Abstract: The present invention enables restriction of content of information in a message, which has been prepared by a user and is provided in an information service system for the viewing by a group of users, in accordance with a use purpose. The message information is prepared by selecting and combining words from a word group prepared in advance. The information for viewing is prepared by a game device.

Abstract: In a message exchange system, a first user and a second user mutually register their handle names (HNs) to their friend lists each provided in a server. When the first user deletes the registration of HN of the second user from the first user's friend list, the first user notifies the second user of the deletion of the HN via the server to request the second user to delete the registration of the first user's HN from the second user's friend list. The HN of the first user is deleted from the second user's friend list.

Abstract: A terminal receives service provided by a server while using any one of a group of user-names stored in the server for each user and while using a character associated with the user-name. When a character currently in use is switched to another character according to a user instruction, the terminal compares a user-name associated with the switched character with a user-name currently in use. When the compared user-name is different from the user-name currently in use, the terminal switches the user-name on the terminal side to a user-name associated with the switched character, and transmits information, indicating the user-name associated with the switched character, to the server.

Abstract: A profile server group determines whether any request for status notification is received from the client. If there is a request for status notification, a handle name included in the request is obtained, and a status flag corresponding to the handle name is extracted from the hard disk. Next, the status flag is checked. If the on-line flag is set to “ON”, the user status is checked. If the user status is not “IN HIDING”, the user status is notified. On the other hand, when the on-line flag is set to “OFF”, the client with the handle name relating to the request notifies that it is offline.

Abstract: A source terminal adds to a message a header including a flag indicating whether the message is private communication and information for identifying a recipient of the message and sends the message to a server. The recipient terminal displays the message received from the server, to which the flag is added, along with information indicating that the message is a private communication.

Abstract: When a PC (client) utilizes an information service such as an online game provided by a server group, a game server supplies a profile server with the game utilized by the PC along with a connection state. The profile server is a server system that notifies all the currently connected clients of the utilization states of the clients collected.

Abstract: The present invention allows users to open and join a chat by means of a simple procedure from a video game machine, the present invention includes creating an opening message for opening an electronic conference and creating an opening request signal for setting an area in a database, based on the opening message. Also included is transmitting the opening request signal to the database and creating an invitation message prompting particular users to join the electronic conference, based on the opening message. Finally, the present invention further includes transmitting the invitation signal to the particular users.

Abstract: A message exchanging method enables simple interactions between two users during message exchanges and enables one-to-one interactions to shift to interactions between three or more users. Upon receiving a message from a third person while two users are exchanging messages using a messenger, a client machine requests a server to open a chat room. The client that connects to a chat room activates a chat application using the messenger to allow the users to engage in a chat.

Abstract: An online game method provides an online game using game related parameters. When a game machine utilizes an information service provided by a server group, it monitors the utilization condition of the information service, and transmits the monitored result to the profile server. The profile server updates the game related parameters in response to the monitored result, and the game server that provides the online game provides the online game using the game related parameters.

Abstract: According to the present invention, even while a chat opening process is in progress, users can join chats by means of a simple procedure from a video game machine. Once a chat has been opened, an invitation signal can further be transmitted to other chat guests. A video game machine of an expected guest receiving the invitation signal displays a screen prompting the guest to enter the chat room, and the expected guest can join the chat by transmitting an enter room signal to a database. At this time, a chat answer signal indicating that the expected guest accepts the invitation from a chairman is transmitted from the expected guest to the chairman.

Abstract: A method for sending messages having the same contents to a group of users retrieved on the network is provided. The user sends retrieval requests from a user terminal to a profile server. The profile server retrieves other users in response to the retrieval request. Then, the profile server sends the retrieval results to the user terminal. The user selects one or more users from the retrieval results to send messages to the selected users. The selected users are pooled in a list of destinations. The user sends an input message to each of the pooled users from the user terminal.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is capable of translating semantic contents of a received message and entering a schedule specified by such a message into a scheduler. A user terminal on the sending side makes a list of words or phrases in a data table and accepts the selection of such words or phrases. The user terminal sends a set of identifiers corresponding to selected words or phrases to a user terminal on the receiving side. The user terminal on the receiving side extracts a set of words or phrases corresponding to the received set of the identifiers from a data table. A display device on the receiving side displays a menu screen for accepting the entry of a schedule including the extracted words or phrases. If the user terminal on the receiving side accepts the entry of the schedule, the message displayed on the screen is entered in the scheduler.