Abstract:
A mobile terminal is capable of updating user presence information in mobile instant messaging. The mobile terminal and associated method facilitate updating user presence information in multiple sessions of mobile instant messaging. The method includes: joining multiple IM communities; issuing a command for presence information update in relation to one of the multiple IM communities; and sending a request for presence information update to IM servers of two or more IM communities including the IM community indicated by the issued update command, among the multiple IM communities.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     The present application is related to and claims priority to an application entitled “METHOD OF UPDATING USER PRESENCE INFORMATION IN MOBILE INSTANT MESSAGING AND MOBILE TERMINAL USING THE SAME” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 24, 2008 and assigned Serial No. 10-2008-0116640, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a mobile terminal and, more particularly, to a method for updating presence information on users involved in multiple sessions of mobile instant messaging and to a mobile terminal using the same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, mobile terminals have been widely popularized and become one of the necessities of life. With advances in communication technologies, mobile terminals can provide not only functions related to call processing and message handling but also functions related to Instant Messaging (IM), which has been supported by personal computers. In particular, a recently developed mobile terminal permits the user to join multiple IM communities at the same time, and the user can simultaneously receive two or more IM services. 
     During using an IM service, a user can set presence information to notify other users of the presence status, and may update the presence information using a presence information setting menu. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates screen representations of a multi-session presence information update according to a conventional procedure. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , to change the presence status to ‘Away’ in conversation with “IM community A”, the user touches a menu for presence information setting  1 , touches ‘Away’ for selection  2 , and touches ‘OK’ for updating  3 . Then, to change the presence status to ‘Busy’ for “IM community C”, the user touches an item for IM community selection  4 , touches “IM community C” for selection  5 , touches a menu for presence information setting  6 , touches ‘Busy’ for selection  7 , and touches ‘OK’ for updating  8 . 
     That is, to change the presence information for two IM communities, the user has to perform eight touch operations. If the user has joined four IM communities, the user may have to perform 18 touch operations to update presence information. With the increasing number of IM communities, the user may have to perform a large number of touch operations to change the presence status. 
     Even when the user joins multiple IM communities, the user is the same, and hence has preferably the same presence status for all the multiple IM communities. However, in related art technology, when the user desires to change the presence status for multiple IM communities, the user has to change the presence status for one of the IM communities at a time. Thereby, the user may be inconvenienced by having to perform a large number of manipulations. 
     Accordingly, in updating the user presence status for multiple IM communities, it is necessary to provide a means to reduce the number of user manipulations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object to provide a method that can reduce the number of user manipulations in updating user presence information for multiple IM communities. The present invention also provides a mobile terminal using the method. 
     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of updating user presence information in instant messaging for a mobile terminal, including: joining multiple IM communities; issuing a command for presence information update in relation to one of the multiple IM communities; and sending a request for presence information update to IM servers of two or more IM communities including the IM community indicated by the issued update command, among the multiple IM communities. 
     The method may further include selecting, before or after joining IM communities, one or more IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated in an integrated manner. 
     Selecting one or more IM communities may include: displaying a menu for activating or deactivating integrated update mode; and determining, when the integrated update mode is activated, all IM communities in which a user is permitted to participate or has participated as IM communities in which the user presence information is to be updated. 
     Alternatively, selecting one or more IM communities may include: displaying a list of IM communities in which a user is permitted to participate or has participated; selecting one or more of the listed IM communities; and determining the selected IM communities as IM communities in which the user presence information is to be updated. 
     In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal supporting instant messaging (IM), including: a radio frequency unit communicating with an IM server; and a control unit controlling when a command for presence information update is issued in relation to one of multiple IM communities that a user has joined, the radio frequency unit configured to send a request for presence information update to IM servers of two or more IM communities including an IM community indicated by the issued update command. 
     The mobile terminal may further include a storage unit storing information regarding IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated in an integrated manner. 
     In a feature of the present invention, the user joining multiple IM communities can update presence information for the IM communities with reduce number of manipulations. 
     Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term “controller” means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a mobile terminal joining multiple sessions with different IM communities; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a mobile terminal capable of IM functions according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a flow chart for a first method of updating user presence information for a mobile terminal joining multiple IM communities according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart for a second method of updating user presence information for a mobile terminal joining multiple IM communities according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a sequence diagram for the first method of updating user presence information with respect to mobile terminals and IM servers; 
         FIG. 6A  illustrates an IM setting menu for the first and second methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6B  illustrates an IM setting menu for the first method according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6C  illustrates an IM setting menu for the second method according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates screen representations illustrating presence information update according to the method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates descriptors of user status in different IM communities; and 
         FIG. 9  illustrates screen representations illustrating multi-session presence information update according to a related art procedure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 through 9 , discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged wireless communications network. 
     In the description, an IM community is a community of subscribers formed on the basis of an IM service provider. Representative IM communities include ‘AIM®’, ‘ICQ®’, ‘Window Live’, and ‘Yahoo®’ communities. Each IM community includes an IM server and IM clients, and the IM clients can receive IM services through the IM server. 
     The ‘presence information’ (or ‘presence status’) of a user utilizing an IM service indicates the current status of the user. The presence information is a criterion for other users desiring message transmission. Different IM communities may have different sets of descriptors for the presence status. For example, a set of descriptors including ‘Online’, ‘Away’ and ‘Invisible’ may be employed in an IM community, and a set of descriptors including ‘Available’, ‘Busy’ and ‘Appear Offline’ may be employed in another IM community. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a mobile terminal joining multiple sessions with different IM communities. 
     In  FIG. 1 , a terminal M has joined an IM community A, IM community B, IM community C, and IM community D. The IM community A is composed of an IM server A, and multiple IM clients including the terminal M, terminal A 1  and terminal A 2 . An IM community may include as many IM clients as the number of subscribers. The terminal M can send and receive a message to and from the terminal A 1  and terminal A 2  through the IM server A. 
     Similarly to the IM community A, the IM community B includes an IM server B and terminals B 1  and B 2  as IM clients, and the IM community C includes an IM server C and terminals C 1  and C 2  as IM clients, and the IM community D includes an IM server D and terminals D 1  and D 2  as IM clients. To change user presence information, the terminal M sends a presence status update request to the IM servers A, B, C and D. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a mobile terminal capable of IM functions according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     In  FIG. 2 , a radio frequency unit  110  performs a wireless communication operation for the mobile terminal. The radio frequency unit  110  may include a radio frequency (RF) transmitter for up-converting the frequency of a signal to be transmitted and amplifying the signal, and an RF receiver for low-noise amplifying a received signal and down-converting the frequency of the received signal. The radio frequency unit  110  can receive data through a wireless channel and output the data to a control unit  160 , and can send data from the control unit  160  through the wireless channel to the outside. In particular, the radio frequency unit  110  performs wireless communication with a base station connected to an IM server through an information and communication network (for example, an IP network such as a TCP/IP based wired network or a WAP based wireless network) to enable data communication between the mobile terminal and the IM server. 
     An audio processing unit  120  may include a coder/decoder (codec). The codec may have a data codec for processing packet data and the like, and an audio codec for processing an audio signal such as a voice signal. In call processing, the audio processing unit  120  converts a digital audio signal into an analog signal through the audio codec to reproduce the analog signal through a speaker SPK, and converts an analog audio signal from a microphone MIC into a digital audio signal through the audio codec for transmission. 
     A storage unit  130  stores programs for executing functions of the mobile terminal, contents, and data generated by the user. In particular, the storage unit  130  stores assorted descriptors for the presence status in joinable IM communities. For example, status descriptors ‘Available’ and ‘Online’ indicate the same state. The storage unit  130  also stores information regarding those IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated in an integrated manner. 
     An input unit  140  receives an input signal for controlling the mobile terminal from the user, and forwards the input signal to the control unit  160 . The input unit  140  may include a key pad or touch pad, and further include a plurality of alphanumeric and function keys for inputting alphanumeric information and for setting various functions. In particular, through the input unit  140 , the user can select IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated in an integrated manner, and input a command for updating user presence information in the selected IM communities. 
     A display unit  150  may include a panel of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) devices, and visually provides the user with menus of the mobile terminal, data input by the user, function setting information, and the like. In particular, the display unit  150  displays an IM service screen, on which user presence information and information on online subscribers and offline subscribers can be listed. The display unit  150  also displays an IM setting menu, which may include items for setting an automatic join option, user presence information, and a sound option. 
     The control unit  160  controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal. Particularly, in response to an input command for IM setting, the control unit  160  controls the display unit  150  to display an IM setting menu, which includes a presence information setting submenu, which includes an item for integrated update mode selection. After the presence information is set, the control unit  160  stores the presence information in the storage unit  130 . When a command for presence information update is issued while the user has joined multiple IM communities, the control unit  160  sends a request for presence information update to, according to the settings, the IM server of a particular IM community indicated by the issued command, the IM servers of all the IM communities to which the user belongs, or the IM servers of those IM communities selected by the user. 
     Hereinabove, the configuration of the mobile terminal is described. Next, a description is provided of a method of updating user presence information in IM communities. The mobile terminal of the present invention is capable of joining multiple IM communities, and maintains a standardized set of descriptors for the user presence status in different IM communities. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates descriptors of user presence status in different IM communities. In an IM community A, presence status of a user is indicated by ‘Available’, ‘Away’, and ‘Invisible’. In an IM community B, presence status is indicated by ‘Online’, ‘Busy’, and ‘Appear offline’. In an IM community C, presence status is indicated by ‘Available’, ‘Away’, and ‘Invisible’. Descriptors ‘Available’ and ‘Online’ refer to the same presence status, and ‘Away’ and ‘Busy’ refer to the same presence status. In the following description, it is assumed that the mobile terminal maintains a standardized set of descriptors for the user presence status. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a flow chart for a first method of updating user presence information for a mobile terminal participating in multiple IM communities. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the control unit  160  of the mobile terminal selects those IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated in an integrated manner (step  310 ). In response to selection of an IM setting item through the input unit  140 , the display unit  150  displays an IM setting menu. 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate an IM setting menu. The IM setting menu may include items for setting automatic logins, sound, user presence information, and the like. For the purpose of description, those items directly related to user presence information setting are illustrated in the IM setting menus of  FIGS. 6A and 6B . In  FIG. 6A , a menu item is provided to set an integrated update mode for user presence information. The user can activate and deactivate the integrated update mode for user presence information through the menu. 
     In  FIG. 6B , another IM setting menu is illustrated for integrated user presence information update. The IM setting menu includes a list of IM communities that the user may join together with associated selection marks. The user can select through the menu one or more IM communities for integrated presence information update, and information on the selected IM communities is stored in the storage unit  130 . 
     Thereafter, when the user issues a command for joining an IM community through the input unit  140 , the control unit  160  controls the radio frequency unit  110  to send a join request to the IM server of the IM community (step  320 ). Upon reception of a response corresponding to the join request from the IM server, the mobile terminal becomes a member of the IM community. The mobile terminal may participate in multiple IM communities, and step  320  may be repeated accordingly. After joining an IM community, the control unit  160  can control the radio frequency unit  110  to send and receive a message to and from the IM server of the IM community. 
     The control unit  160  checks whether a command for presence information update is issued in relation to one of the IM communities that the user has joined (step  330 ). An IM server relays communication between mobile terminals for message delivery. The user may issue a command for presence information update immediately after joining an IM community. 
     If a command for presence information update is issued, the control unit  160  refers to settings for user presence information update stored in the storage unit  130  to determine IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated (step  340 ). When the integrated update mode is activated at step  310 , the control unit  160  determines those IM communities to which the user belongs, among IM communities that the user may join, as IM communities in which the user presence information is to be updated. When the integrated update mode is deactivated, the control unit  160  determines the only IM community indicated by the presence information update command as an IM community in which the user presence information is to be updated. 
     When IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated in an integrated manner are selected as shown in  FIG. 6B , the control unit  160  determines those IM communities to which the user belongs, among the selected IM communities, as IM communities in which the user presence information is to be updated. Here, the IM community indicated by a presence information update command is regarded by default as an IM community in which the user presence information is to be updated. 
     The control unit  160  sends a request for presence information update to the IM server of each determined IM community in which user presence information is to be updated (step  350 ). The control unit  160  controls the radio frequency unit  110  to send a request for presence information update to the corresponding IM servers. In response to the request, each IM server updates the presence information of the requesting mobile terminal. The control unit  160  controls the display unit  150  to display the updated presence information (step  360 ). For example, even when the user issues a command for presence information update for an IM community A, the updated presence information is also applied to another IM community B. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a flow chart for a second method of updating user presence information for a mobile terminal participating in multiple IM communities. 
     When the user issues a command for joining an IM community through the input unit  140 , the control unit  160  controls the radio frequency unit  110  to send a join request to the IM server of the IM community (step  410 ). Upon reception of a response corresponding to the join request from the IM server, the mobile terminal becomes a member of the IM community. The mobile terminal may participate in multiple IM communities, and step  410  may be repeated accordingly. 
     Thereafter, in response to selection of an IM setting item through the input unit  140 , the control unit  160  controls the display unit  150  to display an IM setting menu, and selects those IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated in an integrated manner (step  420 ). 
       FIGS. 6A and 6C  illustrate an IM setting menu. The IM setting menu may include items for setting automatic logins, sound, user presence information, and the like. In  FIG. 6A , a menu item is provided to set an integrated update mode for user presence information. The user can activate and deactivate the integrated update mode for user presence information through the menu. 
       FIG. 6C  illustrates another IM setting menu for selecting IM communities individually. In  FIG. 6C , IM communities in which the user currently participates are listed. That is, when IM communities in which the user may join are IM communities A, B, C and D, and the user participates in the IM communities B and C, only the IM communities B and C are listed in the IM setting menu. 
     The control unit  160  checks whether a command for presence information update is issued in relation to one of the IM communities the user has joined (step  430 ). After joining an IM community, the control unit  160  can control the radio frequency unit  110  to send and receive a message to and from the IM server of the IM community. An IM server relays communication between mobile terminals for message delivery. The user may issue a command for presence information update immediately after joining an IM community. 
     If a command for presence information update is issued, the control unit  160  refers to settings for user presence information update stored in the storage unit  130  to determine IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated (step  440 ). When the integrated update mode is activated at step  420 , the control unit  160  determines those IM communities to which the user belongs as IM communities in which the user presence information is to be updated. When the integrated update mode is deactivated, the control unit  160  determines that only the IM community indicated by the presence information update command is an IM community in which the user presence information is to be updated. When IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated in an integrated manner are selected by the user as shown in  FIG. 6C , the control unit  160  determines the selected IM communities as IM communities in which the user presence information is to be updated. Here, the IM community indicated by a presence information update command is regarded by default as an IM community in which the user presence information is to be updated. 
     The control unit  160  sends a request for presence information update to the IM server of each determined IM community in which user presence information is to be updated (step  450 ). The control unit  160  controls the radio frequency unit  110  to send a request for presence information update to the corresponding IM servers. In response to the request, each IM server updates the presence information of the requesting mobile terminal. The control unit  160  controls the display unit  150  to display the updated presence information (step  460 ). 
       FIG. 5  is a sequence diagram illustrating the first method of updating user presence information with respect to mobile terminals and IM servers. 
     The terminal M selects IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated (step  510 ). For example, it can be assumed that IM communities A, B, C and D are selected. 
     The terminal M logs in to the IM servers A, B, C and D in sequence (step  520 ). In step  520 , the terminal M sends a login request to the IM servers A, B, C and D, and, in return, each of the IM servers A, B, C and D checks the identity of the user and sends a login response to the terminal M. 
     The terminal M sends and receives a message to and from another terminal through a logged IM server. In  FIG. 5 , the terminal M sends and receives a message to and from a terminal A 1  through the IM server A. 
     The user of the terminal M may enter a command for user presence information to change the presence information. When a command for presence information update is issued (step  540 ), the terminal M determines IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated (step  550 ). As the IM communities A, B, C and D are selected at step  510  and the terminal M participates in all the IM communities A, B, C and D, the IM communities in which user presence information is to be updated are the IM communities A, B, C and D. 
     The terminal M sends a request for presence information update to the IM servers A, B, C and D (step  560 ). In response to the request, each of the IM servers A, B, C and D updates the presence information of the user of the terminal M. The terminal M adopts the updated presence information (step  570 ). The updated presence information is applied to all the IM communities A, B, C and D. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates screen representations illustrating presence information update according to the method of the present invention. 
     It is assumed that the IM communities A to D are selected for integrated user presence information update and the user participates in the IM communities A to D. 
     While participating in the IM communities A to D, the user desires to change the presence status from ‘Available’ to ‘Away’. Reference symbol  710  indicates a screen for a service related to the IM community A. In the screen  710 , user ID (adad2gigi), user status (icon on the left of user ID) and other online subscriber IDs (bagi, gimme79, loola80) are displayed. Offline subscribers and other function related icons may also be listed. In the screen  710 , the user touches a portion where the user ID is displayed  701 . This corresponds to entering into a menu for setting user status information. Then, a screen  720  is displayed for setting user status information. In the screen  720 , the user can select one of ‘Available’, ‘Away’ and ‘Invisible’. To change the presence status to ‘Away’ for some reason, the user touches ‘Away’  702  and then touches ‘OK’  703 . In this example, as the IM communities A to D are selected for integrated user presence information update and the user participates in the IM communities A to D, the mobile terminal recognizes this command for presence information update for the IM community A as a command for presence information update for all the IM communities A to D. Hence, the mobile terminal sends a request for presence information update to the IM servers A to D. 
     In changing user presence information for four IM communities, whereas a related art procedure may require 18 user manipulations, the procedure of the present invention requires only three user manipulations. 
     Although the present disclosure has been described with an exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present disclosure encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.