Electronic conversation control system

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to an electronic conversation method using a computer, and relates to an easy call of the other party.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

There is a workgroup, which is a unit of a group that exchanges various information through a network and jointly carries out a certain work. Chat is one of the things that enables electronic conversations with other people within this workgroup. Chat allows you to exchange messages and files in real time, between different models, and in remote locations. For example, in chat, the dial command in the menu that displays a list of commands that can be used in the application window, or the computer specified by the dial command on the toolbar that is displayed separately so that only frequently executed commands are easy to use, is called and the response is received. Only when there is, you can send your own conversation from the keyboard to the other party, and at the same time, the conversation from the other party is also sent, and electronic conversation is realized.

【0003】

However, in the conventional method of calling the other party by inputting the model of the computer, it is required to remember who is using which computer. This has the problem of imposing a considerable burden on the user who uses the computer.

【0004】

In addition, although it is possible to know that someone is calling when a call is made, there is also the inconvenience of not knowing who the caller is until the conversation is started in response.

【0005】

If there is an interrupt process such as another call being made when a conversation is already in progress, there is a convenient function that allows up to a limited number of people to participate in the conversation and multiple conversations can be made, but on the other hand, the safety of the content is safe. Is not guaranteed.

【0006】

In addition, a PC (personal computer) basically has a form in which one person owns one, but when a user performs some work on the PC, an ID number for identifying each user is used as a safety measure. If you take the login procedure of entering a password and show that you are a legitimate user, you can log in to the computer registered by that user, so there is no guarantee that the user will always use the same computer. As a result, if you are using another computer, there is also the problem that you cannot guarantee the security of the conversation unless the caller knows in advance which other computer the other party is using.

【0007】

As a prior art, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-2263 (hereinafter referred to as the prior art 1), there is a method in which a list of recipients is displayed by an icon and can be specified by an icon in an e-mail system. .. Further, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-164350 (hereinafter referred to as the prior art 2), there is also an example of control of connection in a communication terminal. Here, when starting communication, communication can be started by selecting an icon indicating the other party, moving it, and placing it in the frame.

【0008】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

In the above-mentioned conventional technique 1, it is necessary to memorize the computer corresponding to each chat partner, which may cause confusion for the user when there are a large number of registrants in the workgroup. Further, in the conventional technology 2, although the icon indicating the other party is used, the movement of the icon and the connection of communication are linked, and the user must grasp both the icon and the movement destination. It wasn't easy. In addition to the conventional call execution method, the present invention has a unique icon that allows you to see at a glance who has set the address of the person with whom you frequently chat so that you will not be confused each time you make a call. Provide in the form of selecting without moving with, make it possible to recognize who the call is from before the conversation starts by using the above icon, and automatically whether the callee is logged in to the workgroup Search by target and display a message if you are not logged in to eliminate unnecessary waiting time, set priorities within the workgroup, and if there is another call during chat communication, by priority The purpose is to determine the execution of an interrupt.

【0009】

[Means to realize the problem]

In order to achieve the above objectives, an icon registration means for associating data of a user ID and a computer as a set with a corresponding icon, a caller selection means for automatically calling a callee by selecting the above icon, and the above icon. By using, it is possible to know who is calling at the time of calling before the conversation starts, the icon display means of the corresponding caller, login in the work group even if the user is not using a specific computer If so, provide an ID automatic search means that automatically finds where you are, a login user ID management means at that time, a priority setting means that serves as a criterion for determining whether to allow interrupts, and a priority management means. ..

【0010】

[Action]

If you want to easily call the callee, register the callee in advance with the icon setting 110 in the pull-down menu of Easy Call 90, which is a new menu item in Fig. 1, and when calling, register the registered icon from the icon selection dialog box in Fig. 7. Select the callee with. A dialog box is a window that is temporarily displayed when data is entered or information is displayed. This will automatically start the call.

【0011】

[Example]

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

【0012】

First, the terms used in the following description will be described.

【0013】

FIG. 2 shows the connection relationship of the personal computer in which the present invention is used. It consists of a communication medium 1, a PC (personal computer) 2, and a communication adapter 180, and the PC transfers data through the communication medium connected via the communication adapter.

【0014】

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of an information processing device such as a personal computer to which the method of the present invention can be applied.

【0015】

The information processing device shown in FIG. 3 has a CPU (central processing unit) 3, a ROM (read-only memory) 4, a RAM (random access memory) 5, a disk 6, a mouse 7, a display 8, a keyboard 9, and a bus 10. It is composed of.

【0016】

ROM4 is an auxiliary storage device that uses the contents of the memory as it is, and RAM5 is an auxiliary storage device that transfers and uses the contents of the disk. In addition, a necessary program is stored in the disk 6, and a predetermined function is performed according to the stored software. The present invention can be realized by storing a program describing the method of the present invention in the above memory.

【0017】

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the hardware required for executing the present invention, the modules of the chat application program that realizes the present invention, and their relationships. Chat application module 20, GUI (Graphic user interface) 30, OS (Operating system) core module, kernel 40, keyboard 50, mouse 60, etc. that perform basic control of processors such as memory management and interrupt processing. It consists of an adapter 190, which is a means of communication with a personal computer.

【0018】

The icon registration means 2010 is a means for registering a file name, a computer model, and a user ID in association with each other.

【0019】

The callee selection means 2020 executes a call from the registered icon.

【0020】

Corresponding icon display means 2030 is a means for searching and displaying the icon of the calling user when a call is made.

【0021】

The ID search means 2040 is a means for searching whether or not there is a caller among the users who are logged in to the workgroup.

【0022】

The priority setting means 2050 is a means for setting the priority of the user.

【0023】

The priority management means 2060 is a means for managing the set priority.

【0024】

login User management means 2070 is a means to manage user IDs who are currently logged in to a workgroup.

【0025】

Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the chat realization method and operation in the present invention will be described.

【0026】

FIG. 1 is a chat screen of the present invention displayed on the screen when the electronic conversation program is executed. 70 is a CRT screen and is hereinafter referred to as the desktop area. 80 is a menu bar that displays a list of commands, Easy Call (E) 90 is a menu item newly added in the present invention, 100 is a menu that appears by placing the mouse cursor on the menu and pressing the mouse button. This is a pull-down menu that displays detailed commands. When the icon setting 110 in the pull-down menu 100 is executed, the dialog box of the icon setting screen shown in Fig. 5 is displayed. FIG. 6 shows a flowchart showing the flow of processing on the icon setting screen.

【0027】

First, enter the icon file name, the computer model of the other party, and the user ID created by an editor that allows the user to create an icon in advance, such as an icon editor or image editor, in the input areas 130, 140, 150 in Fig. 5, and click the OK button 170. .. In step 6010, the system waiting for the click of the OK button 170 confirms that the file name, computer model, and user ID have been entered. If it is entered, the process is executed in the order of determining whether the icon file name is correct (step 6020), determining whether the computer name is correct (step 6030), and determining whether the user ID is correct (step 6040). Will be done. Of course, if the system determines that the input is incorrect, it will display an error message each time and enter a loop waiting for re-input or canceling the registration process itself, but this time I will omit that part. If all the requested input items are correct, register the relationship between the icon, computer, and user ID in the icon registration and priority management table shown in Fig. 9 (step 6050). This registration is managed by the chat application and can be viewed from all computers in the workgroup. In addition, it can be changed at any time in the dialog box shown in Fig. 5.

【0028】

When the icon selection 120 in Fig. 4 is executed, the icon selection screen in Fig. 7 is displayed. The icon displayed on this screen is a unique icon that has already been registered with the computer and user ID associated with it, so the user can simply select this icon in the dialog box and the call will start automatically. To.

【0029】

Figure 10 shows the login user ID management table. When the user logs in to any computer in the workgroup, the OS registers the user ID and the computer model in association with each other. If the user logs off, the registration will be deleted immediately. This table shall be managed by the OS.

【0030】

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing flow when a call is started by the procedure of the present invention. When the user selects an icon on the screen shown in Fig. 7 and starts the call (step 8010), first, whether or not the callee is logged in to the computer set as the icon, the icon registration in Fig. 9 and the registration information in the priority management table. Start searching using (step 8020). If the callee is logged in to the registered computer, the call is initiated (step 8030). If the callee is using a computer other than the registered one, the caller will start searching for user IDs in all computer fields in Figure 10 again to search for user IDs throughout the workgroup (step 8040). If the callee is found here, the call is initiated to the computer that the callee is currently using (step 8030). If you search the entire workgroup and cannot find it, use a message box to let them know that they are not logged in (step 8050).

【0031】

When the call is started, it is notified that the call is being made by displaying the icon corresponding to the user searched based on the user ID in the desktop area of the other party via the corresponding icon of the other party. As a result, only the call from whom can be grasped before the conversation starts.

【0032】

In Fig. 9, the priority is also registered at the same time in the n-step evaluation. Enter the registration at any time in the input area 160 in the dialog box shown in Fig. 5. This priority is used when interrupt processing is performed. If there is a new call during chat communication, the priority is searched and compared with the current communication partner. If the newly calling party has a higher priority, an interrupt is placed. Chat during communication is suspended.

【0033】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the user selects the other party of the electronic conversation, the user can easily call the other party and can grasp the other party before the start of the electronic conversation.

【0034】

Furthermore, it is possible to make an interruption according to the priority of the other party.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

It is a figure which shows the chat screen which provided the menu which realizes this invention.

[Figure 2]

It is a figure of the personal computer connection state in which this invention is used.

[Fig. 3]

It is a block diagram of an example of an information processing apparatus to which this invention is applied.

[Fig. 4]

It is a module block diagram of 1 Example of this invention.

[Fig. 5]

It is explanatory drawing of the icon setting screen.

[Fig. 6]

It is a flowchart of an icon setting process.

[Fig. 7]

It is a figure which shows the selection screen from the icon call.

[Fig. 8]

It is a flowchart of an icon call process.

[Fig. 9]

It is a figure which shows the icon registration information, and the priority management table.

[Fig. 10]

It is a figure which shows the login user management table in a workgroup.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... communication medium, 2 ... PC, 3 ... CPU (Central Processing Unit), 4 ... ROM (read-only memory), 5 ... RAM (Random Access Memory), 6 ... disc, 7 ... mouse, 8 ... display, 9 ... keyboard, 10 ... bus, 20 ... Chat AP, 30 ... GUI, 40 ... kernel, 50 ... keyboard, 60 ... mouse, 70 ... desktop area, 80 ... menu bar, 90 ... Easy call menu, 100 ... pull-down menu, 110 ... Icon setting menu, 120 ... Icon selection menu, 130 ... Icon file name input area, 140 ... Computer model input area, 150 ... username input area, 160 ... Priority input area, 170 ... OK button, 180 ... communication adapter, 2010 ... Icon registration method, 2020 ... means of selecting a callee, 2030 ... Corresponding icon display means, 2040 ... ID search method, 2050 ... Priority setting means, 2060 ... Priority management method, 2070 ... login User management method.