Abstract:
A method of acknowledging receipt of a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal for performing the same is provided. The method includes receiving a multimedia message, reproducing multimedia contents related to the multimedia message, and sending a reply message indicating whether a complete multimedia message was reproduced, the determination of whether the complete multimedia message was reproduced based on the reproduction time information in the multimedia message.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2006-0047840, filed on May 26, 2006, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is directed to a method of acknowledging receipt of a multimedia message in a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal for performing the same. 
       DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
       [0003]    The Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) refers to a messaging service in which various formats of data are processed, converted and selected such that they are suitable for a variety of multimedia service environments, and for enabling transmission and reception of multimedia information. 
         [0004]    The MMS includes a message reception confirmation function. After the message reception confirmation function is set in a calling-side mobile terminal, if a multimedia message is sent to a receiving-side mobile terminal and a user of the received-side mobile terminal reads the multimedia message, the received-side mobile terminal sends a “read-reply” to the calling-side mobile terminal. The “read-reply” is a reply message indicating that the user has read the message. 
         [0005]    In this case, even after the recipient plays or displays the received multimedia message, the received-side mobile terminal sends “read-reply” to the calling-side mobile terminal. Accordingly, the user of the calling-side mobile terminal does not know whether the received-side user has confirmed all the contents of the multimedia message. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An object of the present invention is to provide a method of sending a reply message of a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal for the same. 
         [0007]    In one aspect of the present invention, a method of acknowledging receipt of a multimedia messaging service (MMS) message in a mobile terminal is provided, the method includes: receiving a multimedia message; reproducing multimedia contents related to the multimedia message; and sending a reply message indicating whether a complete multimedia message was reproduced, wherein the multimedia message comprises reproduction time information. 
         [0008]    It is contemplated that a plurality of slides forming the multimedia message are reproduced. It is further contemplated that determining whether a complete multimedia message was reproduced includes: determining the elapsed play time of the multimedia contents; and comparing the elapsed play time with the received multimedia message reproduction time information. 
         [0009]    It is contemplated that sending the reply message further comprises indicating a percentage of the complete multimedia content that was reproduced, if reproduction of the multimedia content was stopped before completion of a predetermined message content play time. It is further contemplated that a reproduction time is defined for each slide forming the multimedia contents. 
         [0010]    It is contemplated that reproducing the multimedia contents includes: determining if a multimedia message header includes a field indicating to send a reply message indicating the received message was reproduced; and extracting from a multimedia message data body a file describing a reproduction method for each slide forming the multimedia contents, if the multimedia message header field exist, wherein the file includes the reproduction time information. It is further contemplated that the file is a Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) file. It is further contemplated that the contents comprise at least one of text, audio, video, image and moving picture contents. 
         [0011]    It is contemplated that the reply message comprises a field indicating whether the received multimedia contents were reproduced in accordance with the reproduction time information. 
         [0012]    In another aspect of the present invention, a mobile terminal for acknowledging receipt of multimedia message reply message, includes: a wireless transceiver for receiving a multimedia message; an input device for inputting a reproduction instruction for the multimedia message; and a controller for reproducing the multimedia contents related to the multimedia message according to the reproduction instruction of the input device, generating a reply message indicating whether the entire multimedia contents were reproduced, and sending the generated reply message through the wireless transceiver. 
         [0013]    It is contemplated that the multimedia message includes reproduction time information. It is further contemplated that the controller generates the reply message comprising information indicating a percentage of the whole multimedia contents that were reproduced, if reproduction of the multimedia contents was stopped before a predetermined reproduction time expired. 
         [0014]    It is further contemplated that the reply message includes a field for indicating whether the received multimedia contents were reproduced in accordance with the reproduction time information. 
         [0015]    It is contemplated that the mobile terminal further includes: a display for displaying a reproduction screen of the contents under the control of the controller, if there is a reproduction instruction received through the input device. It is further contemplated that the reproduction time information is defined for each slide forming the multimedia contents. 
         [0016]    It is contemplated that the format of the multimedia message includes: a header; and a body comprising at least one of data contents and a file describing a reproducing method for each of the multimedia contents, wherein the file includes a tag defining the reproduction time information. It is further contemplated that the file is a Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) file. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates the configuration of a multimedia messaging service system to which a method of acknowledging receipt of a message in a mobile terminal according to the preset is applied. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the construction of a mobile terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of acknowledging receipt of the mobile terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method of acknowledging receipt of a message in a mobile terminal, according to another embodiment of displaying the present invention according to an embodiment of the present invention 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example of displaying a message play progress ratio of content, which is currently being played, to a total play time of the whole multimedia message according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The present invention will now be described in detail in connection with specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates the configuration of a multimedia messaging service system (MMS) to which a method of acknowledging receipt of a message in a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the MMS system includes mobile terminals  10  and  20 , and a mobile network  30  for allowing the mobile terminals  10  and  20  to communicate with a MMS center  40 . 
         [0025]    A mobile terminal, as described herein, may include any of a cellular phone, a Personal Communication Systems (PCS), a Personal Data Assistant (PDA), an International Mobile Communication-2000 (IMT 2000) terminal, and other related devices in the following description. 
         [0026]    The mobile communication network  30  can be a Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, or a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network. 
         [0027]    The MMS system further includes an external server, such as a mail box  80 , and an Internet network  70  connected to a wired e-mail client  90 . The mail box  80  is connected to the Internet network  70 , and stores messages in an e-mail system. The wired e-mail client  90  is connected to the Internet network  70 , and transmits e-mails on a wired line. 
         [0028]    The MMS center  40  includes a MMS server  42 , a MMS relay  44  and a user database  60 . The MMS server  42  is responsible for processing and storing transmitted/received MMS messages. The MMS relay  44  performs message transfer between different message systems. The user database  60  stores user-related information, such as user subscription information and address information. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the construction of a mobile terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the mobile terminal  200  according to the present embodiment includes a wireless transceiver  210 , a data processor  220 , an audio processor  230 , a memory  240 , a display  250 , an input device  260 , and a controller  270 . 
         [0031]    The wireless transceiver  210  performs a communication function of the mobile terminal  200 . In this configuration, the wireless transceiver  210  receives a multimedia message from the MMS center  40 , and sends the message to the controller  270 . 
         [0032]    The data processor  220  encodes and modulates a transmitted signal, and demodulates and decodes a received signal. In the present embodiment, the data processor  220  decodes audio contents, video contents, and motion image contents, which may be included in a received multimedia message, and sends the result to the audio processor  230  or the display  250 , under the control of the controller  270 . 
         [0033]    The audio processor  230  serves to play a received audio signal, which is decoded in and output from the data processor  220 , or send an audio signal, which is generated from a microphone MIC, to the data processor  220 . 
         [0034]    The memory  240  includes program memory and data memory. The program memory stores programs for controlling general operations of the mobile terminal  200 . Herein, the memory  240  stores a software program for executing the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). 
         [0035]    The display  250  outputs various pieces of display information, including a variety of menu screens, which are output from the mobile terminal  200 . The display  250  may include a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED). In the present embodiment, the display  250 , under the control of the controller  270 , displays multimedia content in a received multimedia message. The multimedia content may include audio content, text content, video content, motion image content, and/or image content. 
         [0036]    The input device  260  includes a variety of buttons or keys for inputting numerals and character information, and function buttons for setting a variety of functions. The input device  260  can be implemented using a keypad equipped with direction keys, a jog dial, a touch screen, and a joystick, but is not limited thereto. 
         [0037]    For example, the input device  260  receives a request for confirming a multimedia message from a user, and sends the request to the controller  270 . The input device  260  receives a play request or a display request from the user for content included in the multimedia message, and sends the request to the controller  270 . 
         [0038]    Throughout the disclosure of the present invention, the term “reproducing” of the multimedia contents includes playing or displaying multimedia contents. Furthermore, the input device  260  may receive a user&#39;s stop play request or a stop display request for a specific content, which is being played or displayed, and sends the request to the controller  270 . 
         [0039]    In this embodiment, if there is a request received from the input device  260  for confirming a multimedia message, the controller  270  controls a variety of contents included in the multimedia message, such as, whether the message is to be played or displayed on the display  250 . 
         [0040]    The controller  270  controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal  200 , and can alternatively include comprise the data processor  220 . 
         [0041]    The controller  270  determines time for which content is actually played or displayed, compares the counted time and a predetermined content play time or display time, which is previously set in a Synchronized Multimedia Integrated Language (SMIL) file of a received multimedia message, and determines whether the content has actually been played or displayed for the predetermined content play time or display time set in the SMIL file. 
         [0042]    If it is determined that the content has actually been played or displayed for the predetermined content play time or display time set in the SMIL file, then the controller  270  determines that a received side mobile terminal user has confirmed all of the contents. 
         [0043]    Furthermore, if it is determined that a user has confirmed all contents included in a multimedia message, according to the above determination reference, then the controller  270  generates a reply message indicating that the user has confirmed all of the contents included in the multimedia message, and sends the reply message to the calling-side mobile terminal that originated the multimedia message. 
         [0044]    Further, when the user confirms only a part of the contents of the whole multimedia message and stops play, the controller  270  determines a percentage of the whole multimedia message that was confirmed by the user. Thereafter, the controller  270  generates a reply message including information indicating the percentage of the whole multimedia message that has been confirmed by the received-side mobile terminal user, for example, 50%, and sends the generated reply message to the calling-side mobile terminal that originated the multimedia message. 
         [0045]    Accordingly, a calling-side user who has originated the multimedia message can determine whether a received-side party has confirmed all of the contents of the received multimedia message, or a percentage of the whole message that has been confirmed by the received-side party, if only a part of the multimedia message is confirmed. 
         [0046]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of acknowledging receipt of a message in a mobile terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a multimedia message is received from the MMS center  40  through the wireless transceiver  210  (step S 310 ). The received multimedia message includes information about a total message play time and a play time for each slide, of the multimedia message. The term slide refers to each page constituting a multimedia message. Typically, a multimedia message can include ten slides. 
         [0048]    The general format of a multimedia message comprises a header, and a body having actual message data. The header comprises a plurality of fields including information relating to addresses of a calling-side mobile terminal and a received-side mobile terminal, and a message type. The header of the multimedia message further includes a “read-all-reply” field for indicating whether to send a report indicating whether a called party who has received the multimedia message has played or displayed all of the contents of the received multimedia message. 
         [0049]    The controller  270  determines whether a “read-all-reply” field exists in a header field of the received multimedia message (step S 320 ). 
         [0050]    For example, if the “read-all-replay” field exists in the header field of a received multimedia message (step  330 ), the controller  270  examines the SMIL file of the multimedia message to confirm a play time for each slide constituting the multimedia message. 
         [0051]    The SMIL file describes a particular multimedia presentation for the multimedia contents included in each slide of a multimedia message. The SMIL file is disposed in the body of the multimedia message together with the multimedia contents. 
         [0052]    Alternatively, the “read-all-reply” field can be implemented using a “X- 
         [0053]    Mms-read-Reply” field defined in the existing MMS specification. 
         [0054]    In this embodiment, a play time or a display time for each slide of a multimedia message is recorded into the SMIL file of a received multimedia message. When the content consists of an audio, a video, or a motion image, the play time is recorded into the SMIL file. When the content consists of text or an image, the display time is recorded into the SMIL file. The controller  270  determines the elapsed time during which message content is actually played or displayed (step S 340 ). 
         [0055]    An example of the SMIL file according to an embodiment of the present invention is as follows. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                   &lt;smile&gt; 
               
               
                   
                    &lt;head&gt; 
               
               
                   
                    &lt;layout&gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;root-layout width=“176” height=“174”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;region id=“text1” backgroundColor=“#FFFFFF” 
               
               
                   
                 width=“100%” height=“30%” left=“0%” top=“70%” /&gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;region id=“img1” backgroundColor=“#FFFFFF” 
               
               
                   
                 width=“100%” height=“70%” left=“0%” top=“0%” /&gt; 
               
               
                   
                    &lt;layout&gt; 
               
               
                   
                    &lt;/head&gt; 
               
               
                   
                    &lt;body&gt; 
               
               
                   
                    &lt;par dur=“13s”    required-dur=“13s”   &gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;img src=“azzurro.jpg” region=“img1”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;text src=“slide1.txt” region=“text1”&gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;param name=“foreground-color” value=“#000000”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;param name=“textsize” value=“normal”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;/text&gt; 
               
               
                   
                     &lt;audio src=“boom.mp3” /&gt; 
               
               
                   
                    &lt;/par&gt; 
               
               
                   
                    &lt;/body&gt; 
               
               
                   
                   &lt;/smil&gt; 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0056]    In the above example of the SMIL file, the tag “required-dur”, written in a bold font and underlined, is a newly defined tag in one embodiment of the present invention, and indicates a play time or a display time of content. 
         [0057]    As described above, after confirming the play time of contents in the SMIL file tag “required-dur” of a received multimedia message, the controller ( 270 ) compares the predetermined play time with the elapsed time during which contents included in the multimedia message have actually been played or displayed. Accordingly, it is determined whether the content has actually been played or displayed for the predetermined play time or display time for each slide recorded into the SMIL file (step  350 ). 
         [0058]    If it is determined an actual play time of all of the contents included in each slide of the received multimedia message fulfills the play time set in the tag “required-dur” of the SMIL file, then it is considered that the received-side user has actually confirmed all the contents of the multimedia message. 
         [0059]    If it is determined that the received-side user has actually confirmed all the contents, the controller  270  generates a reply message, indicating that the received-side user has normally confirmed all the contents of the received multimedia message, and sends the reply message to the mobile terminal that originated the multimedia message (step S 360 ). 
         [0060]    In this case, the header field of the reply message includes a “read-all-status” field, indicating that the received-side user has normally confirmed all the contents of the received multimedia message. The “read-all-status” field is a newly defined field in an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0061]    In the alternative, instead of defining a new field, the “X-Mms-Read-Status” field defined in the existing MMS specification can be used to indicate that the received-side user has normally confirmed all the contents of the received multimedia message. 
         [0062]    As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, when a called party of a multimedia message has confirmed all the contents included in the multimedia message, a reply message is sent. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that a calling-side user who originated the multimedia message will know whether a received-side user has confirmed all of the multimedia message contents. 
         [0063]    For example, an advertiser sending a multimedia message can determine whether general users have read all sent multimedia message advertisings. Accordingly, the advertiser can determine whether advertising employing the multimedia message service is effectively transmitted to users. Accordingly, there is an additional advantage in that a rapid and accurate decision reference in advertising investment can be provided to an advertiser. It is contemplated that this will significantly contribute to the expansion of an advertising market employing the MMS. 
         [0064]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating a method of acknowledging receipt of a message in a mobile terminal, according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0065]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a multimedia message is first received from the MMS center  40  through the wireless transceiver  210  (step S 410 ). The received multimedia message includes information about a total predetermined play time and a play time for each slide of the multimedia message. 
         [0066]    The controller  270  confirms a SMIL file of the received multimedia message, and confirms a predetermined play time for each slide and total play time of the multimedia message (step S 420 ). 
         [0067]    The controller  270  determines whether a user has requested the play of the received multimedia message (step  430 ). If it is determined the user has requested the play of the received multimedia message, the controller  270  plays the contents included in the multimedia message (step S 440 ). While the content is played, the controller  270  controls the display  250  to display a message play progress ratio of the content, which is currently being played, to a total play time of the whole multimedia message. 
         [0068]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example of displaying the message play progress ratio of content, which is currently being played, to a total message play time of the whole multimedia message displayed. Referring to  FIG. 5 , a progress bar  500  displays the message progress ratio. Accordingly, a user can determine what amount of the multimedia message has been displayed or played. 
         [0069]    If the user stops play of the multimedia message, which is currently being played, through the input device  260 , i.e., “Y” in step S 450 , the controller  270  confirms a total play time of the multimedia message and the elapsed play time of the multimedia message until the play of the multimedia message was stopped by the user, and determines the percentage of the whole multimedia message that has been played by the user (step S 460 ). 
         [0070]    For example, it is assumed that the multimedia message includes four slides; the first slide is a text content having the whole play time of 5 seconds, the second slide is an image content having the whole play time of 5 seconds, and the third and fourth slides are a video content respectively have the whole play time of 10 seconds each. 
         [0071]    In the case where the user has confirmed all of the first slide and the second slide, and then requests to stop the play of the multimedia message while confirming the video content of the third slide after about 5 seconds, a mathematical equation for calculating the percentage of the whole message that has been confirmed by the user can be expressed as follows. 
         [0072]    Ratio (%) of Confirmed Message={Play time from start play to stop of message/Play time of whole message}×100 
         [0073]    in the above example, the play time of the whole message is 5+5+10+10=30 seconds, and the play time from start play to stop of the message is 5+5+5=15 seconds. In this case, the message confirmed by the user corresponds to 50% of the whole message. 
         [0074]    The controller  270  generates a reply message including information indicating the percentage of the play time of the multimedia message that has been confirmed by the called-side user, for example 50%, and sends the reply message to the calling-side mobile terminal that originated the multimedia message (step S 470 ). 
         [0075]    In the above embodiments, the multimedia message has been described by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
         [0076]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements comprised within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.