Message transmission and received message activation methods and mobile communication terminal having message transmission and received message activation functions

• US 20070049303A1
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Min
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method for transmitting a message including inputting, at a transmitting terminal, a message body and an activation condition indicating when the message body is to be activated on a receiving terminal, and transmitting message data to the receiving terminal. The message data includes the message body and the activation condition. Further, the activation condition is compared to a current status of the receiving terminal to determine when the message body is to be activated.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a message, the method comprising:

inputting, at a transmitting terminal, a message body and an activation condition indicating when the message body is to be activated on a receiving terminal; and

transmitting message data to the receiving terminal, said message data including the message body and the activation condition,

wherein the activation condition is compared to a current status of the receiving terminal to determine when the message body is to be activated.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the activation condition corresponds to a physical location of the receiving terminal or an activation time set by a user of the transmitting terminal.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the activation condition is independent of an action by a user of the receiving terminal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting terminal comprises a mobile phone or a computer, and the message body comprises a voice message or a text message.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a dormant message type among a plurality of message types, said dormant message type indicating the message body is to be activated on the receiving terminal according to the activation condition,

wherein the message data further includes the selected dormant message type.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

inputting image information corresponding to at least one image to be displayed on the receiving terminal before the message body is to be activated or when the message body is to be activated.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the image information is a URL of at least one image stored on a server, a code value indicating at least one image stored on the receiving terminal or an image file to be transmitted to the receiving terminal.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one image is associated with a collection of images that display a changing image when sequentially displayed.

9. A method for receiving a message, the method comprising:

receiving, at a receiving terminal, message data including a message body and an activation condition indicating when the message body is to be activated;

comparing the activation condition with a current status of the receiving terminal; and

activating the message body when the comparing step determines the activation condition coincides with the current status of the receiving terminal.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the activation condition corresponds to a physical location of the receiving terminal or an activation time set by a user of the transmitting terminal that transmitted the message body.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the activation condition is independent of an action by a user of the receiving terminal.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the message body comprises a voice message or a text message.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the message data further includes a selected message type among a plurality of message types, said selected message type being a dormant message type indicating the message body is to be activated according to the activation condition.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the activating step further comprises:

maintaining the message body inactive until the comparing step determines the current status of the receiving terminal coincides with the activation condition.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein, if the comparing step determines the activation condition coincides with the current status of the receiving terminal, the activating step further comprises:

notifying a user of the receiving terminal that the message body can be checked; and

activating the message body when a signal for checking the message body has been received from the user of the receiving terminal.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the message data further includes image information corresponding to at least one image to be displayed on the receiving terminal before or with the message body.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the image information is a URL of at least one image stored on a server, a code value indicating at least one image stored on the receiving terminal or an image file transmitted from a transmitting terminal to the receiving terminal.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

displaying the at least one image before the message body is to be activated or when the message body is activated.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one image is associated with a collection of images that display a gradually changing image when sequentially displayed.

20. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

notifying a user of the receiving terminal that the message data has been received if the message type is the dormant message type and a dormant message alert mode is previously set to be on by the user.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the activation condition is an activation time set by a user of a transmitting terminal, and

wherein the notifying step notifies the user about a time remaining until the activation time.

22. A transmitting terminal, comprising:

an inputting unit configured to input a message body and an activation condition indicating when the message body is to be activated on a receiving terminal; and

a transmitting unit configured to transmit message data to the receiving terminal, said message data including the message body and the activation condition,

wherein the activation condition is compared to a current status of the receiving terminal to determine when the message body is to be activated.

23. The transmitting terminal according to claim 22, wherein the activation condition corresponds to a physical location of the receiving terminal or an activation time set by a user of the transmitting terminal.

24. A receiving terminal, comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive message data including a message body and an activation condition indicating when the message body is to be activated;

a comparing unit configured to compare the activation condition with a current status of the receiving terminal; and

an activating unit configured to activate the message body when the comparing unit determines the activation condition coincides with the current status of the receiving terminal.

25. The receiving terminal according to claim 24, wherein the activation condition corresponds to a physical location of the receiving terminal or an activation time set by a user of the transmitting terminal that transmitted the message body.