WO2003058990A1 - Method for the intuitive identification and use of mobile telecommunication services from a broad portfolio of services via mobile telecommunication terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates a method for the intuitive identification and use of mobile telecommunication services from a broad portfolio of services via mobile telecommunication terminals (10). According to the invention, a software is provided on/in a mobile telecommunication terminal or a device linked with said terminal for the purpose of data transmission. Said software permits the subscriber to initiate a search inquiry for a certain piece of information or a certain mobile service by inputting at least one search key characterising the sought-after piece of information or the sought-after service on the telecommunication terminal. The input search key is transmitted to a central device (12) via a mobile communication network (11), in which device a suitable mobile service is identified by means of the transmitted search key using at least one internal or external source of information (14) . If the central device manages to identify at least one suitable mobile service, an identification information of the mobile service is transmitted to the mobile telecommunication terminal via the mobile radio network.

Description

Process for the intuitive identification and use of mobile telecommunication services from a wide range of services via mobile telecommunication terminals

The invention relates to a method for the intuitive identification and use of mobile telecommunication services from a broad service portfolio via mobile telecommunication terminals.

Mobile phone companies, mobile phone providers and other service providers offer mobile phone users numerous services such as TEGARON, EASY-Gate, information & mediation, WAP services, etc. The subscriber can use a mobile telecommunication terminal, e.g. a mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a laptop, etc.

Due to the increasing number of services offered, the problem arises that subscribers who do not use these services regularly only have an overview of all the services offered in the rarest of cases. For this reason, many services are used only to a very limited extent, since the participants are often not aware that these specific services are offered. In order to get a comprehensive overview of the entire range of services, the participants would have to inform themselves thoroughly and deal with a large number of brochures, leaflets, etc. Only a few participants bother.

Furthermore, the menu structure used and which can be called up on the mobile telecommunication terminal for the use of mobile communication services is partly incomprehensible and too complicated for the majority of the participants. This may be due to the fact that the usable data transmission rate on the one hand and the display options of the display on the other hand are often limited in mobile telecommunications terminals. So far, the participants have to work their way through keyboard input through a given menu structure to the actual service. This is too tedious for many participants and involves the risk of incorrect operation.

The object of the invention is to specify a method which enables users of mobile communication services to easily and conveniently identify those relevant to them from a wide range of services. In addition, the invention is intended to enable the intuitive use of a large number of mobile telecommunication services.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the features specified in claim 1.

The invention aims to increase the use and acceptance of mobile radio services by reducing or eliminating user barriers to use.

This is achieved according to the invention in that software is provided on / in the mobile telecommunication terminal or a device connected to it for data transmission, which enables a subscriber to enter a search query on the telecommunication terminal. A search query for a specific piece of information or a specific mobile service is carried out by entering at least one search term characterizing the searched information or the searched service

Telecommunication terminal initiated. The entered search term is transmitted to a central facility via a mobile communication network, in which a suitable mobile service is identified on the basis of the transmitted search term using at least one internal or external information source. Can from the central If at least one suitable mobile service is identified, identification information about the mobile service is transmitted to the mobile telecommunications terminal via the mobile radio network.

The identification information is preferably a direct dial number assigned to the mobile service, which is transmitted to the mobile telecommunications terminal via the mobile radio network. By dialing the transmitted direct dial number, the subscriber can establish a connection to the desired service.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention it can be provided that, instead of transmitting the identification information of the determined service, a direct connection is established between the determined mobile service and the telecommunication terminal via the mobile radio network at the instigation of the central device. In this way, the subscriber can directly access the corresponding mobile service.

In a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that, instead of transmitting the identification information of the determined service, the search request is forwarded from the central device to the mobile service, the searched information is determined there, processed and transmitted directly to the telecommunication terminal via the mobile communication network , In this case, the participant is automatically sent an appropriately prepared answer to his search query.

A database is preferably set up in the central device and contains information about at least a selection of available mobile services. Each service recorded in the database is linked to a number of terms which are characteristic of the service, the search term being compared with the terms which characterize the respective services in the context of a search query in order to identify a suitable service. Becomes If a suitable mobile service is determined, the subscriber is informed of the service found, as described above, or the search query is passed on directly to the service.

As a telecommunication terminal, z. B. a mobile phone can be used. Basically, however, PDAs or other mobile telecommunication terminals are also suitable. As a data-transmitting device connected to the telecommunications terminal z. B. a subscriber identity module SIM can be used on which the software is stored.

Instead of entering the search term via the keyboard of the terminal, an entry can be made via an existing speech recognition system or one integrated within the software. An entry via font recognition or a scanner is also possible.

The advantages of the invention are obvious.

The users can access mobile telecommunications services without having to know or study the entire range of services. You can access and use mobile telecommunication services without having to learn predetermined menu and operating structures.

With just a few operating steps, the participants can access the desired

Access information or the desired service.

For telecommunications and service providers, there is the advantage that the acceptance and use of previously little-known and little-used services can be increased without much marketing effort. This is achieved by the fact that the user-friendliness of the services is increased by the method according to the invention and thus the subscriber acceptance is increased. Overall, the training effort in sales as well as the communication effort with the participants to explain the services can be reduced.

The subject of the invention arises not only from the subject of the individual claims, but also from the combination of the individual claims with one another. All of the information and features disclosed in the documents, including the summary, in particular the spatial design shown in the drawings are claimed to be essential to the invention insofar as they are new to the prior art, individually or in combination.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawing figure. This results in further features, advantages and areas of application of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the function of the invention and the facilities involved.

A mobile radio subscriber, also referred to below as a user, has a mobile telecommunications terminal 10 in the form of a mobile radio telephone, on the SIM card 16 of which software is stored which enables the entry of search terms e.g. via the keyboard or via a speech recognition software integrated in the mobile telecommunication terminal and a subsequent transmission of the search term to a central facility, e.g. in the form of a central server 12.

If the mobile radio subscriber travels in a traffic jam, for example on the A61 motorway near Meckenheim, and requires information about how long this traffic jam is, he either gives it via the keyboard of his mobile telecommunications terminal 10, hereinafter referred to as MTEG, or the integrated one Speech recognition software uses its search term, e.g. B. "Traffic jam A61 near Meckenheim" (step 1).

When the user has finished entering the search terms, he activates e.g. The search function by pressing a button on the MTEG 10. If not already available, a connection to the central server 12 is now established via the mobile radio network 11. The central server 12 is e.g. Can be reached via a specific service number (step 2).

The search term “traffic jam information A61 at Meckenheim” is then transmitted from the MTEG 10 via the mobile radio network 11 directly to the central server 12 and transferred there to an internal or external search engine 13. The central server 12 can be set up, for example, at a mobile radio company A database 14 is also set up in this central server 12 and contains information about all mobile services offered by the mobile radio company and corresponding other service providers etc. The search engine 13 is connected to the services database 14 (step 3).

Each service offered is linked in database 14 to a broad spectrum of related terms, similar to a thesaurus. Example: The traffic information service TEGARON offered in the German D1 mobile radio network would be in database 14 e.g. linked with the following terms: traffic jam, traffic jam information, traffic jam, motorway, traffic jam detector, traffic information, road information, A1, A2, A3 .... A61, A7, A8 ..., Aachen, Bergheim, Calw, ..., Meckenheim, etc ,

The search engine 13 now compares the search term “traffic jam information A61 Meckenheim” with the terms that are linked to the services referenced in the database and in this example finds the traffic information service TEGARON based on the terms that match the search query. The search request is then automatically forwarded from the central server 12 to a corresponding server 15 of the respective service, in this case to the TEGARON server (step 4 a)

The search query is then compared with the information in the database of the service concerned, in this example with the TEGARON database (step 5 a)

Is there information on the (TEGARON) service server 15, in this case congestion information relating to the A61, that matches the user's request, e.g. "6 kilometers of traffic jams between Meckenheim and Rheinbach", this information is transferred to the user directly via his mobile network 1 1 on his MTEG 10 (step 6a).

The traffic jam information "6 kilometers of traffic jams between Meckenheim and Rheinbach" is then shown on the display of the MTEG 10 or output as voice information.

At the same time, the user can receive an inquiry as to whether he would like to save the relevant service, here the traffic information service TEGARON, as a favorite, similar to the known Internet browsers.

If the user confirms the favorites request positively, the direct dial no. e.g., in the example the direct dial number of the TEGARON service is saved on the SIM card or in the phone book on the SIM card of the MTEG 10. Similar to known Internet browsers, the user can choose whether he wants to transfer the name TEGARON for the service into the phone book on the SIM card or whether he wants to assign a name of his own choice for the service.

If there is no information on the service server 12 that matches the user's request, information about a suitable service or the direct dial number is preferably provided. of the service, here the direct dial number. of TEGARON, transmitted to the MTEG 10 of the user via the mobile radio network 1 1 and appears in the display of the MTEG 10. The user is informed that no information is currently available for his request (step 4 b).

The user can now directly access the offered TEGARON service by confirming the message and, if necessary, directly enter further requests.

Similar to Internet browsers, the user can also choose whether to transfer the name TEGARON for the service to the phone book on the SIM card or whether to assign a new (own) name for the service.

Claims

claims 1 . Method for the intuitive identification and use of mobile telecommunication services from a broad service portfolio via mobile telecommunication terminals (10), with the following steps: Providing software on / in the mobile telecommunication terminal (10) or a device (16) connected to it for data transmission, which enables a subscriber to enter a search query on the telecommunication terminal; Initiating a search query for specific information or a specific mobile service by entering at least one search term characterizing the searched information or the searched service on the telecommunication terminal (10); Transmitting the entered search term via a mobile communication network (1 1) to a central device (12); The central device identifies a suitable mobile service (15) on the basis of the transmitted search term using at least one internal or external information source (13, 14); Transmission of identification information relating to at least one mobile service (15) via the mobile radio network (11) to the mobile telecommunication terminal (10) if a suitable mobile service has been identified. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the identification information is a direct dial number assigned to the mobile service (15) or another service identifier which is transmitted to the mobile telecommunications terminal (10) via the mobile radio network (1 1). 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, instead of transmitting the identification information of the determined service or additionally, at the instigation of the central device (12) a direct connection between the determined mobile service (15) and the telecommunication terminal (10) via the Cellular network is established. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, instead of transmitting the identification information of the determined service, the search request is forwarded from the central device (12) to the mobile service (15), where the information sought is determined, processed and via the Mobile communication network is transmitted directly to the telecommunications terminal (10). 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a database (14) is set up in the central device (12), which contains information about at least a selection of available mobile services. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each service recorded in the database (14) is linked to a number of terms characteristic of the service, the search term being compared with the terms characterizing the respective services in order to identify a suitable service becomes. 7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a mobile radio telephone is used as the telecommunications terminal (10). 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that as a data-transmitting device (16) connected to the telecommunications terminal (16) Subscriber identity module SIM is used, on which the software is stored. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the search term is entered via a speech recognition system, a script recognition system or a scanner integrated in the mobile telecommunications terminal (10).