US20120120090A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20120120090A1
Application number: US13/359,824
Authority: US
Inventors: Mi Kyung O
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-02-21
Filing date: 2012-01-27
Publication date: 2012-05-17
Also published as: US8984444B2; CN101252619B; KR101364885B1; CN101252619A; TW200838272A; KR20080077772A; US20080201664A1; FR2912825A1

Abstract

A mobile terminal including a communicating unit, a display unit including an indicator area notifying an alarm when a message is received, and a controller configured to receive a message from at least one other terminal, and display message information on the indicator area of the display unit. Further, the message information including a first image selected according to a type of the received message, and a second image selected according to a type of the attached file.

Description

This application is a continuation application of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/014,610 filed on Jan. 15, 2008. This application also claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Patent Application No. 10-2007-0017384 filed in the Republic of Korea on Feb. 21, 2007, the entire contents of both which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This present invention relates to a method and a terminal for displaying a received message with an icon.

2. Description of the Related Art

Mobile terminal now allow users to send and receive multimedia messages (MMS) or short messages (SMS). When a user's mobile terminal receives a message, the mobile terminal displays, for example, a small image in the shape of an envelope to indicate to the user a new message has been received.

However, the mobile terminal displays the small envelope icon regardless of whether the message is an SMS message, MMS message or e-mail message. Therefore, the user can not distinguish what type of message they have received.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to address the above-noted and other objects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide information that assists the user in determining how many and what type of messages they have received on their terminal.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention provides in one aspect a method for displaying a received message on a terminal. The method includes receiving messages, displaying on a display unit of the terminal different icons according to a type of the received messages, and displaying on the display unit of the terminal information indicating a number of unread received messages among the received messages. The present invention also provides a corresponding mobile communication terminal.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for displaying a received message on a terminal. The method includes receiving multimedia messages, and displaying on a display unit of the terminal different icons according to a type of contents attached to the received multimedia messages. The present invention also provides a corresponding mobile communication terminal.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a terminal for displaying a received message according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a received MMS message according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a received SMS message according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a received email message according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is an overview illustrating multiple MMS icons indicating that multiple MMS messages have not been read.

FIG. 5B is an overview illustrating a single MMS icon indicating that a single MMS message has not been read.

FIG. 6A is an overview illustrating multiple SMS icons indicating that multiple SMS messages have not been read.

FIG. 6B is an overview illustrating a single SMS icon indicating that a single SMS message has not been read.

FIG. 7A is an overview illustrating multiple e-mail icons indicating that multiple e-mail messages have not been read.

FIG. 7B is an overview illustrating a single e-mail icon indicating that a single e-mail message has not been read.

FIG. 8 is an overview illustrating icons when an SMS message, two MMS messages, and three e-mail messages have not been read.

FIG. 9A is an overview illustrating an icon indicating a basic MMS message.

FIG. 9B is an overview illustrating an icon indicating image contents.

FIG. 9C is an overview illustrating an icon indicating audio contents.

FIG. 9D is an overview illustrating an icon indicating video contents.

FIG. 9E is an overview illustrating an icon indicating combined contents.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a received message including image contents according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a received message including image or audio contents according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a received message including combined contents according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating aterminal100 for displaying a received message according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, theterminal100 includes a communicatingunit110, aninput unit120, acontroller130, adisplay unit140, amessage processing unit150 and astorage unit160.

The communicatingunit110 wirelessly receives an SMS message, an MMS message, or an e-mail message from a mobile communication network. Hereinafter, a message including an SMS message, an MMS message, and an e-mail message will also be referred to as a ‘multimedia message’.

Further, theinput unit120 is used to select a menu regarding an operation of theterminal100. In addition, when a multimedia message is received through the communicatingunit110 from the mobile communication network, thecontroller130 controls themessage processing unit150 to analyze information about the message and display information (e.g., an icon) regarding a type of the received message and the number of messages that a user has not read yet.

That is, thecontroller130 analyzes the received multimedia message and displays an icon indicating a type of corresponding contents attached to the received multimedia message based on a result of the analysis. Further, thedisplay unit140 displays an operational state or status of the terminal100 and also displays an icon indicating a type of a received message and the number of messages user has not read yet.

In addition, thedisplay unit140 includes an indicator area where an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) of an antenna, a remaining battery capacity, and whether a message has been received or not is displayed. Accordingly, thedisplay unit140 displays various icons indicating the type of the received message and the number of messages which have not been read in the indicator area.

Further, themessage processing unit150 recognizes the type of the message received through the communicatingunit110 based on a message classification field included in a header of the received message. That is, themessage processing unit150 recognizes whether the received message is an SMS message, an MMS message, or an e-mail message, and analyzes whether a single message or multiple messages have not been read by the user.

Next, themessage processing unit150 transfers the analysis information on the received message to thecontroller130. In addition, themessage processing unit150 analyzes the multimedia message received through the communicatingunit110, and transfers information on contents attached to the multimedia message to thecontroller130.

Thus, thecontroller130 displays an icon indicating a type of the corresponding contents attached to the received multimedia message on thedisplay unit140. Further, thestorage unit160 stores the received message and various types of icons indicating types of received messages and of contents.

Next,FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a received MMS message according to an embodiment of the present invention. The overviews shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B will also be referred to in the description ofFIG. 2.

As shown inFIG. 2, the terminal100 receives a message through the communicatingunit110 from the mobile communication network (S202). Then, thecontroller130 analyzes the message information through themessage processing unit150 with respect to the received message (S204). As discussed above, the received message includes a header and content of the message, and the header of the message includes a message classification field indicating a type of the message.

Thus, thecontroller130 classifies the received message using the message classification field as to whether the received message is an SMS message including text, an MMS message including a music or video file or an e-mail message having an e-mail format. Thecontroller130 also discriminates whether a single message or multiple messages has/have not been read yet by the user.

Further, as shown inFIG. 2, when the received message is an MMS message (Yes in S206), thecontroller130 checks whether multiple MMS messages have not been read by the user (S208). Further, thestorage unit160 stores icons indicating whether the received message is the MMS message, the SMS message, or the e-mail message.

Then, in step S208, thecontroller130 determines if multiple MMS messages have not been read by the user according to the analysis results. Thecontroller130 also reads MMS icons indicating MMS messages from thestorage unit160 and displays the multiple MMS icons as shown inFIG. 5A when there are multiple unread MMS messages (S210).

That is, thecontroller130 stores icons indicating multiple MMS messages, multiple SMS messages or multiple e-mail messages in thestorage unit160, and when multiple MMS messages have not been read by the user, thecontroller130 reads the MMS icons indicating multiple MMS messages and displays the icons on thedisplay unit140.

For example,FIG. 5A is an overview illustratingmultiple MMS icons510 indicating that multiple MMS messages have not been read. As shown, themultiple MMS icons510 include atype indicator512 indicating MMS messages. Further, as shown inFIG. 5A, thecontroller130 displays theMMS icons510 in the indicator area of thedisplay unit140. The controller can also display theMMS icons510 in a blinking manner to alert the user there are unread messages.

Thecontroller130 can also display theMMS icons510 in a different color to discriminate theMMS icons510 from other icons. Further, thecontroller130 can display themultiple MMS icons510 next to each title of the messages on a non-read list in an MMS reception box. Thecontroller130 can also display the MMS icons in an area different than the indicator area.

Meanwhile, as shown inFIG. 2, when thecontroller130 determines a single MMS message has not been read by the user according to the analysis results (No in S208), thecontroller130 reads an MMS icon indicating a single MMS message from thestorage unit160 and displays the single MMS icon on thedisplay unit140 as shown inFIG. 5B (S212).

In more detail,FIG. 5B is an overview illustrating asingle MMS icon520 indicating that a single MMS message has not been read. Similar toFIG. 5A, thesingle MMS icon520 inFIG. 5B includes atype indicator522 indicating the type of message is a MMS message.

Further, thecontroller130 can display thesingle MMS icon520 in the indicator area of thedisplay unit140, and display thesingle MMS icon520 in a blinking manner. Also, thecontroller130 can display thesingle MMS icon520 in a different color so as to discriminate thesingle MMS icon520 from other icons. Thecontroller130 can also display thesingle MMS icon520 next to each title of messages on a list which have not been read in the MMS reception box.

In addition, when displaying the icon indicating the MMS message, thecontroller130 can display an icon indicating whether there is an attachment file to the MMS message and an icon indicating what type of the attachment file is. Further, thecontroller130 can display an icon as to whether a single file has been attached to the MMS message or multiple files have been attached to the MMS message.

Next, a description will be given for SMS messages with respect to the flowchart shown inFIG. 3 and the overviews shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B.FIG. 1 will also be referred to in this description. In more detail,FIG. 3 illustrates the processes performed by thecontroller130 when thecontroller130 determines the message is not an MMS message in step S206 ofFIG. 2.

As shown inFIG. 3, thecontroller130 determines if the message is an SMS message (S310). When thecontroller130 determines the received message is an SMS message (Yes in S310), thecontroller130 checks whether multiple SMS messages have not been read (S312). In addition, when thecontroller130 determines multiple SMS messages have not been read (Yes in S312), thecontroller130 reads multiple SMS icons indicating SMS messages from thestorage unit160 and displays the multiple SMS icons on thedisplay unit140 as shown inFIG. 6A (S314).

In more detail,FIG. 6A is an overview illustratingmultiple SMS icons610 indicating that the multiple SMS messages have not been read. As shown, the multiple SMS icons610 atype indicator612 indicating the SMS messages. Further, when thecontroller130 determines there are not multiple SMS messages (No in S312). thecontroller130 determines a single SMS message has not been read by the user, reads an SMS icon indicating SMS message from thestorage unit160 and displays only the single SMS icon on thedisplay unit140 as shown inFIG. 6B (S316).

In more detail,FIG. 6B is an overview illustrating thesingle SMS icon620 indicating that the single SMS message has not been read. As shown, thesingle SMS icon620 includes atype indicator622 indicating the SMS message. As discussed with respect toFIGS. 5A and 5B, thecontroller130 displays thesingle SMS icon620 and themultiple SMS icon612 in the indicator area of thedisplay unit140, and/or in a blinking manner.

Thecontroller130 can also display the

icons

610 and620 in a different color so as to discriminate the icons from other icons. Thecontroller130 can also display the

icons

610 and620 next to each title of messages on a list which have not been read in the SMS reception box.

Next, a description will be given for e-mail messages with respect to the flowchart shown inFIG. 4 and the overviews shown inFIGS. 7A and 7B.FIG. 1 will also be referred to in this description. In more detail,FIG. 4 illustrates the processes performed by thecontroller130 when thecontroller130 determines the message is not an SMS message in step S310 ofFIG. 3.

As shown inFIG. 4, thecontroller130 first determines if the message is an e-mail message (S420). If thecontroller130 determines the received message is an e-mail message (Yes in S420), thecontroller130 checks whether multiple e-mail messages have not been read (S422).

Further,FIGS. 7A and 7B are similar toFIGS. 5A and 5B and6A and6B. That is,FIG. 7A illustratesmultiple e-mail icons710 indicating that the multiple e-mail messages have not been read and atype indicator712 indicating the e-mail message.FIG. 7B illustrates asingle e-mail icon720 indicating that a single e-mail message has not been read and atype indicator722 indicating the e-mail message.

Next,FIG. 8 is an overview illustrating icons when an SMS message, an MMS message and an e-mail message have not been read according to another embodiment of the present invention. In more detail, when the user has not read any of received SMS, MMS and e-mail messages, thecontroller130 displays anSMS icon812 indicating a SMS message, anMMS icon814 indicating an MMS message, and ane-mail icon816 indicating an e-mail message on thedisplay unit140 as shown inFIG. 8.

Namely, thecontroller130 reads the SMS icon, the MMS icon and the e-mail icon from thestorage unit160, and displays the icons in an overlap manner as shown inFIG. 8. Alternatively, thecontroller130 may also display an integrated icon indicating all of the SMS, MMS and email messages. In this instance, the integrated icon includes theSMS icon812 indicating the SMS message, theMMS icon814 indicating the MMS message, and thee-mail icon816 indicating the e-mail message as a single icon.

Further, theSMS icon812, theMMS icon814 and thee-mail icon816 shown inFIG. 8 each have a different color so that the icons can be discriminated from each other. In addition, when displaying the non-read messages, thecontroller130 can display the number of the messages that have not been read together with characters (S, M, E) indicating types of the messages. For example, and as shown inFIG. 8, when a single SMS message has not been read, S:1 can be displayed, when two MMS messages have not been read, M:2 can be displayed, and when three e-mail messages have not been read, E:3 can be displayed.

Further, when the received message is an MMS message, thecontroller130 can display an icon indicating whether or not the MMS message includes an attachment file and an icon indicating a type of the attachment file, and can also display an icon indicating whether a single attachment file or multiple attachment files has/have been attached. These features will now be described in more detail with respect toFIGS. 9-12.FIG. 1 will also be referred to in this description.

As shown inFIG. 10, thecontroller130 determines the terminal100 has received an MMS message through the communicating unit110 (Yes in S1010). Here, the MMS message refers to a notification message from an MMS server (not shown) that there is an MMS message transmitted to the terminal. That is, when a terminal of the other party creates and sends an MMS message to the terminal100, the MMS server transmits the notification message with fields defined as shown in the below Table 1 to the terminal100.

TABLE 1

Field name	Field value	Description

X-Mms-Message-	Message-type-	Compulsory,
Type	value =	Indicating
	m-send-req	characteristics
		of data packet
X-Mms-	Transaction-id-	Compulsory,
Transaction-ID	value	A unique
		key value
		indicating
		packet
X-Mms-MMS-	MMS-version-	Compulsory,
Version	value	Indicating
		MMS version
Date	Date-value	Optional,
		Indicating
		date
From	From-value	Compulsory,
		Address of
		person who
		created
		message
To	To-value	Optional,
		Naming
		receiver.
Cc	Cc-value	Optional
		item
Bcc	Bcc-value	Optional
		item
Subject	Subject-value	Optional,
		Inputting
		title of
		MM
X-Mms-Message-	Message-class-	Optional,
Class	value	Classifying
		message
X-Mms-Expiry	Expiry-value	Optional,
		Amount
		stored
		in MMSC
X-Mms-Priority	Priority-value	Optional,
		Importance
		level of
		message
X-Mms-Sender-	Sender-visibility-	Optional,
Visibility	value	Sender is
		not to be
		seen
X-Mms-Delivery-	Delivery-report-	Optional,
Report	value	Choose to
		be reported
X-Mms-Read-Reply	Read-reply-	Optional,
	value	Receiving
		report on
		whether
		it was read
X-Mms-Reply-	Reply-charging-	Optional,
Charging	value	Used when
		sender
		charges
		reply fee
X-Mms-Reply-	Reply-charging-	Optional,
Charging-	deadline-value	Charging
Deadline		reply fee
		within
		certain
		time in
		case of
		charging
		reply fee
X-Mms-Reply-	Reply-charging-	Optional,
Charging-	size-value	Charging
Size		only
		particular
		size in
		case of
		charging
		reply fee
X-Mms-Reply-	Reply-charging-	Optional,
Charging-ID	ID-value	ID of
		original
		MM as
		returned
		in case of
		charging
		reply fee
Content-Type	Content-type-	Compulsory,
	value	Type of
		contents
		of MM

Thus, as shown inFIG. 10, when the MMS message is received (Yes in S101), thecontroller130 analyzes a type of contents of the received MMS message through the message processing unit150 (S1020). Namely, thecontroller130 analyzes whether the MMS message includes only text or whether the MMS message includes image (picture) contents, audio contents, or video contents through a contents type field included in the notification message. Here, the image contents correspond to a photo image captured by a digital camera or a picture or an image created using a graphic tool.

Further, the MMS message may only include text data, and not image (picture) contents, audio contents, or video contents according to the analysis results. Thus, if the received MMS message does not contain any contents besides text, thecontroller130 can display a character or an icon indicating that there are not any contents. Namely, as shown inFIG. 9A, thecontroller130 displays an icon indicating the basic MMS message on thedisplay unit140. As shown inFIG. 9A, the displayed icon includes atype indicator910 indicating the type of the received message.

In addition, as shown inFIG. 10, when thecontroller130 determines the received MMS message includes image (picture) contents according to the analysis results (Yes in S1030), thecontroller130 reads an image contents icon indicating image (picture) contents among contents icons stored in thestorage unit160 and displays the icon on thedisplay unit140 as shown inFIG. 9B (S1040).

As shown inFIG. 9B, the displayed icon is animage contents icon920 including atype indicator922 indicating the MMS message and acontents indicator924 indicating image contents are included in the MMS message. As shown, thecontents indicator924 is expressed in the shape of a camera, but thecontents indicator924 can be expressed in a different shape. Thecontroller130 can also display only a character indicating that the image contents are included in the received MMS message.

Next, when thecontroller130 determines the message does not include image contents (No in S1030), thecontroller130 determines if audio contents are included (S1110 inFIG. 11). When thecontroller130 determines the contents included in the received MMS message are audio contents (or sound contents) (Yes in S1110), thecontroller130 reads an icon indicating audio contents among contents images stored in thestorage unit160 and displays the icon on thedisplay unit140 as shown inFIG. 9C (S1120).

As shown inFIG. 9C, the displayed icon is anaudio contents icon930 including atype indicator932 indicating the MMS message and acontents indicator934 indicating audio contents are included in the MMS message. As shown, thecontents indicator934 is expressed in the shape of musical notes, but the icon can be expressed in a different shape. Thecontroller130 can also only display a character indicating audio contents are included in the MMS message.

Next, as shown inFIG. 11, when thecontroller130 determines the message does not include audio contents (No in S1110), thecontroller130 determines if the message includes video contents (S1130). When thecontroller130 determines the contents included in the received MMS message are video contents (Yes in S1130), thecontroller130 reads an icon indicating video contents among the contents images stored in thestorage unit160 and displays the on thedisplay unit140 as shown inFIG. 9D (S1140).

As shown inFIG. 9D, the icon is avideo contents icon940 including atype indicator942 indicating the MMS message and acontents indicator944 indicating that the video contents are contained in the MMS message. As shown, thecontents indicator944 has the shape of a film, but theindicator944 can be also expressed in a different shape. Further, the controller can also only display a character indicating that the video contents are contained in the MMS message.

Further, the flowchart inFIG. 12 illustrates when thecontroller130 determines there are no image contents in step S1030 ofFIG. 10. As shown inFIG. 12, thecontroller130 determines if the contents contained in the received MMS message are combined contents including an image, audio, and video (S1210). When thecontroller130 determines the contents are combined contents (Yes in S1210), thecontroller130 reads an image contents icon, an audio contents icon, and a video contents icon from thestorage unit160 and displays the icons on thedisplay unit140 as shown inFIG. 9E. Thecontroller130 can also read a combined contents icon indicating all of the image contents, the audio contents, and the video contents from thestorage unit160 display the combined icon on thedisplay unit140.

As shown inFIG. 9E, the combinedcontents icon950 includes atype indicator952 indicating the MMS message andcontents indicators954 indicating that the respective contents are contained in the MMS message. Further, thecontents indicators954 may be expressed by mixing the shapes of the camera, the musical note, and the film.

Accordingly, when the user receives a multimedia message on their terminal, he/she can easily recognize what type of message has been received, how many messages have been received, and also can easily recognize what type of contents are contained in the received multimedia message.

In addition, according to embodiments of the present invention, when a message is received by the terminal, the received message is analyzed and information (e.g., one or more icons) is displayed to inform the user about the received message(s). Thus, the user can easily recognize what type of message has been received and/or how many messages have been received.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.