Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are concerned with smart-card devices and in one aspect provide a mobile communications device for providing a user with access to information relating to authorized take-up of a service for which authorization is provided using a contactless smart-card device. The device includes a plurality of personal information managers, each having a data store comprising a plurality of data fields. The device is configured to access an interface for receiving data from the smart-card device and a a parser arranged to parse the received data so as to identify content therein and to identify, from the parsed content, content portions corresponding to at least some of said plurality of data fields.

Abstract: A method and system for providing group services in a telecommunications network. Groups of subscribers can be created and each group associated with its own telephone number. A member of a group can communicate with others in that group using a group service and the telephone number associated with the group. In one aspect, a number of different, and separately processed, group services are provided which can be accessed using a common group telephone dialing number.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for controlling communication between user terminals using a telecommunications network. One embodiment includes an interface between a real-time charging control system for controlling usage of network resources during such usage and a group communications control node which is capable of controlling group communications sessions. Improved real-time charging control mechanisms can be implemented to account for usage of group communications services, for example where charging for an entire group communications session may be applied to a selected single party. Charging for a group communications session may be conducted with the flexibility of being able to charge according to the number of participants without having to transmit separate charging control signals from each participant's leg of the session to the real-time charging control system, thus reducing the signaling load in the network.

Abstract: A method of, apparatus for and a computer program for controlling handover of a mobile station conducting a communications session in a mobile communications network, the network including a plurality of radio access domains, the method comprising receiving a trigger indicating a requirement for handover; testing at least one possible handover meeting said requirement against network policy; and controlling handover in accordance with said requirement and said network policy.

Abstract: A mobile telephone handset comprising a radio telecommunications interface for wirelessly transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from a mobile telecommunications network is disclosed. The handset comprises first and second audio loudspeakers positioned to output audio from two different locations on the handset, wherein the first audio loudspeaker is mounted on a first portion and the second audio loudspeaker is mounted on a second, different portion, and wherein the first and second portions are movable from a first relative position in which the handset is compact and in which the audio loudspeakers are relatively closely spaced to a second relative position in which the audio loudspeakers are relatively widely spaced.

Abstract: A method of, apparatus for and a computer program for controlling handover of a mobile station conducting a communications session in a mobile communications network, the network including a plurality of radio access domains, the method comprising: receiving a trigger indicating a requirement for handover; testing at least one possible handover meeting said requirement against network policy; and controlling handover in accordance with said requirement and said network policy.

Abstract: A service module is provided for use in a mobile communications system. The service module provides services to a calling user such as an answering service comprising several individual mailboxes. In various situations, the service module can automatically forward an incoming call to the desired mailbox by using an identification code to allow the user to retrieve or deposit messages. In other situations, the service module is responsive to an indicator during the call by which the user can indicate that the service module did not receive a correct identification code and is therefore required to prompt the user to enter the correct identification code. In other situations, the service module is responsive to an indicator during the call by which the user can indicate whether he/she desires to retrieve a message from his/her mailbox or to deposit a message in another user's mailbox.

Abstract: A method of transferring communication between communication channels of differing bandwidth comprises establishing data communications on a first channel having a first bandwidth, establishing data communications on a second channel in response to a trigger indicating changes in the data to be communicated, wherein the second channel has a bandwidth providing resources different from the first bandwidth of the first channel. The method further comprises releasing communications on the first channel in response to set up of data communications on the second channel.

Abstract: A method and system for providing group services in a telecommunications network. Groups of subscribers can be created and each group associated with its own telephone number. A member of a group can communicate with others in that group using a group service and the telephone number associated with the group. In one aspect, a number of different, and separately processed, group services are provided which can be accessed using a common group telephone dialing number.

Abstract: In order to store data in a mobile telecommunications system, a data storage unit (HLR) has data functions (72, 74) providing data redundancy therebetween, control functions (79, 80) and signalling point (30, 31, 32) to enable the data storage unit to pass data to and from a mobile telecommunications network under the control of the control function. The control functions are physically separate from the data functions. The data functions (72, 74) may operate on the basis that one has a primary data function, a second has a primary standby function to achieve synchronised updating. The use of separate and hence distributed functions enables greater flexibility in the retrieval of data from the data storage unit (HLR).

Abstract: In order to store data in a mobile telecommunications system, a data storage unit (HLR) has data functions (72, 74) providing data redundancy therebetween, control functions (79, 80) and signalling point (30, 31, 32) to enable the data storage unit to pass data to and from a mobile telecommunications network under the control of the control function. The control functions are physically separate from the data functions. The data functions (72, 74) may operate on the basis that one has a primary data function, a second has a primary standby function to achieve synchronised updating. The use of separate and hence distributed functions enables greater flexibility in the retrieval of data from the data storage unit (HLR).

Abstract: A billing center for a mobile communications system is provided which allows groups of subscribers sharing a single account to be identified both during the call rating procedure, during which call detail records are related to add a charge to the call detail record, and/or to add a usage of a pre-paid usage allocation to be added to the call detail records, and during the production of billing details at the end of a billing period. A relational database holds usage allocation records which pertain either to a single subscriber, or to a group of subscribers. The group of subscribers may consist of any of 2 to 50, or more, subscribers, depending on the subscription type held by the group.

Abstract: Voice and/or image data packets are transferred by a packet handler between user stations in a GSM-type mobile communications system using a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data link. Control data for controlling a call is stored in a data store accessible by the packet handler. The control data identifies call participants and the identity of a participant who has currently seized the call. A mobile station capable of video conferencing is operable in a half-duplex video conferencing mode, in which intermittent transmission of video data is controlled by depression of a transmit button.

Abstract: A mobile videophone capable of transmitting and receiving information in mobile telecommunications systems, particularly cellular radio networks. The videophone includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being rotatable with respect to the first portion, the second portion including a camera for image capture, the camera including a lens, the second portion being rotatable with respect to the first portion from a first position, in which the camera lens is protected by said first portion, to a second position in which the first portion does not protect the camera lens.

Abstract: In a telecommunications system a data function and a date control function are replicated in a plurality of databases (50, 51, 52, 53, 54). In order to synchronize updating of the databases (50, 51, 52, 53, 54), one database is identified as a primary database (50), at least one is identified as a primary standby database (51), and the others identified as secondary databases (52, 53, 54). Then, in normal operation, the data control function of the primary database (50) is arranged to generate signals for synchronized updating of the other databases. In the event of a failure of the primary database, the or a standby primary database (51) takes over the up-grading operating. Tee present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, directed to a telecommunications system for mobile telephones.

Abstract: A service node is provided in a mobile communications network which collects radio link measurement reports which are transmitted to the service node by mobile stations. The mobile stations transmit the measurement reports in encapsulated form, in the form of SMS messages, in order to prevent the interception of the measurement report by the serving base station. The service node is able to perform handover decision algorithms using the measurement reports collected from the mobile stations in order to determine appropriate radio access nodes to be allocated to the mobile stations.

Abstract: A removable data store (34) for a mobile station (8) used in a mobile communications system, the data store being provided with two alternative fixed dialling number lists (70, 72) which are accessible by the mobile station. The data store itself determines a mode of operation of the mobile station, for example a telephone line mode, in order to select between accessing the first list or the second list. This allows the alternate list feature to be implemented without requiring the mobile station (8) to be modified for compatibility with the removable data store (34).

Abstract: A mobile videophone capable of transmitting and receiving information in mobile telecommunications systems, particularly cellular radio networks. The individual components of the videophone are arranged such that the videophone has several different operational configurations to enable a user to select the appropriate configuration for the circumstances in which the videophone is being used. In one embodiment, a videophone can be used as a portable video conferencing device for multiple parties to a call, but should the user wish to hold a private discussion in a public place, the doors can be moved towards the closed position to retain privacy by shielding of the video display. In a further embodiment, a videophone includes two displays mounted on different portions, one of which includes a video camera, which are pivotable from a closed position by approximately 270°.

Abstract: A mobile handset for use in a mobile communications system includes a user interface, a radio communications front end, a radio transceiving antenna, and a browser application to interpret a multimedia document received from a remote server. The browser application recognizes textual presentation markup tags in the document and presents text to a user in accordance with the markup tags. The browser application recognizes a standard set of document-independent local library file markup tags in the document, and stores a standard set of non-textual local library files corresponding to the local library file markup tags. The browser application further presents content provided by one of the local library files via the user interface in response to the recognition of one of the local library file markup tags in the document.