JP2023088236A - Conversation control device, conversation system, and conversation control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To enable a non-regular user to temporarily participate in an online conference.SOLUTION: There is provided a conversation control device comprising: a display information generation unit for generating display data that is needed for a conference room area image that indicates a plurality of currently installed conference rooms which are virtual conference rooms for conducting a conversion via a network and an icon image that indicates a user to be displayed on a user terminal; a conference room control unit for controlling participation to the conference rooms in accordance with a user's operation; and a conversion control unit for controlling the conversation of the users participating in the same conference room. The conference room control unit performs processing differently for the case where preliminarily registered regular users among the users are participating in the conference room, and the case where guest users having been approved for temporary participation by the regular uses among the users are participating in the conference room.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to technology for realizing online conversation.

Conventionally, systems have been proposed for conducting conversations and conferences via networks. In these systems, it is common to display a participant's face image photographed by a camera, an icon of the participant, and the like. For example, Patent Literature 1 describes extracting a photographed image of a user's face area and displaying the extracted image while blurring the background. The user can grasp what kind of people are participating by visually recognizing the displayed face image icons.

JP 2012-213013 A

Conventionally, an online conference has been held by predetermining members who will participate in the meeting and issuing an URL for the online conference and a conference ID to each participating member. Therefore, in the first place, it was not assumed that a plurality of online conferences would be held in parallel and the participating members would enter and leave the plurality of online conferences. In the future, multiple online conferences may be held in parallel. For example, not only the online conference that you are participating in, but also the status of multiple online conferences that are being held in parallel are displayed in a visible state, and information (e.g. URL) for accessing those online conferences is displayed. It may be possible to provide a mechanism that allows you to go back and forth by operating on the screen without using it. In the future, it is necessary to further improve the convenience of such systems. For example, a system that allows only pre-registered authorized users to participate in an online conference lacks convenience. Therefore, there is a demand for a mechanism that allows non-authorized users who are not registered to temporarily participate in online conferences.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide technology that enables non-authorized users to temporarily participate in an online conference.

One aspect of the present invention is a virtual conference room for having a conversation over a network, wherein a conference room area image is an image showing a plurality of currently installed conference rooms, and an icon indicating a user. and a display information generation unit that generates display data necessary for displaying an image on a user terminal, and a conference room control unit that controls participation in the conference room in accordance with a user operation. a conversation control unit for controlling a conversation between participating users, wherein the conference room control unit controls a case where a registered regular user among the users participates in the conference room, and a case where the user's This is a conversation control device that performs different processing when a guest user temporarily permitted to participate by an authorized user participates in the conference room.

One aspect of the present invention is the conversation control device described above, further comprising a message control unit that controls a conversation between users using text messages held in the conference room, wherein the display information generation unit includes: Display data is generated that further includes messages of the conversation in the conference room.

One aspect of the present invention is a virtual conference room for having a conversation over a network, wherein a conference room area image is an image showing a plurality of currently installed conference rooms, and an icon indicating a user. an image data generation unit that generates image data including an image; a conference room control unit that controls participation in the conference room according to a user's operation; and a conversation between users participating in the same conference room. and a conversation control unit for controlling a conversation control unit for controlling a case where an authorized user registered in advance among the users participates in the conference room, and a case where an authorized user among the users participates temporarily in the conference room. Different processing is performed when a guest user who is permitted to participate in the conference room participates in the conference room. A conversation system that generates different image data from a guest user terminal, which is a user terminal operated by a guest user terminal.

One aspect of the present invention is the conversation system described above, further comprising a message control unit that controls a conversation between users using text messages held in the conference room, wherein the image data generation unit includes: Image data is generated that further includes messages of the conversation in the conference room.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer is a virtual conference room for having a conversation over a network, and a conference room area image that is an image showing a plurality of currently installed conference rooms; and a display information generation step of generating display data necessary for displaying on the user terminal; and a conference room control step of controlling participation in the conference room by the computer according to the user's operation. and a conversation control step in which a computer controls a conversation between users participating in the same conference room, and in the conference room control step, the computer controls pre-registered authorized users among the users. A conversation control method in which different processing is performed when a user participates in the conference room and when a guest user who is temporarily permitted to participate by an authorized user among the users participates in the conference room. be.

One aspect of the present invention is the above-described conversation control method, wherein the computer further comprises a message control step of controlling a conversation between users using text messages held in the conference room, wherein the display information The generating step generates display data further including messages of the conversation in the conference room.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a computer is a virtual conference room for having a conversation over a network, and a conference room area image that is an image showing a plurality of currently installed conference rooms; an image data generation step of generating image data including an icon image showing a; a conference room control step of controlling participation in the conference room by a computer in accordance with a user's operation; and a conversation control step for controlling a conversation between users participating in the conference room, wherein in the conference room control step, the computer controls the computer to operate when a pre-registered authorized user among the users participates in the conference room. and a guest user who is temporarily permitted to participate by an authorized user among the users joins the conference room. A conversation control method for generating different image data for a regular user terminal, which is a user terminal operated by a guest user, and a guest user terminal, which is a user terminal operated by the guest user.

An aspect of the present invention is the conversation control method described above, wherein the computer further comprises a message control step of controlling a conversation between users using text messages held in the conference room, In the generating step, the computer generates image data further including messages of the conversation in the conference room.

The present invention enables non-authorized users to temporarily participate in an online conference.

1 is a schematic block diagram showing the system configuration of a first embodiment of conversation system 100 of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of the user terminal 10; FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of conversation control device 20. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10; FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of a user state setting image; 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an icon image 41; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of a conference room area image 30 of a conference room connected by a listening user. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation screen for setting a conference room to be open to the public; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed when a guest user accesses a conference room; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image after a guest user has entered the conference room; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the user terminal 10 of an authorized user; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on a guest user's user terminal 10. FIG. FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of the user terminal 10 in the second embodiment; FIG. FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of a conversation control device 20 according to the second embodiment; It is a figure which shows the specific example of the message display area in message notification mode. It is a figure which shows the specific example of the message display area in message notification mode. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of a message display area in message history mode; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of a message display area in message history mode;

Hereinafter, specific configuration examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the system configuration of the first embodiment of a conversation system 100 of the present invention. The conversation system 100 is a system for having conversations between users operating user terminals 10 via a network 90 . A conversation system 100 includes a plurality of user terminals 10 and a conversation control device 20 . A plurality of user terminals 10 and conversation control devices 20 are communicably connected via a network 90 . The network 90 may be a network using wireless communication or a network using wired communication. Network 90 may be configured by combining a plurality of networks.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of the user terminal 10. As shown in FIG. The user terminal 10 is configured using information equipment such as a smart phone, tablet, personal computer, portable game machine, stationary game machine, and dedicated equipment. The user terminal 10 includes a communication section 11 , an operation section 12 , a display section 13 , an audio input section 14 , an audio output section 15 , a storage section 16 and a control section 17 .

The communication unit 11 is a communication device. The communication unit 11 may be configured as a network interface, for example. The communication unit 11 performs data communication with other devices via the network 90 under the control of the control unit 17 . The communication unit 11 may be a device that performs wireless communication, or may be a device that performs wired communication.

The operation unit 12 is configured using existing input devices such as a keyboard, pointing device (mouse, tablet, etc.), buttons, touch panel, and the like. The operation unit 12 is operated by the user when inputting user instructions to the user terminal 10 . The operation unit 12 may be an interface for connecting an input device to the user terminal 10 . In this case, the operation unit 12 inputs to the user terminal 10 an input signal generated according to the user's input in the input device. The operation unit 12 may be configured using a microphone and a voice recognition device. In this case, the operation unit 12 performs voice recognition of the words uttered by the user, and inputs the character string information of the recognition result to the user terminal 10 . The operation unit 12 may be configured in any way as long as it is configured to allow the user's instructions to be input to the user terminal 10 .

The display unit 13 is an image display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The display unit 13 displays image data used for conversation. The display unit 13 may be an interface for connecting an image display device to the user terminal 10 . In this case, the display unit 13 generates a video signal for displaying image data, and outputs the video signal to an image display device connected thereto.

The voice input unit 14 is configured using a microphone. The voice input unit 14 may be configured as a microphone itself, or may be configured as an interface for connecting a microphone as an external device to the user terminal 10 . The microphone picks up the voice of the user who is having a conversation. The voice input unit 14 outputs voice data acquired by the microphone to the control unit 17 .

The audio output unit 15 is configured using an audio output device such as a speaker, headphones, or earphones. The audio output unit 15 may be configured as an audio output device itself, or may be configured as an interface for connecting an audio output device as an external device to the user terminal 10 . It is desirable that the audio output device output audio so that the user who is having a conversation can hear the audio. The audio output unit 15 outputs audio according to the audio signal output by the control unit 17 .

The storage unit 16 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The storage unit 16 stores data used by the control unit 17 . The storage unit 16 may function as the user information storage unit 161, for example. The user information storage unit 161 stores information about the user who operates the user terminal 10 (hereinafter referred to as “user information”). User information may include, for example, a user's handle name, user's icon data, and user's attribute information. A handle name is a name (nickname or real name) that a user uses when having a conversation in the conversation system 100 . Icon data is image data used when a user has a conversation in conversation system 100 . Attribute information may include, for example, information on the user's age, gender, and affiliation.

The control unit 17 is configured using a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory. The control unit 17 functions as a display control unit 171, a conference control unit 172, and a conversation control unit 173 as the processor executes programs. All or part of each function of the control unit 17 may be implemented using hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The above program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, CD-ROMs, semiconductor storage devices (such as SSD: Solid State Drives), hard disks and semiconductor storage built into computer systems. It is a storage device such as a device. The above program may be transmitted via telecommunication lines.

The display control unit 171 receives display information from the conversation control device 20 via the communication unit 11 . The display control unit 171 generates an image signal based on the acquired display information, and causes the display unit 13 to display the image signal. The display information may be, for example, image data representing the displayed image itself. In this case, the display information generator 233 of the conversation control device 20 is the entity that generates the image data (image data generator). The display information is, for example, data indicating information necessary for generating an image to be displayed (for example, information indicating the position, size, and display mode of the conference room to be displayed, and information indicating the user's position and icon image). There may be. In this case, the display control unit 171 generates image data to be displayed on the display unit 13 based on the display data. In this case, it is the display control unit 171 that generates the image data (image data generating unit).

The conference control unit 172 controls a virtual conference provided in the conversation control device 20 . For example, when the user instructs to set up a new conference room by operating the operation unit 12, the conference control unit 172 performs processing for setting up a new conference room.

The conversation control unit 173 controls conversations with users of other user terminals 10 . Conversations with users of other user terminals 10 may be conducted, for example, as conversations with one or more users participating in an established conference room (hereinafter referred to as "conference room conversations"). The conversation control unit 173 transmits, for example, voice data input from the voice input unit 14 to the conversation control device 20 via the communication unit 11 . Upon receiving voice data from conversation control device 20 , conversation control unit 173 outputs the received voice data from voice output unit 15 .

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of the conversation control device 20. As shown in FIG. The conversation control device 20 is configured using an information processing device such as a personal computer or a server device, for example. The conversation control device 20 includes a communication section 21 , a storage section 22 and a control section 23 .

The communication unit 21 is a communication device. The communication unit 21 may be configured as a network interface, for example. The communication unit 21 performs data communication with other devices via the network 90 under the control of the control unit 23 . The communication unit 21 may be a device that performs wireless communication, or may be a device that performs wired communication.

The storage unit 22 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. Storage unit 22 stores data used by control unit 23 . The storage unit 22 may function as an authorized user information storage unit 221, a guest user information storage unit 222, and a conference room information storage unit 223, for example.

The authorized user information storage unit 221 stores information (authorized user information) regarding a plurality of authorized users who operate the user terminal 10 . A regular user is a person who has been registered in advance as a user who can use the conversation system 100 by performing a predetermined procedure. An authorized user can use one or more functions provided for authorized users in the conversation system 100 (hereinafter referred to as "authorized user functions") by logging in using, for example, a user ID and password. is.

An authorized user can voluntarily log into the conversation system 100 without receiving an invitation from another authorized user. By logging in to the conversation system 100, authorized users can have online conversations with other users logged in to the conversation system 100. FIG. Authorized user information of a plurality of authorized users may be registered in the conversation control device 20 in advance. The authorized user information may include, for example, the authorized user's handle name, authorized user's icon data, and authorized user's attribute information.

The guest user information storage unit 222 stores information on guest users (guest user information). A guest user is a person who can access the conversation system 100 by receiving an invitation from an authorized user. A guest user receives information for accessing the conversation system 100 (hereinafter referred to as "guest access information") as an invitation from, for example, an authorized user, and accesses the conversation system 100 as a guest user by using the guest access information. . As guest access information, for example, a character string such as a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or an ID may be used.

A guest user can use one or a plurality of functions (hereinafter referred to as "guest user functions") provided for guest users in the conversation system 100. FIG. However, the guest user function is limited compared to the regular user function. That is, the functions provided as guest user functions are part of regular user functions. It should be noted that guest user functions may include functions that are not provided as regular user functions. Guest information may include, for example, a guest user's handle name and guest user attribute information. A handle name is a name (nickname or real name) that a guest user uses when having a conversation in the conversation system 100 . The attribute information may include, for example, information regarding the guest user's age, gender, and affiliation. A user is a concept that includes both regular users and guest users.

The conference room information storage unit 223 stores information about conference rooms (hereinafter referred to as “conference room information”). A conference room is a virtual room set up for a user to have a conversation in the conversation system 100 . The conference room information may include, for example, information indicating the name set for the conference room and information regarding attributes of the conference room. The information about the attributes of the conference room is, for example, whether the conference room permits guest entry (hereinafter referred to as "public state") or not permits guest entry (hereinafter "private state"). state”). The conference room information may further include information indicating regular users and guest users who are currently in the conference room.

The control unit 23 is configured using a processor such as a CPU and a memory. The control unit 23 functions as a user control unit 231, a conference room control unit 232, a display information generation unit 233, and a conversation control unit 234 by the processor executing programs. All or part of each function of the control unit 23 may be realized using hardware such as ASIC, PLD, FPGA, or the like. The above program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, CD-ROMs, semiconductor storage devices (such as SSD), and storage devices such as hard disks and semiconductor storage devices built into computer systems. It is a device. The above program may be transmitted via telecommunication lines.

The user control unit 231 performs control processing regarding regular users and guest users. For example, the user control unit 231 may perform login processing (for example, authentication processing) for authorized users accessing the conversation control device 20 . The user control section 231 may register the authorized user information received from the user terminal 10 in the authorized user information storage section 221 . The user control unit 231 requests a guest user who accesses the conversation control device 20 to input guest user information, and stores the input guest user information (for example, handle name, attribute information, etc.) in the guest user information storage unit. H.222 may be registered.

The conference room control unit 232 performs control processing related to the conference room. For example, when the conference room control unit 232 receives an instruction from the user terminal 10 to set up a new conference room, the conference room control unit 232 generates conference room information based on the received information, and the conference room information storage unit 223 may be registered with. When the user performs a predetermined operation for joining the conference room and a predetermined condition is satisfied, the conference room control unit 232 performs processing for allowing the user to participate in the conference room. For example, the conference room control unit 232 updates the conference room information storage unit 223 to register that a new user has joined the conference room. At this time, the conference room control unit 232 may perform different processes depending on whether the participation request is made by the regular user or by the guest user.

For example, when an authorized user logged in to the conversation system 100 performs an operation requesting entry to a specific conference room, the conference room control unit 232 determines that the authorized user is qualified to enter the conference room. Determine whether or not For example, if it is an ordinary conference room, it may be determined that any authorized user is qualified to enter the room. For example, in the case of a conference room where entry is restricted, whether or not the user is qualified to enter the room may be determined on the condition that the user is a pre-registered authorized user.

For example, the conference room control unit 232 determines whether or not the conference room designated as the access destination is open to the guest user who has accessed the conversation system 100 using specific guest access information. . If the conference room designated as the access destination is in a closed state, the conference room control unit 232 does not permit the guest user to enter the room. If the conference room designated as the access destination is open to the public, the conference room control unit 232 permits the guest user to enter the room. At this time, the conference room control unit 232 may permit the guest user to enter a waiting room provided in the conference room instead of permitting the guest user to enter the room. After the guest user enters the waiting room, if the regular user performs an operation to permit the guest user to enter the conference room, the conference room control unit 232 permits the guest user to enter the conference room. may

The display information generation unit 233 generates information (display information) necessary for generating an image displayed on the user terminal 10 . The display information may include, for example, information about the currently installed conference room and information about the user of each user terminal 10 accessing the conversation control device 20 . The display information generator 233 transmits the generated display information to the user terminal 10 .

The image displayed on each user terminal 10 differs depending on whether the user is a regular user or a guest user, even if the user terminal 10 is a user who is in the same conference room. The amount of information shown in the image displayed on the user terminal 10 operated by the guest user (guest user terminal) is compared to the amount of information shown in the image displayed on the user terminal 10 operated by the authorized user (authorized user terminal). less.

For example, on the user terminal 10 operated by the authorized user, information about conference rooms other than the conference room that the authorized user is in is also displayed, but on the user terminal 10 operated by the guest user, the guest user It may be configured so that information about conference rooms other than the conference room that the user is in is not displayed. If a guest user is invited to multiple conference rooms, the guest user terminal will display information about multiple conference rooms to which the guest user has been invited, and information about conference rooms to which the guest user has not been invited. may be configured not to For example, on the user terminal 10 operated by the authorized user, information about conference rooms other than the conference room that the authorized user is in is also displayed, but on the user terminal 10 operated by the guest user, the guest user It may be configured so that information about conference rooms other than the conference room that the user is in is not displayed.

The conversation control unit 234 receives voice data from the user terminal 10 . The conversation control unit 234 generates voice data to be output to each user terminal 10 (hereinafter referred to as “conversation voice data”) and transmits the conversation voice data to each user terminal 10 . The conversation control unit 234 may generate conversation voice data based on what kind of conversation the user of each user terminal 10 is participating in, for example. For example, the conversation control unit 234 transmits conversation voice data including voices received from the user terminals 10 of all users participating in the conference room that the user is in, to the user terminal 10 of each user. may

Next, the relationship between images displayed on the user terminal 10 and conversation voice data output when each image is displayed will be described.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 4 , a conference room area image 30 , a conversation area 31 , a listening area 32 , an icon image 41 and an operation area image 51 are displayed on the display section 13 . The display unit 13 displays an image of a virtual space in which a conference room can be set up. The virtual space is mainly composed of a conference room area and an area outside the conference room. The conference room area is displayed as a conference room area image 30 . An area outside the conference room (hereinafter referred to as an "outdoor area") is an area indicated by reference numeral 91, and is an area where icon images 41 of users who have not entered the conference room are displayed.

Conference room area image 30 includes conversation area 31 and listening area 32 . A user whose icon image 41 is displayed in the conversation area 31 can have a conversation with another user whose icon image 41 is displayed in the conversation area 31 in the same conference room. That is, the voices of the users whose icon images 41 are displayed in the conversation area 31 are transmitted and received to each other. In the following description, entering the conference room means that the icon image 41 is displayed in the conversation area 31 . In other words, entering the conference room means that it is possible to have a conversation with other participants.

A user whose icon image 41 is displayed in the listening area 32 (hereafter referred to as a "listening user") can listen to the conversation of the user whose icon image 41 is displayed in the conversation area 31 of the conference room (user who is in the room). can hear However, hearing users cannot speak in the conference room. That is, the voice uttered by the listening user is not output to the user terminals 10 of other users who are in the conference room or the user terminals 10 of other listening users in the conference room.

The conference room area image 30 is represented as a geometric image showing an area of a predetermined size. In the example of this embodiment, the conference room area image 30 is represented as a circular image. A conference room name 311 is displayed near the center of the conference room area image 30 . In the example of FIG. 4, "chat" is the name of the conference room. By displaying the name of the conference room, even a user (authorized user) located in the outdoor area 91 can roughly guess what kind of conversation is taking place in the conference room without entering the conference room. It becomes possible to

An enter room button 312 and a details button 313 may be displayed inside the conference room area image 30 . The room entry button 312 is a button for requesting entry into the conference room. When the room entry button 312 is operated by the user located in the outdoor area 91, the conference room control unit 232 determines that the user requests to enter the conference room. The conference room control unit 232 determines whether or not to permit entry into the room according to the request, and controls entry of the user into the room according to the determination result.

A detail button 313 is a button for displaying detailed information about the conference room. A detailed display area is displayed on the screen in response to the operation of the detail button 313 . The detailed display area displays detailed information about the conference room, and buttons and input frames for operating the conference room. For example, a button for issuing guest access information, an area where guest access information is displayed, a button for changing the state to public or private, a name of the conference room, a button for changing the name of the conference room, etc. A button, an input frame for inputting the changed conference room name, and the like may be displayed.

The icon image 41 is an image showing the user's virtual position and information about the user. The icon image 41 may be displayed according to icon data included in user information, for example.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of the user state setting image. A user state setting image 511 is displayed on the screen in response to a predetermined operation. In FIG. 5, the user state setting image 511 shows display examples of icon images and character strings of three user states of "welcome", "flat" and "zone".

"Welcome" indicates, for example, that the user has accessed the conversation control device 20 and is ready to have a conversation, and that he/she wants to actively have a conversation. "Flat" indicates, for example, that the user is accessing the conversation control device 20 and is in a state in which conversation is possible, and that it does not matter whether the user has a conversation or not. "Zone" indicates, for example, that the user is accessing the conversation control device 20 and is browsing the screen, but does not operate it for a while or does not want to have a conversation. . The specific examples of user states described above are merely examples, and user states may be defined in other forms.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of the icon image 41. As shown in FIG. The icon image 41 may be configured to indicate user states. In the specific example shown in FIG. 6, the icon image 41 includes a user state image 42 indicating user states. The user state image 42 is an image representing a user state. User state image 42 may be configured to indicate the user state, for example, by shape or color. As the user state image 42, for example, an icon image of each user state shown in the user state setting image 511 may be shown.

Note that the manner in which the icon image 41 indicates the user state is not necessarily limited to the manner in which the user state image 42 is used. For example, the user status may be indicated by changing the color of the icon image 41 itself according to the user status. For example, in the case of welcome, the icon image 41 is displayed in normal color, in the case of flat, the icon image 41 is displayed in sepia tone color, and in the case of zone, the icon image 41 is displayed in black and white ( For example, it may be displayed as a binary image).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10. As shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 7, icon images 41 (41_1 and 41_2) of two users and a conference room area image 30 of one conference room are displayed. No users have yet joined the conference room indicated by conference room area image 30 . Two users are not in any meeting room. Therefore, the icon image 41_1 and the icon image 41_2 are displayed in the outdoor area 91 instead of inside the conference room area image 30 .

A user who wishes to participate in the conference room can join (enter) the conference room by performing a predetermined operation. For example, by operating the room entry button 312 in the conference room area image 30 in which the participant desires to participate, the participant can participate in the conference room. It should be noted that the operation for entering the room need not be limited to the one described above. When room entry restrictions are set for a conference room, only users permitted to enter the room under the room entry restrictions can enter the conference room.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10. As shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 8, one user participates in a meeting room with a theme of small talk. Therefore, the icon image 41 (41_2) of one user is displayed inside the conference room area image 30 showing the conference room with the theme of chat. At this point, there are no other users participating in the same conference room as the user of the icon image 41_2. Therefore, the user of the icon image 41_2 cannot converse with other users in the meeting room with the theme of small talk.

When the user of the icon image 41_1 in the outdoor area 91 performs an operation to participate in the conference room with the theme of small talk, the user who wishes to participate in the conference room You will be notified that you are For example, a predetermined sound (for example, a door knocking sound) may be output at the user terminal 10 of each user. The users to be notified may be all users participating in the conference room, or may be only a predetermined number of users (for example, the user who is the administrator of the conference room).

After the notification, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, the user of the icon image 41_1 can participate in the meeting room with the theme of small talk. The predetermined condition may be, for example, simply that a predetermined time (eg, 1 second, 3 seconds, 5 seconds, etc.) has passed, or a predetermined user (eg, the manager of the conference room, a participant, etc.) It may be that participation is permitted, or that a participation condition set in advance for the conference room is satisfied.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10. As shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 9, two users are participating in the meeting room with the theme of small talk. Therefore, the icon images 41 (41_1 and 41_2) of two users are displayed inside the conference room area image 30 showing the conference room with the theme of small talk. At this point, the user of the icon image 41_1 and the user of the icon image 41_2 are participating in the same conference room. Therefore, the user of the icon image 41_1 and the user of the icon image 41_2 can have a conversation in the conference room with the theme of small talk. That is, users participating in the same conference room can have a conversation using the user terminals 10 .

More specifically, it is as follows. The user terminals 10 of users participating in the conference room receive and output voice data uttered by other users participating in the same conference room. Also, the user terminal 10 of the user participating in the conference room transmits voice data uttered by the user to the conversation control device 20 . By this transmission, the voice data is output in the user terminals 10 of other users participating in the same conference room. When the user of the icon image 41_3 in the outdoor area 91 performs an operation to participate in the chat-themed conference room, the user of the icon image 41_3 enters the chat-themed conference room after a predetermined condition is met. can participate in

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10. As shown in FIG. In the example of FIG. 10, three users are participating in the meeting room with the theme of small talk. Therefore, icon images 41 (41_1, 41_2, and 41_3) of three users are displayed inside the conference room area image 30 showing the conference room whose theme is chat. At this point, the user of the icon image 41_1, the user of the icon image 41_2, and the user of the icon image 41_3 are participating in the same conference room. Therefore, the user of the icon image 41_1, the user of the icon image 41_2, and the user of the icon image 41_3 can have a conversation in the conference room whose theme is small talk. The same applies when four or more users participate in the same conference room.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific example of the conference room area image 30 of the conference room to which the hearing user is connected. A listening user cannot speak, but can hear what other users are saying in the conference room. In other words, the listening user's speech content is not output to other users connected to the same conference room, but the speech content of other users who are in the same conference room is output to the listening user. .

In the example of FIG. 11, a listening user is connected to a conference room whose theme is chatting. A listening user icon image 41_3 is displayed in the listening area 32 . The icon image 41_3 of the listening user may be displayed in a manner different from the icon images 41 of the non-listening user (eg, the icon image 41_1 and the icon image 41_2).

Next, a specific example of a procedure for notifying guest access information to a person (guest user candidate) to be invited to the conversation system 100 will be described. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a specific example of an operation screen for setting the conference room to open. A detailed display area 512 is displayed in response to the operation of the detailed button 313 by the authorized user. The detailed display area 512 includes a conference room name setting area 513 and a public setting area 514 .

A conference room name setting area 513 displays the current conference room name (for example, “chat”) and a conference room name change button. The conference room name change button may be displayed, for example, as a character string “change conference room name”.

A public setting area 514 displays a character string indicating the current state (for example, “guest public”) and a guest access information display area 515 . In the example of FIG. 12, "guest open" is displayed as a character string indicating the current state. This indicates that it is open to the public. The current public state may be changed to the private state in response to the operation of the public setting area 514 by the authorized user. For example, when the authorized user performs a predetermined operation such as clicking or tapping in the public setting area 514, the conference room control unit 232 causes the state to transition from the public state to the private state or from the private state to the public state. You can Also, when the regular user changes the state of the conference room from the open state to the closed state, the conference room control unit 232 forces all the guest users who have entered the conference room to leave the conference room. You may let

Guest access information is displayed in the guest access information display area 515 . In the specific example of FIG. 12, the guest access information is a URL. For example, the authorized user sets the conference room to public by operating the public setting area 514, and transmits the guest access information displayed in the guest access information display area 515 to the invitees. Through such an operation, the person to be invited can be invited as a guest user to the conference room for "chatter" of the conversation system 100. FIG.

When receiving an instruction to issue guest access information (URL or ID) from the user, the conference room control unit 232 issues new guest access information and changes the state of the conference room from the closed state to the open state. You can transition.

It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, the guest access information differs for each conference room. Therefore, even if a certain guest user is invited to the first conference room, the guest user cannot use the guest access information at that time to enter another conference room. Also, the guest access information may be provided with an effective period. For example, after guest access information is issued by an operation on the public setting area 514, the guest access information may be used to limit the time during which the conference room can be accessed as a guest user. Such control may be performed by the conference room controller 232, for example. As guest access information, guest access information that allows access to a plurality of specific conference rooms may be issued.

The conference room area image 30 of the open conference room may be displayed in a manner different from the conference room area image 30 of the closed conference room. For example, although the image of the conference room area image 30 itself does not change, an image (hereinafter referred to as a "disclosure notification image") 516 indicating the open state may be displayed near the conference room area image 30 . For example, the conference room area image 30 itself may be displayed in a different color or decoration, or the disclosure notification image may be displayed inside the conference room area image 30 .

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed when a guest user accesses a conference room. When the guest user accesses the meeting room of the conversation system 100 using the guest access information, the guest user's user terminal 10 displays a screen for entering a name. Guest users enter their own name (handle name). In the example of FIG. 13, the guest user has entered the handle name "Taro Tokkyo". In response to this, the icon image 44 of the guest user displays a part of the handle name "Patent". Thus, the icon image 44 of the guest user may be generated in a manner different from the icon image 41 of the authorized user. For example, the color of the inside or frame may be different, or a restriction may be provided so that the icon image 44 of the guest user is generated only with characters. The same applies to the icon image 43 and the image 518 described above. By configuring in this way, it becomes possible to easily determine which icon belongs to the guest user.

When a guest user enters the waiting room and waits, an image as shown in FIG. 13 is displayed on the user terminal 10 of the regular user who has entered the conference room. That is, the standby notification image 517 is displayed. The standby notification image 517 displays a predetermined image 518 indicating that the user is on standby, the handle name of the guest user who is on standby, and an approval/disapproval button. As permission/refusal buttons, a permission button for permitting the guest user to enter the room and a deny button for permitting/refusing the guest user to enter the room are displayed. The authorized user permits or denies the guest user's entry by operating either of the permit or deny buttons.

It should be noted that when the guest user enters the waiting room and is waiting in this manner, even if a predetermined image indicating that the guest user is waiting is displayed as the icon image 43 in the conversation area 31, good. Such a display enables the regular user to easily grasp which meeting room has the guest user waiting. Also, the image 518 and the icon image 43 may be the same image or different images. For example, an image showing a bell may be used for the image 518 and the icon image 43 .

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image after the guest user has entered the conference room. Icon images representing guest users may be displayed in a manner different from icon images representing regular users. For example, in the example of FIG. 14, the image set for the authorized user or the default image is displayed as the icon image for the authorized user, but characters are displayed for the guest user's icon image. This character may be part or all of the guest user's handle, for example. By displaying in such different manners, each user entering the room can easily determine which user is a guest user and which user is a regular user.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the user terminal 10 of the authorized user. The image in FIG. 15 particularly shows a specific example of the image displayed on the user terminal 10 of the authorized user (the user of the icon image 41_4) of the conference room area image 30_1 on the upper right of the screen. The user terminal 10 of the authorized user also displays images of conference rooms other than the conference room that the user himself/herself has entered. For example, images of other conference rooms ("New OS Development Project" and "Meditation" conference rooms) and icon images 41 of users who are in the conference rooms are displayed.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a specific example of an image displayed on the user terminal 10 of the guest user. The image of FIG. 16 particularly shows a specific example of an image displayed on the user terminal 10 of the guest user (the user of the icon image 44_1) of the conference room area image 30_1 on the upper right of the screen. The user terminal 10 of the guest user does not display an image of a conference room other than the conference room that the guest user himself/herself has entered. For example, neither the images of the other conference rooms (“New OS Development Project” and “Meditation” conference rooms) nor the icon images 41 of the users who are in the conference rooms are displayed. By performing such control, the guest user cannot obtain any information about conference rooms other than the conference room to which he/she has been invited (in the case of FIG. 16, the "chat" conference room). Further, the details button 313 is not displayed on the guest user's user terminal 10 either. Therefore, the guest user cannot perform operations using the details button 313 . Therefore, it is possible to maintain security for guests.

Also, as shown in FIG. 16, the user terminal 10 of the guest user has an image showing the conference room that the guest user is in (a conference room area image 30 and other users , etc.) may be displayed in the center of the screen. At this time, according to the size of the display frame in the user terminal 10, it may be displayed as large as possible. For example, the conference room area image 30 may be enlarged and displayed within a range where the entire conference room area image 30 can be displayed. However, a predetermined margin may be provided in the vertical direction and/or the horizontal direction.

In the conversation system 100 configured in this manner, it is possible to allow non-authorized users to temporarily participate in an online conference (conversation in a conference room) as guest users. Specifically, by setting the conference room to open status and notifying guest access information to non-authorized users to be invited, it is possible for non-authorized users to enter the open conference room as guest users. becomes.

Also, the amount of information displayed on the user terminal 10 of the guest user is smaller than the amount of information displayed on the user terminal 10 of the authorized user. For example, on the user terminal 10 of the guest user, no information is displayed for conference rooms other than the conference room in which the guest user is participating or the conference rooms to which the guest user has been invited. Therefore, in the conversation system 100, which assumes that images representing a plurality of conference rooms are displayed, it is possible to allow guest users to participate while maintaining a certain level of security.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the conversation system 100 of the present invention will be described. In the conversation system 100 according to the second embodiment, the user can exchange text information with other users belonging to the same conference room by operating the operation unit 12 of the user terminal 10 . Specifically, on the display unit 13 of the user terminal 10, a message display area showing text information (hereinafter referred to as "message") input by a user belonging to the same conference room is displayed. In the following, among the configurations of the second embodiment, the devices and configurations that are different from those of the first embodiment will be described.

FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of the user terminal 10 according to the second embodiment. The user terminal 10 in the second embodiment differs from that in the first embodiment in that the controller 17 further functions as a message controller 174 .

The message information storage unit 174 transmits a character string input by the user via the operation unit 12 or the voice input unit 14 to the conversation control device 20 as a message.

FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of the conversation control device 20 according to the second embodiment. The conversation control device 20 in the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the storage section 22 further functions as a message information storage section 224 and the control section 23 further functions as a message control section 235 .

The message information storage unit 224 stores information about messages transmitted from each user terminal 10 . For example, the message information storage unit 224 stores, for each message, the contents of the message (character strings that make up the message), identification information that indicates the user who sent the message, information that indicates the date and time when the message was input, and the destination of the message. information indicating the conference room that has been changed may be associated and stored.

Upon receiving a message from the user terminal 10 , the message control section 235 registers information on the received message in the message information storage section 224 . The message control unit 235 instructs the display information generation unit 233 to display the content of the received message in the message display area of the user terminal 10 of the user belonging to the conference room to which the message was sent. do. In this instruction, the message control unit 235 designates the user terminal 10 to be displayed for each message. For example, the content of the message is displayed only on the user terminals 10 of users (including guest users) who belong to the same conference room, and is not displayed on the user terminals 10 of users who are not in the conference room.

The message control unit 235 receives notification of the details from the conference room control unit 232 when a predetermined situation change occurs in the conference room. The message control unit 235 instructs the display information generation unit 233 to display a character string indicating the situation change in the message display area of the user terminal 10 of the user belonging to the conference room where the predetermined situation change has occurred. A specific example of the predetermined status change may include, for example, a change in the setting of the conference room (for example, a change from the closed state to the open state). Specific examples of predetermined status changes may include, for example, that a user has entered a conference room, that a user has left the conference room, and that a user outside the conference room has been invited (called to enter). .

The message control unit 235 deletes messages that satisfy a predetermined condition among the messages stored in the message information storage unit 224 . The predetermined condition may be, for example, that all users have left the conference room to which the message was sent. In this case, all messages in the conference room where all users have left may be deleted at that point, or a predetermined time (for example, 1 minute, 1 hour, 24 hours, etc.) has passed since all users left. It may be deleted later. A predetermined condition is, for example, that a predetermined period of time (eg, 1 hour, 24 hours, 48 hours, etc.) has passed since the message was posted, even if the user remains in the conference room to which the message was sent. The message may be deleted at the point in time, or it may be deleted at a predetermined time (e.g., midnight, 1:00 a.m., etc.) after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 1 hour, 24 hours, 48 hours, etc.) has elapsed since the message was posted. may be deleted at any time.

The message control unit 235 may cause the user terminal 10 to display the message display area in a plurality of different modes. For example, a message notification mode and a message history mode may be defined, and the message display area may be displayed in different manners in each mode. A specific example of the display mode of the message display area in each mode will be described below.

19 and 20 are diagrams showing specific examples of the message display area in the message notification mode. In the message notification mode, a message display area 61 and a message operation area 70 are displayed in part of the operation area image 51 . A message input field 71 , a message posting button 72 , and a mode change button 73 are displayed in the message operation area 70 . In the message input field 71, a character string of a message input by the user via the operation unit 12 or the voice input unit 14 is displayed. The message posting button 72 is a button for posting the character string displayed in the message input field 71 as a message when operated. The mode change button 73 is a button for switching between the message notification mode and the message history mode.

Messages may be posted only by users who are in the conference room, for example. Users participating in the conference room as listening users may also be controlled to be able to post messages. A user participating in the conference room as a guest user may also be controlled to be able to post a message. Users who have not entered the conference room and who have not participated as listening users or guest users cannot post messages to the conference room and cannot see (display) messages. may be controlled to

The size of the message display area 61 displayed in the message notification mode is relatively smaller than the size of the message display area 62 displayed in the message history mode. Therefore, the number of messages displayed in the message display area 61 in the message notification mode is relatively small compared to the message display area 62 displayed in the message history mode. By configuring in this way, in the message notification mode, it is possible to secure a view for sharing workspaces and materials. In other words, in the message notification mode, it is possible to secure a large space for displaying characters and images other than messages.

In the message notification mode, the message is displayed in the message display area 61 immediately after being posted. After a predetermined amount of time (e.g., several seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, etc.) has passed since the message was posted, the message will be posted to the message display area 61 even if there is space in the message display area 61 to display the message. (display is removed). The predetermined time is a time shorter than a typical conversation ends, and may be several seconds as described above, or may be 5 to 10 seconds long. By configuring in this way, old messages disappear one after another from the screen, and it is possible to provide a live feeling and dynamic appearance.

Five messages are displayed in the message display area 61 of FIG. Each message is displayed in the order it was posted. For example, the message "Call me Mr. Patent" displayed at the top is a message posted by the user of the icon image 41_1, and is the oldest message among the five messages. The message "I called Mr. Tokkyo" displayed below is a message that is displayed in response to a predetermined change in the situation in the conference room, and is the second oldest message among the five messages. is. The message "Mr. Tokkyo has entered the room" displayed below is a message that is displayed in response to a predetermined situation change in the conference room, and is the third oldest among the five messages. is the message. The message "It's a patent, nice to meet you" displayed below is a message posted by the guest user of the icon image 44, and is the fourth oldest message among the five messages. The message "Nice to meet you, Mr. Patent" displayed below (at the bottom) is a message posted by the user of the icon image 41_4, and is the fifth oldest (newest) message among the five messages. be.

FIG. 20 is a screen displayed after a predetermined time (for example, several seconds) has elapsed since the screen shown in FIG. 19 was displayed. In FIG. 20, of the five messages displayed at the time of FIG. 19, two messages that have been posted for a predetermined period of time are not displayed.

21 and 22 are diagrams showing specific examples of the message display area in the message history mode. In the message history mode, a message display area 62 is displayed in part of the operation area image 51 . The size of the message display area 62 displayed in the message history mode is relatively large compared to the message display area 61 displayed in the message notification mode. Therefore, more messages are displayed. With this configuration, in the message history mode, it is possible to secure a field of view for checking the message history.

In the message history mode, all history of messages recorded in the message information storage unit 224 in the conference room is displayed in the message display area 62 . However, the number of messages displayed in the message display area 62 at one time is determined according to the size and resolution of the display section 13 of the user terminal 10, the size of the operation area image 51, and the like. Therefore, it may not be possible to display all the messages recorded in the message information storage unit 224 at once. In such a case, a scroll bar 621 is displayed as shown in FIG. 21, and all messages can be viewed by scrolling the screen.

A guest user can see only the messages posted while the conference room is open, among the messages recorded for the conference room that the guest user is in. Therefore, the image showing the message posted when the conference room is closed is not transmitted to the user terminal 10 of the guest user. Only the image showing the message posted when the conference room is open to the public is transmitted to the user terminal 10 of the guest user.

Eleven messages are displayed in the message display area 62 of FIG. Among these messages, the messages before (above) the sixth message ““Chat” has been published” were posted when the conference room was in the closed state. Among these messages, the messages after (below) the sixth message ““Chat” has been published” were posted when the conference room was open. Therefore, the image shown in FIG. 21 is displayed on the user terminal 10 of the user who is not the guest user. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 22, the user terminal 10 of the guest user does not display the message posted when the conference room is closed.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design and the like are included within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100... Conversation system 10... User terminal 20... Conversation control apparatus 11... Communication part 12... Operation part 13... Display part 14... Voice input part 15... Voice output part 16... Storage part 161... User information storage unit 17 Control unit 171 Display control unit 172 Conference control unit 173 Conversation control unit 21 Communication unit 22 Storage unit 221 Authorized user information storage unit 222 Guest user Information storage unit 223 Conference room information storage unit 23 Control unit 231 User control unit 232 Conference room control unit 233 Display information generation unit 234 Conversation control unit 30 Conference room area image 31 Conversation area 311 Meeting room name 312 Enter room button 313 Details button 32 Listening area 41 Icon image 42 User status image 91 Outdoor area

Claims (8)

A virtual conference room for having a conversation over a network, and a conference room area image, which is an image showing a plurality of currently installed conference rooms, and an icon image showing a user, to a user terminal. a display information generation unit that generates display data necessary for displaying;
a conference room control unit that controls participation in the conference room according to a user's operation;
a conversation control unit that controls conversations between users participating in the same conference room;
with
The conference room control unit controls a case where an authorized user registered in advance among the users participates in the conference room, and a guest user who is temporarily permitted to participate by an authorized user among the users participates in the conference. A conversation control device that performs different processing when joining a room. Further comprising a message control unit for controlling conversations between users using text messages held in the conference room,
2. The conversation control device according to claim 1, wherein said display information generator generates display data further including messages of said conversation in said conference room. Image data including a conference room area image representing a plurality of currently installed conference rooms, which are virtual conference rooms for having conversations over a network, and icon images representing users. an image data generation unit that generates
a conference room control unit that controls participation in the conference room according to a user's operation;
a conversation control unit that controls conversations between users participating in the same conference room;
with
The conference room control unit controls a case where an authorized user registered in advance among the users participates in the conference room, and a guest user who is temporarily permitted to participate by an authorized user among the users participates in the conference. When joining a room, different processing is performed,
The image data generation unit generates different image data for an authorized user terminal, which is a user terminal operated by the authorized user, and a guest user terminal, which is a user terminal operated by the guest user.
conversation system. Further comprising a message control unit for controlling conversations between users using text messages held in the conference room,
4. The conversation system according to claim 3, wherein said image data generator generates image data further including messages of said conversation in said conference room. A computer is a virtual conference room for having a conversation via a network, and a conference room area image, which is an image showing a plurality of currently installed conference rooms, and an icon image showing a user. a display information generating step for generating display data necessary for displaying on a user terminal;
a conference room control step in which the computer controls participation in the conference room according to the user's operation;
the computer has a conversation control step for controlling conversations between users participating in the same conference room;
In the conference room control step, the computer controls a case where an authorized user registered in advance among the users participates in the conference room, and a guest who is temporarily allowed to participate by an authorized user among the users. A conversation control method that performs different processing when a user participates in the conference room. the computer further comprising a message control step of controlling a conversation between users using text messages conducted in said conference room;
6. The conversation control method according to claim 5, wherein in said display information generating step, display data further including messages of said conversation in said conference room is generated. A computer is a virtual conference room for having a conversation via a network, and a conference room area image, which is an image showing a plurality of currently installed conference rooms, and an icon image showing a user. an image data generating step for generating image data including
a conference room control step in which the computer controls participation in the conference room according to the user's operation;
a conversation control step in which the computer controls conversations between users participating in the same conference room;
with
In the conference room control step, the computer controls a case where an authorized user registered in advance among the users participates in the conference room, and a guest who is temporarily allowed to participate by an authorized user among the users. Perform different processing when the user joins the conference room,
In the image data generating step, the computer generates different image data for an authorized user terminal operated by the authorized user and a guest user terminal operated by the guest user.
Conversation control method. the computer further comprising a message control step of controlling a conversation between users using text messages conducted in said conference room;
8. The conversation control method according to claim 7, wherein in said image data generation step, said computer generates image data further including messages of said conversation in said conference room.

Images