Method and telecommunications device for transmitting service messages to a service center and receiving service messages from a service center

• US 7,519,378 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Gigaset Communications GmbH (Gigaset AG)
• Inventors: van de Logt, Marco, Goertz, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US10/527,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20060040682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/414.1, 455/412.1, 455/412.2
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention seeks to improve the downloading of downloadable information content that is directly or indirectly available in a service center (SZ), using a telecommunications device (TKG) to guarantee in a simple manner that the person initiating the download process bears the cost of the downloaded information content and that the service center (SZ) does not necessarily have to know or determine the subscriber'"'"'s number of such person in order to transmit the information content. To achieve this, the information content is both requested from the service center (SZ), together with a first service message (SN1), in a first session (SI1) and is delivered by the service center (SZ), together with at least one second service message (SN2), in a second session (S12) via a single telecommunications like (TKV) that is set up between the telecommunications device (TKG) and the service center (SZ), without having to set up an additional telecommunications link, as is the case in prior art.

Claims

1. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center, the method comprising:

setting up a telecommunications call to the service center via a telecommunications device;

initiating, by the service center, a first session via the telecommunications call set-up;

sending, via the telecommunications device and in the first session, a first service message to the service center, receipt of which is acknowledged by the service center;

initiating, by the telecommunications device and as a result of acknowledgment by the service center, a second session via the telecommunications call set-up;

sending, by the service center and in the second session, at least one second service message to the telecommunications device, receipt of which is acknowledged by the telecommunications device; and

releasing, by the service center and as a result of acknowledgement by the telecommunications device, the second session so as to clear down the telecommunications call.

2. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 1, wherein a duration of the second session is monitored by the telecommunications device.

3. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 2, wherein the duration is 60 seconds.

4. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 1, the method further comprising requesting by the telecommunications device, with the first service message in the first session, downloadable information content which is one of stored in the service center, made available by the service center and procured by the service center.

5. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 4, the method further comprising transmitting to the telecommunications device by the service center, with the second service message in the second session, the information content requested.

6. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first service message is one of a short message according to a Short Message Service and a multimedia message according to a Multimedia Message Service.

7. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second service message is one of a short message according to a Short Message Service and a multimedia message according to a Multimedia Message Service.

8. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 1, wherein the telecommunications device is one of a cordless telephone with a cordless base station and at least one cordless handset, and a corded telephone, and a fixed network connection is used as the telecommunications call between the respective telephone and the service center.

9. A method for sending and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mobile telephone is used as the

telecommunications device and a mobile radio call is used as the telecommunications call between the mobile telephone and the service center.

10. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center, comprising:

a user interface for entering user commands and outputting user information;

a central control device for controlling functional and operational sequences in the telecommunications device, the central control device being connected to the user interface; and

a telecommunications device/service center interface for telecommunications calls to the service center, the telecommunications device/service center interface including sending and receiving parts connected to the central control device;

wherein the user interface, the central control device and the sending part are implemented such that a telecommunications call to the service center is set-up;

wherein the user interface, the central control device and the receiving part are implemented so as to detect that the service center has initiated a first session on the telecommunications call set-up;

wherein the user interface, the central control device and the sending and receiving parts are implemented in such a way that, in the first session, the telecommunications device sends, via the sending part, a first service message to the service center, receipt of which is acknowledged by the service center;

wherein the central control device is assigned an evaluation/control part which is implemented in such a way that, as a result of the acknowledgement from the service center received via the receiving part, a second session is initiated via the sending part on the telecommunications call set-up;

wherein the user interface, the central control device and the sending and receiving parts are implemented in such a way that, in the second session, the service center sends the telecommunications device at least one second service message, receipt of which is acknowledged by the telecommunications device; and

wherein the user interface, the central control device, and the sending and receiving parts are implemented in such a way that, for release of the second session by the service center, the

service center is sent an acknowledgement, via the sending part, pursuant to which the telecommunications call is cleared down.

11. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 10, wherein the central control device includes a time monitoring part for monitoring a duration of the second session.

12. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 11, wherein the duration is 60 seconds.

13. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first service message effects that, in the first session, downloadable information content which is one of stored in the service center, made available by the service center and procured by the service center is requested by the telecommunications device.

14. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second service message effects that, in the second session, the information content requested is transmitted to the telecommunications device by the service center.

15. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first service message is one of a short message according to a Short Message Service and multimedia message according to a Multimedia Message Service.

16. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second service message is a short message according to a Short Message Service and a multimedia message according to a Multimedia Message Service.

17. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 10, wherein the telecommunications device includes at least one of a cordless telephone with a cordless base station and at least one cordless handset, and a corded telephone, with a fixed network connection connecting the respective telephone with the service center.

18. A telecommunications device for transmitting and receiving service messages to and from a service center as claimed in claim 10, wherein the telecommunications device includes a mobile telephone, with a mobile radio connection connecting the mobile telephone and the service center.