Patent ID: 7814081

Claim:
A server comprising: a processor a communication unit configured to be connected to a plurality of user terminals via a network; a control unit configured to process connection requests transmitted from an application program installed on at least one of said user terminals when the application program is started, the connection requests comprising at least a member identifier identifying a user of the application program and a program identification number uniquely identifying the application program installation on the user terminal making the request; and a database configured to store member identifiers, program identification numbers, and status data that is indicative of status at which a user associated with a given member identifier has stopped the execution of the application program, wherein the member identifiers, program identification numbers and the status data are stored in the database in connection with said application program, the control unit being further configured to: (a) determine, when a connection request is received, if the program identification number and member identifier transmitted from the user terminal are stored in the database in connection with said application program; (b-1) transmit a command to the user terminal to resume execution of said application program without transmitting the status data stored in the database to the user terminal if the result of step (a) is that the program identification number and the member identifier are stored in the database; (b-2) transmit a command to the user terminal to resume execution of said application program with the status data stored in the database if the result of step (a) is that the program identification number is not stored in the database but the member identifier is; and (c) update the status data stored in the database for the user associated with the member identifier transmitted from the user terminal based on current status data transmitted from the user terminal upon stopping the execution of the application program on the user terminal.