Device and method for downloading character image from website in wireless terminal

• US 20060058014A1
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Wei-Jin, Seo, Jeong-Wook
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A character service apparatus includes a character content database for storing characters and individual lists of characters purchased by each of users, a content server, connected to a data communication network, for downloading character information to terminals connected thereto, registering a purchased character in a character list of a corresponding terminal, accessing the character content database and downloading a character registered in the character list of the corresponding terminal in response to a transmission request, and a wireless terminal connected to the content server via a wireless network and the data communication network, for displaying the downloaded character information, transmitting a purchase request for the character selected by the user to the content server, transmitting a transmission request for the purchased character, and registering characters received in response to the transmission request as screen information for displaying a specific state of the wireless terminal.

Claims

1. A character service apparatus for a wireless terminal, comprising:

a character content database for storing characters and storing lists of characters purchased by associated subscribers on a subscriber-by-subscriber basis;

a character content server, connected to a data communication network, for downloading character information to a connected data-terminal, registering a character purchased by the data terminal in a character list for an associated data terminal, and accessing a character registered in a character list for an associated terminal in the character content database to download the accessed character when a transmission request is made; and

a data terminal for accessing the character content server through the data communication network, displaying downloaded character information, sending a purchase request for a character selected by a user to the character content server, and downloading a purchased character.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless terminal for receiving the character purchased by the data terminal, and using the character for screen information to be displayed in a specific state.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the characters are an avatar and a House item, and wherein the character information downloaded from the content server is a screen for My Avatar configured by characters registered in a character list for a terminal, Avatar Shop configured by avatars capable of being purchased, and Item Shop configured by House items of House.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the data terminal is a computer, the computer purchasing an avatar from the Avatar Shop, purchasing an item from the Item Shop, arranging the purchased avatar and item in the My Avatar, and generating a House screen to be used in a specific state of a wireless terminal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the avatar includes at least two growth models, each of the growth models having a plurality of emotional models expressed by a plurality of emotions.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the items include a background item of the House, items for decorating the House, and a functional item for displaying an event state of the wireless terminal.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the House screen is displayed in a standby state of the wireless terminal, and is configured by the avatar and at least one item.

8. A character service apparatus for a wireless terminal, comprising:

a character content database for storing characters and storing lists of characters purchased by associated subscribers on a subscriber-by-subscriber basis;

a character content server, connected to a data communication network, for downloading character information to connected terminals, registering a purchased character in a character list for an associated terminal, and accessing a character registered in a character list for an associated terminal in the character content database to download the accessed character when a transmission request is made; and

a wireless terminal for accessing the character content server through a wireless network and the data communication network, displaying downloaded character information, sending a purchase request for a character selected by a user to the character content server, and registering received characters in screen information for displaying a specific state of the wireless terminal after a transmission request for the purchased character is made.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the characters are an avatar and a House item, and wherein the character information downloaded from the character content server is a screen for My Avatar configured by characters registered in a character list for the wireless terminal, Avatar Shop configured by avatars capable of being purchased, and Item Shop configured by House items of House.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the wireless terminal displays Avatar Shop, Item Shop, and Download menus when a character purchase menu is selected, displays features of the selected character when the Avatar Shop or Item Shop menu is selected, sends a purchase request for an associated character when purchase is selected, and selects and downloads a desired character from a downloaded character list when the Download menu is selected.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the avatar includes at least two growth models, each of the growth models having a plurality of emotional models expressed by a plurality of emotions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the items include a background item of the House, items for decorating the House, and a functional item for displaying an event state of the wireless terminal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the House screen is displayed in a standby state of the wireless terminal, and is configured by the avatar and at least one item.

14. A character service apparatus for a wireless terminal, comprising:

a character content database for storing characters and storing lists of characters purchased by associated subscribers on a subscriber-by-subscriber basis;

a character content server, connected to a data communication network, for downloading character-related initial screen information comprising My Character and at least one menu for Character Shop to a connected terminal, downloading Character Shop screen information when a Character Shop menu is selected, registering a selected character in My Character, displaying purchased characters when a My Character menu is selected, and accessing selected characters in the character content database to download the accessed characters when a download request is made;

a data terminal for accessing the character content server through the data communication network, displaying the character-related initial screen information, sending a download request for screen information of a menu selected by a user to the character content server, displaying the screen information, selecting a character, making a download request for the selected character, and transmitting the downloaded character to a wireless terminal; and

the wireless terminal for receiving the character transmitted from the data terminal and displaying a state of the wireless terminal using the character.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the Character Shop is configured by Avatar Shop and House Shop, and wherein the Avatar Shop comprises an area for displaying avatars with at least two emotional models capable of expressing emotions in the wireless terminal, a preview area for displaying a selected avatar, and a Buy button area for purchasing the avatars, and wherein the House Shop comprises an area for displaying items configuring a House screen, a preview area for displaying a selected item, and a Buy button area for purchasing the items.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein My Avatar comprises an area for displaying a purchased avatar and purchased items, a preview area for displaying the avatar and the items on a House screen and a Send button area for transmitting the avatar and the items to the wireless terminal.

17. A character service method for a wireless terminal, comprising the steps of:

displaying character-related initial screen information comprising a menu of My Character and at least one menu of Character Shop;

displaying characters when the Character Shop menu is selected, purchasing a displayed character according to a request of a user, and registering the purchased character in the My Character; and

displaying purchased characters when the My Character menu is selected, displaying a selected character on a preview screen, and transmitting the selected character to a wireless terminal when a transmission command is issued.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the characters are an avatar having at least two emotional models for expressing emotions in the wireless terminal and an item for configuring a House screen.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the Character Shop is Avatar Shop, and wherein the step of purchasing a character of the avatar comprises the steps of:

displaying avatar images on an avatar display area when a menu of the Avatar Shop is selected, and displaying the House screen on a preview area;

displaying an avatar selected from the avatar display area as an avatar of the preview area; and

registering the displayed avatar in the My Character when a purchase request is made.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a screen of the Avatar Shop comprises an area for displaying buttons for selecting a type of the avatar, a first avatar display area for displaying avatars of the type selected by the buttons, and a second display area for displaying bestseller avatars, and

wherein the step of processing the Avatar Shop menu comprises the steps of:

displaying the avatars on the first or second display area;

displaying a selected avatar on the House screen when the displayed avatars are selected; and

registering the selected avatar in the My Character when a purchase request for the displayed avatar is made.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the Character Shop is Item Shop, and wherein the step of purchasing a character of the item comprises the steps of:

displaying item images on an item display area when a menu of the Item Shop is selected, and displaying the House screen on a preview area;

displaying an item selected from the item display area as an avatar of the preview area; and

registering the displayed item in the My Character when a purchase request is made.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein a screen of the Item Shop comprises an area for displaying buttons for selecting a type of the item, a first item display area for displaying items of the type selected by the buttons, and a second display area for displaying bestseller items, and

wherein the step of processing the Item Shop menu comprises the steps of:

displaying a selected item on the House screen when the items displayed on the first or second display area are selected; and

registering the selected item in the My Character when a purchase request for the selected item is made.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of processing the My Character menu comprises the steps of:

displaying a registered avatar and registered items;

displaying a selected avatar on the preview screen when the displayed avatar is selected;

displaying a selected item on the preview screen when the displayed avatar is selected; and

transmitting the preview screen'"'"'s characters currently being displayed to a wireless terminal when a transmission command is issued.

24. A character service method between data terminals and a character content server, the character content server being connected to the data terminals through a data network and having character content of an avatar and an item, comprises the steps of:

when the data terminals are connected, displaying character-related initial screen information comprising a My Character menu for displaying purchased characters downloaded from the character content server, an Avatar Shop menu for displaying avatar characters, a House Shop menu for displaying House items, and a Download menu for making a download request for a purchased character;

downloading an Avatar Shop screen from the character content server when the Avatar Shop menu is selected, displaying avatars on a display area, displaying a selected avatar in a House screen on a preview area, and transmitting the selected avatar to the character content server to register the selected character in My Character when a purchase request is made;

downloading a House Shop screen from the character content server when the House Shop menu is selected, displaying item characters on a display area, displaying a selected item in the House screen on the preview area, and transmitting the selected item to the character content server to register the selected item in the My Character when the purchase request is made;

downloading a My Character screen from the character content server when the My Character menu is selected, displaying avatars and items on display areas, displaying a selected avatar and item in the House screen on the preview area, and storing characters displayed on the preview area when a store request is made; and

downloading character lists registered in the My Character menu when the download request is made, and downloading, to a data terminal, an avatar, an item, or House screen characters selected from the character lists when the download request is made.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of purchasing the avatar comprises the steps of:

displaying a selected type of avatars on the avatar display area;

displaying a selected avatar on the preview area when the displayed avatars are selected;

displaying the avatar of the preview area in a selected emotional model;

when a Motion button is selected from a Menu button area;

displaying the avatar of the preview area in a selected growth model when a Level button is selected from the Menu button area; and

purchasing the selected avatar and registering the purchased avatar in the My Character when a Buy button is selected.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of displaying the avatars comprises the steps of:

displaying a selected type of avatars on a first display area, the avatar type being Human, Pet, Fairy, and so on; and

displaying bestseller avatars of the Avatar Shop on a second display area.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of purchasing the item comprises the steps of:

displaying a selected type of items on the House item display area;

displaying a selected item on a preview area when the displayed items are selected; and

purchasing the item arranged on the preview area and registering the purchased item in the My Character when a Buy button is selected.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying the items comprises the steps of:

displaying a selected type of items on a first display area, the avatar type being a background item of House, an item for decorating the House, and a functional item for displaying a specific state of a terminal; and

displaying bestseller items of the Item Shop on a second display area.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of processing the My Character comprises the steps of:

displaying items on an item display area and displaying avatars on an avatar display area;

displaying an item and an avatar selected from the display areas on a preview area;

storing the House screen displayed on the preview area when House Store is selected; and

transmitting the selected avatar, item, or House screen to a wireless terminal when transmission is selected.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the steps of transmitting the character comprises the steps of:

when the wireless terminal is connected through a cable, transmitting the character through the cable; and

when the wireless terminal is connected in a local area communication scheme, transmitting the character to the wireless terminal in a set local area communication method.

31. A character service method for a wireless terminal, comprising the steps of:

displaying a Character Shop menu and a Download menu when a character service request is made;

displaying a character downloaded from a character content server when the Character Shop menu is selected, sending a purchase request to the character content server when purchase of the displayed character is selected, and registering the character in My Character; and

downloading the selected character in the My Character when a Buy menu is selected and registering the downloaded character as a character for displaying a specific state of a wireless terminal.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the Character Shop is configured by Avatar Shop and House Shop, and

wherein the step of purchasing a character from the Character Shop comprises the steps of:

displaying an avatar downloaded from the character content server when a menu of the Avatar Shop is selected, sending a purchase request to the character content server when purchase of the displayed avatar is selected, and registering the avatar in the My Character; and

displaying an item downloaded from the character content server when a menu of the House Shop is selected, sending a purchase request to the character content server when purchase of the displayed item is selected, and registering the item in the My Character.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of purchasing an avatar from the Avatar Shop further comprises the steps of:

displaying avatar types when the Avatar Shop menu is selected; and

displaying a selected type of avatars while scrolling the avatars according to a user'"'"'s selection when avatars of the displayed types are displayed.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of displaying the avatar further comprises the steps of:

additionally including menus for viewing an emotional model and a growth model of the avatar;

displaying an avatar of a selected emotional model when a emotional model menu is selected; and

displaying an avatar of a selected growth model when a growth model menu is selected.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of purchasing an item from the House Shop further comprises the steps of:

displaying item types when a menu of the House Shop is selected; and

displaying a selected type of items while scrolling the items according to a user'"'"'s selection when items of the displayed types are displayed.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the item types include a background item of the House screen, items for decorating the House, and a functional item for displaying a specific event state of a wireless terminal.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

additionally including a time menu in the background item; and

displaying a background item image in which the background item varies with time.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the functional item is an item for displaying an unread message in a wireless terminal.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the functional item is an item for displaying a missed call in a wireless terminal.