System and method for multiplexing media information over a network using reduced communications resources and prior knowledge/experience of a called or calling party

• US 7,003,040 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yi, Byung K.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/252,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20040056887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 375/240, 375/259, 455/566, 455/557, 455/3.06, 455/41.2, 370/338, 370/329
• US Class Current: 375/240.24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN

Abstract

A system and method for managing communication in an integrated services network ensures that media information is displayed on at least one of two terminals during a call without using any transmission bandwidth. This is achieved by having at least one of the terminals pre-store the media information in a memory and then controlling the terminal to recall and display this information when certain events occur during the call. The media information may include animated information, images, and short-time video scripts. This information and broader band media such as streaming video may be displayed on the same terminal. The display of media information may also be controlled based on the past knowledge and experience callers have about one another and/or their communications equipment.

Claims

1. A method of reducing bandwidth by selectively sending media information over a communications network, comprising:

selecting a format for sending different types of media information;

combining the media information in tandem in accordance with said format;

sending the combined media information from a calling party terminal to a called party terminal within a transmission period; and

sending voice information from the calling party terminal to the called party terminal, the voice information being sent with the combined media information within a call period, said method further comprising;

pre-storing a virtual image in the called party terminal, the virtual image being built by the called party based on prior knowledge and his/her own perception about the calling party, and

displaying the virtual image on the called party terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a virtual image from the calling party built by the calling party based his/her own perception.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the called party terminal:

retrieves stored data of a virtual image of the calling party terminal,

wherein the stored data includes a personal user identification field and a virtual image field.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the virtual image field contains an animation indicator field as a sub-field of a pre-defined size.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the virtual image field contains an emotion code field as a sub-field.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual image reflects an emotion of the calling party.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending an emotion code of a pre-defined size from the calling party terminal to the called party terminal, the emotion code corresponding to the emotion of the calling party.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

changing an appearance of the virtual image displayed on the called party terminal based on the emotion code.