KR101377853B1 - Method for user interface in group chatting - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a user interface method in group chatting. The user interface method can include the steps of executing a group chat room where a plurality of members is participating, and displaying a list of the participating members in the group chat room when a user selects the chat room′s message display area or heading area.

Description

User interface method in group chat {METHOD FOR USER INTERFACE IN GROUP CHATTING}

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a user interface method for increasing service convenience between members of a group in a group chat service.

Generally, a messenger as a communication tool is software that can send and receive messages and data in real time. A user can register a contact on the messenger and send and receive messages in real time with the other party in the contact list.

Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2007-0031099 (published on March 19, 2007) discloses a technique for providing a chat service in a mobile instant messenger of a mobile communication terminal. As described above, the messenger function is not only used in a PC but also in a mobile environment of a mobile communication terminal.

Existing group chat is a one-to-many chat, and the message is always delivered to all members of the group. Recently, in a group chat environment, information on how many unreceived recipients have not been confirmed is provided. However, information on who is not received among the members of the group cannot be known, which causes inconvenience in group chat.

In addition, to chat individually with a specific member of a group during a group chat, you have to leave the group chat room and select a chat room with the user from a large list of chat rooms, or create a new chat room by selecting the user from the friends list. have.

Considering that the display size of the terminal gradually increases and that a considerable amount of chat traffic is group chat in most chat services, the use of more convenient group chat technology is expected to increase.

It provides a user interface method that can provide a more convenient user interface environment in group chat.

Provides a user interface method that can provide information about unreceived recipients in a group chat service.

It provides a user interface method that can support individual connection function among members of a group within the group chat service.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user interface method in a group chat includes: executing a group chat room in which a plurality of members participate; And displaying a member list on a screen of the group chat room when selecting a message display area or a heading area of the group chat room.

According to an aspect, the message display area may display a message exchanged between the members and the number of members who have not checked the corresponding message for each of the messages, wherein the displaying of the member list may include displaying the message or the message. When the number of members is selected, a list of members who did not confirm the message may be displayed.

According to another aspect, the message display area may display a message exchanged between the members and the number of members who have not confirmed the message for each of the messages, wherein the displaying of the member list comprises: the message or the When selecting the number of members, the list of members who have confirmed the message and the list of members who have not confirmed the message may be displayed separately.

According to another aspect, the user interface method in a group chat may further include providing an individual connection service to the specific member upon selecting at least one specific member from the member list.

According to another aspect, the step of providing an individual connection service to the specific member, 1) popping a personal chat room that the specific member participates on the screen of the group chat room, or 2) to the specific member You can execute any one of the functions of connecting a phone call, sending a mail, and sending a text.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing a list of unreceived unacknowledged messages in a group chat service, it is possible to easily determine who is unreceived among members of the group.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing an individual connection function with a specific member among members of the group within the group chat service, it is possible to overcome the limitation of the existing chat service in which messaging is performed for all members of the group without exception. New chat technology and a more convenient interface.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a chat service system that provides a chat service through a messenger according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a flowchart illustrating a user interface method in a group chat according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 and 4 illustrate exemplary screens for providing a list of unaccepted recipients who did not confirm the message according to one embodiment of the present invention.
5 and 6 illustrate exemplary screens for providing a member list belonging to a group according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 illustrates an example screen displaying individual chat rooms with individual members on a group chat screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 illustrates an example screen for selecting an individual connection function with a specific member in a group during a group chat according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a user interface technology for increasing service convenience between members of a group in a group chat environment, and may be applied to a system for providing a chat service through an instant messenger.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a chat service system that provides a chat service through a messenger according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the chat service system 100 may include a terminal 110, a communication network 120, and a chat server 130.

In this specification, the terminal 110 may refer to any terminal device capable of installing and executing a messenger application provided by the chat server 130 such as a PC, a smartphone, a tablet, and an Internet TV. In this case, the terminal 110 may perform overall operations of the messenger such as screen configuration, data input, data transmission and reception, and data storage of the messenger under the control of the messenger application.

When the terminal 110 is connected to the chat server 130 through the communication network 120, the chat server 130 requests the chat server 130 to invite an opening of a group chat room for group chat and an invitation of a terminal to participate in the group chat through a messenger application. Can be.

At this time, the messenger application is a program for executing a chat with the counterpart terminal, a menu for executing a connection to the chat server 130, a menu for selecting a target person to participate in a group chat from a friend list registered in advance, and a group chat room. It may include a menu for requesting establishment, a menu for setting various options related to group chat, a menu for selecting an individual connection function with a specific member of the group, and the like.

The terminal 110 may include communication means for exchanging data with the target terminal participating in the group chat, and display means for displaying data exchanged with the target terminal on the group chat screen. In the present embodiment, the terminal 110 may provide various user interfaces (UIs) related to group chats through a group chat screen under the control of a messenger application. It can support interworking with other applications for individual connection functions such as sending and sending text.

The communication network 120 provides a connection path for the terminal 110 to access the chat server 130, and also provides a communication path such that data is transmitted and received between the terminal 110 and the chat server 130. In this case, the communication network 120 may include, for example, a mobile communication network, an internet network, and the like.

The chat server 130 provides a messenger application that is a chat program for allowing the terminal 110 to open a group chat room or execute a conversation through a messenger. In addition, the chat server 130 may open a corresponding group chat room at the request of opening a group chat room from the terminal 110 in which the messenger application is installed, and simultaneously transmit an invitation message to each target terminal who will participate in the group chat. In this case, the chat server 130 includes a database for storing and maintaining information about the subscribed terminal 110, information on the group chat room opened by the terminal 110, and information exchanged through the group chat room as data. can do.

That is, in the chat service system 100, the terminals 110 of many users exist on the communication network 120 around the chat server 130, and the chat server 130 manages the overall chat between the terminals 110. Can manage

2 is a flowchart illustrating a user interface method in a group chat according to an embodiment of the present invention. The user interface method according to an embodiment may be included in a messenger application providing a chat service, and each step may be executed through the terminal described with reference to FIG. 1.

In the terminal where the messenger application is installed, when a user visits a newly created group chat room or visits any one group chat room in the chat room list, a connection with the chat server may be executed at that time to receive receiver information about the group chat room. There is (S201-S202). On the other hand, when the user is participating in the group chat room periodically checks the connection with the chat server every predetermined time to receive the recipient information (S203 ~ 204, S202).

In the present specification, 'recipient information' refers to information indicating at least one of a member belonging to the group who has confirmed the message (hereinafter referred to as a 'recipient') and a member who has not confirmed the message (hereinafter referred to as an 'unreceiver'). It may mean. As the recipient information, a member's name or ID or appropriate indexing may be used, and the recipient information may be updated based on the time at which each member checks the message. In order to prevent an excessive increase in data traffic, the chat server may send the receiver information only to the terminal when a new message is received among the unaccepted recipients.

Thus, the terminal receives the receiver information from the chat server for the group chat room in which the user is participating, and then updates the receiver information of the corresponding group chat room (S205). In this case, the terminal may reflect and display the updated recipient information on the group chat screen. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in a group chat screen in which seven people participate, the number of members who have not checked the message as the recipient information for each message 301 together with the message 301 exchanged between the members 302. ) May be displayed.

In the terminal according to the present embodiment, when a user touches a part of a group chat screen on which a message or recipient information is displayed, a member list belonging to a group may be popped up on the group chat screen (S206 to S207). For example, the terminal may pop up a list of members corresponding to the unreceived person. Assuming that seven members, AAA, BBB, CCC, DDD, EEE, FFF, and GGG, participate in a group chat and only the CCC has not confirmed the message, the portion where any member other than the CCC displays the message or recipient information. When touched, the CCC pops up to the unreceived list 410 as shown in FIG. As another example, the terminal may pop-up a list of all members belonging to the group, and may distinguish the non-received and the receiver graphically by changing the color. For example, you can include AAA, BBB, CCC, DDD, EEE, FFF, GGG in the list of members that pop up on the group chat screen. You can mark it as 'yellow'.

As another form, when the terminal touches a heading portion of the group chat screen, the terminal may pop up a list of members belonging to the group on the group chat screen (S208 to S209). In general, as shown in FIG. 5, the group chat screen may be divided into a message display area 501 for displaying a message exchanged between members and a heading area 502 for displaying a chat subject and a communication status. have. In this case, in the case of group chat, the heading area 502 may display the phrase 'group chat', the number of members participating in the chat, and the like. When the user touches a predetermined position of the heading part in the group chat screen, the terminal pops up a list of all members belonging to the group. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when seven members AAA, BBB, CCC, DDD, EEE, FFF, and GGG participate in a group chat, the member list sorted by a certain criteria (for example, by name, etc.) 610 may be displayed on the group chat screen. In this case, the terminal may display the unreceived and the receiver in the member list by color and the like. The member list that pops up when the heading part of the group chat screen is touched can be switched to another type of member list by touch and sliding. For example, it is possible to switch between the unreceived list, the full list, and the recipient list, and the member list may be provided in a form selected as the default setting through the environment setting.

Subsequently, when the user touches a specific member in the member list popped up in step S207 or step S209 (S210), the terminal may provide an individual connection function with the corresponding member. In the present embodiment, an appropriate UI may be provided to perform a personal chat or telephone connection, text or mail with a specific member in the group during the group chat. For example, when a user touches a specific member in a member list popped up on a group chat screen, a personal chat room where only the specific member and the user participate may pop up. Referring to FIG. 7, when the user AAA touches the CCC for a long time in the pop-up member list in step S207, the secret chat room 730 capable of individual chat with the member CCC in the group is popped up. As another example, the terminal may automatically connect a call with a specific member when the user touches a specific member in the member list popped up on the group chat screen. As another example, when the user touches a specific member in the member list popped up on the group chat screen, the terminal may first pop up an option screen for selecting an individual connection function with the specific member. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, if the user AAA touches the CCC for a long time in the member list popped up in step S207, the option screen 820 including the secret chat menu 821 and the call connection menu 822. This may pop up. If a number of services such as personal chat, phone connection, sending mail, texting, etc. are provided through the individual connection function, it is possible to set a specific service among a plurality of services as the default setting through the environment setting. In this case, when the user touches a specific member in the member list popped up on the group chat screen, the corresponding service may be directly performed without going through the option screen.

In this case, when the terminal provides 'secret chat' as an individual connection function, the user may pop up a private chat room in which a specific member participates according to a user's request, and perform a personal chat between the user and a specific member through the personal chat room (S211 ~ S212). ). In the present embodiment, the personal chat room may be displayed in a form of overlaying a part of the group chat screen, and may have a color or a background different from that of the group chat screen. In addition, in the case of a personal chat performed during a group chat, a secret chat is possible with two or more members of the group. That is, a personal chat room may serve as another small group chat room among members of a large group. In this case, while the personal chat is activated and proceeds on the group chat screen, the terminal may display a message received as a group chat on the group chat screen. Thereafter, when the user completes a personal chat with a specific member, the personal chat room is closed and then returned to the group chat screen, and the personal chat room is maintained on the group chat screen while the personal chat is not completed. S213-S216). In this case, the personal chat room may have a list of individual chat rooms in the group and may be managed to pop up again when a member touches it. On the other hand, when the terminal provides 'telephone connection' as an individual connection function, the device automatically connects the phone to the member terminal selected by the user, and if the user keeps the call state and ends the call while maintaining the call with a specific member, the group Return to the chat screen (S217 to S219, S216).

In other words, the present embodiment may provide a function capable of checking whether a specific member belonging to a group is received during a group chat, and a function capable of individual connection with a specific member. The individual connection feature allows you to open a personal chat room within the group chat window to perform a personal chat. After a personal chat, you can close the window and return to the group chat room again. To do this, when you touch the number of unrecipients for a chat message (see Figure 3), or the heading part of the group chat screen (see Figure 5), you provide a list of members, where the selection of specific members for individual connections It is possible. In other words, when using group chat, you can check which members did not check the message. During group chat, you can create a private chat room with a specific member in the group chat window and perform a private chat. Can provide a return function. For example, if you have an evening appointment or a sports appointment with your friends, you can make an appointment via group chat. In order to set up an appointment for the first time, a group chat room is created. When chatting about an appointment location, an appointment time change, a current location, etc., some of the reception is received and some of the reception is late. At this time, if it is possible to know who received it, furthermore, it would be quite convenient from the user's point of view if they could directly select a friend who did not receive a private chat or call.

As described above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily identify who has not received the message among members of the group by providing a list of unreceived messages in the group chat service. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing a variety of services that can be individually connected to a specific member of the group within the group chat service by limiting the existing chat service that messaging to all members of the group without exception. It can overcome and provide new chat technology and more convenient interface.

The methods according to embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in the form of a program instruction that can be executed through various computer systems and recorded in a computer-readable medium. In particular, the present embodiment includes the steps of executing a group chat room in which a plurality of members participate; And displaying a member list on a screen of the group chat room when the message display area or the heading area of the group chat room is selected. In the present embodiment, when selecting a message displayed in the message display area or the number of unreceived recipients, a list of members who have not confirmed the message may be popped up. In addition, in the present embodiment, when selecting a specific member from the pop-up member list, a private chat room in which the member participates is popped up on the screen of the group chat room, or a connection function such as making a phone call to the member, sending an e-mail, or sending a text message. You can run

The program according to the present embodiment may be configured as a PC-based program or an application dedicated to a mobile terminal (eg, a smartphone, a tablet, an Internet TV, etc.). The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like, alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and constructed for the present invention or may be available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Furthermore, the above-described file system can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.

As described above, the present invention has been described by way of limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains various modifications and variations from such descriptions. This is possible.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined by the equivalents of the claims, as well as the claims.

100: chat service system
110: terminal
120: network
130: Chat server

Claims (5)

Executing a group chat room in which a plurality of members participate; And
The heading area displays the number of the plurality of members participating in the group chat room instead of the member list for the plurality of members, and the message display area does not confirm the messages exchanged between the plurality of members and each of the messages. Displaying the number of members not present;
Detecting whether a user's touch has occurred in the heading area or the message display area;
If a user's touch occurs in the message display area, displaying a member who has not checked the message in which the touch occurred so that a member who did not confirm the message in which the touch occurred is identified with a member who checked the message in which the touch occurred; And
Displaying a member list for a plurality of members when a user's touch occurs in the heading area
User interface method in a group chat comprising a. delete delete The method of claim 1,
Providing an individual connection service to the specific member when selecting at least one specific member from the member list;
User interface method in a group chat further comprising. 5. The method of claim 4,
Providing an individual connection service to the specific member,
1) popping a personal chat room in which the specific member participates on the screen of the group chat room, or
2) executing any one of the functions of connecting the specific member to the telephone, sending a mail, and sending a text.
User interface method in a group chat, characterized in that.

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