Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
  • H04L51/04—Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
  • H04L67/2866—Architectures; Arrangements
  • H04L67/30—Profiles
  • H04L67/306—User profiles
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/26—Devices for calling a subscriber
  • H04M1/27—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
  • H04M1/274—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously with provision for storing more than one subscriber number at a time, e.g. using toothed disc
  • H04M1/2745—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously with provision for storing more than one subscriber number at a time, e.g. using toothed disc using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
  • H04M1/27467—Methods of retrieving data
  • H04M1/27475—Methods of retrieving data using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
  • H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
  • H04M1/72403—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
  • H04M1/72427—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality for supporting games or graphical animations
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
  • H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
  • H04M1/72448—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
  • H04L51/58—Message adaptation for wireless communication
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/26—Devices for calling a subscriber
  • H04M1/27—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
  • H04M1/274—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously with provision for storing more than one subscriber number at a time, e.g. using toothed disc
  • H04M1/2745—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously with provision for storing more than one subscriber number at a time, e.g. using toothed disc using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
  • H04M1/27453—Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/57—Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set
  • H04M1/575—Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
  • H04M1/576—Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
  • H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
  • H04M1/72403—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
  • H04M1/72409—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality by interfacing with external accessories
  • H04M1/72412—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality by interfacing with external accessories using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
  • H04M1/72—Mobile telephones; Cordless telephones, i.e. devices for establishing wireless links to base stations without route selection
  • H04M1/724—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
  • H04M1/72403—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
  • H04M1/7243—User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality with interactive means for internal management of messages
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M2203/10—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to the purpose or context of the telephonic communication
  • H04M2203/1016—Telecontrol
  • H04M2203/1025—Telecontrol of avatars
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2203/00—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M2203/20—Aspects of automatic or semi-automatic exchanges related to features of supplementary services
  • H04M2203/2044—Group features, e.g. closed user group

Definitions

• the instant disclosure relates to the field of telephonic communications and, more specifically, describes a system and methods through which a cellular telephone can push or provide individualized forms of expression.
• a recently introduced personalization feature is what is generally referred to as a "ring- back" tone.
• a ring-back tone is a sound, song, or the like that is played when a caller is attempting to contact a particular user. By way of example, if Joe's mother attempted to call Joe, Joe's mother would hear the ring-back tone Joe selected.
• the ring-back tone can be caller-specific, much like a ring tone.
• Prior personalization systems included only passive means, such as ring tones and ring- back tones, through which a user could personalize their cellular telephone.
• the telephone personalization system described herein permits the user to define social networks (alternatively referred to herein as "tribes") and to project information, including a mood, to members of such social networks or to individual contacts. Users can select from a set of predefined attitudes, images, ring tones, and other attributes to be projected, and can add or create their own attributes and/or purchase or download additional attributes to further facilitate personalization.
• An embodiment of the personalization system and method comprises a method of projecting information about a first user from a first device associated with the first user to at least one device associated with a first group of friends, comprising receiving from a user a first set of contacts, wherein each contact in the first set of contacts has device contact information associated therewith; storing the first set of contacts in a first device associated with the first user; permitting the user to define the first group of friends, wherein the first group of friends comprises members of the first set of contacts; storing the first group of friends; receiving from the user information to be projected to the first group of friends; retrieving the device contact information from the first set of contacts for each member of the first group of friends; transmitting the information to the first group of friends; and, causing the device associated with each member of the first group of friends to associate the information with the user.
• the first device may be a telephone, such as, without limitation, a cellular telephone.
• the device contact information may comprise a Uniform Resource Locator ("URL"); a network address, such as, without limitation, an Internet Protocol address, a Machine Access Code (“MAC”) address, or the like; and/or a telephone number.
• the information may comprise text, video, a static or animated picture, a ring tone, or the like.
• the step of associating the information with the first user comprises causing the information to be stored as part of a contact list entry in the device.
• the information comprises an image
• the image may be substituted for or included with any image currently associated with the user in the device's contact list.
• the information is presented when the device receives a call from the user.
• the device may display the text, display the picture, play the ringtone, or play the video, as appropriate, when the device receives an incoming call from the user.
• the method may further comprise identifying as a second device any device associated with a member of the first group of friends that is not capable of utilizing the information and facilitating the installation of software on the second device such that the second device is capable of utilizing the information.
• the information may be transmitted to the device using SMS,
• HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol
• the first group of friends may be stored remotely from the first device, thereby allowing the user to easily modify the first group of friends via a World Wide
• the first group of friends may comprise one or more entries.
• the method is generally described as applying to a plurality of friends, the method can be readily applied to a single friend, such that the user can convey mood and other information to that individual.
• the information may comprise at least one color.
• the device cause any fonts used when displaying information about the user to be displayed in the color; the device may cause the background color of a contact list entry for the user to match or reflect the color; or the device may cause the screen to utilize the color as a background color for any SMS messages received from the user or when a call is received from the user.
• Some embodiments comprises a method of projecting information about a first user from a first telephone associated with the first user to at least one telephone associated with a first group of friends, comprising: receiving from a user a first set of contacts, wherein each contact in the first set of contacts has at least one telephone number associated therewith; storing the first set of contacts in a first telephone associated with the first user; permitting the user to define the first group of friends, wherein the first group of friends comprises members of the first set of contacts; storing the first group of friends; identifying as a second telephone any telephone associated with a member of the first group of friends that is not capable of utilizing the information and facilitating the installation of software on the second telephone such that the second telephone is capable of utilizing the information; receiving from the user information to be projected to the first group of friends; retrieving the telephone contact information from the first set of contacts for each member of the first group of friends; transmitting the information to the first group of friends; and, causing the telephone associated with each member of the first group of friends to associate the information with the
• Figure 1 is a simulated traditional cellular telephone, including a screen.
• Figure 2 is an exemplary contact list on a cellular telephone on which the disclosed telephone personalization system and methods have been installed.
• Figure 3 is an exemplary introductory user interface.
• Figure 4 is an exemplary tribe information entry user interface.
• Figure 5 is an exemplary tribe picture selection user interface.
• Figure 6 is an exemplary tribe attitude selection user interface.
• Figure 7 is an exemplary mood/attitude picture selection user interface.
• Figure 8 is an exemplary tribe creation confirmation user interface.
• Figure 9 is an exemplary tribe member selection user interface.
• Figure 10 is an exemplary tribe membership invitation user interface.
• Figure 11 is an exemplary tribe control confirmation user interface.
• Figure 12 is an exemplary tribe mood change user interface.
• Figure 13 is an exemplary tribe mood change confirmation user interface.
• Figure 14 is an exemplary individual contact menu.
• Figure 15 is an exemplary individual contact mood selection user interface.
• Figure 16 is an exemplary individual contact mood selection confirmation user interface.
• Figure 17 is an exemplary user interface through which a user can confirm that a contact is to be deleted from a tribe.
• Figure 18 is an exemplary graphical display of the contact being removed from the tribe.
• Figure 19 is an exemplary telephone control panel.
• Figure 20 is an exemplary user interface through which a user can indicate a desire to purchase additional pictures for use with personalization of the user's cellular telephone.
• Figure 21 is an exemplary user interface through which a user can select among a catalog of available pictures.
• Figure 22 is an exemplary user interface which can be presented once a user has purchased a selected picture.
• Figure 23 is an exemplary user interface through which a purchased picture can be shared with a tribe.
• Figure 24 is an exemplary user interface through which a user can select one or more tribes with whom a picture is to be shared.
• Figure 25 is an exemplary SMS message that facilitates installing software that facilitates the disclosed telephone personalization system and methods.
• Figure 26 is an exemplary user interface through which a user initiates the installation of software that facilitates the disclosed telephone personalization system and methods.
• Figure 27 is an exemplary user interface that is displayed as the disclosed telephone personalization system and methods are downloaded and installed on a cellular telephone.
• Figure 1 is a simulated traditional cellular telephone.
• a cellular telephone can comprise a navigation means such as navigation button 100, an "enter" button 110, menu selection buttons 120, and a screen 130.
• Screen 130 can display information to a user, and buttons 100, 110, and 120 can permit the user to interact with the cellular telephone, including facilitating interactions based on information displayed on screen 130.
• FIG. 2 is an exemplary contact list on a cellular telephone on which an embodiments of the disclosed telephone personalization system and methods has been implemented.
• each contact list entry 210 can have associated therewith a photograph 220.
• a name 230 and additional information including, without limitation, one or more E-mail addresses, Internet Protocol ("IP") addresses, and/or telephone numbers, can also be associated with each such contact list entry.
• personalization client which comprises one or more software modules executed by cellular telephone, can modify a contact list entry such that it has one or more tribe icons 200, and one or more tribe membership pictures 240 associated therewith.
• Tribe icon 200 can be displayed alongside a contact list entry when that entry corresponds to a tribe, thereby providing an easily identifiable means for distinguishing between tribe contact list entries and contact list entries corresponding to a person.
• the term person as used herein in the context of contact list entries, is intended to encompass both individuals and other types of entities, including businesses, governmental agencies, service providers, or the like.
• Tribe membership picture 240 provides a visual means for readily identifying whether a person corresponding to a contact list entry is a member of one or more tribes and, if so, at least one of the tribe(s) of which they are a member.
• a tribe is a collection of one or more persons, and represents a social network of people through which the members can interact.
• a user can create a tribe at will, and can define the members of the tribe.
• tribes are user-specific; that is, a tribe member may not have any knowledge of their membership in that particular tribe, or the existence or identity other tribe members.
• other users may have knowledge of the other tribe members and/or the existence of the tribe, but may not be permitted to modify a tribe's membership.
• Some embodiments allow all tribe members to control the tribe's membership, including modifying information associated with another tribe member, voting to remove a member of the tribe, and the like. In some such embodiments, these levels of awareness and control can be modified by the user creating the tribe, thereby providing additional flexibility.
• the telephone personalization system and methods described herein are implemented in software that can be run by a microprocessor or other such device on the cellular telephone, hereinafter referred to as a personalization client.
• Personalization client may be installed on the telephone at the time the telephone is purchased by the user, or the user may install personalization client after the telephone is purchased.
• personalization client may be implemented as one or more software modules written in a portable language, such as, but not limited to, JAVA, J2ME, Binary Runtime Envirement for Wireless ("BREW”), or the like, thereby facilitating software compatibility across various telephone models.
• JAVA JAVA
• J2ME Binary Runtime Envirement for Wireless
• BREW Binary Runtime Envirement for Wireless
• cellular telephone may comprise a contact list, personalization client, one or more microprocessors, and one or more data storage devices.
• Personalization client executing on the cellular telephone, can access the contact list and data stored in the data storage device(s).
• the contact list can comprise the contact list elements and functionality described above.
• the data storage device(s) may comprise memory internal to the cellular telephone, such as, but not limited to, NAND Flash, NOR Flash, or the like.
• the data storage device(s) may further comprise a removable memory device, such as, but not limited to, TransFlash, SecureDigital ("SD”), xD, miniSD, MMC Mobile, hard disk drive, or the like.
• SD SecureDigital
• the personalization client can present the user with an exemplary introductory user interface similar to that of Figure 3.
• many of the personalization features revolve around the concept of a tribe, and therefore the user may first be prompted to create a tribe.
• the tribe creation process walks the user through entering at least a minimum set of information necessary to define a tribe.
• Figure 4 is an exemplary tribe information entry user interface.
• the user is prompted to enter a name for the tribe.
• the user may be prompted to select a picture to be associated with the tribe, such as by using a tribe photograph selection user interface similar to that of Figure 5.
• Such a picture may be selected from a set of pictures stored on the telephone, including without limitation, photographs taken by the user, photographs sent to the user by other users, pictures sent to the user by other users, pictures and/or photographs provided by third parties, and pictures purchased by the user from one or more service providers.
• Such pictures may be still or animated, including, without limitation, full motion video.
• Such pictures may be stored in one or more data storage device(s) of the cellular telephone.
• Pictures may also be obtained from devices external to the telephone, including devices in communication with the telephone via a wired or wireless Internet connection; a Bluetooth or other wireless connection; or a wired connection.
• a picture may also have one or more sounds associated therewith, or a sound may be substituted for a picture.
• Figure 6 is an exemplary tribe-specific attitude configuration user interface. In such a user interface, the user is able to select from a series of pre-defined attitudes, or to create a new attitude. The user can then define a series of tribe-specific preferences to be associated with the attitude, which can be accomplished via a user interface similar to that of Figure 7.
• the attitude may further comprise instructions to actuate the vibrate functionality of tribe member's cellular telephones in relation to the attitude.
• the attitude may be “anger”, the tribe member's cellular telephones may vibrate in multiple high intensity bursts, whereas if the attitude is "sad", the vibration may be a single long burst of low intensity vibration.
• the personalization client may present the user with a tribe creation confirmation user interface similar to that of Figure 8, and the user may be prompted to select the tribe's members.
• Figure 9 is an exemplary tribe member selection user interface. Once the tribe's members have been selected, the user is given an option to invite the members to participate in the tribe, such as through the user interface illustrated in Figure 10.
• the user can elect to not send such an invitation, the tribe is a locally-defined tribe, and may only be known to and controlled by the user.
• the user can indicate that the other invited members are to have some level of knowledge about and/or control over the tribe, and the user can specify the level of such knowledge and/or control.
• the system may seek permission of the user creating a tribe before performing certain actions initiated by tribe members.
• the personalization client presents the user with a user interface similar to that of Figure 11 which confirms that the user has created and is in control of the tribe.
• a feature of the telephone personalization system and methods is the ability to project an attitude to tribe members. Users may frequently wish to alter their projected mood, and Figure 12 is an exemplary tribe mood change user interface. In such an interface, the user simply selects the mood or attitude to be projected to the tribe members, and this new mood selection can be confirmed to the user by a user interface such as that of Figure 13.
• the personalization client provides enhancements to the menus and other features typically installed on or associated with a telephone.
• the telephone personalization system and methods can be implemented by the personalization client utilizing the functions available through the API.
• Figure 14 is an exemplary individual contact menu which has been modified through the use of such an API to include the "Ban from tribe” and "Set a specific mood" commands. By selecting the "Set a specific mood” command, the user can project a mood to a particular contact, and may do so through an individual contact mood selection user interface such as that of Figure 15. In an embodiment, such a selection overrides any mood selections associated with any tribes to which the contact belongs. When the user has selected a desired mood, an individual contact mood selection confirmation user interface similar to that of Figure 16 may be displayed.
• the user can indicate that a contact is to be removed from a tribe.
• Figure 17 is an exemplary user interface through which a user can confirm that the contact is to be deleted from a tribe.
• an animated picture such as one based on the picture illustrated in Figure 18, may be displayed to illustrate the removal of the contact from the tribe.
• the personalization client may also allow a user to access the personalization features through a more narrowly tailored user interface or series of user interfaces.
• the personalization client allows the personalization features to be accessed through a control panel applet similar to that illustrated in Figure 19.
• FIG. 20 illustrates an exemplary user interface through which a user can indicate a desire to purchase such additional pictures.
• the user selects the "Buy new pictures" menu item, the user is presented with a user interface similar to that of Figure 21, through which the user can browse and select from among a catalog of available pictures.
• the user can select one or more pictures to be purchased or otherwise obtained from such a catalog, and can perform any E-commerce related activities through the telephone.
• the cost of purchasing such pictures may be added to the user's telephone bill.
• the user may be presented with a user interface similar to that of Figure 22, in which the obtained picture(s) are displayed.
• the user may then be asked whether the obtained picture(s) should be shared with one or more tribes, as illustrated by the user interface in Figure 23, and the user can select the tribe(s) with which the picture(s) are to be shared.
• sharing a picture with a tribe comprises permitting the tribe members to view the picture, but the tribe members may not have rights to use the picture for their own purposes.
• a telephone user can create social networks and project information to members of such social networks; easily distribute SMS, E-mail, or other messages to members of such social networks; and even project mood information to individual contacts. While detailed and specific embodiments of implementing the telephone personalization system and methods via cellular telephone-to- cellular telephone data transmission have been described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications, including, but not limited to, interjecting a server as an intermediary can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the telephone personalization system and methods. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover these modifications and variations provided they come within the scope of any appended claims and/or their equivalents.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)

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Citations (7)

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• 2008
  • 2008-01-22 CA CA002675986A patent/CA2675986A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-01-22 EP EP08713889A patent/EP2123066A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-01-22 WO PCT/US2008/051648 patent/WO2008089479A1/en active Application Filing
• 2009
  • 2009-07-21 GB GBGB0912617.8A patent/GB0912617D0/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (7)

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