How to gain member user privileges in a chat room

Abstract

Regular users are converted to member users, increasing user convenience. [Solution] The method of acquiring member user privileges for a chat room performed on a user terminal according to the present invention includes the steps of: displaying a list of chat rooms including at least one chat room (wherein the at least one chat room includes both general users and member users); and, when predetermined conditions associated with content displayed in the at least one chat room are met, transferring the user account privileges for one of the at least one chat rooms from the general user to the member user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for a user terminal to obtain the authority of a member user for a chat room.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, in chat services, a function of providing different authorities to users participating in a chat room has generally become popular. For example, by setting differences in the actions that can be performed in the chat room for each user, the roles and authorities between general users and member users are set differently. Such a method subdivides the user experience and usefully acts when maintaining the order in the chat room or restricting access to specific functions.

[0003] Thus, the difference in user qualifications due to authority is essential for effectively utilizing various functions provided by the chat service. To use a specific function, an appropriate authority is required, and for that, the user must have appropriate qualifications within the chat room. Such a system contributes to improving the operation efficiency of the chat room, but at the same time, it may increase the role and responsibility of the operator.

[0004] When the operator needs to manually assign and manage authorities to each user, the operator's workload may increase significantly. Continuous management and supervision of each user are required, and the operator's work becomes more complicated as the number of users increases. Also, if an error occurs in the authority granting process or the authority management is performed inefficiently, it may have an adverse impact on the user experience. For example, if the authority is granted excessively and / or set insufficiently, it may hinder the smooth operation of the order and functions in the chat room.

[0005] Therefore, in recent years, there has been an increase in technological efforts to automatically differentiate between general users and member users in chat services in order to reduce the burden on administrators and improve the efficiency of permission management. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to increase user convenience by automatically converting users from general users to member users when they perform a variety of predetermined interactions while participating in a chat room.

[0007] The present invention aims to enhance user convenience by differentiating the privileges of general users and member users, and by converting general users to member users when they perform actions that only member users are permitted to perform. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The method for acquiring member user privileges over a chat room performed on a user terminal according to the present invention includes the steps of: displaying a chat room list that includes at least one chat room (wherein the at least one chat room includes both a general user and a member user); and, when predetermined conditions associated with content displayed in the at least one chat room are met, the user account's privileges over one of the at least one chat rooms are transferred from the general user to the member user.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of confirming that the user account is participating in the chat room with the general user may be performed prior to the step of being converted to a member user.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention may further include a step, performed after the step of being converted to a member user, of displaying information through the chat room list that associates the member user with participating in one of the chat rooms.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, The step may further include displaying information associated with being converted to the aforementioned member user.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the information associated with being converted to a member user may include at least one of the following: information regarding consent to being converted to a member user and information regarding being converted to a member user.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the step of displaying at least one chat room through a member chat room list, which displays at least one chat room in which the user is currently participating as a member user, may be further included after the step of being converted to a member user.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the member user may, when joining the chat room, participate as the member user.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined conditions can be associated with the display of more content through changes in the screen of the chat room.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the chat room is displayed on either a first screen that displays at least a portion of the chat room's configuration or the content transmitted to the chat room, or a second screen that displays all of the chat room's configuration or the content transmitted to the chat room, and the screen change may occur by switching from the first screen to the second screen.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined conditions can be associated with the user's interaction with a message displayed in the chat room.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the user's interaction may include interaction with a message transmitted to the chat room.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the interaction with the message may include at least one of the following: clicking, touching, responding, commenting, and reacting to the message.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined conditions can be associated with interactions with thread messages in the chat room.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the interaction with the thread message may include at least one of the following: a request to view the thread message in the chat room, a request to generate a comment message for a new thread, and a reaction to the thread message.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the general user in the chat room can only view a predetermined number of pieces of content or less.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined conditions can be associated with confirming that a predetermined number of pieces of content exceed the predetermined number in the chat room.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, the chat room includes actions that can only be performed by the member user with respect to the content, and the predetermined conditions can be associated with actions that can only be performed by the member user.

[0025] A user terminal configured to obtain the authority of a member user for the chat room of the present invention includes a memory and a processor connected to the memory and configured to execute instructions included in the memory. The processor is configured to execute each step of the above method. Preferably, the processor is configured to perform a step of displaying a chat room list including at least one chat room (where the at least one chat room includes general users and member users), and when a predetermined condition associated with the content displayed in the at least one chat room is satisfied, a step of converting the authority of the user account for one chat room among the at least one chat room from the general user to the member user.

[0026] A method for a server of the present invention to provide the authority of a member user for a chat room, including a step of providing a chat room list including at least one chat room to a user terminal (where the at least one chat room includes general users and member users), and a step of providing the authority of the member user to a user account participating in one chat room among the at least one chat room if it is confirmed that a predetermined condition associated with the content displayed in the at least one chat room is satisfied.

[0027] A server that provides member user permissions for the chat rooms of the present invention includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute instructions included in the memory. The processor is configured to execute each step of the above method. Preferably, the processor provides a chat room list including at least one chat room to a user terminal (where the at least one chat room includes general users and member users), and when it is confirmed that predetermined conditions associated with the content displayed in the at least one chat room are met, the processor is configured to perform a step of providing the member user permissions to a user account participating in one of the at least one chat rooms.

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] When a user participating in a chat room performs various predetermined interactions, the present invention has the advantage of automatically converting the user from a general user to a member user, thereby increasing the convenience of the user.

[0029] The present invention differentiates the permissions of general users and member users. When a general user performs an action that can only be performed by a member user, the general user is converted to a member user, which has the advantage of increasing the convenience of the user.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030] [Figure 1] It is a drawing showing an example of a network environment according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a flowchart for explaining a method of obtaining member user permissions for a chat room performed on a user terminal of the present invention. [Figure 3]This example illustrates a screen in which, when predetermined conditions are met that are associated with content displayed in a chat room on the user terminal of the present invention, the user account's permissions are changed from those of a regular user to those of a member user. [Figure 4] This example illustrates a screen in which, when predetermined conditions are met that are associated with content displayed in a chat room on the user terminal of the present invention, the user account's permissions are changed from those of a regular user to those of a member user. [Figure 5] This example illustrates a screen in which, when predetermined conditions are met that are associated with content displayed in a chat room on the user terminal of the present invention, the user account's permissions are changed from those of a regular user to those of a member user. [Figure 6] This example illustrates a screen in which, when predetermined conditions are met that are associated with content displayed in a chat room on the user terminal of the present invention, the user account's permissions are changed from those of a regular user to those of a member user. [Figure 7] This example illustrates a screen in which, when predetermined conditions are met that are associated with content displayed in a chat room on the user terminal of the present invention, the user account's permissions are changed from those of a regular user to those of a member user. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating how the server of the present invention provides member user permissions to a user account. [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 their relationship to 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 "has" 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 pre-exist to 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 an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] The network environment according to one embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 1 may include a user terminal 10 and a server 20. The user terminal 10 may correspond to at least one user terminal connected to the server 20 via the network.

[0039] 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.

[0040] User terminal 10 can be a terminal used by a user who logs in with a user account registered to the chat service applied by server 20.

[0041] The user terminal 10 may include a communication unit 11, an input unit 12, an output unit 13, a memory 14, and a processor 15.

[0042] The communication unit 11 can communicate with the server 20 or other terminals via wired or wireless methods.

[0043] The input unit 12 can receive various types of information through user operations and input actions. This input unit 12 can be a touchscreen module, keyboard, mouse, buttons, camera, stylus, microphone, etc.

[0044] The user terminal 10 can receive user interaction input through the input unit 12. Interaction means that the user operates the input unit and inputs information that reflects the user's selection or intention to the user terminal 10. 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.

[0045] The output unit 13 can output various types of information. The output unit 13 can be a display device, a speaker, a vibration generator, a tactile sensor, etc. Depending on the circumstances, the output unit 13 may be a device (for example, a Bluetooth® earphone) that is connected to the user terminal 10 by wired or wireless communication (for example, short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth®) and receives and outputs signals.

[0046] The memory 14 functions as a storage medium and can store multiple application programs driven by the user terminal 10, data for the operation of the user terminal 10, and instruction words. Such memory 14 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.

[0047] In one embodiment, memory 14 can store applications associated with a chat service that distinguishes between general users and member users.

[0048] The processor 15 controls the overall operation of the communication unit 11, input unit 12, output unit 13, and memory 14, enabling it to execute applications associated with a chat service that distinguishes between general users and member users.

[0049] In this invention, the user terminal 10 can display a chat room list that includes at least one chat room. Here, at least one chat room can include both general users and member users. When predetermined conditions are met that associate with the content displayed in at least one chat room on the user terminal 10, the user account's permissions for one of the at least one chat rooms can be changed from general user to member user.

[0050] Here, a regular user refers to a user who has no privileges regarding the chat room. Specifically, user terminal 10 can join one chat room from a chat list that includes at least one chat room. If user terminal 10 has never joined a chat room before, user terminal 10 can basically join a chat room as a regular user. Regular users may have limited functionality within the chat room compared to member users.

[0051] Here, a member user refers to a user who has obtained specific privileges for the chat room. User terminal 10 can acquire member user privileges while participating in a chat room. In contrast, user terminal 10 can initially participate in a chat room as a regular user, and then convert from a regular user to a member user by performing a specific interaction in the chat room.

[0052] Member users have access to a wider range of functions compared to regular users. For example, member users can view all messages in a chat room. However, regular users can only view a predetermined number of messages (e.g., 10 messages) from the messages in the chat room. Also, member users can enter threaded messages. However, regular users may not be able to enter threaded messages. Here, a threaded message can be a type of message that contains messages that are subordinate to the message transmitted in the chat room. For example, a threaded message can be a message that contains messages that are subordinate to the original message transmitted in the chat room through reply messages, comment messages, etc.

[0053] Here, the predetermined conditions associated with the content displayed in the chat room refer to the conditions for a regular user to acquire member user privileges. Server 20 can grant member user privileges when user terminal 10 meets the predetermined conditions associated with the content displayed in the chat room.

[0054] Server 20 can be embodied as a computer device or multiple computer devices that provide instructions, code, files, content, services, etc. Server 20 may be a server that can communicate with user terminal 10 via a network to send and receive information.

[0055] The server 20 may include a processor 21, memory 22, and a communication unit 23.

[0056] The processor 21 controls the overall operation of the memory 22 and the communication unit 23, and provides the user terminal 10 with member user credentials.

[0057] Memory 22 functions as a storage medium and can store multiple application programs driven by server 20, data for the operation of server 20, and instruction words. In one embodiment, memory 22 can store an application program that provides a chat service including general users and member users.

[0058] Such memory 22 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.

[0059] The communication unit 23 can communicate with the user terminal 10 via the network using wired or wireless methods.

[0060] The server 20 of this invention can provide a chat service to the user terminal 10. Specifically, the server 20 can provide the user terminal 10 with chat rooms where member users and general users have different permissions through the chat service.

[0061] In this invention, the server 20 can provide the user terminal 10 with a list of chat rooms, each containing at least one chat room. Here, at least one chat room may contain both general users and member users. Once the server 20 confirms that predetermined conditions associated with content displayed in at least one chat room have been met, it can grant member user privileges to a user account participating in one of the at least one chat rooms.

[0062] The following describes an embodiment of a method by which a user account's privileges are changed from those of a regular user to those of a member user in a chat room conducted on the user terminal 10 of the present invention, with reference to Figures 2 to 6.

[0063] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating how a member user can acquire permissions for a chat room using the user terminal 10 of the present invention.

[0064] In step 201, the user terminal 10 displays a chat room list that includes at least one chat room.

[0065] User terminal 10 can display a chat room list containing multiple chat rooms. User terminal 10 can join one chat room from the chat room list. User terminal 10 can join a chat room upon receiving a request to join that chat room.

[0066] Depending on the circumstances, user terminal 10 can temporarily join a chat room. For example, if user terminal 10 acquires an interaction with a chat room from the chat room list, it can temporarily display that chat room.

[0067] A chat room can be displayed temporarily through various methods.

[0068] For example, temporarily displaying a chat room may only show the chat room's configuration or at least a portion of the content transmitted to the chat room. Specifically, when server 20 receives an interaction with a chat room from user terminal 10, it can provide user terminal 10 with a chat room smaller than the actual chat room. In such a case, the smaller chat room can only display at least a portion of the content transmitted to the chat room.

[0069] Another example is the temporary display of a chat room, which can be shown as an auxiliary screen relative to the main screen. Specifically, if user terminal 10 acquires an interaction with a chat room while displaying another screen, user terminal 10 can display the other screen as the main screen and the chat room as an auxiliary screen. In such a case, the main screen can be displayed relatively larger than the auxiliary screen.

[0070] Chat rooms can include both regular users and member users. The permissions that users can exercise in a chat room can differ depending on their user type. For example, in a chat room, regular users can only view a predetermined number of items of content transmitted to the chat room. In contrast, member users can view all content transmitted to the chat room.

[0071] Additionally, while regular users can create general messages in chat rooms, they may not be able to create threaded messages. However, member users can create both general messages and threaded messages in chat rooms.

[0072] The chat room list can display multiple chat rooms separately, distinguishing between chat rooms joined by general users and chat rooms joined by member users. For example, user terminal 10 can display information associated with being a member user in chat rooms it is currently participating in in the chat room list.

[0073] In step 203, when predetermined conditions are met on the user terminal 10 to associate content displayed in at least one chat room, the user account's permissions for one of the at least one chat rooms are changed from general user to member user.

[0074] User terminal 10 joining a member user may involve joining a chat room as a member user, or joining a chat room as a regular user and then being converted to a member user.

[0075] For example, when user terminal 10 joins a chat room, if predetermined conditions are met that associate it with the content displayed in the chat room, user terminal 10 can participate as a member user from the start.

[0076] In contrast, when user terminal 10 joins a chat room, if predetermined conditions are not met, user terminal 10 may initially be a regular user. Subsequently, when predetermined conditions associated with the content displayed in the chat room are met, user terminal 10 can be converted from a regular user to a member user.

[0077] The predetermined conditions can be determined by a variety of methods.

[0078] For example, predetermined conditions could be related to the display of more content through screen changes in a chat room.

[0079] A chat room can be displayed using either a first screen, which displays at least a portion of the chat room's structure or content, or a second screen, which displays the entire chat room structure. In such cases, predetermined conditions may allow switching from the first screen to the second screen.

[0080] Specifically, predetermined conditions allow a transition from the auxiliary screen to the main screen. Specifically, if user terminal 10 acquires an interaction with a chat room while displaying another screen, user terminal 10 can display the other screen as the main screen and the chat room as the auxiliary screen. In this case, the main screen can be displayed at a relatively larger size than the auxiliary screen. Therefore, only at least a portion of the chat room's structure or content can be displayed on the auxiliary screen. Subsequently, if user terminal 10 acquires an interaction with the chat room displayed on the auxiliary screen, the chat room can be transitioned to the main screen. In this case, more of the chat room's content can be displayed on the main screen than on the auxiliary screen. Thus, when a chat room is transitioned to the main screen, predetermined conditions can be met. As an example, the auxiliary screen can correspond to a pop-up screen for the main screen.

[0081] Another example is how predetermined conditions can be associated with user interactions with messages displayed within a chat room. Specifically, user interactions can include interactions with messages transmitted to a chat room. For example, an interaction with a message can include at least one of the following: clicking, touching, replying, commenting, and reacting to the message. When a user performs any of the above interactions, the predetermined condition can be met.

[0082] Another example is that predetermined conditions can be associated with interactions with thread messages in a chat room. Specifically, an interaction with a thread message may include at least one of the following: a request to view the thread message, a request to generate a reply message for a new thread, and a reaction to the thread message. When a user performs any of the above interactions, the predetermined condition can be met.

[0083] Another example is when a predetermined condition is associated with viewing more than a predetermined number of pieces of content in a single chat room. Specifically, in a chat room, a regular user can only view a predetermined number of pieces of content transmitted to the chat room. In such a case, if a regular user views more content by scrolling up within the chat room, the predetermined condition can be satisfied.

[0084] Another example is that predetermined conditions can be associated with actions that only member users can perform on content. For example, actions that only member users can perform may include viewing more than a predetermined number of content items, creating content, transmitting content, and creating thread messages. In such cases, if a regular user performs an action that only member users can perform, the predetermined condition can be met.

[0085] When predetermined conditions are met, the user terminal 10 can display information associated with being converted to a member user. This information associated with being converted to a member user may include information regarding consent to being converted to a member user and information regarding being converted to a member user.

[0086] For example, when predetermined conditions are met, the server 20 can provide information to the user terminal 10 regarding whether or not it consents to being converted to a member user. The server 20 can also provide information that the user terminal 10 has been converted to a member user. If the server 20 receives information that the user terminal 10 consents to being converted to a member user, it can convert the user terminal 10 to a member user. In such a case, the server 20 can provide the user terminal 10 with a message indicating that it has been converted to a member user.

[0087] In some cases, even if predetermined conditions are met, the display of information associated with conversion to a member user may be omitted. In such cases, the user terminal 10 can check the chat rooms in which it is participating as a member user and the chat rooms in which it is participating as a regular user through the chat room list. Here, the chat room list may include a chat room list that displays all chat rooms and a member chat room list that displays only the chat rooms in which the user is participating as a member user.

[0088] Specifically, user terminal 10 can display information associated with being a member user in chat rooms in the chat room list, along with other information. However, user terminal 10 may display information associated with being a general user in chat rooms in the chat room list, and / or may not display information associated with being a specific member.

[0089] The user terminal 10 can view all chat rooms in which it is a member user through a member chat room list that displays at least one chat room in which it is a member user. Furthermore, when the user terminal 10 newly joins a chat room as a member user, that chat room can be displayed in the member chat room list.

[0090] The following describes an example of how user account privileges are transferred from a general user to a member user in the user terminal 10 of the present invention, with reference to Figures 3 to 6.

[0091] Figure 3 shows a screen in which a user terminal 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention displays at least a portion of the chat room's configuration or content.

[0092] Figure 3(a) shows the screen on the user terminal 10 that temporarily displays the tennis club's chat room (one chat room) 311.

[0093] Figure 3(b) shows the screen on user terminal 10 displaying the tennis club's chat room 313 as a pop-up window.

[0094] Referring to Figure 3(a), the user terminal 10 can acquire interaction with the Tennis Club chat room from among multiple chat room lists in the chat service 301. Specifically, the user terminal 10 can acquire interaction from the user with the Tennis Club chat room 311 from among multiple chat lists. In such a case, the user terminal 10 can temporarily display the Tennis Club chat room 311. Here, the temporarily displayed chat room 311 can only show a portion of the chat room's configuration and / or only a portion of the transmitted content.

[0095] Depending on the circumstances, as shown in Figure 3(b), if the user terminal 10 acquires an interaction with the tennis club's chat room 311, the tennis club's chat room 313 can be displayed on a pop-up screen of the main screen 303. In such cases, the pop-up screen can display only at least some of the messages transmitted to the tennis club's chat room 313.

[0096] Figure 4 shows a screen in which a user terminal 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is converted into a member user of a chat room 400.

[0097] Referring to Figure 4, the user terminal 10 can display a second screen 400 that displays the entire chat room configuration or messages 410. Specifically, if the user terminal 10 acquires interaction with the tennis club chat rooms 311 and 313 shown in Figures 3(a) and (b), it can display a second screen 400 that displays the entire chat room configuration or messages 410 on the first screens 311 and 313, which display at least a portion of the chat room configuration or messages, as shown in Figures 3(a) and (b).

[0098] When user terminal 10 meets predetermined conditions associated with the content displayed in the chat room, it can join the chat room as a member user. Here, the predetermined conditions include the screen switching from the first screen to the second screen 400.

[0099] In such cases, the user terminal 10 can display information 420 associated with being converted to a member user. For example, the user terminal 10 can display a message such as "You have become a member user of the chat room" 420.

[0100] Although not shown in the diagram, when the user terminal 10 meets predetermined conditions (e.g., when it switches from the first screen to the second screen), it can display information regarding whether or not the user consents to being converted to a member user. In such a case, from the moment the user terminal 10 consents to being converted to a member user, the user terminal 10 can be converted to a member user in the tennis club's chat room 400.

[0101] In some cases, even if predetermined conditions are met, the display of information associated with conversion to a member user may be omitted. Furthermore, the display of information regarding consent to conversion to a member user may also be omitted.

[0102] Figure 5 shows a screen in which a user terminal 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is converted into a member user through user interaction.

[0103] Figure 5(a) shows the screen when user terminal 10 is participating in chat room 501 as a regular user.

[0104] Figure 5(b) shows the screen in which the user terminal 10 is converted into a member user of chat room 503 through user interaction.

[0105] Referring to Figure 5(b), in Figure 5(a), the user terminal 10 can display the conventional content 51, 523, 525, and 527 transmitted to the chat room 503 through the user's scroll 510 interaction. However, in the case of a regular user, only the content recently displayed in the chat room can be viewed, as shown in Figure 5(a).

[0106] When user terminal 10 meets predetermined conditions associated with the content displayed in the chat room, it can join a chat room as a member user. Here, the predetermined conditions may include confirming a predetermined number of content items 521, 523, 525, and 527 in a chat room 503. When the predetermined conditions are met, user terminal 10 can display information 520 associated with being converted to a member user. For example, user terminal 10 may display a message such as "You have become a member user of the chat room" 520.

[0107] In some cases, even if predetermined conditions are met, the display of information associated with conversion to a member user may be omitted. Furthermore, the display of information regarding consent to conversion to a member user may also be omitted.

[0108] Figure 6 shows a screen in which a user terminal 10, according to one embodiment of the present invention, is converted into a member user through interaction with a thread message.

[0109] Figure 6(a) shows the screen where user terminal 10 is participating in chat room 601 as a regular user.

[0110] Figure 6(b) shows the screen in which the user terminal 10 is converted into a member user of a chat room 603 through an interaction associated with a thread message.

[0111] Referring to Figure 6(b), in Figure 6(a), user terminal 10 can input a thread message in response to a message transmitted by Peter in the tennis club's chat room 601. Specifically, user terminal 10 can input a thread message 620 in response to a message transmitted by Peter via interface 610, which allows thread messages to be left. However, in the case of a regular user, they may only be able to input regular chat messages into the chat room and may not be able to input thread messages.

[0112] User terminal 10 can join a chat room as a member user when it meets predetermined conditions associated with a thread message. Here, the conditions associated with a thread message may include entering a reply message to a thread message. When the predetermined conditions are met, user terminal 10 can display information 630 associated with being converted to a member user. For example, user terminal 10 may display a notification message such as "You have become a member user of the chat room" 630.

[0113] In some cases, information associated with conversion to a member user when predetermined conditions are met may be omitted. Similarly, information regarding consent to conversion to a member user may be omitted.

[0114] Figure 7 shows a screen in which a user terminal 10, according to one embodiment of the present invention, displays a chat room 710 in which it is participating as a member user via the chat room list 700.

[0115] Referring to Figure 7, the user terminal 10 can display information 721 and 723 that associates it with being a member user participating in the chat room list 700. Specifically, it can display information 721 and 723 that associates the user terminal 10 being converted from a regular user to a member user, and that the user terminal 10 is participating as a member user in the chat room 710 that has been converted to a member user.

[0116] For example, information associated with being a member user can include a display such as "Member" 721, and a descriptive phrase such as "You are a member user and are participating in this chat room" 723.

[0117] Although not shown in the diagram, user terminal 10 can display a member chat room list that shows only the chat rooms in which it is currently participating as a member user. In such a case, chat room 710, in which the user is currently participating as a member user, can be displayed in the member chat room list.

[0118] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating how the server 20 of the present invention provides member user permissions to a user account.

[0119] For the sake of clarity, the explanation for steps in Figure 8 that are substantially the same as those in Figure 2 will be replaced by the explanation referring to Figure 2.

[0120] In step 801, the server 20 provides the user terminal with a chat room list containing at least one chat room. Since step 801 is substantially identical to step 201 in Figure 2, the description of step 801 will be replaced by the description of step 201 in Figure 2.

[0121] In step 803, if the server 20 confirms that the predetermined conditions associated with content displayed in at least one chat room have been met, it grants member user privileges to a user account participating in at least one of the chat rooms. Since step 803 is substantially identical to step 203 in Figure 2, the explanation for step 803 will be replaced by the explanation for step 203 in Figure 2.

[0122] 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.

[0123] Therefore, while each embodiment will be described primarily based on its respective technical features, as long as the technical features are not mutually incompatible, they can be combined and applied to one another.

[0124] 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]

[0125] 10: User terminal 20: Server

Claims

1. A method for obtaining member user privileges for a chat room conducted on a user's terminal, The steps include: displaying a list of chat rooms that include at least one chat room (wherein said at least one chat room includes both regular users and member users); The process includes the step of changing the user account's permissions for one of the at least one chat rooms from a regular user to a member user when predetermined conditions associated with content displayed in the at least one chat room are met. method.

2. In the method according to claim 1, The following steps are performed before the step in which the user is converted to a member user: The step of confirming that the user account is participating in the aforementioned chat room as a regular user further includes: method.

3. In the method according to claim 1, The following steps are taken after the step in which the user is converted to a member user: The further step includes displaying information that associates the member user with participating in one of the chat rooms through the chat room list, method.

4. In the method according to claim 1, The step further includes displaying information associated with being converted to the aforementioned member user, method.

5. In the method according to claim 4, The information associated with being converted to the aforementioned member user is: This includes at least one of the following: information regarding consent to being converted to a member user and information regarding being converted to a member user. method.

6. In the method according to claim 1, The following steps are taken after the step in which the user is converted to a member user: The further step includes displaying the chat room through a member chat room list that displays at least one chat room in which the user is currently participating as a member user. method.

7. In the method according to claim 1, The aforementioned member user, When joining the aforementioned chat room, this includes joining as a member user. method.

8. In the method according to claim 1, The aforementioned predetermined conditions are associated with the display of more content through changes in the screen of the chat room. method.

9. In the method described in claim 8, The aforementioned chat room is displayed on either a first screen that displays at least a portion of the chat room's configuration or the content transmitted to the chat room, or a second screen that displays all of the chat room's configuration or the content transmitted to the chat room. The aforementioned screen change includes switching from the first screen to the second screen. method.

10. In the method according to claim 1, The aforementioned predetermined conditions are associated with the user's interaction with the message displayed within the chat room. method.

11. In the method according to claim 10, The user interaction includes interaction with a message transmitted to the chat room. method.

12. In the method according to claim 11, An interaction with the message includes at least one of the following: clicking, touching, responding, commenting, and reacting to the message. method.

13. In the method according to claim 1, The aforementioned predetermined conditions are associated with interactions with thread messages in the aforementioned chat room. method.

14. In the method according to claim 13, Interaction with the aforementioned thread message is: This includes at least one of the following: a request to view a thread message in the aforementioned chat room, a request to generate a comment message for a new thread, and a reaction to a thread message. method.

15. In the method according to claim 1, In the aforementioned chat room, the general user can only view a predetermined number of pieces of content or less. method.

16. In the method according to claim 15, The aforementioned predetermined conditions are associated with confirming that a certain number of items of content exceed the predetermined number in the aforementioned chat room. method.

17. In the method according to claim 1, The aforementioned chat room includes actions that can only be performed by the member users with respect to the content. The aforementioned predetermined conditions are associated with actions that can only be performed by the aforementioned member users. method.

18. A user terminal that is used to acquire member user privileges for a chat room, memory, and A processor connected to the memory and configured to execute instructions contained in the memory, The aforementioned processor, The steps include: displaying a list of chat rooms that include at least one chat room (wherein said at least one chat room includes both regular users and member users); The system is configured to perform the following steps: when predetermined conditions are met, associated with content displayed in at least one of the chat rooms, the user account's permissions for one of the at least one chat rooms are changed from those of a regular user to those of a member user. User terminal.

19. A method by which a server provides member users with permissions to a chat room, The steps include providing the user terminal with a chat room list that includes at least one chat room (wherein said at least one chat room includes both general users and member users), The steps include: granting member user permissions to a user account participating in one of the at least one chat rooms, provided that predetermined conditions are met, which are associated with the content displayed in the at least one chat room; method.

20. A server that provides member user permissions for a chat room, Memory and A processor connected to the memory and configured to execute instructions contained in the memory, The aforementioned processor, The steps include providing the user terminal with a chat room list that includes at least one chat room (wherein said at least one chat room includes both general users and member users), The system is configured to perform the steps of: confirming that predetermined conditions are met, which are associated with the content displayed in at least one of the chat rooms, and then providing member user permissions to a user account participating in one of the at least one chat rooms. server.

21. Coupled with hardware, To cause a computer to perform each step of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 17 and claim 19, program.

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