SYSTEM, MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR STORING DATA INTO WEB STORAGE USING WIRELESS LAN

Abstract

Provided are a system, mobile terminal, and method for storing data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service. The method includes setting synchronization of the mobile terminal and a web server providing a web storage service; setting data of the mobile terminal to be stored into a web storage provided by the web server; sensing whether the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area; connecting, if it is sensed that the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area, the mobile terminal to the web server; and transmitting the set mobile terminal data to the web server.

Description

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/771,866, filed on Jun. 29, 2007 and claiming priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Korean Pat. App. Ser. No. 2006-0064631 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jul. 10, 2006, the contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system, mobile terminal and method for storing data in a web storage using a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) service, and in particular, to a system and method for storing data stored in a mobile terminal into a web storage using a wireless LAN service when the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area, and to a mobile terminal using the method.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Nowadays, using only mobile terminals, users can use various additive functions, for example games, a digital camera, an MP3 player, a scheduler, a housekeeping book and directory functions. Among the functions, users mainly use high-capacity services based on multimedia data, for example, games, still image data, moving image data and MP3 music data. However, mobile terminals have relatively small storage spaces compared with the high-capacity services, and thus the mobile terminals have a limitation in storing multimedia data.

In order to improve a multimedia data storage rate of a mobile terminal, various techniques have been introduced, for example, to expand the capacity of an internal memory of a mobile terminal, mounting a memory card externally on a mobile terminal, transmitting data of a mobile terminal to a Personal Computer (PC) using a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable, and storing mobile terminal data on the Internet through a wireless Internet connection.

However, expanding the capacity of an internal memory has a problem of increased size of a mobile terminal caused by expansion of the size of the internal memory. Mounting a memory card externally on a mobile terminal has a problem of carrying the mobile terminal with a memory card so as to use multimedia data stored in the memory card. Transmitting mobile terminal data to a PC using a USB cable has a problem of carrying the mobile terminal with a USB cable for connecting to a PC so as to store data stored in the mobile terminal into the PC, otherwise it is impossible to store data in a PC, and the PC also needs to be turned on and be connected to the USB cable. Storing mobile terminal data on the Internet has a relatively slower data transmission speed than transmitting mobile terminal data to a PC, and requires connection to a wireless Internet for data transmission, thereby increasing costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and therefore, the present invention provides a system, mobile terminal and method for expanding a space for storing a high-capacity service to a web storage, thereby reducing a storage space limitation.

The present invention further provides a system, mobile terminal, and method for reducing the quantity of portable equipments required to use multimedia data stored in an external storage device.

The present invention further provides a system and method for simplifying a procedure for storing mobile terminal data into a web storage, and a mobile terminal thereof.

The present invention further provides a system and method for storing mobile terminal data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service, thereby reducing costs, and a mobile terminal thereof.

The present invention provides a system and method for storing mobile terminal data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service, and a mobile terminal thereof.

A system according to the present invention includes a mobile terminal for sensing entry to a wireless LAN service area to use a wireless LAN service, a wireless connection device for setting the wireless LAN service area, a web server providing a web storage for storing mobile terminal data, and a broadband network for connecting the mobile terminal to the web server.

The mobile terminal may be synchronized with the web server to transmit data stored in the mobile terminal to the web server when entering the wireless LAN service area.

The mobile terminal may set data to be stored into the web storage, wherein the storable data may be, for example, a directory, moving image data, still image data and MP3 music data.

The web server may store data transmitted from the mobile terminal into the web storage.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a wireless LAN service system for storing mobile terminal data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service, which includes a mobile terminal capable of using a wireless LAN service; a wireless connection device for setting a wireless LAN service area; and a web server providing a web storage service for storing mobile terminal data.

Preferably, the mobile terminal includes a control unit for setting synchronization of the web server with the mobile terminal and transmitting mobile terminal data to the web server; a display unit for displaying a storage completion message when the mobile terminal data is completely stored into a web storage provided by the web server; and a storage unit for storing an identifier of the web server synchronized with the mobile terminal and the mobile terminal data to be transmitted to the web server.

Preferably, the control unit includes a setting unit for synchronizing the web server and the mobile terminal, setting a mobile terminal user ID and password to be used in the web server, and setting the mobile terminal data to be stored into the web storage provided by the web server; a sensing unit for sensing whether the mobile terminal enters or exits the wireless LAN service area; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the set data to the web server.

Preferably, the web server includes a control module for executing member authentication by the user ID and password set in the mobile terminal; a web storage for providing a storage space for storing the transmitted mobile terminal data; and a file module for executing a system file check on the transmitted data stored in the web storage.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for storing mobile terminal data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service, which includes setting synchronization of a mobile terminal and a web server providing a web storage service; setting mobile terminal data to be stored into a web storage provided by the web server; sensing whether the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area; if it is sensed that the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area, connecting the mobile terminal to the web server; and transmitting the set mobile terminal data to the web server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system for storing data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a mobile terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a web server according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for storing data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a detailed flowchart of a service-setting step for using a wireless LAN service according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference symbols identify the same or corresponding elements in the drawings. Detailed descriptions of constructions or processes known in the art may be omitted to avoid obscuring the invention in unnecessary detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system includes a mobile terminal 100, a wireless connection device 200, and a web server 300.

The mobile terminal 100 has a wireless LAN card therein to use a wireless LAN service, and transmits data stored therein to the web server 300 using the wireless LAN service. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal 100 preferably includes a wireless unit 110; an input unit 120; a control unit 130, which includes a setting unit 131, a sensing unit 132, and a transmitting unit 133; a display unit 140; and a storage unit 150.

The wireless connection device 200 is installed to set a wireless LAN service area. The wireless LAN service area is an area where a wireless LAN service is available, and covers a predetermined distance from a location where the wireless connection device 200 is installed.

The web server 300 provides a web storage service for storing data of the mobile terminal 100. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, the web server 300 preferably includes a control module 310, a web storage 320 and a file module 330.

A main configuration of the mobile terminal 100 is described in detail with reference to FIG. 2. The wireless unit 110 executes wireless communications between the mobile terminal 100 and a mobile network. For example, the wireless unit 110 transmits and receives voice data, text messages and multimedia messages through a wireless network.

The input unit 120 may include keypads, touch screens, touch pads or scroll wheels, and receives operating signals input by a user for controlling an operation of the mobile terminal 100 and provides the operating signals to the control unit 130.

The control unit 130 controls the whole operation to be executed through units of the mobile terminal 100. In particular, the control unit 130 sets synchronization of the web server 300 and the mobile terminal 100, obtains member authentication from the web server 300, and transmits data of the mobile terminal 100 to the web server 300. For this purpose, the control unit 130 preferably includes the setting unit 131, the sensing unit 132 and the transmitting unit 133.

The setting unit 131 sets synchronization of the web server 300 and the mobile terminal 100 by a hotkey, or by a callback Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or URL address of the web server 300. The setting unit 131 also sets a specific data stored in the mobile terminal 100 to be stored into the web storage 320. For example, the specific data may be directory data, moving image data, still image data, or MP3 music data. The setting unit 131 also sets a user ID and password by subscribing to the web server 300 to store the specific data into the web storage 320.

The sensing unit 132 senses whether the mobile terminal 100 enters or exits a wireless LAN service area by sensing signals of the wireless connection device 200.

When the sensing unit 132 senses that the mobile terminal 100 enters a wireless LAN service area, the transmitting unit 133 transmits data of the mobile terminal 100 set by the setting unit 131 to the web server 300 through a broadband network. When the sensing unit 132 senses that the mobile terminal 100 exits the wireless LAN service area during data transmission to the web server 300, the transmitting unit 133 stops transmission of the data of the mobile terminal 100. Thereafter, if the sensing unit 132 senses that the mobile terminal 100 reenters the wireless LAN service area, the transmitting unit 133 retransmits the data, transmission of which to the web server 300 was stopped due to the mobile terminal 100 exiting the wireless LAN service area, from a stopped portion of transmitted data or from a start of the data transmission.

The display unit 140 displays the state and result of various operations executed in units of the mobile terminal 100, and a plurality of information, by control of the control unit 130. Particularly, when data of the mobile terminal 100 set by the setting unit 131 is completely stored into the web storage 320, the display unit 140 displays a storage completion message. When the mobile terminal 100 exits the wireless LAN service area, the display unit 140 displays a warning message informing that data transmission has stopped. If the mobile terminal 100 reenters the wireless LAN service area, the display unit 140 displays a message to select whether the transmitting unit 133 should retransmit the data whose transmission was stopped from a stopped portion of the data or from the start of the data.

The storage unit 150 stores data (for example, a setting state or data about a menu) related to operation of the mobile terminal 100 by control of the control unit 130. The storage unit 150 also stores a hotkey, or a callback URL or URL address of the web server 300 for setting synchronization of the web server 300 with the mobile terminal 100 by the setting unit 131, and stores specific data of the mobile terminal 100 to be stored into the web storage 320 provided by the web server 300. The storage unit 150 also stores the user ID and password required for connection to the web server 300 set by the setting unit 131.

Referring to FIG. 3, the control module 310 controls the whole operation to be executed in the units of the web server 300. Particularly, the control module 310 executes member authentication through the user ID and password set in the mobile terminal 100.

The web storage 320 stores data of the mobile terminal 100 transmitted to the web server 300 through a broadband network by control of the control module 310.

In the case that specific data stored in the web storage 320 is lost or damaged, the file module 330 executes a system file check by changing the name of the data and restoring the data into a stored version of the data by control of the control module 310.

Referring to FIG. 4, the control unit performs setting of the mobile terminal 100 and the web server 300 so as to transmit data of the mobile terminal 100 to the web server 300 (S10). Step S10 of performing setting is described in detail with reference to FIG. 5 as follows.

Referring to FIG. 5, the control unit 130 sets synchronization of the web server 300 and the mobile terminal 100 by a hotkey, a callback URL or a URL address so as to store specific data stored in the storage unit 150 of the mobile terminal 100 into the web storage 320 provided by the web server 300, in step S11. The control unit 130 sets the user ID and password for connection to the web server 300 set at step S11, in step S12, then sets the specific data stored in the storage unit 150 of the mobile terminal 100 to be stored into the web storage 150, in step S13. The specific data may be directory data, moving image data, still image data or MP3 music data. The specific data may be set by the user whenever the mobile terminal 100 enters the wireless LAN service area, or may be set previously by the user to be automatically executed when the mobile terminal 100 enters the wireless LAN service area. Preferably, performing setting at step S10 is executed by the setting unit 131 of the control unit 130.

The control unit 130 senses whether the mobile terminal 100 enters the wireless LAN service area having the wireless connection device 200, in step S20. Preferably, the sensing is executed by the sensing unit 132 of the control unit 130.

If the control unit 130 senses that the mobile terminal 100 enters the wireless LAN service area, the control unit 130 transmits the user ID and password set for connection to the web server 300 to determine whether the user of the mobile terminal 100 is authenticated by the web server 300 as a member of the web server 300 in step S30. Member authentication may be obtained by inputting the ID and password whenever the mobile terminal 100 is connected to the web server 300, or may be obtained when synchronization of the mobile terminal 100 with the web server 300 is executed, and thus in the case of reconnection, the authentication step may be omitted.

If the user is authenticated as a member of the web server 300, the control unit 130 is connected to the web server 300 in step S40.

The control unit 130 then transmits the set specific data of the mobile terminal 100 to the web server 300 through a broadband network in step S50. Preferably, the transmission of the data is executed by the transmitting unit 133 of the control unit 130.

The sensing unit 132 of the control unit 130 senses whether the mobile terminal exits the wireless LAN service area during data transmission in step S60. If the mobile terminal 100 exits the wireless LAN service area during data transmission, the control unit 130 controls the display unit 140 to display a warning message notifying that data transmission is stopped and controls the transmission unit 133 to stop data transmission to the web server 300 in step S70.

The sensing unit 132 of the control unit 130 senses whether the mobile terminal 100 reenters the wireless LAN service area in step S80. If the mobile terminal 100 reenters the wireless LAN service area, the control unit 130 determines whether to retransmit the data whose transmission was stopped in step S90. If the data is to be retransmitted, the transmission unit 133 retransmits the data from a stopped portion of the data or from the start of the data in step S100.

If the mobile terminal 100 does not exit the wireless LAN service area at step S60, the control unit 100 continues transmission of the set specific data to the web server 300 through a broadband network, and the process continues at step S110.

The web storage 320 of the web server 300 stores the data transmitted from the transmitting unit 133 of the mobile terminal 100 by control of the control module 310 in step S110.

When the data transmitted from the transmitting unit 133 of the mobile terminal 100 to the web server 300 is completely stored into the web storage 320, the control unit 130 controls the display unit 140 to display a storage completion message in step S120.

As described above, the present invention has an effect of expanding a storage space for storing mobile terminal data to a web storage, thereby reducing a limitation of the storage space.

The present invention also has an effect of storing data of a mobile terminal into a web storage without requiring a connecting cable between the mobile terminal and a PC, thereby overcoming a problem of limited space and equipment.

Further, the present invention has an effect of storing data of a mobile terminal into a web storage in a wireless LAN service area, thereby reducing costs rendered in connection to a wireless Internet.

While exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in this specification, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications of the embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a memory;

a display;

a transceiver configured to communicate on a wireless local area network (LAN); and

a controller configured to: control the memory to store a setting indicating whether still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be automatically transmitted to a web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area; provide at least one user interface by which a user selects the setting; control, if the setting indicates that still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be transmitted to the web server via a wireless LAN, the transceiver to automatically transmit still images stored in the mobile terminal to the web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area; control the transceiver to stop, if the mobile terminal exits the wireless LAN service area during the transmission of the still images, the transmission of the still images; control the transceiver to re-start, if the mobile terminal re-enters the wireless LAN service area, the transmission of still images; and control the display to provide an indication of a status of the transmission, including a notification concerning stopping of transmission if the mobile terminal exits the wireless LAN service area before transmission is complete.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a second transceiver configured to communicate on a mobile communications network.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to communicate on a mobile communications network.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller provides at least one user interface by which a user inputs a user identification and password associated with a user account of the web server which stores the still images.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the memory stores the user identification and password.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the mobile terminal uses the user identification and password to connect to, and be authenticated by, the web server which stores the still images for the mobile terminal.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein, if the transmission of still images is stopped before transmission is complete, a stopped portion where the transmission stopped is stored in the memory of the mobile terminal.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein, if the transmission of still images re-starts, the transmission of still images re-starts at the stored stopped portion where the transmission stopped.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for a mobile terminal to perform a method, the method comprising:

providing at least one user interface by which a user selects a setting indicating whether still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be automatically transmitted to a web server via a wireless local area network (LAN) if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area;

storing the setting;

if the setting indicates that still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be transmitted to the web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area: automatically transmitting still images stored in the mobile terminal to the web server via the wireless LAN of the wireless LAN service area; stopping, if the mobile terminal exits the wireless LAN service area during the transmission of the still images, the transmission of the still images at a stopped portion; and re-starting, if the mobile terminal re-enters the wireless LAN service area, the transmission of still images from the stopped portion; and displaying an indication of a status of the transmission, including a notification concerning stopping of transmission if the transmission of the still images is stopped before transmission is complete.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

providing at least one user interface by which the user inputs a user identification and password associated with a user account of the web server which stores the still images.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, the method further comprising:

storing the user identification and password.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein automatically transmitting still images stored in the mobile terminal to the web server via the wireless LAN of the wireless LAN service area comprises:

transmitting the user identification and password to connect to, and be authenticated by, the web server which stores the still images.

13. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a memory;

a display;

a transceiver configured to communicate on a wireless local area network (LAN); and

a controller configured to: control the memory to store a user identification and a password of a user, where the user identification and password are associated with a user account of a web server which stores data associated with the user account; provide at least one user interface by which the user enters the user identification and password; provide at least one user interface by which the user selects a first setting indicating whether still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be stored in the web server associated with the user account; provide at least one interface by which the user selects a second setting indicating, if the first setting indicates that still images stored in the mobile terminal are also to be stored in the web server, whether still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be automatically transmitted to the web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area; control, if the second setting indicates that still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be automatically transmitted to the web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area, the transceiver to automatically transmit still images stored in the mobile terminal to the web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area; control the display to display an indication of a status of the transmission; control the transceiver to stop, if the mobile terminal exits the wireless LAN service area during the transmission of the still images, the transmission of the still images; and control the transceiver to re-start, if the mobile terminal re-enters the wireless LAN service area, the transmission of still images.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, further comprising:

a second transceiver configured to communicate on a mobile communications network.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the transceiver is further configured to communicate on a mobile communications network.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the mobile terminal uses the user identification and password to connect to, and be authenticated by, the web server which stores the still images for the mobile terminal.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the indication of the status of the transmission includes a completion message if transmission of the still images to the web server is complete.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the indication of the status of the transmission includes a message concerning stopping of the transmission if transmission of the still images is stopped before completing transmission.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the indication of the status of the transmission comprises a message.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein, if the transmission of still images is stopped before transmission is complete, a stopped portion where the transmission stopped is stored in the memory of the mobile terminal.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein, if the transmission of still images re-starts, the transmission of still images re-starts at the stored stopped portion where the transmission stopped.

22. A method for a mobile terminal, comprising:

providing at least one user interface by which a user inputs a user identification and password, where the user identification and password are associated with a user account and a web server which stores data associated with the user account;

providing at least one user interface by which a user selects a first setting indicating whether still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be stored in the web server associated with the user account;

providing at least one user interface by which a user selects a second setting indicating, if the first setting indicates that still images stored in the mobile terminal are also to be stored in the web server, whether still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be automatically transmitted to the web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area; and

if the second setting indicates that still images stored in the mobile terminal are to be automatically transmitted to the web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area: automatically transmitting still images stored in the mobile terminal to the web server via a wireless LAN if the mobile terminal enters a service area of the wireless LAN; displaying an indication of a status of the transmission; stopping, if the mobile terminal exits the wireless LAN service area during the transmission of the still images, the transmission of the still images; and re-starting, if the mobile terminal re-enters the wireless LAN service area, the transmission of still images.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

storing the user identification and password.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

storing the first and second settings.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein automatically transmitting still images stored in the mobile terminal to the web server via the wireless LAN of the wireless LAN service area comprises:

transmitting the user identification and password to connect to, and be authenticated by, the web server associated with the user account.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein displaying an indication of the status of the transmission comprises:

displaying a completion message if transmission of the still images to the web server is complete.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein displaying an indication of the status of the transmission comprises:

displaying a message concerning stopping of the transmission if transmission of the still images is stopped before completing transmission.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the indication of the status of the transmission comprises a message.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

if the transmission of still images is stopped before transmission is complete, storing, by the mobile terminal, a stopped portion where the transmission stopped.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein, if the transmission of still images re-starts, the transmission of still images re-starts at the stored stopped portion where the transmission stopped.