Abstract:
A mobile terminal for canceling a reserved transmission of a multimedia message service (MMS) message, and a method for use in the same are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes: a controller to receive a reserved transmission cancellation request of an MMS message, and generating a request signal to cancel the MMS message reserved transmission; and a transmitting unit to transmit the generated request signal to a message provision server.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0094984, filed on Oct. 10, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a multimedia message service (MMS) message of a mobile terminal, and more particularly to a reserved transmission MMS message.  
         [0004]     2. Discussion of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Recently, a variety of wired or wireless message services, for example, a Short Message Service (SMS), an E-mail service, and a Multimedia Message Service (MMS), have been widely used throughout the world by wire or wirelessly.  
         [0006]     The above-mentioned message services have a variety of convenient functions. Specifically, a reserved transmission function is available for individual message services. The reserved transmission function allows a user to transmit a pre-written message at a desired time (i.e., a reserved time), such that it is considered to be the most convenient function from among the message service functions.  
         [0007]     As described above, the reserved transmission function allows a specific Web server to manage a reserved transmission message pre-written by the user via a Web-site of a enterprise, and transmits the pre-written reserved transmission message when a current time reaches a reserved transmission time prescribed in the above-mentioned reserved transmission message.  
         [0008]     In addition, the user can freely cancel a reserved transmission command for a reserved transmission message via a Web-site at any time.  
         [0009]     Although the above reserved message transmission and the above reserved message cancellation are generally executed via a Web-site by wire, mobile environments do not provide users or subscribers with message services via a Web-site due to limitations of a wireless scheme.  
         [0010]     Thereafter, a reserved transmission method for a message supported by mobile environments will hereinafter be described with reference to  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]     A Multimedia Message Service (MMS) available for mobile environments can perform an MMS reserved transmission function according to specifications (3GPP. TS. 23. 140) prescribed in 3GPP.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a flow chart illustrating a conventional reserved MMS message transmission between an MMS client and an MMS server.  
         [0013]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the MMS client  10  determines a reserved transmission time of an MMS message at an “X-Mms-Delivery-Time” field of the following Table 1 at step S 1 , and transmits the MMS message including the determined reserved transmission time to the MMS server  20  at step S 2 .  
         [0014]     The following table 1 shows a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) for performing a reserved transmission function of the MMS message using the MMS client in 3GPP MM1 interface.  
                       TABLE 1                       Information               element   Presence   Description                   Message type   Mandatory   M-Send.req       Transaction ID   Mandatory   A unique identifier for the               message.               This transaction ID identifies               the M-Send.req and the               corresponding reply only.       MMS Version   Mandatory   MMS Service Version       X-Mms-Message-Class   Optional       X-Mms-Expity   Optional       X-Mms-Delivery-Time   Optional   Time at which MMS message               is to be transmitted to               message receiver       X-Mms-Priority   Optional       X-Mms-Sender   Optional       Visibility       X-Mms-Delivery-   Optional       Report       X-Mms-Delivery-   Optional       Reply       Content-Type   Mandatory                  
 
         [0015]     If the MMS server  20  successfully receives the MMS message from the MMS client, it assigns an ID (Identifier) to the above-mentioned reserved-transmission MMS message, and adds the assigned ID to a message ID field of the following Table 2 at step S 4 .  
         [0016]     The MMS server  20  adds specific information indicating whether the MMS message is successfully received to the “Response Status” field shown in Table 2 at step S 5 .  
         [0017]     The MMS server  20  transmits includes the ID of the aforementioned reserved-transmission MMS message and the aforementioned specific information indicating whether the MMS message is successfully received in a specific signal, and transmits the specific signal including the ID and the specific information to the MMS client  10  at step S 6 .  
         [0018]     The MMS server  20  stores the received MMS message in its database, and determines whether a current time reaches a reserved transmission time prescribed in the MMS message at step S 7 . If the current time reaches the reserved transmission time at step S 7 , the MMS server  20  transmits the MMS message to a reception end at step S 8 .  
         [0019]     The following Table 2 shows a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) for performing a reserved transmission function of the MMS message using the MMS server in 3GPP MM1 interface.  
                       TABLE 2                       Information               element   Presence   Description                   Message type   Mandatory   M-Send.conf       Transaction ID   Mandatory   A unique identifier for the               message.               This transaction ID identifies               the M-Send.req and the               corresponding reply only.       MMS Version   Mandatory   MMS Service Version       X-Mms-Response-   Mandatory       Status       X-Mms-Response-   Optional       Text       Message ID   Optional   Unique ID assigned to               MMS message.               MMS server assigns message ID               to MMS message when the MMS               message is accepted.                  
 
         [0020]     However, an MM1 interface (i.e., a communication protocol for prescribing a transaction between the MMS client and the MMS server) prescribed in 3GPP does not prescribe a transaction capable of canceling a reserved transmission command of the reserved transmission message.  
         [0021]     Therefore, the MMS client cannot transmit a reserved transmission cancellation command of the reserved transmission message formed by a reserved transmission function to the MMS server  20 .  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a mobile terminal capable of canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message and a method for use in the same that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0023]     An object of the present invention is to provide a message transmission cancellation method for canceling a reserved transmission function of an MMS message, a mobile terminal, and a system thereof.  
         [0024]     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
         [0025]     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a mobile terminal for canceling a reserved transmission of a multimedia message service (MMS) message comprising: a controller to receive a reserved transmission cancellation request of an MMS message, and generating a request signal to cancel the MMS message reserved transmission; and a transmitting unit to transmit the generated request signal to a message provision server.  
         [0026]     In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for canceling a reserved transmission of a multimedia message service (MMS) message of a mobile terminal comprising: transmitting a multimedia message service (MMS) message for reserved transmission to a message provision server; receiving a reserved transmission cancellation request of the reserved-transmitted MMS message, generating a reserved transmission cancellation request signal of the MMS message; and transmitting the reserved transmission cancellation request signal to the message provision server.  
         [0027]     In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for canceling a reserved transmission of a multimedia message service (MMS) message of a mobile terminal comprising: selecting a predetermined MMS message for canceling a reserved transmission function from among at least one reserved transmission MMS message; generating a reserved transmission cancellation request signal of the selected MMS message; and transmitting the generated request signal to a message provision server.  
         [0028]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiments) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a flow chart illustrating a conventional reserved MMS message transmission between an MMS client and an MMS server;  
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal capable of canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message according to the present invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a transmitting unit according to the present invention;  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating a method for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message of a mobile terminal according to the present invention;  
         [0034]      FIGS. 5   a ˜ 5   e  exemplarily show screen images for designating a method for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message of a mobile terminal according to the present invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message of a message provision server according to the present invention; and  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating a system capable of canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0037]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0038]     A mobile terminal capable of canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message and a method for use in the same according to the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the annexed drawings.  
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating a mobile terminal capable of canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message according to the present invention.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a key entry unit  210  serves as a user interface, includes a plurality of number keys and a plurality of function keys, and transmits different key signals associated with the aforementioned keys to a controller  250 .  
         [0041]     The key entry unit  210  may be configured in the form of a keypad for the mobile communication terminal, a touch-panel, or a touch-screen, etc.  
         [0042]     The transmitting unit  220  modulates a reserved transmission request signal of an MMS message formed by a user into an RF signal, and transmits the RF signal to a message provision server.  
         [0043]     The message provision server assigns an ID to the MMS message received from the transmitting unit  220 , and transmits a reserved transmission result signal (ACK or NAK) including the aforementioned MMS message ID to the transmitting unit  220 .  
         [0044]     The transmitting unit  220  modulates the reserved transmission cancellation request signal of the MMS message formed by the controller  250  into an RF signal, and transmits the RF signal to the message provision server.  
         [0045]     The transmitting unit  220  receives a reserved transmission cancellation result signal of the above-mentioned reserved transmission cancellation request signal from the message provision server.  
         [0046]     The reserved transmission cancellation request signal and the reserved transmission cancellation result signal may be configured in the form of messages, such that the messages can be transmitted or received to/from the message provision server.  
         [0047]     The transmitting unit  220  will hereinafter be described with reference to  FIG. 3 .  
         [0048]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a transmitting unit according to the present invention.  
         [0049]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the transmitting unit  220  includes a duplexer  221 , a receiver  22 , and a transmitter  223 .  
         [0050]     The duplexer  221 , performs separation of an RF signal transmitted/received via an antenna (ANT).  
         [0051]     The receiver  222  is controlled by the controller  250 , receives the reserved transmission cancellation result signal from the duplexer  221 , decodes the received reserved transmission cancellation result signal, and outputs the decoded result to the controller  250 .  
         [0052]     The transmitter  223  modulates the reserved transmission cancellation request signal of the MMS message formed by the controller  250  into an RF signal, and outputs the RF signal to the duplexer  221 .  
         [0053]     A storage unit  230  includes a predetermined program for controlling overall operations of the above-mentioned mobile terminal, and stores various Input/Output data units generated when the mobile terminal is controlled by the controller  250 .  
         [0054]     The storage unit  230  is determined to be at least one of an internal memory and an external memory of the mobile communication terminal.  
         [0055]     Upon receiving a control signal from the controller  250 , the storage unit  230  stores the reserved transmission cancellation request signal of the MMS message, and the reserved transmission result signal associate with the reserved transmission request signal of the MMS message.  
         [0056]     The reserved transmission result signal includes ID information of the aforementioned MMS message.  
         [0057]     A display  240  receives display data corresponding to a key signal received from the key entry unit  210  upon receiving a control signal from the controller  250 , displays the received display data, and displays operation states of the mobile terminal and a plurality of information units thereof in the form of icons and characters.  
         [0058]     The display  240  displays a list of reserved transmission MMS messages stored in the storage unit  230  upon receiving a control signal from the controller  250 .  
         [0059]     In addition, the display  240  displays a reserved transmission cancellation result signal associated with the aforementioned reserved transmission cancellation request signal of the MMS message.  
         [0060]     The controller  250  controls overall operations of the above-mentioned mobile terminal.  
         [0061]     A method for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message according to the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail.  
         [0062]     If the controller  250  receives a specific key signal for canceling a reserved transmission of a specific MMS message from among the reserved transmission MMS messages from the key entry unit  210 , it creates a request signal for canceling a reserved transmission of the specific MMS message.  
         [0063]     Preferably, the above-mentioned request signal may be configured in the form of various formats.  
         [0064]     A method for creating the above-mentioned request signal of the controller  250  using the format prescribed in the 3GPP MM1 interface will hereinafter be described in detail.  
         [0065]     The following Table 3 shows an exemplary format of the above-mentioned request signal for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message.  
                               TABLE 3                                   Information                   element   Presence   Description                           Message type   Mandatory   Field indicative of reserved                   transmission cancellation                   request signal           Transaction ID   Mandatory   Field for adding reserved                   transmission cancellation                   request signal ID           MMS Version   Mandatory   Field indicative of MMS                   message version           Message ID   Mandatory   Field for adding ID of                   MMS message whose reserved                   transmission is to be                   cancelled                      
 
         [0066]     With reference to Table 3, when the message provision server receives a specific signal from the mobile communication terminal, the message-type field informs the message provision server that the specific signal is equal to the reserved transmission cancellation request signal.  
         [0067]     The transaction ID field is indicative of a field for adding ID information of the reserved transmission cancellation request signal.  
         [0068]     The reserved transmission cancellation request signal ID is indicative of an ID for identifying reserved transmission cancellation request signals of the reserved transmission MMS messages stored in the storage unit  230 .  
         [0069]     The MMS version field designates service version information of the MMS message.  
         [0070]     The message ID field is indicative of a field for adding ID information of the MMS message whose reserved transmission is to be cancelled.  
         [0071]     The controller  250  transmits the MMS message&#39;s reserved transmission cancellation request signal (i.e., M-Cancel.req) configured in the form of Table 3 to the message provision server via the transmitting unit  220 .  
         [0072]     The controller  250  receives the reserved transmission cancellation result signal associated with the reserved transmission cancellation request signal of the MMS message from the message provision server via the transmitting unit  220 .  
         [0073]     The following Table 4 shows an exemplary format of the reserved transmission cancellation result signal of the MMS message according to the present invention.  
         [0074]     The following Table 4 shows a Protocol Data Unit (hereinafter referred to as an “M-Cancel.conf”) newly defined when the message provision server transmits the reserved transmission cancellation result signal to the mobile terminal.  
                               TABLE 4                                   Information                   element   Presence   Description                           Message type   Mandatory   Field indicative of reserved                   transmission cancellation                   result signal           Transaction ID   Mandatory   Field for adding reserved                   transmission cancellation                   result signal ID           MMS Version   Mandatory   Field indicative of MMS                   message version           Request Status   Mandatory   Field for adding reserved                   transmission cancellation                   result content                      
 
         [0075]     With reference to Table 4, when the mobile terminal receives a specific signal from the mobile provision server, the message-type field informs the mobile terminal that the specific signal is equal to the reserved transmission cancellation result signal.  
         [0076]     The transaction ID field is indicative of a field for adding ID information of the reserved transmission cancellation result signal.  
         [0077]     The reserved transmission cancellation result signal ID has the same value as that of the reserved transmission cancellation request signal ID.  
         [0078]     The MMS version field designates service version information of the MMS message.  
         [0079]     The request status field is indicative of a field for adding the reserved transmission cancellation result content.  
         [0080]     The controller  250  stores the received reserved transmission cancellation result signal in the storage unit  230 , and analyzes the aforementioned result content added to the request status field of the reserved transmission cancellation result signal.  
         [0081]     The controller  250  displays the analyzed result content on the display  240 .  
         [0082]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating a method for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.  
         [0083]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , if a user selects a specific menu for canceling a reserved transmission function of a specific MMS message using the key entry unit  210  at step S 402  when the mobile terminal enters an idle state at step S 401 , the controller  250  of the mobile terminal retrieves MMS messages to be transmitted at reserved time(s) from the storage unit  230 , and displays the list of the MMS messages on the display  240  at step S 403 .  
         [0084]     If the user selects the specific MMS message, reserved transmission of which is to be cancelled, from the list of the MMS messages via the key entry unit  210  at step S 404 , the controller  250  forms a request signal for canceling the reserved transmission (i.e., a reserved transmission cancellation request signal) of the selected MMS message in the form of Table 3 at step S 405 .  
         [0085]     The controller  250  transmits the formed reserved transmission cancellation request signal to the message provision server via the transmitting unit  220  at step S 406 .  
         [0086]     If the controller receives the reserved transmission cancellation result signal associated with the reserved transmission cancellation request signal via the transmitting unit  220  at step S 407 , it stores the reserved transmission cancellation result signal in the storage unit  230  at step S 408 , and analyzes the aforementioned result content added to the request status field from among fields of the reserved transmission cancellation result signal at step S 409 . In this case, the format of the above-mentioned reserved transmission cancellation result signal is shown in Table 4.  
         [0087]     The controller  250  displays the analyzed result content on the display  240 .  
         [0088]      FIGS. 5   a ˜ 5   e  exemplarily show screen images for designating a method for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message of a mobile terminal according to the present invention.  
         [0089]     Referring to  FIGS. 5   a ˜ 5   d,  if a user presses a predetermined key to select a reserved transmission menu  510  from among MMS message menu items as shown in  FIG. 5   a,  the mobile terminal displays the list of MMS messages to be transmitted at reserved time(s) on a screen image as shown in  FIG. 5   b.    
         [0090]     If the user presses a menu key  520 , the mobile terminal displays a cancel key  540  to cancel a specific MMS message  530  to be cancelled from among the list of the aforementioned MMS message on a screen image as shown in  FIG. 5   c.    
         [0091]     If the user presses the cancel key  540  to select a specific MMS message  530  to be cancelled from among the list of the aforementioned MMS messages, the mobile terminal displays a reserved transmission cancellation window of the selected MMS message  530  on a screen image as shown in  FIG. 5   d.    
         [0092]     If the user presses a predetermined key  550  to cancel the reserved transmission of the selected MMS message  530  on the aforementioned reserved transmission cancellation window, the mobile terminal forms a request signal for canceling the reserved transmission of the selected MMS message  530 , and transmits the request signal to the message provision server.  
         [0093]     The mobile terminal receives a reserved transmission cancellation result signal associated with the reserved transmission cancellation request signal from the message provision server, analyzes the received reserved transmission cancellation result signal, and displays the analyzed result content on a screen image as shown in  FIG. 5   e.    
         [0094]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message of a message provision server according to the present invention.  
         [0095]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the message provision server receives the reserved transmission cancellation request signal of a specific MMS message from the mobile terminal at step S 601 .  
         [0096]     The message provision server parses the MMS message ID from the reserved transmission cancellation request signal at step S 602 .  
         [0097]     The message provision server parses the MMS message ID added to the message ID field of the reserved transmission cancellation request signal.  
         [0098]     The message provision server determines whether the same ID as the parsed MMS message ID is present in a database at step S 603 .  
         [0099]     If the same ID as the parsed MMS message ID is contained in the database at step S 604 , the message provision server cancels the reserved transmission of the MMS message corresponding to the same ID at step S 605 .  
         [0100]     If a predetermined period of time elapses under the condition that the reserved transmission of the MMS message is cancelled, the message provision server deletes the above MMS message associated with the cancelled reserved transmission, such that storage capacitance of the database can be increased.  
         [0101]     The message provision server configures the reserved transmission cancellation result signal associated with the reserved transmission cancellation request signal in the form of Table 4 at step S 606 .  
         [0102]     The message provision server transmits the above-mentioned reserved transmission cancellation result signal to the mobile terminal at step S 607 .  
         [0103]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram illustrating a system for canceling a reserved transmission of an MMS message according to the present invention.  
         [0104]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the mobile terminal  710  configures a reserved transmission cancellation request signal of a specific MMS message whose reserved transmission is to be cancelled in the form of Table 3, and transmits the reserved transmission cancellation request signal to the message provision sever  720 .  
         [0105]     The message provision server  720  receives the reserved transmission cancellation request signal from the mobile terminal  710 , and parses the MMS message ID from the received reserved transmission cancellation request signal.  
         [0106]     The message provision server  720  determines whether the same ID as the parsed MMS message ID is present in a database. If the same ID as the parsed MMS message ID is contained in the database, the message provision server  720  cancels the reserved transmission of the MMS message corresponding to the same ID.  
         [0107]     If a predetermined period of time elapses under the condition that the reserved transmission of the MMS message is cancelled, the message provision server  720  deletes the above MMS message associated with the cancelled reserved transmission, such that storage capacitance of the database can be increased.  
         [0108]     The message provision server  720  configures the reserved transmission cancellation result signal associated with the reserved transmission cancellation request signal in the form of Table 4.  
         [0109]     The message provision server transmits the above-mentioned reserved transmission cancellation result signal to the mobile terminal  710 .  
         [0110]     The mobile terminal  710  receives the reserved transmission cancellation result signal from the message provision server  720 , and stores the received reserved transmission cancellation result signal.  
         [0111]     The mobile terminal  710  analyzes the reserved transmission cancellation result content added to the request status field of the reserved transmission cancellation result signal, and displays the analyzed result content.  
         [0112]     As apparent from the above description, a message transmission cancellation method, a mobile terminal, and a system thereof according to the present invention implement a reserved transmission cancellation function of an MMS message differently from the conventional art, such that more convenient MMS message services can be supplied to user(s).  
         [0113]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.