Method for changing graphical data like avatars by mobile telecommunication terminals

• US 20060046699A1
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Legrand, Patrick, Ducros, Maxime, Viger, Christine, Guillemant, Jean-Philippe, Goldstein, Philippe, Guyot, Olivier
• Granted Patent: US 7,231,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile telecommunication terminal (1) comprising display means (6), loudspeaker and microphone means and means for communication with other mobile or non-mobile communication terminals over a first connection supporting communication of speech. Said mobile telecommunication terminal (1) further supports transmission to, and representation of, proprietary customized visual/graphical data information 1_AO, e.g. avatars, on other communication terminals (2), as well as representation on the display means (6) of such customized visual/graphical information from said other communication terminal(s) (2). The proprietary customized visual/graphical data information can be altered, the telecommunication unit (1) comprising control means for altering the proprietary customized visual/graphical information, and the proprietary customized visual/graphical information can be altered or updated during an ongoing speech connection with one more of said other communication terminals over said first connection. The invention also related to a system and a method supporting such a functionality.

Claims

1. A mobile telecommunication terminal comprising:

display means for displaying visual/graphical information;

loudspeaker and microphone means for communication with other telecommunication terminals over a first connection supporting communication of speech,

said mobile telecommunication terminal further supporting transmission to, and representation of, proprietary customized visual/graphical data information, e.g. avatars, on other telecommunication terminals, as well as representation on the display means of such customized visual/graphical information from said other telecommunication terminal(s), wherein the mobile telecommunication terminal comprises control means for altering or updating the proprietary customized visual/graphical data information during an ongoing speech connection with one more of said other telecommunication terminals over said first connection;

said mobile telecommunication terminal supports simultaneous communication of speech and data.

2. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said telecommunication terminal is a GPRS class A terminal.

3. A mobile telecommunication terminal, wherein the customized visual/graphical information comprises an avatar, and a number of customized or predefined different avatar/avatar attitude modes can be selected by the user of the telecommunication terminal.

4. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the avatar/avatar attitude modes are fetched from Internet.

5. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 4, wherein end user creation of at least graphical information, e.g. avatars/avatar attitude modes, is enabled.

6. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the telecommunication terminal it is connected to a (web) server over a second connection supporting communication of packet data for giving the end user access to at least a graphical communication and presentation service (MAS), e.g. comprising mobile avatars, said server handling set up of a conference call with one or more end users, and push/(pull) technique is used for transmitting said at least visual/graphical customized information to parties of the call conference.

7. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 6, wherein (web) server supports set up of a conference call including a plurality of users, and the customized visual/graphical (avatar) information of each participating user is represented on the display means of all other participating users supporting such functionality and being parties of the conference call, and the customized visual/graphical information, e.g. avatars, of each party can be altered, to take any of a given number of attitude modes by its respective end user during the call conference, wherein the attitude modes and the number of selectable modes are predefined by the respective end users for their proprietary visual/graphical (avatar) information.

8. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 7, wherein customized graphical information/avatars are added/removed as end users are connected to/disconnected from the conference call by the web server providing the graphical communication and presentation service, e.g. mobile avatar service/application (MAS).

9. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 8, wherein the graphical information comprises location information representing the physical position of the respective end users participating in the conference call on a map or similar, said location information being altered and updated continuously or at regular intervals, automatically or by the respective end user.

10. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 9, wherein the loudspeaker and microphone means comprises a hands free set.

11. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the customized visual/graphical data information comprises avatar information and the customized proprietary avatar information is stored in storing means in the terminal or on a SIM-card, smart card or similar detachably connected to the terminal.

12. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 10, wherein visual/graphical information comprises avatar information which dynamically is fetched from the Internet by the server.

13. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 12, wherein the telecommunication terminal is a WAP-device or an EPOC-device.

14. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 13, wherein the first connection is a circuit switched or a packet switched connection over GSM, GPRS, a fixed connection or a voice over IP-connection.

15. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 14, wherein the control means comprises one or more of a number of keys of the telecommunication terminal keypad, e.g. each one of said number of keys representing one avatar attitude mode or similar.

16. A system for providing communication of speech and visual/graphical data information between telecommunication terminals of which at least one is mobile, wherein the data comprises at least customized visual/graphical representation of proprietary end user customized characters, e.g. avatars, wherein the mobile telecommunication terminals comprise

display means for displaying customized visual/graphical data information received from other terminals,

and the system for providing communication of speech and visual/graphical data information comprises:

a first communication system for carrying speech connections between a number of mobile telecommunication terminals and a

a packet data telecommunication system, both first communication system and packet data communication system coupled with

a server running an application for customized representation of visual/graphical data information, e.g. avatars, wherein the server handles set up of a conference call between a number of mobile telecommunication terminals upon initiation by one of said telecommunication terminals for transfer of customized visual/graphical data information between telecommunication terminals, wherein the proprietary customized visual/graphical data information, e.g. avatar of an end user, can be altered by the end user during an ongoing speech connection, and the telecommunication terminals support simultaneous communication of speech and data.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the telecommunication terminals are GPRS class A-terminals.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the visual/graphical data information comprises customized avatars and each telecommunication terminal comprises control means for end user control and alteration of the proprietary customized avatar.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein each end user can select between a number of different attitude modes of the proprietary avatar, and in that the avatars of other/the end user terminals participating in the conference call are shown simultaneously one each respective telecommunication terminal, with the actual respective selected avatar attitudes.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein end user telecommunication terminals can be connected to/disconnected from the conference call, and in that upon connection/disconnection, the respective customized visual/graphical data information, e.g. the avatar, is added to/removed from the display means of the other telecommunication terminal(s) participating in the conference call.

21. The system according to claim 20 wherein customized visual/graphical data e.g. avatar information is fetched by the server means from the web.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein proprietary, customized visual data information, e.g. avatar information, is stored in the respective telecommunication terminal or in storing means detachably provided with respect to the telecommunication terminal, e.g. on a SIM-card or similar.

23. A method of transmitting customized visual/graphical data information from a mobile telecommunication terminal to a number of other mobile or non-mobile telecommunication terminals, wherein the telecommunication terminals support simultaneous communication of speech and data, and the method comprises the steps of:

setting up a data connection from the mobile telecommunication terminal to a server running an application/service for handling customized visual/graphical data information representation and communication,

handling in the server set up of a conference call between a transmitting mobile telecommunication terminal and one or more other telecommunication terminals,

setting up a speech connection between parties of the conference call,

using the speech connection for communication of speech, and

using the data connection for communication and representation of customized visual/graphical data information in parallel with said speech connection.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the customized visual/graphical data information comprises customized avatar information, and the attitudes of the respective avatars can be changed during an ongoing speech connection by the end users of the respective telecommunication terminals.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the method comprises the step of:

displaying all customized avatars of all the other telecommunication terminals being parties of the conference call on each telecommunication terminal, while adding/removing avatars as end user telecommunication terminals become/cease to be parties of the conference call.