Methods for providing information about highlighted messages, servers, and user terminals.

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, program, server, and user terminal for determining the level of intimacy between users participating in a chat room and for highlighting at least some of the multiple messages displayed in the chat room based on that level of intimacy. [Solution] A method by which a server provides information on a highlighted message includes: step 201 confirming relationship information between a user participating in a chat room and at least one other user; step 203 determining the level of intimacy between the user and at least one other user based on the relationship information; and step 205 providing information on the highlighted message to the user terminal if the message transmitted to the chat room satisfies predetermined requirements associated with the level of intimacy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for a server to provide information on a message to be emphasized.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, chat services provide group chat rooms in which a plurality of users participate. Such group chat rooms can be provided in the form of family, friends, company, or anonymous chat rooms such as information exchange. However, in a group chat room, many conversations are exchanged in a short time, and if many messages accumulate in the chat room, it may be difficult for users to immediately judge all the contents.

[0003] Therefore, in some chat services, importance and priority are assigned to specific messages, and the messages are provided through highlighting so as to be different from other messages. In such a case, the user can make the specific message he or she desires stand out, search for it among other messages, and if the emphasized message is used, communication can be efficiently carried out in the group chat room.

[0004] Such emphasized messages can be provided uniformly to all users in the chat room, but can also be customized for each user to provide different emphasized messages. That is, users of chat services can set the priority of messages through the emphasis function and improve the efficiency of communication.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention aims to determine the level of intimacy between users participating in a chat room and to highlight at least some of the messages displayed in the chat room based on that level of intimacy.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a method for calculating the level of intimacy between users based on the relationship information of other users participating in the chat room, in response to messages transmitted by a user's terminal to the chat room. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A method by which the server of the present invention provides information on a highlighted message includes the steps of: confirming relationship information between a user participating in a chat room and at least one other user; determining the level of intimacy between the user and the at least one other user based on the relationship information; and providing information on the highlighted message to the user terminal if the message transmitted to the chat room satisfies predetermined conditions associated with the level of intimacy.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of providing the user terminal with an interface that enables the highlighting of the message to be highlighted may be further included.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the relational information may include at least one of relational information associated with a message and relational information associated with a user.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the relational information associated with the message may include at least one of the following: response information to the message, comment information, reaction information, and user-specified keyword information.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the relational information associated with the message includes corresponding utterance information, and the corresponding utterance information may be information regarding whether or not a corresponding message corresponding to a standard message transmitted from the user terminal to the chat room was uttered in a sequence of multiple messages defined by predetermined criteria.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the relationship information associated with the user may include at least one of the following: information on the provision of goods to the user, information on the transfer of funds, information on the existence of a chat room in the chat service in which the user and at least one other user participate, and information on whether the user and at least one other user satisfy a specific relationship in the chat service.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the intimacy level includes the step of determining the intimacy level of a message based on relational information associated with the message, and the intimacy level of the message can be determined based solely on the chat room.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the intimacy level includes the step of determining the user intimacy level based on relational information associated with the user, and the user intimacy level can be determined based on all chat rooms, including the chat room.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, if the chat room is an anonymous chat room in which the user's profile information is not made public, the server can determine the relationship information based solely on the anonymous chat room in the step of determining the level of intimacy.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of receiving the predetermined conditions for the chat room from the user terminal may be further included, which is performed prior to the step of determining the intimacy level.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the highlighting of the message to be highlighted can be determined by the content contained in the message transmitted to the chat room.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the message to be highlighted can be determined by the content of the message transmitted by the user to the chat room.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the highlighted message may include unread messages among those transmitted by the user to the chat room and some of the messages newly transmitted in real time by at least one other user's terminal.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of receiving reference information from the user terminal for determining the intimacy level, which is performed before the step of determining the intimacy level, may be further included.

[0022] The server providing information for a message to be highlighted according to the present invention includes a memory and a processor connected to the memory and configured to execute instructions contained in the memory. The processor includes the steps of: confirming relationship information between a user participating in a chat room and at least one other user; and determining the level of intimacy between the user and the at least one other user based on the relationship information. If a message transmitted to the chat room satisfies predetermined conditions associated with the level of intimacy, the system is configured to perform a step of providing information about the highlighted message to the user's terminal.

[0023] The method for the user terminal of the present invention to display an emphasized message includes the steps of displaying an interface that can activate an emphasized display for at least one message displayed in a chat room, and if an interaction for activating the emphasized display is obtained from the user through the interface, displaying an emphasized message to which the emphasized display is applied for the at least one message. The emphasized message is a message transmitted by at least one other user terminal that satisfies a predetermined condition associated with the intimacy, and the intimacy is determined based on the relationship information between the user participating in the chat room and at least one other user.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, the intimacy includes a message intimacy based on relationship information associated with the message and a user intimacy based on relationship information associated with the user. The method further includes the step of determining the intimacy based on at least one of the message intimacy and the user intimacy, which is performed before the step of displaying the emphasized message.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the intimacy can include the step of determining the message intimacy based on the message information of the chat room stored in the user terminal.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining the intimacy can include the step of receiving information about the user intimacy from the server.

[0027] The present invention provides a user terminal for displaying a highlighted message, which includes a memory and a processor connected to the memory and configured to execute instructions contained in the memory. The processor is configured to perform the steps of: displaying an interface that can activate highlighting for at least one message displayed in a chat room; and, upon obtaining interaction from a user through the interface to activate the highlighting, displaying a highlighted message to which the highlighting has been applied for the at least one message, wherein the highlighted message is a message transmitted to the chat room by at least one other user terminal that satisfies predetermined conditions associated with intimacy, and the intimacy is determined based on relationship information between the user and at least one other user participating in the chat room. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] The present invention has the advantage of determining the level of intimacy between users participating in a chat room and highlighting at least some of the messages displayed in the chat room based on that level of intimacy.

[0029] The present invention has the advantage of providing a method for calculating the level of intimacy between users based on the relationship information of other users participating in the chat room, in response to messages transmitted by the user's terminal to the chat room. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] This is a drawing showing an example of a network environment according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart illustrating how the server of the present invention provides information for a highlighted message. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates a screen in which the user terminal of the present invention determines the level of intimacy based on relational information and displays a highlighted message to which highlighting is applied according to the level of intimacy. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates a screen in which the user terminal of the present invention determines the level of intimacy based on relational information and displays a highlighted message to which highlighting is applied according to the level of intimacy. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating how the server of the present invention receives reference information for determining intimacy from a user terminal. [Figure 6] This diagram schematically shows the data relating to the criteria information used by the server of the present invention to determine intimacy levels. [Figure 7] This diagram shows a screen in which the user terminal of the present invention displays different highlighted messages for each chat room according to predetermined criteria associated with intimacy levels. [Figure 8] This diagram shows a screen where the user terminal of the present invention displays a highlighted message in an anonymous chat room. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart illustrating how the user terminal of the present invention displays a highlighted message. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] The embodiments disclosed herein will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Identical and / or similar components will be assigned the same reference numeral regardless of the reference numerals in the drawings, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, in describing the embodiments disclosed herein, if a specific description of related prior art is deemed to obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed herein, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0032] Terms including ordinal numbers, such as "1st," "2nd," etc., can be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by such terms. These terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0033] A singular expression can include multiple expressions unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning.

[0034] In this application, each step described may be performed in any order, except where there is a specific causal relationship that dictates that the steps should be performed in that order.

[0035] In this application, terms such as “includes” or “having” are intended to specify the presence of features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof as described in the specification, and should be understood not to preemptively exclude the existence or possibility of adding one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0036] The present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of a network environment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] The network environment according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 1 may include a server 10 and user terminals 20. The user terminals 20 may include at least one user terminal 20 connected to the server 10 via the network. In Figure 1, user terminals 20 are illustrated as an example.

[0039] User terminal 20 refers to the terminal used by a user to log in to their user account registered on server 10.

[0040] For the sake of clarity, the user terminal 20 will be described below as a user terminal that displays a highlighted message. However, the functions that can be performed by such a user terminal 20 are not specified and / or limited to those described in the present invention.

[0041] A network is not limited by its communication method and can include not only communication methods that utilize communication networks that a network can include (for example, mobile communication networks, wired internet, wireless internet, and broadcasting networks), but also short-range wireless communication.

[0042] In this invention, the server 10 is a device that can communicate with the user terminal 20 via a network and send and receive information. The server 10 can be embodied as a computer device that provides commands, code, files, content, services, etc., or as a group of computer devices.

[0043] The server 10 may include a processor 11, memory 12, and a communication unit 13.

[0044] The processor 11 controls the overall operation of the memory 12 and the communication unit 13, and provides the user terminal 20 with information about the highlighted message. The information about the highlighted message can be information about the message that is to be highlighted among the messages transmitted to the chat room.

[0045] Memory 12 functions as a storage medium and can store multiple application programs driven by server 10, data for the operation of server 10, and instructions. In one embodiment, memory 12 can store an application that can provide highlighted messages through a chat room. Here, highlighted messages can be messages to which highlighting has been applied to at least some of the messages transmitted to the chat room.

[0046] Such memory 12 can be provided as hardware in the form of various storage devices such as ROM, RAM, flash drives, hard drives, etc., and / or in the form of web storage.

[0047] The communication unit 13 can communicate with the user terminal 20 via the network using wired or wireless methods.

[0048] The server 10 of the present invention can provide a user terminal 20 with an interface that enables the activation of highlighting for highlighted messages through a chat room.

[0049] In this invention, the server 10 can confirm information regarding a predetermined interaction between a user participating in a chat room and at least one other user, and based on the information regarding the predetermined interaction, can determine whether the conditions for associating the user with the predetermined interaction between the user and at least one other user are satisfied. If the conditions are met, the server 10 can provide the user terminal 20 with information regarding the highlighted message.

[0050] Here, "chat room" refers to a group chat room provided by a chat service. A chat room can include both a public chat room where the profile information of participating users is public and an anonymous chat room where the profile information of participating users is not public.

[0051] Here, information relating to a predetermined interaction means information used to determine the conditions associated with that predetermined interaction. Specifically, relational information can include information relating to instructions associated with the user and information relating to interactions associated with messages.

[0052] For example, information associated with an interaction with a user may include at least one of the following: information about the provision of goods to the user, payment information, or information about whether the user and at least one other user satisfy a specific relationship in a chat service. Additionally, information associated with an interaction with a message may include at least one of the following: information about the response to the message, comment information, reaction information, or keyword information specified by the user.

[0053] Here, the condition associated with a predetermined interaction refers to the frequency of interaction between a user and other users in the chat service. Server 10 can determine whether the condition is met based on information about the predetermined interaction. Here, whether the condition is met can be determined by a specific numerical value (e.g., intimacy level).

[0054] Intimacy can include message intimacy, which is determined based on relational information associated with a message, and user intimacy, which is determined based on relational information associated with a user. Intimacy can be determined based on message intimacy and user intimacy. For example, intimacy can be determined by the average of message intimacy and user intimacy.

[0055] When determining intimacy levels, server 10 can assign weighted values ​​to multiple pieces of relationship information to make its decision. For example, server 10 can assign a higher weight to response information to messages transmitted by the user than to general chat information between the user and other users. Furthermore, server 10 can assign a higher weight to reaction information than to response information to messages transmitted by the user.

[0056] Users can set predetermined conditions. For example, a predetermined condition could be set as a message sent by the user with the highest level of intimacy in the chat room. In some cases, predetermined conditions may be determined in advance by the chat service's operating policies or by the operator.

[0057] Here, highlighting refers to a display used to distinguish a highlighted message from other messages in a chat room. Highlighting can include various display methods. Specifically, highlighting may be displayed in a different way, such as by changing the shape, pattern, and color of the message. It may also be displayed by dividing the message into a separate area. Furthermore, it may be displayed with the words "Highlighted Message" around the message.

[0058] Here, information about the highlighted message refers to information about the message that will be highlighted. Specifically, the highlighted message may be a message transmitted to the chat room by another user terminal that satisfies predetermined conditions associated with intimacy. If the predetermined conditions associated with intimacy are satisfied, the server 10 can provide information about the highlighted message to the user terminal 20. Subsequently, the user terminal 20 can display the highlighted message with the highlighting applied to it.

[0059] In some cases, if server 10 receives a request to transmit a message to the chat room from another user terminal that satisfies predetermined conditions associated with intimacy, server 10 may provide the highlighted message directly without providing information about the highlighted message.

[0060] The user terminal 20 includes a user terminal 20 that displays a highlighted message. The user terminal 20 may include a communication unit 21, an input unit 22, an output unit 23, a memory 24, and a processor 25.

[0061] The communication unit 21 can communicate with the server 10 or other terminals via wired or wireless methods.

[0062] The input unit 22 can receive various types of information through user operations and input actions. Such input units 22 and 32 can be touchscreen modules, keyboards, mice, buttons, cameras, styluses, microphones, etc.

[0063] The user terminal 20 can receive user interaction input through the input unit 22. Interaction means that the user operates the input unit to input information that reflects the user's selection or intention to the user terminal 30. For example, interactions can include touching a touchscreen, clicking a mouse, typing on a keyboard, inputting sound from a microphone, capturing an image with a camera, and recognizing the operation of a motion sensor.

[0064] The output unit 23 can output various types of information. The output unit 23 can be a display device, a speaker, a vibration generator, a tactile sensor, etc. Depending on the case, the output unit 23 may be a device (for example, a Bluetooth® earphone) that is connected to the user terminal 20 by wired or wireless communication (for example, short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth®) to receive and output signals.

[0065] The memory 24 functions as a storage medium and can store multiple application programs driven by the user terminal 20, data for the operation of the user terminal 20, and command words. Such memory 24 can be provided as hardware in the form of various storage devices such as ROM, RAM, flash drive, hard drive, etc., and / or in the form of web storage. In one embodiment, the memory 24 can store a chat application that includes a function to apply highlighting and display highlighted messages.

[0066] The processor 25 controls the overall operation of the communication unit 21, input unit 22, output unit 23, and memory 24, and can run a chat application that includes a function to display highlighted messages.

[0067] In this invention, the user terminal 20 displays an interface that can activate highlighting for at least one message displayed in the chat room, and when it obtains an interaction from the user through the interface to activate highlighting, it can display a highlighted message to which highlighting has been applied for at least one message. Here, the highlighted message may be a message transmitted to the chat room by at least one other user terminal. Here, at least one other user may be a user who satisfies the conditions for associating a predetermined interaction with the aforementioned user.

[0068] An embodiment of the method by which the server 10 of the present invention provides information for a highlighted message will be described below with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

[0069] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating how the server 10 of the present invention provides information for a highlighted message.

[0070] In step 201, server 10 checks for information regarding a predetermined interaction between a user joining the chat room and at least one other user.

[0071] Server 10 can view relationship information between users participating in a chat room. Depending on the circumstances, Server 10 can view relationship information for all users (or at least some users) who have joined the chat service. Here, relationship information may include at least one of the following: relationship information associated with a message and relationship information associated with a user.

[0072] The relational information associated with a message may include at least one of the following: response information, comment information, reaction information, and user-specified keyword information. For example, server 10 can check the responses, comments, and reaction information of other user terminals to a message transmitted by user terminal 20. Conversely, server 10 can check the responses, comments, and reaction information of user terminal 20 to a message transmitted by other user terminals.

[0073] Server 10 can check messages that correspond to keyword information transmitted to the chat room by other user terminals. For example, if the keyword information specified by a user is "whiskey", it can check messages transmitted to the chat room by other user terminals that contain the keyword "whiskey".

[0074] Furthermore, the relational information associated with the message may include corresponding utterance information. Specifically, the corresponding utterance information may be information regarding whether or not a corresponding message corresponding to a reference message transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the chat room was uttered in a sequence of multiple messages defined by predetermined criteria. Here, the predetermined criteria can be set as n messages before or after the transmission of the reference message, or a predetermined time before or after the transmission of the reference message.

[0075] For example, if user terminal 20 transmits a reference message to a chat room, and among the 10 messages transmitted after the reference message, another user terminal utters a response message (corresponding message) to the reference message, the response message can be included in the corresponding utterance information.

[0076] The relationship information associated with a user may include at least one of the following: information on goods provided to the user, remittance information, information on whether or not the user is in a chat room with at least one other user in the chat service, and information on whether or not the user and at least one other user satisfy a specific relationship in the chat service.

[0077] For example, server 10 can check information about gifts exchanged between user terminal 20 on July 29, 2025 and other user terminals (item provision information). Server 10 can also check information about money exchanged between user terminal 20 and other user terminals (money transfer information).

[0078] Server 10 can check information regarding the existence of chat rooms in the chat service that include the user and at least one other user. Specifically, it can check for the existence of one-on-one chat rooms between the user and at least one other user, and for the existence of group chat rooms that include at least one other user.

[0079] Server 10 can check information in the chat service regarding whether a user and at least one other user satisfy a specific relationship. Here, the specific relationship can be a friendship, subscription, following relationship, or follower relationship, etc. Furthermore, the specific relationship may be one in which at least one of the users has registered the other's phone number.

[0080] In step 203, the server 10 determines whether the conditions for associating a predetermined interaction between the user and at least one other user are met, based on the information regarding the predetermined interaction.

[0081] Server 10 can determine the level of intimacy between a user participating in a chat room and at least one other user. This intimacy may include message intimacy, which is determined based on relationship information associated with a message, and user intimacy, which is determined based on relationship information associated with a user.

[0082] Intimacy can be determined based on message intimacy and user intimacy. For example, intimacy can be determined by the average of message intimacy and user intimacy. Alternatively, intimacy can be determined by the sum of message intimacy and user intimacy. In some cases, the weighting values ​​for message intimacy and user intimacy may differ. In such cases, intimacy can be determined based on a value obtained by assigning weighting values ​​to message intimacy and user intimacy.

[0083] Intimacy can be quantified and determined. For example, server 10 can determine intimacy as a single number between 0 and 10 based on relationship information. Alternatively, server 10 can determine intimacy not by assigning a numerical value, but by assigning ranks such as "high," "medium," and "low."

[0084] The entity that determines the level of intimacy may differ depending on the type of intimacy. Specifically, user intimacy can be determined by server 10. Server 10 can determine user intimacy based on all chat rooms in which the user participates in the chat service, and / or based only on a specific chat room.

[0085] On the other hand, message intimacy can be determined by the user terminal 20. Specifically, message intimacy can be determined based on the chat room message information stored on the user terminal 20. In this case, there is no need to transmit the messages stored on the user terminal 20 to the server 10, which can be advantageous in terms of protecting personal information.

[0086] Subsequently, the server 10 can receive information regarding message intimacy from the user terminal 20 and determine the intimacy level. Alternatively, the server 10 can provide information regarding user intimacy to the user terminal 20, allowing the user terminal 20 to determine the intimacy level.

[0087] The method for determining intimacy can differ depending on the type of intimacy. Specifically, if the type of intimacy is message intimacy, server 10 can determine message intimacy based only on the specific chat room in which the user is participating in the chat service. However, if the type of intimacy is user intimacy, server 10 can determine user intimacy based on all chat rooms in which the user is participating in the chat service.

[0088] The method for determining intimacy levels may differ depending on the type of chat room. Here, the types of chat rooms can include general chat rooms where the profile information of participating users is made public, and anonymous chat rooms where the profile information of participating users is not made public.

[0089] Specifically, if the chat room is a general chat room, server 10 can determine the level of intimacy based on all the chat rooms the user is participating in within the chat service. However, if the chat room is an anonymous chat room, server 10 can determine the level of intimacy based only on the specific chat room the user is participating in within the chat service.

[0090] In step 205, if the message transmitted to the chat room satisfies the conditions, the server 10 provides the user terminal 20 with information about the highlighted message.

[0091] Server 10 can receive predetermined conditions from user terminal 20. These predetermined conditions can be set in various ways.

[0092] For example, a predetermined condition can be set to a message sent by the user with the highest level of intimacy within the chat room. In such a case, only a message sent by one user's device in the chat room can satisfy the predetermined condition. In some cases, if multiple users have the highest level of intimacy, messages sent by multiple user devices can satisfy the predetermined condition.

[0093] Another example is that a predetermined condition can be set for messages transmitted by other users whose intimacy level is above a predetermined standard. For example, the predetermined condition could be set to a level of intimacy of 6 or higher (intimacy is determined by any single number from 0 to 10). In such a case, messages transmitted by multiple user terminals with an intimacy level of 6 or higher can satisfy the predetermined condition.

[0094] In some cases, if all other users participating in the chat room do not meet the predetermined conditions (for example, if the intimacy level of all other users is less than 6), the message transmitted by the other user's device with the highest intimacy level can be automatically set to satisfy the predetermined conditions.

[0095] The predetermined criteria can be set differently for each chat room. For example, the predetermined criteria could be set to "high" in the first chat room, "medium" in the second chat room, and "low" in the third chat room.

[0096] Server 10 can provide information about the highlighted message to the user terminal 20. Specifically, if a message transmitted to the chat room satisfies predetermined conditions associated with intimacy, Server 10 can provide information to the user terminal 20 about the highlighted message that is among the messages transmitted to the chat room that will be highlighted. If User Terminal 20 obtains an interaction from the user to activate highlighting through an interface that allows the user to activate highlighting, User Terminal 20 can display the highlighted message for which highlighting has been provided.

[0097] Here, the messages to be highlighted can be at least some of the unread messages sent by the user to the chat room and messages newly sent in real time from other users' terminals in the chat room.

[0098] Highlighting a message can take various forms. Specifically, the display method may involve changing the shape, pattern, and color of the message. It may also involve dividing the message into a separate area. Furthermore, it may include the label "Highlighted Message" around the message.

[0099] The method of displaying highlighting can be determined by the content of messages transmitted by other users. For example, if a message transmitted by another user's terminal contains keyword information set by the user, the display method could involve changing the color or size of the keyword.

[0100] On the other hand, when messages are transmitted in a manner in which other user terminals respond to a message transmitted by user terminal 20 to the chat room, the display method can be to display (highlight) the original message from user terminal 20 and the response messages from other user terminals in a color that distinguishes them from other messages transmitted to the chat room.

[0101] The following describes an example of how a user terminal 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention displays a highlighted message, with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

[0102] Figure 3 shows a screen in which a server 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention checks the relationship information of users participating in a chat room and other users.

[0103] Referring to Figure 3, server 10 can see the relationship information between user (Peter) and other users (Kate). Specifically, the relationship information can include conversation information, response information, and reaction information between the user participating in the chat room and other users.

[0104] For example, server 10 can see response information such as Peter's "But next week is Jane's housewarming party!! It'll be great to see everyone again."310 and Kate's "Oh, I forgot. Thanks for reminding me!"320. Server 10 can also see reaction information 330 to the message "But next week is Jane's housewarming party!! It'll be great to see everyone again."310. In such a case, server 10 can determine that Peter and Kate have the highest level of closeness in the "Friends Group Chat"300 based on the relationship information mentioned above.

[0105] Furthermore, the relational information may include corresponding utterance information. The corresponding utterance information can be a sequence of multiple messages 330 defined by predetermined criteria, and may be information regarding whether or not a corresponding message corresponding to a standard message 310 transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the chat room was uttered.

[0106] For example, a response message can be transmitted in the form of a reply message. For instance, if Peter speaks a reference message 310 and Kate speaks a reply message (response message) 320, the reply message 320 can be included in the response utterance information.

[0107] As another example, a response message can be transmitted in the form of a general message. For example, even if it is not a response message 320, a message like Kate's "Yes, I'm fine. How about you, Peter?" in response to Peter's baseline message "How's everyone doing?" as shown in Figure 3 can also be a response message. In such cases, Kate's message "Yes, I'm fine. How about you, Peter?" can be included in the response utterance information.

[0108] Figure 4 shows a screen in which a user terminal 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention displays a highlighted message.

[0109] Figure 4(a) shows a screen displaying the interface 411 on the user terminal 20, which enables the activation of highlighting.

[0110] Figure 4(b) shows the screen on the user terminal 20 displaying highlighted messages 421 and 423 to which highlighting has been applied.

[0111] Referring to Figure 4(a), the user terminal 20 can display an interface 411 that enables highlighting. The user terminal 20 can receive information from the server 10 about the messages to be highlighted for which highlighting can be provided. Subsequently, once the user terminal 20 obtains interaction from the user with the interface 411 that enables highlighting, the user terminal 20 can apply highlighting to at least some of the messages transmitted to the chat room 401.

[0112] The messages that can be highlighted may be some of the unread messages among the messages that the user has sent to chat room 401. Specifically, when the server 10 provides information about the highlighted messages, it can designate and provide at least some of the unread messages as the highlighted messages 421 and 431.

[0113] Referring to Figure 4(b), if the user terminal 20 obtains interaction from the user with the interface 413 that can activate highlighting, the user terminal 20 can apply highlighting to at least some of the messages 423, 433 transmitted to the chat room 401. In such a case, the interface that can activate highlighting may be displayed as activated (e.g., highlighting on) 413.

[0114] The user terminal 20 can display highlighted messages 423 and 433, which have highlighting applied to the highlighted message. For example, highlighting can be a method of displaying (highlighting) the highlighted message in a color that distinguishes it from other messages transmitted to the chat room.

[0115] Hereinafter, with reference to Figures 5 to 8, an embodiment of a method by which the server 10 of the present invention receives reference information from a user terminal 20 for determining whether or not predetermined conditions are met regarding an interaction will be described.

[0116] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating how the server 10 of the present invention receives reference information from a user terminal 20 for determining whether or not a predetermined interaction condition is met.

[0117] For the sake of clarity, the explanations for steps in Figure 5 that are substantially identical to those in Figure 2 will be replaced with explanations that refer to Figure 2.

[0118] Since steps 501, 505, and 507 are substantially identical to steps 201, 203, and 205 in Figure 2, the explanations for steps 501, 505, and 507 should be replaced by the explanations for steps 201, 203, and 205 in Figure 2.

[0119] In step 503, the server 10 receives criterion information from the user terminal 20 for determining whether the conditions for a predetermined interaction have been met.

[0120] Server 10 can receive reference information from user terminal 20. Here, reference information can be information used as a basis for determining intimacy. The user can select at least some of the relationship information to be used as reference information for determining intimacy. For example, the user can select only the reaction information to messages transmitted by user terminal 20 to the chat room and the gift information for the user as reference information for determining intimacy.

[0121] Server 10 can receive information from user terminal 20 regarding weight values ​​associated with relational information. For example, a user can set higher weight values ​​for reaction information and gift information compared to other relational information. Alternatively, a user can set lower weight values ​​for message response information compared to other relational information.

[0122] Server 10 can receive reference information from user terminals 20 for each chat room. For example, Server 10 can receive reaction information and gift information as reference information from user terminals 20 for the first chat room. Also, Server 10 can receive response information and item provision information as reference information from user terminals 20 for the second chat room.

[0123] In some cases, users can configure their system to always highlight messages containing specific keywords. For example, other users who send messages containing those keywords can be set to have the highest level of intimacy with the user.

[0124] In some cases, a user can designate a specific user as the user with the highest level of closeness. For example, a user can designate the "Team Leader" as the user with the highest level of closeness in a company chat room. In such cases, all messages sent by the Team Leader to the chat room will be highlighted.

[0125] Figure 6 schematically shows a screen in which a server 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention stores reference information received from a user terminal 20.

[0126] Referring to Figure 6, server 10 can receive reference information from user terminal 20 to determine intimacy levels. Server 10 can receive reference information for each chat room. For example, server 10 can receive "reaction information" and "response information" as reference information for a "friends group chat" from user terminal 20. However, server 10 can receive only "keyword information" as reference information for a "company chat room" from user terminal 20.

[0127] Furthermore, server 10 can receive only the following information from user terminals 20 as reference information: "Anonymous chat room 1" receives "response information" and "keyword information," "anonymous chat room 2" receives "item provision information" and "reaction information," and "anonymous chat room 3" receives only "money transfer information."

[0128] Furthermore, the server 10 can receive information from the user terminal 20 as reference information regarding whether the user and at least one other user satisfy a specific relationship. For example, the server 10 can receive information from the user terminal 20 as reference information regarding users who are "friends" in the "company chat room".

[0129] In some cases, information regarding whether a specific relationship is satisfied may not be applied as standard information in anonymous chat rooms. This is because it is impossible for server 10 to verify whether a specific relationship (whether or not they are friends) is satisfied between a user and another user in an anonymous chat room. However, if another user joins an anonymous chat room with a messenger profile (a profile, not anonymous), information regarding whether or not a specific relationship is satisfied can be applied as standard information.

[0130] Server 10 can receive different predetermined conditions from user terminals 20 to associate with intimacy levels for each chat room. For example, for a "friends group chat," server 10 can receive predetermined conditions such as "messages sent by the other user with the highest intimacy level in the chat room."

[0131] Furthermore, server 10 can receive messages from user terminal 20 to the "company chat room" that meet predetermined conditions, such as "messages transmitted by other users whose intimacy level is above a predetermined standard." Here, the predetermined standard can be set differently for each chat room.

[0132] Specifically, predetermined standards can be set as follows: "High (8 points or higher)" for the first anonymous chat room, "Average (6 points or higher)" for the second anonymous chat room, and "Low (4 points or higher)" for the third anonymous chat room.

[0133] Server 10 can receive a request from user terminal 20 to specify that all messages transmitted by a particular user terminal should be highlighted. For example, server 10 can receive a request from user terminal 20 to specify that all messages transmitted by "Team Leader" in the "Company Chat Room" should be highlighted.

[0134] Figure 7 shows a screen in which a user terminal 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention displays highlighted messages 711, 713, 720, and 730.

[0135] Referring to Figure 7, there can be multiple other users who satisfy the predetermined conditions for associating intimacy. Specifically, if the predetermined condition is that the message was sent by another user whose intimacy level is above a predetermined standard, there can be multiple other users who satisfy the predetermined condition.

[0136] In some cases, a specific user (e.g., AA Team Leader) may be a user designated by the user as having a high level of closeness in the relevant chat room 700. In such cases, all messages 711 and 713 transmitted by the specific user's terminal can be displayed as highlighted messages.

[0137] Furthermore, in Figure 7, "Company colleague Mike" can be another user that the user has added as a friend. In such cases, when server 10 determines the level of intimacy, You can determine that your level of closeness with "Mike, a colleague from work" is higher than that of users you haven't added as friends.

[0138] Highlighting can be displayed in various ways. For example, highlighting can be done by displaying (highlighting) the highlighted messages 711 and 713 in a different color from other messages transmitted to chat room 700.

[0139] If there are multiple other users who meet predetermined criteria associated with intimacy, the highlighting for each user can be displayed in different ways. For example, messages 711 and 713 sent by "AA Team Leader" to the chat room and message 720 sent by "Company Colleague Mike" to the chat room can be highlighted in different colors.

[0140] In some cases, users can configure their system to highlight all messages containing specific keywords. For example, a user can configure their system to highlight all messages containing "Peter(their name)730".

[0141] Figure 8 shows a screen in which a user terminal 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention displays highlighted messages 810, 821, and 823 in an anonymous chat room 800.

[0142] Referring to Figure 8, server 10 can determine the level of intimacy between a user and other users in an anonymous chat room 800. Specifically, if the chat room is an anonymous chat room, server 10 can determine the level of intimacy based on relationship information from each chat room in which the user is participating in the chat service. For example, server 10 can determine the level of intimacy between a user and other users based solely on the relationship information from the "Whiskey Talk Room" 800.

[0143] The method of displaying highlighting can be determined by the content of messages transmitted by other users. For example, if a message transmitted by another user contains keyword information 810 set by the user, the display method can be by changing the color or size of the keyword.

[0144] On the other hand, if a message is transmitted 823 in a manner in which other user terminals respond to a message transmitted by user terminal 20 to a chat room, the display method can be to display (highlight) the original message 821 from user terminal 20 and the response messages 823 from other user terminals in a color that distinguishes them from other messages transmitted to the chat room.

[0145] The message to be highlighted can be a message 823 that has just been transmitted in real time from another user's terminal in chat room 800. Specifically, if a user and another user are having a real-time conversation in chat room 800, the most recent message 823 transmitted by another user's terminal that satisfies predetermined conditions associated with intimacy can be the message to be highlighted. In such cases, only the most recent message can be displayed as the highlighted message 823 to which highlighting is applied.

[0146] However, as shown in Figure 8, if the most recent message is transmitted to the chat room 800 in a manner that allows for a response, both the original message 821 and the response message 823 can be displayed as highlighted messages with the highlighting applied.

[0147] Although not shown in the diagram, if a message is transmitted using a method where other user terminals respond to a message transmitted by user terminal 20 to a chat room, the highlighting method allows the message to be displayed in a separate area (such as a thread page).

[0148] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating how the user terminal 20 of the present invention displays a highlighted message.

[0149] For the sake of clarity, the explanations for steps in Figure 13 that are substantially identical to those in Figure 2 will be replaced with explanations that refer to Figure 2.

[0150] In step 901, the user terminal 20 displays an interface that allows the user to activate highlighting for at least one message displayed in the chat room. Since step 901 is substantially identical to steps 201 to 203 in Figure 2, the explanation for step 901 is replaced by the explanation for steps 201 to 203 in Figure 2.

[0151] In step 903, if the user terminal 20 obtains an interaction from the user through the interface to activate highlighting, it displays a highlighted message for which highlighting has been provided for at least one message.

[0152] The user terminal 20 can determine the level of intimacy. Specifically, the user terminal 20 can determine the message intimacy level based on the message information of the chat room stored on the user terminal 20. The user terminal 20 can also receive information about user intimacy from the server 10. Subsequently, the user terminal 20 can determine the level of intimacy between the user and other users based on at least one of the message intimacy level and user intimacy level.

[0153] When the user terminal 20 determines the message intimacy level, it has the advantage of not having to provide the message information stored on the terminal to the server 10.

[0154] The technical features disclosed in each embodiment of the present invention are not limited to the respective embodiment, and as long as they are not incompatible with each other, the technical features disclosed in each embodiment can be combined and applied to different embodiments.

[0155] Therefore, while each embodiment will be described primarily based on its respective technical features, as long as these technical features are not mutually incompatible, they can be combined and applied to one another.

[0156] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and variations are possible from the perspective of those with ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be defined not only by the claims herein but also by equivalents thereof. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0157] 10: Server 20: User terminal

Claims

1. A method by which a server provides information about a highlighted message, A step to verify information regarding a predetermined interaction between a user participating in a chat room and at least one other user, A step of determining whether the conditions associated with the predetermined interaction between the user and at least one other user are satisfied, based on the information regarding the predetermined interaction; If the message transmitted to the chat room satisfies the above conditions, the system includes the step of providing information about the highlighted message to the user terminal. method.

2. In the method according to claim 1, The further step includes providing the user terminal with an interface that can activate highlighting for the message to be highlighted, method.

3. In the method according to claim 1, The information for the predetermined interaction includes at least one of the following: information for the interaction associated with the message and information for the interaction associated with the user. method.

4. In the method according to claim 3, The information relating to the interaction associated with the message includes at least one of the following: response information, comment information, reaction information, and user-specified keyword information. method.

5. In the method according to claim 4, The information for the interaction associated with the aforementioned message includes corresponding utterance information. The corresponding utterance information is a sequence of multiple messages defined by predetermined criteria, and it is information regarding whether or not a corresponding message corresponding to a standard message transmitted from the user terminal to the chat room was uttered. method.

6. In the method according to claim 3, The information relating to the interaction associated with the user includes at least one of the following: information on the provision of goods to the user, information on the transfer of funds, information on the existence of a chat room in the chat service in which the user and at least one other user participate, and information on whether the user and at least one other user satisfy a specific relationship in the chat service. method.

7. In the method according to claim 3, A step to determine whether the above conditions are satisfied, The process includes a step of determining whether the conditions associated with the message are satisfied, based on information about the interaction associated with the message. Whether the conditions associated with the aforementioned message are met is determined solely based on the aforementioned chat room. method.

8. In the method according to claim 3, The step of determining whether the above conditions are satisfied is: The process includes a step of determining whether the conditions for associating with the user are met, based on information regarding the interaction associated with the user. Whether the conditions for associating the user are met is determined based on all chat rooms, including the aforementioned chat room. method.

9. In the method according to claim 1, If the chat room is an anonymous chat room in which the user's profile information is not made public, In the step of determining whether the aforementioned conditions are satisfied, the server determines the conditions based solely on the anonymous chat room. method.

10. In the method according to claim 1, This step is performed before the step of determining whether the aforementioned conditions are satisfied. The step of receiving the conditions for the chat room from the user terminal, further comprising: method.

11. In the method according to claim 1, The highlighting of the message to be highlighted is determined by the content contained in the message transmitted to the chat room. method.

12. In the method according to claim 1, The highlighted messages include unread messages among those transmitted by the user to the chat room and some of the messages newly transmitted in real time by at least one other user's terminal. method.

13. In the method according to claim 1, This step is performed before the step of determining whether the aforementioned conditions are satisfied. The process further includes receiving from the user terminal reference information for determining whether the predetermined conditions are satisfied among the information regarding the predetermined interaction. method.

14. A server that provides information about a message to be highlighted, memory, and A processor connected to the memory and configured to execute instructions contained in the memory, The aforementioned processor, A step to confirm information regarding a predetermined interaction between a user participating in the chat room and at least one other user, A step of determining whether the conditions associated with the predetermined interaction between the user and at least one other user are satisfied, based on the information regarding the predetermined interaction. If a message transmitted to the chat room satisfies the above conditions, the system is configured to perform the step of providing information about the highlighted message to the user terminal. server.

15. A method for displaying a highlighted message on a user terminal, The steps include displaying an interface that allows highlighting to be activated for at least one message displayed in the chat room, If an interaction is obtained from the user through the interface to activate the highlighting, the process includes the step of displaying a highlighted message to which the highlighting has been applied to at least one message. The aforementioned highlighting message is a message transmitted to the chat room by at least one other user's terminal. The aforementioned at least one other user is a user who satisfies the conditions associated with a predetermined interaction with the aforementioned user. method.

16. In the method according to claim 15, The aforementioned predetermined interactions include interactions associated with a message and interactions associated with the user. Whether the above conditions are met is determined based on at least one of the interactions associated with the message and the interactions associated with the user. method.

17. In the method according to claim 16, The interaction associated with the aforementioned message is determined based on the message information of the chat room stored on the user's terminal. method.

18. In the method according to claim 16, The interaction associated with the user is determined based on the information received by the user terminal from the server. method.

19. A user terminal that displays a highlighted message, memory, and A processor connected to the memory and configured to execute instructions contained in the memory, The aforementioned processor, The steps include displaying an interface that allows highlighting to be activated for at least one message displayed in the chat room, When an interaction is obtained from the user through the interface to activate the highlighting, the system is configured to perform the step of displaying a highlighted message to which the highlighting has been applied to at least one message. The aforementioned highlighting message is a message transmitted to the chat room by at least one other user's terminal. The aforementioned at least one other user is a user who satisfies the conditions associated with a predetermined interaction with the aforementioned user. User terminal.

20. A hardware device that enables a computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 13 or 15 to 18. program.

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