Processing messages in communication system

• US 20040054576A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ahava, Tuuli, Kujanpaa, Taina, Kamppuri, Maija, Parviainen, Anne, Einola, Heikki, Kanerva, Mikko
• Application Number:
  US10/250,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054576A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• 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 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• 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 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication system comprising a sub-scriber A terminal (MSA), a subscriber B terminal (MSB), a message centre (MC) for transmitting a message from subscriber A to subscriber B on the ba-sis of address data included in the message, and a billing database (31) for maintaining subscriber-specific billing data. The system also comprises means for retrieving information from a third party from a database (DB), means for transmitting said information from a third party to subscriber B in connection with a message sent by subscriber A, and means for adding at least part of the charge incurred by transmitting the message and/or at least part of the cost of the contents of the message to the billing database (31) onto the advertiser'"'"'s account.

Claims

1. A method of processing messages in a communication system, in which method a message is transmitted from subscriber A'"'"'s subscriber terminal (MSA) to subscriber B'"'"'s subscriber terminal (MSB), characterized by the steps of:

transmitting information from a third party to subscriber B in connection with said message, and

charging the third party for at least part of the charge incurred by transmitting the message and/or at least part of the price of the contents of the message transmitted.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized by

transmitting the message from subscriber A'"'"'s subscriber terminal (MSA) to a message centre (MC),

adding in the message centre (MC) information from a third party in connection with the message,

transmitting the message and the information from a third party from the message centre (MC) to subscriber B'"'"'s subscriber terminal (MSB).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized by

loading information from a third party into subscriber A'"'"'s mobile station (MSA),

transmitting said information from a third party from subscriber A to subscriber B in connection with a message to be transmitted.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized by

transmitting to the third party a confirmation of transmission in response to successful transmission of the information from the third party.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized by

transmitting to the third party a confirmation of consumption of the information in response to successful consumption, by subscriber B, of the information from the third party.

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by

transmitting the information from a third party in connection with a message in such a way that subscriber B has to receive the information from the third party before being able to open the actual message.

7. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by

transmitting the information from a third party in connection with a message in such a way that subscriber B has to consume the information from the third party before being able to open the actual message.

8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by

transmitting the information from a third party in connection with a message in such a way that subscriber B has to consume the information from the third party when consuming the actual message.

9. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by

selecting the information from a third party to be added in connection with a message based on criteria set by subscriber A.

10. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by

selecting the information from a third party to be added in connection with a message based on criteria set by subscriber B.

11. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by

selecting the information from a third party in connection with a message based on criteria set by at least one of the following parties:

network operator, regulator, religious instance and the third party.

12. A communication system comprising a subscriber A terminal (MSA), a subscriber B terminal (MSB), a message centre (MC) for transmitting a message from subscriber A to subscriber B on the basis of address data included in the message, and a billing database (31, 54) for maintaining subscriber-specific billing data, characterized in that the system further comprises

means (53) for retrieving information from a third party from a database (DB),

means (52) for transmitting said information from a third party to subscriber B in connection with a message transmitted from subscriber A, and

means (52) for adding at least part of the charge incurred by transmitting the message and/or at least part of the price of the contents of the message to the billing databas (31, 54) onto the account of the third party.

13. A communication system as claimed in claim 12, charact rized in that subscriber A'"'"'s subscriber terminal (MSA) further comprises

means for including information on the criteria for selection of information from a third party defined by subscriber A in a message to be transmitted from subscriber A, and

that said means (53) for retrieving information from a third party from the database (DB) are arranged to retrieve from the database (DB) such information from third party that fulfils the criteria defined by subscriber A on the basis of the data included in the message.

14. A communication system as claimed in claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the system further comprises

a first register (R1) for storing information on the criteria for selecting information from third party defined by subscriber A, and

that said means (53) for retrieving information from a third party from the database (DB) are arranged to retrieve from the database (DB) such information from a third party that fulfils the criteria defined by subscriber A to be transmitted on the basis of the data stored in the first register (R1).

15. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the system further comprises

a second register (R2) for storing information on the criteria for selecting information from a third party defined by subscriber B, and

that said means (53) for retrieving information from a third party from the database (DB) are arranged to retrieve from the database (DB) such information from a third party that fulfils the criteria defined by subscriber B to be received on the basis of the data stored in the second register (R2).

16. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, characterized in that said criteria for selecting information comprises information about the kind of data accepted, preferred or forbidden.

17. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the message centre (MC) comprises

means (MC) for updating the data in said first (R1) or second (R2) register on the basis of short messages received from subscriber A or B.

18. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the system comprises

a WAP server (WAP) via which subscribers A and B can update the data in said first (R1) or second (R2) register.

19. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 18, characteriz d in that the system comprises

a network server (www) via which subscribers A and B can update the data in said first (R1) or second (R2) register.

20. A communication system as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 19, characterized in that the database (DB) comprises

information from a third party in the form of sound, video, image or text or a combination thereof.

21. A message centre (MC) for transmitting messages from subscriber A to subscriber B in a communication system, characterized in that the message centre (MC) comprises

means (51) for receiving a message from subscriber A,

means (52) for checking criteria defined by subscriber B for selecting information from a third party to be transmitted in connection with messages to be received,

means (53) for retrieving information from a third party from a database (DB) that is in a data transmission connection with the message centre, according to the criteria defined by subscriber B for information from a third party to be transmitted to him/her,

means (52) for transmitting a message and information from a third party in connection with the message to subscriber B on the basis of address data included in the message,

means (52) for charging a third party for at least part of the charge incurred by transmitting the message and/or at least a part of the price of the contents of the message transmitted.

22. A message centre (MC) as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that the message centre (MC) is a short message message centre in a mobile communication network.

23. A message centre (MC) as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that the message centre is a multimedia message centre in a mobile communication network.