Abstract:
A method for synchronizing use Information of a mobile communication terminal and a system are provided. In system and method, for synchronizing use information between a first mobile communication terminal and a second mobile communication terminal including short-range wireless communication units includes requesting connection for use information synchronization to the second mobile communication terminal by the first mobile communication terminal, if a response signal to the connection request is received from the second mobile communication terminal, transmitting use information of the first mobile communication terminal to the second mobile communication terminal, and updating by the second mobile communication terminal use information of the second mobile communication terminal using the transmitted use information of the first mobile communication terminal.

Description:
PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean Patent Application entitled “Method for Synchronizing Use Information of Mobile Communication Terminal” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jan. 31, 2005 and assigned Serial No. 2005-8622, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a method and system for synchronizing use information of a mobile communication terminal. In particular, the invention relates to a method for synchronizing use information between mobile communication terminals including a short-range wireless communication unit such as Bluetooth and a system implementing the same.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Generally, a mobile communication terminal refers to a device for providing a communication function enabling a user to exchange data or communicate with another user while moving. Such a mobile communication terminal comprises a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal communication service (PCS) phone, an international mobile telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) terminal, a global system for mobile communication (GSM) terminal and the like.  
         [0006]     This mobile communication terminal has become greatly popular. For this reason, in consideration of portability, the design of such a mobile communication terminal is tending toward compactness, slimness, and lightness and is advancing toward multimedia capability and more various functions.  
         [0007]     Although such a mobile communication terminal is designed to perform a telephone communication function, the mobile communication terminal is providing a short message transmitting/receiving function, a memory function used for storing or searching for phone numbers, a lock function, an alarm function, an area code confirmation function, and a schedule managing function besides the telephone communication function according to developments of communication techniques. In addition, recently, the mobile communication terminal is providing additional service functions such as a camera function, a digital broadcast receiving function, and a game function. Herein, the memory function is used for storing user memo records, a communication record list, a phone directory, transmitted/received messages and the like.  
         [0008]     As the mobile communication terminal described above becomes popular and generalized, a user downloads bell sounds or background images, which are output when a call is terminated, through Internet sites and the like, and stores them in a memory so as to make a user&#39;s own characteristic distinct.  
         [0009]     Meanwhile, data, such as the bell sounds, the communication record list, the phone directory, stored in the memory of the mobile communication terminal cannot be shared with other mobile communication terminals because the data are used only for the corresponding mobile communication terminal.  
         [0010]     In addition, when employing a Bluetooth terminal linked with a mobile communication terminal, a user usually puts the mobile communication terminal (a main body) in a user&#39;s bag and makes communication or transmits/receives short messages by using the Bluetooth terminal linked with the mobile communication terminal. For this reason, the mobile communication terminal stores use information, such as a communication record list, different from use information of the Bluetooth terminal in the memory.  
         [0011]     In other words, when the user intends to communicate with the other party, who was connected with the user through the mobile communication terminal before, by using the Bluetooth terminal again, the user must personally input the phone number of the other party into the Bluetooth terminal so as to place a call because the phone number of the other party is not included in the Bluetooth terminal even though the phone number is included in the communication record list of the mobile communication terminal.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     Accordingly, the present invention has been made to address the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method for synchronizing use information between mobile communication terminals comprising short-range wireless communication units and system implementing the same.  
         [0013]     To accomplish the above objects, a method is provided for synchronizing use information between a first mobile communication terminal and a second mobile communication terminal including short-range wireless communication units and a system comprising first and second mobile communication terminals. An exemplary implementation of the present invention comprises requesting connection for use information synchronization to the second mobile communication terminal by the first mobile communication terminal, if a response signal to the connection request is received from the second mobile communication terminal, transmitting use information of the first mobile communication terminal to the second mobile communication terminal, and updating use information of the second mobile communication terminal by using the transmitted use information of the first mobile communication terminal. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The above and other exemplary objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a mobile communication terminal including a short-range wireless communication unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of synchronizing use information of a first mobile communication terminal with use information of a second mobile communication terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0017]     Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components and structures.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a mobile communication terminal comprising a short-range wireless communication unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]     The mobile communication terminal shown in  FIG. 1  comprises a key input unit  10 , a display unit  20 , a memory  30 , a control unit  40 , a short-range wireless communication unit  50 , a radio signal transmit/receive unit  60 , and an audio processing unit  70 .  
         [0021]     The key input unit  10 , having a key matrix structure (not shown) and comprising character keys, numeral keys, and a variety of function keys, outputs a key input signal corresponding to a key pressed by a user to the control unit  40 . In addition, the key input unit  10  includes a key set for a user information synchronization request according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]     The display unit  20  may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and the like and output various display data generated in the mobile communication terminal.  
         [0023]     In addition, although it is not shown in  FIG. 1 , the display unit  20  may output On Screen Display (OSD) data according to the size of a screen displayed by using an image processing unit (not shown) having an OSD function.  
         [0024]     The memory  30  stores various types of information necessary for controlling the operation of the mobile communication terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the memory  30  stores information regarding the use of the mobile communication terminal comprising memo record of a user, a communication record list, a phone directory, and a transmitted/received message under the control of the control unit  40 .  
         [0025]     The control unit  40  controls the overall operation of the mobile communication terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the control unit  40  requests connection for use information synchronization to the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal through the short-range wireless communication unit  50  in response to user request, such as input of a key set to synchronize use information, or input of a key through a menu. The control unit  40  can request the connection for the use information synchronization to the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal whenever a predetermined time period expires or new use information is generated in the mobile communication terminal. According to an exemplary implementation, the connection request aims at forming a data link used for transmitting/receiving use information between the mobile communication terminal and the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal.  
         [0026]     If the control unit  40  receives a response signal to the connection request from the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal (that is, the data link is formed), the control unit  40  transmits the use information stored in the memory  30  to the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal by controlling the short-range wireless communication unit  50 , so that the use information may be synchronized with that of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal. According to an exemplary implementation, if the version of the transmitted use information is more up-to-date than that of use information stored in the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal, the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal updates its own use information by using the transmitted use information.  
         [0027]     In the meantime, if the control unit  40  receives a connection request for use information synchronization from the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal, the control unit  40  transmits a response signal to the connection request.  
         [0028]     After the control unit  40  forms a data link used for transmitting/receiving use information in response to the connection request of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal, if use information is received from the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal, the control unit  40  determines if the received use information is more up-to-date than use information already stored in the memory  30 . In other words, the control unit  40  determines if the received use information has the latest version. Thereafter, if the received use information is not more up-to-date than the use information stored in the memory  30  as the determination result, the control unit  40  transmits the use information stored in the memory  30  to the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal.  
         [0029]     The control unit  40  updates the use information stored in the memory  30  if the received use information is more up-to-date than the use information stored in the memory  30  as the determination result. According to an exemplary implementation, it is preferred that, after the use information is completely updated, the control unit  40  controls a signal of reporting the update completion to be transmitted to the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal.  
         [0030]     In order to synchronize use information, the short-range wireless communication unit  50  constructs a data link with the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal comprising a short-range wireless communication unit so as to make data communication. The short-range wireless communication unit  50  may comprise a Bluetooth transceiver or an infrared data transceiver (IrDT). According to an exemplary implementation, the short-range wireless communication unit  50  is detachably assembled with the mobile communication terminal.  
         [0031]     The radio signal transmitting/receiving unit  60  (a radio frequency (RF) processing unit) may be implemented as, for example, a component comprising a high-frequency processing unit (not shown), a middle-frequency processing unit (not shown), and a baseband processing unit (not shown). The radio signal transmitting/receiving unit  60  transmits/receives voice data, character data, video data, and control data under the control of the control unit  40 .  
         [0032]     The audio processing unit  70  may be constructed by using a codec comprising a data codec (not shown) for processing packet data, etc., and an audio codec (not shown) for processing an audio signal such as a voice signal.  
         [0033]     The audio processing unit  70  converts an electrical signal input from a microphone into voice data by modulating the electrical signal. The audio processing unit  70  demodulates coded voice data input from the radio signal transmitting/receiving unit  60  into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal to a speaker. According to an exemplary implementation, the audio processing unit  70  comprises a codec for converting a digital audio signal received from the radio signal transmitting/receiving unit  60  into an analog signal to be reproduced or converting an analog signal generated from the microphone into a digital audio signal.  
         [0034]     The codec has a data codec for processing packet data and the like and an audio codec for processing an audio signal such as a voice signal and may be included in the control unit  40 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of synchronizing use information of a first mobile communication terminal  100  with use information of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0036]     Herein, it is assumed that the first mobile communication terminal  100  and the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  have short-range wireless communication units such as Bluetooth modules or infrared modules and store their own use information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Also, the first mobile communication terminal  100  and the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  may be realized by using a mobile communication terminal comprising a Bluetooth module and a Bluetooth terminal linked with the mobile communication terminal through Bluetooth communication.  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first mobile communication terminal  100  determines if a predetermined key is pressed in step S 110 . The predetermined key refers to, for example, an addition key or a predefined key for use information synchronization request.  
         [0038]     If the predetermined key is pressed, the first mobile communication terminal  100  requests connection for use information synchronization to the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  in step S 115 . According to an exemplary implementation, the first mobile communication terminal  100  may request a connection for use information synchronization to the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  whenever a predetermined period arrives or new use information is generated.  
         [0039]     After receiving the connection request for the use information synchronization from the first mobile communication terminal  100 , the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  transmits a response signal to the connection request to the first mobile communication terminal  100  in step S 120 .  
         [0040]     Thereafter, the first mobile communication terminal  100  determines if the response signal to the connection request is received from the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  in step S 125 .  
         [0041]     In steps S 115  to S 125 , if the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  responds to the connection request of the first mobile communication terminal  100 , the first mobile communication terminal  100  and the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  having Blutooth modules as short-range wireless communication units construct a data link to communicate with each other by using a Bluetooth radio signal according to Bluetooth protocols.  
         [0042]     After receiving the response signal, the first mobile communication terminal  100  transmits use information stored in a memory of the first mobile communication terminal to the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  in step S 130 .  
         [0043]     After receiving the use information from the first mobile communication terminal  100 , the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  determines if the received use information is more up-to-date than use information stored in a memory of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  in step S 135 . In other words, the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  determines if the received use information has the latest version.  
         [0044]     According to an exemplary implementation, the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  compares/confirms a final update time point of the use information transmitted from the first mobile communication terminal  100  with that of the use information stored in the memory of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  so as to distinguish upgraded use information.  
         [0045]     If the use information transmitted from the first mobile communication terminal  100  is not more up-to-date than the use information stored in the memory of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  as the determination result, the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  transfers the use information stored in its memory to the first mobile communication terminal  100  in step S 140 .  
         [0046]     After receiving the use information of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200 , the first mobile communication terminal  100  updates the use information stored in the memory of the first mobile communication terminal  100  by using the received use information in step S 145 . In other words, the first mobile communication terminal  100  compares its own stored use information with the received use information of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200 , updates its own use information into the latest use information and then releases the connection with the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200 .  
         [0047]     In the meantime, if the use information transmitted from the first mobile communication terminal  100  is more up-to-date than the use information stored in the memory of the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  in step S 135 , the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  updates the use information stored in its own memory in step S 150 .  
         [0048]     After the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  completes the update of its own use information, the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  transmits a signal for reporting the update completion to the first mobile communication terminal  100  in step S 155 .  
         [0049]     After receiving the signal for reporting the update completion from the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200 , the first mobile communication terminal  100  releases the connection with the other party&#39;s mobile communication terminal  200  in step S 160 .  
         [0050]     As described above, according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, use information synchronization is easily achieved between the mobile communication terminals, thereby increasing user convenient.  
         [0051]     While the invention has been shown and described with certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Consequently, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the exemplary embodiments, but is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.