KR20050078155A - Location based mobile instant messenger and telephony services method - Google Patents

Abstract

A subscriber location based wireless messenger service system. The system includes subscriber stations transmitting a location registration request message when the location moves; A home location register which stores location registration information for each subscriber station, wherein the location registration information includes data indicating phone numbers of subscriber stations which are members of the same group and a distance between the subscriber stations; Registers the subscriber when a location registration request message is received from any subscriber terminal, requests the subscriber to register the location of the subscriber at the home location register, and requests the location information from the home location register when there is a request for location information from another subscriber station. And a mobile communication control station receiving the location registration information of the terminal and transmitting the location registration information to the subscriber station.

Description

Location based mobile instant messenger and telephony services method}

The present invention relates to a mobile communication service system, and more particularly, to a wireless messenger / telephone service system based on a user's location.

Advances in communication and equipment technology have made it possible to communicate with a desired person using voice, text, or image in real time, wired or wireless, regardless of each other's current location.

For fixed-line, there are one-on-one chat / messaging services (such as ICQ or MSN) and multiparty chat or meeting services (such as Sayclub, Sky Love, etc.) based on personal computers. These services are available through the Internet regardless of the location of those registered with the service.

In the case of wireless, there are meeting services based on a mobile phone or a personal data assistant (PDA). The service allows users to register their information on the site so that anyone who accesses the site can view their profile and call or send a message.

While these services can communicate online, they cannot have or use information about each other's location. In other words, you cannot try the benefits (offline encounters, emergency stops, etc.) that you can get if you are close to the physical street.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a messenger / telephone service system that combines the ease of wireless online with the intimacy of offline.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a subscriber location based wireless messenger service system comprising: subscriber stations transmitting a location registration request message when a location is moved; A home location register which stores location registration information for each subscriber station, wherein the location registration information includes data indicating phone numbers of subscriber stations which are members of the same group and a distance between the subscriber stations; Registers the subscriber when a location registration request message is received from any subscriber terminal, requests the subscriber to register the location of the subscriber at the home location register, and requests the location information from the home location register when there is a request for location information from another subscriber station. And a mobile communication control station receiving the location registration information of the terminal and transmitting the location registration information to the subscriber station.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, specific details such as specific service names are shown, which are provided to help a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. It is self-evident to those who have. In the following description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The present invention implements a service such as 1: 1 chat on the Internet in a mobile environment and provides a service that can add an offline element (location). That is, in constructing a friend list for a 1: 1 chat (or a message or a call), a list of registered users among the users who are close to their current location is made. Such a service includes a person-to-person (P2P) method and a server-based method that do not largely go through a content provider, and the present invention includes both cases.

1 schematically illustrates a structure of a mobile communication network to which the present invention is applied.

The structure of an asynchronous mobile communication network includes 3GPP Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Network architecture (Release 4), 3GPP TS 23.002 V4.8.0}.

The location information profile may be used to provide location information to the service subscriber. The location information profile is managed for each mobile subscriber and the data structure is as follows.

typedef struct = location_profile

{MSC / VLR address     MSISDN ADDRESS

RNC address     RNC ID ,

node-B address     node-B ID ,

LAI (RAI for PS) Location Area Identifier (PS: Routing AI) }

The location information profile is used for stepwise location information retrieval.

Location information is searched in the order of LAI (RAI) → node-B → RNC → MSC / VLR. That is, in theory, if you find a friend who exists at the closest distance, you find a friend with the same value up to LAI. If broader, node-B can be used to find friends with the same value, which can be determined through discussion with the provider.

FIG. 2 is a ladder diagram for explaining a wireless messenger / telephone service method based on a location of a mobile communication service subscriber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

If any terminal is powered on, the location information is stored and managed through the location registration / modification function. The location registration (change) procedure shown in S201 to S205 and S307 to S311 is the same as that of the existing mobile communication technology. The packet path setting is also the same. The illustrated example assumes that there are two terminals for convenience.

The MS_A 150 wishing to receive the service according to the present invention connects with the network to receive the location application service provided by the present invention. The connection with the network is made through the PS domain, and access signaling uses existing packets and packet switched data signaling. After accessing the packet network, the user makes a request for service to the network. The service request is delivered to a server configured through a packet switched data (PSD) traffic path. The server MSC / VLR 120 requests location information of group members (hereinafter referred to as friends) belonging to the same group to the HLR 110. The above is represented by S401-S415.

In S420, the HLR 110 finds users at the same location as the user using the location information profile.

Through the S425 to S435, when the friend's location information is modified and transmitted from the HLR 110, the user of the MS_A 150 may know how close the friend is to their current location. When a user subscribes to a service or registers as a friend with their friend's MS-ISDN information in the same way as MSN, the server can find out. In addition, it may be able to determine the location of the friends by telling their friends information to the server, and then give the other location information of friends existing in the same location and friends in different locations in response.

3 illustrates a configuration of a location information profile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The location information profile can be stored and managed in the HLR. That is, when performing service registration, it is stored and managed as part of the subscriber profile in the HLR.

The HLR continuously updates / maintains the location profile through a location update request of the subscriber. When a service subscriber runs a location application service in a terminal using a specific menu designated to a service provider, the service subscriber requests location information of friends currently registered with the HLR through a server (SGSN). The HLR uses the MS-ISDN of friends registered as friends to search the HLR database. The database search checks the location profile of the subscriber profile and checks how close the location is with the current service subscriber to update the neighborhood level. At this time, the comparison with the location profile is made, and when the comparison with the location profile of all friends is finished, the updating of the neighbor level is completed. Location information can be obtained using GPS. Therefore, it is optional.

When the renewal of the neighbor level is completed, the friend list of the service user may be divided into the friend of the nearest location, the friend of the near location, the friend of the far location, and the friend of the far location.

4A to 4G illustrate an example of a first embodiment of a user interface screen for local based services according to the present invention.

Screen display for the user interface (UI) is similar to that of a typical message program (eg, MSN, Taki, etc.). The menu for registering a friend according to an embodiment of the present invention exists in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI). 4A through 4G, a set-up required for each service can be performed. 4A-1 to 4A-3 illustrate a process of setting whether to use a friend search service as a P2P setting or a list icon. The items '5) Common' in the environment setting main screen (FIG. 4A-1) are for setting environment settings common to each service.

4F to 4L illustrate a second embodiment of a user interface screen for a region-based service according to the present invention.

Looking at the specific use of the present invention from the perspective of the mobile phone user and the operator providing the service as follows.

1. Mobile Phone Users

From the mobile phone user's point of view, this service makes their lives convenient and enjoyable. For example, when you go to a place alone, you can easily find someone who is online on your buddy list without having to make a phone call.

2. Service Provider

The following is an example of services that can be additionally provided by a service provider. However, the service provider needs to determine the scope of the "region" according to the contents of the service.

2.1. On-off meeting service

Add offline elements to services already available online. According to online chat services such as Say Club and Sky Love, a random list is created according to the online registration conditions (age, gender, region, etc.). Of course, the user can send a message or chat to a person on the list with a simple operation. As such, the service according to the present invention adds an element "offline (region)" to the condition of creating a list. That is, it provides a list of other users who meet the conditions and want to receive this service near the user. The user interface should be similar to the existing SayClub or MSN, with the addition of voice telephony features such as telephone and voice chat. Here, service providers should be able to provide services that can be connected to each other without providing / using phone numbers for privacy. Service providers can make a profit by registering and managing users for new services.

2.2. (Urgent) call service

The nearest service provider calling service based on location information. The calling service can be divided into (general) call and emergency call. A general call is a call taxi and an emergency call is a call made when an emergency patient occurs. In the above-mentioned call taxi or emergency patient transportation, physical distance is an important factor for customer satisfaction, and the closer to each other, the better customer satisfaction can be. When using the service according to the invention allows the physical distance to be connected to a taxi or fire station (or hospital with a transport vehicle) close to the physical distance. The taxi driver registers only the empty car on the server. If you want to take a taxi, you can check whether there are taxis in range from your location, and choose the taxi (standard taxi or model taxi) you want, and call the driver directly or call your location. It can automatically send a message to the driver. In the latter case, you need equipment that can track your location. Similarly for emergency calls. If emergency transportation is available at a hospital or fire station, register and ensure that you are in contact with the hospital (or fire station) closest to you when you are making an emergency call.

2.3. Lost child services

The service takes a slightly different approach than already mentioned, but the technical aspects are the same. The basic structure of the anti-lost system is that the child has a receiver that carries the transmitter, the transmitter sends signals at regular intervals, and the receiver receives the signals. If the two are too far apart to receive, the receiver will sound an alarm indicating that the child is out of range. The present invention makes this existing service possible in a mobile phone. At this time, the role of the transmitter is a separate device or a mobile phone, the role of the receiver is a mobile phone. A separate device can be useful if your child is having trouble running a cell phone. If the child's transmitter is registered in the guardian's mobile phone (receiver), when the child is within a certain range, the child is online, and when the child is separated from the parent, the child is offline. In this case, instead of notifying the user when they are online, they should be alerted when they are offline (when they disappear from the list) to indicate that the child is out of range.

The present invention uses location information between both subscribers, and can be configured to send a message or make a call to a corresponding party through a separate menu. In other words, you can not only tell the group that you are close or far away, but you can configure it in a variety of applications so that you can work with them.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the location information update for a subscriber is made, the location profile of the group members (registered friends) of the subscriber is automatically, according to the position comparison of the group member and the subscriber The neighborhood level is determined and reflected. In other words, the neighbor level information is updated. While auto-renew is still happening at HLR, service subscribers are on-demand so that they can only request location when they need it.

Meanwhile, in the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the scope of the following claims, but also by the equivalents of the claims.

As described above, the present invention provides an environment for easily contacting friends online while also allowing potential meetings using the locations of people online (listed). In addition, when a call is required (call taxi, bodyguard, fire, police, etc.), the user can select the target in the area closest to him, so he can be provided with faster service (taxi hire, fire suppression, criminal dispatch). Can be.

1 is a diagram schematically showing the structure of a mobile communication network to which the present invention is applied;

2 is a diagram illustrating a ladder diagram for explaining a wireless messenger / telephone service method based on a location of a mobile communication service subscriber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a location information profile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4A to 4G are diagrams illustrating an example of a first implementation of a user interface screen for a region-based service according to the present invention.

4F to 4L are diagrams illustrating a second implementation example of a user interface screen for a region-based service according to the present invention.

Claims (5)

Subscriber stations transmitting a location registration request message when the location is moved; A location registration information for each subscriber station, wherein the location registration information includes a home location register including data indicating phone numbers of subscriber stations which are members of the same group and a distance between the subscriber stations; Registers the subscriber when a location registration request message is received from any subscriber terminal, requests the subscriber to register the location of the subscriber at the home location register, and requests the location information from the home location register when there is a request for location information from another subscriber station. And a mobile communication control station receiving the location registration information of the terminal and transmitting the location registration information to the subscriber terminal. The method of claim 1, Means for notifying the neighboring group member by the subscriber terminal receiving the location registration information to the subscriber based on data indicating the telephone numbers of the subscribers who are members of the same group included in the location registration information and the distance between the subscribers; Subscriber location-based wireless messenger service system further comprising. The method of claim 2, And a means for notifying the adjacent group member is a display unit. The method of claim 2, And a means for notifying the adjacent group member is a voice guidance device. The method of claim 1, And the location registration information further includes data representing addresses of subscribers who are members of the same group.