Mobile terminal and method for transmitting message thereof

• US 8,787,950 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Won Kyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Madani, Farideh
• Application Number:
  US13/011,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20110183660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/552.1, 455/557, 455/414.4, 455/41.2, 455/466, 370/395.52, 370/466
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding

Abstract

A mobile terminal and a method for transmitting a message thereof are provided. The method for transmitting a message in a mobile terminal including at least two communication units capable of communicating with different communication networks, includes, identifying circuits connected through the at least two communication units when at least two identification information of other mobile terminals to which the message is to be transmitted is input, and simultaneously transmitting the message to the at least two other mobile terminals according to the identification information through the identified circuits. Through the method, a message can be simultaneously transmitted to a plurality of other mobile terminals using characteristics of a multi-standby mobile terminal. In addition, the message transmission method can reduce a time required to transmit a message.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a message in a mobile terminal including at least two communication units capable of communicating with different communication networks, the method comprising:

inputting a message to be transmitted;

inputting at least two identification information of at least two other mobile terminals as destinations of the message to be transmitted;

identifying at least two circuits connected respectively through the at least two communication units when the at least two identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals to which the message is to be transmitted is input, each of the at least two other mobile terminals corresponding to a respective one of the at least two communication units and corresponding circuits; and

simultaneously transmitting the message to the at least two other mobile terminals according to the respective identification information through the respective identified circuits.

2. The method of claim 1, where the simultaneously transmitting of the message comprises:

determining a respective transmission speed of each of the identified circuits; and

transmitting the message more times through a circuit having a faster transmission speed.

3. The method of claim 1, where the simultaneously transmitting of the message comprises;

determining a number of input identification information;

dividing the determined number of input identification information by a number of identified circuits to obtain a calculation value; and

transmitting the message through each identified circuit a number of times corresponding to the calculation value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the connected circuits further comprises displaying a simultaneous transmission selection window for selection by a user of the simultaneous transmission of the message to at least two other mobile terminals.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether a number of identified circuits is equal to or greater than two,

wherein the simultaneous transmission selection window is displayed, if it is determined that the number of identified circuits is equal to or greater than two, and

wherein the message is transmitted using a currently used circuit, if it is determined that the number of input identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals is not equal to or greater than two.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting the message using a currently used circuit, if the user does not select simultaneous transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a number of input identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals is equal to or greater than a threshold,

wherein the circuits connected through the at least two communication units are identified, if it is determined that the number of input identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals is equal to or greater than the threshold, and

wherein the message is transmitted using a currently used circuit, if it is determined that the number of input identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals is not equal to or greater than the threshold.

8. A mobile terminal for transmitting a message, the terminal comprising:

an input unit for inputting a message to be transmitted and at least two identification information of at least two other mobile terminals as destinations of the message to be transmitted;

at least two communication units for transmitting the message to the at least two other mobile terminals through at least two respective circuits connected to at least two corresponding communication networks, each of the at least two other mobile terminals corresponding to a respective one of the at least two communication units and corresponding communication networks; and

a control unit for identifying corresponding connected circuits through the at least two communication units and for controlling to simultaneously transmit the message to the at least two other mobile terminals through the identified circuits when the at least two identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals to which the message is to be transmitted is input.

9. The terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit determines a respective transmission speed of each of the circuits and controls the at least two communication units to transmit the message more times through a circuit having a faster transmission speed.

10. The terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit determines a number of input identification information, and divides the determined number of input identification information by a number of identified circuits to obtain a calculation value, and transmits the message through each identified circuit a number of times corresponding to the calculation value.

11. The terminal of claim 8, further comprising a display unit for displaying a simultaneous transmission selection window for selection by a user of the simultaneous transmission of the message to the at least two other mobile terminals under the control of the control unit.

12. The terminal of claim 11, wherein the control unit determines whether a number of identified circuits is equal to or greater than two, if it is determined that the number of identified circuits is equal to or greater than two, the simultaneous transmission selection window is displayed, and if it is determined that the number of input identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals is not equal to or greater than two, the message is transmitted using a currently used circuit.

13. The terminal of claim 11, wherein if the user does not select simultaneous transmission, the message is transmitted using a currently used circuit.

14. The terminal of claim 8, wherein the control unit determines whether a number of input identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals is equal to or greater than a threshold, if it is determined that the number of input identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals is equal to or greater than the threshold, the circuits connected through the at least two communication units are identified, and if it is determined that the number of input identification information of the at least two other mobile terminals is not equal to or greater than the threshold, the message is transmitted using a currently used circuit.