METHOD THEREOF

[Technical Field] The present invention relates to a mobile communication service, and more particularly, to a system and method for providing a communication service based on an address book and use information in a user terminal.

[Background Art]

With the rapid development of mobile Internet and computing technology, community-related technology advancing from simple communication service is being actively researched and developed. For instance, mobile communications companies are providing a friend-finding service which locates the position of a mobile terminal (e.g., a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA)) of a registered friend of a user and provides location information to the user's mobile terminal. However, such service is a simple communication or location-based service. Not just simple communication or location-based services but various community-related services (e.g., networking, album, and diary services) are desired.

[Disclosure]

[Technical Problem] The present invention provides a system and method for providing various communication services based on an address book and use information in a user terminal.

[Advantageous Effects]

According to the present invention, various communication services can be provided based on an address book and use information in a user terminal.

In addition, the present invention allows a user to extend a human network and to share useful information with other users, thereby enabling the users to be provided with useful information.

[Description of Drawings] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication service system according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which a service provider provides a human network service according to some embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which a service provider provides an affinity index according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which a service provider illustrated in FIG. 1 provides a meeting history.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which the service provider illustrated in FIG. 1 provides a meeting history on a particular day in a diary form.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which the service provider illustrated in FIG. 1 provides a photo album.

FIG. 7 illustrates a main screen of a community service that a communication service system provides to a user terminal according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a communication service method according to some embodiments of the present invention. [Best Mode]

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication service system including a database configured to collect and store an address book stored in each of a plurality of user terminals respectively corresponding to a plurality of users and use information of each of the user terminals for each user; and a service provider configured to create a human network of relevant users among the plurality of users based on the address book stored for each user, calculate affinity indexes among the users in the human network based on the use information of each terminal, and transmit a result of the calculation to the relevant users terminals or a web server.

When a third user is listed in the address book of a first user and the address book of a second user among the plurality of users, the service provider may create a human network between the first user and the second user. The service provider may represent closeness between two users among the plurality of users with a distance in a graphic image based on affinity indexes of the two users and transmits the graphic image to the two user's terminals or the web server.

The use information of each terminal may comprise at least one item of information among information about a voice call made with a particular person, memo information, scheduling information, text message send/receive information, and voice message send/receive information.

Each of the affinity index may comprise a life index and an emotional index, the life index may be calculated based on at least one item of information among voice call information, memo information, scheduling information, text message send/receive information, and voice message send/receive information, and the emotional index may be calculated based on at least one among information about photos taken together and a meeting history.

The service provider may calculate an affinity index between a first user among the plurality of users and a person listed in an address book stored in the first user's terminal among the plurality of user terminals based on the use information of the first user's terminal and transmits a result of the calculation to the first user's terminal.

The service provider may calculate the affinity index between the first user and the person listed in the address book with respect to a certain period of time and transmit a result of the calculation to the first user's terminal.

The database may store locomotion information including a current location of a first user among the plurality of users at a certain time based on location information of the first user's terminal among the plurality of user terminals and a meeting history at the current location received from the first user's terminal. And the service provider may matche the meeting history to a map at a meeting history request generated from the first user's terminal and transmit the map to the first user's terminal.

The location information may be generated when one of events of taking a photo image, taking a video image, making a voice call, sending a text message, receiving a text message, sending a voice message, and receiving a voice message using the first user's terminal.

The database may store a photo album comprising a photo or video image taken using a first user's terminal among the plurality of user terminal, memo on the photo or video image, and time and place when and where the photo or video image is taken. And the service provider may transmit the photo album to a second user's terminal at a share request of the second user permitted sharing by the first user among the plurality of users, the place where the photo or video image is taken is detected from location information of the first user's terminal. The service provider may transmit the photo album to the second user's terminal when a keyword including a name of the place where the photo or video image is taken is input to the second user's terminal.

The service provider may transmit use information, for a certain period of time, of a user terminal of a first user among the plurality of users to the first user's terminal at a terminal use information request of the first user.

The service provider may matche a character or a photo received from a user terminal of a first user among the plurality of users with a relevant user among the plurality of users and transmit a matching result to the relevant user or the web server.

Each of the user terminals may be at least one among a mobile phone, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigator, a personal computer (PC), and a notebook computer.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method, for providing a communication service, comprising: collecting step of collecting and storing an address book stored in each of a plurality of user terminals respectively corresponding to a plurality of users and use information of each of the user terminals for each user; and service providing step of creating a human network of relevant users among the plurality of users based on the address book stored for each user, calculating affinity indexes among the users in the human network based on the use information of each terminal, and transmitting a result of the calculation to the relevant users' terminals or a web server.

The service providing step may include creating a human network between a first user and a second user when a third user is listed in the address book of the first user and the address book of the second user among the plurality of users.

The service providing step may include representing closeness between two users among the plurality of users with a distance in a graphic image based on affinity indexes of the two users; and transmitting the graphic image to the two users' terminals or the web server. The service providing step may include calculating an affinity index between a first user among the plurality of users and a person listed in an address book stored in the first user's terminal among the plurality of user terminals based on the use information of the first user's terminal; and transmitting a result of the calculation to the first user's terminal. The service providing step may further include calculating the affinity index between the first user and the person listed in the address book with respect to a certain period of time; and transmitting a result of the calculation to the first user's terminal.

The collecting step may further include storing locomotion information including locations according to time of a first user based on location information of the first user's terminal and a meeting history according to location received from the first user's terminal. And the service providing step may further include matching the meeting history to a map in response to a meeting history request generated from the first user's terminal; and transmitting the map to the first user's terminal.

The location information may be generated at least one of the events of taking a photo or video image, making a voice call, and sending or receiving a text or voice message using the first user's terminal.

The collecting step may further include storing a photo album including at least one item among a photo and/or video image taken using the first user's terminal, memo on the photo and/or video image, and the time and place when and where the photo and/or video image is taken. And the service providing step may further include transmitting the photo album of the first user to the second user's terminal in response to a share request of the second user permitted sharing by the first user. The place where the photo or video image is taken may be detected from location information of the first user's terminal.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a a computer-readable recording medium for executing the method. [Mode for Invention]

The attached drawings for illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention are referred to in order to gain a sufficient understanding of the present invention, the merits thereof, and the objectives accomplished by the implementation of the present invention. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by explaining preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communication service system 10 according to some embodiments of the present invention. The communication service system (or communication server) 10 may include a database 100 and a service provider 200.

The communication service system 10 may provide communication services, which will be described in detail below, through a particular web site and a plurality of user terminals 20_1 , 20_2, ..., 20_n can be provided with the communication services by accessing the particular web site. Alternatively, the communication service system 10 may actively provide or push the communication services to the user terminals 20_1 through 20_n.

The database 100 may collect and store for each user an address book stored in each of the user terminals 20_1 through 20_n and use information of each of the user terminals 20_1 through 20_n.

The database 100 may be the functional and structural combination of software and hardware. The database 100 may be implemented by at least one table. The communication service system 10 may also include a database management system which searches, stores, and manages information in the database 100. The database 100 may be implemented in various forms, such as a linked-list, a tree, and a relational database. The database 100 may include any data storage medium and data structure that can be used to store information. The user terminals 20_1 through 20_n are devices which can communicate, such as mobile phones, portable multimedia players (PMPs) ₁ navigators, personal computers (PCs), or notebook computers.

Terminal use information may include at least one item of information among voice call information, text and/or voice message send/receive information, memo information, and scheduling information.

The database 100 may store locomotion information including the current location of a first user based on location information of the terminal 20 1 of the first user and a meeting history at the current location received from the first user's terminal 20_1. At this time, the location information may be global positioning system (GPS) information detected by a GPS satellite (not shown). In this case, the GPS satellite may transmit the GPS information to the database 100 through communication with a GPS module (not shown) included in the first user's terminal 20_1.

Alternatively, the location information may be detected by a home location register (HLR) well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The database 100 may also store a photo album including at least one item among a photo and/or video image taken using the first user's terminal 20_1 , memo on the photo and/or video image, and the time and place when and where the photo and/or video image is taken.

Meanwhile, location information may be generated at at least one of the events of taking a photo or video image, making a voice call, and sending or receiving a text or voice message using the first user's terminal 20_1. For instance, when a photo is sent from the first user's terminal 20_1 , the database 100 may determine a time when the photo is sent as the time of event occurrence, detect the location information of the first user's terminal 20 1 at the time of event occurrence, and store the location information. photo is sent as the time of event occurrence, detect the location information of the first user's terminal 20_1 at the time of event occurrence, and store the location information.

The service provider 200 may create a human network of relevant users among the users respectively corresponding to the user terminals 20_1 through 20_n registered in the database 100, calculate affinity indexes among the users in the human network based on terminal use information, and transmit a result of the calculation to the relevant user's terminals or a web server.

At this time, the web server may be a particular service server (e.g., a server of a mobile communications company or a portal service server) (not shown). The users may access the web server to be provided with the result of the calculation performed by the service provider 200.

For instance, when a third user is listed in first and second users' address books among the users corresponding to the user terminals 20_1 through 20_n, the service provider 200 creates a human network between the first user and the second user. Meanwhile, an affinity index may be data obtained by quantifying the closeness between users in the human network and may be generated based on the terminal use information. For instance, let's assume that during a predetermined period of time, e.g., a month, the number of voice calls between a first user and a second user is 50, the number of voice calls between the first user and a third user is 30, the number of voice calls between the second user and a fourth user is 20, and the number of voice calls between the second user and a fifth user is 10.

In this case, the service provider 200 may register the second and third users in the human network of the first user and calculate or estimate an affinity index of the second user, with whom the first user has had more voice calls than with the third user, higher than an affinity index of the third user for the first user.

The service provider 200 may also register the fourth and fifth users, with whom the second user registered in the human network of the first user has had voice calls, in the human network of the first user even though the first user has not had direct voice calls with the fourth and fifth users. At this time, for the first user, the service provider 200 may calculate or estimate an affinity index of the fourth user, with whom the second user has had more voice calls than with the fifth user, higher than an affinity index of the fifth user.

Meanwhile, an affinity index may include a life index and an emotional index. The affinity index may be calculated from the sum of the life index and the emotional index.

The life index may be calculated based on at least one item of information among voice call information, memo information, scheduling information, text message send/receive information, and voice message send/receive information. The emotional index may be calculated based on at least one among information about photos taken together and a meeting history.

The service provider 200 may represent the closeness between users with a distance in a graphic image based on an affinity index and transmit the graphic image to the users ¹ terminals or the web server. The service provider 200 may also match a character or a photo received from the first user's terminal 20_1 with a relevant user among the users corresponding to the user terminals 20_1 through 20_n and may transmit a matching result to the relevant user or the web server. At this time, the matching result may be stored in the database 100.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which the service provider 200 illustrated in FIG. 1 provides a human network service according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the service provider 200 may represent the closeness between a first user U1 of the user terminal 20_1 and other users in a graphic image based on affinity indexes and provide the graphic image to the first user's terminal 20_1. For instance, the service provider 200 may represent the closeness between the first user U1 and each of friends (e.g., Iceman, Minari, and Pretty) stored in the address book of the first user's terminal 20_1 , e.g., 20 m-closeness between the first user U1 and the Iceman, in the graphic image and provide the graphic image to the first user's terminal 20 1. At this time, the first user U1 may set whether to share a human network, affinity indexes of the friends, photos, and other information with other users through a "Share Set-Up" menu and may search a human network created in terms of a particular group, e.g., a colleague group through a "Move" menu. In addition, the service provider 200 may manage friends of a user's friend as the user's friends through human network sharing. For instance, the service provider 200 may create a human network between the first user U1 and a second user U2 and transmits a human network of the second user U2 with friends (e.g., IS channel, Lights, Flying penguin) stored in the address book of the second user's terminal 20_2 to the first user's terminal 20_1.

At this time, the service provider 200 may receive an individual memo on each of the friends of the first user U1 from the first user's terminal 20_1 and store and manage in the database 100.

Referring back to FIG. 1 , the service provider 200 may calculate an affinity index between the first user and each of people listed in an address book stored in the first user's terminal 20_1 based on the use information of the first user's terminal 20_1 and transmit a calculation result to the first user's terminal 20_1. At this time, the service provider 200 may calculate the affinity index with respect to a certain period of time and transmit the calculation result to the first user's terminal 20_1. In other words, the service provider 200 may create a human network among a plurality of users and calculate affinity indexes between the users and may also calculate affinity indexes between the first user and people listed in the address book stored in the first user's terminal 20_1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which the service provider 200 illustrated in FIG. 1 provides an affinity index according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the service provider 200 may provide photos (or characters) of friends (e.g., My mentors: z98741 and Pretty) and the affinity, life and emotional indexes of each of the friends to the first user's terminal 20_1 according to a period and/or a group selected by the first user through a period selection menu 31 and a group selection menu 33. At this time, the affinity index may be the sum of the life index and the emotional index. Alternatively, the affinity index may be the sum of a value obtained by applying a weight to particular use information (e.g., the number of voice calls) based on which the life index is calculated and a value obtained by applying a weight to particular use information based on which the emotional index is calculated.

The service provider 200 may also provide menus for providing a text message history, a call history, and a meeting history with respect to a friend (e.g., z98741) in a particular group to the first user's terminal 20_1. In addition, in response to a meeting history request generated from the service provider 200, the service provider 200 may match the meeting history stored in the database 100 to a map and transmit the map to the first user's terminal 20_1.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which the service provider 200 illustrated in FIG. 1 provides a meeting history. Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, when the first user clicks on a meeting history menu 35 in FIGS. 3 and 4, the service provider 200 may match a history of meetings with a "so-and-so" to a map and transmit the map to the first user's terminal 20 1.

At this time, the meeting history may be provided by periods and may contain detailed meeting information including a meeting time (e.g., October 5, 2007) and a meeting place (e.g., Complex Stadium station).

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which the service provider 200 illustrated in FIG. 1 provides a meeting history on a particular day in a diary form.

Referring to FIGS. 1 , 3, and 5, the service provider 200 may mark meeting places and display a meeting time at each place on a map to provide the first userH meeting history on a particular day (e.g., November 30, 2007) and then transmit the map to the first user's terminal 20_1. For instance, the service provider 200 may provide the first user with the meeting history including details by hours from 9 AM to 12 PM on November 30, 2007. Referring back to FIG. 1 , the service provider 200 may store a photo album in the database 100. The photo album may include a photo or video image taken using the first user's terminal 20_1 , memo on the photo or video image, and time and place when and where the photo or video image is taken. At this time, the photo or video image taken using the first user's terminal 20_1 , the memo on the photo or video image, and the time and place when and where the photo or video image is taken may be automatically transmitted from the first user's terminal 20_1 to the service provider 200 without special upload by the first user.

The service provider 200 may also transmit the photo album of the first user to the second user's terminal 20_2 at the share request of the second user permitted sharing by the first user. At this time, the place where the photo or video image is taken may be detected from location information of the first user's terminal 20_1.

In addition, the service provider 200 may transmit the photo album to the second user's terminal 20_2 when a keyword including the name of the place where the photo or video image has been taken is input to the second user's terminal 20_2.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a procedure in which the service provider 200 illustrated in FIG. 1 provides a photo album. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the service provider 200 may provide a result of searching a photo album based on a search period

(e.g., from August 14, 2007 to December 1 , 2007) and a place category (e.g., Restaurant in Seoul) which are input to the first user's terminal 20_1 using a search menu bar 63.

At this time, the service provider 200 may provide the photo album including location details (e.g., Daechi-dong in Gangnam-gu) together with a map. Whether to share the photo album may be set on a share/no-share menu 65. In other words, a user can be provided by the service provider 200 of the communication service system 10 with a photo or video image of the past, information about a place where the photo or video image has been taken, and memories through the photo album.

FIG. 7 illustrates a main screen of a community service that the communication service system 10 provides to a user terminal according to some embodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, the service provider 200 of the communication service system 10 may provide a communication service through a My People Map menu, a Friend On menu, a Life Album menu, and a Life Diary menu.

The community service provided through the My People Map menu, the Friend On menu, the Life Album menu, and the Life Diary menu is nearly the same as the service provided by the service provider 200 that has been described with reference to

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 6, and a detailed description thereof will thus be omitted. The service provider 200 may provide a photo album, which includes tag information (e.g., a place where a photo has been taken) set by a user to be shared through a photo share menu for each tag, to other users.

The service provider 200 may display a photo album selected by a user from photo albums stored in the database 100 on the main screen through a Today Photo menu 36. In addition, the service provider 200 may provide the user with the number of calls made by the user and information regarding messages through a user information section 37.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a communication service method according to some embodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, the database 100 may collect and store for each user an address book stored in each of the user terminals

20_1 through 20_n and use information of each of the user terminals 20_1 through 20_n in operation S10.

The service provider 200 may create a human network of relevant users among a plurality of users respectively corresponding to the user terminals 20 1 through 2O n based on the address book of each user, calculate affinity indexes among the users in the human network based on the terminal use information, and transmit a result of the calculation to the relevant users?terminals or a web server in operation S20.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in forms and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. [Industrial Applicability]

The present invention can be used for a communication service system and method.