IP Library Granted Patent US 12,218,771
Granted Patent B2
US 12,218,771 · App. 18/159,788 · Granted Feb 4, 2025

Conversation control device, conversation system, and conversation control method

Inventors: Satoshi Oono (Tokyo, JP); Kousuke Bannai (Tokyo, JP); Yoshiki Mizushima (Tokyo, JP); Touma Takeda (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NTT Communications Corporation
H04L12/1813G06F3/04817
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,218,771
App. No.
18/159,788
Granted
Feb 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A conversation control device includes: a display information generator configured to generate display data necessary for displaying a conference room area image which is an image indicating a virtual conference room in which a conversation is held via a network and which is currently installed and an icon image indicating a user on a user terminal; a conference room controller configured to control participation of a user in the conference room in response to the user's operation; and a conversation controller configured to control a conversation between users participating in the same conference room.

Claims (28)

1. A conversation control device comprising:

a memory; and

processing circuitry connected to the memory, the processing circuitry being configured to:

generate display data necessary for displaying a plurality of conference room area images which are images indicating a plurality of virtual conference rooms in which a conversation is held via a network and which are currently installed in a virtual space and an icon image indicating a user on a user terminal;

control participation of a user in any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in response to the user's operation; and

control a conversation between users participating in the same virtual conference room,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output speech details of a user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms to a user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in a mode other than participation,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured not to output speech details of the user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in the mode to the user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms, and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to display such that an icon image of the user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in the mode is in a mode other than that of an icon image of the user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms.

2. The conversation control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform a process of allowing a user to participate in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms corresponding to a conference room area image in response to the user's predetermined operation on the conference room area image.

3. A conversation system comprising:

a memory; and

processing circuitry connected to the memory, the processing circuitry being configured to:

generate image data including a plurality of conference room area images which are images indicating a plurality of virtual conference rooms in which a conversation is held via a network and which are currently installed in a virtual space and an icon image indicating a user on a user terminal;

control participation of a user in any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in response to the user's operation; and

control a conversation between users participating in the same virtual conference room,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate image data in which an icon image of a user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms is disposed inside of a conference room area image indicating the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output speech details of a user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms to a user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in a mode other than participation,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured not to output speech details of the user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in the mode to the user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms, and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to display such that an icon image of the user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in the mode is in a mode other than that of an icon image of the user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms.

4. A conversation control method comprising:

generating display data necessary for displaying a plurality of conference room area images which are images indicating a plurality of virtual conference rooms in which a conversation is held via a network and which are currently installed in a virtual space and an icon image indicating a user on a user terminal;

controlling participation of a user in any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in response to the user's operation; and

controlling a conversation between users participating in the same virtual conference room,

wherein, in the controlling of the conversation, speech details of a user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms are output to a user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in a mode other than participation, and

wherein, in the controlling of the conversation, speech details of the user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in the mode are not output to the user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms, and

wherein, an icon image of the user who is connected to the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms in the mode is displayed in a mode other than that of an icon image of the user participating in the any of the plurality of virtual conference rooms.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 19, 2025
From: NTT COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
To: NTT DOCOMO BUSINESS, INC.
Reel/Frame 073800/0678 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2023
From: OONO, SATOSHI; BANNAI, KOUSUKE; MIZUSHIMA, YOSHIKI; TAKEDA, TOUMA
To: NTT COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062495/0598 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-130848 · Jul 31, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2021027991 · Jul 29, 2021
Related Publication 20230171118A1 · Jun 1, 2023
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