HK1086975B - Selecting a data transfer method - Google Patents

Description

Selective data transfer method

Technical Field

The invention relates to selecting a data transfer method for use in a telecommunication system.

Background

Existing wireless terminal equipment, such as mobile stations, are provided with several different ways of transmitting messages to a telecommunications network or to another terminal equipment. Many terminal devices support the delivery of short messages (short message service SMS), multimedia messages (multimedia message service MMS) and e-mail messages, for example, in text form. Since e.g. SMS and MMS messages allow different types of information to be transmitted, each different message type is provided with its own unique editor. When a user wants to transmit a message, he or she typically first has to select a data transmission application for transmitting the message. After the user has selected the data transfer application, a message editor opens at the user interface to allow the user to enter a message using, for example, the keypad of the terminal device. An example of such a terminal device is the Nokia Communicator (Nokia Communicator), where in the messaging view, all that is needed is to select whether the message to be transmitted is an email message, a short message or a fax and to open a dedicated message editor accordingly.

It is not always clear to an unskilled user which editor to select to deliver the desired message. For example, if the user wants to transmit modified text, he or she would select the MMS application (and editor) instead of the SMS application because the modified text cannot be transmitted as an SMS message. Such special features and limitations of the data transfer method and the editor used therein are often unclear to the user, which causes problems in transferring messages, making the user dissatisfied. A particular problem with SMS messages has been addressed by the Nokia communicator device in which an editor detects when a message length entered by a user exceeds a maximum length, and when so, prevents the message from being transmitted as an SMS message. But this known solution does not help the user to take into account all other limitations of the data transfer method when selecting the data transfer method.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention therefore aims to provide a method and an apparatus implementing the method to avoid or at least alleviate the above problems. The object of the invention is achieved by a method, a terminal device and a computer program product having the features disclosed in the independent claims. Some embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, at least a part of the characteristic information relating to the message being entered or already entered is checked. For transmitting the message, a data transmission method associated with the property information under predetermined selection conditions is selected.

Hereby, a method according to the present invention for selecting a data transfer method in a telecommunication system in which several data transfer methods are present for selection, the method comprising: determining a message to be transmitted based on input received from a user; checking at least a part of characteristic information relating to a message being input or having been input; and selecting a data transfer method associated with characteristic information of the message under a predetermined selection condition so as to transfer the message, the characteristic information being one of: an information type specifying a format of information entered in and/or selected for the message; an identifier of the recipient; the type of recipient identifier.

The present invention also provides a terminal device configured to determine a message to be transmitted based on input received from a user, the terminal device further configured to: checking at least a part of characteristic information relating to a message being input or having been input; and the terminal device is configured to: for transmitting the message, a data transfer method is selected which is associated with property information of the message under a predetermined selection condition, the property information being one of the following: an information type specifying a format of information entered in and/or selected for the message; an identifier of the recipient; the type of recipient identifier.

The device of the invention has the advantages that: the data transfer method may be automatically selected based on one or more characteristics of the message. In this case, the user need not be aware of the limitations of the data transfer method, but may select a data transfer method suitable for transferring the message according to the predetermined selection condition. The invention makes messages easier to transmit from, for example, new types of mobile stations that support multiple alternative data transmission methods.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more information types of information input and/or selected for a message are checked. A data transfer method associated with the determined one or more information types under the selection condition is selected. This embodiment allows to select a data transfer method that supports the transfer of the content of the message to be transferred.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the type of identifier of the recipient entered or selected by a user who is the recipient of the message is checked. A data transfer method associated with the type of identifier of the receiver determined under the selection conditions is then selected. This embodiment allows to select a data transfer method that supports data transfer of the network according to the type of the recipient identifier or according to the type of the recipient identifier.

Drawings

The invention will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some embodiments are shown:

figure 1 shows generally a telecommunications system including a mobile communications network and its services;

FIG. 2 shows a mobile station according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an embodiment; and

fig. 4a and 4b illustrate how selection conditions are used according to some embodiments.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, the operation procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the GSM system and the third generation 3GPP system. The invention is, however, also applicable to any telecommunication system in which it is necessary to select the data transfer method to be used for a message to be transmitted. Another example to which the invention can be applied is a mobile station comprising access means for accessing a wireless local area network. The data transfer method selection according to the invention can also be applied, for example, to portable computers which allow messages to be transferred using a plurality of different data transfer methods, for example by means of a wired connection, a WLAN connection, a GPRS connection or a bluetooth connection.

Fig. 1 shows generally a telecommunication system comprising a mobile communication network MNW which allows data to be transferred to the internet or to a PSTN network. The mobile communication network MNW provides several telecommunication services (teleservice) TS for the mobile station MS. Examples of such remote services TS include: call set-up service to PLMN network, data transfer service to internet, SMS service, MMS service and fax service. A network element outside the mobile communication network MNW may also provide a remote service TS for a mobile station MS of the mobile communication network MNW, for example so that the server S of the internet access provider comprises an e-mail service. The teleservice TS may also be an end-to-end service, wherein the mobile communication network only acts as an intermediate network. The mobile communication network MNW utilizes the bearer service BS to effect data transfer between the mobile communication network MNW and the mobile station MS. Examples of bearer service BSs include circuit switched calls for data and voice transfer or PDP (packet data protocol) contexts providing packet switched data transfer of GPRS networks and the data transfer protocols used therefor.

An example of a mobile communication network MNW is a third generation mobile communication system defined by the 3GPP (third generation partnership project) organization and referred to as 3GPP system or UMTS system, wherein the main parts of the mobile communication system are the core network CN and the UMTS terrestrial radio access network UTRAN. The UTRAN typically comprises several radio network subsystems RNS, the interface between which is called lur (not shown). The RNS includes a radio network controller RNC and one or more base stations (also referred to as node bs). The base station is responsible for implementing the radio path and the radio network controller RNC manages these radio resources. The connection to the UMTS core network CN may also be provided through a GSM base station subsystem BSS or a GSM/EDGE radio access network (enhanced data rates for GSM evolution) GERAN. The core network CN comprises infrastructure external to the UTRAN and belonging to the mobile communication system. In the core network, a mobile switching centre/visitor location register 3G-MSC/VLR is responsible for circuit switched calls and communicates with a home subscriber server HSS.

The 3GPP system also includes a packet radio system that is implemented primarily in accordance with the GPRS system connected to the GSM network. The UMTS packet radio system may comprise several gateways and serving GPRS support nodes and usually several serving GPRS support nodes SGSN are connected to one gateway GPRS support node GGSN. The tasks at the serving GPRS support node SGSN are: detecting a mobile station having packet radio connection capability within its service area; to and from which such mobile stations are sent and from whose service areas the locations of these mobile stations are monitored. The gateway GPRS support node GGSN acts as a gateway between the UMTS network packet radio system and external packet data networks. The external data network may be, for example, a 3GPP or GPRS network of another network operator, the internet or a private local area network. The mobile communication network typically also comprises other functions (which may be implemented in separate network elements and/or in the above-mentioned network elements), such as an SMS centre, an MMS server and SIP functions. The 3GPP specifications define various network services between the mobile station and the core network, between the core network and the radio access network, and between the mobile station and the radio access network. The 3GPP specifications also define various service features (e.g. customized applications for mobile network enhanced logic CAMEL services) that can be exploited by various network services TS established by the network operator. The 3GPP system supports the following teleservices TS of the GSM system: voice service, fax service, circuit switched data, supplementary service, and unstructured supplementary service data, USSD, service. Another teleservice TS, such as voice over IP VoIP, will also be provided in 3GPP networks.

As shown in fig. 2, the mobile station MS comprises a memory MEM, a user interface UI, I/O means for arranging the transfer of I/O data, and a central processing unit CPU comprising one or more processors. Various applications APP may be implemented in the mobile station by executing in the CPU computer program code stored in the memory MEM. In order to enable at least some of the service BSs, TSs in the mobile communication network NMW that initiate message transfer to be utilized by the mobile station MS, data transfer applications APP are typically implemented in software in the mobile station MS, which cooperate with the network to implement the necessary negotiation, message encapsulation and transfer to the mobile communication network MNW according to the data transfer protocol used. Examples of such applications APP include circuit switched data transfer applications, packet switched data transfer applications, SMS applications, WAP applications, MMS applications, enhanced messaging service EMS applications, fax applications and email applications. Some of the above applications utilize the services of the data transfer method located lower in the protocol stack; for example, email applications utilize packet switched GPRS services. Accordingly, the computer program code executed in the central processing unit CPU may also allow the mobile station MS to implement innovative means relating to data transfer method selection; some embodiments of this innovative approach will be described below in conjunction with fig. 3, 4a and 4 b.

According to an embodiment, the mobile station MS uses in a centralized manner a message editor ED configured to select a data transfer application to be employed, for example one of the applications APP, for transferring the messages generated in the editor ED. The computer program may be stored in any memory means, e.g. on a hard disk of a PC or on a CD-ROM disc, downloadable therefrom into the memory MEM of the device MS executing the program. The computer program may also be downloaded via a network, using for example a TCP/IP protocol stack. The innovative measures can also be implemented in a hardware solution or a solution in combination of software and hardware.

Fig. 3 illustrates a method for selecting a data transfer method according to an embodiment, the method in the figure being applied in particular to a mobile station MS; according to an embodiment is applied to a message editor ED. In the method, step 300 includes activating a message determination operation. For example, the message editor ED may be started, thereby presenting the user with a message input view. Based on which message has been determined to be transmitted, input is received 301 from the user. The user may enter information into the message by, for example, entering characters and/or selecting a portion of information stored in advance, by, for example, selecting a photograph stored in the memory MEM to be attached to the message.

In step 302, at least a portion of the characteristic information relating to the message being entered or having been entered is examined. According to an embodiment, step 302 may be performed when the user has entered a message and has selected a message to be transmitted. Alternatively, step 302 may already be performed when a message is entered, e.g. when the user chooses to add information of a predetermined information type to the message. Step 302 may be performed when the user has selected and/or entered a recipient of the message.

In step 303, a data transfer method is selected according to a predetermined selection condition and according to at least a portion of the determined characteristic information. Under these selection conditions, one or more data transfer methods are associated with the property information. The selection conditions may be implemented in many different ways, for example in the form of a search table stored in the memory MEM. Different embodiments for implementing the selection conditions and for selecting the data transfer method using different characteristics of the message will be described in more detail below. In step 303, the data transfer method associated with the property information under predetermined selection conditions is selected such that a message is transferred. It is to be noted that the property information may also be associated with the data transfer method in an indirect way; for example in order to determine a direct association between a data transfer method and a part of the property information under the selection conditions, while using another data transfer method determined under the selection conditions for messages containing other property information, which property information may not even be mentioned in said selection conditions. If the selection condition does not determine the data transfer method to be used in relation to a part of the characteristic information of the message, the mobile station MS may be configured to select a default data transfer method indirectly associated with the characteristic information or to ask the user to select the data transfer method to be used. The selection criteria may have been determined in the mobile station MS at the time of manufacture of the device, but according to an embodiment the user may determine and/or alter at least some of the selection conditions. If there are multiple data transfer methods available for transferring messages of similar type, the user may pre-select a default data transfer method, e.g. an MMS message, instead of an EMS message. According to an embodiment, the selection conditions may be altered, for example, by the network operator or by another party, using, for example, device management protocols. According to another embodiment, the selection condition may determine: when a reply to the message is provided, i.e. the message to be transmitted is a reply message, the data transfer method to be used is selected according to the data transfer method of the previously received message.

After selecting the data transfer method, a message is transferred in step 304 using the selected data transfer method, for example one of the data transfer methods described above in connection with fig. 1 or fig. 2. When the method of fig. 3 is applied to a message editor ED, it may transfer a message to an application programming interface API of an application APP supporting and implementing the selected data transfer method. The application APP then transmits the message content according to the data transfer protocol it uses. The message editor ED may thus be shared by several messages according to different data transfer methods, for example by messages to be transferred by means of the SMS service and the MMS service. According to an embodiment, the message editor ED may activate a selected data transfer application and/or service. For example, a PDP context or WAP connection for a GPRS service may be established in response to a need to transfer a message and at least one characteristic thereof.

Fig. 4a illustrates how selection conditions are used which determine the data transfer method to be used for different information types according to an embodiment. One or more information types of information entered and/or selected for the message are then examined 400. The type of information thus relates to the format of the information contained in the message; the message may thus comprise one or more information types, for example as follows: text, modified text, still pictures, video images, recordings, calendar entries. In step 400, a data transfer method associated with the determined one or more information types under the selection conditions is selected 401 for transferring the message. This embodiment allows to always select a data transfer method that supports the transfer of information of one or more information types contained in the message. The selection condition may for example determine that a message containing an image file is always transmitted using the MMS service. Next, in step 400, it may be checked whether the message contains an image file. The selection conditions may also determine conditions relating to several different information types, for example, so that a message is always transmitted as an MMS message when it contains several information types.

The selection conditions may also determine the conditions under which a particular data transfer method is used. For example, the selection condition may determine: if the message contains only text, it is transmitted as an SMS message; otherwise it is always transmitted as an MMS message. Furthermore, according to an embodiment, the selection condition may also determine in more detail a single information type and a data transfer method for such an information type. The selection conditions may for example determine the data transfer method to be employed from a file attached to the message, for example a JPEG formatted picture is transferred as an MMS message and an e-mail application is used for a GIF formatted picture.

Fig. 4b illustrates how selection conditions are used which determine the data transfer method to be used for the type of recipient identifier according to another embodiment. Then, in step 410, the type of recipient identifier entered or selected by the user as the recipient of the message is checked. In step 411, a data transfer method is selected which is associated with the type of recipient identifier under the selection conditions and supports the transfer of the message according to the determined type. This embodiment allows to always select a data transfer method that supports data transfer according to the type of the recipient identifier or according to the type of the recipient identifier of the network.

According to an embodiment, the recipient identifier type is an IP address. The type may then be determined at step 410 upon detecting that the user has entered or is entering an IP address or a domain name describing an IP address. This type may be detected, for example, by step 410 based on the @ character used in the email address or based on the network address. Then, when it is detected that the identifier type is an IP address, a data transfer method associated therewith under selection conditions, such as a GPRS service based on IP data transfer, may be employed. Further, more detailed selection conditions may be employed; for example, when a user enters an email address, an email service may be selected as the data transfer method.

According to another embodiment, the recipient identifier type is a telephone number entered or selected by the user. Then, in step 410, it may be detected that the number is a telephone number based on the digits entered by the receiving party, and the data transfer method associated with the type under the selection conditions is selected 411. The present embodiment also allows more detailed selection conditions to be employed; for example to determine different data transfer methods for different telephone numbers and number sets. According to an embodiment, the mobile station MS is configured to check whether the number is a mobile subscriber number. For example, in a mobile station MS according to the GSM standard, it is possible to examine the first 3 to 6 digits of the entered digits and thus determine whether the receiver number is a mobile subscriber number on the basis of the GSM numbering system country code CC and the national destination code NDC. In particular, the selection conditions of the mobile station MS may be related to the use of SMS services and MMS services, determining that messages addressed to a mobile subscriber number are to be transmitted using only these services.

According to another embodiment the selection condition determines the data transfer method to be used for the identifiers of the different receivers. For example, the contact information determines a default data transfer method specific to the contact. Thus, when searching for contact information to obtain sending information (address or telephone number), it is checked whether the recipient information is already associated with a default data transfer method. The data transfer method is thus selected, and the characteristic information which has been determined under the selection conditions is, for example, a specific telephone number or IP address. The selection conditions contained in the contact information or stored separately may determine whether the recipient may receive e.g. an MMS message. The present embodiment thus allows to predetermine the data transfer method that is always used for transferring a message to a certain specific recipient or group of recipients.

The above embodiment may be applied to steps 302 and 303 of fig. 3. It is noted that several different selection conditions may be applied, or the selection conditions may determine several different criteria for selecting the data transfer method. For example, the embodiments shown in fig. 4a and 4b may be applied to a message editor ED. It is possible to let the selection condition comprise a combination of at least two data transfer methods associated with the property information for transferring the message with the property information mentioned above. For example, an MMS application is selected (303; 401) for a message containing image files, whereas MMS messages are transmitted using GPRS protocols.

According to an embodiment, if a plurality of data transfer methods are available for transferring a message based on the selection condition, the user is provided with information indicating the available data transfer methods. The data transfer method to be used for transferring the message is then selected based on the response received from the user. The present embodiment allows the user to select a data transfer method, allowing the user to select, for example, the lowest cost data transfer method to transfer a message as desired. It is also possible to require the user to confirm the automatically selected data transfer method and to transfer the message only when the user confirms the use of the data transfer method.

It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that with the advancement of technology, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not limited to the examples described above, but may vary within the scope of the claims. Various features may be omitted, modified or replaced by equivalents.

Claims (10)

1. A method for selecting a data transfer method in a telecommunication system in which several data transfer methods exist for selection, the method comprising:

determining a message to be transmitted based on input received from a user;

checking at least a part of characteristic information relating to a message being input or having been input; and

selecting a data transfer method associated with the characteristic information of the message under a predetermined selection condition for transferring the message, characterized in that:

the characteristic information is one of the following information: an information type specifying a format of information entered in and/or selected for the message; an identifier of the recipient; the type of recipient identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

applying the method to a message editor in a terminal device for inputting messages;

transmitting the message to a data transfer application supporting the selected data transfer method based on the selection of the data transfer method performed in the message editor; and

the message is delivered to the telecommunications network according to a data transfer protocol used by the data transfer application.

3. A method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by:

in response to receiving an input from the user, determining at least a portion of the characteristic information and selecting the data transfer method for transferring the message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

in response to having a number of data transfer methods available for transferring the message based on the selection condition, providing information to the user indicating the available data transfer methods; and

selecting a data transfer method to be used for transferring the message based on a response received from the user.

5. The method of any of claims 1-2, wherein:

in response to having a number of data transfer methods available for transferring the message based on the selection condition, providing information to the user indicating the available data transfer methods; and

selecting a data transfer method to be used for transferring the message based on a response received from the user.

6. A terminal device configured to determine a message to be transmitted based on input received from a user, the terminal device further configured to: checking at least a part of characteristic information relating to a message being input or having been input; and

the terminal device is configured to: for transmitting the message, a data transmission method associated with the characteristic information of the message under a predetermined selection condition is selected, characterized in that:

the characteristic information is one of the following information: an information type specifying a format of information entered in and/or selected for the message; an identifier of the recipient; the type of recipient identifier.

7. The terminal device of claim 6, wherein:

the terminal device is configured to: applying the data transfer method selection to a message editor for incoming messages;

the terminal device is configured to: transmitting the message to a data transfer application supporting the selected data transfer method based on the selection of the data transfer method performed in the message editor; and

the terminal device is configured to: the message is delivered to the telecommunications network according to a data transfer protocol used by the data transfer application.

8. The terminal device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by:

the terminal device is configured to: in response to receiving an input from the user, at least a portion of the characteristic information is determined and a data transfer method is selected for transferring the message.

9. The terminal device of claim 8, wherein:

the terminal device is configured to: in response to having a number of data transfer methods available for transferring the message based on the selection condition, providing information to the user indicating the available data transfer methods; and

the terminal device is configured to: selecting a data transfer method to be used for transferring the message based on a response received from the user.

10. The terminal device according to any of claims 6 to 7, characterized by:

the terminal device is configured to: in response to having a number of data transfer methods available for transferring the message based on the selection condition, providing information to the user indicating the available data transfer methods; and

the terminal device is configured to: selecting a data transfer method to be used for transferring the message based on a response received from the user.