Patent Publication Number: US-2018039473-A1

Title: Method for providing graphic user interface based on degree of participation and apparatus thereof

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0099041, filed on Aug. 3, 2016, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present inventive concept relates to a method and apparatus for providing a service based on the degree of participation, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing various graphic effects according to the degree of conversion participation of an online attendee in an environment where a communication application between a plurality of people is provided. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Interactive services that enable a plurality of users located in different spaces to exchange messages are being provided. Typical examples of interactive services include an instant messaging service and a real-time conference service provided to a plurality of user terminals. 
     Such services provide convenience in exchanging messages among users at remote locations. However, since users are engaged in conversation through their terminals in separate spaces, they are less immersed in conversation. For example, users participating in a real-time conference may not be able to concentrate on the conference by performing personal tasks through their respective terminals. In addition, a presenter or speaker of the conference may not be able to judge the degrees of participation and concentration of the online attendees. This reduces the efficiency of the real-time conference. 
     Nevertheless, the conventional real-time conference service simply provides information about participants&#39; log-in status and information about a speaker. That is, there is no method of providing a graphic user interface (GUI) that offers an environment similar to an offline conference to online attendees and changes the display position of an object representing each of the online attendees based on the degree of conversation participation. 
     SUMMARY 
     Aspects of the inventive concept provide a method and apparatus for providing a graphic user interface (GUI) which can intuitively display the degree of conference participation of an online attendee. 
     Specifically, aspects of the inventive concept provide a GUI which generates a virtual conference space having a structure similar to that of an offline conference and displays a plurality of online attendees in the virtual conference space. 
     Aspects of the inventive concept also provide a method and apparatus for measuring the degree of participation of an online attendee connected to a real-time conference service. 
     Aspects of the inventive concept also provide a method and apparatus for providing a GUI which changes display attributes of an avatar of an online attendee connected to a real-time conference service based on the measured degree of participation. 
     However, aspects of the inventive concept are not restricted to the one set forth herein. The above and other aspects of the inventive concept will become more apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art to which the inventive concept pertains by referencing the detailed description of the inventive concept given below. 
     According to an aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a service providing method performed by a service providing apparatus, the method comprises creating a conference session with a plurality of user terminals, generating a graphic user interface (GUI) that displays an object corresponding to each user terminal of the plurality of user terminals in a first area and displays conference content in a second area, and providing the generated GUI to teach user terminal maintaining the conference session, wherein display attributes of the object are changed based on a conference participation grade of a corresponding user terminal. 
     According to another aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided a service providing method performed by a service providing apparatus, the method comprises creating an instant messaging session with a plurality of user terminals, providing a first GUI to the plurality of user terminals with which the instant messaging session was created, for a first preset period, determining a participation grade of each user terminal based on at least from among a size and a number of messages received through the first GUI for the first period, generating a second GUI, in which display attributes of an object corresponding to each user terminal have been changed, based on the determined participation grade; and providing the generated second GUI to each user terminal maintaining the instant messaging session for a second preset period. 
     According to another aspect of the inventive concept, there is provided an object displaying method performed by a user terminal, the method creating a conference session with a service providing apparatus, receiving a GUI from the service providing apparatus, which displays an object corresponding to a user terminal in a first area and conference content in a second area, receiving conference attendee content from a user and changing display attributes of the object in the first area based on a participation grade determined by the service providing apparatus in response to the receiving of the conference attendee content, and displaying the changed display attributes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates the configuration of a service providing system according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a service providing apparatus according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a graphic user interface (GUI) according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method of changing the positions of objects on a GUI according to embodiments; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of changing display attributes of an object on a GUI according to embodiments; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an example GUI which is referred to in some embodiments; 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate methods of arranging objects, which are referred to in some embodiments; 
         FIG. 9  is a table for explaining a method of determining a participation grade according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates display attributes of an object according to a participation grade, which are referred to in some embodiments; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a change in the display state of an object according to a change in participation grade, which is referred to in some embodiments; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a change in the display position of an object according to a change in participation grade, which is referred to in some embodiments; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a method of displaying an object of a user terminal whose session connection has been terminated, which is referred to in some embodiments; 
         FIG. 14  is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying an object of a user terminal according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a condition under which a user terminal changes display attributes of an object, which is referred to in some embodiments; 
         FIG. 16  is a block diagram of a user terminal according to an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a method of displaying an object according to a participation grade in an instant messaging environment according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Advantages and features of the present invention and methods of accomplishing the same may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the present invention will only be defined by the appended claims. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Further, it will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. 
     The terms “comprise”, “include”, “have”, etc. when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or combinations of them but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or combinations thereof. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the configuration of a service providing system according to an embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the service providing system may include a service providing apparatus  100  and a plurality of user terminals  200 . In particular, terminal  1 , terminal  2 , terminal  7 , terminal  8 , terminal  10  and terminal N are illustrated in  FIG. 1  as an example of the user terminals  200 . The service providing system may include more user terminals  200  or less user terminals  200  connecting to the service providing apparatus  100 . That is, the number of the user terminals  200  is not limited to the example illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The service providing apparatus  100  is a computing apparatus capable of communicating with the user terminals  200  of  FIG. 1  through a network. The service providing apparatus  100  may be a server that provides a real-time conference service to the user terminals  200 . Alternatively, the service providing apparatus  100  may be a server that provides an instant messaging service between the user terminals  200 . Here, the network through which the service providing apparatus  100  communicates with the user terminals  200  may consist of one or more of various networks such as the Internet and an intranet. 
     The service providing apparatus  100  can detect the connection of a user terminal  200 . The service providing apparatus  100  may receive unique information of a connected user terminal  200  from the connected user terminal  200 . For example, the unique information may include at least one of a network Internet protocol (IP) of the user terminal  200 , a media access control (MAC) address of the user terminal  200 , an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) of the user terminal  200 , location information of the user terminal  200 , and log-in information of a user. Alternatively, the service providing apparatus  100  may detect the connection of the user terminal  200  when receiving a service request through the web from the user terminal  200  together with at least one piece of the unique information. 
     The service providing apparatus  100  may detect the connection of a user terminal  200  and create a communication session with the user terminal  200  according to a service provided by the service providing apparatus  100 . In this case, the service providing apparatus  100  may provide various interfaces to the user terminal  200  so that the user terminal  200  can use the service. The service providing apparatus  100  may create the communication session only when the user terminal  200  is identified as a terminal of a service target person registered in advance. To this end, the service providing apparatus  100  may receive and store information about the user terminal  200  in advance. Here, the information about the user terminal  200  may include at least one of the above unique information and user information matched with the unique information. 
     In particular, in this specification, a case where the service providing apparatus  100  provides a graphic user interface (GUI) will be mainly described. 
     Each of the user terminals  200  illustrated in  FIG. 1  may be a fixed or mobile computing device. For example, each of the user terminals  200  may be any one of a desktop PC, a laptop, a smart phone, and a PDA. 
     According to an embodiment, the service providing apparatus  100  and each of the user terminals  200  may form a server-client relationship. That is, when the service providing apparatus  100  serves as a server that provides a real-time conference service or an instant messaging service to the user terminals  200 , the user terminals  200  may serve as clients that request the service and transmit responses to the provided service. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a service providing apparatus  100  according to an embodiment. 
     The structure and operation of the service providing apparatus  100  will now be described in detail with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the service providing apparatus  100  may include one or more processors  101 , a network interface  102  which communicates with a plurality of terminals, a memory  103  which loads a computer program to be executed by the processors  101 , a storage  104  which stores the computer program, and a display  106 . 
     The processors  101  control the overall operation of each component of the service providing apparatus  100 . The processors  101  may include a central processing unit (CPU), a micro-processor unit (MPU), a micro-controller unit (MCU), or any type of processor well known in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. In addition, the processors  101  may perform an operation on at least one application or program for executing a method according to embodiments. The service providing apparatus  100  may include one or more processors. 
     The network interface  102  supports wired/wireless Internet communication of the service providing apparatus  100 . In addition, the network interface  102  may support various communication methods other than Internet communication. To this end, the network interface  102  may include a communication module well known in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. 
     The network interface  102  may transmit data to or receive data from the user terminals  200  of  FIG. 1  through the network. In particular, the network interface  102  may provide the user terminals  200  with a GUI for using a service provided by the service providing apparatus  100 . In addition, the network interface  102  may receive attendee content from the user terminals  200 . The attendee content includes voice content, image content, and text content. The network interface  102  may also receive action feedback according to an embodiment. The action feedback is a signal generated by a user terminal  200 . The action feedback may be signals generated by a user&#39;s various inputs related to a service provided by the service providing apparatus  100 , such as the user&#39;s request for remarks, bookmarking of conference content, typing text, agreement, and recommendation. 
     The memory  103  stores various data, commands and/or information. The memory  103  may load one or more programs  105  from the storage  104  to execute a service providing method according to embodiments. In  FIG. 2 , a random access memory (RAM) is illustrated as an example of the memory  103 . 
     The storage  104  may non-temporarily store the programs  105 . In  FIG. 2 , GUI providing software  105  is illustrated as an example of the programs  105 . 
     The storage  104  may include a nonvolatile memory such as a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM) or a flash memory, a hard disk, a removable disk, or any type of computer-readable recording medium well known in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. 
     The GUI providing software  105  is executed by the processors  101  so that the service providing apparatus  100  can provide a GUI to a plurality of user terminals  200  according to an embodiment. 
     The display  106  may display a GUI that the service providing device  100  provides to the user terminals  200 . Thus, a user of the service providing apparatus  100  can check the GUI that is displayed on the user terminals  200 . The display  106  is not an essential component of the service providing apparatus  100 . According to an embodiment, the service providing apparatus  100  may not include the display  106 . 
     Although not illustrated, the service providing apparatus  100  may further include an input unit for receiving various settings related to a service provided by the service providing apparatus  100 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a service providing method according to an embodiment. 
     It will hereinafter be assumed that each operation included in the service providing method is performed by the service providing apparatus  100 . In particular, the service providing method is performed as the processors  101  execute operations according to the GUI providing software  105 . 
     A case where the service providing apparatus  100  provides a real-time conference service to a plurality of user terminals  200  will be described below as an example. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the service providing apparatus  100  may create a conference session with a plurality of user terminals  200  (operation S 10 ). In particular, in operation S 10 , the service providing apparatus  100  may transmit a conference session creation request to a preset number of user terminals  200 . When receiving a response to the conference session creation request from one or more of the user terminals  200 , the service providing apparatus  100  may create a conference session with the user terminals  200 . 
     After creating the conference session, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI which displays an object corresponding to each of the user terminals  200  in a first area and displays conference content in a second area (operation S 20 ). Here, the first area and the second area are areas included in a real-time conference service screen provided by the service providing apparatus  100  to the user terminals  200 . The first area and the second area may be different areas. For example, the second area may be an area located at the center of the service screen, and the first area may be an outer area surrounding the second area. 
     In addition, the object may be, for example, an icon representing a user of each of the user terminals  200  or a user avatar. The object may include all or part of the user&#39;s ID, a user-set image, and the like. 
     The conference content is content used in a conference and may be either a conference-related material, such as a document or image being described by a speaker, or image content of the speaker. The conference content may be content pre-stored in the storage  104  of the service providing apparatus  100 . Alternatively, the conference content may be content received through the network interface  102 . 
     Next, the service providing apparatus  100  may provide the generated GUI to the user terminals  200  maintaining the conference session (operation S 30 ). The generated GUI and the service screen will be described later with reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     After providing the generated GUI, the service providing apparatus  100  may receive attendee content from each of the user terminals  200  through the GUI. Based on the received attendee content, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine a conference participation grade of each of the user terminals  200  (operation S 40 ). The service providing apparatus  100  can determine the conference participation grade of each user terminal  200  by quantitatively and/or qualitatively analyzing the degree of participation of each user terminal  200 . For example, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine the participation grade of a user terminal  200  by analyzing at least one of the data size of voice content transmitted from the user terminal  200 , the number of times the voice content was transmitted, and the playback time of the voice content. The service providing apparatus  100  may also determine the participation grade of the user terminal  200  by analyzing at least one of the continuity of the received voice content and the time intervals at which the voice content was received. 
     In an embodiment, the service providing device  100  may determine the participation grade of each user terminal  200  based on the conference content provided in the second area of the generated GUI. That is, for example, when the conference content requires the expression of assent or dissent to one or more agendas, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine the participation grade of a user terminal  200  based on whether a message including assent or dissent is received from the user terminal  200 . In addition, when the conference content is a questionnaire composed of a plurality of questions, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine the participation grade of a user terminal  200  according to whether a response message for a preset number or more of the questions is received from the user terminal  200 . 
     The service providing apparatus  100  may reflect the determined participation grades in the GUI (operation S 50 ). 
     That is, the service providing apparatus  100  may change display attributes of the GUI being provided to the user terminals  200  based on the determined participation grades. In particular, the service providing apparatus  100  may change display attributes of the objects displayed in the first area. For example, when the determined participation grade of a user terminal  200  is low, the service providing apparatus  100  may move the display position of an object corresponding to the user terminal  200  away from the second area where the conference content is displayed. 
     In addition, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine access rights of the user terminals  200  to a menu on the GUI based on the determined participation grades of the user terminals  200 . For example, the service providing apparatus  100  may authorize a user terminal  200  having a high participation grade to access a menu for changing the type of the conference content displayed in the second area. In a case where the conference content is a document, the service providing apparatus  100  may authorize a user terminal  200  having a participation grade higher than a preset grade to access a page different from a page currently indicated by a speaker in the conference. Alternatively, the service providing apparatus  100  may authorize a user terminal  200  having a participation grade higher than the preset grade to change the type of the conference content displayed on the user terminal  200 . 
     On the other hand, the service providing apparatus  100  may restrict the access of a user terminal  200  having a low participation grade to the menu for changing the type of the conference content displayed in the second area. That is, the service providing apparatus  100  may restrict the access of a user terminal  200  having a participation grade lower than the preset grade to the menu for changing the type of the conference content displayed in the second area. A case where the conference content being displayed requires the expression of assent or dissent to a specific agenda will now be described as an example. 
     When a user terminal  200  does not transmit a message including assent or dissent, the service providing apparatus  100  may give a low participation grade to the user terminal  200 . For example, the participation grade of the user terminal  200  may be determined to be grade 0. To a user terminal  200  that has transmitted a message including assent or dissent, the service providing apparatus  100  may give grade 1 as a participation grade. 
     In this case, the service providing apparatus  100  may provide content different from the above agenda only to user terminals  200  of grade 1 or higher as the conference content. Alternatively, the service providing apparatus  100  may grant the authority to change the conference content to the different content only to the user terminals  200  of grade 1 or higher. On the other hand, the service providing apparatus  100  may restrict the access of user terminals  200  of grade 0 to the different content unless a message for the above agenda is received from the user terminals  200  of grade 0. In this case, the user terminals  200  may display only the conference content about the above agenda on the second area of the GUI. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method of changing the positions of objects on a GUI according to embodiments. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in operation S 20 , the service providing apparatus  100  may determine whether the number of user terminals attending the conference has been changed (operation S 21 ). For example, when a session with any one of the user terminals  200  is terminated or when a new session is created with a new terminal  200 , the service providing apparatus  100  may detect this change and detect the number of user terminals  200  attending the conference based on the detected change. In addition, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine whether the number of user terminals  200  maintaining the session has been changed based on the detected number of user terminals  200 . 
     When the number of user terminals  200  with which the conference session was created is changed, the service providing apparatus  100  may rearrange the objects displayed on the first area of the GUI (operation S 23 ). For example, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which at least one display attribute selected from object position in the first area and object size has been changed. 
     When determining in operation S 21  that there is no change in the number of user terminals  200  maintaining the session, the service providing apparatus  100  performs operation S 30 . 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of changing display attributes of an object on a GUI according to embodiments. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , in operation S 50 , the service providing apparatus  100  can change display attributes of a GUI being provided to a user terminal  200  based on a determined participation grade of the user terminal  200 . The service providing apparatus  100  can also update the participation grade of the user terminal  200  determined in operation S 40  based on conference attendee content received after the participation grade was determined. The service providing apparatus  100  may determine whether the conference participation grade of the user terminal  200  has been changed according to the update (operation S 51 ). When determining that the participation grade of the user terminal  200  has been changed, the service providing apparatus  100  may change display attributes of an object corresponding to the user terminal  200  (operation S 53 ). Then, the service providing apparatus  100  may reflect the changed display attributes of the object in the GUI (operation S 50 ). 
     On the other hand, if the participation grade has not been changed in operation S 51 , the service providing apparatus  100  may continuously provide the user terminal  200  with the GUI that reflects the participation grade determined in operation S 40 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an example GUI which is referred to in some embodiments. 
     In  FIG. 6 , a service screen  600  is illustrated as an example of a GUI provided by the service providing apparatus  100  to user terminals  200 . The service screen  600  may include a plurality of objects corresponding to the user terminals  200 , respectively. Object  1  ( 601 ) through object  14  shown in  FIG. 6  may be objects corresponding to a plurality of user terminals  200  expected to attend a conference. Terminal  1  of  FIG. 1  may correspond to object  1  ( 601 ). The service screen  600  may include a first area where a plurality of objects are displayed and may display conference content  610  in a second area. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , in operation S 20 , the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which the above objects are arranged along a preset path in the first area centered on a center point of the second area. In particular, in the GUI of  FIG. 6 , an invisible circle exists in the first area, and object  1  ( 601 ) through object  7  are arranged in a counterclockwise direction along the circumference of the circle. In addition, object  8  through object  14  are arranged in a clockwise direction by the service providing apparatus  100 . The arranged objects can include a user image, like object  5 . 
     Accordingly, the service providing apparatus  100  can visualize a situation where attendees are seated around a table in an actual offline conference. 
     In operation S 20 , the service providing apparatus  100  may receive voice content from any one of the user terminals  200  with which a conference session was created. In this case, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which an object corresponding to the any one of the user terminals  200  is displayed in a preset shape. That is, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which an object corresponding to a terminal of a speaker who is currently speaking at the conference has been marked. Also, the service providing apparatus  100  may provide the generated GUI to the user terminals  200  currently maintaining the conference session. In  FIG. 6 , the speaker is a user of terminal  5 , and object  5  has been marked by the service providing apparatus  100 . 
     In operation S 20 , the service providing apparatus  100  may also receive image content of a user from any one of the user terminals  200 , in addition to the voice content. Here, the any one of the terminals  200  may be the terminal of the speaker. Also, the image content may be an image obtained in real time from the terminal of the speaker. 
     The service providing apparatus  100  may display the received image content in a third area. The third area may be an area that does not overlap the first area and the second area. In  FIG. 6 , the third area in which received image content  620  is displayed is a lower middle part of the service screen  600 . 
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate methods of arranging objects, which are referred to in some embodiments. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , in operation S 20 , the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which at least one display attribute selected from object position in the first area and object size has been changed based on the number of user terminals  200  with which a conference session was created. 
     Specifically, referring to  FIG. 7 , when a session is created with user terminals  200 , the service providing apparatus  100  may sequentially place object  1  ( 701 ), object  2  ( 702 ), object  3  ( 703 ), and object  4  ( 704 ) on a service screen  600 . In  FIG. 7 , the service providing apparatus  100  places one object in each quadrant of the service screen  600 . Here, the size and position of each object can be changed as the number of user terminals  200  creating a conference session increases or decreases. For example, when the number of user terminals  200  creating a conference session increases, the GUI may be changed such that the distance between the objects and the size of each object are reduced. Conversely, when the number of user terminals  200  creating the conference session decreases, the GUI may be changed such that the distance between the objects and the size of each object are increased. 
     In  FIG. 7 , the service screen  600  is divided into four areas. However, the inventive concept is not limited to this embodiment. As the number of user terminals  200  creating a conference session increases, the way that the service screen  600  is divided may be changed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the service providing apparatus  100  may divide a service screen into areas, each occupied by a specific angle, based on the number of user terminals  200  which have created a conference session. 
     On a service screen  801 , the service providing apparatus  100  places object  1  and object  2  in two areas, each having an angle of 110 degrees with respect to a preset reference point. When a user terminal  200  additionally creates a conference session, an area for placing objects may be divided into 90-degree areas as shown on a service screen  802 . That is, the number of areas where objects are placed is increased. A service screen  803  shows a case where the number of user terminals  200  creating a conference session has increased compared with the service screen  802 . 
     Referring to an example  804  of objects, the number inside each object in the example  804  denotes the total number of objects placed on a service screen. That is, an object having 4 indicates that the total number of objects is 4, and an object having 1 indicates that the total number of objects is 1. As apparent from the example  804 , the size of an object placed decreases as the total number of objects increases. According to the example  804 , an object of a speaker may be kept at a constant size. 
       FIG. 9  is a table for explaining a method of determining a participation grade according to an embodiment. 
     In  FIG. 9 , criteria for determining a conference participation grade in operation S 40  are illustrated as an example. The service providing apparatus  100  may pre-store a table as the one illustrated in  FIG. 9  to determine a conference participation grade of each user terminal  200  maintaining a conference session. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the service providing apparatus  100  may receive attendee content from a user terminal  200  maintaining a conference session and determine a participation grade of the user terminal  200  based on the length of received voice content and/or the number of times the voice content was received. In addition, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine the participation grade of the user terminal  200  based on the amount of received text and/or the number of times the text was received. 
     The service providing apparatus  100  may identify the type of the attendee content when determining the conference participation grade of the user terminal  200 . That is, the service providing apparatus  100  may identify whether the received attendee content is voice content, text content, image content, or action feedback. Also, the service providing apparatus  100  may give a preset weight to the identified type of the attendee content and determine the conference participation grade based on the weight given to the attendee content. 
     For example, when a highest weight is set for the voice content, an intermediate weight for the text content, and a lowest weight for the action feedback, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine a final participation grade by multiplying a weight given to the attendee content by the total number of times that each attendee content was received or the data size of the received attendee content. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates display attributes of an object according to a participation grade, which are referred to in some embodiments. 
     In operation S 20 , the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which at least one of the shape, color, and display brightness of an object has been changed based on a determined conference participation grade of a user terminal  200 , so that the generated GUI can be displayed on the user terminal  200 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the service providing apparatus  100  may adjust the display brightness of an object corresponding to a user terminal  200  according to a conference participation grade of the user terminal  200 . The service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI to which the adjusted display brightness of the object has been applied and provide the generated GUI to the user terminal  200 . For example, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which an object of a user terminal having a relatively high participation grade among user terminals  200  maintaining a conference session is displayed bright and an object of a user terminal having a low participation grade is displayed dark and provide the generated GUI to the user terminals  200 . 
     Alternatively, the service providing apparatus  100  may adjust the size of an object corresponding to a user terminal  200  based on a conference participation grade of the user terminal  200 . The service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI to which the adjusted size of the object has been applied and provide the generated GUI to the user terminal  200 . For example, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which an object of a user terminal having a relatively high participation grade among user terminals  200  maintaining a conference session is displayed large and an object of a user terminal having a low participation grade is displayed small and provide the generated GUI to the user terminals  200 . 
     The service providing apparatus  100  may compare a conference participation grade determined for a first terminal among the user terminals  200  and a conference participation grade determined for a second terminal in order to determine which of the first terminal and the second terminal has a relatively high or low participation grade. 
     In an embodiment, the service providing apparatus  100  may adjust the shape of an object corresponding to a user terminal  200  based on a conference participation grade of the user terminal  200 . Referring to  FIG. 10 , the service providing apparatus  100  may add a border to an object of a user terminal having a high participation grade in order to emphasize the object or may blur an object of a user terminal having a low participation grade in order to restrain the user terminal. Accordingly, the object corresponding to the user terminal having the low participation grade is blurred in  FIG. 10 . 
     Although not illustrated, the service providing apparatus  100  may display an object in a preset color and/or shape according to a participation grade. For example, an object of a user terminal having a high participation grade may be displayed in a circular shape, and an object of a user terminal having a low participation grade may be displayed in a triangular shape. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a change in the display state of an object according to a change in participation grade, which is referred to in some embodiments. 
     A GUI provided to user terminals  200  is continuous from the perspective of the user terminals  200 . However, the GUI can be changed in various ways as described above with reference to  FIG. 10 . Referring to  FIG. 11 , the service providing apparatus  100  receives attendee content from each of the user terminals  200  for a first preset period. During the initial first period, respective objects of the user terminals  200  may be arranged in the same brightness, size, or shape on a service screen. The service providing apparatus  100  may determine a conference participation grade of each user terminal  200  based on the attendee content received during the first period. Then, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI in which display attributes of the objects of the user terminals  200  have been changed as illustrated in  FIG. 11  based on the determined participation grades and provide the generated GUI to the user terminals  200  during a second preset period that is successive to the first period. In  FIG. 11 , an object of a user terminal having a high participation grade is highlighted over time, and an object of a user terminal having a low participation grade is blurred over time. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a change in the display position of an object according to a change in participation grade, which is referred to in some embodiments. 
     In operation S 20 , the service providing apparatus  100  may compare a conference participation grade determined for a first terminal among user terminals  200  and a conference participation grade determined for a second terminal. In addition, the service providing apparatus  100  may change at least one of the display position of an object corresponding to the first terminal and the display position of an object corresponding to the second terminal based on the comparison result. 
     Specifically, the service providing apparatus  100  may place a terminal having a high conference participation grade closer to a center point of a second area in which conference content  610  is displayed than a terminal having a low conference participation grade or place the terminal having the low conference participation grade farther from the center point than the terminal having the high conference participation grade. 
     On a service screen  600  of  FIG. 12 , object  6  is moved away from the center of the second area in which the conference content  610  is displayed. That is, when the participation grade of user terminal  6  is relatively lowered, the service providing apparatus  100  may change the display position of object  6 , which is an object of user terminal  6 , from a first position  1200  to a second position  1201  which is farther from the center of the second area. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a method of displaying an object of a user terminal whose session connection has been terminated, which is referred to in some embodiments. 
     In operation S 10 , the service providing apparatus  100  may transmit a conference session creation request to a preset number of user terminals  200 . Here, the preset number of user terminals  200  may be user terminals expected to attend a conference and registered in advance in the service providing apparatus  100 . 
     The service providing apparatus  100  may create a conference session with a user terminal which has responded to the conference session creation request among the user terminals  200 . However, the service providing apparatus  100  cannot create a session with a user terminal which has not responded to the conference session creation request. The service providing apparatus  100  may generate a GUI that displays an object corresponding to a user terminal, with which a session was not created, at a preset position in the first area. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , on a service screen  600 , the service providing apparatus  100  may place objects  1301  of user terminals with which a conference session was created and place objects  1302  of user terminals with which a conference session was not created at a different position from the objects  1301 . At this time, the service providing apparatus  100  may also adjust display attributes of the objects  1301  and  1302  such that sizes and colors of the objects  1301  and  1302  are distinguished from each other. 
     Meanwhile, the service providing apparatus  100  may display objects  1303  of user terminals which have initially created a conference session but later terminated the conference session in a different position and/or shape from the objects  1301 . 
       FIG. 14  is a flowchart illustrating a method of displaying an object of a user terminal according to an embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , a user terminal  200  may create a conference session with the service providing apparatus  100  (operation S 1401 ). The user terminal  200  may transmit its unique information and a service request message to the service providing apparatus  100  through a network. The service providing apparatus  100  may receive the unique information and detect the connection of the user terminal  200  based on the received unique information. When the service providing apparatus  100  permits a service in response to the service request message of the user terminal  200 , a session is created between the service providing apparatus  100  and the user terminal  200 . 
     The user terminal  200  may receive a GUI from the service providing apparatus  100  and display the received GUI on an output unit (operation S 1403 ). For example, the displayed GUI may be the service screen  600  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . That is, the user terminal  200  may display an object corresponding to the user terminal  200  in the first area and display conference content in the second area. 
     The user terminal  200  may receive conference attendee content through an input unit (operation S 1405 ). The user terminal  200  may transmit the received attendee content to the service providing apparatus  100  through the session. The service providing apparatus  100  may analyze the received conference attendee content and determine a participation grade of the user terminal  200 . At this time, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine a participation grade of the user terminal  200  for a first preset period based on the conference attendee content received during the first period. 
     The service providing apparatus  100  may transmit a command for changing display attributes of the object corresponding to the user terminal  200  based on the determined participation grade. Upon receiving the command for changing the display attributes of the object (operation S 1407 ), the user terminal  200  may change the display attributes of the object in the first area and display the changed display attributes (operation S 1409 ). 
     Specifically, in response to the command for changing the display attributes, the user terminal  200  may change at least one of the shape, color, display position, and display size of the object in the first area and display the object accordingly. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a condition under which a user terminal changes display attributes of an object, which is referred to in some embodiments. 
     After operation S 1409 , the user terminal  200  may receive conference attendee content for a second preset period different from the first preset period (operation S 1501 ). The user terminal  200  may transmit the conference attendee content received during the second preset period to the service providing apparatus  100 . The service providing apparatus  100  may determine a participation grade of the user terminal  200  for the second period based on the conference attendee content received during the second period. 
     If the participation grade for the first period is different from the participation grade for the second period, the service providing apparatus  100  generates a command for changing display attributes of the object based on the participation grade for the second period and transmits the command to the user terminal  200 . When receiving the command for changing the display attributes of the object (operation S 1503 ), the user terminal  200  may change the display attributes of the object and display the changed display attributes as in operation S 1409 . On the other hand, if the participation grade for the first period is not different from the participation grade for the second period, the user terminal  200  keeps the display attributes of the object of the first period. 
       FIG. 16  is a block diagram of a user terminal  200  according to an embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 16 , the user terminal  200  is a computing device capable of communicating with the service providing apparatus  100  through a network such as the Internet or an intranet and may include a communication unit  210 , an input unit  220 , an output unit  230 , a storage unit  240 , and a control unit  250 . 
     The communication unit  210  may support wired/wireless Internet communication or intranet communication of the user terminal  200  and exchange various pieces of information with the service providing apparatus  100 . The communication unit  210  may receive various user interfaces from the service providing apparatus  100  and receive a participation grade determined by the service providing apparatus  100  and/or a command for changing display attributes. Further, the communication unit  210  transmits attendee content input by a user to the service providing apparatus  100  via the network. 
     The input unit  220  receives various data, commands, and/or information from the user. In particular, the input unit  220  may receive user inputs to be transmitted to the service providing apparatus  100 . Here, the user inputs may include the attendee content. The input unit  220  may include any type of input medium well known in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. For example, the input unit  220  may include a camera for receiving the user&#39;s image or an image designated by the user. Alternatively, the input unit  220  may include a microphone for receiving the user&#39;s voice. 
     The output unit  230  notifies the user of various data, commands, and/or information. The output unit  230  may include a display module. The display module may display various data. In particular, the display module may display an object corresponding to the user terminal  200  on a first area of a GUI provided by the service providing apparatus  100  and may display conference content on a second area of the GUI. 
     The output unit  230  of the inventive concept may further include any type of output medium well known in the art. For example, the output unit  230  may be configured as a touch screen having a touch sensor. In this case, the output unit  230  may also function as the input unit  220 . 
     The storage unit  240  stores various data, commands, and/or information. The storage unit  240  may store one or more applications for receiving a conference service or an instant messaging service according to an embodiment. In addition, the storage unit  240  may store various pieces of information received through the communication unit  210  and various pieces of information input through the input unit  220 . 
     The storage unit  240  may temporarily or non-temporarily store data received from an external device or a server. The storage unit  240  may be a nonvolatile memory such as a ROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a flash memory, a hard disk, a removable disk, or any type of computer-readable recording medium well known in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. 
     The control unit  250  controls the overall operation of each component of the user terminal  200 . The control unit  250  may include a CPU, an MPU, an MCU, or any type of processor well known in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. In addition, the control unit  250  may include a memory, for example, a RAM. In addition, the control unit  250  may store at least one application or program for executing a method according to an embodiment. 
     The control unit  250  may change display attributes of the object on the GUI according to the attendee content and various interactions input by the user. Specifically, in response to a user input, the control unit  250  may control the display attributes of the object on the GUI to be changed and displayed based on the participation grade determined by the service providing apparatus  100 . For example, the control unit  250  may change at least one of the size, position, and shape of the displayed object and display the object accordingly. 
     While a case where the service providing apparatus  100  provides a real-time conference service and where a user terminal  200  participates in the conference service and displays an object have been mainly described so far, embodiments of the inventive concept are not limited to this case. Hereinafter, a case where the service providing apparatus  100  provides an instant messaging service will be described with reference to  FIG. 17 . 
       FIG. 17  illustrates a method of displaying an object according to a participation grade in an instant messaging environment according to an embodiment. 
     It will hereinafter be assumed that an object includes not only a user avatar corresponding to a user terminal but also a message received from the user terminal. 
     Referring to  FIG. 17 , the service providing apparatus  100  may create an instant messaging session with user terminals  200 . Here, the service providing apparatus  100  may provide a first GUI to the user terminals  200 , with which the instant messaging session was created, for a first preset period. Here, the first GUI is a GUI in which participation grades of the user terminals  200  have not been reflected. 
     During the first period, the service providing apparatus  100  may determine participation grades of the user terminals  200  based on at least one of the size and the number of messages received through the first GUI. In addition, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a second GUI, in which display attributes of objects corresponding to the user terminals  200  have been changed, based on the determined participation grades. Here, the second GUI is a GUI that reflects the degrees of participation of the user terminals  200 . The display attributes of an object may include at least one of the display position and size of the object. 
     The service providing apparatus  100  may provide the generated second GUI to the user terminals  200  maintaining the instant messaging session for a second preset period. 
     On a service screen  1700 , it is assumed that participation grades of object  1  and object  2  ( 1701 ) determined based on messages received for the first period are intermediate grades. The service providing apparatus  100  may enlarge an object of a user terminal having a high participation grade and display the enlarged object as in the case of object  3  ( 1702 ). On the other hand, the service providing apparatus  100  may reduce the size of an object of a user terminal having a low participation grade and display the reduced object as in the case of object  4  ( 1703 ). 
     The service screen  1700  may also include objects  1704  of user terminals which have not created a session or have terminated the session. 
     According to an embodiment, the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a second GUI that combines a plurality of messages received from any one of the user terminals  200  maintaining the instant messaging session and displays the combined messages. Referring to a service screen  1710 , the service providing apparatus  100  may generate a message set by combining messages received from a user terminal having a high participation grade as in the case of object  3  ( 1711 ). 
     Accordingly, users of user terminals using the instant messaging service can easily grasp the main flow of conversation by checking the messages received from the user terminal having a high participation grade through the message set  1711 . 
     On the other hand, the service providing apparatus  100  may apply a hiding function to messages received from a user terminal having a low participation grade as in the case of object  4  ( 1712 ). In this case, the users of the user terminals using the instant messaging service can selectively check the messages received from the user terminal having the low participation grade. 
     According to the inventive concept, an online attendee is provided with a GUI according to an embodiment. Therefore, the online attendee can have the same experience as attending an offline conference. 
     In addition, according to the inventive concept, the participation of an online attendee in a real-time conference can be increased by setting rights of the online attendee. 
     In addition, according to the inventive concept, the immersion of an online attendee in a real-time conference is increased, thereby improving the efficiency of the conference. 
     Further, according to the inventive concept, the topic of conversation can be promptly grasped in an interactive service environment. 
     The concepts of the invention described above can be embodied as computer-readable code on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may be, for example, a removable recording medium (a CD, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, a USB storage device, or a removable hard disc) or a fixed recording medium (a ROM, a RAM, or a computer-embedded hard disc). The computer program recorded on the computer-readable recording medium may be transmitted to another computing apparatus via a network such as the Internet and installed in the computing apparatus. Hence, the computer program can be used in the computing apparatus. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.