Method and device for handling missed calls in a mobile communications environment

Abstract

A mobile terminal comprises a registering functionality which is adapted to register terminal-based information about one or more missed call events which are not accepted by a user. Network-based information about one or more missed call events or voice messages registered by a PLMN to which the mobile terminal is subscribed is received. The network-based information is combined with the terminal-based information such that the mobile terminal is able to present the combined information to a user. Moreover, a method is provided for registering information about missed call events in a PLMN comprising at least an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) which is responsible for packet data services. An incoming call received by the IMS from a calling terminal originally destined to a called mobile terminal is redirected in accordance with Filter Criteria (FC) to the IMS and information about a missed call event in accordance with the incoming call is registered by the IMS.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority from International Application Number PCT / IB2003 / 003895 filed Sep. 12, 2003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Technical Field[0003]The present invention relates to handling and registering of information about missed call events in a mobile communications environment. In particular, the present invention relates to an Internet multimedia environment of mobile communications.[0004]2. Discussion of Related Art[0005]In view of usability and functionality today's mobile communication systems are still under development. Disadvantages became continuously apparent to users and developers of mobile communication systems. The field of the present invention is associated with the current handling of missed calls, i.e. calls directed to mobile terminals which are not accepted by users of the terminals due to all possible reasons including out of operation mode of the mobile terminals. Today's typical Public Mobile ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]The object of the invention is to improve usability of a mobile terminal in conjunction with a uniform presentation and handling of information about call events comprising especially information about missed call events and information about voice messages left on a voice mailbox system. The uniform presentation and handling of the information about call events shall be independent of the operational state of the mobile terminal.

[0014]Moreover, the present invention provides a complete set of information about missed call events comprising a caller identifier, time and date of the missed call, information whether a voice message has been left on a voice mailbox system and the like. The user of the terminal may employ one or several parts of the information for further processing. Additionally, the invention allows integration of information about a present available voice message into the information about a missed call event which improves the intelligibility and usability of the missed call presentation. Context sensitive options may be realized as a consequence of this additional information, a semi-automated voice message reproduction is realizable and is improved significantly.

[0017]According to an embodiment of the invention, the presentation of the combined information is advantageous for the user since the presentation depicts a complete event history relating to all missed call events independent from the operational state of the terminal device.

[0018]According to an embodiment of the invention, the method further allows instructing a voice mailbox system that is part of the PLMN to reproduce voice messages stored thereon. That means, voice messages left for the user of the mobile terminal may not be stored locally in the mobile terminal, since voice messages require storage capacity which may not be implementable therein. As aforestated, the mobile terminal downloads from the PLMN and saves locally the information identifying the message designated above as information about missed call events. The actual voice message is stored only in the PLMN and when the users want to listen to the one or more voice messages the one or more voice messages are streamed to the mobile terminal and reproduced thereby to the user.

Problems solved by technology

Disadvantages became continuously apparent to users and developers of mobile communication systems.

The disadvantage of the described state of the art information about voice messages is that on the one hand the mobile terminal logs all incoming call events and on the other side voice messages are prompted to a user of the mobile terminal by network messages.

The mobile terminal that is out of operation is apparently not able to receive any signals, indications, messages etc. from a public land mobile network.

Normally, such missed calls are not logged because the mobile terminal is out of operation and hence not able to respond thereto and the PLMN does not support any logging function dedicated therefor.

It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the presently employed methods for indicating missed calls and voice mailbox messages to a user lack in usability since the logged information is not composed adequately to be presented in a uniform presentation which guarantees usability.

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