Communication system allowing users to know online or network status of sought users

摘要

The present invention discloses a communication system including a communications network, a multiplicity of communications terminals which are connectable to the communications network and which can be employed by users to communicate via the communications network, the user not necessarily being identified with a given communications terminal, apparatus for monitoring whether or not a user is connected to the communications network irrespective of which of the multiplicity of communications terminals that user is employing, and apparatus for annunciating to a seeking user, currently connected to the communications network via any of the multiplicity of communications terminals, network connection status information relating to other users who are in a set of sought users, which set is definable by the seeking user, and for providing the seeking user connection address information relating to those sought users who are currently connected to the communications network. The present invention also discloses a method for indicating network connection information relating to users including monitoring whether or not a user is connected to a communications network via any of a multiplicity of communications terminals irrespective of which of the multiplicity of communications terminals that user is employing, annunciating to a seeking user, currently connected to the communications network via any of the multiplicity of communications terminals, network connection status information relating to other users who are in a set of sought users, which set is definable by the seeking user, and providing to the seeking user connection address information relating to those sought users who are currently connected to the communications network.