System and method for enhancing business card services within a cellular network

• US 6,175,741 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Alperovich, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehvpour, N.
• Application Number:
  US09/223,063
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/445, 455/458, 455/466, 455/451, 455/412
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for enhancing business card services implemented within cellular networks to provide additional features to mobile subscribers. Business card information associated with a mobile subscriber can be stored within a mobile station (MS) of the mobile subscriber and transmitted by a business card application within the MS through the cellular network to another MS that has the business card application. The business card application within the sending MS records the telephone number of each receiving MS as historical data. When a change is made to the business card information, the business card application within the sending MS transmits updates to all or some of the MS'"'"'s that received the business card before the change was made by using the historical data. In addition, the business card application can interface with existing supplementary services to tailor the supplementary services to the individual mobile subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for providing enhanced business card services to mobile subscribers within a cellular network, comprising the steps of:

storing, by business card functionality associated with a first mobile station of a plurality of mobile stations in wireless communication with said cellular network, personal business card information associated with said first mobile station within said business card functionality;

transmitting said personal business card information from said business card functionality to at least a second mobile station of said plurality of mobile stations;

storing historical data within said business card functionality when said first mobile station transmits said personal business card information to said at least one additional mobile station;

updating said personal business card information by said first mobile station; and

re-sending said personal business card information to said second mobile station using said historical data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting further comprises the steps of:

accessing, by said first mobile station, said business card functionality stored within a memory within said first mobile station;

entering a B-number associated with said second mobile station;

retrieving said personal business card information by said business card functionality;

sending, by said business card functionality, said personal business card information and said B-number to a network interface associated with said business card functionality;

sending, by said network interface, said personal business card information and said B-number to transceiver circuitry within said first mobile station;

transmitting, by said transceiver circuitry, said personal business card information and said B-number to said cellular network over an air interface; and

transmitting, by said cellular network, said personal business card information to said second mobile station, using said B-number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of sending said personal business card information from said network interface to said transceiver circuitry further comprises the steps of:

converting, by said network interface, said personal business card information into a Short Message Service message; and

sending said Short Message Service message and said B-number from said network interface to said transceiver circuitry.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of transmitting said personal business card information from said transceiver circuitry to said cellular network further comprises the step of:

transmitting, by said transceiver circuitry within said first mobile station, said personal business card information and said B-number to a Short Message Service Center within said cellular network via a mobile switching center in wireless communication with said first mobile station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of storing historical data further comprises the steps of:

logging said transmission of said personal business card information to said second mobile station in a history file within said business card functionality;

recording time information associated with said transmission; and

recording destination information associated with said second mobile station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of re-sending said updated personal business card information further comprises the steps of:

accessing said history file to obtain said destination information associated with said second mobile station;

transmitting said destination information and said updated personal business card information to a network interface within said first mobile station associated with said business card functionality, said business card functionality being stored within a memory within said first mobile station;

transmitting said destination information and said updated personal business card information from said network interface to transceiver circuitry within said first mobile station;

transmitting, by said transceiver circuitry, said destination information and said updated personal business card information to said cellular network; and

transmitting, by said cellular network, said updated personal business card information to said second mobile station using said destination information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of storing historical data further comprises the step of:

storing an update indication along with said destination information in said history file.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of re-sending further comprises the step of:

re-sending said personal business card information to said second mobile station using said historical information when said update indication is set.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of updating further comprises the steps of:

accessing, by said first mobile station, a display and edit functionality within said business card functionality;

displaying said personal business card information using said display and edit functionality;

creating said updated personal business card information using an interface on said first mobile station; and

storing said updated personal business card information in said business card functionality.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of updating further comprises the steps of:

sending a short message service message containing said updated personal business card information from said first mobile station to a Short Message Service Center in wireless communication with said first mobile station; and

storing said updated personal business card information within said business card functionality within said Short Message Service Center.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of re-sending further comprises the steps of:

accessing a history file containing said historical data within said business card functionality within said Short Message Service Center, said historical data including destination information associated with said second mobile station;

retrieving said destination information; and

re-sending said updated personal business card information from said Short Message Service Center to said second mobile station using said destination information.

12. A method for providing enhanced supplementary services to a mobile subscriber associated with a first one of a plurality of mobile stations in wireless communication with a cellular network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by said business card functionality associated with said first mobile station, business card information from second mobile station;

storing received business card information in a business card functionality;

interfacing, by supplementary service functionality associated with said business card functionality, said received business card information with a supplementary service associated with said first mobile station; and

performing, by said supplementary service functionality, said supplementary service associated with said first mobile station in response to said business card information stored in said business card functionality.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said supplementary service is a caller ID service, and wherein step of enhancing said supplementary services further comprises the steps of:

receiving an incoming call to said first mobile station, said incoming call having a calling party number associated therewith;

comparing said received calling party number with telephone number information within said received business card information associated with said second mobile station;

determining a matching one of said second mobile station associated with said telephone number information that matches said calling party information; and

displaying said received business card information on said first mobile station for said matching additional mobile station in addition to caller ID information associated with said caller ID service.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said supplementary service is a call blocking service, and wherein said step of enhancing further comprises the steps of:

receiving an incoming call to said first mobile station, said incoming call having a calling party number associated therewith;

comparing said calling party number with telephone number information within said received business card information associated with said second mobile station; and

blocking said incoming call from ringing said first mobile station when said calling party number does not match any of said telephone number information.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said supplementary service is a network supported supplementary service, and wherein said step of enhancing further comprises the steps of:

receiving a request from said supplementary service functionality;

converting said request into a supplementary service command; and

transmitting said supplementary service command to said cellular network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of transmitting said supplementary service command to said cellular network further comprises the steps of:

transmitting said supplementary service command from a supplementary service interface within said first mobile station to a network interface within said business card functionality;

transmitting said supplementary service command from said network interface to transceiver circuitry within said first mobile station; and

transmitting, by said transceiver circuitry, said supplementary service command to said cellular network.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said supplementary service is a call forwarding service, and wherein said step of enhancing further comprises the steps of:

storing with selected ones of said received business card information a respective forwarding number;

receiving an incoming call to said first mobile station, said incoming call having a calling party number associated therewith;

comparing said calling party number with telephone number information within said selected ones of said received business card information;

determining a matching one of said received business card information that has telephone number information that matches said calling party number;

retrieving said forwarding number from said matching received business card information; and

transmitting said forwarding number associated with said matching business card information to said supplementary service interface for transmission to said cellular network.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said supplementary service is a multiparty calling service, and wherein said step of enhancing further comprises the steps of:

associating select ones of said received business card information to create a multiparty group;

initiating a call to said multiparty group by transmitting a telephone number for each said select business card information to said supplementary service interface for transmission to said cellular network.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said supplementary service is a positioning service, and wherein said step of enhancing further comprises the steps of:

retrieving telephone number information from a selected one of said received business card information;

transmitting said telephone number information to said supplementary service interface for transmission to said cellular network;

receiving positioning information; and

displaying said positioning information on said first mobile station.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said supplementary service is a positioning service, and wherein said step of enhancing further comprises the steps of:

transmitting a positioning request for said first mobile station to said cellular network;

receiving positioning information; and

displaying data associated with said positioning information on said first mobile station.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of displaying further comprises the steps of:

accessing said received business card information;

determining matching ones of said received business card information that include information that matches said received positioning information; and

displaying said matching received business card information on a display of said first mobile station.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said supplementary service is a call priority service, and wherein said step of enhancing further comprises the steps of:

receiving an incoming call to said first mobile station, said incoming call having a calling party number associated therewith;

comparing said calling party number with telephone number information within said selected ones of said received business card information;

if said calling party number matches one of said telephone number information, transmitting a call priority request to said supplementary service interface for transmission to said cellular network.

23. A mobile station in wireless communication with a cellular network for providing enhanced business card services, comprising:

transceiver circuitry for transmitting personal business card information associated with said mobile station to at least an additional mobile station; and

a business card functionality for storing said personal business card information associated with said mobile station, said business card functionality further storing historical data responsive to transmission of said personal business card information to said additional mobile station.

24. The mobile station of claim 23, further comprising:

means for updating said personal business card information; and

means for sending said updated personal business card information to said additional mobile station using said historical data in response to updating said personal business card information.

25. The mobile station of claim 23, further comprising:

a network interface associated with said business card functionality for receiving said personal business card information and a B-number associated with said additional mobile station from said business card functionality.

26. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein said network interface further comprises:

means for converting said personal business card information into a Short Message Service message, said Short Message Service message and said B-number being transmitted from said network interface to said transceiver circuitry.

27. The mobile station of claim 23, further comprising:

a history file within said business card functionality for storing said historical data, said historical data further including time information associated with the transmission of said personal business card information and destination information associated with said additional mobile station.

28. The mobile station of claim 27, wherein said historical data further includes an update indication, said updated personal business card information being re-sent when said update indication is set.

29. The mobile station of claim 23, further comprising:

at least one function key on a keypad responsive to user input; and

a display and edit functionality within said business card functionality for updating said personal business card information in response to said at least one function key.

30. The mobile station of claim 23, wherein said business card functionality further receives and stores business card information from said additional mobile station, said received business card information.

31. The mobile station of claim 30, further comprising:

a supplementary service functionality associated with said business card functionality for interfacing said received business card information with a supplementary service associated with said mobile station.

32. The mobile station of claim 31, wherein said supplementary service comprises at least one of a caller ID service and a call blocking service.

33. The mobile station of claim 31, wherein said supplementary service is a network supported supplementary service, and further comprising:

a supplementary service interface associated with said business card functionality for receiving a request from said supplementary service functionality, converting said request into a supplementary service command and transmitting said supplementary service command to said cellular network.

34. The mobile station of claim 33, wherein said supplementary service comprises at least one of a call forwarding service, a multiparty service, a call priority service and a positioning service.