Patent ID: 7155211

Claim:
A method of providing picture caller identification (PCID) to a called party in a mobile communication system, the method comprising the steps of: storing a PCID of each mobile station (MS) within a coverage area of a first base station (BS) in a first visitor location register (VLR) of a first mobile switching center (MSC); storing information as to whether each MS within a coverage area of a second BS has subscribed to a PCID service in a second VLR of a second MSC; receiving a SETUP message including character caller identification (CID) from a first MS via the first BS during a call attempt by the first MSC; checking whether the PCID of the first MS is stored in the first VLR by the first MSC in response to the SETUP message; transmitting the CID and the PCID of the first MS to the second MSC by the first MSC if the PCID of the first MS is stored in the first VLR; checking whether a second MS has subscribed to the PCID service by the second MSC; transmitting the CID and the PCID of the first MS to the second MS by the second MSC, if the second MS has subscribed to the PCID service; and displaying the CID and the PCID of the first MS on the second MS.