Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Message storage or retrieval
Patent
1996-07-03
2000-05-16
Chin, Wellington
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Message storage or retrieval
370445, 370448, 379 8823, H04M 1110
Patent
active
060648767
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a mobile communications system, and more particularly to a mobile communications system and method with message storing function provided at both communications networks and terminals.
BACKGROUND ART
Increasing variety of services have been provided with the development of communications. A communications system including a voice message center in a communications network is proposed as one of these services.
For example, Japanese patent application laying-open No. 5-292205 (1993), a first prior art, discloses a service which comprises a voice message storing function in a communications network, and transmits stored messages to subscribers. According to this service, it is not necessary for individual subscribers to posses answering machines.
Japanese patent application publication No. 5-66783 (1993), a second prior art, discloses a technique in which messages stored in the center for subscribers are transferred to their cards inserted in receiving terminals. Specifically, when a subscriber inserts a card storing his telephone number in a receiving terminal, the center transfers the message for him to this card. The card stores the message to be converted into a vocal message. It also discloses a technique which carries out paging when an urgent call connection occurs so that the addressee responding to it inserts his card in a receiver to receive the message. Furthermore, it discloses a technique which makes it possible for a subscriber to carry out a conversation with other subscribers through a switching center using wireless equipment incorporated in his card.
In addition, a technique is known which can be utilized when no voice message center is provided in a mobile communications system, but its subscriber has an answering machine connected to a public telephone network. In this case, the mobile communications system sends his message to the answering machine to be stored, and contacts his mobile station when it comes into a service area.
For example, Japanese patent application publication No. 58-53526 (1983), a third prior art, discloses a special service provided when a subscriber has both an answering machine connected to a public network and a mobile station connected to a mobile communications network. When the mobile station does not respond, the mobile switching center transfers a message to his answering machine, and then carries out automatic paging to the mobile station to notice the presence of the message when it comes into a service area, or transfers the message stored in the answering machine to the mobile station.
In addition, a system including an answering machine only in a mobile station is known as a fourth prior art.
These prior arts, however, present the following problems:
(1) In the first prior art, the terminal must be connected to the network (the switching center) each time the user wishes to listen to his message. This presents the following problems: the reproduction of the message is impossible when the line is unavailable; it takes a long time from a request to the reproduction of the message; traffic to the switching center will increase when users reproduce the message multiple times, etc. In addition, since the switching center handles messages from many subscribers, the stored messages must be deleted at fixed intervals. As a result, the message cannot be reproduced after the fixed interval has elapsed from the storing of the message.
(2) The second prior art discloses nothing about measures to be taken when the card cannot be connected to the center. As a result, the subscriber out of service area cannot be informed that a message is present even if an urgent one arrives. Furthermore, there is another problem that the message might be deleted if the subscriber forgets to take action for receiving it when he enters the service area. Another problem is that the message stored at the center cannot be obtained without a series of manual operations such as inserting his card in a receiver.
(3) In the third prior art
REFERENCES:
patent: 4964156 (1990-10-01), Blair
patent: 5109400 (1992-04-01), Patsiokas et al.
patent: 5164942 (1992-11-01), Kamerman et al.
patent: 5327481 (1994-07-01), Horimoto
patent: 5627878 (1997-05-01), Strauch
Ishida So
Tsukahara Hiroshi
Chin Wellington
Nguyen Lee
NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc.
LandOfFree
Mobile communications system and method with message storing fun does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Mobile communications system and method with message storing fun, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Mobile communications system and method with message storing fun will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-266984