Information communication terminal and instantaneous massaging system

The present invention relates to an information communication terminal having a call function and a data communication function in an information communication terminal having a built-in communication function, and which is used by switching the communication function between a call and a data communication, and particularly an information communication terminal having an instant messaging function. And its instant messaging system.

By "the server automatically updates the user's presence information triggered by the event of sending a message" or "the presence information has an expiration date and the server automatically updates the presence information when the expiration date expires", the "user" There is Patent Document 1 which describes that the effectiveness of the presence recognition process is improved and the utility value of the instant message service is increased without imposing a burden on the server (paragraphs 0040 and 0041).

<patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-271531</text></patcit>

<p> However, in a conventional information communication terminal, voice call and data communication usually operate exclusively. When a call comes in (or makes a call) while using instant messaging (online) on such an information communication terminal, the data communication is hibernated and the connection is maintained, but actually. Is in a state where data communication is not performed (cannot be performed). For this reason, instant messaging is supposed to be connected to the IM server / terminal, but in reality, data communication is not possible.</p><p> At this time, the user's status is retained in the IM server as it was immediately before the call, and it remains as it is unless a factor such as a timeout occurs. Will still display false information that the user's status is "online".</p><p> In addition, if the IM server determines that the communication has ended due to a timeout or the like if the call is left in that state during a call, the user status becomes "offline". When a friend is notified of the status as "offline" during a call, it gives the impression that it is inaccessible for a long time, but in reality, it is "online" after a certain period of call. Since you can return to the state, it is kinder to let your friends recognize it as a state different from "offline".</p><p> Further, even if the information communication terminal is capable of both calling and data communication at the same time without exclusive operation, it is desirable that the status is automatically changed because the instant messaging cannot be answered normally during the call.</p>

<p> As a means for solving the above problems in an information communication terminal having a built-in telephone, in the present invention, appropriate information can be provided by displaying a status indicating "in a call" to other colleagues during a call. To do so.</p>

<p> According to the present invention, "in a call" is displayed in the status information during a call, and the usability of instant messaging in an information communication terminal having a built-in telephone can be improved.</p>

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

E-mail and chat have been used as a means of communication between users connected to the Internet. In addition to these, with the spread of the Internet always-on environment, instant messaging, which is a mechanism for instantly exchanging messages between friends connected to the Internet, is becoming more popular. The instant messaging system will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, 1 is the user's instant messaging terminal, 2 and 3 are the pre-registered companion 1 and 2 instant messaging terminals, and 4, 5 and 6 are the messages displayed on the user and each companion's terminal. An image of the user's status display, 7 is the instant messaging server that controls the instant messaging system (hereinafter referred to as IM server), 8 is the list of peers held on the IM server and the status information of each peer, and 9 is the user and peers. And the Internet that connects the IM server. As shown in Fig. 1, the user and each fellow instant messaging terminal connect to the IM server 7 via the Internet 9, and exchange messages with a predetermined fellow terminal via the IM server 7. At this time, the IM server 7 holds information (status) such as whether the user and the companion are online or offline. On each user terminal, the status of the companion is displayed on the screen based on the information received from the IM server 7, and the user and the companion can know each other's status.

By referring to this status, each user can know in advance whether or not a friend can exchange messages, and can specify a friend who can exchange messages and start communication immediately. When a user sends a message to a friend who can exchange messages, the message is immediately displayed on the side of the sent friend, and a real-time message exchange can be performed among the specified friends. In this way, unlike emails where you don't know when the other person will read or whether they read it, you can communicate in near real time as if you were talking to someone next to you.

Also, unlike general chat, in which an unspecified number of people participate, messages are generally exchanged with pre-registered friends.

FIG. 2 shows an information communication terminal having a built-in communication function, which has both a call function and a data communication function, uses a communication function by switching between a call and a data communication, and has an instant messaging function, to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a block diagram of an instant messaging system. 10 is a user's information communication terminal that has both call function and data communication function and has an instant messaging function, 11 is an image of the message displayed on the user's information communication terminal and the status of each user, and 12 is A mobile phone that controls the call / communication information to connect to a voice call line or the Internet by controlling the line status and incoming calls via the information communication terminal and control information, and switches the communication function between the call and data communication. Phone control system, 13 is mobile phone voice call network for exchanging voice calls of mobile phones, 14 is mobile phone terminals connected to mobile phone voice call network, 17 is voice call function unit of information communication terminal 10, 18 is information The data communication function unit of the communication terminal 10, 19 is a communication control unit that controls communication with the mobile phone carrier system, and performs incoming / outgoing calls, line status confirmation, switching between voice call and data communication, etc., 20 is a mobile phone. A mobile phone carrier system consisting of a mobile phone voice communication network 13 operated by a telephone carrier, an Internet connection system, a terminal control system, etc., and 21 are other voice communication networks to which the mobile phone voice communication network is connected.

In FIG. 2, while the user's information communication terminal 10 is using instant messaging, the data communication function unit 18 is connected to the line, and the mobile phone control system of the mobile phone carrier system 20 sends the communication data from the information communication terminal 10 to the Internet. By connecting to, the information communication terminal 10 is connected to the Internet and can communicate with the IM server 7. At this time, the user's status "online" is saved in the IM server 7, this status is notified to the friends who are in the "online" state, and the status is displayed on the terminal of each friend. The user can also receive the status of the companion from the IM server 7, and the status is displayed on the information communication terminal 10.

In this embodiment, when the information communication terminal 10 is communicating by instant messaging and its status is "online", and there is a ringtone for a voice call, the mobile phone carrier system 20 communicates information. A signal notifying the incoming call is sent to the communication control unit 19 of the terminal 10, and the information communication terminal 10 notifies the user of the incoming call by a predetermined means such as a ring tone or vibration. The information communication terminal 10 can separately exchange control information even during data communication, and it is possible to make a call request or a call instruction for a voice call by using this control information.

When the user answers this incoming call, or when the user makes a voice call, immediately before starting the voice call, the IM server 7 is notified of the status of "in a call", thereby. The appropriate user status "busy" is displayed on the fellow terminal. After that, the communication control unit 19 switches the line to the voice call function unit 17, and the mobile phone control system 12 switches the user's line to the mobile phone voice call network 13. Since voice calls and data communications exclusively use the shared communication path, instant messaging performed via the Internet 9 will not be able to communicate thereafter.

As another embodiment, the mobile phone control system 12 monitors the communication status of the instant messaging of the information communication terminal 10, and when the mobile phone control system 12 is connected to the instant messaging and starts a voice call while online, the mobile phone control system 12 is used. Notify IM Server 7 of changes to "busy" status.

On the other hand, when the IM server does not respond to a communication or a call from the terminal for a certain period of time and times out and sets the status of the corresponding terminal to "offline", the information communication terminal 10 of this embodiment is an IM server during a call. It is conceivable that the status will be set to "offline" due to a timeout during "in a call" due to the disconnection of the communication path with 7. To prevent this, IM Server 7 does not time out until the call ends when it receives a "busy" status. Alternatively, IM Server 7 will extend the timeout period if it receives a "busy" status. Alternatively, the timeout time during a call can be set in advance by the information communication terminal 10 and saved in the IM server, and the IM server 7 refers to the set timeout time during a call to set the timeout time.

Further, when the call of the information communication terminal 10 ends and the status returns from the "in a call" status, the IM server 7 sets the status notified from the information communication terminal 10 at the time of the return. Alternatively, the IM server automatically restores the status that was set immediately before the transition to "busy".

In addition, the IM server 7 temporarily saves the message sent from a fellow terminal during a call and sends it to the user when the "in a call" of the information communication terminal 10 is resolved and the communication state is restored. .. In addition, if the message cannot be sent to the user due to going "offline" immediately after the call, the user who sent the message is notified to that effect.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an instant messaging system according to an embodiment of the present invention that employs a proxy terminal status server (hereinafter referred to as a proxy server). 15 is a proxy terminal status server that provides status information instead of the user's information communication terminal, and 16 is an image of the user's status information held in the proxy terminal status server.

In FIG. 3, the proxy server 15 for instant messaging is connected to the Internet 9, and the information communication terminal 10 always communicates with the IM server 7 via the proxy server 15. The proxy server 15 mediates information between the information communication terminal 10 and the IM server 7, and acts to the IM server 7 as if the proxy server 15 itself is an instant messaging terminal. Immediately before starting a voice call, the information communication terminal 10 notifies the proxy server 15 of the status of "in a call". When the proxy server 15 receives this notification, it retains the status of "in a call" until the information communication terminal 10 gives an instruction to change the status again, and informs the IM server 7 that the user is in a "call". Present. In this way, the proxy server 15 can provide appropriate status information to the IM server even when the proxy server 15 changes to the user's information communication terminal 10 and the information communication terminal 10 cannot respond.

Alternatively, the information communication terminal 10 normally communicates directly with the IM server 7 without going through the proxy server 15, but immediately before starting the voice call, the information communication terminal 10 notifies the proxy server 15 of the status of "in a call". , The proxy server 15 holds the status information of the user's information communication terminal 10 only during a call, and acts as an agent for instant messaging communication with the IM server 7.

In addition, the proxy server 15 temporarily saves a message sent from a fellow terminal during a call, and sends it to the user when the "in a call" of the information communication terminal 10 is resolved and the communication state is restored. .. In addition, if the message cannot be sent to the user due to going "offline" immediately after the call, the user who sent the message is notified to that effect.

FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the present invention in which the IM server 7 can confirm the call status of the information communication terminal 10 via the voice communication line.

In FIG. 4, the information communication terminal 10 starts a voice call during instant messaging as in the first and second embodiments, the user's information communication terminal 10 is in a voice call with the mobile phone terminal B, and the IM server 7 Holds the information "in a call" as the status of the user's information communication terminal 10.

At this time, the IM server 7 holds the telephone number information of the information communication terminal 10 in advance, and in order to monitor the call status of the information communication terminal 10, the information communication terminal 10 is sent from the voice communication network 21 via the mobile phone voice communication network 13. Call to. As a result, if the information communication terminal 10 is in a busy state, it can be confirmed that the information communication terminal 10 is still "in a call". The IM server 7 periodically calls the information communication terminal 10 to monitor the completion of the call. The IM server 7 determines that the call has ended when the call is no longer busy, and changes the status information held by the IM server 7 from the status before the start of the voice call or from the information communication terminal 10 before the start of the voice call. Automatically returns to the specified status.

Alternatively, the IM server 7 determines that the call has ended when the call is no longer busy, and attempts to resume instant messaging communication with the information communication terminal 10. The information communication terminal responds to this communication and notifies the current status.

In this embodiment, the IM server 7 may be directly connected to the mobile phone voice communication network 13.

In addition, the information communication terminal 10 recognizes the call monitoring telephone number of the specified IM server 7, and when the call is received from the IM server 7, the incoming call is not notified to the user by a ringing sound or vibration. Can be done.

The information communication terminal 10 of this embodiment has a switch (TPO switch) capable of controlling set values such as ringtone and volume in a voice call according to a set position. If there are three types of switch settings (A, B, C), the ringtones A, B, C, etc. corresponding to each can be set.

Further, in this embodiment, the switch presets and saves the user status of instant messaging for each position, and automatically responds to the switch position in IM server 7 when the switch position is changed. Be notified of status changes.

In addition, "offline" can be set for the status, and when the switch position is changed from "offline" to "online", instant messaging communication is automatically started. When the switch position is changed from "online" to "offline", instant messaging communication is automatically terminated.

As a result, the information communication terminal 10 of this embodiment can be set in advance with a status such as "online" at switch position A, "mealing" at B, and "offline" at C.

In addition, regardless of the switch position, the information communication terminal 10 gives priority to the status of "in a call" when starting a call and notifies the IM server 7, and when the call ends, the TPO switch is confirmed and the status is confirmed. Notify IM Server 7 to return to the status corresponding to the switch position.

<figref num="1">Instant messaging system configuration diagram</figref><figref num="2">System configuration diagram of instant messaging to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied</figref><figref num="3">System configuration diagram of instant messaging to which Example 2 of the present invention is applied</figref><figref num="4">System configuration diagram of instant messaging to which Example 3 of the present invention is applied</figref>

Code description

1 User's instant messaging terminal 2, 3 Companion 1, 2 Instant messaging terminal 4, 5, 6 Image of message displayed on the terminal and status of each user 7 Instant messaging server 8 Companion list and each companion Status information 9 Internet 10 User's information communication terminal 11 Message displayed on the user's information communication terminal and image of each user's status display 12 Mobile phone control system 13 Mobile phone voice network 14 Mobile phone terminal 15 Proxy terminal status Server 16 Image of user status information 17 Voice call function unit 18 Data communication function unit 19 Communication control unit 20 Mobile phone carrier system 21 Voice call network