Patent ID: 8234342

Claim:
A chat system including a first chat device and a second chat device each including: message input means through which a user inputs a message; message transmission means which transmits a message input through the message input means; message reception means which receives a message; message output means which outputs the message received by the message reception means; and message reception/output stop means which stops the message reception and output by the message reception means and the message output means in response to a given operation by the user, the chat system comprising: chat stop restricting time calculation means which calculates a chat stop restricting time based on contents of a message that is transmitted from the message transmission means in the first chat device; stop restriction means which restricts the message reception/output stop means from stopping the message reception and output in the first chat device in response to the user's given operation for a period corresponding to the calculated chat stop restricting time; and end timing advancing means which, when the second chat device transmits a message directed to the first chat device during the period, advances an end timing of the period based on the contents of the message, wherein when the second chat device transmits the message directed to the first chat device during the period and when an elapsed time is smaller than the chat stop restricting time, the end timing advancing means calculates an advancing time for advancing the end timing of the period.