Method and communication system for identifying calling/called party

Abstract

A method and communication system is provided to identify a calling/called party when the call is being set up but before the call is answered. In the method, a first terminal and a second terminal are respectively provided with opposing terminal's image data before the call is answered. The image data of the first and second terminals can be registered in a media server disposed between the first and second terminals, and the image data can be transmitted between the first terminal and the media server and between the second terminal and the media server in accordance with an SIP protocol.

1. A method of identifying a calling party and call conditions of a called party, comprising the steps of:
 registering image data of a calling party in at least one a first terminal or a media server;   transmitting the image data and a call request of the first terminal to a second terminal via the media server;   displaying the image data of the calling party on the second terminal;   transmitting image data of the called party previously registered in the media server to the first terminal when at least one of the image data or the call request is transmitted to the media server, wherein the image data of the called party include different images for different call conditions; and   displaying the image data of the called party on the first terminal.   
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the media server checks the different call condition of the called party, selects an image corresponding to the different call condition from an image database of the media server, and sends the image to the calling party for displaying on a display of the calling party.   
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the different call conditions include ready to receive a call, receiving another call, terminal powered off, or incapable of receiving a call. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting the image data of the called party to the first terminal includes the steps of:
 the media server requesting a call condition of the second terminal;   sending the call condition of the second terminal to the media server;   selecting an image corresponding to the call condition from the image data registered in the media server; and   transmitting the selected image to the first terminal.   
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the image data of the called party transmitted to the first terminal is registered in the first terminal. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the image data of the calling party transmitted to the second terminal is registered in the second terminal. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the image data of the calling party are selected from the group consisting of avatar data, still picture data, moving picture data, text data, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the image data of the calling party and the image data corresponding to the different call conditions of the called party are transmitted through RTP (real time transport protocol) channels after SIP (session initiation protocol) channel connections are set between the first terminal and the media server and between the media server and the second terminal. 
     
     
       9. A method of identifying another party, comprising the steps of:
 registering image data of a calling party and different image data corresponding to call conditions of a called party in a media server;   transmitting a call request and an image data forwarding request of a first terminal to the media server;   transmitting the registered image data of the calling party from the media server to a second terminal in response to the image data forwarding request; and   displaying the image data of the calling party on the second terminal.   
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
 when the image data forwarding request of the first terminal is transmitted to the media server, transmitting the image data corresponding to the call conditions of the called party from the media server to the first terminal; and   displaying the image data of the called party on the first terminal.   
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of transmitting the image data corresponding to th call conditions of the called party to the first terminal includes the steps of:
 the media server requesting a call condition of the second terminal;   sending the call condition of the second terminal to the media server;   selecting an image corresponding to the call condition from the media server; and   transmitting the selected image to the first terminal.   
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the image data of the called party transmitted to the first terminal is registered in the first terminal. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 9  wherein the image data of the calling party transmitted to the second terminal is registered in the second terminal. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the image data of the calling party are selected from the group consisting of avatar data, still picture data, moving picture data, text data, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the image data of the calling party and the image data corresponding to the call conditions of the called party are transmitted through RTP channels after SIP channel connections are set between the first terminal and the media server and between the media server and the second terminal. 
     
     
       16. A communication system for identifying another party, comprising:
 a first terminal having a communication unit for requesting a call, an SIP system for transmitting image data of a calling party and receiving image data corresponding to a call condition of a called party, a display for displaying the image data of the called party, and an image database for registering the image data of the calling party;   a media server having an SIP system for transmitting the image data of the calling party received from the first terminal to the called party and transmitting the image data corresponding to the call condition of the called party to the first terminal, an image database for registering the image data of the called party in accordance with the call condition, and means for selecting one of the image data of the called party corresponding to the call condition; and   a second terminal having a communication unit for responding to the call requested from the first terminal to open a communication channel with the first terminal, an SIP system for receiving the image data of the calling party from the first terminal, and a display for displaying the image data of the calling party.   
     
     
       17. The communication system according to  claim 16 , wherein the image data corresponding to different call conditions of the called party are registered in the image database of the media server through the second terminal or other communication means. 
     
     
       18. The communication system according to  claim 16 , wherein the image data of the calling party and the image data corresponding to the call condition of the called party are transmitted through an RTP channel. 
     
     
       19. A communication system for identifying another party, comprising:
 a first terminal having a communication unit for requesting a call, an SIP system for transmitting an image data forwarding request of a calling party and receiving image data corresponding to a call condition of a called party, and a display for displaying the image data of the called party;   a media server having an SIP system for transmitting the image data of the calling party to the called party in response to the image data forwarding request and transmitting the image data corresponding to a call condition of the called party to the first terminal, an image database for registering the image data in accordance with the call condition, and means for selecting one of the image data of the called party corresponding to the call condition; and   a second terminal having a communication unit for responding to the call requested from the first terminal to open a communication channel with the first terminal, an SIP system for receiving the image data of the calling party from the first terminal, and a display for displaying the image data of the calling party.   
     
     
       20. The communication system according to  claim 19 , wherein the registered image data in the image database include the image data of the calling party and the image data corresponding to different call conditions of the called party. 
     
     
       21. The communication system according to  claim 19 , wherein the image data are registered in the image database through the first terminal, the second terminal, or other communication means. 
     
     
       22. The communication system according to  claim 19 , wherein the image data of the calling party and the image data corresponding to the call condition of the called party are transmitted through an RTP channel. 
     
     
       23. A method of identifying call conditions of a called party, comprising the steps of:
 transmitting a call request of the first terminal to a second terminal via a media server;   transmitting image data of the called party to the first terminal, wherein the image data of the called party include different images for different call conditions; and   displaying the image data of the called party on the first terminal.   
     
     
       24. A method of identifying another party, comprising the steps of:
 registering different image data corresponding to call conditions of a second terminal;   transmitting a call request of a first terminal to the second terminal;   transmitting the registered image data corresponding to the call condition of the second terminal; and   displaying the image data received from the second terminal on the first terminal.   
     
     
       25. A communication system for identifying another party, comprising:
 a first terminal having a communication unit for requesting a call, an SIP system for receiving image data corresponding to a call condition of a called party, and a display for displaying the image data of the called party;   a media server having an SIP system for transmitting the image data corresponding to the call condition of the called party to the first terminal, an image database for registering the image data of the called party in accordance with the call condition, and means for selecting one of the image data of the called party corresponding to the call condition; and   a second terminal having a communication unit for responding to the call requested from the first terminal to open a communication channel with the first terminal.   
     
     
       26. A digital image display apparatus for controlling a call operation with an external apparatus, the digital image display apparatus comprising:
 a display unit;   a communication unit; and   a controller cooperating with the communication unit and configured to:   register, in a media server, first image data associated with a user of the digital image display apparatus and at least one second image data for different call conditions for call operations of the digital image display apparatus, wherein the call operations include displaying digital images on the digital image display apparatus;   receive, from the media server, third image data including call condition identifying image data for identifying a call condition associated with the external apparatus; and   display, on the display unit, the third image data including the call condition identifying image data for a specific call operation directed to the external apparatus.   
     
     
       27. The digital image display apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit to the media server a call request for the specific call operation directed to the external apparatus.  
     
     
       28. The digital image display apparatus of claim 26, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third image data includes at least one of avatar data, still picture data, moving picture data, text data, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       29. The digital image display apparatus of claim 26, wherein the call condition identified by the call condition identifying image data is ready to receive a call. 
     
     
       30. The digital image display apparatus of claim 26, wherein the call condition identified by the call condition identifying image data is incapable of receiving a call. 
     
     
       31. A digital image display apparatus for processing a call requested from an external apparatus, the digital image display apparatus comprising:
 a display unit;   a communication unit; and   a controller cooperating with the communication unit and configured to:   register, in a media server, first image data associated with a user of the digital image display apparatus and at least one second image data for different call conditions for call operations of the digital image display apparatus, wherein the call operations include displaying digital images on the digital image display apparatus;   receive, from the external apparatus, a call request for requesting a specific call operation and third image data associated with a caller of the specific call operation;   display, on the display unit, the call request and the third image data for the specific call operation received from the external apparatus;   receive, from the media server, a call condition request in association with the specific call operation; and   transmit, to the media server, a response to the call condition request.   
     
     
       32. The digital image display apparatus of claim 31, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third image data includes at least one of avatar data, still picture data, moving picture data, text data, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       33. The digital image display apparatus of claim 31, wherein the different call conditions include ready to receive a call and incapable of receiving a call. 
     
     
       34. A method for controlling a call operation of a digital image display apparatus with an external apparatus, the method comprising:
 registering in a media server, by the digital image display apparatus, first image data associated with a user of the digital image display apparatus and at least one second image data for different call conditions for call operations of the digital image display apparatus, wherein the call operations include displaying digital images on the digital image display apparatus;   receiving, by the digital image display apparatus from the media server, third image data including call condition identifying image data for identifying a call condition associated with the external apparatus; and   displaying, on a display unit of the digital image display apparatus, the third image data including the call condition identifying image data for a specific call operation directed to the external apparatus.   
     
     
       35. A digital image display apparatus for controlling a call operation with an external apparatus, the digital image display apparatus comprising:
 a display unit;   a communication unit; and   a controller cooperating with the communication unit and configured to:   register, in a media server, first data associated with a user of the digital image display apparatus and at least one second data for different call conditions for call operations of the digital image display apparatus, wherein the call operations include displaying digital images associated with the call operations on the digital image display apparatus;   transmit, to the media server, a call request for a specific call directed to the external apparatus;   receive, from the media server, call condition identifying data tor identifying a call condition of the specific call directed to the external apparatus in response to the call request; and   display, on the display unit, information regarding the call condition of the specific call based on the call condition identifying data.   
     
     
       36. A method for controlling a call operation of a digital image display apparatus with an external apparatus, the method comprising:
 registering, in a media server by the digital image display apparatus, first data associated with a user of the digital image display apparatus and at least one second data for different call conditions for call operations of the digital image display apparatus, wherein the call operations include displaying digital images associated with the call operations on the digital image display apparatus;   transmitting, by the digital image display apparatus to the media server, a call request for a specific call directed to the external apparatus;   receiving, by the digital image display apparatus from the media server, call condition identifying data for identifying a call condition of the specific call directed to the external apparatus in response to the call request; and   displaying, on a display unit of the digital image display apparatus, information regarding the call condition of the specific call based on the call condition identifying data.