Abstract: A method for processing a request from a first communication terminal, intended to establish communication with a second communication terminal via a communications management platform. The method includes identifying the second communication terminal from among a set of communication terminals associated with the communications management platform. The method furthermore includes: assigning, to the first communication terminal, at least one identifier associated with the identified second communication terminal, allowing the first communication terminal to establish communication with the second communication terminal; and transmitting, to the first communication terminal, a message containing the at least one assigned identifier.

Abstract: A method for managing an unallocated telephone number in a communication network, the telephone number being previously allocated to a user of the communication network until a suspension date. The method is implemented by an item of equipment of the network and includes: obtaining information relating to a call set-up request received by the communication network to the telephone number during an observation period of time subsequent to the suspension date; updating, according to the information relating to the call set-up request, information relating to an activity level of the telephone number in the communication network, the information relating to an activity level being representative of a number of requests to set-up a call to the telephone number received by the network for the given observation period and storing in a data table the information relating to an activity level of the telephone number in association with the telephone number.

Abstract: A method of establishing a communication through an instant messaging IM service, between a first device and a second device. The method includes the following acts carried out by a server: receiving from the first device a first request for establishing an IM conversation with the second device, the request comprising an identifier of a user of the second device; generating a uniform resource locator URL, including information corresponding to the identifier, the URL being associated with a webpage comprising an IM interface displayable by a browser of the second device; receiving a second request from the browser to access the URL; and upon receiving conversation messages from the first and the second device and, if the access to the virtual account has been provided, pushing these messages through the IM service.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method for communicating multimedia data between two devices over a network. The method comprises the devices repeatedly generating and exchanging the multimedia data and quality data representative of the quality of the communication between the two devices. At least the first device applies at least one current error correction strategy selected from a group of error correction strategies in order to increase the quality of the communication between the devices. The method also comprises an evaluation of an effectiveness of each current error correction strategy on the quality of the communication between the two devices is carried out as a function of newly received quality data.

Abstract: A method for processing data associated with a caller party upon setup of an incoming communication is proposed. The method includes: obtaining, from received signaling data associated with the communication, caller party identification data; transmitting a request for qualification of the nature of the caller party including the caller party identification data; receiving, in response to the request, qualification information on the nature of the caller party including respective likelihood indicators for each of one or more categories to which the caller party corresponds; and reporting incoming communication acceptability information that includes the likelihood indicators for each of the one or more categories through a user interface.

Abstract: A method for processing data associated with a caller party upon setup of an incoming communication is proposed. The method includes: obtaining, from received signaling data associated with the communication, caller party identification data; transmitting a request for qualification of the nature of the caller party including the caller party identification data; receiving, in response to the request, qualification information on the nature of the caller party including respective likelihood indicators for each of one or more categories to which the caller party corresponds; and reporting incoming communication acceptability information that includes the likelihood indicators for each of the one or more categories through a user interface.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method for communicating multimedia data between two devices over a network. The method comprises the devices repeatedly generating and exchanging the multimedia data and quality data representative of the quality of the communication between the two devices. At least the first device applies at least one current error correction strategy selected from a group of error correction strategies in order to increase the quality of the communication between the devices. The method also comprises an evaluation of an effectiveness of each current error correction strategy on the quality of the communication between the two devices is carried out as a function of newly received quality data.

Abstract: A method of establishing a communication through an instant messaging IM service, between a first device and a second device. The method includes the following acts carried out by a server: receiving from the first device a first request for establishing an IM conversation with the second device, the request comprising an identifier of a user of the second device; generating a uniform resource locator URL, including information corresponding to the identifier, the URL being associated with a webpage comprising an IM interface displayable by a browser of the second device; receiving a second request from the browser to access the URL; and upon receiving conversation messages from the first and the second device and, if the access to the virtual account has been provided, pushing these messages through the IM service.

Abstract: The present invention relates in a general manner to the generation of unavailability messages (MESS.TXT, MESS.VOC) upon a failure to establish a communication. Thus, in a method of communication comprising, on the sending of a call from a calling user (B) to a called user (A), there are provided the following steps: determining (E406), in an address book (100) of the called user, a group of contacts (110) comprising a contact corresponding to the calling user; determining the availability of the called user for the calling user as a function of an availability cue (142) associated, in the address book, with said determined group; in the event of determined unavailability of the called user, generating (E410, E320), for the attention of the calling user, a personalized unavailability message (MESS.TXT, MESS.VOC) on the basis of at least one information cue supplied (130, 142, 144, 146), in the address book, at the level of the group determined.

Abstract: The present invention relates in a general manner to the generation of unavailability messages (MESS.TXT, MESS.VOC) upon a failure to establish a communication. Thus, in a method of communication comprising, on the sending of a call from a calling user (B) to a called user (A), there are provided the following steps: determining (E406), in an address book (100) of the called user, a group of contacts (110) comprising a contact corresponding to the calling user; determining the availability of the called user for the calling user as a function of an availability cue (142) associated, in the address book, with said determined group; in the event of determined unavailability of the called user, generating (E410, E320), for the attention of the calling user, a personalized unavailability message (MESS.TXT, MESS.VOC) on the basis of at least one information cue supplied (130, 142, 144, 146), in the address book, at the level of the group determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating, sending, receiving and reconstructing an image, for use, for example, over a mobile telephone network (10, 12, 14, 20) comprises means to prepare the image by selecting pre-stored parts image (24, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46) to be assembled as part of an entire image where the properties of the part images are specified, specification including the viewpoint, position of a part image, color, texture, movement, speed, time and times of visibility. The assembled image is coded as a text message to be sent to a receiving mobile telephone (20). The receiving mobile telephone (20) can decode the coded text message and display the coded image, can display a true text message with the image, can store and display an image as an indication of a person who has contacted that mobile telephone (20), and can store and add images to other messages. The part images (24, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46) can be downloaded from a central store (14). The text messages can be compacted.

Abstract: A graphic user interface is provided on a mobile telephone (10) having a screen (12) and control buttons (14) which move and select choices. The screen (12) comprises a viewing area (18), for viewing icons (16), a context area (20) and a selection area (22). A first icon (16), in the viewing area (18), has associated choices (24) displayed. Movement of a choice (24) into the selection area (22) causes the selected item (30) to become the selected second icon (30) in the wiewing area (18), the choices (24B) of the second icon (30) are displayed, and the first icon (16) moves up the context area (20), showing precedence over the second icon (30). Selection (22) of a choice (24B) from the second icon causes a third icon (36) to be in the viewing area (18), the first icon (16) to move further up the context area (20), the second icon (30) to join the first icon (16) in the context area, and further choices (24C) to be displayed for the third icon (36). The sequence of operations continues for further icons.

Abstract: A mobile telephone system (10, 12, 14, 18, 20) allows a mobile telephone (10, 20) to be used for viewing and selecting goods for sale. The mobile telephone (10) has a screen with a display area (28) comprising a control area (30) and control “buttons”, and a background zone (38) where images of items are sent from a server (18) to be displayed, in background profile, in display slots (40A, 40B, 40C), individual items being selected when at a selection point (50) to be displayed in a foreground zone (44) attended by a descriptive card (52). Foreground zone (44) views can be of a different view of a selected item (54) and can be from different perspectives and distances. Images can be provided to the mobile telephone (10) in the form of photographs, or as sets of image parts which can be assembled to make a complete image. The operating software of the mobile telephone (10) treats all types of images as equal entities.

Abstract: A receiving device in the form of a mobile telephone (10) within a mobile network (12, 14, 16, 18) receives images from a server (18). The server (18) first determines the characteristics of the mobile telephone (10), such as receiver memory capacity, display size, receiver colour depth, receiver processor availability and receiver display resolution. The server 18 then selects a version of the image, to be sent to the mobile telephone (10), suitable for use by that style of mobile telephone (10). The server (18) also determines the bandwidth of the channel to the mobile telephone (10), and can adjust the depth of colour, resolution, and frame rate in the signal sent to the mobile telephone (10) further to accommodate the bandwidth and any limitations in the mobile telephone (10).

Abstract: A mobile radio handset (10, 24), capable of receiving short message service text messages (12), examines incoming text messages (12) to see if a recognised string of one or more characters is received and, in response thereto, retrieves and displays, on a display screen (14), a stored image (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) which is to be displayed whenever that string of characters is received. The image (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) can be shown alone or with the text (12) which triggered its display. The images (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) can be provided by the user of the handset (24), or derived from a server or central data base (80) in the mobile telephone network. The images (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) can include static images or animations. The static images can includes a photograph. As well as text messages (12), the Caller Location Identifier (CLI) of a caller can be used to evoke a display, chosen by the call recipient.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for generating text messages comprises means for selecting, from a library, a sequence of text images (22) to form a message, each text image having associated therewith a sequence of characters, means to concatenate the characters to form a text message, and means (12, 14, 16, 18) to send the text message to a selected recipient (20). Apparatus for receiving and viewing text messages comprises means (10) to receive a string of characters, successively comparing the characters in the string with each of a stored array of groups of characters to seek any match therebetween, where each group of characters has, associated therewith, a respective image (22), and means successively to display the string of characters and the associated image together.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating, sending, receiving and reconstructing an image, for use, for example, over a mobile telephone network (10, 12, 14, 20) comprises means to prepare the image by selecting pre-stored parts image (24, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46) to be assembled as part of an entire image where the properties of the part images are specified, specification including the viewpoint, position of a part image, colour, texture, movement, speed, time and times of visibility. The assembled image is coded as a text message to be sent to a receiving mobile telephone (20). The receiving mobile telephone (20) can decode the coded text message and display the coded image, can display a true text message with the image, can store and display an image as an indication of a person who has contacted that mobile telephone (20), and can store and add images to other messages. The part images (24, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46) can be downloaded from a central store (14). The text messages can be compacted.