Abstract:
A method for personalizing a mobile communication terminal, the mobile communication terminal including software for generating a software generated character, the method including displaying a plurality of character options; detecting a user input indicating a selection of one of the plurality of character options, the selection representing a selected option matching a physical personalization of the mobile communication terminal; and when generating the software generated character, considering the selected option. A corresponding mobile communication terminal and computer program product are also presented.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The disclosed embodiments generally relate to mobile terminals and more particularly to personalization of mobile terminals. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Mobile terminals, or mobile (cellular) telephones, for mobile telecommunications systems like GSM, UMTS, D-AMPS and CDMA2000 have been used for many years now. In the older days, mobile terminals were used almost exclusively for voice communication with other mobile terminals or stationary telephones. More recently, the use of modern terminals has been broadened to include not just voice communication, but also various other services and applications such as www/wap browsing, video telephony, electronic messaging (e.g. SMS, MMS, email, instant messaging), electronic games such as single-user and online multiplayer games, digital image, audio or video recording, FM radio, music playback, calendar/organizer/time planner, word processing, etc. Furthermore, the modern terminals have local connectivity abilities, such as Bluetooth, allowing the mobile terminals to communicate with a wide array of devices. 
         [0003]    With the improved user interface, including color screens, users have been given the ability to change the appearance of the user interface in the mobile terminal, to the personal liking of the user, also known as personalization. For example, the user can modify colors used in the user interface or an image used on a standby screen of the phone. Consequently, one user may personalize the mobile terminal with an image for a particular football team and another user may user an image for the music group “Outkast”. 
         [0004]    The current way of personalizing a mobile terminal allow personalization to some degree, but there is a general problem of how to enhance and improve personalization to make the user experience as pleasant, personal and easy as possible. 
         [0005]    Consequently, there is a need for an improved mobile communication terminal addressing the problems discussed above. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In view of the above, the disclosed embodiments aim to solve or at least reduce the problems discussed above. 
         [0007]    A first aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a method for personalizing a mobile communication terminal, the mobile communication terminal comprising software for generating a software generated character, the method comprising: displaying a plurality of character options; detecting a user input indicating a selection of one of the plurality of character options, the selection representing a selected option matching a physical personalization of the mobile communication terminal; and when generating the software generated character, considering the selected option. This allows the user to personalize the mobile communication terminal in two matching ways, increasing the weight of the personalization compared to the prior art. 
         [0008]    The considering the selected option may involve: when generating the software generated character, considering the selected option by applying an appearance corresponding to the option. 
         [0009]    The considering the selected option may involve: when generating the software generated character, considering the selected option by applying a behavior corresponding to the option. 
         [0010]    The behavior may be a behavior related to a characteristic selected from the group consisting of: intelligence, empathy, stamina, curiosity, and temper. 
         [0011]    The considering the selected option may involve: when generating the software generated character, considering the selected option by applying a behavior corresponding to the option, the behavior being retrieved from a remote storage over a digital network. 
         [0012]    The method may further comprise, prior to the displaying a plurality of character options: depending on a state of the software for displaying a software generated character, determining allowable character options; and wherein the displaying a plurality of character options may involve: displaying a plurality of character options, including the allowable character options, and indicating that each of the allowable character options is user selectable. 
         [0013]    The displaying a plurality of character options, detecting a user input, and considering the selection option may be repeated for a second option matching a second physical personalization of the mobile communication terminal. 
         [0014]    The software for displaying a software generated character may be a software selected from the group consisting of a single-user game, an online multiplayer game, an online chat application and an avatar generating software. 
         [0015]    A second aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a mobile communication terminal enabling personalization, the mobile communication terminal comprising a controller, a display, memory, a location on the exterior of the mobile communication terminal enabling physical personalization and software for generating a software generated character, wherein: the controller is configured to, when generating the software generated character, consider a user selected option for the software generated character, the user selected option matching a physical personalization of the mobile communication terminal. 
         [0016]    The mobile communication terminal may be configured to enable the user to apply stickers to the location on the exterior. 
         [0017]    The mobile communication terminal may be configured to enable the user to apply pins to the location on the exterior. 
         [0018]    A third aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a mobile communication terminal enabling personalization, the mobile communication terminal comprising a controller; a display; a location on the exterior of the mobile communication terminal enabling physical personalization; software for generating a software generated character; means for displaying a plurality of character options; means for detecting a user input indicating a selection of one of the plurality of character options, the selection representing a selected option matching a physical personalization of the mobile communication terminal; and mans for when generating the software generated character, considering the selected option. 
         [0019]    A fourth aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a system comprising: a mobile communication terminal enabling personalization, the mobile communication terminal comprising a controller, a display, memory, a digital network interface, a location on the exterior of the mobile communication terminal enabling physical personalization and software for generating a software generated character, wherein: the controller is configured to, when generating the software generated character, considering a user selected option for the software generated character, the user selected option matching a physical personalization of the mobile communication terminal; and a server connected to a digital network, the server being configured to receive a personalization message related to the mobile communication terminal, the personalization message comprising data related to the physical personalization. 
         [0020]    The server may further be configured to, based on the personalization message, provide a corresponding authorization message to the mobile communication terminal, and the controller may further be configured to, as a response to a received authorization message allow a user to select a user selectable option corresponding to the authorization message. 
         [0021]    A fifth aspect of the disclosed embodiments is a computer program product comprising software instructions that, when executed in a mobile communication terminal, performs the method according to the first aspect. 
         [0022]    Other features and advantages of the disclosed embodiment will appear from the following detailed disclosure, from the attached dependent claims as well as from the drawings. 
         [0023]    Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to “a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc]” are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    Embodiments will now be described in more detail, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, in which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a cellular telecommunication system, as an example of an environment in which the aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be applied. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a schematic front view illustrating a mobile terminal according to one embodiment. 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram representing an internal component, software and protocol structure of the mobile terminal shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart diagram illustrating the execution of the mobile terminal shown in  FIG. 2  for personalization. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5   a - d  illustrate the use of the mobile terminal shown in  FIG. 2  for personalization. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  shows another way of personalizing a mobile terminal. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    The disclosed embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a cellular telecommunications system in which the invention may be applied. In the telecommunication system of  FIG. 1 , various telecommunications services such as cellular voice calls, www/wap browsing, cellular video calls, data calls, facsimile transmissions, music transmissions, still image transmissions, video transmissions, electronic message transmissions and electronic commerce may be performed between a mobile terminal  100  according to the present invention and other devices, such as another mobile terminal  106  or a stationary telephone  132 . It is to be noted that for different embodiments of the mobile terminal  100  and in different situations, different ones of the telecommunications services referred to above may or may not be available; the invention is not limited to any particular set of services in this respect. 
         [0033]    The mobile terminals  100 ,  106  are connected to a mobile telecommunications network  110  through RF links  102 ,  108  via base stations  104 ,  109 . The mobile telecommunications network  110  may be in compliance with any commercially available mobile telecommunications standard, such as GSM, UMTS, D-AMPS, CDMA2000, FOMA and TD-SCDMA. 
         [0034]    The mobile telecommunications network  110  is operatively connected to a wide area network  120 , which may be Internet or a part thereof. An Internet server  122  has a data storage  124  and is connected to the wide area network  120 , as is an Internet client computer  126 . The server  122  may host a www/wap server capable of serving www/wap content to the mobile terminal  100 . 
         [0035]    A public switched telephone network (PSTN)  130  is connected to the mobile telecommunications network  110  in a familiar manner. Various telephone terminals, including the stationary telephone  132 , are connected to the PSTN  130 . 
         [0036]    The mobile terminal  100  is also capable of communicating locally via a local link  101  to one or more local devices  103 . The local link can be any type of link with a limited range, such as Bluetooth, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) link, a Wireless Universal Serial Bus (WUSB) link, an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network link, an RS-232 serial link, etc. The local devices  103  can for example be microphones, headsets, GPS receivers etc. 
         [0037]    An embodiment  200  of the mobile terminal  100  is illustrated in more detail in  FIG. 2 . The mobile terminal  200  comprises a speaker or earphone  202 , a microphone  205 , a display  203  and a set of keys  204  which may include a keypad  204   a  of common ITU-T type (alpha-numerical keypad representing characters “0”-“9”, “*” and “#”) and certain other keys such as soft keys  204   b,    204   c  and a joystick  211  or other type of navigational input device. 
         [0038]    The internal component, software and protocol structure of the mobile terminal  200  will now be described with reference to  FIG. 3 . The mobile terminal has a controller  300  which is responsible for the overall operation of the mobile terminal and is preferably implemented by any commercially available CPU (“Central Processing Unit”), DSP (“Digital Signal Processor”) or any other electronic programmable logic device. The controller  300  has associated electronic memory  302  such as RAM memory, ROM memory, EEPROM memory, flash memory, hard drive, optic memory or any combination thereof. The memory  302  is used for various purposes by the controller  300 , one of them being for storing data and program instructions for various software in the mobile terminal. The memory  302  can be internal to the mobile terminal or an external memory connected to the mobile terminal. The software includes a real-time operating system  320 , drivers for a man-machine interface (MMI)  334 , an application handler  332  as well as various applications. The application handler can include an environment where user installed games can be executed, e.g. a KVM (kilobyte virtual machine) or JVM (Java virtual machine) for executing java applications. The applications can include a games application  350 , as well as various other applications  360  and  370 , such as applications for voice calling, video calling, sending and receiving SMS, MMS or email, contact management, voice clip recording, web browsing, an instant messaging application, a calendar application, a control panel application, a camera application, a media player, more video games, a notepad application, etc. 
         [0039]    The MMI  334  also includes one or more hardware controllers, which together with the MMI drivers cooperate with the display  336 / 203 , keypad  338 / 204  as well as various other I/O devices such as microphone, speaker, vibrator, ringtone generator, LED indicator, etc. As is commonly known, the user may operate the mobile terminal through the man-machine interface thus formed. 
         [0040]    The software also includes various modules, protocol stacks, drivers, etc., which are commonly designated as  330  and which provide communication services (such as transport, network and connectivity) for an RF interface  306 , and optionally a Bluetooth interface  308  and/or an IrDA interface  310  for local connectivity. The RF interface  306  comprises an internal or external antenna as well as appropriate radio circuitry for establishing and maintaining a wireless link to a base station (e.g. the link  102  and base station  104  in  FIG. 1 ). As is well known to a man skilled in the art, the radio circuitry comprises a series of analogue and digital electronic components, together forming a radio receiver and transmitter. These components include, i.a., band pass filters, amplifiers, mixers, local oscillators, low pass filters, AD/DA converters, etc. 
         [0041]    The mobile terminal also has a SIM card  304  and an associated reader. As is commonly known, the SIM card  304  comprises a processor as well as local work and data memory. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart diagram illustrating the execution of the mobile terminal shown in  FIG. 2  for personalization of a software generated character. Software generated characters are used in a variety of different situations. For example, in a game, any character in the game is a software generated character, the game being a single-user game, a multiplayer game or an online multiplayer game, or digital pet software, e.g. tamagotchi software. Moreover, software generated characters can be used in online chat applications, allowing remote users of the chat to see the software generated character representing a local user. Software generated characters could also be used in the user interface of the mobile terminal, simplifying use and making the user experience more pleasant for the user. 
         [0043]    In an initial enable user to decorate physical appearance step  402 , the user is given the opportunity to decorate the physical appearance of the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal can be provided with a specific location on its exterior, where the user can add personalization items. For example, there may be an area for placing pins or stickers. Alternatively or additionally, the user can personalize the mobile terminal by using a cover of liking. 
         [0044]    In a determine allowable character options  404 , the mobile terminal determines, from all available options (or icons), what options the user is able to select. Whether a particular option should be allowable for the user to select or not can depend on the state of the software that generates the software generated character. For example, if the character generating software is a military game, the user may only be given the opportunity to select appearance option for military grades in accordance with the level that the user has attained in the game. Furthermore, in one embodiment, when the user wishes to select a matching option, the mobile terminal sends a personalization message to the server. Optionally, a code is requested from the user, which is included in the personalization message. When received by the server, this message can be used on the server to collect statistics, and/or a corresponding authorization message can be generated to be sent from the server to the mobile terminal. If a code is included in the personalization message, the validity of the code is checked and the positive authorization message is only generated if the code is valid. In the embodiment with authorization, the mobile terminal only allows the option corresponding to the authorization message to be selected if the authorization message has been received. 
         [0045]    In a display character options step  406 , all options are shown on the display of the mobile terminal. If there is not enough space on the display, the user can be given an opportunity to scroll to see all options. Only allowable options are selectable, where unallowable options can be indicated on the display that they are disabled. 
         [0046]    In one embodiment, each option can have associated with it a character appearance and/or one or more character behaviors. These character behaviors are later used by the software that generates the character, e.g. a role playing game. For example, one appearance can increase temper with 30 units, while another appearance can increase empathy with 20 units. Any characteristic that is used by the character generating software can be affected by an appearance, for example, but not limited to, intelligence, empathy, stamina, curiosity, and temper. In multi-user software, these properties for behavior can be loaded over a digital network, such as the wide area network  120  ( FIG. 1 ), from a remote server  122  ( FIG. 1 ) and its storage  122  ( FIG. 1 ), when the graphics of the decorations are taken into use with the character. Other people can understand from the decorations of the mobile terminal some of the properties of the virtual character or whatever the user wants to express with these decorations (e.g. individuality or ties to a group). Even if each decoration only has one symbol, multiple meanings can be expressed by combining two or more symbols. 
         [0047]    In a detect user selection step  408 , the user selection of an option is detected. 
         [0048]    The steps of: enable user to decorate physical appearance  402 , determine allowable character options  404 , display character options  406  and detect user selection  408 , can be repeated to allow the user to select options for a plurality of physical personalization items. 
         [0049]    In a display character with selected appearance step  412 , the selected appearance is applied when the character is displayed by the character generating software. If several options have been selected, all these options are taken into consideration when the character is displayed. Also, any characteristics that are associated with the options are taken into account by the character generating software. 
         [0050]      FIG. 5   a - d  illustrate the use of the mobile terminal shown in  FIG. 2  for personalization. 
         [0051]      FIG. 5   a  shows a mobile terminal  500 , such as mobile terminal  200  of  FIG. 2 . The mobile terminal  200  has a location  521  on the exterior of the mobile communication terminal enabling physical personalization. The user of the mobile terminal  500  can e.g. apply stickers or pins to this location, as will be described below. The mobile terminal also comprises a display  503  on which a character  522  is generated by software executing in the mobile terminal  500 . The software can for example be a single-user game, an online multiplayer game, an online chat application or an avatar generating software. In many of these software applications, the character has a number of parameters representing different characteristics, where one example is temper. On the display  503 , the current value, 30, of the characteristic temper is displayed in a text field  520 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 5   b  shows how the user has applied two physical decorations  523 ,  524  (in this case with the Chinese symbols for “human” and “fire”) to the location  521  for physical personalization on the mobile terminal  500 . These decorations can for example be stickers or pins. 
         [0053]    In  FIG. 5   c  a number of options  526 ,  527  are displayed, allowing the user to select an option that matches one of the physical personalizations  523 ,  524  just applied. In this case, the user has selected one particular option  526 . The user would repeat this selection to select options matching both new physical decorations  523 ,  524 . 
         [0054]    In  FIG. 5   d,  it is shown how the character  522  is now generated having two earrings  529 ,  530  matching the physical decorations  523 ,  524 . Furthermore, the text field  520  shows how the characteristic of temper now has increased to a value of 70 units, compared to 30 units initially. 
         [0055]      FIG. 6  shows another way of personalizing a mobile terminal. In this example, the character generating software is a military game. The mobile terminal  600  comprises a display  603  showing a character  634  being a soldier. The mobile terminal  600  also comprises a location for applying physical personalizations  631 , where the user has applied a sticker  632  denoting a military grade. After the user has updated the game, the character  634  is generated with a military grade symbol  633  matching the physically applied military grade sticker  632 . 
         [0056]    The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.