Patent Document ID: 20020054094
Application ID: 09923624
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. An information processing apparatus for exchanging information with other information processing apparatuses over a network, said apparatus comprising: first record control means for controlling the recording of information relating to a community composed of a plurality of users; second record control means for controlling the recording of information relating to said plurality of users; first generation means for generating a first set of information corresponding to a virtual space capable of being utilized by said plurality of users using said other information processing apparatuses; second generation means for generating a second set of information corresponding to an information list showing said community a first user participates in, from information relating to said plurality of users with its recording controlled by said second generation means; first output control means for controlling the output to said other information processing apparatuses, of said first set of information generated by said first generation means, and said second set of information generated by said second generation means, and input control means for controlling the input from said other information processing apparatuses, of a fourth set of information showing the operation by a said first user for giving a third set of information showing a specified community to a second user, from among a second set of information generated by said second generation means, within said virtual space generated by said first generation means; wherein: said first record control means controls the recording of information relating to said community shown by said third set of information, on the basis of said fourth set of information with inputs controlled by said input control means, and said second record control means controls the recording of information relating to said first user and said second user, on the basis of said fourth set of information with inputs controlled by said input control means.