KR100535150B1 - Method for offering contents by using functions for mobile communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly, to a method of providing additional services according to a frequency of use of a mobile communication terminal by a user.

The present invention provides a function-specific content providing method of a mobile communication terminal in which a variety of functions are built-in, and a plurality of contents are stored. Determining whether the set condition is satisfied; and if the condition is satisfied, setting an item of the content corresponding to the satisfied condition among the stored contents as an available item.

Description

Method for providing contents by function of mobile communication terminal {Method for offering contents by using functions for mobile communication terminal}

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly, to a method of providing additional services according to a frequency of use of a mobile communication terminal by a user.

Mobile communication terminals, especially mobile phones, started from black and white phones that provide analog voice services, and are now developing color phones that provide digital voice services, SMS / MMS services, and wireless Internet access services. Various contents are basically stored in the mobile communication terminal which achieves such a development trend. The contents basically stored in the mobile communication terminal can be used from the beginning if the user only knows how to use the mobile communication terminal. Therefore, users can easily get tired of using the mobile communication terminal.

In particular, avatars, which are visual images representing their alterations in a virtual society, among the contents basically stored in mobile communication terminals, are becoming popular among users of young people. Such an avatar may be used as a wallpaper of a mobile communication terminal and may serve as a progress guide when a user manipulates various menus of the mobile communication terminal.

Accordingly, currently released mobile communication terminals basically store avatars and various items (eyes, noses, mouths, hair, clothes, accessories, etc.) that can decorate avatars. Therefore, the user can variously decorate the avatar by using items basically provided to the mobile communication terminal. However, if a user decorates an avatar using only the items provided by default, the user cannot decorate his or her own unique avatar. In addition, the user can use all of the provided avatar items from the beginning, and can get tired quickly.

As such, since the contents provided by the mobile communication terminal are all available from the beginning, there is a problem in that the user feels tired of using the provided contents basically when the user uses the mobile communication terminal for a long time.

The present invention is derived from this situation, and aims to provide additional services to the user.

Mobile communication terminal according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, if the user uses a specific function (for example, SMS (Short Message Service)) of the various functions, check the number of uses do. In addition, when the accumulated number of checked counts is accumulated and the accumulated count exceeds a certain number, a hidden content item stored in the memory is provided for the user to use. The content item provided to the user may be, for example, an avatar item that can decorate an avatar provided basically.

As such, the user can receive and use hidden content items additionally serviced by using functions provided by the mobile communication terminal. Therefore, the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention induces user's curiosity, It can raise interest and provide the user with the pleasure of using new content. In addition, a community of users of these services may be formed between users, thereby increasing interest in their brand.

The foregoing and further aspects of the present invention will become more apparent through the preferred embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail to enable those skilled in the art to easily understand and reproduce the present invention.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The operation unit 10, which is a user interface unit, includes a plurality of numeric keys and a plurality of function keys for dialing and address designation. The user may perform various functions of the mobile communication terminal, for example, a phone call, text message use, camera shooting, etc. through a key operation of the manipulation unit 10. The display unit 12, which is another user interface unit, is a liquid crystal display (LCD), a technique known in a mobile communication terminal, and displays text data, a background screen, an avatar, and the like.

The memory 14 includes an ROM region in which control program data for controlling the operation of the terminal is stored, and a RAM region in which data generated during the terminal control operation are temporarily stored, and is controlled by the controller 16. The memory 14 stores various contents such as graphic avatars and ringtones.

The memory 14 includes items of various contents, for example, items that can decorate an avatar, that is, items basically provided such as eyes, nose, mouth, and clothes, and use of a user's function according to an embodiment of the present invention. The additionally provided items are stored according to the state. In addition, the memory 14 includes a use state DB of each function (for example, a call function, an SMS function, etc.) of the mobile communication terminal and a fulfillment condition DB area for the use state. If the user's functional usage state meets the condition, the user can use the additionally provided items stored in the memory 14.

The control unit 16 includes a function processing unit 16a and a monitoring unit 16b. The function processor 16a performs an overall process for the user to use each function of the mobile communication terminal (for example, telephone call, camera shooting, etc.). For example, when a user manipulates the manipulation unit 10 to display a specific avatar stored in the memory 14 on the display unit 12, the function processing unit 16a reads out the corresponding avatar from the memory 14 and displays it. If the user wishes to redecorate the avatar, the function processor 16a displays the basic avatar items stored in the memory 14 on the display unit 12. Accordingly, the user can customize the avatar shape using the avatar item displayed on the display unit 12 as desired.

The function processing unit 16a is a result value that the user satisfies the condition stored in the memory 14 from the monitoring unit 16b, which will be described later, regarding the use state of a specific function (telephone call, SMS, etc.) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. When receiving, the user provides an item of content (for example, an avatar item) corresponding to meeting a condition of a specific function so that the user can use it. The number of items provided upon fulfilling a condition may be, for example, one or more.

The monitoring unit 16b monitors a user's mobile terminal use state. That is, the monitoring unit 16b classifies and monitors the function usage of the user by the corresponding function in the function processing unit 16a, and accumulates and stores the use state in the memory 14. The monitoring unit 16b determines whether the use state of the user for each function satisfies the satisfying condition for each function stored in the memory 14, and outputs the result to the function processing unit 16a when the condition is satisfied.

2 is a diagram illustrating a method for providing content for each function of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to an aspect, a function of a mobile communication terminal includes a telephone call, a camera, an SMS, and a wireless Internet connection. 2A is a flowchart illustrating a content providing method for using a telephone call, FIG. 2B is a flowchart illustrating a content providing method for using an SMS, and FIG. 2C is a flowchart illustrating a content providing method for using a camera. 2d is a flowchart illustrating a content providing method for wireless Internet use.

In the content providing method according to the use of a function of a mobile communication terminal in which various functions are built and a plurality of contents are stored, monitoring a user's use state for each function and using the monitored function Determining whether the state satisfies a preset condition; and if the condition is satisfied, setting an item of content corresponding to the satisfied condition among the stored contents as an available item.

First, a method of providing content for each function of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2A. The controller 16 first determines whether there is a telephone call connection (step 200). When the call is connected, the controller 16 checks the talk time of the corresponding call, and adds it to the total talk time talked so far to accumulate and check (step 202).

The controller 16 determines whether the accumulated total talk time satisfies a preset condition. According to an aspect, the preset condition may be a threshold talk time value (K). Therefore, the controller 16 determines whether the accumulated total talk time is greater than or equal to the predetermined K (step 204). Here, the K value may be, for example, 100 minutes, 150 minutes, 200 minutes, or the like. These thresholds can be set together, for example, when mounting various software in terminal manufacturing.

If the accumulated total talk time is K or more, the controller 16 sets the corresponding content item among the additional content items stored in the memory 18 to be available to the user (step 206). The controller 16 preferably displays the content item newly set to be available on the display unit 12 so that the user can know. Additional content items provided according to the use of the call function may be, for example, avatar items (avatar's eyes, nose, mouth, hair, clothes, etc.). Therefore, when the user continues the normal call and satisfies the condition K, additional avatar items may be provided and used. That is, the user may additionally decorate his / her avatar by using the clothes item of the avatar of the received service.

In FIG. 2B, the controller 16 determines whether the user has a picture or a picture by using a camera provided in the mobile communication terminal (S220). If there is camera shooting, the controller 16 checks the number of shots and adds it to the total number of shots so far to accumulate and check (step 222). The controller 16 determines whether the accumulated total number of shots satisfies a preset condition. According to an aspect, the preset condition may be the threshold photographing frequency (L). Therefore, the controller 16 determines whether the accumulated total number of shots is equal to or greater than the predetermined L (step 224). The L value may be, for example, 50 times, 100 times, 200 times, or the like.

If the accumulated number of camera shots is L or more, the controller 16 sets the corresponding content item among the additional content items stored in the memory 18 to be available by the user (step 226). The content item provided according to the use of the camera photographing function may be a ringtone. Therefore, when the user shoots more than L cameras, additional ringtone data can be used.

In FIG. 2C, the controller 16 determines whether the user transmits a text message using the SMS function provided in the mobile communication terminal (S240). If there is an SMS transmission, the controller 16 counts the number of SMS transmissions by + 1 and checks the cumulative total number of SMS transmissions up to now (step 242). The controller 16 determines whether the accumulated total number of SMS transmissions satisfies a preset condition. According to an aspect, the preset condition may be the number of SMS transmissions M set as a threshold.

Therefore, the controller 16 determines whether the accumulated total number of SMS transmissions is equal to or greater than the predetermined M (step 244). The M value may be, for example, 200 times or 400 times. If the accumulated SMS transmission number is M or more, the controller 16 sets the corresponding content item among the additional content items stored in the memory 18 to be available to the user (step 246). The content item provided according to the use of the SMS function may be a terminal free A / S coupon. Therefore, the user can receive free A / S using the free A / S coupon stored when the mobile terminal requires a paid A / S.

In FIG. 2D, the controller 16 determines whether the user accesses the Internet using a wireless Internet access function provided in the mobile communication terminal (step 260). If there is an internet connection, the controller 16 checks the access time and adds it to the total internet access time which has been connected so far to accumulate and check (step 262). The controller 16 determines whether the accumulated total access time is greater than or equal to the threshold value N (step 264). The N value may be, for example, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, or the like.

If the accumulated Internet access time is greater than or equal to N, the controller 16 sets the controller 16 to make the corresponding content item available among the additional content items stored in the memory 18 (step 266). The content item provided according to the use of the SMS function may be, for example, an accessory item (accessories worn on the avatar such as glasses, goggles, a bag, a hat, and a snowboard) among avatar items. Accordingly, the user can additionally decorate his or her avatar using the accessory item of the avatar.

Further contents may also be added during terminal upgrade. Therefore, as the user uses each function of the mobile communication terminal more, the user can receive and use additional contents.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, the method further includes the step of initializing the accumulation of use of the corresponding function when a predetermined condition is met for the use of each corresponding function of the mobile communication terminal. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D, when the conditions are met, the controller 16 performs total call time initialization, camera total shooting count initialization, SMS transmission count initialization, and wireless Internet access time initialization processing (step 208). (Step 228) (step 248) (step 268). Therefore, the mobile communication terminal repeats a process of checking the accumulation of use of each function and providing hidden content when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Finally, the controller 16 determines whether there is an end command for each execution in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D (step 210) (step 230) (step 250) (step 270). This termination command may be, for example, a terminal power off command. If there is no power off command, the controller 16 is repeatedly executed from 200, 220, 240, and 260, respectively, and if there is a power off command, the terminal power is turned off.

As described above, the present invention enables users to use hidden contents stored in the terminal as the user uses more various functions of the mobile communication terminal, thereby inducing user's curiosity and increasing interest in the company brand. Provide fun for using the content. In addition, a community for such a content providing service is formed among users, so that interest in the company brand may be increased.

On the other hand, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, which are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined only by the appended claims.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a diagram illustrating a content providing method for each function of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing content for using a telephone call.

2b is a flow chart illustrating a method of providing content for SMS usage.

2C is a flow diagram illustrating a method of providing content for use of a camera.

2d is a flow chart illustrating a method for providing content for wireless Internet use.

Claims (5)

In the method of providing contents for each function of a mobile communication terminal in which various functions are embedded and a plurality of contents are stored, Monitoring the use status of the user for each function; Determining whether the state of use of the monitored function satisfies a predetermined condition; If the condition is satisfied, setting the item of the content corresponding to the satisfied condition among the stored contents as an available item; the content providing method for each function of the mobile communication terminal. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is: And initializing a use state of a corresponding function when the condition is satisfied. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the various functions include a telephone call, a camera, an SMS, and a wireless Internet connection. The method of claim 3, wherein the use state is a telephone call time, a number of camera shots, an SMS use time, and a wireless Internet access time. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item includes an avatar item, a ringtone, and a terminal free A / S coupon.