Apparatus and method for processing a message using avatars in a wireless telephone

• US 20050143108A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jae-Ho, Park, Wei-Jin, Seo, Jeong-Wook, Lim, Chae-Whan
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for transmitting a text message in a wireless terminal. The apparatus and method include displaying data input when creating a text message and analyzing the data in order to check whether the data are character display instruction words. Character image information corresponding to the character display instruction words is searched. The character image information is added to the display instruction words, and the display instruction words having the character image information are added to the text message. Character data are added to the text message if the data are general character data. The above steps are repeated and recipient information for the character text message is input when the character text message has been created. The created character text message is then transmitted.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a text message in a wireless terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying data input when creating a text message and analyzing the data in order to check whether the data are character display instruction words;

searching character image information corresponding to the character display instruction words if the data are character display instruction words, adding the character image information to the display instruction words, and adding the display instruction words having the character image information to the text message;

adding character data to the text message if the data are general character data;

creating a character text message by repeatedly performing the above steps and inputting recipient information for the character text message when the character text message has been created; and

transmitting the created character text message.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the character includes an avatar.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the avatar text message includes control information notifying a user of the avatar text message, character data and display instruction words, in which display instruction word identifiers and avatar image information corresponding to the display instruction Words are added to front parts of the display instruction words.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein, when transmitting the text message, information about a recipient for the text message is pre-analyzed so as to selectively transmit the avatar text message or a general text message to the recipient according to the type of wireless terminal used by the recipient.

5. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of analyzing the display instruction words includes the substeps of displaying the avatar image corresponding to the display instruction word, deleting the display instruction words when a delete command is generated while the avatar image is being displayed, and adding the display instruction word to the text message when a selection command is generated while the avatar image is being displayed.

6. A method of transmitting a text message in a wireless terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

A) creating and transmitting a character message; and

B) receiving and displaying the character message, wherein step A) includes the substeps of,

a) displaying data input when creating a text message and analyzing the data in order to check whether the data are character display instruction words,

b) searching character image information corresponding to the character display instruction words if the data are character display instruction words, adding the character image information to the display instruction words, and adding the display instruction words having the character image information to the text message,

c) adding character data to the text message if the data are general character data,

d) creating a character text message by repeatedly performing the above steps and allowing a user to input recipient information for the character text message when the character text message has been created, and

e) transmitting the created character text message when the user finishes input work for the recipient information,

step B) includes the substeps of,

i) analyzing character strings of the text message upon receiving the text message so as to check whether the character strings include the display instruction words,

ii) checking character image information contained in the display instruction words when the character strings include the display instruction words, registering character images corresponding to the character image information in an operation list, and storing a display time for the stored character images, and

iii) displaying character images together with the text message for a predetermined period of time by reading the character images registered in the operation list.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the character includes an avatar.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the avatar text message includes control information notifying a user of the avatar text message, character data and display instruction words, in which display instruction word identifiers and avatar image information corresponding to the display instruction words are added to front parts of the display instruction words.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of analyzing the text message includes the substeps of scanning the character strings of the received text message, storing the display instruction words if the scanned data are display instruction words, checking avatar image information added to the display instruction words in order to register avatar images corresponding to the avatar image information in the operation list and to set the display time for the avatar images, storing general character data if the scanned data are the general character data, repeating the above substeps, to set an the avatar to be displayed according to the display instruction word contained in the text message in the operation list and the display time for the avatar, and to store the general text message and the display instruction words as the text message to be displayed, and finishing the message analyzing step when the character string scan is finished.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the text message includes the substeps of displaying the analyzed text message, sequentially accessing the avatars registered in the operation list while scanning the operation list, thereby displaying the avatars together with the text message for a predetermined period of time, displaying an avatar corresponding to a final display instruction word registered in the operation list while the avatar is being displayed together with the text message, sequentially displaying an avatar corresponding to a first display instruction word registered in the operation list, and finishing the message displaying step when a request for finishing a message display is generated.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a substep of accessing a predetermined basic avatar if the display instruction word is not registered in the operation list, thereby displaying the predetermined basic avatar together with the text message.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the text message is displayed together with the avatar while being confined by a balloon-like symbol.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the avatar is overlaid on the text message.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the text message includes the substeps of displaying the analyzed text message in a display area of a display section, sequentially accessing the avatars registered in the operation list while scanning the operation list for the text message displayed in the display area, thereby displaying the avatars together with the text message for a predetermined period of time, scrolling the text message when a scroll command is generated during the displaying step, thereby displaying the text message in the display area of the display section while updating the operation list with the text message displayed in the display section, repeating the text message and the avatar displaying procedure while scanning the operation list updated with the text message displayed in the display section, and finishing the message displaying step when a request for finishing a message confirmation is generated.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the substeps of displaying an avatar corresponding to a final display instruction word registered in the operation list while the avatar is being displayed together with the text message and sequentially displaying an avatar corresponding to a first display instruction word registered in the operation list.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a substep of accessing a predetermined basic avatar if the display instruction word is not registered in the operation list, thereby displaying the predetermined basic avatar together with the text message.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the text message is displayed together with the avatar while being confined by a balloon-like symbol.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the avatar is overlaid on the text message.

19. A method of displaying a text message in a wireless terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a text message and checking whether the data of the text message are the display instruction words;

searching character image information corresponding to the character display instruction words if the data are the display instruction words, registering a position of the character image information in the operation list, and storing a display time for the stored character images; and

reading the character images registered in the operation list and displaying the character images together with the text message for a predetermined period of time when a request for confirming the text message is generated.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the character includes an avatar.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the steps of registering the display instruction words of the avatar text message and display time thereof in the operation list, registering an arriving avatar text message in a receive message list, and displaying an icon notifying a user of the arriving avatar text message in a display section.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein an icon for representing the arriving avatar text message registered in the receive message list and the avatar text message displayed in the display section is different from an icon for representing an incoming of a general text message.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein a step of analyzing the text message includes the substeps of scanning character strings of the received text message, registering address values of the avatar images corresponding to the display instruction words in the operation list by searching the address values and setting a display time for the avatar images when the scanned data match with the display instruction words, storing general character data if the scanned data are general character data, repeating the above substeps in order to confirm the display instruction words by checking the display instruction words contained in the text message registered in the operation list, to register an address and a display time for the avatar image corresponding to the display instruction word in the operation list, and to store the general text message and the display instruction words as the text message to be displayed, and finishing the message analyzing step when the character string scan is finished.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the step of displaying the text message includes the substeps of displaying the analyzed text message, sequentially accessing the avatars registered in the operation list while scanning the operation list, thereby displaying the avatars together with the text message for a predetermined period of time, displaying an avatar corresponding to a final display instruction word registered in the operation list while the avatar is being displayed together with the text message, sequentially displaying an avatar corresponding to a first display instruction word registered in the operation list, and finishing the message displaying step when a request for finishing a message display is generated.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising a substep of accessing a predetermined basic avatar if the display instruction word is not registered in the operation list, thereby displaying the predetermined basic avatar together with the text message.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the text message is displayed together with the avatar while being confined by a balloon-like symbol.

27. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the avatar is overlaid on the text message.

28. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the step of displaying the text message includes the substeps of displaying the analyzed text message in a display area of a display section, sequentially accessing the avatars registered in the operation list while scanning the operation list for the text message displayed in the display area, thereby displaying the avatars together with the text message for a predetermined period of time, scrolling the text message when a scroll command is generated during the displaying step, thereby displaying the text message in the display area of the display section while updating the operation list with the text message displayed in the display section, repeating the text message and the avatar displaying procedure while scanning the operation list updated with the text message displayed in the display section, and finishing the message displaying step when a request for finishing a message confirmation is generated.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, further comprising the substeps of displaying an avatar corresponding to a final display instruction word registered in the operation list while the avatar is being displayed together with the text message and sequentially displaying an avatar corresponding to a first display instruction word registered in the operation list.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, further comprising a substep of accessing a predetermined basic avatar if the display instruction word is not registered in the operation list, thereby displaying the predetermined basic avatar together with the text message.

31. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein the text message is displayed together with the avatar while being confined by a balloon-like symbol.

32. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the avatar is overlaid on the text message.

33. A method of displaying a text message in a wireless terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a text message and checking characters of the received text message;

selecting the display instruction words contained in the text message; and

searching character images corresponding to the selected display instruction words from and displaying the character images together with the text message.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the character includes an avatar.

35. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein a first display instruction word is selected from the text message when selecting the display instruction words.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein a final display instruction word is selected from the text message when selecting the display instruction words.

37. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein a display instruction word forming a majority from among various display instruction words contained in the text message is selected when selecting the display instruction words.

38. The method as claimed in any one of claims 36, wherein the display instruction words include emoticons.

39. The method as claimed in any one of claims 36, wherein the display instruction words include instruction words for expressing happy, sad, angry, embarrassed and shy, and the avatar images represents emotional expressions corresponding to happy, sad, angry, embarrassed and shy, respectively.

40. The method as claimed in any one of claims 36, wherein the avatar images are displayed in a form of an animation and the text message is displayed with the avatar image while being confined by a balloon-like symbol.

41. The method as claimed in any one of claims 36, wherein the text message is displayed with the avatar image while being confined by a balloon-like symbol.

42. An apparatus for displaying a text message in a wireless terminal, the apparatus comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) communication section for receiving the text message;

a data processing section for decoding and demodulating the text message;

a character memory for storing characters having their own emotional expressions;

a display instruction word memory for storing display instruction words corresponding to the characters;

a controller for comparing character strings of the decoded text message with the display instruction words stored in the display instruction word memory in order to select the display instruction words contained in the text message and for searching character images corresponding to the selected display instruction words by accessing the character memory; and

a display section for displaying the text image output from the controller together with the avatar images.

43. The apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein the character includes an avatar.

44. The apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the controller selects a first display instruction word from the text message.

45. The apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the controller selects a final display instruction word from the text message.

46. The apparatus as claimed in claim 43, wherein the controller selects a display instruction word forming a majority from among various display instruction words contained in the text message.

47. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 45, wherein the display instruction words include emoticons.

48. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 45, wherein the display instruction words include instruction words for expressing happy, sad, angry, embarrassed and shy, and the avatar images represents emotional expressions corresponding to happy, sad, angry, embarrassed and shy, respectively.