JP3588085B2 - How to know the ringtone usage status of mobile communication equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and more particularly, to a method for grasping a ringtone use situation of a mobile communication device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
At present, various types of ring tones are used as ringtones to notify incoming calls from simple electronic sounds to melodic melody. Various ring tones are downloaded from a ring tone providing site that can be connected using a sound or a communication network, and are stored in a mobile phone and used as ring tones.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the administrator of the ring tone providing site or the administrator of the mobile communication system (such as a mobile phone company) in the mobile communication system using the mobile phone described above only provides the ring tone to the user, and the user's mobile phone It does not have a function to detect ringtone usage information, such as a mechanism to know the type of ringtone and song name used in the phone, and a mechanism to measure the time that a mobile phone emits a ringtone when receiving a call. Therefore, the marketing analysis was performed based on the information on the use status of the ringtone described above, and it was not possible to create a new service or added value accompanying the provision of the ringtone from the analysis.
Therefore, the present invention relates to a mobile communication device having a function of recognizing ringtone use status information such as a ringtone type and a song name set in a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone and a ringing time. The purpose is to provide a method of grasping the sound use situation.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem. According to the first aspect of the present invention, a mobile communication device downloads ring tone data and a melody ID for specifying the ring tone data from a ring tone providing site. A first step of setting the ringtone data as a ringtone, and a second step of transmitting the subscriber number of the mobile communication device and the melody ID to a service control station by the ringtone providing site; A third step of inquiring the service control station whether or not the mobile communication apparatus has subscribed to a ring tone providing service when the switching equipment detects an incoming signal to the mobile communication apparatus; and The melody ID is transmitted to the switching device at the same time as the incoming call, and the switching device transmits the melody ID to the mobile communication device based on the melody ID. A fourth step of detecting when the mobile communication device responds to the incoming call signal, stopping the ring tone and transmitting the melody ID and volume setting information to the switching device; When the switching device determines that the mobile communication device has subscribed to the ringtone providing service in the third process, the switching device determines the time difference between the reception of the melody ID in the fourth process and the fifth process. A sixth step of measuring a ring tone use time generated by the ring tone, and the switching device using the ring tone comprising the melody ID, the ring tone use time, the volume setting information, and the subscriber number of the mobile communication device. A seventh step of transmitting status information to the service control station, and an eighth step of transferring the ringtone use status information to the ringtone providing site by the service control station. A ringtone usage grasping method of the mobile communication device, characterized in that it comprises a.
[0005]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for grasping the use status of a ring tone of the mobile communication device according to the first aspect, the service control station determines whether the mobile communication device has subscribed to the ring tone providing service. It is characterized in that information on whether or not it is held.
[0006]
The mobile communication device may download ringtone data and a melody ID for specifying the ringtone data from a ringtone providing site, and set the ringtone data as a ringtone. Step 1, the mobile communication device transmits a subscriber number and the melody ID to a service control station, and the mobile communication device detects a call signal to the mobile communication device. A third step of inquiring of the service control station whether or not to subscribe to the ringtone providing service, and the mobile communication device emits the ringtone when the call signal is received, and transmits the melody ID to the switching device; A fourth step in which the switching device detects the occurrence of a ring tone in the mobile communication device based on the melody ID; and A fifth step of stopping the ring tone and transmitting the melody ID and the volume setting information to the switching equipment when responding to the communication, and the mobile communication apparatus provides a ring tone providing service in the third step. A sixth step of measuring a ringtone use time emitted by the ringtone based on a time difference between the reception of the melody ID in the fourth step and the fifth step when it is determined that A switching device that transmits to the service control station ringtone use status information including the melody ID, the ringtone use time, the volume setting information, and the subscriber number of the mobile communication device; And a seventh step of retaining the sound use state information.
[0007]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the mobile communication device according to the third aspect, wherein the service control station determines whether the mobile communication device has subscribed to the ringtone providing service. Is stored.
[0008]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the method for grasping the use state of the ring tone of the mobile communication device according to the third aspect, the ring tone providing site accesses the service control station and holds the service control station. The method is characterized in that the ring tone use status information is obtained.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a configuration of a mobile communication system to which a method for grasping a use state of a ringtone according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration in a case where a ringtone providing site is directly connected to a higher-level switching device in the mobile communication system. In FIG. 1, the mobile communication system includes a base station, an exchange device, a higher-order exchange device, a ringtone providing site, and a service control station. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration in a case where a ringtone providing site exists on the Internet via a fixed network connection unit in the mobile communication system. In FIG. 2, the mobile communication system includes a base station, an exchange, a higher-level exchange, a service control station, and a fixed network connection when a ring tone providing site exists on the Internet via a fixed network connection. Have been.
[0010]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a mobile phone. Reference numeral 2 denotes a base station that transmits and receives radio waves to and from the mobile phone 1. Reference numeral 3 denotes an exchange device in the mobile communication system. Reference numeral 4 denotes a higher-level switching device in the mobile communication system. Reference numeral 5 denotes a ringtone providing site that provides a ringtone. Reference numeral 6 denotes a service control station provided for providing various services in the mobile communication system. In FIG. 2, reference numerals 1 to 6 are the same as reference numerals 1 to 6 shown in FIG. 1, and reference numeral 7 is a fixed network connection unit for connecting the mobile communication system to the Internet. 8 is the Internet. The ringtone providing site 5 is connected to the fixed network connection unit 7 via the Internet 8.
[0011]
Next, with reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5, a method for grasping the use status of the ring tone of the mobile phone 1 in the mobile communication system when the ring tone providing site is directly connected to the upper-layer exchange device 4 will be described. This will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of a process of downloading ringtone data in the mobile communication system when the ringtone providing site is directly connected to the upper-layer exchange device. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of a process of grasping the use status of the ring tone in the mobile communication system in the case where the ring tone providing site is directly connected to the upper-layer switching device. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of a charging process for downloading ringtone data in the mobile communication system when the ringtone providing site is directly connected to the upper-layer switching device.
[0012]
First, from FIG. 3, the user of the mobile phone 1 registers with the ringtone providing site when using the ringtone providing service provided by the ringtone providing site 5 (step S1). Thereby, downloading of the ring tone data from the ring tone providing site 5 becomes possible. Then, the ringtone providing site 5 sends the subscriber number of the user who has registered the ringtone providing service and the presence / absence of registration of the ringtone providing service to the service control station 6 via the upper-layer switching device 4 as the called subscriber information. Register (step S2). Thus, the service control station can determine whether the user of the mobile phone 1 is a user registered in the ringtone providing service, based on the presence or absence of the ringtone providing service held as the incoming subscriber information. Here, for example, when the subscriber's mobile phone has registered the answering machine service, the service control station 6 grasps whether or not the mobile phone has set the answering machine function and outputs the answering machine voice to the calling side mobile phone. It holds information specific to the subscriber, such as a service to be sent to the subscriber, and has a function of performing various services based on this information.
[0013]
Next, the user of the mobile phone 1 accesses the ring tone providing site 5 from the mobile phone 1 to download the ring tone data. At this time, a signal for requesting access to the ring tone providing site 5 from the mobile phone 1 is performed by a signal called a control channel, and the mobile phone 1 → the base station 2 → the switching device 3 → the upper switching device 4 → the ring tone providing. It is transferred like site 5 (step S3). At this time, the ringtone providing site 5 detects the subscriber number of the mobile phone 1 from the access request signal when the mobile phone 1 makes an access request. Then, the connection completion signal in response to the access request from the mobile phone 1 is transferred to the ringtone providing site 5 → the higher-order switching device 4 → the switching device 3 → the base station 2 → the mobile phone 1 by a control channel signal ( Step S4). By accessing the ringtone providing site 5 from the mobile phone 1, a screen for designating the ringtone provided by the ringtone providing site 5 is displayed on the display unit of the mobile phone 1, and from this screen, the user can select a desired incoming call. The user designates a sound and downloads the ringtone data.
[0014]
Next, when the user of the mobile phone 1 designates a desired ring tone, the ring tone providing site 5 transmits the ring tone data to the mobile phone 1 via the upper-layer exchange, the exchange device, and the base station. Along with the sound data, a melody ID for identifying the ringtone data is transmitted at the same time (step S5). The ringtone data and the melody ID are linked together and stored in the mobile phone 1. Here, the downloading of the ring tone data and the melody ID is performed by a signal called an information channel.
[0015]
Next, when the download of the ring tone data and the melody ID to the mobile phone 1 is completed, the ring tone providing site 5 sends the melody ID transmitted with the ring tone data and the subscriber number of the mobile phone 1 to the service control station 6. Is transmitted using the signal of the control channel (step S6). Since the subscriber number of the mobile phone 1 is notified when the mobile phone 1 accesses the ring tone providing site 5 in step S1, the ring tone providing site 5 sends the subscriber number to the service control station 6 in step S4. Can be sent. The service control station 6 links and stores the melody ID and the subscriber number transmitted from the ringtone providing site 5 together. Then, the user of the mobile phone 1 sets the ringtone data downloaded in steps S3 to S5 as a ringtone.
[0016]
Next, when another mobile phone (calling side mobile phone) makes a call to make a call with the mobile phone 1, a call signal from the calling side mobile phone reaches the exchange device 3 (step S7 in FIG. 4). Then, in order for the exchange device 3 to read the incoming subscriber information, the subscriber number of the portable telephone 1 attached to the transmission signal from the originating portable telephone is notified to the service control station 6 (step S8). Here, the service control station 6 confirms the incoming subscriber information registered from the ringtone providing site 5 in step S2 based on the subscriber number of the mobile phone 1, and the user of the mobile phone 1 switches to the ringtone providing service. Upon detecting the subscription, the service control station transmits ringtone charging information indicating the use ON of the ringtone providing service to the exchange device 3 (step S9).
[0017]
When the switching device 3 detects from the ring tone charging information that the user of the mobile phone 1 has subscribed to the ring tone providing service, the switching device 3 retains the information and transmits an incoming signal of the mobile phone 1 to the base station 2. . Then, the base station 2 transmits an incoming signal to the mobile phone 1 (step S10). Here, upon receiving the incoming call signal, the mobile phone 1 emits the ring tone set and downloaded in step S5 of FIG. Then, a ringtone is emitted, and the melody ID of the ringtone is transmitted to the exchange device 3 via the base station 2. The exchange device 3 receives and holds the melody ID (step S11).
[0018]
Here, the exchange device 3 knows from the ring tone charging information received from the service control station 6 in step S7 that the user of the mobile phone 1 has subscribed to the ring tone providing service. The measurement of the ringtone use time from when the ringtone starts to be emitted until the user of the mobile phone 1 answers the call is started by receiving the melody ID (step S12). When the user of the mobile phone 1 responds to the incoming call, the ringing tone of the mobile phone 1 stops, whereby a response signal is transmitted to the exchange device 3 by a control channel signal. At this time, the melody ID and the volume setting information of the ringtone are transmitted to the exchange 3 together with the response signal, and the exchange 3 holds the information (step S13).
[0019]
Upon receiving the melody ID in step S13, the exchange device 3 ends the measurement of the ringtone use time in the mobile phone 1. The switching device 3 holds the measured ringing tone use time information, and uses the subscriber number, melody ID, ringtone usage time, and ringtone volume of the mobile phone 1 as ringtone use status information as service control. It transmits to the station 6 (step S14).
[0020]
Here, the service control station 6 holds the ring tone use status information received from the exchange device 1 and, based on the melody ID and the subscriber number of the ring tone use status information, determines the ring tone used in the mobile phone 1. Detects that the ringtone has been used for the duration of the ringtone. Also, the combination of the melody ID and the subscriber number of the ringtone use status information is compared with the melody ID and the subscriber number received from the ringtone providing site 5 in step S4 to confirm that the combination is the same. It is confirmed that the mobile phone 1 of the subscriber number uses the ring tone downloaded from the ring tone providing site. Then, the service control station 6 transmits information to the effect that the combination of the subscriber number and the melody ID has been normally verified to the exchange device 3 (step S15). The service control station 6 transmits the ring tone use status information received in step S12 to the ring tone providing site 5 (step S16).
[0021]
Next, at the ringtone providing site 5, the ringtone used by the mobile phone 1, its use time, and the volume of the ringtone can be ascertained. Tolls can be collected, conversely, tolls can be paid for by using ringtones, and new added values and services can be created using ringtone usage status information. As shown in FIG. 5, the ringtone providing site 5 charges or pays the user of the mobile phone 1 based on the ringtone use status information received in step S16 in a charging mode or a fee payment mode set for each ringtone. In doing so, charging information, fee payment information, call volume discount rate information, and the like are transmitted to the service control station 6 via the higher-order switching device 4 and the switching device 3 based on the ringing tone and the usage time of the ringing tone use status information. Then, a charging instruction is issued (step S17). At this time, the ringtone providing site 5 transmits the billing information, the fee payment information, and the call charge discount rate information to the exchange device 3, and also transmits the target subscriber number. Then, the exchange device 3 transmits the information received in the charging instruction in step S17 to the service control station 6 and registers it (step S18). On the basis of the information registered in the service control station 6 in step S18, for example, a mobile phone company serving as an administrator of the mobile communication system can collect and pay a fee for the user of the mobile phone 1.
[0022]
Next, a method of grasping the use status of the ring tone of the mobile phone 1 in the mobile communication system when the ring tone providing site 5 exists on the Internet via the fixed network connection unit will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 6, 7, and 8. This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of a process of downloading ringtone data in the mobile communication system when the ringtone providing site 5 exists on the Internet via the fixed network connection unit. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of a process of grasping the use status of the ring tone in the mobile communication system when the ring tone providing site exists on the Internet via the fixed network connection unit. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flow when the ringtone providing site acquires ringtone use status information when the ringtone providing site exists on the Internet via the fixed network connection unit.
[0023]
In FIG. 6, the flow from step S1 to step S5 is the same as the flow of the ring tone download processing in the mobile communication system when the ring tone providing site shown in FIG. 3 is directly connected to the upper-layer switching device. After receiving the ringtone data and the melody ID in step S5, the mobile phone 1 directly transmits the melody ID and the subscriber number corresponding to the downloaded ringtone data to the service control station 6 (step S6a). . Unlike the case where the ringtone providing site 5 is directly connected to the upper-layer switching equipment, since it exists on the Internet via the fixed network connection unit, information such as the subscriber number of the mobile phone 1 is sent out of the mobile communication system. The melody ID and the subscriber number are transmitted from the mobile phone 1 to the service control station 6 so as not to exist. However, when the ringtone providing site 5 outside the mobile communication system is strengthened in security such as encryption in communication with the fixed network connection unit, the ringtone providing site 5 is located in the mobile communication system. As in the case where the ringtone is provided, after the ringtone data and the melody ID are downloaded to the mobile phone 1, the subscriber number and the melody ID may be transmitted from the ringtone providing site 5 to the service control station 6.
[0024]
Next, from FIG. 7, when the user sets the ring tone data downloaded in the mobile phone 1 as a ring tone, the incoming call from the calling side mobile phone in the mobile phone 1 and the accompanying step S7 to grasp the use status of the ring tone. The process of step S15 is the same as the case where the ringtone providing site 5 in FIG. 4 is provided in the mobile communication system. After step S15, if the ringtone providing site 5 is provided in the mobile communication system, the service control station 6 transmits ringtone use status information to the ringtone providing site in step S16 of FIG. When the ringtone providing site 5 is provided outside the mobile communication system, the service control station 6 holds the information on the ringtone use status as it is.
[0025]
Next, from FIG. 8, when the ringtone providing site 5 exists on the Internet via the fixed network connection unit, the information on the ringtone use status held in the service control station 6 in step S15 is the ringtone providing information. The confirmation is made periodically or when necessary by the site 5 (step S19). The ringing tone use status information including the subscriber number, the melody ID, the usage time information, and the volume information is provided by the service control station 6 via the switching device 3, the higher-level switching device 4, and the fixed network connection unit 7. The data is transmitted to the site 5 (step S20).
[0026]
In step S20, the notification of the ring tone use status information is performed to the ring tone providing site 5, so that the administrator of the ring tone providing site 5 can use the ring tone use time and the melody ID of the ring tone use status information. The user can charge the fee and pay the fee to the bank account of the user of the mobile phone 1. For example, since the ringtone used by the mobile phone 1 can be detected from the melody ID, a service for collecting a charge for using the ringtone can be provided if the ringtone is added with added value as a limited ringtone. Further, a service for collecting a charge for this time based on the measured ringing tone use time can be provided.
[0027]
Here, since the administrator of the ring tone providing site 5 directly collects and pays the fee to the user's bank account, the incoming call from the ring tone providing site existing on the Internet via the fixed network connection unit. When downloading the sound data, the user of the mobile phone 1 needs to make a contract with the ringtone providing site 5 and register information such as a withdrawal bank and an account number at the time of the contract. However, even when the ringtone providing site 5 is provided outside the mobile communication system, a mobile communication system administrator such as a mobile phone company can collect and pay a fee to the user at the request of the ringtone providing site 5. You can do it.
[0028]
In addition, the administrator of the ringtone providing site 6 uses the collected ringtone usage status information to investigate the taste of the ringtone, investigate the length of time from the incoming call to the answer, and determine an appropriate volume to notice the incoming call. Can be used, and the ringtone use status information can be used as statistical information. For example, the administrator of the ringtone providing site can collect ringtone data according to the taste of the mobile phone user based on the statistical information of the ringtone used by the mobile phone user. If the popularity of the ringtone providing site increases due to the provision of the ringtone according to the user's preference, the operating profit will increase if the download of the ringtone data involves a charge.
[0029]
In addition to charging for the amount of time the ringtone is used, if the ringtone is a ringtone that can imagine a company or product, the ringtone will have an advertising or advertising effect. By measuring the amount of time, a mobile phone company or a company that operates a site that provides ringtones can pay advertisements and promotions for mobile phone users and also provide services such as communication fee discounts can do.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the mobile phone downloads the ring tone data from the ring tone providing site, the melody ID paired with the ring tone data is downloaded together, and the mobile phone receives the ring tone and receives the ring tone. Since the melody ID downloaded from the mobile phone is transmitted together with the ring tone when issuing the melody, the melody ID transmitted from the mobile phone at the time of receiving the incoming call and the melody ID transmitted from the mobile phone at the time of stopping the ring tone at the time of answering the incoming call are transmitted. Is received by the exchange device, and the reception interval of the preceding and following melody IDs is measured, so that the time during which the mobile phone uses the ring tone can be measured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration in a case where a ringtone providing site is directly connected to an upper-layer exchange device in a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration in a case where a ringtone providing site exists on the Internet via a fixed network connection unit in the mobile communication system.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of a process of downloading ringtone data in a mobile communication system when a ringtone providing site is directly connected to an upper-layer exchange device.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of a process of grasping a use status of a ring tone in a mobile communication system in a case where a ring tone providing site is directly connected to an upper-layer exchange device.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a flow of a charging process for downloading ringtone data in a mobile communication system in a case where a ringtone providing site is directly connected to an upper-layer switching device.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a flow of a process of downloading ring tone data in a mobile communication system when a ring tone providing site 5 exists on the Internet via a fixed network connection unit.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of a process of grasping the use status of a ringtone in a mobile communication system when a ringtone providing site exists on the Internet via a fixed network connection unit.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flow when the ring tone providing site acquires ring tone use status information when the ring tone providing site exists on the Internet via the fixed network connection unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cellular telephone 2 Base station 3 Switching device 4 High-order switching device 5 Ringtone providing site 6 Service control station 7 Fixed network connection part

Claims (5)

A first step in which a mobile communication device downloads ringtone data and a melody ID for specifying the ringtone data from a ringtone providing site, and sets the ringtone data as a ringtone;
A second step in which the ringtone providing site transmits a subscriber number of the mobile communication device and the melody ID to a service control station;
A third step of, when the switching device detects an incoming signal to the mobile communication device, inquiring to the service control station whether or not the mobile communication device has subscribed to a ringtone providing service;
The mobile communication device emits the ring tone upon receiving a call signal and transmits the melody ID to the switching device, and the switching device detects occurrence of a ring tone in the mobile communication device based on the melody ID. Process and
A fifth step in which the mobile communication device stops the ring tone when responding to the incoming call signal and transmits the melody ID and volume setting information to the switching device;
When the exchange apparatus determines that the mobile communication device has subscribed to the ringtone providing service in the third step, the time difference between the reception of the melody ID in the fourth step and the fifth step is A sixth step of measuring a ringtone use time emitted by the ringtone,
A seventh process in which the exchange device transmits ringtone use status information including the melody ID, the ringtone use time, the volume setting information, and the subscriber number of the mobile communication device to the service control station;
An eighth process in which the service control station transfers the ringtone use status information to the ringtone providing site;
A method for ascertaining a ringtone use situation of a mobile communication device, comprising: The method according to claim 1, wherein the service control station holds information on whether the mobile communication device has subscribed to the ringtone providing service. A first step in which a mobile communication device downloads ringtone data and a melody ID for specifying the ringtone data from a ringtone providing site, and sets the ringtone data as a ringtone;
A second step in which the mobile communication device transmits a subscriber number and the melody ID to a service control station;
A third step of, when the switching device detects a call signal to the mobile communication device, inquiring to the service control station whether or not the mobile communication device has subscribed to a ringtone providing service;
The mobile communication device emits the ring tone upon receiving a call signal and transmits the melody ID to the switching device, and the switching device detects occurrence of a ring tone in the mobile communication device based on the melody ID. Process and
A fifth step in which the mobile communication device stops the ring tone when responding to the incoming call signal and transmits the melody ID and volume setting information to the switching device;
When the exchange apparatus determines that the mobile communication device has subscribed to the ringtone providing service in the third step, the time difference between the reception of the melody ID in the fourth step and the fifth step is A sixth step of measuring a ringtone use time emitted by the ringtone,
The switching device transmits ringtone use status information including the melody ID, the ringtone use time, the volume setting information, and a subscriber number of the mobile communication device to the service control station, and the service control station transmits A seventh process of retaining ringtone usage status information;
A method for ascertaining a ringtone use situation of a mobile communication device, comprising: The method according to claim 3, wherein the service control station holds information on whether the mobile communication device has subscribed to the ringtone providing service. 4. The mobile phone according to claim 3, wherein the ringtone providing site accesses the service control station to acquire the ringtone usage information held by the service control station. 5. Method.

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