KR100815665B1 - System and method for initiating and conducting polite communications - Google Patents

Abstract

The receiving mobile station 104 operates in an answering machine mode. At least one session invitation 106 is received at the receiving mobile station 104. The session invitation 106 manually accepts the session invitation 106 and requests the user to at least temporarily take down the answering mode. A determination is made as to whether to accept at least one session invitation 106 manually.

Mobile station, session invitation,

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INITIATING AND CONDUCTING POLITE COMMUNICATIONS}

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to routing communications over a network, and more particularly, to providing polite communication within this network.

Various types of communication services, such as push-to-talk (PTT) and push-to-image (PTI), are fast and reliable for the sending user to send messages and / or other media to the receiving user quickly and conveniently. Provide a method. For example, the PTT system establishes a communication channel by pressing a PTT button and causes an audio message to be sent to the user at the receiving mobile station, whereby the user at the originating mobile station communicates with the user at the receiving mobile station.

Mobile stations typically operate in various states or modes. For example, many mobile stations operate in an auto-response state where incoming calls are automatically handled in accordance with certain call processing policies. For another example, the mobile station sometimes operates in a passive response state in which the user must manually determine how to handle each call.

Known PTT systems sometimes provide polite communication characteristics so that the user at the receiving mobile station is not disturbed by unwanted messages sent by the user at the originating mobile station. In these known systems, an alert message is first sent from the originating mobile station to the receiving mobile station and before the audio message is sent to the receiving mobile station, the originating mobile station waits for the receiving mobile station to acknowledge the user at the receiving mobile station.

While providing a polite reception of messages in a PTT system, this current method has significant limitations. For example, a significant amount of delay occurs in the system because alert and response messages must be transmitted and received between the originating and receiving mobile stations. In addition, user interaction with the mobile station is increased, requiring both receiving and originating touch the mobile unit multiple times during a call. In addition, current methods are not viable for group calls because the amount of messaging and overhead associated with sending multiple messages between multiple users is significantly increased. Another serious drawback of the current method is either in fully automatic answer mode, where the mobile station has no user control over whether to accept the call, or in fully manual mode where the user must manually decide whether to accept the call for each call. It should work as either. This inflexibility increases user dissatisfaction and degrades user experience with the system.

The system and method of the present invention respectfully initiates and performs communication between the originating and recipient layer mobile stations by sending a session invitation to a receiving mobile station in which the current operation is operating in an answering mode. If the session invitation is manually accepted by the receiving user, the state of the receiving mobile station is temporarily switched to the manual reply mode. The method described here helps to reduce latency in the system, reduce the number of user interactions required, and make group calls. At the same time, rapid communication between users is maintained.

In many embodiments of the invention, the receiving mobile station is operated in an answering mode. At least one session invitation is received at the receiving mobile station. The session invitation requires the user of the receiving mobile station to accept the session invitation and, at least temporarily, override the answering machine mode. A decision is made by the user of the receiving mobile station whether to accept the session invitation as a capital. The session invitation can be in any number of formats, such as a polite invitation message or an autoresponder suppression message. Other examples of session invitations are possible.

In another embodiment of the invention, media may be received with the session invitation. As an example, the received media includes an audio message. In another example, the received media can be image, data, or a combination of image, audio, and data. In some embodiments, the media may only be at the receiving mobile station if the user has manually accepted the session invitation.

Several messages can be exchanged between the sending and receiving mobile stations. For example, some of these embodiments may send an alert message to the originating mobile station when the receiving mobile station completes rendering the media delivered with the session invitation. In another embodiment, the calling user is notified that the receiving mobile station has not accepted the session invitation.

In addition, other options may be used to render the received media at the receiving mobile station. As one example, if the result is that the user at the receiving mobile station accepts the session invitation manually, the media is rendered to the user substantially immediately after the user at the receiving mobile station accepts. In another example, if the result indicates that the user's decision at the receiving mobile station does not manually accept the session invitation, the media is stored in memory for potential later use. In another embodiment, if the result is that the user at the receiving mobile station does not accept the session invitation manually, the media is discarded.

As noted above, if the user at the receiving mobile station decides to manually accept at least one session invitation, the media can be rendered to the user substantially immediately. This decision may not be automatic upon acceptance and may additionally be based on various conditions. For example, the decision may be made on whether a receiving mobile station uses a speakerphone, whether the receiving mobile station uses a headset, the current state of the receiving mobile station, or a playback venue where the receiving mobile station has a predetermined percentage or more of mobile stations. It may be based on whether it is located or whether the call is made using the speaker phone. Other examples of conditions are possible.

In some of these embodiments, the media transmitted from the originating mobile station to the receiving mobile station may be tuned in quality. For example, media transmitted to the receiving mobile station may be transmitted with a low Quality of Service (QoS) until the session invitation is manually accepted. In another embodiment, the media sent to the receiving mobile station may be transmitted with high QoS after the session invitation has been manually accepted.

Thus, polite communication can be exchanged between users in a fast and efficient manner. The method described here significantly reduces system delay, significantly reduces the number of user interactions with the equipment compared to other prior art proposals, and helps to make group calls. In addition, current methods maintain the fast communication provided in many current communication networks, such as PTT systems.

1 is a block diagram of a system for exchanging polite communication in accordance with the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of a mobile station that facilitates the exchange of polite communication in accordance with the present invention.

3 is a state transition diagram illustrating a state transition occurring in a mobile station according to the present invention.

4 is a call flow diagram of a message flow in a system for exchanging polite communication in accordance with the present invention.

5 is a call flow diagram of another message flow in a system for exchanging polite communication in accordance with the present invention.

6 is a call flow diagram of another message flow in a system for exchanging polite communication in accordance with the present invention.

7 is a flowchart of a method for processing a session invitation message according to the present invention.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the components in the figures are shown simply and clearly and are not drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and / or relative positions of some components in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other components to help improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. In addition, conventional known components that are useful or necessary for commercially viable embodiments are not often shown to facilitate understanding of these various embodiments of the present invention. In addition, while certain actions and / or steps are described and illustrated in a particular order of occurrence, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the specificity of the sequence is not actually required. Also, it is to be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the usual meanings consistent with those terms and expressions for the respective respective regions for each region of the query and study, unless the specific meaning is described herein. Will be.

Referring to FIG. 1, an example of a system for exchanging polite communication between mobile stations will be described. Originating mobile station 102 transmits a session invitation 106 to the user of receiving mobile station 104. The session invitation 106 can be sent to the receiving mobile station 104 via the first RAN 110, the network 112, and the second RAN 114.

Mobile stations 102 and 104 may be any type of portable wireless device. For example, the mobile stations can be cellular phones, pagers, PDAs, or laptop computers. Other examples of mobile stations are possible. Also, while the examples described herein relate to a call between two mobile stations, these methods may also apply to group calls between more than two mobile stations.

Mobile stations 102 and 104 operate in one or more operating modes or states. For example, mobile stations 102 and 104 may operate in a manual mode of operation in which the user manually manipulates each call and all calls. The mobile stations 102 and 104 may also operate in an automatic mode of operation in which the manipulation of the call is automatically determined based on the policy stored in the mobile station. Moreover, as described above, the mobile stations 102, 104 may operate in a temporary passive response mode that temporarily overpowers the answering mode. In this temporary manual answer mode, for the duration of the call, the user manually determines whether to accept the communication from the originating mobile station.

Session invitation 106 is a type of communication that requires a user to use it to at least temporarily subdue an answering mode. The session invitation 106 may be a polite invitation message in one embodiment, or in another example, a rude message. If the session invitation is a polite invitation message, the message includes a modifier indicating that the user at the originating mobile station requests that the user at the receiving mobile station manually accept the polite invitation message.

The RANs 110 and 114 provide the functionality necessary for the mobile stations 102 and 104 to communicate with each other via the network 112. In this regard, the RANs 110 and 114 include base stations, base station controllers, servers, gateways, and / or other facilities. Network 112 may be any single network or combination of networks that allows communication. The network 112 may be a wired or wireless network, and may be, for example, an extranet such as the Internet, a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular network, or a combination of these or other networks.

In one example of the operation of the system of FIG. 1, the mobile station 104 operates in an answering mode. The first user ("Alice") at the originating mobile station 102 opens the connection list to see if the second user ("Bab") at the receiving mobile station is online, indicating that he wants to politely call Bob. Press the PTT button on the originating mobile station to form a session invitation. Alice may also receive an indicator (eg, confirmation tone) that allows recording of media 108 (eg, voice message) to be sent to Bob. After receiving this tone, Alice can record the media 108.

The session invitation 106 and the media 108 are sent by the originating mobile station 102 and received at the receiving mobile station 104. The session invitation 106 requests Bob to accept this manually, at least temporarily overpowering the answering mode in which the receiving mobile station 104 is currently operating. A warning tone is played to Bob indicating that the session invitation has been received from Alice. At this point, Bob decides whether to accept the session invitation 106 manually, for example by pressing the PTT button 116.

As discussed above, media 108 is also sent with a session invitation from mobile station 102 to mobile station 104. In one example, media 108 includes an audio message. In another example, the received media 108 can be image, data, or a combination of image, audio, and data.

When media 108 is received at mobile station 104 and Bob accepts a session invitation, other options for rendering media 108 may be used. In one example, if Bob accepts session invitation 106 manually, media 108 is rendered directly to Bob. In addition, the media is played to Bob after a predetermined delay (eg, 5 seconds). In another example, if Bob rejects the session invitation 106, the media 108 is stored in memory for potential future use and may be discarded in another example.

If Bob accepts the session invitation 106, the determination as to whether to render the media 108 directly to Bob may not be automatic and may be further based on a large number of conditions. For example, whether or not the receiving mobile station 104 uses a speaker phone, whether the receiving mobile station 104 uses a headset, the presence of the receiving mobile station, or a predetermined percentage or more of the calls to the playback site using the speaker phone. 104) may be based on whether it is located.

Referring to Fig. 2, an example of a mobile station that facilitates polite communication exchange is described. Mobile station 200 includes a receiver 202, a controller 204, a memory 208, and an input device 206.

The controller 204 is connected to the receiver 202 and the input device 206. The controller 204 is programmed to receive a session invitation at the input of the receiver 202. As noted above, the session invitation requests that the user at the mobile station 200 manually accept the session invitation to at least temporarily subdue the answering mode of the mobile station 200. The controller 204 is further programmed to determine whether to accept the session invitation based in part on the user input received at the input device 206. For example, if the input device 206 is an accept or PTT button, pressing the button signals the controller 204 that the user accepts the session invitation.

3, an example of a state transition diagram for a mobile station is described. The mobile station is initially in the answering machine mode 302. In this mode of operation, the received call is automatically manipulated according to a predetermined policy stored in the mobile station. If the session invitation has not arrived at step 304, the mobile station continues to operate in the auto answer mode state 302. When a session invitation is received at step 306, execution continues at step 308 where a determination is received from the user as to whether to filter which attempts to take down the auto-response status. For example, the receiving mobile station may not be compatible or support the function of answering machine suppression.

If acceptance 310 is indicated by the user, the mobile station enters a temporary passive response state in step 312. In this state 312, various media are received and processed, and / or the user can determine how to process the media. In one example, the media is an audio message from a user at the originating mobile station, and a decision may be made to play the audio message substantially immediately. At the end of call 314, the mobile station exits the temporary manual response state 312 and returns to the auto answer state 302.

If non-acceptance 316 of the session invitation is made, then at step 318, the mobile station automatically discards the message. In another example, the message may be stored, or a decision is made to adjust the volume of the call if the speakerphone is currently in use. Other actions are possible. After the action is taken, the mobile station returns to the auto-response state 302 waiting for an additional incoming session invitation (302).

Referring to Fig. 4, an example of a polite communication exchange between an originating mobile station and a receiving mobile station is described. In step 402, a session invitation message is formed and sent from the originating mobile station to the receiving mobile station. The session invitation requests that the user at the receiving mobile station manually accept the session invitation to at least temporarily subdue the answering mode in which the receiving mobile station is currently operating. The media also includes a session invitation message. In one example, the recorded audio message is sent with the session invitation message. In another example, the video image is sent with the session invitation message. Other media examples are possible.

In step 406, the user at the receiving mobile station determines whether to accept the session invitation. In step 408, the media is processed depending on whether the session invitation is to be accepted or rejected. This process involves rendering the media for the user at the receiving mobile station if the acceptance has been made. On the other hand, when rejection is made, the media is stored or discarded in the memory. Other processing actions are possible.

Referring to Fig. 5, another example of a polite communication exchange between an originating mobile station and a receiving mobile station is described. In step 502, a session invitation message is formed and sent from the originating mobile station to the receiving mobile station. The session invitation requests that the user at the receiving mobile station manually accept the session invitation to at least temporarily subdue the answering mode in which the receiving mobile station is currently operating. The media also includes a session invitation message. In one example, the recorded audio message is sent with the session invitation message. In another example, the video image is sent with the session invitation message. Other media examples are possible.

In step 504, the user at the receiving mobile station determines whether to accept the session invitation. If acceptance is made at step 506, an acceptance alert is sent to the user at the originating mobile station. In step 508, the media is processed depending on whether the session invitation is to be accepted or rejected. This process involves rendering the media for the user at the receiving mobile station if the acceptance has been made. On the other hand, when rejection is made, the media is stored or discarded in the memory. Other processing actions are possible. In step 512, the receiving mobile station sends a message to the calling mobile station indicating that the processing of the message is complete. In one example, this message indicates that an audio message is played to the user at the receiving mobile station.

Referring to Fig. 6, another example of a polite communication exchange between an originating mobile station and a receiving mobile station is described. In step 602, a session invitation message is formed and sent from the originating mobile station to the receiving mobile station. The session invitation requests that the user at the receiving mobile station manually accept the session invitation to at least temporarily subdue the answering mode in which the receiving mobile station is currently operating. The media also includes a session invitation message. In one example, the recorded audio message is sent with the session invitation message. In another example, the video image is sent with the session invitation message. Other media examples are possible.

In step 606, no response to the session invitation is made by the user at the receiving mobile station. In step 608, the terminating message is sent from the originating mobile station to the receiving mobile station because the originating mobile station did not receive an indication that the session invitation was accepted. When the end message is received by the receiving mobile station, the receiving mobile station may take certain action on any media to be further processed, such as discarding the media.

Referring to FIG. 7, an example of an approach for determining processing behavior for received media at a receiving mobile station is described. In step 702, acceptance or rejection of the session invitation is received from the user at the receiving mobile station.

If an acceptance indication is received at step 704, it is determined when the receiving mobile station renders the media for the user. If a determination is made about the rendering of the media to the user, then at step 706 the media may be rendered directly to the user. As mentioned above, the determination as to whether to render the media substantially immediately may not be automatic, for example whether the receiving mobile station uses a speaker phone, whether the receiving mobile station uses a headset, the present state of the receiving mobile station, or some More than a percentage of the calls can be based on a number of factors, such as whether the receiving mobile station is located at the playback site using the speakerphone.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the media is not to be rendered substantially immediately, at step 708, the mobile station waits for rendering of the media. This wait may occur for a fixed time or for a variable time and may be based on policy or condition evaluation at the receiving mobile station. It is to be understood that other options for processing the message are possible.

If a rejection indication is received from the user at the receiving mobile station at step 702, the policy of the receiving mobile station is taken into account at 710 to determine what is done to the media. For example, the policy may indicate that all high priority messages are stored at the receiving mobile station for future use. In another example, the policy may indicate that the low priority message is discarded by the receiving mobile station. If there is a decision to discard the message, then at step 712 the message is discarded. On the other hand, if there is a decision to save the message, then at step 714 the message is stored for later use. It is to be understood that other options for handling the message are possible.

As such, courteous communication between users is exchanged in a fast and efficient manner. The performance delay is reduced by the number of user interactions required with the mobile station. Moreover, this approach maintains and enhances the speedy communication supported by a large number of current communication networks, such as PTT networks.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, changes and combinations may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and such modifications, changes and combinations are to be understood within the scope of the appended claims. Will be.

Claims (11)

As a polite way to initiate a communication session, Operating the receiving mobile station in an answering machine mode; Receiving at least one session invitation at the receiving mobile station, the session invitation requesting the user to manually accept the session invitation to at least temporarily subdue the answering machine mode; Determining whether to accept the at least one session invitation manually. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving media in addition to the at least one session invitation. The method of claim 2, wherein the media is rendered only when the user manually accepts the at least one session invitation. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein when determining a result of the user at the receiving mobile station that accepts the at least one session invitation manually, the media is rendered immediately to the user after the user at the receiving mobile station accepts. The method further comprises the step. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein when determining a result of the user at the receiving mobile station that does not manually accept the at least one session invitation, the storage medium is configured to perform one or more storages of the media in memory for potential future use. Further comprising the step of discarding. The method of claim 2, Transmitting the media with a lower quality of service (QoS) to the receiving mobile station until the at least one session invitation is manually accepted; Transmitting the media with higher QoS to the receiving mobile station after the at least one session invitation has been manually accepted. As a polite way to initiate a communication session, Forming at least one session invitation requesting a user at the receiving mobile station to operate in the auto answer mode manually accepting the session invitation; Sending the at least one session invitation to the receiving mobile station. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising recording media and transmitting the media with the at least one session invitation to the receiving mobile station. As a mobile station, A receiver having an input, Input device, A controller coupled to the receiver and the input device, The controller is programmed to receive at least one session invitation at an input of the receiver, The at least one session invitation requests the user at the mobile station to manually accept the session invitation to at least temporarily subdue the answering mode of the mobile station, And the controller is further programmed to determine whether to accept the at least one session invitation based at least in part on user input received at the input device. 10. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the receiver additionally receives media having the at least one session invitation. 12. The mobile station of claim 10, wherein the controller is further programmed to render the media to the user substantially immediately after acceptance of the user.

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