Method for changing graphical data like avatars by mobile telecommunication terminals

• US 7,231,205 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Legrand, Patrick, Ducros, Maxime, Viger, Christine, Guillemant, Jean-Philippe, Goldstein, Philippe, Guyot, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/484,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.4, 455/416, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 370/312, 370/314, 370/336, 370/494, 370/495
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile telecommunication terminal (1) comprising display means (6), loudspeaker and microphone means and means for communication with other mobile or non-mobile communication terminals over a first connection supporting communication of speech. Said mobile telecommunication terminal (1) further supports transmission to, and representation of, proprietary customized visual/graphical data information 1_AO, e.g. avatars, on other communication terminals (2), as well as representation on the display means (6) of such customized visual/graphical information from said other communication terminal(s) (2). The proprietary customized visual/graphical data information can be altered, the telecommunication unit (1) comprising control means for altering the proprietary customized visual/graphical information, and the proprietary customized visual/graphical information can be altered or updated during an ongoing speech connection with one more of said other communication terminals over said first connection. The invention also related to a system and a method supporting such a functionality.

Claims

1. A mobile telecommunication terminal comprising:

display means for displaying avatar information;

loudspeaker and microphone means for communication with other telecommunication terminals over a first connection supporting communication of speech,

means for supporting transmission to, and representation of, proprietary customized avatar information, on other telecommunication terminals, as well as representation on the mobile telecommunication terminal display means of customized avatar information received from said other telecommunication terminals, wherein the mobile telecommunication terminal comprises control means for altering or updating the proprietary customized avatar information during an ongoing speech connection with one more of said other telecommunication terminals over said first connection;

means for selecting customized or predefined avatar/avatar attitude modes, wherein the telecommunication terminal is connected to a web server over a second connection supporting communication of packet data for giving the end user access to a Mobile Avatar Service (MAS), comprising mobile avatars, said server handling set up of a conference call with one or more end users, and a push-pull technique is used for transmitting said mobile avatars to parties of the call conference; and

means for performing simultaneous communication of speech and data.

2. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said telecommunication terminal is a GPRS class A terminal.

3. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the server supports set up of a conference call including a plurality of users, and the customized avatar information of each participating user is represented on the display means of all other participating users supporting such functionality and being parties of the conference call, and the avatar information, of each party can be altered, to take any of a given number of attitude modes by its respective end user during the call conference, wherein the attitude modes and the number of selectable modes are predefined by the respective end users for their proprietary avatar information.

4. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 3, wherein customized avatar information is added or removed as end users are connected to or disconnected from the conference call by the web server providing the Mobile Avatar Service.

5. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 4, wherein the avatar information comprises location information representing the physical position of the respective end users participating in the conference call on a map or similar, said location information being altered and updated continuously or at regular intervals, automatically or by the respective end user.

6. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 5, wherein the loudspeaker and microphone means comprise a hands free set.

7. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the customized proprietary avatar information is stored in storing means in the terminal or on a SIM-card, smart card or similar, detachably connected to the terminal.

8. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 6, wherein the avatar information is dynamically fetched from the Internet by the server.

9. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 8, wherein the telecommunication terminal is a WAP-device or an EPOC-device.

10. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 9, wherein the first connection is a circuit switched or a packet switched connection over GSM, GPRS, a fixed connection or a voice over IP-connection.

11. The mobile telecommunication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the control means comprises one or more of a number of keys of the telecommunication terminal keypad.

12. A system for providing communication of speech and avatar information between telecommunication terminals of which at least one is mobile wherein the avatar information comprises proprietary end user customized characters, wherein the mobile telecommunication terminals comprise display means for displaying customized avatar information received from other terminals, the system for providing communication of speech and avatar information comprising:

a first communication system for carrying speech connections between a number of mobile telecommunication terminals and a

a packet data telecommunication system, wherein both the first communication system and the packet data communication system are coupled with

a server running an application for customized avatar information, wherein the server handles set up of a conference call between a number of mobile telecommunication terminals upon initiation by one of said telecommunication terminals for transfer of the customized avatar information between telecommunication terminals wherein the proprietary avatar information of an end user, can be altered by the end user during an ongoing speech connection, and the telecommunication terminals comprise

control means for end user control and alteration of the proprietary customized avatar information and

means for supporting simultaneous communication of speech and data.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the telecommunication terminals are GPRS class A-terminals.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein each end user can select between a number of different attitude modes of the proprietary customized avatar information, and the avatar information of the telecommunication terminals participating in the conference call is shown simultaneously on each respective telecommunication terminal, with the actual respective selected avatar attitudes.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the telecommunication terminals can be connected to and disconnected from the conference call, and upon connection or disconnection the respective avatar information, is added to or removed from the display means of the other telecommunication terminals participating in the conference call.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the avatar information is fetched by the server means from the web.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the proprietary, customized avatar information, is stored in the respective telecommunication terminal or in storing means detachably provided with respect to the telecommunication terminal, on a SIM-card or similar.

18. A method of transmitting customized avatar information from a mobile telecommunication terminal to a number of other mobile or non-mobile telecommunication terminals, wherein the telecommunication terminals support simultaneous communication of speech and data, and the method comprises the steps of:

setting up a data connection from the mobile telecommunication terminal to a server running an application/service for handling customized avatar information representation and communication,

handling in the server set up of a conference call between a transmitting mobile telecommunication terminal and one or more other telecommunication terminals,

setting up a speech connection between parties of the conference call,

using the speech connection for communication of speech,

using the data connection for communication and representation of avatar information in parallel with said speech connection wherein attitudes of the respective avatars can be changed during an ongoing connection by end users of the respective telecommunication terminals; and

displaying all customized avatars of all the other telecommunication terminals on each telecommunication terminal while adding or removing avatars as telecommunication terminals connect to or disconnect from the conference call.