Message data in mobile communication systems

• US 20040185885A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Kock, Martijn Willem Maria
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In a mobile telecommunications system (100) capable of transmitting message data a sending device (102) and a receiving device (106) may have different message data handling capabilities. By informing the sending device of the message data handling capabilities of the receiving device, the user of the sending device can select the message data to be transmitted to the receiving device on the basis of these capabilities. In this way it is avoided that a device receives message data it cannot handle or that the network (104) has to transcode the message data.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting message data in a mobile communications system (100) comprising a network (104), at least one sending device (102) capable of exchanging message data with the network and at least one receiving device (106) capable of exchanging message data with the network, each device having a set of message data handling capabilities, the method comprising the step of informing the sending device (102) of the message data handling capabilities of the receiving device (106) so as to allow the sending device to only transmit message data matching the message data handling capabilities of the receiving device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message data handling capabilities of the receiving device (106) are presented to a user of the sending device (102).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message data handling capabilities of the receiving device (106) are presented to a sending device (102) to automatically select message data to be transmitted in accordance with the message data handling capabilities of the receiving device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message data handling capabilities are selected from the group consisting of handling still images, video, animations data, sound data, text data, and layout formats.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein descriptions of the capabilities of at least one receiving device (106) are stored in a sending device (102).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the stored descriptions of capabilities are linked to a list of user identifications.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the stored descriptions of capabilities are updated at regular time intervals.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the stored descriptions of capabilities are updated when a change in the capabilities of the receiving device has occurred.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sending device (102), when composing a message, retrieves the description of the capabilities of the receiving device (106).

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving device (106) only transmits a description of its capabilities in response to an authorization.

11. The method according claim 1, wherein at least one of the sending device (102) and the receiving device (106) is a mobile device.

12. A device (102, 106) for use in a mobile communications system, the device comprising:

means (111) for exchanging message data with a network (104);

means (112) for handling message data; and

means (113) for matching message data with capabilities of corresponding devices.

13. The device according to claim 12, further comprising means (114) for storing descriptions of capabilities of corresponding devices.

14. The device according to claim 12, further comprising means for retrieving descriptions of capabilities of corresponding devices.

15. The device according to claim 12, further arranged for exchanging message data containing video data, sound data and/or text data.

16. A computer program product for controlling a device (102, 106) according to claims 12.

17. A system (100) for mobile communications, the system comprising:

a network (104);

at least one sending device (102) capable of exchanging message data with the network; and

at least one receiving device (104) capable of exchanging message data with the network, each device having a set of message data handling capabilities;

wherein the system being arranged for informing the sending device (102) of the message data handling capabilities of the receiving device (104) so as to allow the sending device to only transmit message data matching the message data handling capabilities of the receiving device.