b are each a computer system. Note that the communication network 101 may be excluded from the system.

A plurality of types of servers in the server group 102 operate in cooperation to provide various information services. An information service system including a plurality of types of servers described below as one set is installed in each country of the world, and forms a server group 102. The information service system includes an authentication server 111, a content server (group) 112, a mail server (group) 114, a game server (group) 116, and a main chat server (group) 11.
7, a sub-chat server (group) 118 and a profile server 115 are provided. One or more servers may be provided. The authentication server 111 manages a member user account (user ID (identifier)) and a password. The authentication server 111 may manage the connection status (online / offline) of the user and the address of the client machine of the user who is online. The content server 112 provides sports, music, comics, shopping information, and various other information.

The mail server 114 provides an electronic mail exchange service between users.

The game server 116 provides an online game. The user plays the game by starting the online game in the game server from the viewer. For example, when the online game is a role playing game (a game in which a user plays as a game character), the user can play the role playing game together with other member users.

The profile server 115 manages, for each user account, a profile (user information) of the user corresponding to the account. The user can register his / her profile in the profile server 115 from the viewer.

The main chat server 117 and the sub chat server constitute a chat room server system. The main chat server 117 provides an environment for a messenger application and a chat application that a user starts on a client machine. The main chat server 117 also performs routing (transmission destination and route setting) for distributing exchange messages of the messenger application and chat messages of the chat application. More specifically, the main chat server 117 receives and distributes a chat message to a client described below. In addition, processing for newly establishing or deleting a chat room is also performed.

The sub-chat server 118 manages a currently installed chat room list. More specifically, a chat room name and password necessity information input from a client when a chat room is newly established are received via the main chat server 117, and the opening time at that time, the password necessity information and other related information are chatted. For each room name, it is saved on the internal hard disk in the form of a chat room list. The contents of the chat room list (at least chat room name and password necessity information) are updated each time a chat room is opened or deleted.

The stored information is sent to the client who wants to enter the chat room as guidance information (see FIG. 2) via the main chat server 117.

The clients 103a and 103b are home (video) game machines, and can use, for example, PlayStation 2 (trademark) of Sony Corporation.

The clients 104a and 104b are general-purpose personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PCs). The client can load and execute a program described below according to the present invention from a recording medium such as a CDROM. Client 103a, 10
3b, 104a, and 104b may be simply referred to as a client. The communication network 101 includes a server group 1
02 and the above clients 103a, 103b, 10
4a and 104b are connected. Communication network 101
In this embodiment, the Internet is assumed.
For data transmission / reception, TCP / IP, HTTP (hypertex
t transfer protocol), SMTP (simple mail trans)
An ordinary protocol such as fer protocol (FTP) or FTP (file transfer protocol) may be used.

In this embodiment, a case where the client is a home video game machine 103a will be briefly described. FIG. 4 shows the position of the configuration of the video game machine.

The video game machine has a main control unit 11, a RAM
12, hard disk drive (HDD) 18, sound processing unit 14, graphic processing unit 15, CD-ROM
It has a drive 16, a communication interface 17, and an interface unit 13.

The main controller 11 has a CPU and a ROM. The CPU controls the system based on a system program loaded in the ROM, and loads the game software installed on the hard disk onto the RAM 12 and executes it.

The RAM 12 temporarily stores input / output data for the CPU. The HDD 18 reads and writes data from and to a hard disk. The sound processing unit 14 converts a digital audio signal into an analog audio signal and outputs the analog audio signal to a speaker of the output device 6. The graphic processing unit 15 stores an image to be displayed on the display of the output device 6 and provides the image to the display.

The CD-ROM drive 16 is a CD-ROM
4 and read the game software and related data from the CD-ROM 4. The communication interface 17 communicates with an external device via the Internet 100.

The interface unit 13 inputs various information for a game from an input device (near roller) and reads and writes game-related data from and to the memory card 5.

The game machine body 201 activates the viewer and accesses the server group 102. The television receiver outputs image and sound data from the game machine main body 201. The controller inputs a user's instruction to the game machine main body 201. The viewer is installed in the game console from the CDROM. In the present embodiment, the program of FIG. 6 is incorporated in the viewer, and the information processing according to the present invention is executed by executing the program of FIG. 6 by the CPU in the game machine main body.

The processing related to the notification of the necessity of the password will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a processing procedure executed by the chat server system. This processing procedure is executed jointly by the server chat server 117 and the server chat server 118.

A user who wishes to establish a new chat room
Clients (103a, 103b, 104a, 104
b), the server group 102 is accessed, and after login, a chat room is selected from a menu screen (not shown). As a result, a list of chat room zones is displayed on the client. The zone is a name representing the field of the chat theme. When the client user designates a desired zone, the display screen of FIG. 2 is displayed.

On the client, the menu screen 1 shown in FIG.
When the “Create Room” item is selected in 004, a setting screen prepared in advance is displayed on the display.
The user inputs the type of zone, chat room name, necessity of password, his / her name, and the like. The input information is sent from the client to the chat server system of the server group 102 (steps S100 → 105 in FIG. 5). Since a series of processing up to this point is the same as the conventional processing, a detailed description will not be required.

The sub server 118 registers the input information from the client via the main server 117, that is, the registration information in the database in the internal hard disk (steps S10 → S20 → S25 in FIG. 5).

The name of the chat room thus established is displayed on the display screen of FIG. 2, that is, on the screen displayed when the client user selects a desired chat zone. More specifically, a zone selection command is sent from the client to the main chat server 118 by the client user's thorn selection. When the main chat server 118 indicates the zone indicated by the zone selection command to the sub chat server 118, the sub chat server 118 sets a data set (chat name, flag information indicating whether a password is required or not, etc.) related to the designated zone from an internal database. ) Is taken out and returned to the main chat server 117.

The main chat server 117 adds information such as the current number of persons entering the room to the information returned from the sub chat server 118, and transmits the list data to the client that transmitted the zone selection command (step in FIG. 5). S10 → S15).

The client receiving the list data,
The received list data, that is, a plurality of sets of chat room names, password necessity information, start date and time information, and the like are displayed as shown in FIG.

When the system uses a chat function such as IRC, it is preferable to include password necessity information in the header of communication data transmitted from the main server 117 to the client. As a result, the format of the communication data can be made the same as in the related art.

In this embodiment, since the password necessity information is on / off flag information, when the flag information is on, it is displayed in the form of an icon image prepared in advance. In this embodiment, the client extracts the password necessity information from the header of the communication data and displays it in the form of an icon (steps S100 → S110 in FIG. 6).
→ S120).

Thereafter, the client user selects a desired chat room name on the screen shown in FIG. 2, enters the room, and has a chat (Step 30 in FIG. 6). Further, the main chat server 117 receives and distributes a message to be distributed (step S105 in FIG. 5). These processes are the same as those in the related art, and a detailed description will be omitted.

The following embodiment can be carried out in addition to the above embodiment. 1) A program for realizing a chat function in a client and a chat server system may be created in a known programming language. The programming language referred to here is a program, a script, a markup language document, or the like, which is converted into a machine language after the machine executed by the CPU or with the support of a machine language conversion program (interpreter). 2) The concept of the client of the present invention includes all information processing devices that can communicate with the chat server system. The present invention can be applied to various information processing devices such as a mobile phone and a television having an Internet connection function in addition to the above-described embodiments. 3) The communication network 101 can use a communication network suitable for the system user according to the application, and the LAN (Local Area Network) can be used.
k), a general public telephone line, a communication line using a communication satellite, and the like can also be used. 4) The form of notification of the necessity of the password is as follows: a) The color of the display of the chat room name is changed. b) The display of the chat room name is distinguished between blinking and non-blinking. c) When the mouse cursor is positioned on the display of the chat room name, the necessity of a password is indicated by voice. And other methods can be used. 5) In the processing procedure shown in FIG. 5, the processing of steps S10 and S20 and the processing related to the step (step S2
5 and S30) may be reversed. 6) In the above embodiment, the chat server system is constructed by two servers, but the function may be realized by one server. 7) In the above-described embodiment, the password necessity information is input from the client when the chat room is opened. However, the password necessity information may be input from the keyboard of the main or sub server of the chat server system.

Various improvements other than the above-described embodiments can be made based on the technical ideas shown in the claims. However, as long as the improvements are based on the technical ideas shown in the claims, , Its modifications are within the scope of the present invention.

[0070]

As described above, claims 1 to 25 are provided.
According to the invention of the first aspect, the password necessity information is notified to the client user before entering each chat room. A password input screen is presented to a client user who does not have a password as in the related art, and the client user is not forced to uselessly operate.

According to the inventions of claims 2, 7, 12, 17, and 22, the necessity of a password can be notified to the client user in association with the guidance information of the chat room.
The client user can easily enter a chat room that does not require a password.

According to the third, eighth, thirteenth, eighteenth, and twenty-third inventions, the chat room establishment person can set whether or not a password is required.

According to the fourth, ninth, fourteenth, nineteenth, and twenty-fourth aspects of the present invention, there are provided two servers, a server for storing chat room related information including password necessity information and a server for communicating with (supporting) clients. By performing decentralized management, most chat rooms can be operated.

According to the fifth, tenth, fifteenth, twenty-fifth, and twenty-fifth aspects of the present invention, the password necessity information is notified by the presence / absence of the icon.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional chat room guidance screen.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a chat room guidance screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a system configuration according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a game machine.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure executed by the server system.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure executed by a client.

[Explanation of symbols]

 102 Server group 117 Main chat server 118 Sub chat server

Claims (24)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of chat rooms, comprising a plurality of clients and a server system, wherein messages can be exchanged between at least two clients entering a chat room via the server system. An electronic conference system that can establish a password and authenticate a password when entering a specific chat room, wherein the server system has a means for providing password necessity information associated with each of the plurality of chat rooms, An electronic conference system, wherein the client has means for notifying the provided necessity information. 2. The electronic conference system according to claim 1, wherein the client receives chat room guidance information from the server system, and the notifying unit associates the guidance information with the guidance information and transmits the chat room guidance information. An electronic conference system that notifies 3. The electronic conference system according to claim 1, wherein said password necessity information is input together with information relating to establishment of said password from a client who has established a chat room. . 4. The electronic conference system according to claim 3, wherein a message exchange between the first server that stores information about the established chat room and information about whether a password is required and the plurality of clients are supported. Second
An electronic conference system, wherein the server system includes the server of (1) and (2). 5. The electronic conference system according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit notifies the necessity information of the password based on whether or not an icon is displayed. 6. A client for use in an electronic conference system, wherein the electronic conference system has a plurality of clients and a server system, and the client device includes at least two clients entering a chat room. Messages can be exchanged via a server system, a plurality of chat rooms can be opened, and a password is authenticated when entering a specific chat room. A client, stored in association with a room, comprising: means for receiving the password necessity information from the server system; and means for notifying the received necessity information. 7. The client according to claim 6, further comprising: means for receiving guide information of a chat room that can be entered from the server system, wherein the notifying means associates the guide information with the guide of the guide information with the password. A client that reports the necessity information. 8. The client according to claim 6, wherein the information on the necessity of the password is input from a client who has established a chat room together with information relating to the establishment of the password. 9. The client according to claim 6, wherein the notifying unit notifies the necessity information of the password based on whether an icon is displayed or not. 10. A server system used in an electronic conference system, wherein the electronic conference system has a plurality of clients and one server system, and includes at least two clients entering a chat room. In the server system which can exchange messages via the server system and open a plurality of chat rooms and authenticate a password when entering a specific chat room, the server system comprises a plurality of chat rooms. Has storage means for storing password necessity information associated with each of the above, and means for providing the stored password necessity information, and the client associates the provided necessity information with a plurality of chat rooms. A server system characterized by notification. 11. The server system according to claim 10, wherein the server system has means for providing guide information of a chat room that can be entered and information on whether or not a password for the chat room is required.
A server system for receiving the guide information and notifying the necessity information of the password in association with the guide of the guide information. 12. The server system according to claim 10, wherein the password necessity information is input from a client who has established a chat room together with information relating to the establishment of the password. 13. The server system according to claim 12, wherein the first server for storing information about the established chat room and the information about the necessity of a password and a message exchange between the first plurality of clients. A server system comprising: two servers. 14. A plurality of chat rooms, comprising a plurality of clients and one server system, wherein at least two clients entering one chat room can exchange messages via the server system. In the electronic conference method in which a password can be authenticated when entering a specific chat room, the server system provides password necessity information associated with each of a plurality of chat rooms, and the client An electronic conferencing method characterized by reporting provided necessity information. 15. The electronic conference method according to claim 14, wherein the client receives guidance information of a chat room that can enter the room from the server system, and notifies the client of the necessity information of the password in association with the guidance of the guidance information. Electronic conference method. 16. The electronic conference method according to claim 14, wherein the password necessity information is input from a client who has established a chat room together with information relating to the establishment of the password. . 17. The electronic conference method according to claim 16, wherein message exchange is supported between a first server that stores information about the established chat room and information about whether a password is required, and a plurality of clients. Second
An electronic conference method, wherein the server system has the server of (1) and (2). 18. The electronic conference method according to claim 16, wherein the client notifies the necessity information of the password based on whether an icon is displayed or not. 19. An electronic conferencing system having a plurality of clients and one server system, wherein messages can be exchanged between at least two clients entering one chat room via the server system, A plurality of chat rooms can be opened, a password is authenticated upon entering a specific chat room, and in a program executed by each of the plurality of clients, the server system is associated with each of the plurality of chat rooms. A program comprising: providing password necessity information; receiving the provided necessity information; and notifying the received necessity information. 20. The program according to claim 19, further comprising a step of receiving, from the server system, guidance information of a chat room that can be entered by the client, wherein the notifying includes associating the guidance information with the guidance of the guidance information. A program for notifying the necessity / unnecessity information of the password. 21. The program according to claim 19, wherein said password necessity information is input together with information relating to establishment of said password from a client which has established a chat room. 22. The program according to claim 21, wherein a first server for storing information about the established chat room and information about whether a password is required, and a second server for supporting message exchange between a plurality of precursor clients. And a server having the server system. 23. The program according to claim 19, wherein, in said notifying step, said password necessity information is notified based on whether or not an icon is displayed. 24. An electronic conference method for performing an electronic conference using an area installed on a database of a server, wherein a plurality of conference rooms whose number can be increased or decreased at any time is provided on the server. A meeting room list including meeting room information having at least a meeting room name and password necessity information indicating the necessity of a password of the meeting rooms for a plurality of meeting rooms is provided on the server; Whenever the number of conference rooms on the server increases or decreases, the conference room information of the increased or decreased conference room is reflected in the conference room list and updated. Transmitting a list to the client, the client displaying the conference room list on the client, and accepting selection of a conference room from a user. Electronic conference how.