WO2003039038A1

WO2003039038A1 - System and method for controlling the display of wireless terminal using locking technique

Info

Publication number: WO2003039038A1
Application number: PCT/KR2001/002176
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jun-Ho Jang
Original assignee: Infobank Co.,Ltd
Priority date: 2001-10-10
Filing date: 2001-12-14
Publication date: 2003-05-08
Also published as: KR100341690B1

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system and method for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which can maximize exposure effects of specific contents. The system for controlling the display of the wireless terminal using the lock technique includes a user management means for storing personal information of a user who requests a display control service, and display control information for each terminal mode of the user; a contents provider management means for managing information of at least one contents provider who intends to push the contents information to the wireless terminal, and storing the information in the database; a contents information push means for pushing the contents information to the wireless terminal of the user by referring to the database, when the user intends to use the display control service or the contents information from the contents provider has been changed; and a display lock/unlock means for providing lock or unlock information to the wireless terminal or managing the information to prevent the user who uses the display control service from changing he display control information and contents information in the wireless terminal for a contract period. As a result, the user is prevented from changing the background display in which the contents information is displayed before expiration of the contract period, to maximize advertisement effects.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE DISPLAY OF WTRELESS TERMINAL USING LOCKING TECHNIQUE

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for controlling a display of a communication terminal, and in particular to a system and method for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which can maximize publicity effects of specific contents by displaying the contents on the wireless terminal for a contract period.

Background Art

Accordmg to wide distribution of wireless terminals, there have been increasing demands for a method for providing various contents information through the medium of the wireless terminals. The method for providing contents information using the wireless terminals includes an advertisement method using a short message or voice message service.

The advertisement method uses a broadcasting method where a wireless network operator transmits advertisement contents provided by a contents provider to a plurality of wireless terminals. It is advantageous to transmit an advertisement to a plurality of wireless terminal users. However, the broadcasting method which is efficient in information transmission is not suitable for commercial purposes such as an advertisement. That is, objects of the advertisement are many and unspecified persons, and most of the users receiving the advertisement through their wireless terminals directly delete advertisement contents. Thus, the advertisement hardly encourages the users to purchase the goods.

In order to solve the foregoing problems, there has been suggested a method for forming advertisement contents in a background display of a wireless terminal. However, this method also fails to improve advertisement effects because the user can ^* easily operate the wireless terminal to change the background display.

Disclosure Of Invention

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which can maximize publicity effects of specific advertisement contents by inserting the contents into a background display in various modes of the wireless terminal, and preventing a user from changing the background display for a contract period.

In order to achieve the above-described object of the invention, there is provided a system for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which accesses a wireless network operator through a communication network, and ties up with at least one contents provider, for controlling the display of the wireless terminal which is a member of the wireless network operator accordmg to contents information from the contents provider, and which includes a display control server and a database, wherein the display control server includes a user management means for storing personal information of a user who requests a display control service, and display control information for each terminal mode of the user in the database; a contents provider management means for managing information of at least one contents provider who intends to push the contents information to the wireless terminal, and storing the information in the database; a contents information push means for pushing the contents information to the wireless terminal of the user by referring to the database, when the user intends to use the display control service or the contents information from the contents provider has been changed; and a display lock/unlock means for providing lock or unlock information to the wireless terminal or managing the information to prevent the user who uses the display control service from changing the display control information and contents information in the wireless terminal for a contract period.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which accesses a wireless network operator through a communication network, and provides contents information from at least one contents provider to the wireless terminal which is a member of the wireless network operator, including the steps of: pushing the contents information to the wireless terminal of a user when the user requests a display control service; initiating the display lock technique to prevent the user from changing the display of the wireless terminal which the contents information has been pushed to; confirming whether the contents have been changed by the contents provider, and updating the contents information by pushing the changed contents to the wireless terminal when the contents have been changed; checking whether a display control service contract period of the user has expired, and going to the step for pushing the contents to the wireless terminal when the user intends to keep using the display control service; and canceling the display lock technique when the user does not want to use the display control service.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a communication network where a system for controlling a display of a wireless terminal is used in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a detailed structure diagram illustrating the system for controlling the display of the wireless terminal of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling a display of a wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a block diagram for explaining a display control program mounted on the wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention.

Best mode for Carrying Out the Invention

A system and method for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The wireless terminal can be all kinds of portable mobile communication terminals such as a cellular phone, smart phone, PDA and IMT-2000.

Fig. 1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a communication network where the system for controlling the display of the wireless terminal is used in accordance with the present invention.

A user of the wireless terminal 20 can use a telephone service, a wireless internet service and the likes through wireless communication with a wireless network operator 50. The system 30 for controlling the display has at least one affiliated concern (contents provider), and accesses the wireless network operator 50 to publicize contents information from the affiliated concern to the user of the wireless terminal 20. The system 30 for controlling the display may be operated by the wireless network operator 50, the affiliated concern or other operators.

The user accesses the system 30 for controlling the display through the wireless terminal 20, or through a communication network 40 by using a personal computer 10, and requests a display control service for a predetermined period. Here, the user can set up a mode and period of using the display lock technique in his/her wireless terminal 20.

In addition, the user can select a method for displaying the contents information on the wireless terminal 20. Exemplary methods include a method for displaying advertisement contents on the whole display, and designating a color of the advertisement contents differently from a color of keys inputted by the user; a method for displaying a color tone of letters showing an advertisement vaguer than a color tone of keys inputted by the user; a method for displaying an advertisement on the whole display of the wireless terminal except for a state display part displaying reception sensitivity and residual power, and reducing the advertisement display part when the user starts to input keys; and a method for displaying an advertisement on the whole display except for a wireless terminal state display part and a user key input space. In the aforementioned display methods, the contents information is composed of texts, images, audio signals, or combinations thereof. When the contents information is composed of the audio signals, the audio signals can be used in all possible modes. For example, when the wireless terminal receives a call, the audio signal can be used as a reception sound, when the contents information is updated, it can be used as a notification signal, and when the user designates a specific time and date in the wireless terminal, it can be used as an alarm signal.

On the other hand, the modes of the wireless terminal 20 include all operation modes of the wireless terminal 20 such as a standby mode, a phone number input mode, a call mode, and a short message transmission/reception mode.

The system 30 for controlling the display pushes the contents information in each mode upon the user's request. The changed contents information is updated by the system 30 for controlling the display and the wireless network operator 50 according to the WAP push.

After requesting the display lock technique for inserting the contents information into the display of the wireless terminal, the user must receive the contents information for the contract period. As a result, the contents provider can maximize advertisement effects of the contents. According to improvement of the performance of the wireless terminal 20, the advertisement contents can include images and melodies as well as texts. As the size of display of the wireless terminal 20 increases, sufficient advertisement contents can be displayed thereon.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the wireless terminal 20 includes a means for testing a display lock service, so that the user can test the display lock service through the menu of the wireless terminal 20 and decide whether to use the display lock service before making a contract with the system 30 for controlling the display.

On the other hand, when the display lock technique for each mode of the wireless terminal 20 is included in a firmware during the production of the wireless terminal 20, the user purchasing the wireless terminal 20 always watches the contents information when using the wireless terminal 20, which maximizes advertisement effects of the contents. When the display lock technique is added to the firmware, it can be changed with assistance of the wireless terminal manufacturing company such as software upgrade. Otherwise, the contents information is always displayed on the wireless terminal 20.

In order for the user to be willing to receive the advertisement contents service, the system 30 for controlling the display must tie up with the contents provider and give a discount on the price or charge of the wireless terminal 20.

Fig. 2 is a detailed structure diagram illustrating the system for controlling the display of the wireless terminal of Fig. 1. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the system 30 for controlling the display includes a display control server 100 and a database 116. The display control server 100 is composed of an application program interface (API) 102, an application program 104, and a database management system (DBMS) 106.

The display control server 100 is operated as a server for providing the display control service to the user accessing through the personal computer 10 or wireless terminal 20. The display control server 100 accesses the application program 104 through the API 102 and executes it upon the user's request.

Here, the application program 104 includes a user management program 108, a contents provider management program 110, a contents information push program 112, a display lock/unlock program 114 and a statistics program 115. In addition, the database 116 includes a user DB 118, a contents provider DB 120 and a contents DB

122. These DBs can be composed of one or plural tables.

The user management program 108 accesses the system 30 for controlling the display through the personal computer 10 or wireless terminal 20, and stores information of the user who requests the display lock service, such as personal information and display lock technique setup mode in the user DB 118. In addition, the user management program 108 may transmit the information of the user using the display lock service to the wireless network operator 50 so that the user can get a discount on the communication service charge. The contents provider management program 110 stores information of at least one contents provider who intends to push the contents information to the wireless terminal 20 through the system 30 for controlling the display in the contents provider DB 120.

When the user intends to use the display lock service or when the contents have been changed, the contents information push program 112 transmits the contents to the wireless termmal 20 of the user according to the WAP push by referring to the user DB 118. In addition, the contents information push program 112 can download a program which needs to be mounted on the wireless terminal 20 to receive the display lock service to the wireless terminal 20 upon the user's request, and transmit the display lock technique using information for each mode to the wireless terminal 20.

The display lock/unlock program 114 displays the contents on the background display of the wireless terminal 20 of the user who intends to use the display lock service for the contract period, sets up the display lock technique to prevent the user from changing the background display, and performs the display unlock technique to stop displaying the contents on the background display of the wireless terminal 20 when the contract period expires. The display lock technique can be variously embodied according to terminal types. In the case that the wireless terminal does not include the display lock technique, when the user requests the display lock technique, the system 30 for controlling the display transmits a secret lock code to the wireless terminal. In order to update the contents, the system 30 for controlling the display adds the lock code to a header of the contents information, and transmits the contents information to the wireless terminal. If the user intends to change the display, the wireless terminal searches the background display information, and allows the user to change the display only when the lock codes are identical. Security of the display lock technique can be improved by encoding the lock code. On the other hand, in the case of the wireless terminal added with the display lock technique during the production, a lock code to which the user cannot access without assistance of the manufacturing company is included in the wireless terminal. Each wireless terminal is provided with their secret lock codes. In order to update the contents information, the header of the contents information is transmitted with the corresponding lock code. The wireless terminal allows the user to change the display when the lock codes are identical. The statistics program 115 is a program for managing a ratio of each contents information pushed to the wireless terminals using the display lock technique, and storing it in the contents DB 122.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the method for controlling the display of the wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention. In the system 30 for controlling the display, it is very important to attract the user of the wireless terminal 20 by giving a discount on the price or communication charge of the wireless terminal 20 when displaying the contents on the background display of the wireless terminal 20.

When the user requests the display lock service (S101), the system 30 for controlling the display pushes the contents to the wireless terminal 20 of the user to be stored in the wireless terminal 20 (SI 02). While the user is requesting the display lock service, the system 30 for controlling the display makes the user select the contract period, mode and display method of the display lock service.

After pushing the contents to the wireless terminal 20, the system 30 for controlling the display initiates the display lock technique (SI 03) to prevent the user from changing the background display of the wireless terminal 20 for the contract period.

The system 30 for controlling the display confirms whether the contents have been changed by referring to the database (SI 04). When the contents have been changed, the system 30 for controlling the display pushes the changed contents information to the wireless terminal 20 to update the contents (SI 05).

The system 30 for controlling the display periodically accesses the user DB to check expiration of the display lock service contract period (SI 06). Thereafter, the system 30 for controlling the display confirms whether the user whose contract period has expired intends to use the display lock service (S107). When the user intends to keep using the display lock service, the system 30 for controlling the display goes to the step (SI 02) for pushing the contents information to the wireless terminal 20, and when the user does not want to use the display lock service, the system 30 for controlling the display cancels the display lock service (SI 08) so that the user can change the background display of the wireless terminal 20.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram for explaining a display control program mounted on the wireless terminal in accordance with the present invention. The user of the wireless terminal accesses the system for controlling the display through the personal computer or wireless terminal and downloads the display control program to the wireless terminal, or the wireless terminal manufacturing company forms the display control program in a firmware and mounts it on the wireless terrninal during the production. The display control program 200 includes a display control unit 204 accessing a database of the wireless terminal, an interface unit 216 and an application program 218. The display control unit 204 is composed of a contents selecting means 206, a display method control means 208, a statistics means 210 and an I/O control means 212. In addition, the database of the wireless terminal has a contents DB 214 for storing the contents information pushed by the system for controlling the display.

While requesting the display lock service, the user can select a mode of the wireless terminal which the advertisement contents are inserted into. The contents selecting means 206 matches and displays the advertisement contents which have been pushed by the system for controlling the display and stored in the contents DB 214 in each mode of the wireless terminal selected by the user.

The display method control means 208 controls exposure shape of the contents displayed on the display of the wireless terminal. Exemplary methods include a method for displaying advertisement contents on the whole display, and designating a color of the advertisement contents differently from a color of keys inputted by the user; a method for displaying a color tone of letters showing an advertisement vaguer than a color tone of keys inputted by the user; a method for displaying an advertisement on the whole display of the wireless terminal except for a state display part displaying reception sensitivity and residual power, and reducing the advertisement display part when the user starts to input keys; and a method for displaying an advertisement on the whole display except for a wireless terminal state display part and a user key input space. In the aforementioned display methods, the advertisement contents are composed of texts, images, audio signals, or combinations thereof. The system for controlling the display can change the method for displaying the contents information upon the user's request.

When the contents information is composed of the audio signals, the audio signals can be used in all possible modes. For example, when the wireless terminal receives a call, the audio signal can be used as a reception sound, when the contents information is updated, it can be used as a notification signal, and when the user designates a specific time and date in the wireless terminal, it can be used as an alarm signal. When the user intends to test the display control service of the wireless terminal, a lock/unlock control unit 202 allows the user to start and end the display lock service. In the case that the user wants to normally use the display control service of the wireless terminal, the lock/unlock control unit 202 prevents the user from changing the display control information and contents information, except when requesting initiation and termination of the service to the system for controlling the display.

The statistics means 210 stores items relating to the contents information display start and end time, displayed contents, mode of the wireless terminal in which the contents information is displayed, and method for displaying the contents information in the database, and transmits them to the system for controlling the display. Preferably, the statistics means 210 periodically transmits the statistics items stored in the database in day, week or month units. The I/O control means 212 accesses the contents DB 214, the interface unit

216 and the application program 218, so that the display control program 200 can be driven with other components of the wireless terminal.

The user of the wireless terminal gets a discount on the price or communication charge of the wireless terminal by displaying the advertisement contents provided from the contents provider through the system for controlling the display on the wireless terminal. For this, the user must purchase the wireless terminal which the display control program is mounted on, or access the system for controlling the display to download the display control program to the wireless terminal.

After installing the display control program on the wireless terminal, the user can set up the mode of the wireless terminal which the contents information is displayed, and the period of using the advertisement service. Accordingly, the system for controlling the display pushes the contents information to the wireless terminal. After the user makes a contract to use the contents information, when the user uses the wireless terminal, at least one contents information is displayed in each contract mode. The statistics means of the display control program stores the display time, kind and mode of the contents information displayed when the user uses the wireless terminal, and transmits them to the system for controlling the display if necessary.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiment is not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims. In accordance with the present invention, the specific contents information is displayed on the wireless terminal for the contract period, and the user is prevented from changing the background display before expiration of the contract period, to maximize advertisement effects of the contents tlirough the wireless terminal.

In addition, more various contents information can be provided by inserting the advertisement contents into all possible modes of the wireless terminal including the standby mode. When the display lock technique is formed in the firmware and mounted on the wireless terminal during the production, the contents information can be constantly displayed on the wireless terminal, thereby improving advertisement effects of the contents.

On the other hand, the user of the wireless terminal can get a discount on the price or communication charge of the wireless terminal by using the display lock service, and thus use the wireless communication apparatus and service at a low cost.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which accesses a wireless network operator through a communication network, and ties up with at least one contents provider, for controlling the display of the wireless terminal which is a member of the wireless network operator according to contents information from the contents provider, and which comprises a display control server and a database, wherein the display control server comprises: a user management means for storing personal information of a user who requests a display control service, and display control information for each terminal mode of the user in the database; a contents provider management means for managing information of at least one contents provider who intends to push the contents information to the wireless terminal, and storing the mformation in the database; a contents information push means for pushing the contents information to the wireless terminal of the user by referring to the database, when the user intends to use the display control service or the contents information from the contents provider has been changed; and a display lock/unlock means for providing lock or unlock information to the wireless terminal or managing the information to prevent the user who uses the display control service from changing the display control information and contents information in the wireless terminal for a contract period.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display control server further comprises a statistics means for statistically processing various kinds of information on display states of the contents information which has been pushed to each wireless terminal on the wireless terminals.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the contents information push means transmits a display control program which needs to be mounted on the wireless terminal to receive the display control service, and display control information for each mode of the wireless terminal to the wireless terminal upon the request of the user of the mobile terminal.

4. . The system according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the database comprises: a user database for storing personal information of the user of the wireless terminal who intends to use the display control service, and display control service using information for each user; a contents provider database for managing information of at least one contents provider who intends to push the contents information to the user of the wireless terminal; and a contents database for storing and updating the contents information provided by the contents provider.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the contents information provided by the contents provider is composed of texts, images, audio signals, or combinations thereof.

6. A system for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which is installed on the wireless terminal to control the display of the wireless terminal according to contents information provided by at least one contents provider tying up with a wireless network operator, comprising: a contents selecting means for matching and displaying the contents information which has been pushed by the contents provider in each mode of the wireless terminal; a display method control means for controlling exposure shape of the contents information displayed on the display of the wireless terminal; and a lock/unlock control means for allowing the user to start and end a display control service of the wireless terminal when the user intends to test the display control service, and preventing the user from changing the display control information and contents information except for requesting initiation and termination of the service to the system for controlling the display, when the user wants to normally use the display control service of the wireless terminal.

7. The system according to claim 6, further comprising a statistics means for storing at least one of contents information display start and end time, a kind of displayed contents, a mode of the wireless terminal in which the contents information is displayed, and a display method in the database of the wireless terminal, and transmitting the corresponding information to the system for controlling the display periodically or upon the request of the contents provider.

8. A method for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which accesses a wireless network operator through a communication network, and provides contents information from at least one contents provider to the wireless terminal which is a member of the wireless network operator, comprising the steps of: pushing the contents information to the wireless terminal of a user when the user requests a display control service; initiating the display lock technique to prevent the user from changing the display of the wireless terminal which the contents information has been pushed to; confirming whether the contents have been changed by the contents provider, and updating the contents information by pushing the changed contents to the wireless terminal when the contents have been changed; checking whether a display control service contract period of the user has expired, and going to the step for pushing the contents to the wireless terminal when the user intends to keep using the display control service; and canceling the display lock technique when the user does not want to use the display control service.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, when the user requests the display control service, the user selects at least one of a display control service using period, a display control service using mode and a contents information display method.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, when the contents information is pushed to the wireless terminal of the user, the contents information comprises texts, images, audio signals or combinations thereof.

11. A method for controlling a display of a wireless terminal using a lock technique which controls the display of the wireless terminal which is a member of a wireless network operator according to contents information provided by at least one contents provider tying up with the wireless network operator, comprising the steps of: pushing the contents information from the contents provider to the wireless terminal, when the user of the wireless terminal makes a contract to receive the contents information from the contents provider in each selected mode of the wireless terminal for a predetermined period; displaying at least one contents information in each contract mode, when the user uses the wireless terminal; and allowing the user to start and end a display control service when the user intends to temporarily use the contents information, and setting up the lock technique to prevent the user from changing the display control information and contents mformation except for requesting initiation and termination of the service to the system for controlling the display, when the user wants to normally use the contents information.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising a step for storing at least one of a contents information display time, a kind of displayed contents, a mode of the wireless terminal in which the contents information is displayed, and a display method in the database of the wireless terminal, and transmitting the corresponding information to the contents provider periodically or upon the request of the contents provider.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein, when the contents information is displayed, the display method uses at least one of a method for displaying advertisement contents on the whole display, and designating a color of the advertisement contents differently from a color of keys inputted by the user; a method for displaying a color tone of letters showing an advertisement vaguer than a color tone of keys inputted by the user; a method for displaying an advertisement on the whole display of the wireless terminal except for a state display part displaying reception sensitivity and residual power, and reducing the advertisement display part when the user starts to input keys; and a method for displaying an advertisement on the whole display except for a wireless terminal state display part and a user key input space.