Mobile communications terminal and communication method thereof

• US 20060258391A1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Bo-Rah
• Application Number:
  US11/430,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20060258391A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile communications terminal capable of performing communications by using at least two numbers according to a usage purpose, a communication method thereof, and a mobile communications system. In the communication method, at least one main number is received from a mobile communications provider, and at least one sub number is provided from a virtual private network. Accordingly, at least two phone numbers are used in different purposes thereby to provide a user'"'"'s convenience. Also, a business call is performed by using a virtual private network, and thus a security is enhanced.

Claims

1. A mobile communications terminal comprising:

a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a signal;

a storage unit for storing information including at least one first identification number provided by a first wireless network mode provider and at least one second identification number provided by a second wireless network mode provider;

a controller cooperating with the transceiver and the storage unit to perform,

selectively handling a call using at least one of the first wireless network mode and the second wireless network upon detecting whether the mobile communications terminal sends and/or receives calls via the at least one first identification number, the at least one second identification number or a combination thereof; and

a display unit.

2. The mobile communications terminal of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network mode is a cellular network mode, and wherein the controller handles the call using the cellular network mode and the at least one first identification number is a mobile telephone number for the mobile communications terminal provided by a cellular network provider.

3. The mobile communications terminal of claim 1, wherein the second wireless network mode is a virtual private network (VPN) mode, and wherein the at least one second identification number is a personal identification number provided by a VPN processor through a VPN client software stored in the storage unit.

4. The mobile communications terminal of claim 3, wherein the controller handles the calls using the VPN mode upon detecting at least one of:

a user of the mobile communications terminal selecting the VPN mode as the wireless network mode,

an outgoing calling number being the personal identification number corresponding to the VPN mode at the time of a call transmission, and

a received call number being the personal identification number corresponding to the VPN mode at the time of a call reception.

5. Communications terminal of claim 3, wherein the mobile communications terminal is configured to be connected to an internet after transmitting a request for the VPN service if the mobile communications terminal is allocated with an internet protocol (IP) address and receives an authentication and certification from an internet service provider.

6. The mobile communications terminal of claim 5, wherein after a tunnel for the VPN connection is established, the mobile communications terminal receives the authentication and certification through an IP security (IPSec) via the VPN client software.

7. The mobile communications terminal of claim 3, wherein the voice calling is performed on the basis of network voice service based on VoIP.

8. The mobile communications terminal of claim 3, wherein at the time of the VPN connection, the controller informs the user of the VPN being used by displaying an image including information regarding a provider that has provided the at least one second identification number.

9. The mobile communications terminal of claim 2, wherein when a call is received from another mobile communications terminal allocated with a mobile phone number that does not belong to a virtual private network or a call is transmitted by using the cellular network mode, the controller requests a call connection signal to a base station via the transceiver and handles a voice calling with another party.

10. A method for a mobile communications terminal, comprising:

receiving at least one main number from a mobile communications provider;

receiving at least one sub number from a virtual private network (VPN);

determining whether to send and/or receive a call signal with another party'"'"'s mobile communications terminal by using one of the main number and the sub number; and

handling the call signal based upon the determining.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sub number is a personal identification number provided from a VPN processor through a VPN client software installed at a mobile communications terminal.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

If it is determined to send and/or receive the call signal with another party'"'"'s mobile communications terminal by using the sub number, establishing a connection to a path of the VPN.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of connecting to the VPN comprises:

connecting the mobile communications terminal to a central internet backbone and receiving an IP address allocation;

connecting the mobile communications terminal to the VPN by using the IP address allocation; and

requesting a service to the VPN and performing a certification process by the mobile communications terminal.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

if it is determined to send and/or receive the call signal with another party'"'"'s mobile communications terminal by using the main number, transmitting the call signal to a base station and handling a call connection with a corresponding another party'"'"'s terminal to establish a voice calling, wherein the main number is a mobile telephone number for the mobile communications terminal provided by a cellular network provider.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a security feature for establishing a connection between the mobile communications terminal and the VPN;

using a VPN client software installed in the mobile communications terminal to communicate with an internet security (IPSec) server to receive a VPN call number certificate and a user authorization; and

establishing a tunnel between the mobile communications terminal and an internet service provider.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the providing a security feature further comprises one of at least one of:

providing an authorization code installed in the mobile communications to the IPSec server to receive a VPN call number certificate and a user authorization; and

receiving at the mobile communications terminal a one time password (OTP) from one of the VPN provider and the IPSec server, and allowing the user to provide the OTP to one of the VPN provider and the IPSec server to receive a VPN call number certificate and a user authorization.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

simultaneously sending and/or receiving calls using a cellular network mode and the VPN.

18. A mobile communications system, comprising:

a mobile communications provider for providing at least one main number for mobile communications service;

a virtual private network (VPN) for providing at least one sub number for network voice service based on VoIP; and

a mobile communications terminal comprising,

a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a signal;

a storage unit for storing information including at least one first identification number provided by a first wireless network mode provider and at least one second identification number provided by a second wireless network mode provider; and

a controller cooperating with the transceiver and the storage unit to perform,

selectively handling a call using at least one of the first wireless network mode and the second wireless network upon detecting whether the mobile communications terminal sends and/or receives calls via the at least one first identification number, the at least one second identification number or a combination thereof.

19. The mobile communications system of claim 18, wherein the at least one second identification number is a personal identification number provided from a virtual private network (VPN) processor through a VPN client software installed at the mobile communications terminal.

20. The mobile communications system of claim 19, further comprising:

an Internet Service Provider server for allocating an IP address to the mobile communications terminal that handles a communication by using the personal identification number; and

an internet backbone network for connecting the VPN with the mobile communications terminal on the basis of the allocated IP address.

21. The mobile communications system of claim 20, wherein the VPN comprises:

a security server for receiving a call connection signal from the mobile communications terminal connected through the internet backbone network, and setting a security maintenance function for received contents;

a certification server for performing a user certification by receiving the signal from the security server;

a database for storing and managing data regarding the user certification; and

a call management exchanger for setting a call path according to a received number from the mobile communications terminal or a calling number to the mobile communications terminal, and setting a call to the set path.