Granted Patent B2

US 7,352,719 · App. 10/973,416 · Granted Apr 1, 2008

Abstract

Claims (50)

1. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a communication unit configured to transmit/receive data signals over a mobile communication network;

a communication controller configured to control communication setup and termination in response to a signal inputted from the outside, wherein the communication controller includes

automatic voice channel releasing means for automatically terminating a voice channel connection upon receiving a connection failure signal from the communication unit, and

automatic data channel connection means for outputting a data channel connection request signal upon receiving the connection failure signal from the communication unit; and

a packet processor configured to packetize voice data inputted from the outside and outputting the packetized voice data to the communication unit in response to a control signal of the communication controller.

2. The mobile communication terminal of claim 1 , further comprising a memory unit configured to store data packetized in the packet processor.

3. The mobile communication terminal of claim 2 , further comprising a memory controller configured to check the available memory capacity of the memory unit to determine whether or not there is available memory to store the packetized data, and outputting the check result to the communication controller.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 3 , wherein upon receiving from the memory controller a signal indicating that there is a memory available to store packets, the automatic data channel connection means stores the packetized data in the memory unit and outputs the data channel connection request signal to the communication unit in response to a voice channel termination signal inputted from the automatic voice channel releasing means.

5. The mobile communication terminal of claim 3 , wherein upon receiving from the memory controller a signal indicating that there is no memory available to store packets, the automatic data channel connection means outputs the data channel connection request signal to the communication unit in response to a voice channel termination signal inputted from the automatic voice channel releasing means.

6. A voice message transmission system, comprising:

a mobile communication terminal configured to transmit/receive a voice message using a packet-switched scheme, wherein the mobile communication terminal includes

a communication unit configured to transmit/receive data signals over a mobile communication network;

a communication controller configured to control communication setup and termination in response to a signal inputted from the outside, wherein the communication controller includes

automatic voice channel releasing means for automatically terminating a voice channel connection upon receiving a connection failure signal from the communication unit, and

automatic data channel connection means for outputting a data channel connection request signal upon receiving the connection failure signal from the communication unit, and

a packet processor configured to packetize voice data inputted from the outside and outputting the packetized voice data to the communication unit in response to a control signal of the communication controller;

a mobile switching center configured to perform a switching operation for a packetized voice message transmitted/received to/from the mobile communication terminal; and

a voice mail unit which includes a packet control unit configured to receive the packetized voice message from the mobile switching center and to store the packetized voice message in a voice message database on a packet-by-packet basis.

7. A voice message transmission system, comprising:

a mobile communication terminal configured to transmit/receive a voice message using a packet-switched scheme, wherein the mobile communication terminal includes

a communication unit configured to transmit/receive data signals over a mobile communication network;

a communication controller configured to control communication setup and termination in response to a signal inputted from the outside, wherein the communication controller includes

automatic voice channel releasing means for automatically terminating a voice channel connection upon receiving a connection failure signal from the communication unit, and

automatic data channel connection means for outputting a data channel connection request signal upon receiving the connection failure signal from the communication unit, and

a packet processor configured to packetize voice data inputted from the outside and outputting the packetized voice data to the communication unit in response to a control signal of the communication controller;

a mobile switching center configured to perform a switching operation for a packetized voice message transmitted/received to/from the mobile communication terminal; and

a content server configured to receive the packetized voice message from the mobile switching center, to store the packetized voice message in a voice message database on a packet-by-packet basis, and to output each packet to the mobile switching center in response to a corresponding packet request signal of the mobile communication terminal.

8. A method of transmitting a voice message of a mobile communication terminal, comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication connection request signal from the outside;

outputting a voice channel connection request signal via a mobile communication network;

terminating a voice channel connection upon receiving a connection failure signal via the mobile communication network;

outputting a data channel connection request signal via the mobile communication network and connecting a data channel in response to a return signal indicative of a connection to the data channel;

receiving and packetizing voice data from the outside; and

transmitting the packetized data via the mobile communication network.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the steps of:

checking the available memory capacity of a memory unit in the mobile communication terminal to determine whether or not there is available memory to store the packetized data; and

storing the packetized data when there is available memory.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of deleting the packetized data stored in the memory unit of the mobile communication terminal after the packetized data is transmitted via the mobile communication network.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of receiving a signal indicative of a request to confirm the voice data inputted from the outside and converting the voice data into audio signals to be played back.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of receiving a signal indicative of a request to re-record the voice data inputted from the outside and deleting the voice data.

13. A method of transmitting a voice message of a mobile communication terminal, comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication connection request signal from the outside;

outputting a voice channel connection request signal via a mobile communication network;

terminating a voice channel connection upon receiving a connection failure signal via the mobile communication network;

outputting a data channel connection request signal via the mobile communication network and connecting a data channel in response to a return signal indicative of a connection to the data channel;

receiving voice data from the outside and storing the voice data in a memory unit of the mobile communication terminal;

packetizing the voice data stored in the memory unit; and

transmitting the packetized data via the mobile communication network.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of deleting the packetized data stored in the memory unit of the mobile communication terminal after the packetized data is transmitted via the mobile communication network.

Assignments (8)