KR20090001454A - Apparatus and method for processing chatting service at pc cafe - Google Patents

Abstract

A chatting processing apparatus at a PC room, and a method thereof are provided for users using a specific game service to make conversation about a common field through chatting, thereby providing a more interesting and friendly service to the users. A chatting activation unit(33) activates or inactivates a chatting service. A connection information setting unit(32) sets up connection information about other personal computers of a PC room. By using the connection information set by the connection information setting unit, a list management unit(34) maintains the list of the other personal computers in which the chatting service is activated. A chatting processor(35) processes the chatting service to be performed among the other personal computers.

Description

Chat processing device and method in PC room {Apparatus and Method for Processing Chatting Service at PC Cafe}

1 is an overview of a PC room service system,

2 is an overview of the structure of a personal computer;

3 is an embodiment of a chat processing device according to the present invention;

4 is an example having a chat activation tab in a game client program;

5 is an example of a process of maintaining a list of other personal computers to chat with,

6 is an embodiment of a chat processing unit;

7 is an embodiment of a chat processing method according to the present invention;

8 is an example for explaining that a chat group is formed of users who are executing a specific game program.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: PC room 11: Personal computer

12: LAN 13: Network

14: game server 21: control unit

22: ROM 23: RAM

24: storage unit 25: input unit

25-1: Keyboard 26: CD-ROM Drive

27: display unit 28: speaker unit

29: communication unit 30: chat processing device

31: game program 32: connection information setting unit

33: chat activation unit 34: list management unit

35: chat processing unit 40: user interface screen

41: Chat Screen 42: Chat Activation Tab

43: Chat message input box 61: Chat message input module

62: chat message sending module 63: chat message receiving module

64: buffer 65: chat message display module

The present invention relates to a chat processing apparatus and a method thereof in a PC room, and in particular, to play a specific game, such as users who use the same game program among users who use the same PC room or game programs of the same game company. By allowing users to enjoy chatting, the PC room users with common interests can talk to each other.

With the development of communication technology and related technologies such as graphics and sound, various computer games are being made. A computer game is a form that allows a single user to enjoy playing alone on a personal computer (PC), and participates in and plays with other users at the same time using various communication networks such as the Internet. Developed.

Meanwhile, a PC room service, which is a type of service having a plurality of personal computers and allowing a user to use it, is paid actively. Users can use a personal computer in a PC room the way they want, mainly by using an online game service provided by a game server by connecting to a game server through an Internet network.

Among the users of the PC room, there are users who have a common interest in the same game or games provided by the same game company, even if they do not know each other. However, even if there is a common interest in the nature of the PC room used by the public, it is not easy to talk about the interest among people who do not know each other.

For example, ask a user who enjoys the same game as his or her own game to talk about the current game level, how to use a game item that he doesn't own, how to make the game easier to play, or something special about the game. You may want to share. However, it is not easy to talk with strangers, especially for adults.

Therefore, it is necessary to allow users who are interested in a common field in PC room service that is located as a living culture to talk more easily and naturally.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to meet the above needs, and in particular, users who enjoy a game having a common characteristic, such as the same game or a game serviced by the same game company, can chat with each other. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a chat processing apparatus and method in a PC room.

In order to achieve the above object, the chat processing device in the PC room according to the present invention, the chat activation to enable or disable the chat service when any one or more specific game program is executed in the personal computer of the PC room part; A connection information setting unit for setting connection information of other personal computers in the PC room connected through a communication network; When the chat service is activated by the chat activation unit, one or more of the specific game programs are running and the chat service is activated by communicating with other personal computers using the connection information set through the connection information setting unit. A list management unit for maintaining a list of other personal computers; And a chat processing unit configured to process a chat service between the personal computer and other personal computers included in a list maintained through the list management unit.

The specific game program may include a game client program for communicating with a game server to allow online game play. In this case, the chat activation unit may be configured to enable or disable the chat service on a user interface (UI) screen provided by the game client program.

The list management unit transmits an inquiry message to the other personal computers whether one or more of the specific programs are running and whether the chat service is activated by using a user datagram protocol (UDP) by broadcasting. And maintain the list using a response message received as a response to the inquiry message from the other personal computers.

The chat processing unit may be configured to allow a user to input a name to display himself / herself at the time of chatting and to display a chat message according to the chat service using the entered name.

In addition, the game client program may be configured to deliver the user display name of the game account that the user has to the game server to the chat processing unit. In such an embodiment, the chat processing unit may be configured to display a chat message according to the chat service using a user display name delivered by the game client program.

On the other hand, the chat processing apparatus in the PC room according to the present invention, the step of processing so that the user can activate the chat service when any one of the one or more specific game program is executed in the personal computer of the PC room; Communicating with other personal computers in the PC room connected through a communication network while the chat service is activated to identify another personal computer in which at least one of the specific game programs is running and the chat service is activated. step; Generating and maintaining a list of the identified other personal computers; And processing a chat service to be performed between the personal computer and other personal computers included in the list.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the PC room 10 includes a plurality of personal computers that can be used by a PC room user, and each personal computer is connected to each other through a communication network 12 such as a local area network (LAN). It is. In addition, each personal computer is configured to use various online services by connecting to a wide area network 13 such as the Internet network.

Users mainly use game services, although computer games may be performed independently on a personal computer, most online games are provided through the communication network 13. At this time, the users access the game server 14 through the communication network 13 from the personal computer and use various kinds of online games.

A personal computer will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 2.

The control unit 21 is responsible for the overall control of the personal computer, and is generally configured using a central processing unit (CPU).

Read Only Memory (ROM) stores the BIOS, which contains basic routines for transferring information between internal components of the personal computer during start-up, while Random Access Memory (RAM) is required for the operation of the personal computer. Temporarily store various data and computer program codes. The storage unit 24 may be configured using a nonvolatile storage medium that stores digital data such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a flash memory, and the CD-ROM drive 26 is a CD recording a game program. Make the ROM accessible.

The display unit 27 is a component for visually displaying a game screen such as a CRT monitor or an LCD module, and the speaker unit 28 outputs sound.

The input unit 25 allows a user to input a control command or various types of information, and generally includes a keyboard 25-1 and a mouse 25-2, and particularly for a game, such as a joystick 25-3. An input device may be provided. The communication unit 29 may communicate with other personal computers in the PC room through the LAN 12 or access the game server 14 through the Internet network 13 to use a game service provided by the game server 14. Make sure

When the user executes the game program recorded in the storage unit 24 or the CD-ROM or the game program provided by the game server 14 through the above configuration, the control unit 21 stores the game program code in the RAM 23. It is saved in and executed in order.

Then, the user encounters the game screen output through the display unit 27 and the sound effect output through the speaker unit 28, and enjoys the game while inputting various control signals for the game through the input unit 25.

Referring to FIG. 8, a concept of providing a chat service between users who are running a specific game program among users who use the same PC room according to the present invention will be described.

Here, one or more specific game programs may be used. Hereinafter, a set of users (or personal computers) using a specific game program and participating in a chat together will be referred to as a chat group.

In order to facilitate the explanation, the PC room 10 is equipped with 10 personal computers from personal computers # 1 to # 10, and each personal computer has game program # 1, game program # 1, game program # 1, Assume that game program # 3, game program # 6, game program # 1, game program # 5, game program # 2, game program # 3, and game program # 4 are running. The game programs with different numbers here are different game programs.

If a particular game program is one game program # 1, the personal computer # 1, the personal computer # 2, the personal computer # 3, and the personal computer # 6 running the game program # 1 as shown in the example shown in Fig. 8A are the chat group. And form a chat service between them.

However, if a specific game program consists of two, including game programs # 1 and # 3, the personal computer # 1, the personal computer # 2, which are running the game program # 1 or # 3, as shown in the example shown in Fig. 8B, Personal computer # 3, personal computer # 4, personal computer # 6, and personal computer # 9 form a chat group, and a chat service is provided between them.

An embodiment of a chat processing device 30 (hereinafter referred to as a chat processing device) in a PC room according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

The chat processing device 30 may be configured using a computer program installed and operated on each personal computer in the PC room. The chat processing device 30 includes a connection information setting unit 32, a chat activation unit 33, a list management unit 34, a chat processing unit 35, and the like, and a part of the game program 31 or the game program 31. ) May be configured to interwork with.

The connection information setting unit 32 serves to set connection information for other personal computers in the PC room connected to the personal computer (eg, 11) and the communication network 12.

That is, a personal computer 11 may set connection information of other personal computers in order to be able to communicate with other personal computers in a PC room connected to each other through a communication network 12 such as a local area network (LAN). To help. The access information may be configured in various ways as needed. For example, an IP (Internet Protocol) address assigned to each personal computer may be used.

The chat activation unit 33 plays a role of enabling a user to activate or deactivate a chat service when a specific game program is executed in the personal computer 11. As described above, there may be more than one specific game program, and the user may activate or deactivate the chat service when the specific game program is in the running state.

The specific game program may be a game client program that allows the online game to be performed while communicating with the game server 14 through a communication network 13 such as the Internet network.

In this embodiment, the chat activation unit 33 may be configured to enable or disable the chat service by the user on a user interface (UI) screen 40 provided by the game client program as shown in the example shown in FIG. 4. Can be. 4 shows a user interface screen 40 including a PC room chat tab 42 and the like along with a general tab, a party tab, a guild tab, and the like for performing an arbitrary function. By clicking 42, the chat service can be activated or deactivated.

When the chat service is activated by the chat activator 33, the list manager 34 communicates with other personal computers by using the access information set through the access information setter 32, thereby making it one of a specific game program. The other personal computer (that is, a personal computer capable of forming a chat group) is found and the list of the corresponding personal computers is recorded in the RAM 23 or the storage 24.

That is, the list manager 34 serves to maintain a list of personal computers forming a chat group. To this end, the list manager 34 maintains a list of personal computers that form a chat group by communicating with other personal computers every moment or a certain period when the chat service is changed from an inactive state to an active state by the chat activation unit 33. Can be configured.

To describe an example of an operation process of the list manager 34 with reference to FIG. 5, the list manager 34 may determine whether one or more of a specific game program is currently running on other personal computers and the chat service is activated. Inquiry message for inquiring whether or not it can be transmitted by the broadcast method (S51). At this time, a user datagram protocol (UDP) method may be used for rapid processing.

Then, among the other personal computers that received the inquiry message, personal computers that can respond to the inquiry message return a response message to the inquiry message (S52), and the list management unit 34 of the personal computer that sent the inquiry message responds. The list is analyzed by analyzing the message (S53).

5 shows that when personal computer # 1 broadcasts an inquiry message to other personal computers # 2 to #n, personal computers # 2, # 3, and # 6 are currently running at least one of a specific game program, and a chat service. Indicates a status of replying a response message that is activated. The personal computer # 1 then records and maintains the personal computers # 2, # 3, and # 6 in the list of personal computers forming the chat group according to the response message.

Here, User Datagram Protocol (UDP), like Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), uses IP (Internet Protocol) to send and receive actual data units called datagrams from one personal computer to another. Provided, but can be useful for simple and fast data delivery. In other words, when performing a chat between chat groups located in the same PC room as in the present invention, UDP can be used to shorten processing time, and in particular, when the game program is configured to send and receive chat messages while the game is running. It can be more efficient.

The chat processing unit 35 serves to process a chat service between other personal computers included in a list maintained through the list manager 34.

The chat processing unit 35 may be configured in various ways as needed, and one example of configuring the chat processing unit 35 will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

The chat message input module 61 allows a user to input a chat message using an input device such as a keyboard 25-1. That is, as in the example shown in FIG. 4, a chat message input box 43 is provided so that a user can input a chat message. The chat message transmission module 62 processes the chat message input through the chat message input module 61 by packetizing and transmits the chat message to another personal computer in the chat group maintained by the list holding unit 34.

The chat message receiving module 63 receives and analyzes a packet from another personal computer through the communication network 12 and stores the chat message transmitted by another user belonging to the chat group in the buffer 64. Then, the chat message display module 65 takes out the chat messages stored in the buffer 64 in order and displays them on the chat screen 41 shown on the display unit 27 as shown in FIG.

At this time, the user interface (UI) for inputting a chat message provided by the chat message input module 61 or the user interface (UI) for displaying the chat message by the chat message display module 65 is configured in various ways as necessary. Of course you can. For example, a chat-only screen may be provided as shown in the example of FIG. 4, and may be configured to be displayed on a part of a game screen in which a game is being performed or overlapped with a game screen.

In addition, the chat processing unit 35 may be configured to specify a name for the user to display himself / herself in a chat in various ways.

One example is to allow the user to directly enter a name to be displayed in the chat service, and to configure the user to display the corresponding user participating in the chat service using the entered name.

As another example, when a specific game program is a game client program that executes an online game, the game client program may transmit a name set as a name that displays itself when the user plays the online game to the chat processing unit 35. have. Then, the chat processing unit 35 may display the user participating in the chat service using the user display name delivered by the game client program.

7, an embodiment of a chat processing method in a PC room according to the present invention will be described.

First, a game program of any one or more specific game programs is executed on a personal computer in a PC room (S71).

The user may enjoy the game according to the execution of a specific game program, and may activate or deactivate the chat service when he / she wants to. If the chat service is activated (S72), at the time of checking the list (S73), an inquiry message is broadcasted to find other users who can form a chat group and the response message is received (S73-1). One or more of the game programs are running and other personal computers that have a chat service activated are identified and maintained (S73-2).

Here, the list check point may be variously set as necessary. For example, the list check point may be set to a point in time when the chat service is switched from inactive state to an active state or periodically after the chat service is activated.

If a chat message to be transmitted from the user to another user in the chat group is input (S74), the inputted chat message is processed by packetization, and the like. Personal computer forming a chat group) (S74-1).

In addition, when receiving a chat message packet from another personal computer belonging to the same chat group (S75), it analyzes it and displays a chat message sent by another user on the chat screen (S75-1).

When the game program end command is input, both the specific game program and the chat service being executed are terminated (S76-1). Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S72 again (S76).

On the other hand, if the chat service is deactivated in step S72, if the current chat service is being performed, the chat service is switched from the active state to the inactive state to terminate the chat service (S77-2), if not immediately The flow advances to step S72 (S77-1).

Through such a procedure, users who use a specific game program among users who use the same PC room can provide a chat service by grouping them into a chat group.

That is, when the specific game program is one game program # 1 as described with reference to FIG. 8, the personal computers # 1, # 2, # 3, # 6 running the game program # 1, as shown in the example shown in FIG. It can be formed into a chat group to have a chat service between them.

Also, if a particular game program is two game programs # 1 and # 3, personal computers # 1, # 2, # 3, # 4, # running game program # 1 or # 3, as shown in the example shown in FIG. 6, # 9 can be formed into a chat group to enable a chat service between them.

The above-described embodiments are intended to help the understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be variously modified and implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. to be.

According to the present invention, users who use a particular game service, such as the same game or a game of the same game company, in the same PC room can chat with each other through chat. Accordingly, users who are interested in a common field among users who use the same PC room can talk about related contents without burden, and thus, more interesting and friendly PC room service can be achieved.

Claims (6)

A chat activation unit for activating or deactivating a chat service when any one or more specific game programs are executed in a personal computer of a PC room; A connection information setting unit for setting connection information of other personal computers in the PC room connected through a communication network; When the chat service is activated by the chat activation unit, one or more of the specific game programs are running and the chat service is activated by communicating with other personal computers using the connection information set through the connection information setting unit. A list management unit for maintaining a list of other personal computers; And And a chat processing unit for processing a chat service between the personal computer and other personal computers included in the list maintained by the list management unit. The method of claim 1, The specific game program includes a game client program for communicating with a game server to play an online game, And the chat activation unit is configured to activate or deactivate the chat service on a user interface (UI) screen provided by the game client program. The method of claim 1, The list management unit transmits an inquiry message to the other personal computers whether one or more of the specific programs are running and whether the chat service is activated by using a user datagram protocol (UDP) by broadcasting. And maintain the list by using a response message received as a response to the inquiry message from the other personal computers. The method of claim 1, The chat processing unit allows a user to input a name to display himself / herself in a chat, and displays the chat message according to the chat service using the input name. Device. The method of claim 2, The game client program transmits the user display name of the game account that the user has to the game server to the chat processing unit, and the chat processing unit uses the user display name transmitted by the game client program according to the chat service. Chat processing apparatus in a PC room, characterized in that configured to display a chat message. Processing to enable a user to activate a chat service when any one or more specific game programs are executed on a personal computer in a PC room; Communicating with other personal computers in the PC room connected through a communication network while the chat service is activated to identify another personal computer in which at least one of the specific game programs is running and the chat service is activated. step; Generating and maintaining a list of the identified other personal computers; And And processing a chat service between the personal computer and other personal computers included in the list.

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