(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. N0.: US 2002/0146097 A1
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Oct. 10, 2002
`Vuori
`
`US 20020146097A1
`
`(54) SHORT VOICE MESSAGE (SVM) SERVICE
`METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor:
`
`Petri Vuori, Salo (Fl)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`WARE FRESSOLA VAN DER SLUYS &
`ADOLPHSON, LLP
`BRADFORD GREEN BUILDING 5
`755 MAIN STREET, P O BOX 224
`MONROE, CT 06468 (US)
`
`Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
`
`Appl. No.:
`
`09/911,078
`
`Filed:
`
`Jul. 23, 2001
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(73)
`(21)
`(22)
`
`(60)
`
`Provisional application No. 60/281,942, ?led on Apr.
`5, 2001.
`
`Publication Classi?cation
`
`H04M 1/64
`(51) Im. c1? .
`(52) US. Cl. ........................................................ .. 379/8822
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`(57)
`Tiresome entry of numerous letters of the alphabet into a
`hand-held device for assembling a short text message for
`transmission via a short message service (SMS) to a second
`terminal is avoided by the sending of a short voice message
`(SVM). The SVM is recorded in the sending terminal and
`sent to a SVM service center (SVMSC). The SVMSC may
`notify the intended recipient of the arrival of the SVM and
`aWait acceptance before sending it. The second terminal may
`then commence a bidirectional communication so that an
`instant voice message session can be established. Alterna
`tively, the problem can be overcome by converting the
`spoken SVM to text in the user terminal by means of voice
`recognition softWare and sending the converted text to the
`recipient by means of the traditional SMS infrastructure for
`display as text or for playback as text converted to voice.
`
`Sending Short Voice Message - Usage
`
`1 :>
`
`3
`
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`
`4
`
`i
`l
`l
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`
`USER lNlTlATES AN
`SVM BY PRESSING
`MENU KEY FOR 3
`SECONDS, A BEEP
`SOUND TELLS WHEN
`TO SPEAK.
`
`Hello Mama, put
`the Sauna on!
`
`AFTER DICTATING
`MESSAGE, USER
`SELECTS THE
`RECIPIENT.
`
`RECIPIENT
`RECEIVES A
`NOTlFlCATlON
`
`Send SVM
`
`Cancel
`
`SVM Received
`From: Papa
`Load
`Forget
`
`BY PRESSlNG LOAD,
`THE MESSAGE rs
`RECElVED FROM
`NETWORK AND
`PLAYED.
`
`Hello Mama, put
`the Sauna onI
`
`Page 1 of 20
`
`Samsung Exhibit 1015
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 10, 2002 Sheet 1 0f 10
`
`US 2002/0146097 A1
`
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`Page 2 of 20
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 10, 2002 Sheet 2 0f 10
`
`US 2002/0146097 A1
`
`SENDER USER EQUIPMENT RECEIVES SIGNAL FROM SENDING /"‘ 12
`PRINCIPAL THAT SVM IS TO BE ENUNCIATED
`
`I
`
`SENDER USER EQUIPMENT PREPARES TO RECEIVE SVM
`
`(- 16
`
`I
`
`/- 18
`
`SENDER USER EQUIPMENT PROVIDES SIGNAL TO SENDING
`PRINCIPAL TO BEGIN ENUNCIATING SVM
`
`I
`
`SENDER USER EQUIPMENT RECEIVES AND STORES SVM DURING /- 22
`ENUNCIATION
`
`SVM CONCLUDED
`
`/- 24
`
`RECIPIENT SELECTED BY SENDING PRINCIPAL
`
`/ 26
`
`SVM SENT TO IM/SMS SERVICE BY SENDER EQUIPMENT AND /- 28
`FROM THERE TO INSTANT INBOX OF RECIPIENT
`
`I
`
`I
`
`RECIPIENT RECEIVES A NOTIFICATION VIA INBOX UA
`
`(- 30
`
`I
`
`RECIPIENT DECIDES TO RECEIVE SVM AND SIGNALS REQUEST /- 34
`FOR DELIVERY/PLAYBACK
`
`I
`
`IM/SMS SERVICE OR INBOX PROVIDES DELIVERY/PLAYBACK OF /~ 36
`SVM TO RECIPIENT
`
`FIG. 2
`
`Page 3 of 20
`
`

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`Page 4 of 20
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`Page 4 of 20
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`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 10, 2002 Sheet 4 0f 10
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`US 2002/0146097 A1
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Oct. 10, 2002 Sheet 5 0f 10
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`US 2002/0146097 A1
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication Oct. 10, 2002 Sheet 7 0f 10
`
`US 2002/0146097 A1
`
`27s
`f
`SVM
`PRESENCE UA
`T
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`%
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`
`Page 8 of 20
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Oct. 10, 2002 Sheet 8 0f 10
`
`US 2002/0146097 A1
`
`SVM PRESENCE INFORMATION P 290
`
`SVM PRESENCE TUPLE
`
`/— 292
`
`STATUS
`
`/- 298
`
`COMMUNICATION
`ADDRESS
`
`/ 302
`
`SVM SERVICE
`
`r310
`
`SVM INBOX ADDRESS /- 314
`
`OTHER MARKUP
`
`/— 306
`
`SVM PRESENCE TUPLE
`
`294
`
`FIG. 10
`
`STATUS
`
`/- 300
`
`COMMUNICATION
`ADDRESS
`
`/ 304
`
`SVM SERVICE
`
`312
`
`SVM INBOX ADDRESS /- 316
`
`OTHER MARKUP
`
`/~ 308
`
`SVM PRESENCE TUPLE /- 296
`I
`
`Page 9 of 20
`
`

`

`US 2002/0146097 A1
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`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`
`US 2002/0146097 A1
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`Page 11 0f 20
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`Page 11 of 20
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`
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`

`

`US 2002/0146097 A1
`
`Oct. 10, 2002
`
`SHORT VOICE MESSAGE (SVM) SERVICE
`METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEM
`[0001] This application claims the bene?t of US. Provi
`sional Application No. 60/281,942 ?led Apr. 5, 2001.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] 1. Technical Field
`
`[0003] The present invention relates to a neW Way to send
`messages and, more particularly, voice-type short messages.
`
`[0004] 2. Discussion of Related Art
`
`[0005] The short message service (SMS) has been realiZed
`point-to-point (PP) and for cell broadcast services (CBS) in
`the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM). See
`the ETSI GSM Technical Speci?cation GSM 03.40 Version
`5.3.0 July 1996 and GSM 07.05 Version 5.5.0 January 1998.
`For a short tutorial on SMS, see “The Global System for
`Mobile Communications Short Message Service” by G.
`Peersman and S. Cvetkovic, IEEE Personal Communica
`tions, June 2000. A problem With entering messages for
`transmittal via the SMS is that it often takes too long to
`create the message. The user has to use a keyboard Wherein
`each key has the capability of entering one of several
`possible letters of the alphabet Which are individually
`selected by multiple depressions. This can take a long time
`because it is possible to send more than a hundred characters
`even Without concatenation. With concatenation, a message
`can be increased much longer to tens of thousands of
`characters. Such can become tiresome and impractical if
`eXtended too long even if using a full keyboard on a personal
`computer (PC) or personal digital assistant (PDA).
`
`DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
`
`[0006] An object of the present invention is to facilitate
`the sending of short messages.
`
`[0007] According to a ?rst aspect of the present invention,
`a method is provided for use in a telecommunications
`netWork for providing messages betWeen users. The method
`comprises the steps of receiving a voice message from a ?rst
`terminal spoken by a ?rst user for a second user at a second
`terminal, checking availability of the second terminal, and
`immediately sending the received voice message to the
`second terminal if available. Similarly, according to a sec
`ond aspect of the present invention, apparatus for use in such
`a telecommunications netWork comprises means for receiv
`ing a voice message from a ?rst terminal spoken by a ?rst
`user for a second user at a second terminal, means for
`checking availability of the second terminal, and means for
`immediately sending the received voice message to the
`second terminal, if available.
`[0008] In accordance With both the ?rst and second
`aspects of the present invention, the voice message can be
`stored until the second terminal is determined to be avail
`able. The second user can be noti?ed at the second terminal
`of the received voice message from the ?rst user prior to
`sending the voice message to the second terminal. In that
`case, the voice message is sent only after the second user
`signals acceptance.
`[0009] In still further accord With the ?rst and second
`aspects of the present invention, a communication session,
`i.e., a bidirectional communication can be established after
`
`receipt of a ?rst message from the ?rst terminal to the second
`terminal by receiving a voice message from the second
`terminal spoken by the second user and sending the received
`voice message to the ?rst terminal. Such an interchange can
`be continued With numerous voice messages being
`exchanged betWeen the ?rst and second terminals. Before
`establishing the session, the availability of the ?rst terminal
`can be established before sending the voice message from
`the second user to the ?rst terminal.
`[0010] Still further in accord With the ?rst and second
`aspects of the present invention, the voice message received
`in either the ?rst or second terminal may be stored therein
`for use by the receiving user at the convenience of the
`receiving user. Such could be stored on a SIM card, for
`instance.
`[0011] According to a third aspect of the present inven
`tion, a voice message service center in a voice message
`system including a plurality of terminals comprises means
`for receiving a voice message from a ?rst user terminal,
`means for storing the receive voice message from the ?rst
`terminal, means for checking availability of an intended
`second user at a second terminal, and means for sending the
`stored received message from the ?rst terminal to the second
`terminal if the second terminal is available.
`[0012] In further accord With the third aspect of the
`present invention, the service center may further comprise
`means for notifying the second terminal of the voice mes
`sage received from the ?rst terminal Wherein the received
`voice message from the ?rst terminal is sent to the second
`terminal upon receiving an acceptance signal from the
`second terminal in response to the noti?cation.
`[0013] In still further accord With the third aspect of the
`present invention, one or more of the plurality of terminals
`comprises means for receiving the voice message at the ?rst
`user terminal spoken by a ?rst user for providing the voice
`message from the ?rst user terminal to the means for
`receiving the voice message at the service center, means for
`storing voice messages including the voice message spoken
`by the ?rst user, means for receiving a designation signal
`from the ?rst user designating a second user as an intended
`recipient, means for retrieving the stored voice message in
`response to the designation signal for providing the voice
`message retrieved from storage and the designation signal,
`and means for sending the voice message retrieved from
`storage and the designation signal to the second user of the
`voice message system as an outgoing voice message. The
`one or more of the plurality of terminals may further
`comprise means for receiving an incoming voice message
`from the second user for storage in the means for storing
`SVMs and means for playback of the incoming voice
`message to the ?rst user after retrieval from the means for
`storing voice messages by the means for retrieving stored
`voice messages. The one or more of the plurality of termi
`nals may further comprise means for receiving noti?cation
`of the incoming voice message from the second user for
`display or noti?cation thereof to the ?rst user, and means
`responsive to an acceptance indication input signal from the
`?rst user for sending the acceptance indication input signal
`for use in the voice message system in deciding Whether to
`send the incoming voice message from the second user to the
`?rst user.
`[0014] Still further in accord With the third aspect of the
`present invention, the means for receiving the voice message
`
`Page 12 of 20
`
`

`

`US 2002/0146097 A1
`
`Oct. 10, 2002
`
`spoken by the ?rst user includes voice recognition means for
`recognizing the voice message spoken by the ?rst user for
`providing the voice message as a teXt message for storage in
`and retrieval from the means for storing voice messages as
`a teXt message for transmission as an outgoing teXt voice
`message via a short message service center. The means for
`receiving an incoming voice message from the second user
`may include means for receiving an incoming teXt voice
`message for storage in the means for storing voice messages
`as a teXt message and Wherein the means for playback of the
`incoming teXt voice message is for displaying the incoming
`teXt message on a display of the user equipment. On the
`other hand, the means for retrieving the stored voice mes
`sage may also be for converting the retrieved voice message
`to a voice signal for playback on a means for playback as an
`enunciated voice message, such as an arti?cial voice.
`[0015] According to a fourth aspect of the present inven
`tion, user equipment for use in a voice message system
`comprises means for receiving a short voice message spoken
`by a ?rst user, means for storing SVMs including the SVM
`spoken by the ?rst user, means for receiving a designation
`signal from the ?rst user designating a second user as an
`intended recipient, means for retrieving the stored SVM in
`response to the designation signal for providing the SVM
`retrieved from storage and the designation signal, and means
`for sending the SVM retrieved from storage and the desig
`nation signal to the second user of the voice message system
`as an outgoing SVM.
`[0016] In further accord With the fourth aspect of the
`present invention, the user equipment further comprises
`means for receiving an incoming SVM from the second user
`for storage and the means for storing SVMs, and means for
`playback of the incoming SVM to the ?rst user after retrieval
`from the means for storing SVMs by the means for retriev
`ing stored SVMs. Such user equipment may further com
`prise means for receiving noti?cation of the incoming SVM
`from the second user for display or noti?cation thereof by
`the user equipment, and means responsive to an acceptance
`indication input signal from the ?rst user for sending the
`acceptance indication input signal for use in the voice
`message system in deciding Whether to send the incoming
`SVM from the second user to the user equipment of the ?rst
`user.
`
`[0017] In still further accord With the fourth aspect of the
`present invention, the means for receiving the SVM spoken
`by the ?rst user may include voice recognition means for
`recogniZing the short voice message spoken by the ?rst user
`for providing the SVM as a teXt message for storage in and
`retrieval from the means for storing SVMs as a teXt message
`for transmission as an outgoing teXt SVM via a short
`message service center. Similarly, the means for receiving an
`incoming SVM from the second user may include means for
`receiving an incoming teXt SVM for storage in the means for
`storing SVMs as a teXt message and Wherein the means for
`playback of the incoming teXt SVM is for display on a
`display of the user equipment. Conversion softWare may
`also be provided for converting the incoming teXt SVM from
`the second user to voice for enunciation for instance as an
`arti?cial voice.
`[0018] These and other objects, features and advantages of
`the present invention Will become more apparent in light of
`the folloWing detailed description of a best mode embodi
`ment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying draWing.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0019] FIG. 1 shoWs a short voice message (SVM) service
`method, according to the present invention.
`
`[0020] FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 in shoWing a SVM
`service method, according to the present invention.
`[0021] FIG. 3 shoWs the SVM service method of the
`present invention applied to GSM netWork subsystems.
`
`[0022] FIG. 4 shoWs the SVM service method of the
`present invention applied to a GPRS system.
`
`[0023] FIG. 5 shoWs the SVM service method of the
`present invention applied to a UMTS system.
`
`[0024] FIG. 6 shoWs the SVM service method of the
`present invention applied to an instant messaging infrastruc
`ture proposed by a third party operator of a proprietary
`instant messaging service.
`
`[0025] FIG. 7 shoWs the SVM service method of the
`present invention applied to a presence service as proposed
`to the IETF.
`
`[0026] FIG. 8 shoWs details of alternative Watchers for the
`Watcher of FIG. 7.
`
`[0027] FIG. 9 shoWs the SVM service method of the
`present invention applied to an instant messaging service
`proposed to the IETF.
`
`[0028] FIG. 10 shoWs the SVM service method of the
`present invention applied to create presence information
`according to a proposal to the IETF.
`
`[0029] FIG. 11 shoWs details of a SVM service center,
`according to the present invention as shoWn interfaced to a
`pair of terminals via one of many possible alternative
`netWorks.
`
`[0030] FIG. 12 shoWs details of a user equipment, accord
`ing to the present invention, as shoWn interfaced to one of
`many possible netWorks.
`
`BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
`INVENTION
`
`[0031] As mentioned above, the present invention dis
`closes a short voice message (SVM) service or voice mes
`sage service (VMS) Which is a completely neW Way to send
`short messages, i.e., as voice-type short messages. Accord
`ing to the present invention, short voice messages (SVMs)
`are sent as SMS messages, SMS-like messages, or as instant
`messages. The user or sending principal simply records a
`short voice message and sends it over the netWork for
`playback at the terminal of one or more intended recipients
`or receiving principals.
`
`[0032] Referring to FIG. 1, a user 10 initiates a short voice
`message (SVM), e.g., by pressing a menu key on a user
`equipment 14 that is associated With the short voice message
`feature for a period of time, for instance, several seconds. As
`shoWn in a step 12 of FIG. 2, the user equipment 14 receives
`a signal on account of depression of the menu key by the
`user that a short voice message is to be spoken. As indicated
`in a step 16, the user equipment 14 prepares to receive a
`short voice message and for instance emits a beep sound to
`tell the user that he may commence speaking as indicated in
`a step 18. The user 10 then speaks into the user equipment
`
`Page 13 of 20
`
`

`

`US 2002/0146097 A1
`
`Oct. 10, 2002
`
`14 as indicated in panel 1 at a baloon 20 in FIG. 1. The user
`equipment 14 then receives and stores the SVM during
`enunciation of the spoken message, as indicated in a step 22
`of FIG. 2. The SVM may be concluded in any number of
`Ways such as by the user 10 depressing a same or different
`menu key for a brief period of time, for instance, an
`instantaneous depression. Or, the user equipment could end
`the message recordation by signaling the user that the
`maXimum message length has been reached.
`
`[0033] The user 10 then uses the menu key to select one
`or more intended recipients as indicated both in a step 26 in
`FIG. 2 and in a second panel labeled With a reference
`numeral 2 in FIG. 1. After selecting a recipient, the user may
`depress a menu key to initiate the transfer such as a key
`associated With the “OK” display of panel 2 of FIG. 1. It
`should be realiZed that the step 26 could instead be eXecuted
`at a different stage of the process shoWn in FIG. 2. For
`instance, it could be executed before or after the step 12.
`
`[0034] The SVM is then sent to an SVM service center.
`This could be a short message service (SMS) service center
`Which determines the availability of the one or more
`intended recipients. The service center may then send the
`SVM immediately to those intended recipients Who are
`available and continue attempting to send to those not then
`available until they become available or until a time out
`occurs. On the other hand, instead of sending the SVM
`immediately upon determining availability, the service cen
`ter may instead notify the available recipient or recipients
`that an SVM message has been received and Which may
`identify the sender on a display of each available recipient’s
`user equipment 30 as shoWn in panel 3 of FIG. 1. Atransfer
`of the SVM message to the SVM service center is indicated
`in a step 28 as Well as the sending of a noti?cation, if
`applicable. The reception of the noti?cation is indicated in a
`step 30.
`[0035] After that, if applicable the recipient 32 (as shoWn
`in panels 3 & 4 of FIG. 1) decides as indicated in a step 34
`of FIG. 2 to decline (“forget”) or accept (“load”) the SVM
`received from the sender and depresses a corresponding key
`or otherWise signals (e.g. voice) acceptance or not. Assum
`ing the recipient 32 decides to accept the SVM, a step 36 is
`executed in Which the short voice message service center
`provides delivery of the SVM to the recipient for playback
`as shoWn in the replicated baloon 20 in panel 4. It Will be
`realiZed as indicated above that instead of sending a noti?
`cation as indicated in the step 30, the SVM service could
`instead send the SVM directly to the intended recipient
`Without giving the recipient any discretion as to Whether to
`accept or not. This might be the case for instance in a
`conventional SMS or instant messaging (IM) conteXt Where
`the sender ?rst determines Whether the intended recipient is
`available by means of a presence service and the intended
`recipient has effectively acquiesced to availability by pre
`viously joining a “buddy list” or otherWise subscribing to the
`service. In that case, the voice message spoken by the
`initiating user is immediately sent to the user equipment of
`the intended recipient Where it can be annunciated Without
`further intervention or recorded on the recipient’s SIM card
`for playback at the recipient’s discretion.
`[0036] It should be realiZed that the process shoWn in
`FIGS. 1 and 2 can be reversed for messaging from user 32
`to user 10 so that an interchange of communications
`betWeen the tWo users may take place.
`
`[0037] The short voice message service may be carried out
`in a GSM netWork as shoWn in FIG. 3. A short voice
`message (SVM) service center 50 is shoWn along With an
`interWorking MSC 52 connected by a line 54 to a GSM
`NetWork Subsystem 56. A gateWay 58 is for interWorking
`betWeen the SVMSC 50 and a mobile sWitching center
`(MSC) 58 of another GSM netWork 59 including an MSC
`60, a BSC 62, and a BTS 64. The ?rst-mentioned GSM
`NetWork Subsystem 56 also includes an MSC 66 is con
`nected to a base station subsystem (BSS) 68 as Well other
`base station subsystems 70 for communication With a plu
`rality of mobile stations, the ?gure shoWing only one mobile
`station 72 for convenience. The BSS 68 includes one or
`more base transceiver stations (BTS) 74 as Well as a base
`station controller 76 Which is in turn connected to the MSC
`66. The MSC is also connected to a public sWitched tele
`phone netWork (PSTN) and/or ISDN netWork 78 for alloW
`ing mobile stations to communicate With Wired telephone
`sets in a circuit-sWitched manner. The MSC 66 is also
`connected to a plurality of databases including a VLR 80,
`HLR 82, EIR 84, and AuC 86 Which may be connected to the
`MSC directly or via a data netWork 80 and operation and
`maintenance center 82. An interWorking function (not
`shoWn) may be needed betWeen the data netWork 80 and the
`MSC 58.
`[0038] The SVMSC 50 of FIG. 3 may utiliZe the protocol
`layer for the eXisting SMS point-to-point service With the
`capability to transfer short messages eg of 140 octets of
`data in each packet data unit (PDU). According to an SMS
`feature that is particularly advantageous for purposes of the
`present invention, the SMS service provides the capability
`of concatenating messages of a length that can be increased
`to eg 38,760 or 16,830 depending on the character coding
`scheme used. These concatenated PDUs can be strung
`together to form a short voice message, according to the
`present invention, in any combination of from 1 to 255
`PDUs of 140 octets each. In this Way, short voice messages
`such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be transmitted
`betWeen a mobile station 72 in one GSM netWork subsystem
`56 and another mobile station 90 associated With another
`GSM netWork subsystem 59. The sequence of steps shoWn
`in FIG. 2 from an initiating user 10 to a receiving user 32
`can be reversed in direction so that the user 32 sends a reply
`to the user 10. In the case shoWn in FIG. 3, this interchange
`Would take place entirely betWeen GSM netWork sub
`systems 56, 59.
`[0039] In addition to carrying out the present invention on
`the GSM netWork subsystems 56, 59 of FIG. 3, it should be
`realiZed that other approaches are possible, especially con
`sidering the development of GSM netWorks into a packet
`based infrastructure via the General Packet Radio Service
`(GPRS) and subsequently the Universal Mobile Telecom
`munications System (UMTS). As shoWn in FIG. 4, a GPRS
`infrastructure 90 is capable of being connected to various
`data netWorks including for instance the Internet 92 or an
`X.25 netWork 94. At the subscriber side, a user equipment
`(UE) 96 communicates via a radio link (Um) to a Base
`Transceiver Station 98 Which is connected to a Base Station
`Controller 100 in turn connected to the GPRS infrastructure
`90. GPRS is a data service for GSM. It is a packet-sWitched
`mobile datacom service that is the neXt step in the evolution
`of GSM. It enables relatively high-speed mobile datacom
`usage and is very useful for “bursty” data applications such
`as mobile Internet broWsing, email and push technologies
`
`Page 14 of 20
`
`

`

`US 2002/0146097 A1
`
`Oct. 10, 2002
`
`and it can be applied to the SVM service of the present
`invention. It has been demonstrated at speeds as fast as 150
`kbps. The GPRS infrastructure includes a serving GPRS
`support node (SGSN) 102 connected to the BSC 100 as Well
`as a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) 104 that can be
`connected to the packet data netWorks 92, 94. The SGSN
`102 and GGSM 104 may be interconnected by a GPRS
`backbone (IP based) 106. The SGSN 102 may be connected
`to an HLR 108 similar to the HLR 74 of FIG. 3. It may also
`be connected to an SVM Service 110 similar to the SVM
`Service Center 50 of FIG. 3, according to the present
`invention for connection to a GSM Network Subsystem, to
`another GPRS infrastructure, or similar.
`[0040] The present invention may also be implemented on
`a UMTS packet netWork architecture such as shoWn in FIG.
`5. A universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS)
`infrastructure 120 is shoWn in FIG. 5 connected to a data
`netWork 122 such as the Internet. At the subscriber side, a
`user equipment 124 is connected by one or more radio links
`(Uu) to one or more corresponding Node Bs 126 Which are
`in turn connected (Iub) to corresponding radio netWork
`controllers (RNCs) 128. The RNCs 128 may be intercon
`nected (Iur) as shoWn for purposes of improving the radio
`links and facilitating handover. The RNCs 128 are connected
`to the UMTS infrastructure 120 via Iu interfaces to a third
`generation-serving GPRS support node (3G-SGSN) 140.
`This may be also connected to an HLR 142 similar to the
`HLR 108 of FIG. 4 and the HLR 74 of FIG. 3. The
`3G-SGSN 140 may be connected to a 3G-gateWay GPRS
`support node (SG-GGSN) 142 by means of a IP-based
`UMTS backbone 144. It may also be connected to an SVM
`service 146 similar to the SVM service center 50 of FIG. 3,
`according to the present invention for connection to a GSM
`NetWork Subsystem, to another UMTS infrastructure, to a
`GPRS infrastructure, or similar. The present invention may
`also be implemented using the netWorks of FIGS. 4 and 5
`as shoWn in an open architecture example in FIG. 6.
`[0041] FIG. 6 shoWs a data netWork 160 such as the data
`netWork 80 of FIG. 3, the data netWork 92 of FIG. 4, or the
`data netWork 122 of FIG. 5. Within the data netWork is an
`instant messaging (IM) cloud 162 Which contains an instant
`messaging architecture such as proposed in Internet Draft
`“draft-aol-imx-00.txt” by E. Aoki and A. Wick dated Jun. 15,
`2000 and entitled “The IMX Architecture Interoperability
`With America On Line’s Instant Messaging Services”. This
`open IM architecture is illustrated and discussed for instance
`in the publication IEEE Internet Computing in an unattrib
`uted article entitled “AOL’s Instant Messaging Proposal
`Elicits Kudos and Brickbats” dated July-August 2000. This
`proposal by AOL includes three main Ways to participate in
`the proposed public IM cloud. IM System Hosts may be
`public, may be aggregators, or may be privately-oWned
`gateWays. A plurality of IM systems are shoWn Within the
`IM cloud 162 of FIG. 6 and communicate With each other
`according to the above-mentioned proposal using an open
`IMX protocol. The communications betWeen hosts in the IM
`cloud is via on-demand, persistent TCP connections using
`the open IMX protocol. This is signi?ed by open IMX
`protocol lines 164 interconnecting the IM systems. The
`systems Within the IM cloud communicate outside the cloud
`With proprietary or vendor-speci?c client protocols 180,
`182, 184, 186, 188. These are server-to-server protocols and
`are not the same as the open IMX protocol interconnecting
`the IM systems Within the IM cloud. These vendor-speci?c
`
`client protocols may be different from each other and may be
`used to connect various entities to the IM cloud via the data
`netWork 160. It should be mentioned that although the IM
`cloud 162 is shoWn Within the data netWork 160, it could be
`a separate entity connected to the various clients directly or
`via the data netWork 160. As many IM systems as Want to
`can be part of the IM cloud 162, according to the above
`mentioned AOL proposal. Further to the proposal, compa
`nies, IM services, or ISPs can run their oWn IM system by
`either being right in the cloud or connecting to the cloud
`through an IM aggregator 190. For instance, an ISP IM
`server 192 is connected by the line 188 to the IM system
`aggregator 190. This ISP 192 can provide instant message
`services to IM clients 194, 196 Which can be independent of
`each other. Similarly, a corporate IM server 198 can be
`connected to the aggregator 190 by the line 186 for provid
`ing IM services to its oWn clients 200, 202, 204, Within and
`Without the enterprise.
`
`[0042] According to the present invention, in addition to
`the above-mentioned ISP 192 and corporate IM server 198,
`for example, short voice messages can be provided from, to,
`or betWeen the clients 194, 196, 200, 202, 204 via the data
`netWork 160 Which may include the IM cloud 162. Further
`more, in addition to the IM system aggregator, other IM
`systems 206, 208, 210 can be provided for the purpose of
`interconnecting various Wireless user equipments 96, 124
`and other mobile stations such as the mobile station 72 to the
`IM cloud 162 for purposes of interchanging short voice
`messages betWeen Wireless systems or betWeen various
`systems including SVM exchanges betWeen Wireless and
`land based systems.
`
`[0043] In the alternative, it has been proposed in IETF
`RFC 2778 dated February 2000 (before the AOL proposal)
`to provide a presence and instant messaging system accord
`ing to “a model for presence and instant messaging” by M.
`Day (Lotus), J. Rosenberg (Dynamiesoft) and H. Sugano
`(Fujitsu).