Abstract:
A multimedia messaging service system and a method thereof capable of effectively operating multimedia messages are provided. According to the system and the method, a summary connotatively expressing the multimedia messages is created and provided first to a receiver before the multimedia messages are provided. The receiver can clearly understand the multimedia messages with reference to the summary. That is, the summary connotatively expressing the multimedia messages is provided to the receiver first and the receiver can judge whether to receive the multimedia messages, so that a load increase in a network due to reception of unnecessary multimedia messages can be prevented and, further, a reliability of the multimedia messaging service can be improved.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to multimedia messaging service, and more particularly, to a multimedia messaging service system and a method thereof capable of effectively operating multimedia messages.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Multimedia messaging service (MMS) for transmitting and receiving a variety of media files such as a moving image, a letter, an image, and a sound at a time is drawing attention as a next generation core technology.  
         [0005]     The multimedia messaging service is advanced service that allows a mobile terminal such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a notebook computer, a smart-phone, a camera-phone to provide multimedia messages (for example, a video, an image, a graphic, an animation, an audio) besides a text as well as provide simple text message delivery of a related art (for example, short message service (SMS)).  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a conceptual view of a construction for a multimedia messaging service system of a related art.  
         [0007]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the multimedia messaging service system of the related art includes: the first terminal  1  for transmitting multimedia messages; the second terminal  5  for receiving the multimedia messages transmitted from the first terminal  1 ; and a multimedia service center (server) (MMSC or MMS)  3  for temporarily storing the multimedia messages transmitted from the first terminal  1  and transmitting the multimedia messages to the second terminal  5  designated by a caller of the first terminal  1 . Further, networks for providing communication (e.g.: wireless application protocol (WAP) gateway)  2  and  4  can be further provided between the first terminal  1  and the MMSC  3 , and between the MMSC  3  and the second terminal  5 .  
         [0008]     The first and the second terminals  1  and  5  are mobile terminals such as a PDA, a notebook computer, a smart-phone, and a camera-phone. The mobile terminals can be equipped with an environment under which the multimedia messages are made, i.e., a software and a hardware.  
         [0009]     The multimedia messages can be downloaded from wireless websites connected to other wireless Internet network using the first terminal. Therefore, the caller can edit the downloaded multimedia messages in a desirous manner using the first terminal  1 .  
         [0010]     The multimedia messages transmitted from the first terminal  1  are provided to the MMSC  3  by way of the network  2 . The MMSC  3  can provide the multimedia messages to the second terminal  5  designated by the caller of the first terminal  1  by way of the network  4 .  
         [0011]     Operation of the multimedia messaging service system having the above-described construction will be described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 2 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a communication flow in a method for providing multimedia messages in a multimedia messaging service system of a related art.  
         [0013]     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the first terminal  1  edits, processes, and makes multimedia messages to be transmitted to the second terminal  5  (S 11 ) and transmits the multimedia messages containing subscriber information of the first and the second terminals  1  and  5  to the MMSC  3  (S 12 ). The subscriber information can be a phone number.  
         [0014]     The MMSC  3  temporarily stores the transmitted multimedia messages together with the respective subscriber information of the first and the second terminals  1  and  5  (S 13 ) Simultaneously, the MMSC  3  reports information of successful reception of the multimedia messages to the first terminal  1  (S 14 ).  
         [0015]     In the meantime, the MMSC  3  extracts text information, i.e., a person who has sent the message (e.g.: a caller), a message size, a message type from the multimedia messages, and transmits the extracted text information for the multimedia messages to the second terminal  5  (S 15 ).  
         [0016]     Accordingly, the text information is browsed on a screen of the second terminal  5  and a receiver of the second terminal  5  can check that the multimedia messages can be sent to his terminal, i.e., the second terminal  5  using the browsed text information.  
         [0017]     The second terminal  5  checks whether the multimedia messages are approved by the receiver (S 16 ).  
         [0018]     If the receiver rejects an approval of the multimedia messages, the second terminal  5  deletes the text information and thus the multimedia messages stored in the MMSC  3  are not transmitted to the second terminal  5  (S 17 ).  
         [0019]     If the receiver approves the multimedia messages, the second terminal  5  requests the MMSC  3  to transmit the multimedia messages (S 18 ). The MMSC  3  reads the temporarily stored multimedia messages and transmits the same to the second terminal  5  in response to the request (S 19  and S 20 ).  
         [0020]     Accordingly, the second terminal  5  browses the transmitted multimedia messages on the screen so that predetermined multimedia may be played (S 21 ).  
         [0021]     In the meantime, the MMSC  3  reports the first terminal  1  that the multimedia messages have been successfully transmitted to the second terminal  5  (S 22 ).  
         [0022]     In the above description, the first terminal  1  transmits the multimedia messages and the second terminal  5  receives and browses the multimedia messages, and vice versa. That is, the second terminal  5  can transmit the multimedia messages and the first terminal  1  can receive and browse the multimedia messages. Therefore, a software and a hardware can be so configured as to support so that the first and the second terminals  1  and  5  may make the multimedia messages and also may receive and browse the multimedia messages.  
         [0023]     The multimedia messaging service system of the related art operating as described above has advantages of allowing a variety of multimedia information to be transmitted and received to and from the receiver through various methods compared with the SMS based on the simple text.  
         [0024]     However, as described in connection with the S 15 , the multimedia messaging service system provides minimum text information, i.e., a caller, a message size, a message type to the receiver. Thus, the receiver has had a difficulty to determine whether to receive the relevant multimedia messages using only the minimum text information. That is, according to the multimedia messaging service of the related art, the text information does not contain any information as to the multimedia messages and so the receiver cannot effectively determine whether to receive the multimedia messages.  
         [0025]     Further, the receiver determines whether to receive the multimedia messages using the minimum text information and receives even unnecessary multimedia messages by mistake, which might have a bad influence on reliability of the multimedia messaging service.  
         [0026]     Further, since the receiver frequently receives the unnecessary multimedia messages due to his judgment mistakes, load of the network is increased and the receiver should pay additional service fee for the unnecessary multimedia messages depending on cases.  
         [0027]     Therefore, a mechanism capable of operating the multimedia messaging service more effectively is required.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a multimedia messaging service system and a method thereof that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0029]     An object of the present invention is to provide a multimedia messaging service system and a method thereof capable of effectively operating multimedia messages by providing more accurate information for the multimedia messages to a receiver.  
         [0030]     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.  
         [0031]     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a multimedia messaging service method, which includes the steps of: creating, at the first terminal, a summary connotatively expressing multimedia messages from the multimedia messages; transmitting, at the first terminal, the multimedia messages together with the created summary to a multimedia service center (MMSC); transmitting, at the MMSC, the summary to the second terminal; and receiving and browsing, at the second terminal, the multimedia messages with reference to the transmitted summary.  
         [0032]     In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multimedia messaging service method, which includes the steps of: transmitting, at the first terminal, multimedia messages to a multimedia service center (MMSC); creating, at the MMSC, a summary connotatively expressing the multimedia messages from the transmitted multimedia messages and transmitting, at the MMSC, the created summary to the second terminal; and receiving and browsing, at the second terminal, the multimedia messages with reference to the transmitted summary.  
         [0033]     In further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multimedia messaging service system, which includes: the first terminal for creating a summary connotatively expressing multimedia messages from the multimedia messages and transmitting the multimedia messages together with the created summary; a multimedia service center (MMSC) for transmitting the summary among the summary and the multimedia messages transmitted from the first terminal; and the second terminal for requesting the MMSC to transmit the multimedia messages with reference to the summary transmitted from the MMSC and browsing the multimedia messages provided from the MMSC in response to the request.  
         [0034]     In a still further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multimedia messaging service system, which includes: the first terminal for transmitting multimedia messages; a multimedia service center (MMSC) for creating a summary connotatively expressing the multimedia messages from the transmitted multimedia messages from the first terminal and transmitting the same; and the second terminal for requesting the MMSC to transmit the multimedia messages with reference to the summary transmitted from the MMSC and browsing the multimedia messages provided from the MMSC in response to the request.  
         [0035]     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  
       [0036]     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 embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0037]      FIG. 1  is a conceptual view of a construction for a multimedia messaging service system of a related art;  
         [0038]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a communication flow in a method for providing multimedia message in a multimedia messaging service system of a related art;  
         [0039]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a communication flow in a method for providing multimedia messages in a multimedia messaging service system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0040]      FIG. 4A  to  4 C are exemplary views illustrating screen configuration and operation for multimedia messaging service using a summary at the second terminal of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0041]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
         [0042]     As descried above, the multimedia messaging service of the related art provides the text information for the multimedia messages to the receiver and the receiver determines whether to receive the multimedia messages using the text information for the multimedia messages. In that case, the text information for the multimedia messages contains information such as a sender, a message size, and a message type. Accordingly, since the multimedia messaging service of the related art provides only simple text information for the multimedia messages, it is difficult for the receiver to understand the multimedia messages exactly and the receiver frequently receives unnecessary multimedia messages due to his judgment mistakes.  
         [0043]     On the contrary, the multimedia messaging service of the present invention creates a summary most connotatively expressing the multimedia messages and provides the summary to the receiver so that the receiver can judge whether to approve the multimedia messages more accurately. The summary, which is created from the multimedia messages, can be considerably small in its size.  
         [0044]     The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0045]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a communication flow in a method for providing multimedia messages in a multimedia messaging service system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0046]     A multimedia messaging service system of the present invention can include: the first and the second terminals  31  and  35 , and an MMSC  33 . Here, the first and the second terminals  31  and  35  are mobile terminals such as a PDA, a notebook computer, a smart-phone, and a camera phone. Environments under which the multimedia messages are made, i.e. a software and a hardware can be supported to these terminals.  
         [0047]     A basic system of the present invention is similar to that of the related art. According to the present invention, a means for creating a summary from multimedia messages can be provided to the first terminal  31  or the MMSC  33 . For example, in case the means for creating the summary is provided to the first terminal  31 , the summary can be created from the multimedia messages in response to a request of a caller. The summary created in this manner can be transmitted to the MMSC  33  together with the multimedia messages. On the contrary, in case the means for creating the summary is provided to the MMSC  33 , a summary can be automatically created from multimedia messages when the MMSC  33  receives the multimedia messages.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the first terminal  31  edits, processes, and makes original multimedia messages to be transmitted to the second terminal  35  (S 41 ) and transmits the original multimedia messages containing subscriber information of the first and the second terminal  31  and  35  to the MMSC  33  (S 42 ). The reason why a word ‘original’ is added to the multimedia messages is to discriminate the messages from the ‘summary of the multimedia messages’. That is, the original multimedia messages represent messages directly edited and made by a caller of the first terminal  31  and the summary of the multimedia messages represents a summary most connotatively expressing the original multimedia messages. Therefore, the summary can be multimedia data created from the original multimedia messages. A media format of the original multimedia messages can be a text, a graphics, an audio, an image, and a video. On the contrary, a media format of the summary can be the same as or different from the original multimedia messages. The summary can be considerably reduced in its size compared with the original multimedia messages.  
         [0049]     A method for creating a summary from original multimedia messages is already well known. For example, an image extraction method, an audio extraction method, a resizing method, and a transcoding method can be used in creating the summary.  
         [0050]     In case the media format of the original multimedia messages is made on the basis of an image, the summary can be a thumbnail extracted from the image or a part of the image. In case of the original multimedia messages based on an image, the thumbnail having a smaller size can be extracted using the resizing method. Further, if a partial image of the images is designated using a partial image extraction method, only the relevant part of the image can be extracted.  
         [0051]     Further, in case the media format of the original multimedia messages is made on the basis of a video, the summary can be a keyframe extracted from the video, a partial moving image of the video, a small-sized moving image of the video, or a thumbnail of the keyframe. The keyframe is a frame of the video judged important and selected as a representative.  
         [0052]     In case the media format of the original multimedia messages is made on the basis of a video that includes an audio, the summary can include only the audio or the audio containing a partial moving image of the video.  
         [0053]     The MMSC  33  temporarily stores the original multimedia messages together with the respective subscriber information of the first and the second terminals  31  and  35  from the transmitted original multimedia messages (S 43 ).  
         [0054]     Simultaneously, the MMSC  33  creates a summary from the original multimedia messages and temporarily stores the summary (S 44 ). The creation of the summary is performed in the same manner as described above.  
         [0055]     Though created at the MMSC  33  according to the present embodiment, the summary can also be created at the first terminal  31  and transmitted to and temporarily stored at the MMSC  33  together with the original multimedia messages.  
         [0056]     In other words, the first terminal  31  makes original multimedia messages first, creates a summary from the made original multimedia messages, and transmits the summary and the original multimedia messages simultaneously to the MMSC  33 . The MMSC  33  can simultaneously receive and temporarily store the summary and the original multimedia messages.  
         [0057]     Description will be made below on the assumption that the summary is created at the MMSC  33  and temporarily stored therein for convenience in description.  
         [0058]     When the summary is temporarily stored, the MMSC  33  immediately reports the first terminal  31  that the original multimedia messages have been successfully received (S 45 ).  
         [0059]     In the meantime, the MMSC  33  extracts summary information from the summary and transmits the summary information to the second terminal  35  (S 46 ). The summary information can contain a summary type and a summary size.  
         [0060]     Though transmitting only the summary information to the second terminal  35  according the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the MMSC  33  can also transmit text information of the original multimedia messages besides the summary information if necessary.  
         [0061]     At this point, the transmission can be performed in an order that the text information of the original multimedia messages is transmitted first and the summary information is transmitted subsequently or both the text information of the original multimedia messages and the summary information are simultaneously transmitted.  
         [0062]     Accordingly, the second terminal  35  can have a screen for browsing the text information of the original multimedia messages and a screen for browsing the extracted summary information separately, or can have a single screen for simultaneously browsing the text information of the original multimedia messages and the summary information.  
         [0063]     Description will be made below on the assumption that the MMSC  33  transmits only the summary information.  
         [0064]     The summary information is browsed on the screen of the second terminal  35  and the receiver of the second terminal  35  can check that new multimedia messages have arrived at his terminal through the screen.  
         [0065]     The summary information can be transmitted to the second terminal  35  from the MMSC  33  by an explicit or an implicit request from the second terminal  35 . That is, if the second terminal  35  explicitly requests the summary information, the MMSC  33  can transmit the summary information to the second terminal  35  in response thereto. On the contrary, if the receiver sets transmission of the summary as a default when setting the second terminal  35 , the summary information extracted from the summary can be automatically transmitted to the second terminal  35  when the original multimedia messages are received in the MMSC  33 .  
         [0066]     The second terminal  35  checks whether transmission of the summary is approved by the receiver who has referred to the summary information (S 47 ).  
         [0067]     If the receiver rejects the approval for the transmission of the summary, the second terminal  35  rejects the original multimedia messages and the summary information is deleted and thus the original multimedia messages stored in the MMSC  33  are not transmitted to the second terminal  35  (S 57 ).  
         [0068]     If the receiver approves the transmission of the summary, the second terminal  35  requests the MMSC  33  to transmit the summary (S 48 ) and the MMSC  33  reads the summary and transmits the same to the second terminal  35  in response to the request (S 49  and S 50 ).  
         [0069]     Accordingly, the second terminal  35  browses the transmitted summary on the screen and allows the summary to be played according to a predetermined media format (S 51 ).  
         [0070]     At this point, the receiver determines whether to approve the transmission of the original multimedia messages that correspond to the summary with reference to the played summary.  
         [0071]     The second terminal  35  checks whether the transmission of the original multimedia messages is approved by the receiver (S 52 ).  
         [0072]     If the transmission of the original multimedia messages is not approved but rejected by the receiver, the second terminal  35  rejects the original multimedia messages and deletes the summary in playing and the original multimedia messages stored in the MMSC  33  are not transmitted to the second terminal  35  as described above in connection with the step S 57 .  
         [0073]     On the contrary, if the transmission of the original multimedia messages is approved by the receiver, the second terminal  35  requests the MMSC  33  to transmit the original multimedia messages (S 53 ) and the MMSC  33  reads the original multimedia messages and transmits the same to the second terminal  35  in response to the request (S 54  and S 55 ).  
         [0074]     Accordingly, the second terminal  35  browses the transmitted original multimedia messages on the screen and allows the original multimedia messages to be played according to a predetermined media format (S 56 ).  
         [0075]     In the meantime, the MMSC  33  reports the first terminal  31  that the original multimedia messages have been successfully transmitted to the second terminal  35  (S 58 ).  
         [0076]      FIG. 4A  to  4 C are exemplary views illustrating screen configuration and operation for multimedia messaging service using the summary at the second terminal of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0077]     That is,  FIG. 4A  is an exemplary view illustrating that the text information of the original multimedia messages and the summary information are simultaneously browsed on a single screen,  FIG. 4B  is an exemplary view illustrating that the summary is played in case the receiver approves the transmission of the summary in  FIG. 4A , and  FIG. 4C  is an exemplary view illustrating that the multimedia messages are played in case the receiver approves the transmission of the original multimedia messages with reference to the summary in playing in  FIG. 4B .  
         [0078]     Referring to  FIG. 4A , if the original multimedia messages are received in the MMSC  33 , the text information of the original multimedia messages and the summary information are simultaneously transmitted so that the text information of the original multimedia messages and the summary information can be simultaneously browsed on a single screen of the second terminal  35 .  
         [0079]     At this point, the text information of the original multimedia messages can contain a sender, a message type, and a message size, and the summary information can contain a summary type, and a summary size.  
         [0080]     Of course, referring to  FIG. 4A , though the text information of the original multimedia messages and the summary information can be simultaneously browsed, the text information of the original multimedia messages and the summary information can be also independently browsed on separate screens different each other.  
         [0081]     Further, only the summary information of the summary can be received in and browsed at the second terminal  35  if necessary.  
         [0082]     There can also exit menus regarding approval such as a ‘Summary’ button, a ‘Full’ button, and a ‘Delete’ button on the screen of  FIG. 4A . Here, the ‘Summary’ button is a button used when the receiver requests the summary, the ‘Full’ button is a button used when the receiver requests the original multimedia messages, and the ‘Delete’ button is a button used when the receiver rejects the original multimedia messages or the summary.  
         [0083]     Therefore, the receiver determines whether to approve the transmission of the summary using the summary information being browsed on the screen of  FIG. 4A .  
         [0084]     If the receiver presses the ‘Summary’ button of  FIG. 4A  in order to approve the transmission of the summary of the original multimedia messages, a request for the summary is transmitted to the MMSC  33 , the MMSC  33  transmits the summary to the second terminal  35  in response to the request, and the second terminal  35  receives and plays the summary as illustrated in  FIG. 4B . Here, the summary can be played in variety of formats such as a thumbnail, a part of an image, a part of a moving image, a reduced moving image, a keyframe extracted from the thumbnail, and an audio depending on the media format of the original multimedia messages.  
         [0085]     Therefore, the receiver can understand the original multimedia messages more accurately using the summary in playing and thus can determine accurately whether to approve the transmission of the original multimedia messages.  
         [0086]     That is, in the related art, only the text information of the original multimedia messages has been provided and the receiver has determined whether to approve the transmission of the original multimedia messages using the text information.  
         [0087]     On the contrary, according to the present invention, the summary information is provided besides the text information of the original multimedia messages and the summary can be provided using the summary information. At this point, the summary can be provided in form of multimedia that expresses the original multimedia messages more accurately. Therefore, the receiver can determine whether to approve the original multimedia messages using the summary according to the present invention.  
         [0088]     Referring to  FIG. 4B , the receiver&#39;s pressing the ‘Full’ button on the basis of the summary in playing means that the receiver approves the transmission of the original multimedia messages. Therefore, referring to  FIG. 4C , the original multimedia messages are transmitted from the MMSC  33  and played on the screen. At this point, the media format of the original multimedia messages can be a text, a graphics, an audio, an image, and a video.  
         [0089]     As described above, the present invention provides the summary besides the text information of the original multimedia messages so that the receiver may judge whether to receive the multimedia messages more accurately. Therefore, the present invention can solve the inconvenience that unnecessary multimedia messages are received due to the receiver&#39;s judgment mistakes and also alleviate load applied on the network due to frequent reception of the unnecessary multimedia messages. Further, reliability of the multimedia messaging service can be increased even more.  
         [0090]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. 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.