Patent Publication Number: US-11662877-B2

Title: Image distribution method, image distribution server device and chat system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/436,353 filed Aug. 16, 2015, which is a National Stage of PCT/JP2013/078122 filed on Oct. 17, 2013 and which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-099641 filed on May 9, 2013 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-232185 filed on Oct. 19, 2012. The entire contents of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     The present invention relates to an image distribution method, an image distribution server device, and a chat system. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventionally, in the field of social networking services (SNS) and the like, characters of users have been used as various communication tools. In this case, a user creates a character (avatar) that represents himself/herself in a virtual world, and the character is displayed on a terminal of the user and terminal devices of other users. 
     In recent years, chat systems have been used in which multiple users can chat with each other via characters created by the respective users (hereinafter, referred to as the “characters of the users”). 
     With this, the characters of the multiple users are placed in a particular virtual space (chat room) displayed on a terminal device (such as a smartphone or the like), which is used by each of the users. After that, since texts input with use of, for example, a keyboard or the like are displayed in the vicinity of the characters, the users can chat with each other as if the characters were holding a conversation. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Documents 
     
         
         Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-164669 
         Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-301404 
       
    
     SUMMARY 
     As described above, chats through the respective characters of the users are generally made by texts input with use of keyboards or the like. 
     However, only with texts input with use of keyboards or the like, information to be communicated to other users is limited. Therefore, a freer mode of chatting is preferable. 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide an image distribution method, an image distribution server device, and a chat system enabling users to chat by handwriting. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an image distribution method is provided that is executed by an image distribution server device connected to first and second terminal devices that are respectively used by first and second users who chat in a virtual space in which a character of the first user and a character of the second user are present. The image distribution method includes: a step for receiving, from the first terminal device, a handwritten and input image including a trajectory handwritten and input by the first user to a display view of the first terminal device, on which the virtual space is displayed, in a state where the virtual space is set as a background; and a step for, by sending the received handwritten and input image to the second terminal device as a message of the first user, displaying the handwritten and input image on a display view of the second terminal device, on which the virtual space is displayed, in association with the character of the first user. 
     The present invention enables users to chat by handwriting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a diagram showing the configuration of a chat system according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a block diagram mainly showing the functional configuration of the image distribution device  10  shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a block diagram mainly showing the functional configuration of the game control device  20  shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram for illustrating an outline of operations of the chat system according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG.  5    is a sequence chart showing a processing procedure of the chat system according to the present embodiment; 
         FIG.  6    is a diagram for specifically illustrating a display view of the terminal device  31  used by a user A, who is chatting with a user B; and 
         FIG.  7    is a diagram for specifically illustrating a display view of the terminal device  32  used by the user B, who is chatting with the user A. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. 
       FIG.  1    shows the configuration of a chat system according to the present embodiment. This chat system includes an image distribution device  10  and a game control device  20  (together, referred to as an image distribution server device), and a plurality of terminal devices used by a plurality of users. 
     The image distribution device  10  and the game control device  20  are connected via, for example, the terminal devices and a network. The terminal devices include a terminal device  31  (first terminal device) and a terminal device  32  (second terminal device). The terminal device  31  is used by, for example, a user A. Meanwhile, the terminal device  32  is used by, for example, a user B. In the present embodiment, (the terminal devices including) the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  are, for example, smartphones each including a touch panel. In  FIG.  1   , the terminal devices other than the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  are not shown. 
     In the present embodiment, the image distribution device  10 , the game control device  20 , the terminal device  31 , and the terminal device  32  shown in  FIG.  1    are realized as a hardware configuration for respectively realizing respective functions of the devices or a combination configuration of hardware and software. The software includes programs that are preliminarily installed from a storage medium or the network to have the devices realize the respective functions. 
     The chat system shown in  FIG.  1    has a function of realizing, for example, a chat between the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , and (a plurality of users including) the user B, who uses the terminal device  32 . Specifically, in the chat system shown in  FIG.  1   , a chat is made via, for example, a virtual space (hereinafter, referred to as the chat room), in which characters (avatars) of the user A and the user B are present. That is, on the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32 , the chat room in which the characters of the user A and the user B are present is displayed. The user A and the user B can chat on display views of the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32 . 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS.  2  and  3   , the image distribution device  10  and the game control device  20  provided in the chat system according to the present embodiment will be described. 
       FIG.  2    is a block diagram mainly showing the functional configuration of the image distribution device  10  shown in  FIG.  1   . The image distribution device  10  includes an image receiving section  11 , a hash value generation section  12 , an image storage section  13 , a hash value receiving section  14 , an image retrieving section  15 , and an image distribution section  16 . 
     The image receiving section  11  receives, from the terminal device  31 , for example, an image including a trajectory handwritten and input on the display view of the terminal device  31  by the user A. For example, the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , can create a message of the user A to the user B (comment of the character of the user A) on the display view of the terminal device  31  during a chat with the user B, who uses the terminal device  32 . Specifically, the user A can create a handwritten message on the display view of the terminal device  31  with use of the touch panel of the terminal device  31 . The messages that can be created by handwriting include, for example, texts, drawings, symbols, paintings, and the like. 
     In a case where a message is created on the display view of the terminal device  31 , the image receiving section  11  receives the image including the trajectory (that is, the message) handwritten and input to the display view of the terminal device  31  by the user A (hereinafter, referred to as the handwritten and input image)) from the terminal device  31 . 
     The hash value generation section  12  generates identifying information unique to the handwritten and input image received by the image receiving section  11 . 
     Specifically, the hash value generation section  12  generates a hash value of the handwritten and input image based on a hash function prepared in advance. 
     The hash value of the handwritten and input image generated by the hash value generation section  12  is sent to the terminal device  31 , which has originally sent the handwritten and input image. The hash value generated by the hash value generation section  12  is sent to the terminal device  32  used by the user B, who is chatting with the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , via the game control device  20  as discussed below. 
     In the image storage section  13 , the handwritten and input image received by the image receiving section  11  and the hash value generated by the hash value generation section  12  are stored in association with each other. 
     The hash value receiving section  14  receives the hash value from the terminal device  32  used by the user B, who is chatting with the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , which is the source of the handwritten and input image. 
     The image retrieving section  15  retrieves the handwritten and input image stored in the image storage section  13  in association with the hash value received by the hash value receiving section  14 . 
     The image distribution section  16  sends the retrieved handwritten and input image to the terminal device  32 , which is the source of the hash value received by the hash value receiving section  14 . Thereby, the image distribution section  16  displays the handwritten and input image on the terminal device  32  as the message of the user A. That is, the terminal device  32  displays the handwritten and input image on itself in association with the character of the user A present in the currently displayed chat room (chat room in which the character of the user A and the character of the user B are present). 
     In such a way, the image distribution device  10  can distribute the handwritten message (handwritten and input image) created on the display view of the terminal device  31  by the user A to the terminal device  32  used by the user B who is chatting with the user A, and display the message. As discussed below, the handwritten message (handwritten and input image) created on the display view of the terminal device  31  by the user A is displayed on the terminal device  31  used by the user A in the same manner as the message of the user A. 
       FIG.  3    is a block diagram mainly showing a functional configuration of the game control device  20  shown in  FIG.  1   . The game control device  20  provides a network game including a function (chat function) of displaying the chat room in which the character of the user A and the character of the user B are present on the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  and letting the user A and the user B chat with each other. 
     The game control device  20  includes a hash value receiving section  21 , a chat management database (DB)  22 , a distribution destination determining section  23 , and a hash value sending section  24 . 
     The hash value receiving section  21  receives the hash value of the handwritten message (handwritten and input image) created on the display view of the terminal device  31  by the user A and user identifying information (hereinafter, referred to as the user ID) for identifying the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , from the terminal device  31 . 
     In the chat management DB  22 , management information for managing the users who are participating in the chat room in the chat system (that is, the users who are chatting) is stored. The management information in the chat management DB  22  includes the user IDs for identifying the users who are participating in the chat room in association with each chat room. Specifically, the management information includes the user ID for identifying the user A and the user ID for identifying the user B are included in association with each other. 
     The distribution destination determining section  23  determines a distribution destination of the hash value received by the hash value receiving section  21  (hash value of the handwritten and input image) based on the user ID received by the hash value receiving section  21  and the management information stored in the chat management DB  22 . In this case, the distribution destination determining section  23  determines the user identified with the user ID, which is included in the management information in the chat management DB  22 , in association with the user ID received by the hash value receiving section  21  (that is, the user B, who is chatting with the user A identified with the user ID that has been received by the hash value receiving section  21 ) as the distribution destination. 
     The hash value sending section  24  sends the hash value received by the hash value receiving section  21  to the terminal device  32  used by the user B, who has been determined as the distribution destination. 
     In  FIG.  3   , the function relating to the chat function is mainly described. However, the game control device  20  also has a function of controlling various network games in general, including, for example, editing of the respective characters of the users and the chat room, and the like. 
     Hereinafter, operation of the chat system according to the present embodiment will be described. First, the outline of the operation of this chat system will be described. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , can input a message by handwriting (here, “Hello!”) to the user B on the display view of the terminal device  31  during a chat with the user B, who uses the terminal device  32 . 
     In this case, a handwritten and input image including the message “Hello!” handwritten and input by the user A is distributed to the terminal device  32  used by the user B via the image distribution device  10  (and the game control device  20 ). 
     On the display view of the terminal device  32  used by the user B, a character  100  of the user A and a character  200  of the user B (or a chat room in which the characters are present) are displayed. 
     When the handwritten and input image including the message “Hello!” handwritten and input by the user A is distributed as described above, the handwritten and input image (that is, “Hello!”) is displayed on the display view of the terminal device  32  in association with the character  100  of the user A. 
     With the chat system according to the present embodiment, the user can chat by handwriting in such a way. 
     Next, with reference to the sequence chart of  FIG.  5   , a processing procedure of the chat system will be described. 
     Description will be given in the following on the assumption that the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , and the user B, who uses the terminal device  32 , are chatting with each other. That is, it is assumed that, on the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32 , the chat room in which the respective characters of the user A and the user B are present is displayed, so that an environment where the user A and the user B can chat with each other is constructed. 
     A case where the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , creates a message (comment of the character of the user A) to the user B will be described. 
     In this case, the user A creates a message by handwriting on the display view of the terminal device  31  displaying the chat room with use of the touch panel of the terminal device  31 . 
     In a case where the handwritten message is created on the display view of the terminal device  31  in such a way, the terminal device  31  retrieves a handwritten and input image including the handwritten message (Step S 1 ). 
     The terminal device  31  sends the retrieved handwritten and input image to the image distribution device  10  (Step S 2 ). In other words, the terminal device  31  uploads the retrieved handwritten and input image to the image distribution device  10 . 
     Next, the image receiving section  11  in the image distribution device  10  receives the handwritten and input image from the terminal device  31 . The hash value generation section  12  generates a hash value of the handwritten and input image received by the image receiving section  11  (Step S 3 ). The hash value of the handwritten and input image is generated based on, for example, a predetermined hash function or the like. 
     The hash value generated by the hash value generation section  12  is sent to the terminal device  31  (Step S 4 ). The hash value generated by the hash value generation section  12  is stored in the image storage section  13  in association with the handwritten and input image received by the image receiving section  11 . 
     The terminal device  31  receives the hash value (hash value of the handwritten and input image) from the image distribution device  10 , and sends the received hash value to the game control device  20  together with the user ID for identifying the user A, who uses the terminal device  31  (Step S 5 ). It is assumed that the user ID is preliminarily held inside the terminal device  31 . 
     The hash value receiving section  21  in the game control device  20  receives the hash value and the user ID from the terminal device  31 . 
     The distribution destination determining section  23  determines, as a distribution destination of the handwritten and input image, the user identified with the user ID, or the user who is chatting with the user A (here, the user B), based on the user ID received by the hash value receiving section  21  and the management information stored in the chat management DB  22  (Step S 6 ). The management information in the chat management DB  22  is information including the respective user IDs for identifying the users who are participating in the chat room in association with each chat room. Thereby, the distribution destination determining section  23  can determine, as the distribution destination, the user identified with the user ID included in the management information in association with the user ID received by the hash value receiving section  21 . 
     Next, the hash value sending section  24  sends the hash value received by the hash value receiving section  21  to the terminal device  32  used by the user B, who has been determined as the distribution destination (Step S 7 ). It is assumed that various types of information required for sending the hash value to the terminal device  32  is preliminarily stored in, for example, the chat management DB  22  or the like. 
     The terminal device  31  sends the hash value received from the image distribution device  10  to the image distribution device  10  (Step S 8 ). Thereby, the terminal device  31  makes a request to the image distribution device  10  for the handwritten and input image. 
     The hash value receiving section  14  in the image distribution device  10  receives the hash value from the terminal device  31 . The image retrieving section  15  retrieves the handwritten and input image from the image storage section  13  based on the received hash value (Step S 9 ). 
     The image distribution section  16  sends the handwritten and input image retrieved by the image retrieving section  15  to the terminal device  31  (Step S 10 ). 
     The terminal device  31  receives the handwritten and input image from (the image distribution section  16  in) the image distribution device  10 . On the display view of the terminal device  31 , the received handwritten and input image is displayed in association with the character of the user A (Step S 11 ). 
     It is assumed that the terminal device  31  sends the hash value to the image distribution device  10 , the terminal device  31  receives the handwritten and input image associated with the hash value, and then the handwritten and input image is displayed on the terminal device  31  in the above description. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the handwritten and input image may be displayed on the terminal device  31  after sending the handwritten and input image to the image distribution device  10  in Step S 2 . 
     Meanwhile, the terminal device  32  receives the hash value sent by the game control device  20  in Step S 7 . The terminal device  32  sends the received hash value to the image distribution device  10  (Step S 12 ). Thereby, the terminal device  32  makes a request to the image distribution device  10  for the handwritten and input image. 
     The hash value receiving section  14  in the image distribution device  10  receives the hash value from the terminal device  32 . The image retrieving section  15  retrieves the handwritten and input image from the image storage section  13  based on the received hash value (Step S 13 ). 
     The image distribution section  16  sends the handwritten and input image retrieved by the image retrieving section  15  to the terminal device  32  (Step S 14 ). 
     The terminal device  32  receives the handwritten and input image from (the image distribution section  16  in) the image distribution device  10 . By executing such processing, the terminal device  32  downloads the handwritten and input image from the image distribution device  10 . 
     In this case, on the display view of the terminal device  32 , the received handwritten and input image is displayed in association with the character of the user A (Step S 15 ). 
     In the present embodiment, as described above, the handwritten and input image is once uploaded to the image distribution device  10  and the respective terminal devices  31  and  32  retrieve the handwritten and input image from the image distribution device  10 . Thereby, in comparison to, for example, a case where the handwritten and input image is distributed to (the terminal devices used by) the users all at once, the processing is distributed. 
     The case where the handwritten message is created by the user A has been described. However, the same processing is executed even in a case where a handwritten message is created by the user B. Specifically, in a case where a handwritten message is created by the user B, the processing of the terminal device  31  shown in  FIG.  5    may be executed in the terminal device  32  of the user B, and the processing of the terminal device  32  shown in  FIG.  5    may be executed in the terminal device  31  of the user A. 
     By repeating such processing, messages (handwritten and input images) are exchanged between the user A and the user B and the messages are displayed in association with the characters of the user A and the user B. Therefore, the user A and the user B can chat with each other by handwriting. 
     An administrator of the chat system or the like may carry out an inspection of the handwritten and input images accumulated in the image storage section  13  in the image distribution device  10  using the processing shown in  FIG.  5   . 
     With this, for example, a user who may create an inappropriate message such as a message including personal information and the like can be identified. By identifying such a user, messages and the like of the user can be monitored and a measure such as suspension of his/her account can be taken according to need. 
     With reference to  FIG.  6   , a display view  311  of the terminal device  31  used by the user A, who is chatting with the user B, will be specifically described. 
     The display view  311  shown in  FIG.  6    is one example of the display view of the terminal device  31 , for example, at the time of displaying the chat room (virtual space) in which the character  100  of the user A and the character  200  of the user B are present. Here, the character  100  of the user A and the character  200  of the user B are the same characters. However, the character  100  of the user A and the character  200  of the user B are created by the user A and the user B, and thus may be different characters from each other. 
     On this display view  311  of the terminal device  31 , the user A, who uses the terminal device  31 , can carry out, for example, such an operation of moving the character  100  of the user A and the like via the touch panel of the terminal device  31 . 
     An input start button  311   a , a back button  311   b , and the like are provided on the display view  311  of the terminal device  31 . 
     When the input start button  311   a  is designated on the display view  311 , the terminal device  31  switches to a display view (mode)  312 , where a handwritten message can be created on the display view  311 . Meanwhile, when the back button  311   b  is designated on the display view  312 , the terminal device  31  transitions to the display view  311  displayed before the display view  312 . 
     When the input start button  311   a  is designated on the display view  311  of the terminal device  31  as described above, the display view  311  of the terminal device  31  transitions to the display view  312  shown in  FIG.  6   . On this display view  312  of the terminal device  31 , as shown in  FIG.  6   , the user A can create a handwritten message (here, “Hello!”) on the display view  312 . Even in a case where the user A creates a handwritten message, the status of the character  100  of the user A and the character  200  of the user B (or the chat room in which the characters are present) and the like can be seen on the display view  312  of the terminal device  31 . 
     On this display view  312  of the terminal device  31 , a color selection button  312   a , a correct button  312   b , a delete button  312   c , a cancel button  312   d , and a send button  312   e  are provided. 
     By the color selection button  312   a , the color of the handwritten message created by the user A can be selected. 
     By the correct button  312   b , part of the handwritten message created by the user A can be corrected. Specifically, by selecting the correct button  312   b  on the display view  312  of the terminal device  31  and then designating some region of the message created on the display view  312 , the message in the designated region can be deleted. 
     By the delete button  312   c , the entire handwritten message created by the user A can be deleted. 
     By the cancel button  312   d , creation of the message can be cancelled and the screen can be returned to the above display view  311 . 
     By the send button  312   e , (the handwritten and input image including) the handwritten message created on the display view  312  of the terminal device  31  by the user A can be sent. 
     In a case where the handwritten message is created on the display view  312  of the terminal device  31  by the user A and then the send button  312   e  is designated on the display view  312 , by executing the above processing shown in  FIG.  5   , the display view  312  of the terminal device  31  transitions to a display view  313  shown in  FIG.  6   . 
     In this case, as shown on the display view  313  of the terminal device  31  shown in  FIG.  6   , (a handwritten and input image including) a handwritten message “Hello!”  313   a  created on the above display view  312  by the user A is displayed in the vicinity of the character  100  of the user A. 
     In a case where the message is created by the user A as described above, the same display view as the display view  313  of the terminal device  31  shown in  FIG.  6    is also displayed on the terminal device  32  used by the user B. 
     Next, with reference to  FIG.  7   , the display view of the terminal device  32  used by the user B, who is chatting with the user A, will be specifically described. 
     A display view  321  shown in  FIG.  7    is one example of the display view of the terminal device  32  at the time of displaying the chat room in which the character  100  of the user A and the character  200  of the user B are present. The character  100  of the user A and the character  200  of the user B (or the chat room in which the characters are present) are the same as those of the character  100  of the user A and the character  200  of the user B (or the chat room in which the characters are present) displayed on the display view of the above terminal device  31 . 
     On the display view  321  of the terminal device  32 , the user B, who uses the terminal device  32 , can carry out such an operation of moving the character  200  of the user B and the like via the touch panel of the terminal device  32  as well as the display view  311  of the above terminal device  31 . 
     An input start button  321   a , a back button  321   b , and the like are provided on the display view  321  of the terminal device  32 . The input start button  321   a  and the back button  321   b  are the same as the above input start button  311   a  and the back button  311   b . Thus, detailed description of the buttons will be omitted. 
     The display view  321  of the terminal device  32  is assumed to be the display view of the terminal device  32  after the handwritten message is created by the user A as described above. In this case, on the display view  321  of the terminal device  32 , (a handwritten and input image including) a handwritten message  321   c  created by the user A (that is, the same message as the message  313   a  on the display view  313  shown in  FIG.  6   ) is displayed in the vicinity of the character  100  of the user A. 
     When the input start button  321   c  is designated on the display view  321  of the terminal device  32 , the display view  321  of the terminal device  32  transitions to a display view  322  shown in  FIG.  7   . On this display view  322  of the terminal device  32 , as shown in  FIG.  7   , the user B can create a handwritten message on the display view  322 , for example, as a reply to the above message of the user A. Even in a case where the user B creates a handwritten message, a status of the character  100  of the user A and the character  200  of the user B (or the chat room in which the characters are present) and the like can be seen on the display view  322  of the terminal device  32 . 
     On this display view  322  of the terminal device  32 , a color selection button  322   a , a correct button  322   b , a delete button  322   c , a cancel button  322   d , and a send button  322   e  are provided. The color selection button  322   a , the correct button  322   b , the delete button  322   c , the cancel button  322   d , and the send button  322   e  are the same as the color selection button  312   a , the correct button  312   b , the delete button  312   c , the cancel button  312   d , and the send button  312   e  described in  FIG.  6    above. Thus, detailed description of the buttons will be omitted. 
     In a case where the handwritten message is created on the display view  322  of the terminal device  32  by the user B and then the send button  322   e  is designated on the display view  322 , by executing the above processing shown in  FIG.  5   , the display view  322  of the terminal device  32  transitions to a display view  323  shown in  FIG.  7   . 
     In this case, as shown on the display view  323  of the terminal device  32  shown in  FIG.  7   , (a handwritten and input image including) a handwritten message  323   a  created on the above display view  322  by the user B is displayed in the vicinity of the character  200  of the user B. 
     In a case where the message is created by the user B as described above, the same display view as the display view  323  of the terminal device  32  shown in  FIG.  7    is also displayed on the terminal device  31  used by the user A. 
     In such a way, by creating the handwritten messages by the user A and the user B respectively via the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  and displaying the messages on the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32 , the user A and the user B can chat with each other by handwriting. 
     For example, the sizes of the messages displayed in the vicinity of the character of the user A and the character of the user B on the display views of the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  may be changed (for example, reduced) over time, or the messages may be deleted at the time of creating (displaying) a new message, after a predetermined time elapses (for example, after three seconds), or the like. 
     As described above, in the present embodiment, the handwritten and input image including the trajectory handwritten and input on the display view of the terminal device (first terminal device)  31  displaying the chat room (virtual space) in which the character of the user A (first user) and the character of the user B (second user) are present, by the user A is received from the terminal device  31 . The hash value of the received handwritten and input image (identifying information unique to the handwritten and input image) is generated. The received handwritten and input image and the generated hash value are stored in the image storage section  13  in association with each other. The generated hash value is sent to the terminal device (second terminal device)  32 . In a case where the hash value sent to the terminal device  32  is received from the terminal device  32 , the handwritten and input image stored in the image storage section  13  in association with the received hash value is sent to the terminal device  32 . Thereby, on the display view of the terminal device  32  displaying the chat room, the handwritten and input image is displayed in association with the character of the user A present in the chat room. With this configuration, the users can chat with each other by handwriting. 
     For example, in a case where the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  are smartphones each including a touch panel as described above, and in a case of creating a message with use of a keyboard or the like, the keyboard is displayed in, for example, the lower-half region of the smartphone. Therefore, the chatting users cannot see the status of the characters of the respective users and the chat room at the time of creating the message. Meanwhile, in the present embodiment, the handwritten message can be created on the display view displaying the chat room in which the characters of the respective users are present. Thus, the message can be created while seeing the status of the characters of the respective users and the chat room. 
     In the present embodiment, the description has been made on the assumption that the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  are smartphones each including a touch panel. However, the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  may be any terminal devices with which the user A and the user B can create handwritten messages. Even in a case where the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32  do not include a touch panel, the present embodiment can be applied to a configuration in which a handwritten message can be created with use of, for example, a mouse or the like. 
     In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the users chat with each other by handwriting in the above description. However, the users can select to use, for example, a keyboard or the like to chat with each other. For example, in a case where a message (texts) is created on the terminal device  31  with use of a keyboard or the like, the message may be sent to the terminal device  32  via the game control device  20  without using the above image distribution device  10  and the message may be displayed in association with the character of the user A. 
     In the present embodiment, it is assumed that two users, or the user A and the user B, chat with each other in the above description. However, even three or more users can chat with each other by handwriting. For example, in a case where the user A, the user B, and a user C chat with each other, and in a case where the user A creates a handwritten message, the hash value of a handwritten and input image including the message may be sent to a plurality of terminal devices used by the user B and the user C, the handwritten and input image may be retrieved from the image distribution device  10  with use of the hash value, and the handwritten and input image may be displayed on the terminal devices. 
     In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the image distribution device  10  and the game control device  20  are separate devices in the above description. However, the image distribution device  10  and the game control device  20  may be formed as one server device. In this case, for example, in a case where a handwritten and input image is sent from the terminal device  31  used by the user A, the hash value of the handwritten and input image may be respectively sent from the server device to the terminal device  31  and the terminal device  32 . 
     The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment only, but can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements within the scope not departing from the gist thereof on the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiment. For example, some constituent elements may be deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiment. Further, the constituent elements of different embodiments may be appropriately combined.