WO2009038341A2

WO2009038341A2 - Method and terminal for customized content service

Info

Publication number: WO2009038341A2
Application number: PCT/KR2008/005488
Authority: WO
Inventors: Min-Jung Shon
Original assignee: Lg Electronics Inc.
Priority date: 2007-09-21
Filing date: 2008-09-17
Publication date: 2009-03-26
Also published as: WO2009038341A3

Abstract

Disclosed is an additional service of mobile communications, and particularly, a customized content service such as a Look and Feel Customization (LFC). This disclosure defines, in a state view showing an operation of a terminal, a state of previewing (so-called a preview state) another customized content while a specific customized content (e.g., LFC content) is executed (activated), and accordingly the terminal can conveniently use the customized content service using the defined preview state, thereby improving resource efficiency of the terminal.

Description

[DESCRIPTION] [Invention Title]

METHOD AND TERMINAL FOR CUSTOMIZED CONTENT SERVICE [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an additional service of mobile communications, and more particularly, a service method for a customized content such as a so-called Look and Feel Customization (LFC), and a terminal employing the same.

[Background Art]

A Look and Feel Customization (LFC) relates to a user interface (Ul) of a terminal (user equipment) and denotes a communication service in which look- and-feel contents can be used via the Ul and such contents are provided. The LFC content relates to a user interface capable of variously configuring a displayed screen of a terminal, sound or the like, according to a terminal user's taste. For example, a terminal capable of using the LFC content (i.e., LFC enabled device) can install such LFC contents using specific characters (e.g., Hello kitty, Mickey mouse and the like). Namely, for a user interface of the terminal, a screen of the terminal can be designed with a Mickey Mouse character, and a voice of the Mickey Mouse is set for a ring tone of an incoming call. Such LFC contents configured in the form of a package is provided to terminals by a plurality of LFC service providers.

The LFC content package, for example, may be configured by combining components, such as idle screen, wallpaper, screen saver, ring tone, start- up/shutdown experience, animation and splash screens, status indicators (e.g., an indicator for a remnant battery capacity or an indicator for a message received or the like), fonts and the like.

In the LFC technique, an LFC terminal may roughly be classified into a

Light Weight (LW) model and a Remote Management (RM) model. The LW model employs only minimal basic operations of the RM model. The RM model allows

LFC contents to be continuously managed using a Device Management (DM) system.

FIG. 1 is a view showing several states of the LW model.

As shown in FIG. 1 , there are several states of the LW model, including a delivered state, a deactivated state, an activated state and a removed state.

The delivered state denotes a state that a terminal has received an LFC content (or an LFC content package) from a server. If the received LFC content is stored in the terminal, the delivered state transits to a deactivated state.

The deactivated state denotes a state that an LFC content is not executed, namely, deactivated in the terminal. Upon executing a specific LFC content, the LFC content transits from the deactivated state to an activated state.

The activated state denotes a state in which a specific LFC content is executed and activated. If the terminal desires to execute another LFC content and accordingly terminates a currently-executed LFC content, the terminal should transit the currently-activated LFC content to the deactivated state and execute

(activate) the another LFC content.

The removed state denotes a state that a specific LFC content is removed (deleted) from the terminal.

[Disclosure] [Technical Solution]

In the related art, if a terminal (terminal user) wants to confirm what another LFC content (or another LFC content having already stored in the terminal) (referred to as 'second content') is which is newly received while a specific LFC content (referred to as 'first content') is executed (activated), the terminal user should terminate (deactivate) the currently-activated LFC content (i.e., the first content) and activate the another LFC content (i.e., the second content). However, after the terminal activates the another LFC content (i.e., the second content), if the terminal does not like the activated LFC content, the terminal should terminate the activated LFC content (i.e., the second content) and execute (activate) the previously-activated LFC content (i.e., the first content) again.

Accordingly, resource consumption is caused from the perspective of the terminal, and inconvenience of using the LFC service is caused from the perspective of the terminal user.

Therefore, the present invention is directed to proposing a method for previewing another LFC content while a currently-executed LFC content is activated, so as to solve the limitations of the related art. To achieve the aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for a customized content service including: executing, by a terminal, a first content package (e.g., first LFC content package) under a first state (i.e., an activated state); transiting, by the terminal, a second content package (e.g., a second LFC content package) to a second state (i.e., a preview state) for previewing the same as to execute the second content package while executing the first content package; and executing (previewing), by the terminal, the second content package in the second state while activating the first content package.

Preferably, the method may further include: transiting, by the terminal, the second content package from the second state to the first state so as to activate the second content package; and transit, by the terminal, from the first state to a third state (i.e., a deactivated state) as activating the second content package and deactivating the first content package in the first state.

Preferably, the method may further include maintaining, by the terminal, the first state to allow the first content package to be continuously activated and transiting, by the terminal, the second content package from the second state to a fourth state (i.e., a removed state) to remove the second content package, after completely executing the second content package in the second state.

Preferably, the method may further include maintaining, by the terminal, the first content package in the first state as an activated state and transiting the second content package from the second state to the third state so as to store the same in the terminal, after completely executing (previewing) the second content package in the second state.

Preferably, the terminal continuously executes the first content package in the second state without terminating the same, and simultaneously executes (previewing) the second content package.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for a customized content service including: executing, by a terminal, a first content package; and executing (previewing), by the terminal, a second content package with continuously executing the first content package without termination. Preferably, the method may further include activating, by the terminal, the second content package and deactivating the first content package.

In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal including an enabler configured to execute (preview) a second content package while maintaining the first content package in an activated state, and to activate the second content package and deactivate the first content package according to a user's selection.

Preferably, the enabler is configured to preview the second content package in the state of the first content package being activated, and thereafter store or remove the second content package and continuously activate the first content package according to the user's selection.

The present invention can define a state for previewing another LFC content while continuously activating a currently-executed LFC content, so as to prevent resource consumption from the perspective of the terminal and provide convenience of using the LFC service from the perspective of a terminal user.

[Description of Drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing states of a related art LW model; FIG. 2 is a state view showing an operation of a terminal in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of performing a preview function for an LFC content package in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[Mode for Invention] The present invention can be applied to wired/wireless communication systems using customized contents. However, the present invention may not be limited to the systems but can be applied to every communicating method and apparatus to which the technical scope of the present invention can be applied. A terminal according to the present invention denotes every device capable of using customized contents. That is, the terminal according to the present invention refers to every device capable of using the customized contents, including mobile communication terminals (e.g., User Equipment (UE), handheld phone, mobile phone, DMB phone, game phone, camera phone, smart phone and the like), notebooks, desktop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), home alliances and the like.

As a term used in the present invention, customized contents denote contents suitable for a customer's taste. Examples of the customized contents may include digital contents in a type of package in which idle screen, ring tone or icon of a terminal are decorated with a specific character (e.g., Mickey mouse). Look & Feel Content (LFC) is one of the customized contents. Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with limiting the customized contents to the LFC content. However, the customized contents should not be construed with being limited to the LFC content. Also, an activated LFC content package denotes that a target content is currently executed in a terminal.

In addition, a deactivated LFC content package denotes that the LFC content package is not executed. That is, because a terminal can have one or more LFC content packages, only one of the LFC content package is activated and the rest is in a deactivated state. For the sake of explanation, an LFC content package which is currently being executed (activated) by a terminal is referred to as 'first package', and another LFC package which is different from the currently-executed LFC content package (i.e., the first package) is referred to as 'second package'. The second package is a target to be previewed while the first package is executed by the terminal. The second package may be an LFC content package newly received from a server or an LFC content package stored in a storage medium (memory) of the terminal.

The present invention conceptually defines, in a state view showing the operation of the terminal, a state of previewing another customized content (so- called preview state) while a specific customized content (e.g., LFC content) is executed (i.e., activated), so as for the terminal to conveniently use a customized content service by means of the defined preview state, thereby improving resource efficiency of the terminal. Hereinafter, FIG. 2 is a state view showing a terminal operation in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

The state view of FIG. 2 shows the state of an LFC content package occupied by the terminal or an LFC content package received from a server in the terminal. In particularly, the present invention proposes a method of more efficiently using an LFC content service by defining a preview state (i.e., third state). Also, the states shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented by a software or a module having the software. Alternatively, the present invention can be implemented by mounting a software or module capable of implementing the states shown in FIG. 2 in a controller (or processor) of the terminal. The states shown in FIG. 2 include a delivered state (first state), a deactivated state (second state), a preview state (third state), an activated state (fourth state) and a removed state (fifth state).

Hereinafter, function and operation of each state shown in FIG. 2 is described. 1 ) The delivered state (i.e., the first state) denotes a state that a terminal has received (downloaded) an LFC content package from a server. A terminal user can be known of the reception of the new content package, for example, through a display of the terminal or an alarm.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first state can transit to the second state (i.e., the deactivated state) or the fifth state (i.e., the removed state). First, upon the transition from the first state to the second state, the terminal user having received an LFC content package from a server stores the LFC content package in its memory in order to use it later. Here, the LFC content package stored in the storage medium (e.g., an internal or external memory) of the terminal becomes the second state. Second, upon the transition from the first state to the fifth state, the terminal user does not store the received LFC content package in its storage medium but removes (deletes) it immediately.

2) The deactivated state (i.e., the second state) denotes a state that the

LFC content package received by the terminal is not activated, namely, deactivated. If the terminal has received a plurality of LFC content packages, only one (or some) of the LFC content packages may be in the activated state and the rest may be in the deactivated state.

The activated and deactivated LFC content packages may be stored in the storage medium (e.g., an internal or external memory) of the terminal. As shown in FIG. 2, the second state may transit to the third state (i.e., the preview state) or fifth state (i.e., removed state). First, upon the transition from the second state into the third state, while executing an existing LFC content package (for the sake of explanation, it is referred to as a first package), the terminal user previews an LFC content package (referred to as a second package) received from a server. Here, the first package is in the activated state (i.e., the fourth state), and does not transit to the deactivated state (i.e., the second state) for previewing the second package. In the meantime, the second package, as the target to be previewed, may be one having stored in the storage medium of the terminal or one which is previewed as soon as being received from the server without being stored in the storage medium of the terminal.

Second, upon the transition from the second state to the fifth state, the terminal user removes (deletes) the deactivated LFC content package. Here, the LFC content package may be one having stored in the storage medium of the terminal. Alternatively, the LFC content package may be one having previewed in the third state or one before being previewed.

3) The preview state (i.e., the third state) denotes that the terminal previews a newly received LFC content package or another LFC content package stored in the storage medium of the terminal in the state that a specific LFC content package is currently being activated. In particular, the preview state denotes a state of previewing a new LFC content package (i.e., the second package) without deactivating the currently-activated LFC content package (i.e., the first package). In other words, in order to preview the new LFC content package (i.e., the second package), the terminal does not transit the currently- activated LFC content package (i.e., the first package) to the second state (i.e., the deactivated state). As shown in FIG. 2, the third state may transit to the second state (i.e., the deactivated state), the fourth state (i.e., the activated state) or the fifth state (i.e., the removed state).

First, upon the transition from the third state into the second state, this transition corresponds to a fifth condition in FIG. 2. That is, the terminal deactivates another LFC content package (i.e., the second package) after previewing it while executing the currently-activated LFC content package (i.e., the first package). In other words, the terminal user determines the first package to continuously activate, and stores the second package in the storage medium of the terminal.

Second, upon the transition from the third state to the fifth state, this transition corresponds to a sixth condition in FIG. 2. That is, the terminal allows the currently-activated LFC content package (i.e., the first package) to be continuously activated, and removes (deletes) the previewed second package therefrom. Third, upon the transition from the third state to the fourth state, this transition corresponds to a seventh condition in FIG. 2. That is, the terminal activates the previewed second package whereas deactivating the currently- activated first package.

4) The activated state (i.e., the fourth state) denotes a state that the terminal currently activates, namely, executes a specific LFC content package.

As shown in FIG. 2, the fourth state may transit to the second state. Such transition corresponds to an eighth condition. That is, the terminal can transit a currently-executed (i.e., currently-activated) LFC content package (i.e., the first package) into the deactivated state. This transition corresponds to a case of activating the LFC content package (i.e., the second package) having previewed by the terminal or a case of activating one of deactivated LFC content packages without a preview process thereof (which is not shown in FIG. 2).

5) The removed state (i.e., the fifth state) denotes a state that the terminal permanently removes (deletes) a newly received LFC content package or another LFC content package stored in the terminal.

That is, the terminal may immediately delete an LFC content package, which is newly downloaded in the first state, without storing therein. Alternatively, the terminal may first preview the newly downloaded LFC content package and then remove the previewed LFC content package. Also, the terminal (or terminal user) may remove specific packages among LFC content packages stored therein.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of performing a preview function for an LFC content package in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows one exemplary embodiment of the present invention in which a terminal downloads another LFC content from a server and previews the downloaded LFC content package while executing a specific LFC content package (i.e., the first package). That is, FIG. 3 is a flowchart for more easily illustrating the function of the preview state shown in FIG. 2 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the terminal is currently executing an LFC content package (e.g., contents related to a Mickey Mouse character, and it is referred to as 'first package' for the sake of explanation). Here, the first package is in the fifth state (i.e., the activated state) as shown in FIG. 2, and is activated in the terminal (S31 ). While executing (i.e., activating) the first package, if the terminal has downloaded (received) another LFC content package (e.g., contents related to a Hello Kitty character, and it is referred to as 'second package' for the sake of explanation), the second package is in the first state (i.e., the delivered state) in the terminal (S32). The terminal user can recognize the reception of the second package by an output unit of the terminal (e.g., display or alarm sound). The terminal asks the terminal user whether to remove (delete) the second package or store or preview it (S33 and S34). If the terminal user is not intended to use the second package and thus immediately deletes it (i.e., corresponding to the second condition in FIG. 2), the second package transmits from the first state to the fifth state (S35). Accordingly, the second package is permanently removed without being stored in the storage medium of the terminal.

In the meantime, if the terminal user determines not to remove the second package, the second package transits from the first state to the second state, as compared to the first package in the fourth state (i.e., the activated state). Afterwards, the terminal user may store the second package in the storage medium of the terminal without previewing it, so as to execute (i.e., activate) the second package later (S34 and S36).

However, if the terminal user is intended to immediately preview the second package (i.e., corresponding to the third condition in FIG. 2), the second package transits from the second state (i.e., the deactivated state) to the third state (i.e., the preview state). Here, the second package is in the third state and the terminal previews the second package (S37). During the preview step (S37), the first package currently executed in the terminal is maintained in the activated state (i.e., the fourth state in FIG. 2) and simultaneously the second package is previewed. In particular, during the preview step (S37), the terminal does not transit the second package to the deactivated state (i.e., the second state in FIG. 2) in order to preview the second package. Here, the preview denotes simply checking (examining) of configuration and information related to the second package according to the terminal user's setup. If the terminal user desires to execute (i.e., activate) the second package

(i.e., corresponding to the seventh condition in FIG. 2), then the terminal executes the second package (S38 and S39. Here, the currently-executed first package is deactivated. That is, the first package transmits from the fourth state to the second state in the terminal (i.e., corresponding to the eighth condition in FIG. 2). On the other hand, the second package transmits from the third state to the fourth state through the steps S38 and 39.

However, if the terminal user desires to first preview the second package and then keeps activating the first package, the terminal may remove (delete) the second package (i.e., corresponding to the sixth condition in FIG. 2), or store the second package in its storage medium (i.e., corresponding to the fifth condition in FIG. 2) so as to leave it deactivated (S40). During the step S40, the transition of the second package corresponds to the transition from the third state to the fifth or second state in the terminal.

Hereinafter, the configuration and function of a terminal according to the present invention will be described.

A terminal according to the present invention may include a software or a module having the software for implementing the states shown in FIG. 2. The module may be included in a device so-called an LFC enabler or LFC client as one of components of the terminal or be mounted in the terminal as an independent component. The LFC enabler is characterized by previewing another content (referred to as a second LFC content) received from a server while an LFC content (referred to as a first LFC content) is executed, and activating the second LFC content and deactivating the first LFC content according to the terminal user's selection (for example, a selection using a keypad (or touchpad) of the terminal). The LFC enabler is also characterized by first previewing the second LFC content under the state of the first LFC content being activated, and then removing (deleting) the second LFC content according to the terminal user's selection and keep activating the first LFC content.

Here, the LFC enabler may be referred to as a processor or controller as one component of the terminal for performing every function related to the processing of the LFC contents.

Also, the terminal according to the present invention may include hardware and software components required for executing the LFC contents. For example, the terminal may include a transceiver for receiving an LFC content from a server, a display shown when the LFC content received from the server is executed and previewed, a speaker for outputting sound to notify when the LFC content is received, a keypad as an input unit, a battery for supplying power to the terminal, a storage medium (memory) for storing the received LFC content, a microphone, and the like. The functions of those components can be obviously understood by those skilled in the art, description of which will thusly be omitted.

The present invention has been explained with reference to the embodiments which are merely exemplary. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

[CLAIMS] [Claim 1 ]

A method for a customized content service comprising: executing, by a terminal, a first content package under a first state; transiting, by the terminal, a second content package to a second state so as to execute the second content package while executing the first content package; and executing, by the terminal, the second content package in the second state while activating the first content package.

[Claim 2]

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: transiting, by the terminal, the second content package from the second state to the first state so as to activate the second content package; and transit, by the terminal, from the first state to a third state as activating the second content package and deactivating the first content package in the first state,.

[Claim 3]

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: maintaining, by the terminal, the first state to allow the first content package to be continuously activated and transiting, by the terminal, the second content package from the second state to a fourth state to remove the second content package, after completely executing the second content package in the second state.

[Claim 4] The method of claim 1 , further comprising: maintaining, by the terminal, the first content package in the first state as an activated state and transiting, by the terminal, the second content package from the second state to the third state so as to store the same in the terminal, after completely executing the second content package in the second state.

[Claim 5]

The method of claim 1 , wherein the first state is an activated state, and the second state is a preview state.

[Claim 6]

The method of claim 2, wherein the third state is a deactivated state.

[Claim 7]

The method of claim 3, wherein the fourth state is a removed state.

[Claim 8]

The method of claim 1 , wherein the terminal keeps executing the first content package in the second state without terminating the same, and simultaneously executes the second content package.

[Claim 9]

The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second content packages are different Look & Feel Customization (LFC) content packages.

[Claim 10] The method of claim 1 , wherein the second content package is a package received from a server or a package having already stored in a storage medium of the terminal. [Claim 11 ]

A method for a customized content service comprising: executing, by a terminal, a first content package; and executing, by the terminal, a second content package with continuously executing the first content package without termination. [Claim 12]

The method of claim 11 , further comprising: activating, by the terminal, the second content package and deactivating the first content package. [Claim 13]

A terminal comprising: an enabler configured to execute a second content package while maintaining the first content package in an activated state, and to activate the second content package and deactivate the first content package according to a user's selection. [Claim 14]

The terminal of claim 13, wherein the enabler is configured to execute the second content package in the state of the first content package being activated, and thereafter store or remove the second content package and continuously activate the first content package according to the user's selection. [Claim 15]

The terminal of claim 13, wherein the first and second content packages are different Look & Feel Customization (LFC) content packages. [Claim 16]

The terminal of claim 13, wherein the second content package is a package received from a server or a package having already stored in a storage medium of the terminal.