KR100697099B1 - A method for providing message transmission service among different type messengers and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing a messenger service in a heterogeneous messenger.

According to the configuration of the present invention, the client system is provided with a unique ID and a fixed messenger agent capable of identifying a user regardless of the messenger type. The fixed messenger agent collects the unique ID, the messenger ID, and the buddy list information of the client system and transmits them to the bridge server. The bridge server maps the unique ID, the messenger ID, and the buddy list to each other to allow the messenger to send and receive the login status and the chat message of the buddy.

Messenger, Buddy, Unique ID, Socket

Description

A method for providing message transmission service between heterogeneous messengers and a method thereof

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a general messenger server.

2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a message transfer system between heterogeneous messengers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a bridge server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a signal flow diagram illustrating an SM agent installation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a signal flow diagram illustrating a login information and a message transmission / reception providing method between heterogeneous messengers according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a system capable of transmitting a message between heterogeneous messengers and a service method thereof.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a system capable of checking whether a user logs in and transmitting and receiving messages between messenger clients provided by different service providers, and a service method thereof.

With the development of the network, in order to communicate between remote locations, a messenger program for transmitting only a simple text along with e-mail has been in the spotlight. The messenger program can check the login / off state of the other party, and has a merit of real-time communication, which is widely used in communication services using the Internet.

Currently, the messenger program provides not only text transmission but also various functions such as URL transmission, group chat, file transmission, and additional information such as stocks, traffic, weather, games, wired / wireless interworking services, voice chat, and video chat. Additional service functions are integrated into one messenger program to provide various functions.

On the other hand, these messenger programs, which are distributed on Internet portal sites or community sites, have been developed and distributed competitively to strengthen communication between members and attract members, providing better value-added services to messenger users.

The distribution of these various upgraded messenger programs has the advantage of meeting various demands of users, but as the messenger programs residing in the RAM of the client's computer increase, the function of the client's computer is affected. There has been a problem that may result in.

In addition, when a friend (hereinafter referred to as a buddy) registered in his or her messenger exists in a plurality of messengers, a messenger user must drive a heterogeneous messenger according to a buddy, thereby weakening the mutual communication function of the messenger. Causing problems.

In other words, the messenger programs provided by various service companies have different protocols and do not share member information. As a result, the messenger service has a weakened communication function as the messenger program increases.

Meanwhile, in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-0106043, in order to provide a communication service between heterogeneous messengers, one messenger server A is registered with a heterogeneous messenger server B as a client so as to be a client of a heterogeneous messenger server B. Disclosed a technique for sending a message to

However, in the related art, when a messenger server is registered as a client, a compatible heterogeneous messenger program has a problem in that the number is limited. When the messenger server A is registered as a client of another messenger B, the messenger B There is a problem that overloads).

The present invention provides a messenger service system and method capable of providing data transmission and reception between a plurality of heterogeneous messengers in order to solve the above-described problems of the prior art.

In addition, the present invention provides a messenger service system and method that can communicate with each other regardless of the number of heterogeneous messengers, and checks the login / logout status of the other party so that a chat application and a message exchange can be performed even if a user is logged in to any messenger program. do.

In order to achieve the above-described technical problem, a messenger service providing system according to an aspect of the present invention, the bridge server for mapping the messenger ID between the heterogeneous messenger and providing mutual message transmission and reception; Regardless of the type of messenger used, a unique ID for uniquely identifying the messenger user, a messenger used by the messenger user, ID information including the messenger ID and a buddy list of the messenger user are matched and stored. Contains a database,

The bridge server may include a unique ID authentication unit for authenticating the unique ID from a client system requesting a connection; An SM agent providing unit for providing a fixed messenger agent (SM agent) for allowing the ID information collection and connection of a bridge server to be requested by the client system; An ID information collecting unit for collecting the ID information of a messenger user using an SM agent installed in a client system; And an ID information mapping unit configured to perform mapping between the unique ID, the messenger ID, and the buddy list to set the login status information and the message transmission / reception path of the user corresponding to the unique ID by using the collected ID information. .

In addition, a method of providing a messenger service according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a) providing a fixed messenger agent (SM agent) that collects a unique ID for identifying a messenger user and a messenger ID and a buddy list of a client system regardless of the messenger type; step; b) collecting ID information including the unique ID, a messenger ID, and a buddy list from a client system through the SM agent; c) storing the ID information in a bridge server, and mapping the stored plurality of unique IDs with a messenger ID and a buddy list.

The method of providing a messenger service may include: d) receiving a login request including a unique ID and a first messenger ID of a first messenger which is one of a plurality of messengers installed in a first client system; e) retrieving a buddy ID of the buddy list of the first messenger and transmitting login status information of the first messenger using a buddy unique ID corresponding to the buddy ID.

In addition, a recording medium on which a messenger service providing program according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is recorded may include a function of registering a plurality of messenger IDs corresponding to a unique ID for identifying a messenger user regardless of a messenger type; Collecting a buddy list of messengers installed in the client system; Transmitting the unique ID, the messenger ID, and the buddy list information to a bridge server; And a function of displaying login status information of a buddy and providing a chat message transmission based on the unique ID information transmitted from the bridge server.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention. Like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the specification. (When a part is connected to another part, this includes not only a directly connected part but also an electrically connected part with another element in between.)

A messenger service system and method according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a general messenger server.

The messenger server 20 includes a gateway server 21, a central message server group 22, an insert message server group 23, an application server group 24, a database 27, a web server 26, an XML server ( 25).

In order to receive a messenger service using the messenger server 20, a messenger client following the protocol of the messenger server 20 must be installed in a PC 10.

The messenger client accesses the gateway server 21 and receives a central message server (CMS) from the central message server group 22 to establish a connection. When a messenger client connects to a central message server assigned by the gateway server 21 from the central message server group 22 and wishes to have a conversation with another messenger client, the central message server is one of the instant message server groups 23. You will assign one instant message server (IMS).

That is, the main body of the messenger client maintains a connection with the central message server, and the chat window of the messenger establishes a connection with the instant message server.

Here, the user of another messenger client who has received a chat request accesses the central message server assigned by the gateway server 21, and the central message server informs the instant message server to which the user messenger client who has applied for chat is connected. You will be connected to the instant message server.

Thus, the central message server group 22 will share in real time a list of all connected users. Here, messenger users send and receive messages through socket connections.

In this case, the application server group 24 performs a function of supporting a central message server and an application program required for instant messaging, and the XML server 25 provides another online supplementary service in a messenger client.

The web server 26 provides a web page to which a messenger user can subscribe and download a messenger client, and the database 27 stores relevant data and user information for providing a messenger function.

The block diagram shown in FIG. 1 may be applied to an embodiment of the present invention as a general architecture for providing a messenger service. In the architecture shown in FIG. It can be obvious.

2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a message transfer system between heterogeneous messengers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Message transmission system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a client system (100a, 100b) using a different messenger, a unique ID issuing server 200, a bridge server group 300.

The client system 100a includes a first messenger client 110a and a static messenger agent 120a (hereinafter referred to as an SM agent).

Here, the SM agents 120a and 120b are agents provided by the bridge server group 300 and are plugged into a messenger or used as a client user's request. The SM agents 120a and 120b perform operations for message transmission between heterogeneous messenger clients. . Here, the first messenger client 110a is a different kind of client program from the second messenger client 110b of the client system 110b.

Specific functions of the SM agents 120a and 120b will be described later.

The unique ID issuing server 200 provides a unique ID capable of authenticating the user of the client system in all services on the Internet in response to a unique ID request from the user of the client system. The unique ID may authenticate a user by a public key authentication method or a private key grant method. Hereinafter, a unique identifier that can authenticate the identity of a user of a client system on the Internet is referred to as a "unique ID".

Here, the SM agent 120a manages a messenger client based on the unique ID, and controls transmission and reception of messages with the bridge server group 300. Here, the SM agents 120a and 120b store IDs of a plurality of messenger clients based on the unique IDs, and transmit and store a buddy list of client systems to the bridge server group.

The bridge server group 300 includes a plurality of bridge servers, matches and stores the IDs of the messengers subscribed by the unique IDs transmitted from the SM agent, and also takes a buddy list for each messenger and reconfigures it into an integrated list. Save it.

When a messenger service request is received from the SM agent 120a, a unique ID of the receiver is retrieved based on the reconfigured buddy list to provide a messenger service with a client system on which another SM agent 120b is installed.

The bridge server group 300 stores information on a unique ID, a buddy ID list, and a messenger client in the databases 310, 311, and 312 in order to perform the above-described operation.

By the above-described configuration, the user of the client system (100a) is a bridge server that collects a buddy list according to the unique ID information in the state that the SM agent 120a is activated by resetting the buddy relationship between the heterogeneous messenger, the SM The agent 120a is provided with a login / off state. That is, by collecting the messenger type and the messenger ID information of the other party and tracking the other party's unique ID, the messenger currently logged in and the messenger ID can be known, and the bridge server returns the login status information to the SM agent 120a. Even if the other party logs in to a messenger different from the messenger used by the client system 100a, the user of the client system 100a uses the messenger ID of the heterogeneous messenger as the target ID. Allows you to attempt a conversation.

According to the above-described configuration of the present invention, even if the messenger used is different, when the messenger type and the messenger ID are reset based on a unique ID capable of identifying a user as a single ID, login status information and a message can be transmitted and received between heterogeneous messengers. I was focused on that.

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

The messenger client 110a may include a plurality of messenger client programs 111a, 112a, and 113a different from each other. Here, the messenger ID used in each messenger client program may be different from ID A, ID B, and ID C, respectively. However, the plurality of messenger IDs all match a single unique ID.

The SM agent 120a includes a messenger ID table 121a, a buddy list collecting module 122a, and an active control module 123a.

Here, the messenger ID table 121a stores a unique ID of the user of the client system and a plurality of messenger IDs of the user. The plurality of messenger IDs may be directly input by the user after activating the SM agent. The information stored in the messenger ID table 121a is transmitted to the bridge server group 300 to share the information with the bridge server.

The buddy list collection module 122a collects and stores buddy IDs set by a plurality of messenger programs installed in the client system. Here, each messenger client program list can be obtained by using an API of an OS such as Windows.

The collected buddy list information matches and stores the buddy ID of the messenger client program corresponding to each messenger client program identifier. For example, in the table showing the information stored in the buddy list collecting module in FIG. 3, the buddy IDs of the messenger client program 111a are ID A1, ID A2, and ID A3, and the buddy ID of the messenger client program 112a is ID. B1, ID B2, and ID B3.

The unique ID, the messenger ID or the messenger client program, and the buddy list may sequentially form a tree structure diagram. The ID information and the diagram information are transmitted to and stored in the bridge server.

The activation control module 123a activates the SM agent 120a to control interworking with each messenger program. When the SM agent 120a is activated, communication using each messenger communicates through the mode bridge server group 300 and informs the login / off state of the counterpart in which the SM agent is installed.

4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a bridge server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Bridge server 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention is the interface unit 301, unique ID authentication unit 302, SM agent providing unit 303, unique ID search unit 304, ID information collection unit 305 , ID information mapping unit 306, login processing unit 307, message analysis unit 308, message processing unit 309, unique ID database 310, buddy ID database 311, and messenger information database 312. do.

The interface unit 301 provides a communication interface for authentication, connection request, conversation request, message transmission and reception, etc. from the client systems 100a and 100b.

The unique ID authentication unit 302 authenticates the user with respect to the client system attempting to connect using the SM agent or the client system requesting to provide the SM agent. The authentication may be performed using a public key or a private key corresponding to the issued unique ID.

The SM agent providing unit 303 performs a function of providing a SM agent program to the client system when requesting to download the SM agent from the client system.

The ID information collecting unit 305 collects information regarding IDs, such as a unique ID, a messenger ID, and a buddy ID, which are transmitted from a client system having an SM agent installed.

The ID information mapping unit 306 maps the unique ID, the messenger ID, and the buddy ID to each other so as to enable data communication between heterogeneous messengers, and stores them in a database. That is, a plurality of messenger IDs for one unique ID are stored, and messenger information and a buddy list are stored in correspondence with one unique ID, and in the future, a buddy corresponding to a messenger ID existing in the buddy list is stored. Map each user's unique ID.

The login processing unit 307 establishes a socket connection with the client system logged into the bridge server using the SM agent, and stores login status information. The login status information is provided to other messenger users as buddy connection status information.

In this case, the unique ID search unit 304 searches for a unique ID corresponding to a messenger ID or a buddy ID stored in the unique ID database 310 or the buddy ID database 311 or performs a reverse function thereof. Accordingly, the login processing unit 307 retrieves a messenger ID for the unique ID of the user of the client system which has logged in, and notifies the messenger of another client system which has designated the retrieved messenger ID as a buddy.

The message analyzer 308 analyzes a user ID such as a unique ID or a messenger ID attached to a message received from a client system, and adds a unique ID or a messenger ID to enable data transmission and reception between heterogeneous messengers. A detailed processing method of the user identifier will be described later.

The message processing unit 309 processes message transmission / reception so that a conversation function of a messenger can be performed between two or more messenger client clients. The detailed configuration of the message processing unit 309 is not significantly different from the general messenger configuration shown in FIG.

Meanwhile, the bridge server group 300 includes a unique ID database 310 storing unique ID information of users who provided an SM agent, a buddy ID database 311 storing buddy IDs for each user, and information on a messenger program. A stored messenger information database 312 is included, and as described above, the mapping relationship between the unique ID, the messenger ID, the messenger program, and the buddy list is used.

According to the above-described configuration, even when each of the client systems using the SM agent is logged in using heterogeneous messengers, the login status can be checked using a matching relationship between the user's unique ID, the messenger ID, and the buddy list. Even when selecting a messenger ID of a heterogeneous messenger and requesting a conversation, the conversation window can be provided with a unique ID.

5 is a signal flow diagram illustrating a method for installing an SM agent according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The client system 100a having the messenger client requests the unique ID issuing server 200 to issue a unique ID, and the unique ID issuing server 200 issues a unique ID to the client system 100a in response to the request. (S100, S110).

Here, the unique ID is an identifier for authenticating the user of the client system, and includes not only an identifier of a number-letter combination but also a public certificate that can be installed on the client system. That is, when the public certificate is issued as a unique ID, transmitting the unique ID may be interpreted as an authentication using the public certificate.

Meanwhile, the client system granted the unique ID transmits the unique ID to the bridge server 300 and requests an SM agent (S120). When the user authentication is completed through the unique ID, the bridge server 300 stores the unique ID information and provides a corresponding SM agent to the client system.

On the other hand, the SM agent is installed in the client system, and collects the messenger ID information and buddy information of the installed client system (S140, S150). The SM agent may be installed as a separate program, and may reside in RAM when the client system is driven, or may be installed in a plurality of messenger programs and be driven together.

The messenger ID information of the client system activates the SM agent, the user directly inputs the messenger ID in correspondence with the type of the messenger, and the buddy information may be collected using the Windows API.

In step S160, the SM agent transmits the collected messenger ID and buddy list information to the bridge server. The source of the messenger ID and the buddy list information may be identified based on the unique ID described above.

When the messenger ID buddy list is transmitted, the bridge server 300 maps the messenger ID and the buddy information stored for each unique ID (S170). For example, a relationship between a unique ID and a messenger ID and a buddy list is set, where a relationship between a buddy list and a buddy's messenger ID and a buddy's unique ID is mapped. Therefore, when the bridge server 300 knows the end of the messenger and the messenger ID, the bridge server 300 performs matching between users of the client system using a mapping relationship with the unique ID.

6 is a signal flow diagram illustrating a login information and a message transmission / reception providing method between heterogeneous messengers according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In the state where mapping between the messenger ID and the unique ID is completed by the method illustrated in FIG. 5, the client system 100a activates the SM agent and attempts to log in (S200). At this time, the authorized user identifier of the client system 100a is a unique ID, and the first messenger type and the user identifier of the first messenger who attempted to log in are defined as ID A and transmitted to the bridge server. The above-mentioned unique ID is transmitted through an authentication procedure with the bridge server, and the ID A can be known when attempting to log in using a specific messenger. Here, the specific messenger and the messenger ID are registered in advance by the SM agent.

The bridge server 300 searches for a related buddy list by using the unique ID of the transmitted client system 300 (S210). Here, the buddy list includes all buddy IDs associated with the unique IDs regardless of the type of the first messenger.

If the client system 100a searches for a second messenger ID 2 different from the first messenger logged in and ID B1, which is a second messenger ID, as a buddy, the bridge server 300 may identify a unique ID for the ID B2 (here, for convenience). Unique ID B1). Then, ID A information is transmitted with the unique ID B2 as a target (S220).

Here, the SM agent of the client system 100b receives the login notification signal and provides the second messenger with login information indicating that the client system 100a is logging in to the first messenger using the first messenger ID through the ID A. Done.

Through the above-described process, the client system 100b on which the second messenger and the SM agent are installed registers the client system 100a as a buddy logged in on the second messenger (S230). Here, the first messenger ID of the user of the client system 100a is activated as a target ID to which the client system 100b requests a conversation.

When the user of the client system 100b requests message transmission with the user of the client system 100a, the ID as a target ID together with the unique ID B1 and the second messenger ID (ID B1) information of the user of the client system 100b. A and the message information are transmitted together to the bridge server (S240).

In response to the message transmission request, the bridge server 300 retrieves the unique ID of the client system 100a based on the ID A, and retrieves the messenger ID B1, the messenger ID A, and the message using the unique ID of the receiver. Transmission to the SM agent (S260).

The SM agent, the client system (100a) checks the unique ID of the receiver, and identifies the message sender through ID B1. In addition, the message is output on the first messenger through the messenger ID A transmitted.

The establishment of a chat room and a socket connection for transmitting the above-described message may be made through the configuration of the general messenger server illustrated in FIG.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements of those skilled in the art using the basic concepts of the present invention defined in the following claims are also provided. It belongs to the scope of rights.

By the above-described configuration, the present invention can provide a messenger service capable of transmitting and receiving messages even between heterogeneous messengers.

Also, by checking the login status among different messengers, there is an effect that a conversation can be performed immediately by selecting a target ID as if one messenger is used without any manipulation between different messengers.

Accordingly, the present invention can overcome the limitation of communication due to the increase in the type of messenger, and has a remarkable effect of reducing the memory resources of the user client and providing activation of the communication.

Claims (15)

In the messenger service providing system between heterogeneous messengers, A bridge server for mapping messenger IDs between heterogeneous messengers and providing mutual message transmission and reception;  Regardless of the type of messenger used, a database for matching and storing a unique ID for uniquely identifying a messenger user, a messenger used by the messenger user, a messenger ID used for the messenger user, and ID information including a buddy list of the messenger user. Including, The bridge server, Unique ID authentication unit for authenticating the unique ID from the client system requesting a connection; An SM agent providing unit for providing a fixed messenger agent (SM agent) for allowing the ID information collection and connection of a bridge server to be requested by the client system; An ID information collecting unit collecting the ID information of a messenger user using the SM agent installed in a client system; And The ID information mapping unit performs mapping between the unique ID, the messenger ID, and the buddy list to set the login status information and the message transmission / reception path of the user corresponding to the unique ID by using the collected ID information. Messenger service providing system comprising a. The method of claim 1, A unique ID retrieval unit for retrieving a unique ID corresponding to a buddy list of the first messenger from the database when the first messenger logs in; And a login processing unit that provides login status information of the first messenger to a second messenger corresponding to one unique ID of the buddy list. The method of claim 2, When there is a request to send a message from the third messenger to the fourth messenger, the message sent from the third messenger is analyzed to extract the messenger ID of the fourth messenger, and generate a message further added with the unique ID of the fourth messenger. The message analyzer and And a message processing unit which processes transmission and reception of messages between the third and fourth messengers. The method of claim 3, wherein And the ID information mapping unit stores a plurality of messenger IDs and a buddy list corresponding to the messenger ID on the basis of a unique ID and maps a unique ID to one of the buddy IDs in the buddy list. The method of claim 3, wherein And the buddy list is collected by the SM agent from an API of an operating system of a client system and provided to the ID information collecting unit. The method of claim 3, wherein The unique ID is a messenger service providing system that is a digital authentication key issued by an authorized authority. In the method for providing a messenger service between heterogeneous messengers, a) providing a fixed messenger agent (SM agent) that collects a unique ID that uniquely identifies a messenger user and a messenger ID of the client system and a buddy list regardless of the messenger type; b) collecting ID information including the unique ID, a messenger ID, and a buddy list from a client system through the SM agent; And c) storing the ID information in a bridge server and mapping the stored plurality of unique IDs to a messenger ID and a buddy list Messenger service providing method between heterogeneous messenger comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein d) receiving login request information including a unique ID and a first messenger ID of a first messenger, which is one of a plurality of messengers installed in the first client system; e) retrieving a buddy ID of a buddy list of the first messenger and transmitting login state information of the first messenger using a buddy unique ID corresponding to the buddy ID. The method of claim 8, And the buddy list is a buddy list of all messengers installed in the first client system. The method of claim 8, In the step e), the login status information, the messenger service providing method comprising the buddy unique ID and the first messenger ID. The method of claim 8, f) receiving a message transmission request from the second messenger corresponding to one of the buddy lists to the first messenger ID; g) retrieving a unique ID corresponding to the first messenger ID; And h) transmitting the second messenger ID and a message together with a unique ID of the first messenger as a target. The method of claim 11, And the first messenger and the second messenger are messengers of different types. The method of claim 11 In step f), the message transmission request information includes a unique ID, a second messenger ID, a first messenger ID, and a conversation message of a second messenger. The method of claim 11, Before step a), And in response to the unique ID issuance request of the client system, issuing a unique ID. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for providing a message service between heterogeneous messengers, Registering a plurality of messenger IDs corresponding to a unique ID for identifying a messenger user regardless of the messenger type; Collecting a buddy list of messengers installed in the client system; Transmitting the unique ID, the messenger ID, and the buddy list information to a bridge server; And A function of displaying a login status information of a buddy and providing a chat message transmission based on the unique ID information transmitted from the bridge server; A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program.

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