System, program, and method

Abstract

To solve a risk that a user who receives invitation from another user participates in a chat room in which the user does not want to participate without any intension.SOLUTION: A system comprises: a chat execution section for executing a voice chat between terminals used by multiple accounts that participate in one room; a setting section for setting each account in a friend relationship with a first account as a first state account for the first account on the basis of operation by the user of the first account; a determination section for determining whether a predetermined condition that the first state account for the first account is not participating in the room is satisfied when a user of a second account performs invitation operation for inviting the first account to the room; and a notification section for reporting invitation of the first account to a room to a terminal used by the first account when a predetermined condition is satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system, a program, and a method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-199134) discloses a technique in which a user opens a virtual room on a server and then invites other users to the virtual room to enjoy conversations. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-199134 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A user who receives an invitation to a virtual room may unintentionally join a virtual room in which he or she does not wish to join. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] (Configuration 1) A system according to one embodiment includes a chat execution unit that executes voice chats between terminals used by each of multiple accounts participating in a single room; a setting unit that sets each account that is friend-related with a first account as a first status account for the first account based on an operation by the user of the first account; a judgment unit that, when an invitation operation is performed by a user of a second account to invite the first account to a room, determines whether predetermined conditions are met, including that the first status account for the first account is not currently participating in the room; and a notification unit that, when the predetermined conditions are met, notifies the terminal used by the first account that the first account has been invited to the room.

[0006] (Configuration 2) In configuration 1, the terminal used by the first account displays rooms that meet certain conditions in a room list that lists at least one room to which the first account has been invited by another account.

[0007] (Configuration 3) In configuration 2, the terminal used by the first account acquires information about rooms to which the user has been invited, and displays, from among the acquired rooms, rooms that meet predetermined conditions in a room list.

[0008] (Configuration 4) In configuration 2 or 3, when the terminal used by the first account receives a predetermined operation from the user of the first account while displaying a list of rooms, the terminal displays rooms that do not satisfy predetermined conditions.

[0009] (Configuration 5) In configuration 2, the terminal used by the first account acquires information about rooms that satisfy specified conditions, displays the acquired rooms that satisfy the specified conditions in a room list, and upon receiving a specified operation from the user of the first account, acquires information about rooms that do not satisfy the specified conditions, and displays the acquired rooms that do not satisfy the specified conditions in the room list.

[0010] (Configuration 6) In configuration 1, when a predetermined condition is met, the terminal used by the first account acquires information indicating that it has been invited to a chat.

[0011] (Configuration 7) In any of configurations 1 to 6, the predetermined condition includes that no blocked accounts for the first account are participating in the room.

[0012] (Configuration 8) In any of configurations 1 to 7, when a first account sends a friend request to a third account to become friends, in accordance with a pre-setting operation performed when the first account sends the friend request to the third account, and the third account accepts the friend request, the setting unit sets the third account as the first status account for the first account.

[0013] (Configuration 9) In any of configurations 1 to 8, the setting unit sets each account that is in a friend relationship with the first account as a second status account that is different from the first status account based on an operation by the user of the first account, and that is displayed as a candidate account for the first account to invite to a room.

[0014] (Configuration 10) In configuration 9, the setting unit allows the user to select an account to be the second status account from among accounts in a friend relationship, and sets the accounts not selected as the first status accounts.

[0015] (Configuration 11) In configuration 9, when a predetermined condition is met, the notification unit notifies the user that the first account has been invited to a room, regardless of whether or not a friend of the first account who is neither a first status account nor a second status account is participating in the room.

[0016] (Configuration 12) In any of configurations 1 to 11, the predetermined condition includes that a first status account is not scheduled to participate.

[0017] (Configuration 13) A program according to one embodiment is a program used in a system including a server having one or more processors and multiple terminals managed by the server, and the program causes the one or more processors to perform the following steps: causing a voice chat to be conducted between terminals used by each of multiple accounts participating in a single room; setting each account that is friend-related with a first account as a first status account for the first account based on an operation by the user of the first account; when an invitation operation is performed by a user of a second account to invite the first account to a room, determining whether predetermined conditions are met, including that the first status account for the first account is not currently participating in the room; and, if the predetermined conditions are met, notifying the terminal used by the first account that the first account has been invited to the room.

[0018] (Configuration 14) A method according to one embodiment is a method used in a system including a server having one or more processors and multiple terminals managed by the server, and the method includes the steps of: causing any one of the multiple terminals to conduct a voice chat between terminals used by each of multiple accounts participating in a single room; causing each account that is friend-related with a first account to be set as a first status account for the first account based on an operation by the user of the first account; when a user of a second account performs an invitation operation to invite the first account to a room, determining whether predetermined conditions are met, including that the first status account for the first account is not currently participating in the room; and, if the predetermined conditions are met, causing the terminal used by the first account to notify that the first account has been invited to the room. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a server included in the information processing system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a game terminal included in the information processing system according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an example of a sequence diagram illustrating a friend relationship setting process. [Figure 5] 10 is an example of a flowchart illustrating processing at the time of starting up a chat application. [Figure 6] 10 is an example of a display screen in step S202. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing a state of chat friend classification. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing a flow of overlay notification. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating the determination process in step S301. [Figure 10] 10 is an example of a display screen showing an example of an overlay notification. [Figure 11] 1 is an example of a main menu screen of a chat application. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a sequence diagram for displaying a list of virtual rooms. [Figure 13] 10 is an example of a display screen showing a list of display rooms. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen showing details of a virtual room to which an account B has been invited. [Figure 15] 10 is an example of a display screen showing a list of hidden rooms. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen showing details of a virtual room to which an account C has been invited. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen showing details of a virtual room to which an invitation from account D has been sent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and description thereof will not be repeated.

[0021] <Embodiment> [A. Overview] An example of the configuration of an information processing system 100 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the information processing system 100 according to this embodiment. The information processing system 100 is a system that provides a communication service between accounts using a server Sr1. An account is information for identifying a user. Information about all accounts generated in the information processing system 100 may be stored in the server Sr1.

[0022] In the information processing system 100 of this embodiment, an account can invite at least one other account to a communication. Communication includes at least one of communication involving voice and communication using text, but this embodiment will mainly describe communication involving voice.

[0023] Communication is realized by executing a communication application program 364 stored in each terminal. The communication application program 364 is a program for executing a chat application (referred to as a "chat app").

[0024] While the chat app is running, multiple accounts participating in the same communication group (hereinafter referred to as a "virtual room") can communicate with each other. The chat app in this embodiment allows users to communicate with each other within the virtual room while having one or more accounts broadcast a game. Hereinafter, communication via the chat app will be simply referred to as "chat." Note that the chat app does not necessarily have to broadcast a game.

[0025] Communication between a game terminal associated with an account participating in a virtual room and one or more other game terminals associated with one or more other accounts participating in the virtual room may be enabled when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The server Sr1 may execute at least a part of a process for determining whether the predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0026] A predetermined condition for communication between accounts is, for example, that a friend relationship be established. A friend relationship is a relationship in which certain functions can be provided to two accounts. A user inputs the friend code or the like of a specific account that the user wants to set as their friend into their device and applies to become friends with that specific account. Note that within a virtual room, each account only needs to be in a friend relationship with at least one other account, and does not necessarily have to be in a friend relationship with all other accounts.

[0027] Predetermined functions provided by establishing a friend relationship may include, for example, functions to display friend information (such as the friend's online status, the title of the game the friend is playing, and information indicating how and when they became friends), to send invitations to online games, and to play games on the same team. Note that a friend relationship is a relationship that enables the provision of communication functions, and other functions may not be provided.

[0028] In this embodiment, a friend relationship refers to a relationship that associates accounts bidirectionally. For example, when a friend relationship is established between accounts A and B, account A becomes a friend of account B, and account B also becomes a friend of account A.

[0029] In this embodiment, the user classifies friends in terms of chat for each account that has a friend relationship with the user's account. In this embodiment, the friend classification in terms of chat includes a first classification and a second classification. Accounts classified in the first classification (hereinafter referred to as "first classification accounts") are, for example, friends with whom the user is not expected to chat. Accounts classified in the second classification (hereinafter referred to as "second classification accounts") are, for example, friends with whom the user is expected to chat.

[0030] In this embodiment, friend classifications related to chats are stored unidirectionally, unlike friend relationships. For example, even if account B is set as a second category account for account A, account A may be set as a first category account for account B, or account A may not have set a friend classification for account B.

[0031] Hereinafter, when an account issues a command to create a virtual room and invites friends to the virtual room created in response to the command, the account will be referred to as the "organizer account." The organizer account may only be able to invite second category accounts for the organizer account to the virtual room. In this embodiment, when the organizer account selects friends to invite to the virtual room, the information processing system 100 displays only second category accounts for the organizer account as candidates for invitation to the virtual room.

[0032] Hereinafter, an account invited to a virtual room by a host account may be referred to as an "invited account." A host account can invite multiple accounts to a single virtual room as invited accounts. In this case, when an account is invited to a virtual room as an invited account, the other invited accounts invited to the virtual room are not necessarily second category accounts for that account. In other words, the other invited accounts invited to the virtual room may be first category accounts for that account. Similarly, when an account is invited to a virtual room as an invited account, the host account of the virtual room may also be a first category account for that account.

[0033] In the information processing system 100 of this embodiment, the manner in which an inviting account is notified that it has been invited to a virtual room changes depending on whether all accounts that can participate in the virtual room are not first-category accounts for the inviting account or whether at least one of all other accounts that can participate in the virtual room is a first-category account for the inviting account. In this embodiment, "accounts that can participate in a virtual room" includes the host account that created the virtual room and all accounts invited by the host account. Being able to participate includes not only participating in the virtual room, but also being invited but not participating, or participating and then leaving. In this embodiment, an account that has left a virtual room can rejoin the virtual room.

[0034] [B. Overall configuration] The information processing system 100 may include a server Sr1 and several tens, hundreds, or even more terminals. The terminals may include dedicated game terminals, smartphones, tablets, PCs, etc. The terminals included in the information processing system 100 and the server Sr1 can be connected to each other via a network NW. The network NW is, for example, the Internet. In the example of FIG. 1, game terminals 30A and 30B are illustrated among the terminals included in the information processing system 100.

[0035] As an example, game terminals 30A and 30B are information processing devices dedicated to games that provide users with games. Hereinafter, game terminals 30A and 30B will be collectively referred to as "game terminal 30." Each of game terminals 30A and 30B includes a game application program 361, terminal-side account information 362, and a communication application program 364. Game application program 361 is a program for executing a game application. Game terminal 30 may be any of a portable, stationary, or hybrid type. Note that game terminal 30 may also be a general-purpose PC, smartphone, tablet, or the like that is capable of executing a game application program.

[0036] Terminal account information 362 includes information about individual accounts associated with game terminal 30. Accounts A and B are associated with game terminals 30A and 30B. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, information about accounts A and B is included in terminal account information 362 in game terminals 30A and 30B, respectively. Communication application program 364 is a program for transmitting and receiving audio between users in a virtual room. Accounts A and B can chat with each other by running communication application program 364 while each running game application program 361.

[0037] Note that multiple accounts may be associated with game terminal 30. That is, terminal-side account information 362 may include information about multiple accounts. Furthermore, the same account may be associated with multiple terminals.

[0038] [C. Hardware configuration example] Hereinafter, an example of the hardware configuration of server Sr1 and game terminal 30 constituting information processing system 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0039] 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of server Sr1 included in information processing system 100 according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 2, server Sr1 includes a communication unit 13, one or more processors 14, memory 15, and storage 16. These components are connected to each other via bus 17 so as to be able to communicate data with each other. Note that server Sr1 may be a dedicated information processing device that manages accounts and executes communications, or may be realized using a general-purpose server.

[0040] The communication unit 13 communicates with multiple terminals included in the information processing system 100 via the network NW. The communication unit 13 has at least one of hardware necessary for wired communication and hardware necessary for wireless communication. Note that all or part of the processing of the communication unit 13 may be implemented by the processor 14.

[0041] The processor 14 is a processing entity (processing means) for executing the processes provided by the server Sr1. In this disclosure, the term "processor" refers to a processing circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The term "processor" encompasses a processing circuit that executes processing according to instruction codes written in a program, a processing circuit that integrates multiple functions such as an SoC (System on Chip), a hardwired circuit, and the like.

[0042] The memory 15 is a volatile storage device (storage medium) accessible by the processor 14, and may be, for example, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or a static random access memory (SRAM). The storage 16 is a non-volatile storage device (storage medium) accessible by the processor 14, and may be, for example, a hard disk or a flash memory. The storage 16 may be, for example, a storage medium detachable from the server Sr1, such as an optical disk or a cartridge.

[0043] The storage 16 stores a management program 162, account information 164, friend information 165, and chat friend classification information 166. The processor 14 reads the management program 162, deploys it in the memory 15, and executes it. In this specification, the term "memory" encompasses at least both volatile memory and non-volatile storage.

[0044] Management program 162 is a program that allows chats to be carried out between game terminals 30 used by multiple accounts participating in one room, and is a program that oversees, for example, the execution of communication between accounts and the notification of invitations to communication. Account information 164 is information about all accounts registered in information processing system 100, and may include the name, age, email address, ID, password, etc. of the user of each account.

[0045] Friend information 165 is information that indicates which accounts, out of all registered accounts, have friend relationships with each other. Chat friend classification information 166 is information that indicates the friend classification related to the chat described above (hereinafter simply referred to as "chat friend classification"), and is information that indicates whether a friend of a certain account is set as a first category account, a second category account for that account, or whether it is unset.

[0046] 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of game terminal 30 included in information processing system 100 according to the present embodiment. Game terminal 30 has a display 31, an operation unit 32, a communication unit 33, one or more processors 34, memory 35, storage 36, a camera Cm, a microphone Mk, a speaker Sp, and a bus 39.

[0047] Display 31 displays images generated as a result of information processing executed by processor 34. Operation unit 32 accepts operations by the user operating game terminal 30. Operation unit 32 may include, for example, at least one of a push button, an operation lever, a touch panel, a mouse, and a keyboard.

[0048] The components included in the game terminal 30 are connected to each other via a bus 39 so that they can communicate data with each other. The game terminal 30 uses a microphone Mk, a camera Cm, and a speaker Sp to realize communication between accounts through voice chat.

[0049] Each component such as the display 31, the operation unit 32, the microphone Mk, the camera Cm, the speaker Sp, etc. may not be included in the game terminal 30. For example, at least one of the display 31, the operation unit 32, the microphone Mk, the camera Cm, and the speaker Sp may be an external device separate from the game terminal 30 that can be connected to the game terminal 30 by wire or wirelessly.

[0050] The storage 36 stores a game application program 361, terminal side account information 362, a friend setting program 363, and a communication application program 364.

[0051] Game application program 361 may be downloaded to game terminal 30 from an application distribution server (not shown) via a network, or may be read from a separate, physically connected storage medium. Friend setting program 363 is a program for making friend relationship requests to other accounts and approving requests received from other accounts.

[0052] The communication application program 364 is an application for communicating with friends. The communication application program 364 includes an overlay notification process that, in response to receiving an invitation to a virtual room from the host account, overlays a notification that the invitation has been received on a screen in progress of a game, a screen for selecting a game title, or the like. The overlay notification may be overlaid on the screen regardless of the content of the currently displayed screen.

[0053] [D. Chat Friend Classification Settings] In the information processing system 100 of this embodiment, if all accounts that can participate in the invited virtual room are not first category accounts for the invited account, the game terminal 30 associated with the invited account sends an overlay notification indicating that the invited account has been invited to the virtual room. Below, the overlay notification will be described using an example in which account B is the host account and has invited multiple inviting accounts including account A.

[0054] Account A can set an account that is set as a friend as a first category account or a second category account. In this embodiment, in order for account A to set the chat friend category for a specific account, account A must have a friend relationship with the specific account.

[0055] First, an example of setting a friend relationship between accounts A and B will be described using Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is an example of a sequence diagram for explaining the friend relationship setting process. Game terminal 30A, which is associated with account A, executes friend setting program 363 and sends a friend request to server Sr1 requesting to add account B as a friend (step S101).

[0056] Server Sr1 transmits the friend request from account A to game terminal 30B associated with account B (step S102). Game terminal 30B transmits a notification to server Sr1 that the friend request is accepted based on an operation by account B (step S103).

[0057] Upon receiving friend permission from account B, the server Sr1 establishes a friend relationship between accounts A and B (step S104). Specifically, the server Sr1 adds information indicating the friend relationship between accounts A and B to the friend information 165. In step S104, the server Sr1 notifies each of game terminals 30A and 30B that a friend relationship has been established between accounts A and B.

[0058] 5 is an example of a flowchart showing the processing when a chat application is started up. Game terminal 30A executes communication application program 364 to realize the processing shown in FIG.

[0059] Game terminal 30A receives from the user the selection of an account to log in to (step S200). In this embodiment, account A is selected as the account to log in to. Game terminal 30A determines whether or not there are any friends of the logged-in account for which a chat friend classification has not been set (step S201). Hereinafter, friends for which a chat friend classification has not been set will be referred to as "uncategorized friends."

[0060] If a chat friend classification has been set for all of account A's friends (NO in step S201), game terminal 30A ends the process. The timing for selecting an account to log in to is not limited, and may be, for example, when game terminal 30A is started up. For example, if game terminal 30A is associated with only one account, an account does not need to be selected in step S200.

[0061] If there is an uncategorized friend among the friends of account A (YES in step S201), game terminal 30A executes a setting process to prompt the user to set a chat friend category for the uncategorized friend (step S202). That is, game terminal 30A prompts the user to decide whether to set the uncategorized friend as a first category account or a second category account.

[0062] 6 is an example of the display screen Im1 in step S202. The display screen Im1 is a screen displayed on the display 31 of the game terminal 30A. On the display screen Im1, accounts B to E are displayed as uncategorized friends of the account A.

[0063] The information processing system 100 of this embodiment allows account A to select a friend to set as a second category account on the display screen Im1. As an example, as shown in Fig. 6, a message prompting the user to select a friend to chat with is displayed at the top of the display screen Im1. Account A can select multiple uncategorized friends displayed on the display screen Im1.

[0064] Accounts B to E are displayed as uncategorized friends in areas R1 to R4 included in display screen Im1, respectively. Areas R1 to R4 include icons IcB to IcE and account names for accounts B to E, respectively. Note that the characters "accounts B to E" in parentheses in FIG. 6 are for reference only and may not actually be displayed on display screen Im1.

[0065] Account A can select at least one of areas R1 to R4. Each of areas R1 to R4 may be displayed in a different color depending on whether it is selected by account A or not, and when it is selected, some kind of sign may be displayed near the selected area.

[0066] Area R5 is a button for setting a selected account as a second category account. In this embodiment, account A selects area R5 with accounts B and C selected, for example. As a result, accounts B and C are set as second category accounts for account A. On the other hand, accounts D and E, which were not selected on display screen Im1, are set as first category accounts for account A in this embodiment. That is, accounts D and E are set as first category accounts based on the user's operation of "setting accounts A and C as second category accounts." Accounts D and E are set as first category accounts based on the operation of "selecting area R5 when not selected by the user."

[0067] In this embodiment, accounts D and E are set as first category accounts, reflecting the user's intention not to set them as second category accounts. Note that area R5 may be, for example, a button for making a tentative decision, and when area R5 is selected, a screen may be displayed for confirming whether to set the selected accounts as first category accounts.

[0068] Note that the information processing system 100 may allow the user to select an account to be set as a first category account, rather than selecting an account to be set as a second category account from among the uncategorized friends on the display screen Im1. The information processing system 100 may have a function to change the displayed uncategorized friends to a collectively selected state.

[0069] FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the state of chat friend classification. As an example, FIG. 7 shows chat friend classifications set by each of accounts A and B. As described in FIG. 6, accounts B and C are set as second-category accounts for account A, and accounts D and E are set as first-category accounts for account A. Furthermore, FIG. 7 shows an example in which friend relationships are subsequently set between account A and accounts F and G. Account F is an uncategorized friend for account A, while account G is classified as a second-category account for account A.

[0070] In the example shown in FIG. 7, account B has friend relationships with all of accounts A, C to F, and all of the friends are set as second category accounts for account B. Chat friend classifications are stored unidirectionally for each account. Information indicating the chat friend classification of each account may be stored as chat friend classification information 166 on server Sr1. A primary key that uniquely indicates the information indicating the chat friend classification may include identification information of the account and identification information of the friend associated with that account.

[0071] [E. Overlay Notification] 8 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of an overlay notification. In a state in which the chat friend classification shown in FIG. 7 is set, game terminal 30B accepts a login from account B, and then accepts a command from the user of account B to invite friends to a chat. The user of account B selects at least one account from among account B's friends as an account to invite to a chat. An example will be described below in which account B selects accounts A, C, and F as accounts to invite to a chat. In this example, account B is the host account, and accounts A, C, and F are the inviting accounts.

[0072] Game terminal 30B executes an invitation process to send information identifying the host account and the inviting accounts to server Sr1 (step S300). In this embodiment, game terminal 30B sends information identifying account B itself, which is the host account, and information identifying inviting accounts A, C, and F to server Sr1. Having accepted the invitation process, server Sr1 executes a process to determine whether predetermined conditions are met (step S301). In this embodiment, server Sr1 executes a determination process for each of inviting accounts A, C, and F to determine whether predetermined conditions are met, including the condition that all accounts that can participate in the virtual room are not first category accounts for each of the inviting accounts.

[0073] 9 is a flowchart for explaining the determination process of step S301. In step S301, the server Sr1 executes the process shown in FIG. 9. Based on the invitation process of step S300, the server Sr1 identifies the host account and the inviting accounts using the account information 164 (step S3011). In this embodiment, the server Sr1 identifies the host account B and the inviting accounts A, C, and F.

[0074] The server Sr1 references the account information 164, the friend information 165, and the chat friend classification information 166 (step S3012). As a result, the server Sr1 identifies the friend relationship and chat friend classification information that have been set between the inviting account and the organizer account.

[0075] The server Sr1 determines whether a predetermined condition is met for each inviting account (step S3013). In this embodiment, the server Sr1 determines whether all accounts that can participate in the virtual room for each of the inviting accounts A, C, and F are first category accounts.

[0076] If all accounts that can participate in the virtual room are not first category accounts for a certain inviting account, the server Sr1 determines that the predetermined condition is met (YES in step S3013) and registers the certain inviting account in the notification list (step S3014). If the certain inviting account is account A, referring to FIG. 7, accounts B, C, and F are not first category accounts for account A. Therefore, the server Sr1 adds account A to the notification list. The notification list is a list of accounts to which overlay information is notified.

[0077] If at least one of all accounts that can participate in the virtual room is a first category account for a certain inviting account, the server Sr1 determines that the predetermined condition is not met (NO in step S3013) and registers the certain inviting account on the non-notification list (step S3015). Note that the server Sr1 may simply discard the information of the certain inviting account without registering the certain inviting account on the non-notification list.

[0078] Returning to Fig. 8, the server Sr1 executes a process of transmitting overlay information to the inviting accounts registered in the notification list (step S302). In this embodiment, at least account A is registered in the notification list, so the server Sr1 transmits the overlay information to the game terminal 30A associated with account A. The overlay information is information for causing the game terminal 30A to perform an overlay notification.

[0079] Based on the reception of the overlay information, game terminal 30A issues an overlay notification (step S303). FIG. 10 is an example of a display screen Im2 showing an example of an overlay notification. Display screen Im2 includes an area R8 superimposed on a game execution screen, etc. Area R8 displays information indicating that account A has been invited to a chat by account B. Game terminal 30A may issue another notification indicating the invitation to a chat along with the overlay notification. Note that such an overlay notification may be displayed regardless of which account is logged in to game terminal 30A, or may be displayed only when account A is logged in. If no account is logged in to game terminal 30A, the overlay notification may or may not be displayed.

[0080] If at least one of host account B and inviting accounts C and F is a first category account for account A, or if accounts D and E are able to participate in the virtual room, server Sr1 does not send overlay information to game terminal 30A. As a result, if a first category account for account A is able to participate in the virtual room, overlay information is not sent to game terminal 30A, and game terminal 30A does not issue an overlay notification.

[0081] Therefore, in the information processing system 100, it is possible to prevent an account from accidentally participating in a virtual room in which a first category account for the account, which the account is not intended to chat with, can participate. Also, the user does not need to consider whether to participate in a virtual room in which an account, which the account is not intended to chat with, can participate.

[0082] Note that the server Sr1 may not perform the determination process of step S301, but may instead generate and transmit overlay information to all game terminals 30 associated with the inviting account acquired in the invitation process. The server Sr1 may transmit room information including information identifying accounts that can participate in the virtual room, along with the overlay information, to each game terminal 30. Each game terminal 30 may determine whether its own first category account can participate in the virtual room based on the received room information, and may issue an overlay notification in accordance with the determination result. In other words, the process of determining whether a predetermined condition is met may be performed by the game terminal 30A, rather than the server Sr1.

[0083] In this embodiment, the server Sr1 is responsible for carrying out the judgment process to determine whether the specified conditions are met, and if the specified conditions are not met, overlay information is not generated or transmitted, thereby reducing the amount of processing by the server Sr1 and the amount of communication between the server Sr1 and the game terminal 30.

[0084] The predetermined condition may include conditions other than the condition that the accounts that can participate do not include first category accounts. In this embodiment, the predetermined condition includes a condition that blocked accounts blocked by the inviting account cannot participate in the virtual room. A blocked account is an account selected by a user, and is an account that is subject to restrictions, such as not being able to play a communication game with the user or not being able to send a friend request to the user. The blocked account may or may not be in a friend relationship with the user.

[0085] [F. Room List Display] The following describes the display of a list of rooms to which an invitee has been invited. An inviting account may be invited by multiple different host accounts, in which case the inviting account will be able to participate in multiple rooms. The user of the inviting account can select which room to join after viewing the list of rooms described below. FIG. 11 is an example of a main menu screen Im3 of a chat app. The main menu screen Im3 may be displayed, for example, after the flowchart of FIG. 5 is executed.

[0086] The main menu screen Im3 includes areas R6 and R7. Area R6 is a button for designating the currently logged-in account as the host account and inviting friends to chat. In this embodiment, when area R6 is selected, a list of second category accounts for the currently logged-in account may be displayed.

[0087] Area R7 is a button for participating in a virtual room currently invited by another host account when the currently logged-in account is the inviting account. In this embodiment, when area R7 is selected, a list of rooms to which the currently logged-in account has been invited and which first category accounts for the currently logged-in account cannot participate is displayed.

[0088] In other words, game terminal 30 does not display virtual rooms in which first category accounts can participate in the room list that is displayed on display 31 after area R7 is selected. A virtual room in which first category accounts cannot participate and that is displayed in the room list after area R7 is selected is referred to as a "displayed room," and a virtual room in which first category accounts can participate and that is therefore not displayed in the room list after area R7 is selected is referred to as a "hidden room." In this embodiment, game terminal 30 displays a list of hidden rooms when it receives a predetermined operation from the user that is different from the selection of area R7.

[0089] As with the overlay notification, the conditions for becoming a hidden room may include conditions other than the condition that the accounts that can participate do not include first category accounts. In this embodiment, the conditions for becoming a hidden room include the condition that blocked accounts blocked by the inviting account cannot participate in the virtual room.

[0090] 12 is a diagram showing an example of a sequence diagram for displaying a list of virtual rooms. From FIG. 12 onward, displaying a list of displayed rooms and hidden rooms will be described using game terminal 30A and account A. When the user of account A selects area R7, game terminal 30A receives a command to display the displayed rooms from the user, and transmits information indicating that the display command has been received to server Sr1 (step S400).

[0091] The server Sr1 determines whether the account that sent the display command for the display room has been invited to a virtual room by another host account. If the account has been invited to a virtual room, the server Sr1 transmits to the game terminal 30 room information about all virtual rooms (display rooms) that are not available for participation by first category accounts of the account that sent the display command, among the invited virtual rooms (display rooms) (step S401). The game terminal 30A displays a list of display rooms that are not available for participation by first category accounts, received from the server Sr1 (step S402).

[0092] Next, game terminal 30A may receive a command to display hidden rooms from the user by receiving a predetermined operation (step S403). Based on the reception of the command to display hidden rooms, server Sr1 transmits room information about virtual rooms (hidden rooms) in which first category accounts can participate (step S404). Game terminal 30A displays a list of hidden rooms based on the room information of the hidden rooms received from server Sr1 (step S405).

[0093] In the example of Fig. 11, the server Sr1 executes a determination process in steps S401 and S404 for each virtual room to determine whether the predetermined condition described in step S3013 of Fig. 9 is satisfied. Depending on the result of the determination process, the server Sr1 transmits room information for virtual rooms in which first category accounts cannot participate in step S401, and transmits room information for virtual rooms in which first category accounts can participate in step S402.

[0094] FIG. 13 is an example of a display screen Im4 showing a list of display rooms. In FIG. 13 and subsequent figures, an example will be described in which account A is invited to four virtual rooms. The first room is a room to which accounts A and C have been invited by host account B (hereinafter referred to as the first room). As shown in FIG. 7, account F is an uncategorized friend of account A. The second room is a room to which accounts A and B have been invited by account G (hereinafter referred to as the second room).

[0095] The third room is a room to which accounts A and B have been invited by account D (hereinafter referred to as the third room). The fourth room is a room to which account A and an account blocked by account A have been invited by account C (hereinafter referred to as the fourth room).

[0096] Both the first and second rooms are visible rooms because they are not rooms that first category accounts for account A can join. On the other hand, the third room is a hidden room because it is a room that first category accounts (account D) for account A can join. Furthermore, the fourth room is a hidden room because it is a room that blocked accounts for account A can join.

[0097] 13 shows a list of rooms that first category accounts cannot participate in for account A, including two rooms invited by account B and one invited by account G. Display screen Im4 in FIG. 13 can be displayed, for example, when area R7 on main menu screen Im3 is selected by the user of account A. Areas R9 and R10 show virtual rooms invited by accounts B and G, respectively.

[0098] None of the accounts B, C, F, and G that can participate in the first and second rooms are first category accounts for account A. Therefore, the two virtual rooms invited by organizer accounts B and G are displayed as displayed rooms in the room list on display screen Im4, as shown in FIG. 13. In this way, the hidden rooms described above are not displayed on display screen Im4, which shows the list of displayed rooms. When areas R9 and R10 are selected, game terminal 30A displays information about the corresponding rooms. FIG. 14 shows an example of the display screen of display 31 when area R9 is selected.

[0099] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen Im5 showing details of a virtual room to which account B has been invited. The user of account A can see information about the displayed room from the display screen Im5. The display screen Im5 shows members currently participating in the chat and inviting members. The members currently participating in the chat indicate accounts currently participating in the chat, and the inviting members indicate at least one of accounts that have been invited but have not yet joined the virtual room and accounts that have left. In the example of FIG. 14, the user of account A can see that account B is participating in the virtual room and that accounts C and F are available to join the room but have not yet joined. The display screen Im5 may also display to account A that the chat friend classification for account F has not been set.

[0100] Next, a method for displaying hidden rooms will be described. The information processing system 100 of this embodiment can display a list of hidden rooms by selecting area R11 in FIG. 13. Area R11 is a button for displaying hidden rooms. When area R11 on display screen Im4 is selected, the display screen of display 31 transitions to FIG. 15. The selection of area R11 may correspond to step S403 in FIG. 12.

[0101] FIG. 15 is an example of a display screen Im6 showing a list of hidden rooms. The display screen Im6 includes areas R13 and R14. Areas R13 and R14 show the third and fourth rooms invited by accounts D and C, respectively. The third room is a hidden room because account D, which is a first category account for account A, can participate as the host. The fourth room is a hidden room because accounts set as blocked accounts by account A can participate.

[0102] When area R13 is selected, the display screen of the display 31 transitions to FIG. 16. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen Im7 showing details of a virtual room invited by account D. As shown in FIG. 16, account D, which has been set as a first category account by account A, is participating in room three. Display screen Im7 also shows that account D is a first category account. This allows the user of account A to understand the reason why room three is a hidden room by looking at display screen Im7. Note that even if account B is the organizer of room three and accounts A and D are invited, room three is a hidden room because account D, which has been set as a first category account, can participate in room three. Account A can participate in room three by selecting area R15.

[0103] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen Im8 showing details of a virtual room invited by account C. As shown in FIG. 17, an account set as a blocked account by account A has been invited to room 4. This allows the user of account A to understand why room 4 is a hidden room by looking at display screen Im8. Information identifying the blocked account (account name, icon, etc.) is not displayed on display screen Im8 showing room details shown in FIG. 17. Icon IcX is a general-purpose icon indicating that it is a blocked account.

[0104] This allows the information processing system 100 to suggest that the blocked account has been invited, while suppressing reminders of information about the blocked account to account A. If the blocked account has been invited to a virtual room, account A may not be able to participate in the virtual room even if it selects area R16. In this case, area R16 may be displayed in a manner that allows it to be recognized as an inactive button.

[0105] [G. Variation] Other embodiments that are partial modifications of the above-described embodiment will be described below.

[0106] Each of the processors 14, 34 may be implemented as a single chip or multiple chips. Each of the processors 14, 34 and associated processing circuits may be implemented as multiple computers interconnected by wire or wirelessly over a local area network or a wireless network. The processors and associated processing circuits may be implemented as a cloud computer that performs remote calculations based on input data and outputs the results of the calculations to other devices in remote locations.

[0107] In the example of FIG. 1, the server Sr1 and the game terminal 30 are illustrated as a single device. However, the server Sr1 may be realized as a collection of multiple devices. For example, the server Sr1 may be configured to include multiple servers. Similarly, the game terminal 30 may be realized as a collection of multiple devices. For example, the game terminal 30 may have separate components consisting of a main body unit having at least a processor, a controller unit having at least an operation unit, and a display unit having at least a display.

[0108] In Figure 2, it was explained that the account information 164, friend information 165, and chat friend classification information 166 are stored in the storage 16 of the server Sr1, but at least some of this information may be held by an external server or game terminal 30 other than the server Sr1.

[0109] The second category account may be, for example, a "favorite friend." The favorite friend may be displayed at the top of a friend list display, for example. Note that favorite friends may be set separately from second category accounts.

[0110] When a host account selects friends to invite to a virtual room, only second category accounts for that host account are displayed as invitation candidates, but first category accounts may also be displayed. Whether an account is a first category account or a second category account may be unrelated to whether it is displayed as an invitation candidate. Also, for example, when only second category accounts are displayed as invitation candidates, first category accounts or first category accounts may also be displayed by a specific operation performed by the user.

[0111] In the above example, when a first category account cannot participate in a virtual room, both an overlay notification and a display in the display room list shown in Fig. 13 are performed. However, when a first category account cannot participate in a virtual room, only one of an overlay notification and a display in the display room list shown in Fig. 13 may be performed. For example, the information processing system 100 may not perform an overlay notification for a virtual room that a first category account can participate in, but may include the virtual room in the display room list shown in Fig. 13.

[0112] The friend classification for chat may include a third classification in addition to the first and second classifications. As an example, when an inviting account is invited to a virtual room in which a third classification account of the inviting account can participate, the information processing system 100 may not send an overlay notification to the inviting account but may include the virtual room in the list of displayed rooms. As another example, a third classification account may be a friend with whom the user actively wants to chat. For example, a third classification account may be an account that is notified that it is now available for invitation to chat.

[0113] In the above example, the user is notified that he or she has been invited to a virtual room by receiving an overlay notification on the game terminal 30. Here, the overlay notification is just one example, and for example, a notification image that is not overlaid on the image of the game being executed may be displayed on the display. Alternatively, when there is a virtual room to which the user has been invited, the display mode of the icon indicating the chat application and its surroundings may change. Furthermore, instead of or in addition to an image, the notification may be made by other means. For example, the invitation may be notified by a notification sound, a guidance voice, vibration, or the like. Furthermore, these notification methods may be combined to notify the user that he or she has been invited to a virtual room.

[0114] In the information processing system 100, an example has been described in which data is transmitted and received between the game terminals 30 shown in FIG. 8 via the server Sr1, but data may also be transmitted and received directly between the game terminals 30.

[0115] In the above example, the predetermined condition includes that a blocked account cannot participate in the virtual room, but it does not have to be included. Similarly, the condition for a room to become a hidden room includes that a blocked account cannot participate in the virtual room, but it does not have to be included. Note that the information processing system 100 does not have to be able to set the account status as a blocked account.

[0116] In the above example, whether or not an uncategorized friend can join the virtual room is not related to whether or not an overlay notification is displayed. The predetermined condition may include that an uncategorized friend cannot join the virtual room. For example, the predetermined condition may include that both the first category account and the uncategorized friend cannot join the virtual room.

[0117] Whether or not an account that is not a friend can join the virtual room may not be related to whether or not an overlay notification is sent. Conversely, the predetermined condition may include that an account that is not a friend cannot join the virtual room.

[0118] In the above example, as described with reference to FIG. 6, it has been explained that the user classifies a friend as uncategorized when launching a chat app. The information processing system 100 may be able to classify a friend as uncategorized in advance when a friend request is made. For example, at the friend request stage (S101) described with reference to FIG. 4, account A may perform a pre-setting operation to set in advance whether account B will be set as a first category account or a second category account when account B permits the friend relationship. Similarly, at the friend permission stage (S103) described with reference to FIG. 4, account B may be able to set whether account A will be set as a first category account or a second category account.

[0119] 11, in steps S401 and S402, the server Sr1 executes a determination process to determine whether a predetermined condition is met. However, the server Sr1 may transmit room information of all virtual rooms to which account A has been invited to game terminal 30A upon receiving a command to display a room list without executing the determination process. In this case, game terminal 30A may execute a determination process to determine whether a predetermined condition is met for each piece of room information of all virtual rooms to which account A has been invited. As a result, game terminal 30A may display a list of room information of virtual rooms that it has determined in response to a command to display a displayed room list and a command to display a hidden room list from the user of account A.

[0120] In the above example, the account is associated with the game terminal 30, but the account may also be associated with other devices, such as a smartphone, in addition to the game terminal 30. For example, when an account is associated with a predetermined application installed on a smartphone and the account is invited to a virtual room, a notification may be sent to the application (or the smartphone) in the same way as the above-described overlay notification. Such a notification to a device other than the game terminal 30 may be sent together with the overlay notification to the game terminal 30, or only one of them may be sent.

[0121] In the above example, in step S300 of Fig. 8, the account selected by the host account is invited as the inviting account. After the host account generates a virtual room and invites the inviting account, the host account may be able to change the inviting account. Note that the inviting account may be able to invite other accounts.

[0122] In the above example, it has been explained that the hidden room is displayed by selecting the area R11, but it may be displayed by other operations. On the other hand, the hidden room may be a room that cannot be displayed no matter what operation is performed.

[0123] In the above example, it was explained that selecting area R15 allows the user to participate in a hidden room invited by account C, but the account may not be able to participate in a virtual room that only first category accounts can participate in, as in the case where a blocked account is invited. In this case, the user may be able to participate in the virtual room by changing the account that is set as a first category account to a second category account.

[0124] In the above example, the area R11 was displayed within the display screen Im4 showing the list of rooms in the display room, but the area R11 may also be displayed on other screens such as a settings screen or an account management screen.

[0125] In the above example, it was explained that the account immediately after the friend relationship is established is set as an uncategorized friend, but it may also be automatically set as either a first category account or a second category account by default.

[0126] In the above steps S3013 and 3014, an example was described in which an inviting account is registered in the notification list when certain conditions are met, and overlay information is sent in bulk to the inviting accounts registered in step S302, but the server Sr1 may also send overlay information to the corresponding inviting account each time certain conditions are met.

[0127] The information processing system 100 may be capable of setting up a supervised account and a supervisor account that supervises the supervised account. The supervised account may only be able to chat with friends that are authorized by the supervisor account. In this case, an invitation to a virtual room that includes a friend that is not authorized to chat may or may not be notified to the supervised account. The friends of the supervised account may not be set as first category accounts or second category accounts. As described above, permission from the supervisor account is required to chat, and friends that are authorized to chat reflect the supervised account's intention of requesting permission from the supervisor account. Note that first category accounts or second category accounts may also be set up for the friends of the supervised account.

[0128] An account that has left a virtual room may be treated as an account that is not eligible to participate. An account that has once left a virtual room may not be able to rejoin the room from which it left. Furthermore, if an inviting account that has been invited to a virtual room declines the invitation, the inviting account may be treated as an account that is not eligible to participate in the virtual room.

[0129] As explained above, friends are classified by the user as either a first category account or a second category account, but classification as a first category account or a second category account may be determined based on other conditions as well as user selection.

[0130] 5, if an uncategorized friend exists when the chat app is launched (YES in step S201), the chat friend classification setting process is performed (step S202). However, the timing when the processes in steps S201 and S202 are performed does not have to be when the chat app is launched, and may be performed, for example, when the user attempts to join a room in which uncategorized friends can participate.

[0131] 10, it has been explained that area R8 displays information indicating that account A has been invited to a chat by host account B, but area R8 does not have to include information regarding which account is the host account. Also, an icon IcA indicating account A may be displayed in addition to the text "account A" contained in area R8, or the icon IcA may be displayed instead of the text "account A."

[0132] The fact that another account has been set as a second category account may be hidden from the other account. The same applies to first category accounts.

[0133] In the above, the first category account and the second category account are set in one direction, but they may also be set in two directions.

[0134] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 13,33 Communication unit, 14,34 Processor, R1 to R16 Area, 15,35 Memory, 16,36 Storage, 17,39 Bus, 30,30A,30B Game terminal, 31 Display, 32 Operation unit, 100 Information processing system, 162 Management program, 164 Account information, 165 Friend information, 166 Chat friend classification information, 361 Game application program, 362 Terminal side account information, 363 Friend setting program, 364 Communication application program, A to F Account, Cm Camera, IcB to IcE, IcX Icon, Im1, Im2, Im4 to Im8 Display screen, Im3 Main menu screen, Mk Microphone, NW Network, Sp Speaker, Sr1 Server.

Claims

1. a chat execution unit that executes a voice chat between terminals used by a plurality of accounts participating in one room; a setting unit that sets each account that is in a friend relationship with a first account as a first status account for the first account based on an operation by a user of the first account; a determination unit that, when a user of a second account performs an invitation operation to invite the first account to a room, determines whether a predetermined condition is satisfied, including a condition that the first status account for the first account is not currently participating in the room; and a notification unit that, when the predetermined condition is satisfied, notifies a terminal used by the first account that the first account has been invited to a room.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal used by the first account displays a room in which the predetermined condition is met in a room list that displays a list of at least one room to which the first account has been invited by another account.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the terminal used by the first account acquires information about rooms to which the user has been invited, and displays, among the acquired rooms, rooms that satisfy the predetermined conditions in a room list.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the terminal used by the first account displays rooms that do not satisfy the predetermined conditions when a predetermined operation is received from the user of the first account while the room list is being displayed.

5. The terminal used by the first account is acquiring information about rooms that satisfy the predetermined conditions, and displaying the acquired rooms that satisfy the predetermined conditions in the room list; The system according to claim 2, wherein when a predetermined operation is received from the user of the first account, information about rooms that do not satisfy the predetermined conditions is obtained, and the obtained rooms that do not satisfy the predetermined conditions are displayed in the room list.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the terminal used by the first account acquires information indicating that it has been invited to a chat if the predetermined condition is met.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition includes that no blocked accounts for the first account are participating in the room.

8. The system described in claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets the third account to the first status account for the first account when the third account accepts the friend request in accordance with a pre-setting operation when the first account sends a friend request to a third account to establish the friend relationship.

9. The system described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the setting unit sets each account that is in the friend relationship with the first account as a second status account that is different from the first status account based on an operation by the user of the first account, and is displayed as a candidate account for the first account to invite to a room.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the setting unit prompts the user to select an account to be the second status account from among the accounts in the friend relationship, and sets an account not selected as the first status account.

11. The system described in claim 9, wherein the notification unit notifies the user that the first account has been invited to a room when the specified condition is met, regardless of whether or not a friend of the first account who is neither the first status account nor the second status account is participating in the room.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined condition includes the first state account not being scheduled to participate.

13. A program used in a system including a server having one or more processors and a plurality of terminals managed by the server, The program is configured to: A step of executing a voice chat between terminals used by each of a plurality of accounts participating in one room; setting each account that is in a friend relationship with a first account as a first status account for the first account based on an operation by a user of the first account; When a user of a second account performs an invitation operation to invite the first account to a room, determining whether a predetermined condition is satisfied, including a condition that the first status account for the first account is not currently participating in the room; and if the predetermined condition is satisfied, notifying the terminal used by the first account that the first account has been invited to the room.

14. A method for use in a system including a server having one or more processors and a plurality of terminals managed by the server, comprising: The method includes, for any one of the plurality of terminals: A step of executing a voice chat between terminals used by each of a plurality of accounts participating in one room; setting each account that is in a friend relationship with a first account as a first status account for the first account based on an operation by a user of the first account; When a user of a second account performs an invitation operation to invite the first account to a room, determining whether the room satisfies a predetermined condition including a condition that the first status account for the first account is not currently participating in the room; If the predetermined condition is met, causing a terminal used by the first account to be notified that the first account has been invited to the room.

Images