WO2007024040A1

WO2007024040A1 - Wireless and wire communication service system and using method

Info

Publication number: WO2007024040A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/003429
Authority: WO
Inventors: Young Han Kim
Original assignee: Betawave Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-08-25
Filing date: 2005-10-13
Publication date: 2007-03-01

Abstract

Disclosed herein are wireless and wired communication service systems capable of providing selective communication service, and service methods using the respective communication systems. An object of the present invention is to provide wireless and wired communication systems capable of providing selective communication service, which receive desired reception acceptance condition data, such as a call acceptance telephone number, a text massage and an e- mail, from a user and store the data, search for reception acceptance conditions only when there is a communication request from a calling party's terminal, and selectively performs com¬ munication only if the conditions are satisfied, and which are capable of additionally providing diversified selective services to meet the users' demand and preference in various ways. In the wireless and wired communication service systems capable of providing selective com¬ munication service, and the service methods using the respective communication terminals, desired reception acceptance condition data, such as call acceptance telephone numbers, text massages and e-mails are received from a user and is stored, reception acceptance conditions are searched for only when there is a communication request from a calling party's terminal, and selective communication is performed only when the conditions are satisfied, so that service can be provided so as to accept only calls desired by the user and, at the same time, users' demands and preferences can be met in various ways using services diversified according to group, grade and time, therefore, a better quality of service can be provided to the user and new profits can be provided to a service provider.

Description

WIRELESS AND WIRE COMMUNICATION SERVICE SYSTEM

AND USING METHOD

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to wireless and wired communication systems capable of providing selective communication service and to service methods using the respective communication systems. Background Art

[2] Recently, as personal communication becomes popularized and commercialized due to the development of mobile communication and data communication technology and due to the establishment of various circumstances, communication services also become so diversified that they are free from limitations of time, location and content.

[3] Accordingly, users can benefit from all types of information, desired by them, using communication service, regardless of their locations and work.

[4] However, the popularization and commercialization of such communication service causes a new problem in that even undesired calls, pieces of unnecessary information and the like are provided to the users because the services are almost free from temporal and spatial limitations.

[5] For example, in the case where a user conducts business that requires undivided attention or participates in an important meeting in a state in which his or her communication terminal, such a mobile phone or a wired phone, is not powered off to receive an emergency call, he or she must answer a call in order to indicate his or her refusal when an unnecessary call, such as an call from an insurance salesman or a call from a market researcher, is received. Accordingly, the flow of business or meeting process is interrupted due to the call that did not need to be answered, and thus the user is greatly inconvenienced.

[6] Furthermore, several tens of spam text messages and spam-type automated voice calls, which are received every day, cause a large amount of mental stress to the user to the extent that they can be considered pollution.

[7] Accordingly, service for blocking calls or spam messages, which users do not desire to receive, before they are answered, is demanded. To meet such a demand, many service technologies, such as Automatic Response Service (ARS), caller Identification (ID) service, call pre-blocking service, which uses a black list, and spam-blocking service, have been developed.

[8] These technologies are briefly described below. First, the ARS is the most classic service that allows a call to be transferred to a voice mailbox immediately after a pre- determined ring signal has generated, thus basically granting the ability to select a call to a user. However, the ARS is not effective in that the user must wait for a predetermined time while listening to the bell sound at the time of generation of the ring signal.

[9] Meanwhile, caller ID service is a service that indicates the telephone number of a calling party who is making a call to the user's communication terminal at the time of generation of the ring signal, thus allowing the user to previously determine whether to answer the call from the corresponding telephone number and allowing the user to selectively answer the call, and is one of the most widely used methods.

[10] However, in the caller ID service, whenever a bell sound or vibration occurs, the user must check calling parties' telephone numbers every time using his or her communication terminal and determine whether it is necessary to answer a call, therefore it is inefficient to use, and it is ineffective for a user who frequently makes a business call.

[11] Meanwhile, the call blocking service using a black list is a service that allows a user to previously register telephone numbers, from which the user does not desire to answer calls, in a communication terminal or a telephone office server, and allows the communication terminal or the telephone office server to block the calls in advance when call connection requests occur from the corresponding telephone numbers, thus preventing the user from answering undesired calls.

[12] However, even in the call blocking service, the user must individually store the undesired telephone numbers of a black list in the communication terminal or the telephone office server, and it is almost impossible to block calls from public telephones, from which calling parties cannot be identified, spam-type calls, telephone numbers of which frequently change, even though all of the telephone numbers have been stored. As a result, the user's demand cannot be sufficiently satisfied.

[13] Furthermore, the spam blocking service for blocking spam- type messages and mail, which are transmitted using Short Message Service (SMS) messages or wireless Internet electronic (e)-mail, is a service that has a concept similar to that of the above- described call blocking service, and thus it entails all of the problems of the call blocking service. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[14] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide wireless and wired communication systems capable of providing selective communication service, which receive desired reception acceptance condition data, such as a call acceptance telephone number, a text massage and an e-mail, from a user and store the data, search for reception acceptance conditions only when there is a communication request from a calling party's terminal, and selectively performs communication only if the conditions are satisfied, and which are capable of additionally providing diversified selective services to meet the users' demand and preference in various ways.

[15] Another object of the present invention is to provide methods of providing various types of service to users using the wireless and wired communication systems, thus providing a better quality of service to the users so as to enable communication pollution to be avoided and providing new profits to a service provider. Technical Solution

[16] In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service, the wireless communication service system including a wireless mobile switching center for transmitting calling information and a command request message to an outside when receiving a call connection request signal from a calling party's terminal, generating a ring signal and connecting a call to a user's terminal when receiving a call connection acceptance command message in response to the transmission, and blocking the call when receiving a call connection denial command message; and a control server for receiving reception acceptance conditions from the user and storing the received conditions in a database, and when receiving the calling information and the command request message from the wireless mobile switching center, comparing calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database, transmitting the call connection acceptance command signal to the wireless mobile switching center if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and transmitting the call connection denial command signal to the wireless mobile switching center if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[17] Furthermore, the wireless communication service system further includes a SMS message processing center for transmitting the calling information and the command request message to the control server when receiving an SMS message transmission request from the calling party's terminal, transmitting an SMS message to the user's terminal when receiving a transmission acceptance command message from the control server, and blocking the transmission of the SMS message when receiving a transmission denial command message; and an e-mail server for transmitting the calling information and the command request message to the control server when receiving e-mail from the calling party's terminal, transmitting the e-mail to the user's terminal when receiving the transmission acceptance command message from the control server, and storing the e-mail in a spam mailbox or deleting the e-mail when receiving the transmission denial command massage.

[18] The control server includes a database; an external interface module for performing an interface function so as to operate in conjunction with the wireless mobile switching center, the SMS message processing center and an e-mail server; a voice mailbox service module for providing a voice mailbox to the user's terminal; a reception acceptance condition setting module for receiving the reception acceptance conditions and storing the received conditions in the database; and when receiving the calling information and the command request message from any of the wireless mobile switching center, the SMS message processing center and the e-mail server, a control module for comparing the received calling information with the reception acceptance conditions, which have been stored in the database, and transmitting a corresponding command message to any of the wireless mobile switching center, the SMS message processing center and the e-mail server.

[19] Meanwhile, the wireless mobile switching center connects the call to the voice mailbox when the call connection denial command message is received. In this case, the voice mailbox provides a call impossibility guidance announcement and then provides a guidance announcement for prompting the input of a request message, thereby allowing the request message to be registered.

[20] The request message is at least one of an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message, and a password request message. The voice mailbox converts the registered request message into any of voice message, SMS message and e-mail forms and transmits a result of the conversion to the user's terminal.

[21] Meanwhile, the reception acceptance conditions includes reception acceptance calling party information including at least one of the reception-acceptable telephone number, SMS message and e-mail address of each calling party, from which the user accepts to receive a call; and time-based reception acceptance information for allowing the user to set desired reception- acceptable calling parties for each desired time period.

[22] In this case, the reception acceptance calling party information is set so as to be classified as at least one of a group or a grade according to type and the degree of importance, and may be constructed by downloading a telephone number list and an address directory, which have been stored in the user's terminal, to the control server via an Internet.

[23] In addition, the present invention provides a service method using a wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service to a user, the service method includes the steps of receiving reception acceptance conditions set by the user; storing the reception acceptance conditions in a database; and when any of a call connection request signal, an SMS message transmission request signal and an e-mail transmission request signal is received from a calling party's terminal, comparing calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database, connecting a call if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and blocking the call if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[24] In this case, the reception acceptance conditions include reception acceptance calling party information including at least one of the reception-acceptable telephone number, SMS message and e-mail address of each calling party, from which the user accepts to receive a call; and time-based reception acceptance information for allowing the user to set desired reception- acceptable calling parties for each desired period.

[25] Furthermore, the reception acceptance calling party information is set so as to be classified as at least one of a group and a grade according to type and the degree of importance, and may be constructed by downloading a telephone number list and an address directory, which have been stored in the user's terminal, to the wireless communication service system via an Internet.

[26] Meanwhile, the service method further includes the step of the user requesting the communication service from a wireless communication service system service provider and entering into a contract for the service. In this case, the reception acceptance conditions may be differently set according to the grade of the contract between the user and the wireless communication service system service provider.

[27] Meanwhile, the call blocked according to the reception acceptance conditions is connected to a voice mailbox. In this case, the voice mailbox provides a call connection impossibility message as an announcement and then provides a guidance announcement for prompting the input of a request message, thereby allowing the request message to be registered.

[28] The request message is at least one of an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message, and a password request message, and the registered request message is converted into any of voice message, SMS message and e-mail forms and is transmitted to the user's terminal.

[29] In addition, the present invention provides a wired communication service system capable of providing selective communication service, the wired communication service system includes a switching center for transmitting calling information and a command request message to an outside when receiving a call connection request signal from a calling party's terminal, generating a ring signal and connecting a call to a user's terminal when receiving a call connection acceptance command message, and blocking the call when receiving a call connection denial command message; and a control server for receiving reception acceptance conditions from the user and storing the received conditions in a database when receiving the calling information and the command request message from the switching center, comparing calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database, transmitting the call connection acceptance command signal to the switching center if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and transmitting the call connection denial command signal to the wireless mobile switching center if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[30] In this case, the wired communication service system further includes a voice mailbox center for providing a voice mailbox to the user's terminal, wherein the blocked call is connected to the voice mailbox. In this case, the voice mailbox provides a call impossibility guidance announcement and then provides a guidance announcement for prompting the input of a request message, thereby allowing the request message to be registered.

[31] The request message is at least one of an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message, and a password request message. The voice mailbox converts the registered request message as any of voice message, SMS message and e-mail forms and transmits a result of the conversion to the user's terminal. Furthermore, the voice mailbox provides voice guidance announcements for prompting the input of the reception acceptance conditions, the input reception acceptance conditions being transmitted to the control server.

[32] The reception acceptance conditions include reception acceptance calling party information including the reception- acceptable telephone number of each calling party, from which the user accepts to receive a call; and time-based reception acceptance information for allowing the user to set desired reception-acceptable calling parties for each desired time period.

[33] In addition, the present invention provides a service method using a wired communication service system capable of providing selective communication service to a user, the service method comprising the steps of receiving reception acceptance conditions set by the user; storing the reception acceptance conditions in a database; and when any of a call connection request signal, an SMS message transmission request signal and an e-mail transmission request signal is received from a calling part y's terminal, comparing calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database, connecting a call if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and blocking the call if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[34] In this case, the reception acceptance conditions include reception acceptance calling party information including at least one of the reception-acceptable telephone number, SMS message and e-mail address of each calling party, from which the user accepts to receive a call; and time-based reception acceptance information for allowing the user to set desired reception- acceptable calling parties for each desired time period.

[35] Furthermore, the service method further includes the step of the user requesting the communication service from a wireless communication service system service provider and entering into a contract for the service. The reception acceptance conditions are differently set according to the grade of the contract between the user and the wireless communication service system service provider.

[36] Meanwhile, The call blocked according to the reception acceptance conditions is connected to a voice mailbox. The voice mailbox provides a call connection impossibility message as an announcement and then provides a guidance announcement for prompting the input of a request message, thereby allowing the request message to be registered.

[37] In this case, the request message is at least one of an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message, and a password request message. The registered request message is converted into any of voice message and SMS message form and is transmitted to the user's terminal.

[38] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings below.

[39] Since wireless and wired communication systems capable of providing selective communication service according to embodiments of the present invention are respectively implemented using a wireless communication system and a wireless communication terminal, the systems and service methods using the respective communication systems are described by a first embodiment and a second embodiment below.

Advantageous Effects

[40] As described above, in accordance with the wireless and wired communication service systems capable of providing selective communication service, and the service methods using the respective communication systems according to the present invention, desired reception acceptance condition data, such as call acceptance telephone numbers, text massages and e-mails, are received from a user and stored, reception acceptance conditions are searched for only when there is a communication request from a calling party's terminal, and selective communication is performed only when the conditions are satisfied, so that service can be provided so as to accept only calls desired by the user and, at the same time, users' demands and preferences can be met in various ways using services diversified according to group, grade and time. Accordingly, from a user's point of view, a better quality of service can be provided to the user so that communication pollution, which occurs in various forms, such as undesired calls, SMS messages and e-mails, can be avoided. Furthermore, from a service provider's point of view, profits, attributable to the attraction and increase of subscribers and the new source of profits, can be increased. Brief Description of the Drawings

[41] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[42] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the modular construction of a control server shown in FIG. 1 ;

[43] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a reception acceptance condition setting window provided by the reception acceptance condition setting module of the control server shown in FIG. 2;

[44] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a service method using the wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[45] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the service method using the wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service, shown in FIG. 4;

[46] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the construction of a wired communication service system capable of providing selective communication service according to a s econd preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[47] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a service method using the wired communication service system capable of providing selective communication service according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[48] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the service method using the wired communication service system capable of providing selective communication service, shown in FIG. 7.

[49] <Description of characters of principal elements>

[50] 10: control server

[51] 11: database

[52] 12: control module

[53] 13: voice mailbox service module

[54] 14: reception acceptance condition setting module

[55] 15: reception acceptance condition input window

[56] 16: external interface module

[57] 20: wireless mobile switching center [58] 30: SMS message center

[59] 40: e-mail server

[60] 50: calling party's terminal

[61] 60: user's terminal

[62] 100: wireless communication service system

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[63] <First Embodiment

[64] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of a wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[65] Referring to FIG. 1, the wireless communication service system 100 includes a wireless mobile switching center 20, an SMS message center 30 and an e-mail server 40 operating in conjunction with each other, and a control server 10 operating in conjunction with these components. All calls and request signals, which are transmitted from a calling party's terminal 50 to the wireless mobile switching center 20, the SMS message center 30 and the e-mail server 40, are transmitted to a user's terminal 60 only in response to an acceptance command.

[66] The components are described in detail below.

[67] The wireless mobile switching center 20 functions to transmit calling information and a command request message to the control server 10 when receiving a call connection request signal from the calling party's terminal 50, generate a ring signal and connect a call to the user's terminal 60 when receiving a call connection acceptance command message from the control server 10, and connect the call to a voice mailbox when receiving a call connection denial command message.

[68] The SMS message center 30 transmits calling information and a command request message to the control server 10 when an SMS message transmission request signal is received from the calling party's terminal 50, transmits an SMS message to the user's terminal 60 when a transmission acceptance command message is received from the control server 10, and converts the SMS message, along with simple calling information, into a text file and then transmits the text file to the e-mail server 40 when a transmission denial command message is received.

[69] The e-mail server 40 transmits calling information and a command request message to the control server 10 when an e-mail is received from the calling party's terminal, transmits the e-mail to the user's terminal 60 when the transmission acceptance command message is received from the control server 10, and stores the e-mail in the spam mailbox of a mailbox or deletes it when the transmission denial command message is received. In this case, SMS messages, the transmission of which has been blocked by the SMS message center 30, are also already stored in the spam mailbox, along with simple reception information.

[70] The control server 10 functions to receive reception acceptance conditions from the user and stores them in a database 11, compare the calling information with the reception acceptance conditions, which have been stored in the database 11, when receiving the calling information and the command request message from the wireless mobile switching center 20, the SMS message center 30, or the e-mail server 40, transmit an acceptance command if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and transmit a denial command if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[71] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the module construction of the control server 10 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the control server 10 includes a database 11, an external interface module 16, a voice mail service module 13, a reception acceptance condition setting module 14, and a control module 12.

[72] The external interface module 16 performs an interface function so that the control server 10 operates in conjunction with the wireless mobile switching center 20, the SMS message center 30 and the e-mail server 40 to transmit and receive data to and from them.

[73] The voice mail service module 13 provides a voice mailbox to the user's terminal

60, provides guidance announcements according to a predetermined procedure when the reception acceptance conditions are set, and transfers input reception acceptance condition data to the reception acceptance condition setting module 14.

[74] Furthermore, the voice mail service module 13 provides various guidance announcements to the calling party's terminal 50 for which call connection has been denied. That is, the voice mail service module 13 provides notification of the fact that the telephone number of the calling party's terminal 50 is not listed in a telephone number list, which is included in the reception acceptance information, through guidance announcements, provides guidance announcements for prompting a calling party to register request messages, and transmits the request messages to the user's terminal 60 in a voice message, SMS message or e-mail form.

[75] The request messages are classified into the following types:

[76] 1. Emergency call request message: a message for providing notification of the fact that this is an emergency call to the user's terminal 60 because the emergency call is necessary even though it has not been contained in the reception acceptance conditions.

[77] 2. Reception acceptance condition registration request message: a message for requesting the user 61 to input the reception acceptance conditions using the user's terminal 61. [78] 3. Password request message: a message for the calling party requesting the user to provide notification of a password in the case where the calling party's terminal 50 is set to a password input mode depending on the reception acceptance conditions.

[79] The reception acceptance condition setting module 14 functions to receive the r eception acceptance conditions from the user and store them in the database 11. For the input of the reception acceptance conditions, the reception acceptance condition setting module 14 provides a reception acceptance condition input window 15 via the wired or wireless Internet, and may request the voice mailbox service module 13 to transmit the reception acceptance condition data.

[80] Accordingly, after making a connection to the wired or wireless Internet using a computer terminal or the user's terminal 60, the user can directly input reception acceptance conditions through the reception acceptance condition input window 15, or can make a connection to the voice mail service module 13 using the user's terminal 60 and set the reception acceptance conditions according to guidance announcements.

[81] Meanwhile, the reception acceptance conditions are reception acceptance calling party information including a telephone number, an SMS message and an e-mail address, which it is desired for the user to receive, and time-based reception acceptance information that allows desired reception- acceptable calling parties to be set in each desired time period and thus allows only calls from those calling parties to be accepted, and password setting information that allows a password to be requested when a request for call connection is received.

[82] The reception acceptance calling party information is described in greater detail below.

[83] 1. Reception acceptance telephone numbers: telephone numbers from which the user can accept calls. These may be set according to group, such as "family," "co-workers," or "friends," and may be graded and set according to the degree of importance of each telephone number or each group. Furthermore, the user may make a connection to the reception acceptance condition module 14 or the voice mailbox service module 13 and then directly input the telephone numbers, or may directly download a telephone number list (a list of telephone numbers that are already stored in the user's terminal and are input by the user) from the user's terminal 60.

[84] 2. Reception acceptance SMS message calling numbers: the calling numbers of respective SMS messages that the user accepts to receive. The user may directly input the calling number via the Internet or a voice mailbox and may also download a telephone number list via the wireless Internet. In the case of SMS messages, the SMS messages, such as card use details, various coupons and account details, that are not listed in the telephone number list of the user's terminal 60 but are surely necessary for the user, may be transmitted to the user, and thus they are separately and additionally input by the user.

[85] 3. Reception acceptance e-mail addresses: e-mail addresses from which the user accept to receive e-mail. The user may directly input the e-mail addresses via the Internet and may also download them from the user's terminal 60, in which an e-mail address directory is stored.

[86] Meanwhile, the time-based reception acceptance information refers to time information and reception acceptance grade information. When the user inputs the time information and the reception acceptance grade information, only calls from a telephone number having an accepted grade or higher can be accepted in each desired time period. Accordingly, this is very useful in the case where the user desires to answer only calls from specific people.

[87] For example, in the case where a user, who is a performer by profession, desires to block all calls during the morning hours and answer only calls from his or her manager, only calls from his or her manager can be accepted during the morning hours, and the other calls are blocked, when the grade of the manager's telephone number is set to a first level, the reception acceptance grade information is set to a first level, and the time information is set to indicate the period from 9 to 12 o'clock.

[88] The password setting information refers to password and grade setting information, which are received from a user, and is information that allows the password to be received from the user and allows corresponding passwords to be requested for respective grades lower than the grade set when a call connection is requested, thus enabling only a calling party's terminal, through which a password has been input, to make a call.

[89] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the reception acceptance condition setting window 15 provided by the reception acceptance condition setting module 14 of the control server 10 shown in FIG. 2. It can be seen that menus for setting a reception acceptance telephone number, a reception acceptance SMS message calling number, a reception acceptance e-mail address and emergency call information are provided in the reception acceptance condition setting window 15, and are set according to group and grade.

[90] Furthermore, the time information, that is, the time-based reception acceptance information, is set to 9 to 12 AM, the reception acceptance grade information is set to a first level, and the password is checked, so that the user's setting is set at the first level during the morning hours, therefore calls from a manager who knows the password can be accepted.

[91] Meanwhile, when the calling information and the command request message are received from the wireless communication switching center 20, the control module 12 functions to compare the calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database 11 by the reception acceptance condition setting module 14, and transmit a reception acceptance command message and a reception denial command message to a corresponding device.

[92] From the above-described description, it can be seen that a system basis has been established using the wireless communication service system 100 for providing selective communication service. Accordingly, the method of providing service to users using the wireless communication service system 100 is described below.

[93] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a service method using the wireless communication service system 100 capable of providing selective communication service according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the service method of FIG. 4.

[94] First, a user 61 must request the service provider of the wireless communication service system 100 to provide selective communication service, and enter into a contract for such service with the service provider 101 of the wireless communication service system 100 at step Sl.

[95] In this case, the selective communication service can be differently provided according to the grade of the contract between the user 61 and the service provider 101 of the wireless communication service system 100. That is, the selective communication service can be classified as selective telephone number service, selective short message service or selective e-mail service according to reception acceptance conditions. The selective telephone number service may be classified as normal service, which provides selective service depending only on reception acceptance telephone numbers, and premium service, which provides selective service by enabling reception acceptance telephone numbers to be set according to group and grade.

[96] Accordingly, the service provider 101 of the wireless communication service system 100 enters into a contract with the user 61 for the selective telephone number service, thus charging fees for the services, the selective short message service and the selective e-mail service. Furthermore, in the case of the selective telephone number service, different fees can be charged for normal service and premium service.

[97] When the contract has been agreed to, the user 61 must make a connection to the wireless communication service system 100 and input desired reception acceptance conditions at step S2. In this case, the user 61 may conduct the input of reception acceptance conditions by making a connection to the wireless Internet via the user's terminal 60, or by making a connection to a web page, which is separately managed by the wireless communication service system 100, via a computer terminal, and may also conduct input using a voice mailbox.

[98] The reception acceptance conditions include reception acceptance calling party information including telephone numbers, SMS messages and e-mail addresses, which it is desired for the user 61 to receive, time-based reception acceptance information time- based reception acceptance information that allows desired reception- acceptable calling parties to be set in each desired time period and thus allows only calls from those calling parties to be accepted, and password setting information that allows a password to be requested at the time of accepting a call.

[99] In this case, the reception acceptance calling party information is constructed by uploading a telephone number list and an address directory, which have been stored in the user's terminal 60, without changing them (in the case where a call connection is made via the Internet), the reception acceptance telephone number may be set according to group and grade at the time of providing premium service.

[100] After the reception acceptance conditions have been inputted by the user 61 as described above, the wireless communication service system 100 stores the reception acceptance conditions in a database 11 at step S3.

[101] Subsequently, when a call connection request signal is received from the calling party's terminal 50 to the user's terminal 60 at step S4, the wireless communication service system 100 compares the calling information of the calling party's terminal 50 with the reception acceptance conditions of the user 61, which are stored in the database 11, at step S5, generates a ring signal and connects a call to the user's terminal 60 at step S6 if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and connects the call to the voice mailbox of the user 61 at step S7 if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[102] If a connection to the voice mailbox is made, the voice mailbox provides notification of the fact that the telephone number of the calling party's terminal 50 is not listed in the telephone number list included in the reception acceptance information using a guidance announcement, and accepts the registration of request messages by providing guidance announcements for prompting a calling party to register the request messages. In this case, the request messages refer to the emergency call request message, the reception acceptance condition registration request message and the password request message, described above.

[103] When the request messages from the calling party's terminal 50 are registered, the registered request messages are transmitted to the user's terminal 60 in any of voice message, SMS message and e-mail forms according to the calling party's selection.

[104] Meanwhile, even when an SMS message transmission request signal or an e-mail transmission request signal is received from the calling party's terminal 50 to the user's terminal 60, the above-described comparison process is performed via the database 11, an SMS message or an e-mail is received to the user's terminal 60 if the conditions are satisfied, and the SMS message or the e-mail is stored in the spam storage box if the conditions are not satisfied. [105] Accordingly, the user 61 can accept calls from desired people in the desired time periods, and can receive only desired SMS messages and e-mails.

[106] The above-described service can benefit the service provider 101 of the wireless communication service system 100, and is very effective for discriminating people, who selectively receive calls, performers, who cannot receive calls from reporters and enthusiastic fans, high-ranking government officials, who desire to receive only important emergency calls, broadcasters, executives of large businesses, diplomats, legal experts, and athletes.

[107] Accordingly, the service provider 101 of the wireless communication service system 100 prompts users to subscribe for the service through large scale advertising, which increases the benefits of allowing calls to be selectively connected, therefore business using the wireless communication service system 100 can be better managed.

[108] Although the first embodiment has described a wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service and a service method using the same, an equivalent effect may be achieved in the case where such a concept is applied to wired communication, which is described in a second embodiment below. Mode for the Invention

[ 109] <Second Embodiment

[110] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the construction of a wireless communication terminal capable of providing selective communication service according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[I l l] Referring to FIG. 6, the wired communication service system 400 capable of providing selective communication service includes a switching center 420, a voice mailbox center 430, and a control server 410.

[112] The switching center 420 transmits the calling information and the command request message to the control server 410 when a call connection request signal is received from the calling party's terminal 510, generates a ring signal and connects a call to a user's terminal 500 when a call connection acceptance command message is received from the control server 410, and connects the call to the voice mailbox center 430 when a call connection denial command message is received.

[113] The voice mailbox center 430 functions to provide a voice mailbox to the user's terminal 500, provide guidance announcements for setting reception acceptance conditions to the user, and transmit the reception acceptance conditions, which are input according to the guidance announcements, to the control server 410.

[114] In this case, the reception acceptance conditions refer to reception acceptance telephone numbers, which can be set according to group and grade, time-based reception acceptance information, and password information. Accordingly, the user inputs desired reception acceptance telephone numbers according to group and grade and inputs desired time information, so that only calls from desired calling parties can be accepted in each desired time period.

[115] Furthermore, the voice mailbox center 430 provides various guidance announcements to the calling party's terminal 510 for which call connection has been denied. That is, the voice mailbox center 430 provides notification of the fact that the telephone number of the calling party's terminal 510 is not listed in the telephone number list included in the reception acceptance information using the guidance announcements, provides guidance announcements for prompting the calling party to register request messages, and transmits the request messages to the user's terminal 500 in a voice message form.

[116] The request messages may be an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message and a password request message, and the types of the request messages may be selected by the calling party at the time of providing guidance.

[117] The control server 410 receives the reception acceptance conditions from the voice mailbox center 430 and stores the conditions in the database 411, and compares the calling information with the reception acceptance conditions, which have been stored in the database 411, when the calling information and the command request messages are received from the switching center 420, and transmits a connection acceptance command message and a connection denial command message to the switching center.

[118] Meanwhile, the control server 410 can provide Internet service, and provides a reception acceptance condition input window 412 so that the user can directly make a connection to the Internet even when no reception acceptance conditions are received from the voice mailbox center 430, and input desired reception acceptance conditions to the control server 410.

[119] From the above-described description, it can be seen that a system basis has been established using the wired communication terminal 400 for providing selective communication service. Accordingly, a method of providing service to users using the wireless communication terminal 400 is described below.

[120] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a service method using the wired communication service system 400 capable of providing selective communication service according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the service method of FIG. 7.

[121] First, a user 501 must request the service provider 450 of the wired communication service system 400 to provide selective communication service, and enter into a contract for such service with the service provider 450 of the wired communication service system 400 at step S21. [122] In this case, the selective communication service can be differently provided according to the grade of the contract between the user 501 and the service provider 450 of the wired communication service system 400. That is, the selective communication service may be classified as normal service, which provides only indication of reception acceptance telephone numbers meeting the reception acceptance conditions, and premium service, which enables reception acceptance telephone numbers to be set according to a plurality of groups and grades.

[123] Accordingly, the service provider 450 of the wired communication service system

400 can charge the user different fees for the graded normal and premium service. Furthermore, time-based setting and the use of a password can be managed and contracted as different services.

[124] When the contract has been agreed to, the user 501 must make a connection to the wired communication service system 400 and input desired reception acceptance conditions at step S22. In this case, the user 501 may conduct the input of the reception acceptance conditions by making a connection to the voice mailbox via the user's terminal 500, or by making a connection to a web page, which is provided by the wired communication service system 400, via a computer terminal.

[125] In this case, the reception acceptance conditions may be reception acceptance telephone numbers that can be set according to group and grade, time-based reception acceptance information that allows the user to set desired reception- acceptable calling parties in each desired time period and thus allows calls from those calling parties to be accepted, and password setting information that allows a password to be requested at the time of accepting a call.

[126] After the reception acceptance conditions have been input by the user 501 as described above, the wired communication service system 400 stores the reception acceptance conditions in the database 411 at step S23.

[127] Meanwhile, when a call connection request signal is received from the calling party's terminal 510 to the user's terminal 500 at step S24, the wired communication service system 400 compares the calling information of the calling party's terminal 510 with the reception acceptance conditions of the user 501, which have been stored in the database 411, at step S25, generates a ring signal and connects a call to the user's terminal 500 at step S26 if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and connects the call to the voice mailbox of the user 501 at step S27 if the call information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[128] If a connection to the voice mailbox is made, the voice mailbox provides notification of the fact that the telephone number of the calling party's terminal 510 is not listed in the telephone number list included in the reception acceptance information using a guidance announcement, and then accepts the registration of request messages by providing guidance announcements for prompting a calling party to register the request messages. In this case, the request messages refer to the emergency call request message, the reception acceptance condition registration request message and the password request message, described above.

[129] When the request messages from the calling party's terminal 510 are registered, the registered request messages are transmitted to the user's terminal 60 in a voice message form according to the calling party's selection. In this case, the request messages may be transmitted via a user's separate wireless communication terminal or e-mail.

[130] Accordingly, the user 501 can accept calls from desired people in the desired time periods.

[131] The above-described service can benefit the service provider 450 of the wired communication service system 400, and is very effective for discriminating people, who selectively receive calls, performers, who cannot receive calls from reporters and enthusiastic fans, high-ranking government officials, who desire to receive only important emergency calls, broadcasters, executives of large businesses, diplomats, legal experts, and athletes.

[132] Accordingly, the service provider 450 of the wired communication service system

400 prompts users to subscribe for the service through large scale advertising, which increases the benefits of allowing calls to be selectively connected, therefore business using the wired communication service system 400 can be better managed.

Industrial Applicability

[133] As described above, in accordance with the wireless and wired communication service systems capable of providing selective communication service, and the service methods using the respective communication systems according to the present invention, desired reception acceptance condition data, such as call acceptance telephone numbers, text massages and e-mails, are received from a user and stored, reception acceptance conditions are searched for only when there is a communication request from a calling party's terminal, and selective communication is performed only when the conditions are satisfied, so that service can be provided so as to accept only calls desired by the user and, at the same time, users' demands and preferences can be met in various ways using services diversified according to group, grade and time. Accordingly, from a user's point of view, a better quality of service can be provided to the user so that communication pollution, which occurs in various forms, such as undesired calls, SMS messages and e-mails, can be avoided. Furthermore, from a service provider's point of view, profits, attributable to the attraction and increase of subscribers and the new source of profits, can be increased.

Claims

[1] A wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service, the wireless communication service system comprising: a wireless mobile switching center for transmitting calling information and a command request message to an outside when receiving a call connection request signal from a calling party's terminal, generating a ring signal and connecting a call to a user's terminal when receiving a call connection acceptance command message in response to the transmission, and blocking the call when receiving a call connection denial command message; and a control server for receiving reception acceptance conditions from the user and storing the received conditions in a database, and when receiving the calling information and the command request message from the wireless mobile switching center, comparing calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database, transmitting the call connection acceptance command signal to the wireless mobile switching center if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and transmitting the call connection denial command signal to the wireless mobile switching center if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[2] The wireless communication service system according to claim 1, further comprising: a Short Message Service (SMS) message processing center for transmitting the calling information and the command request message to the control server when receiving an SMS message transmission request from the calling party's terminal, transmitting an SMS message to the user's terminal when receiving a transmission acceptance command message from the control server, and blocking transmission of the SMS message when receiving a transmission denial command message; and an electronic (e)-mail server for transmitting the calling information and the command request message to the control server when receiving e-mail from the calling party's terminal, transmitting the e-mail to the user's terminal when receiving the transmission acceptance command message from the control server, and storing the e-mail in a spam mailbox or deleting the e-mail when receiving the transmission denial command massage.

[3] The wireless communication service system according to claim 2, wherein the

SMS message processing center converts the SMS message, along with received information, into a text file and transmits the text file to the e-mail server when the transmission denial command message is received.

[4] The wireless communication service system according to claim 1, wherein the control server comprises: a database; an external interface module for performing an interface function so as to operate in conjunction with the wireless mobile switching center, the SMS message processing center and an e-mail server; a voice mailbox service module for providing a voice mailbox to the user's terminal; a reception acceptance condition setting module for receiving the reception acceptance conditions and storing the received conditions in the database; and when receiving the calling information and the command request message from any of the wireless mobile switching center, the SMS message processing center and the e-mail server, a control module for comparing the received calling information with the reception acceptance conditions, which have been stored in the database, and transmitting a corresponding command message to any of the wireless mobile switching center, the SMS message processing center and the e- mail server.

[5] The wireless communication service system according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the wireless mobile switching center connects the call to the voice mailbox when the call connection denial command message is received.

[6] The wireless communication service system according to claim 4, wherein, when a connection of a call, reception of which has been denied, is made, the voice mailbox provides a call impossibility guidance announcement and then provides a guidance announcement for prompting input of a request message, thereby allowing the request message to be registered.

[7] The wireless communication service system according to claim 6, wherein the request message is at least one of an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message, and a password request message.

[8] The wireless communication service system according to claim 6, wherein the voice mailbox converts the registered request message into any of voice message, SMS message and e-mail forms and transmits a result of the conversion to the user's terminal.

[9] The wireless communication service system according to claim 1, wherein the reception acceptance conditions are input to the control server via any of a wired or wireless Internet and a voice mailbox.

[10] The wireless communication service system according to claim 1, wherein the reception acceptance conditions comprise: reception acceptance calling party information including at least one of a reception- acceptable telephone number, SMS message and e-mail address of each calling party, from which the user accepts to receive a call; and time-based reception acceptance information for allowing the user to set desired reception- acceptable calling parties for each desired time period.

[11] The wireless communication service system according to claim 10, wherein the reception acceptance calling party information is set so as to be classified as at least one of a group or a grade according to type and degree of importance.

[12] The wireless communication service system according to claim 10, wherein the reception acceptance calling party information is constructed by downloading a telephone number list and an address directory, which have been stored in the user's terminal, to the control server via an Internet.

[13] The wireless communication service system according to claim 10, wherein the reception acceptance conditions further comprise password setting information, the password setting information including a password and grade setting information and allowing a call to be accepted through reception of a password from the user and a request for the password from a user having a grade lower than a predetermined grade when a request for call connection is received.

[14] A service method using a wireless communication service system capable of providing selective communication service to a user, the service method comprising the steps of: receiving reception acceptance conditions set by the user; storing the reception acceptance conditions in a database; and when any of a call connection request signal, an SMS message transmission request signal and an e-mail transmission request signal is received from a calling party's terminal, comparing calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database, connecting a call if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and blocking the call if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[15] The service method according to claim 14, wherein the reception acceptance conditions are input to the wireless communication service system via any of a wired or wireless Internet and a voice mailbox.

[16] The service method according to claim 14, wherein the reception acceptance conditions comprise: reception acceptance calling party information including at least one of a reception- acceptable telephone number, SMS message and e-mail address of each calling party, from which the user accepts to receive a call; and time-based reception acceptance information for allowing the user to set desired reception- acceptable calling parties for each desired period.

[17] The service method according to claim 16, wherein the reception acceptance calling party information is set so as to be classified as at least one of a group and a grade according to type and degree of importance.

[18] The service method according to claim 16, wherein the reception acceptance calling party information is constructed by downloading a telephone number list and an address directory, which have been stored in the user's terminal, to the wireless communication service system via an Internet.

[19] The service method according to claim 16, wherein the reception acceptance conditions further comprise password setting information including a password and grade setting information, the password setting information allowing a call to be accepted through reception of the password from the user and a request for the password from a user having a grade lower than a predetermined grade when a request for call connection is received.

[20] The service method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of the user requesting the communication service from a wireless communication service system service provider and entering into a contract for the service.

[21] The service method according to claim 20, wherein the reception acceptance conditions are differently set according to a grade of the contract between the user and the wireless communication service system service provider.

[22] The service method according to claim 14, wherein the blocked call is connected to a voice mailbox.

[23] The service method according to claim 22, wherein, when a connection of the blocked call is made, the voice mailbox provides a call connection impossibility message as an announcement and then provides a guidance announcement for prompting input of a request message, thereby allowing the request message to be registered.

[24] The service method according to claim 23, wherein the request message is at least one of an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message, and a password request message.

[25] The service method according to claim 23, wherein the registered request message is converted into any of voice message, SMS message and e-mail forms and is transmitted to the user's terminal.

[26] The service method according to claim 14, wherein the blocked SMS message and e-mail are stored in a spam storage box, and are automatically deleted, either after a predetermined period of time or immediately.

[27] A wired communication service system capable of providing selective communication service, the wired communication service system comprising: a switching center for transmitting calling information and a command request message to an outside when receiving a call connection request signal from a calling party's terminal, generating a ring signal and connecting a call to a user's terminal when receiving a call connection acceptance command message, and blocking the call when receiving a call connection denial command message; and a control server for receiving reception acceptance conditions from the user and storing the received conditions in a database, and when receiving the calling information and the command request message from the switching center, comparing calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database, transmitting the call connection acceptance command signal to the switching center if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and transmitting the call connection denial command signal to the wireless mobile switching center if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[28] The wired communication service system according to claim 27, further comprising a voice mailbox center for providing a voice mailbox to the user's terminal, wherein the blocked call is connected to the voice mailbox.

[29] The wired communication service system according to claim 28, wherein, when a connection of the blocked call is made, the voice mailbox provides a call impossibility guidance announcement and then provides a guidance announcement for prompting input of a request message, thereby allowing the request message to be registered.

[30] The wired communication service system according to claim 29, wherein the request message is at least one of an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message, and a password request message.

[31] The wired communication service system according to claim 29, wherein the voice mailbox converts the registered request message as any of voice message, SMS message and e-mail forms and transmits a result of the conversion to the user's terminal.

[32] The wired communication service system according to claim 28, wherein the voice mailbox provides voice guidance announcements for prompting input of the reception acceptance conditions, the input reception acceptance conditions being transmitted to the control server.

[33] The wired communication service system according to claim 32, wherein the control server provides a web page via an Internet, thereby receiving the reception acceptance conditions from the user.

[34] The wired communication service system according to claim 27, wherein the reception acceptance conditions comprise: reception acceptance calling party information including a reception- acceptable telephone number of each calling party, from which the user accepts to receive a call; and time-based reception acceptance information for allowing the user to set desired reception- acceptable calling parties for each desired time period.

[35] The wired communication service system according to claim 34, wherein the reception acceptance calling party information is set so as to be classified as at least one of a group and a grade according to type and degree of importance.

[36] The wired communication service system according to claim 34, wherein the reception acceptance conditions further comprise password setting information, the password setting information including password and grade setting information and allowing a call to be accepted through reception of the password from the user and a request for the password from a user having a grade lower than a predetermined grade when a request for call connection is received.

[37] A service method using a wired communication service system capable of providing selective communication service to a user, the service method comprising the steps of: receiving reception acceptance conditions set by the user; storing the reception acceptance conditions in a database; and when any of a call connection request signal, an SMS message transmission request signal and an e-mail transmission request signal is received from a calling party's terminal, comparing calling information with the reception acceptance conditions stored in the database, connecting a call if the calling information satisfies the reception acceptance conditions, and blocking the call if the calling information does not satisfy the reception acceptance conditions.

[38] The service method according to claim 37, wherein the reception acceptance conditions are input to the control server via any of a wired or wireless Internet and a voice mailbox.

[39] The service method according to claim 37, wherein the reception acceptance conditions comprise: reception acceptance calling party information including at least one of a reception- acceptable telephone number, SMS message and e-mail address of each calling party, from which the user accepts to receive a call; and time-based reception acceptance information for allowing the user to set desired reception- acceptable calling parties for each desired time period.

[40] The service method according to claim 39, wherein the reception acceptance calling party information is set so as to be classified as at least one of a group and a grade according to type and degree of importance.

[41] The service method according to claim 39, wherein the reception acceptance conditions further comprise password setting information, the password setting information including a password and grade setting information and allowing a call to be accepted through reception of the password from the user and a request for the password from a user having a grade lower than a predetermined grade when a request for call connection is received.

[42] The service method according to claim 37, further comprising the step of the user requesting the communication service from a wireless communication service system service provider and entering into a contract for the service.

[43] The service method according to claim 42, wherein the reception acceptance conditions are differently set according to a grade of the contract between the user and the wireless communication service system service provider.

[44] The service method according to claim 37, wherein the blocked call is connected to a voice mailbox.

[45] The service method according to claim 44, wherein, when a connection of the blocked call is made, the voice mailbox provides a call connection impossibility message as an announcement and then provides a guidance announcement for prompting input of a request message, thereby allowing the request message to be registered.

[46] The service method according to claim 45, wherein the request message is at least one of an emergency call request message, a reception acceptance condition registration request message, and a password request message.

[47] The service method according to claim 45, wherein the registered request message is converted into any of voice message and SMS message form and is transmitted to the user's terminal.