Method, apparatus and software program for extending the flow of information when transmitting a message

• US 20030081555A1
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Niekerk, Sabine Van, Trauberg, Markus, Schmidt, Andreas, Laumen, Josef
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/10 Metering calls from calling party , i.e. A-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/57 for integrated multimedia messaging subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/208 IMS, i.e. Integrated Multimedia messaging Subsystem
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• 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 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and software programs which are used to facilitate the flow of information in terms of functionalities in the domain of at least one service provider, in particular of a multimedia message in the UMTS, this functionality having been requested by a subscriber (for example, reply charging or recall of the message), wherein the present invention proposes transmitting information which reveals whether implicated network units in the domain of service providers support the requested functionality and proposes limiting the maximum size of the reply messages for reply charging.

Claims

1. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message via a UMTS mobile radio network from a transmitting application to a receiving application, the method comprising the steps of:

using an originator network unit and a recipient network unit situated in a domain of one or two service providers for the transmission;

using the multimedia message to request a particular functionality in the domain of at least one service provider; and

effecting an interchange of data between a further unit and at least one of the originator network unit and the recipient network unit, the data including information regarding support of the requested functionality by the at least one of the originator network unit and the recipient network unit.

2. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multimedia message contains information regarding readiness of the originator accept to costs for a reply message from the recipient, the at least one of the originator network unit and the recipient network unit interchanging information regarding support of reply charging functionality with at least one other unit involved in the data interchange.

3. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information regarding the support of the requested functionality, which is at an originator end in respect of one of the multimedia message and a reply message is sent to the recipient network unit.

4. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 1, wherein, if the requested functionality is supported by both the originator network unit and the recipient network unit, and the originator network unit is different from the recipient network unit, corresponding information is interchanged with the receiving application.

5. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 1, wherein, if the requested functionality is supported by both the originator network unit and the recipient network unit, the information regarding support of the requested functionality by the originator network unit is deleted by the recipient network unit and is not transmitted to the receiving application.

6. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information regarding support of the requested functionality is concomitantly interchanged with the transmitting application in a message which is one of MM1_submit.RES and M-Send.conf by the respective network unit which is at an originator end in respect of one of the multimedia message and a reply message.

7. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 6, wherein a new header field with hexadecimal coding of a field name is used in the WAP message M-Send.conf, field values of the field name including the octet <

octet 128>

if the requested functionality is supported and including the octet <

octet 129>

if it is not supported.

8. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information regarding support of the requested functionality is concomitantly interchanged with the receiving application by the recipient network in messages selected from at least one of a first group including MM1_notification.REQ and M-notification.ind and a second group including MM1_retrieve.RES and M-retrieve.conf.

9. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 8, wherein a new header field with hexadecimal coding of a field name is used in at least one of the WAP messages M-notification.ind and M-retrieve.conf, field values of the field name including the octet <

octet 128>

if the requested functionality is supported and including the octet <

octet 129>

if it is not supported.

10. A method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiving application evaluates the presence and absence of the information regarding support of the requested functionality and outputs or refrains from outputting corresponding information for the user.

11. A method for extending a flow of information for reply charging functionality when transmitting a multimedia message via a UMTS mobile radio network from a transmitting application to a receiving application, the method comprising the steps of:

using an originator network unit and a recipient network unit for the transmission, the originator network unit and the recipient network unit being different than each other and situated in a domain of two service providers, the message containing information regarding readiness of the originator to accept costs for a reply message from the recipient; and

interchanging at least one information item with the recipient network unit, the information item selected from the group consisting of readiness of the originator to accept the costs for the reply message from the recipient, a time limit for sending a free-of-charge reply message, a maximum size of the reply message, and a message identification number of the original message when transmitting the reply message.

12. A method for extending a flow of information for a reply charging functionality when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one of the information items is concomitantly interchanged with a message MM4_forward.REQ.

13. A method for extending a flow of information for a reply charging functionality when transmitting a multimedia message via a UMTS mobile radio network from a transmitting application to a receiving application, the method comprising the steps of:

using an originator network and a recipient network unit situated in a domain of one or two service providers for the transmission, the multimedia message containing information regarding readiness of the originator to accept costs for a reply message from the recipient; and

interchanging information about a maximum permissible size of the reply message via at least one of the transmitting application, the originator network unit, the recipient network unit and the receiving application.

14. A method for extending a flow of information for a reply charging functionality when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information regarding the maximum permissible size is concomitantly interchanged with the originator network unit in one of a message MM1_submit.REQ and a message M-Send.req by the transmitting application.

15. A method for extending a flow of information for a reply charging functionality when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 13, wherein the information regarding the maximum permissible size is concomitantly interchanged with the receiving application by the recipient network unit in messages selected from at least one of a first group including MM1_notification.REQ and M-Notification.ind and a second group including MM1_retrieve.RES and M-Retrieve.conf.

16. A method for extending a flow of information for a reply charging functionality when transmitting a multimedia message as claimed in claim 14, wherein a new header field with hexadecimal coding of a field name is used in at least one of the WAP messages M-Send.req, M-Notification.ind and M-Retrieve.conf, field values of the field name including one of a plurality of possible, gradated maximum values or a specific value chosen by the originator for the permissible size of the reply message.

17. A network unit in a UMTS network in a domain of a service provider, the network unit associated with at least one of a transmitting application and a receiving application, comprising:

a part for transmitting multimedia messages from the transmitting application to the receiving application, the message being used to request a particular functionality in the domain of a service provider; and

a part for interchanging information regarding support by the network unit of the requested functionality with another unit involved in the data interchange.

18. A network unit in a UMTS network as claimed in claim 17, wherein the multimedia message contains information regarding readiness of the originator to accept costs for the reply message from the recipient, the network unit interchanging at least one information item selected from the group consisting of:

transmission to the receiving application of the readiness of the originator to accept the costs for a reply message from the recipient if the originator and the recipient network units are different;

interchanging a time limit for sending a free-of-charge reply message between the originator network unit and the recipient network unit if the originator and the recipient network units are different;

interchanging with another unit involved in the data interchange a maximum size for a reply message; and

interchanging with the network unit which is at the recipient end in respect of the reply message a message identification number of the original message when transmitting the reply message.

19. A mobile radio subscriber unit for communication in a UMTS mobile radio network, comprising:

at least one receiving application for receiving multimedia messages from at least one network unit in a domain of a service provider, the messages containing a request for a particular functionality in the domain of a service provider; and

a part for receiving and evaluating information regarding support of the requested functionality by the network units involved.

20. A mobile radio subscriber unit for communication in a UMTS mobile radio network as claimed in claim 19, further comprising at least one of a transmitting and receiving application for interchanging multimedia messages with the network unit in the domain of a service provider, the multimedia messages containing information regarding readiness of the originator to accept costs for a reply message from the recipient, wherein the mobile radio subscriber unit may interchange at least one information item selected from the group consisting of:

reception and evaluation of information regarding the readiness of the originator to accept the costs for a reply message from the recipient if the originator and recipient network units are different;

interchanging of information regarding a maximum permissible size of the reply message;

reception and evaluation of information regarding support of the reply charging functionality by the network unit which is at the originator end in respect of one of the original message and the reply message; and

reception and evaluation of information regarding support of the reply charging functionality by the network unit which is at the recipient end in respect of the original message.

21. A software program which can run on an apparatus having a processor, the software program effecting a method for extending a flow of information when transmitting a multimedia message via a UMTS mobile radio network from a transmitting application to a receiving application, the software program comprising:

a section for effecting use of an originator network unit and a recipient network unit situated in a domain of one or two service providers for the transmission;

a section for effecting use of the multimedia message to request a particular functionality in the domain of at least one service provider; and

a section for effecting an interchange of data between a further unit and at least one of the originator network unit and the recipient network unit, the data including information regarding support of the requested functionality by the at least one of the originator network unit and the recipient network unit.