WO2001020506A1

WO2001020506A1 - Method and system for implementing and billing wap and internet services

Info

Publication number: WO2001020506A1
Application number: PCT/FI2000/000775
Authority: WO
Inventors: Behruz Vazvan
Original assignee: Oy Radiolinja Ab
Priority date: 1999-09-15
Filing date: 2000-09-14
Publication date: 2001-03-22
Also published as: FI19991958A; AU7290600A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method in a telecommunications system, in which at least one service provider provides services for at least one customer, in which method the customer is provided with both: 1) 'Main services', in other words such services that the customer wishes to use, such as a banking service, e-mail service, etc., the scope of the main service also including a service subject to a charge, such as data transmission and calls; 2) 'Side services', such as advertisements, that the customer does not actually select for use or even want to use, but by means of which the service provider gains some kind of benefit for itself, for example, through additional information or advertising. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, when the customer activates a code/name, such as URL1, relating to a specific main service, such as a banking service, from a menu displayed on the terminal device (1), the terminal device (1) receives and displays to the user data, such as an advertisement/announcement/menu etc. of a side service, in such a way that the use of the main service dependent on reception of the side service and the customer is made to follow/read/receive side-service data. In return, the customer is provided with a free main service or one with a reduced charge. In a second embodiment of the invention, the customer should react, within a page/card/service-specific time-window, to data presented by the main service or side service, such as a selection, menus, etc., otherwise the call or data transmission is limited or terminated.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING AND BILLING WAP AND INTERNET SERVICES

Some of the material in this patent application is protected under copyright. The owner of the copyright permits this patent application and the patent document deriving from it to be faxed and copied, provided this takes place only in the form that is registered in the file directories and archives of the patent authorities, all other rights being retained by the owner of the copyright.

The present invention relates to a method, according to Claims 1 and 30 for Internet and mobile telephone services.

The invention also relates to an arrangement according to Claim 41, a terminal device according to Claim 49, and a server/gateway according to Claim 56.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling, routing, and billing for telecommunications and calls, and for data transmission, in mobile telephone systems such as WAP and the Internet. The invention also relates to an arrangement, terminal device, and apparatus for implementing the method.

Real-time data transmission systems and payment methods/systems and terminal devices based on mobile telephone systems and the Internet, by means of which the subscriber's charge-card and/or account is debited in real time for a service desired by the user, have been known prior to this invention. In such systems, customers, e.g., subscriber A, subscriber B, subscriber C (for example, a middleman etc.) can be charged in such a way that a subscriber, who calls another subscriber or receives calls/data from the other subscriber or from a third party, can be allowed to pay for the call. In addition, in the arrangement referred to, users can easily pay for purchases with the aid. of their mobile phones and/or Internet terminal devices. These methods are disclosed in patents,^' including FI100137, FI102020, FI962553, W097/45814, and WO96/13814, in which the users (A user, B user, C user, service provider, etc.) can be charged for using/providing a service. Thus, the caller, the recipient of the call, or a third party can pay in real time for a call. Various access codes, such as a URL (= Universal Resource Locator) or other destination codes, as well as the caller's and/or data sender's data, such as the calling-party number, etc. can be used in charging. The codes referred to can also be used for pricing and billing for purchases, electronic business, goods, and content, in the accounting station of the system, which is either integrated in the network as a gateway/proxy, as a switching centre, or as a separate component connected to the system. In addition, by means of the said inventions, users can, by selecting/activating a certain service in a list displayed on their terminal devices, search and send the information they want, for example, bills, charges, and other information, such as their e-mail, bus timetables, weather forecasts, etc. According to the said patents, menus (e.g. a list of URLs) and forms, which the customer can then complete, answer, send, etc., can be sent to the customer's terminal device or opened from its SIM card (or other smart cards). The said information can be any data at all. In such cases, except for speech-based calls, which the user must listen to, the user always sees the information on the display of the terminal device, selects the desired service, and receives the desired information, and reads it or sends it without having to listen to any information.

A method is also previously known, in which voice advertisements are sent, which have a different content for a first subscriber and correspondingly a second subscriber, if the telephones of the first and second subscribers are in different locations. This permits different advertising information to be sent to the first and second subscribers, in which case the advertiser (a third party) pays for the call. The advertisements are voice advertisements, so that the first and second subscribers are force to listen at regular intervals during the call to advertisements provided by the third party. On account of the compulsory listening, neither the first nor the second subscribers pay for the call, which is paid for by the third party. Such a method is referred to in, for example, patent application 971884, though the billing of a third party is also known from the applications referred- to above (e.g., FI100137). In a preferred embodiment of the said method, the voice advertisements are sent in short bursts, the total data transmission time being less than 20 % of the total time of the call. In addition, in the method, the code of the telephone number of the third party (e.g., a fast-food chain) is used to route the call through the computer unit of the third party to the second subscriber. The said advertising technique is not exploited in data calls, the service being based instead on advertisements based on speech, so that the subscribers must listen to the whole advertisement, if they want their call to continue.

Advertising methods in the Internet are also previously known. In these methods, products are advertised in connection with Internet portal sites or other websites, either as a list or dynamically in so-called flash form. In these methods, users are not forced to read the said advertisements, but can easily avoid them and proceed to their desired destination to search for information. This kind of advertising is not efficient, because the advertiser cannot be sure if a user has really read the said advertisements or not. In such a method, the effectiveness of the advertising can be estimated through market- research methods or from the number of user visits to a specific website. However, it is not compulsory for a user to visit the said website, nor is it always certain whether the user has been influenced by the content of the page or has simply bypassed it. In addition, millions of newspapers containing thousands of advertisements are printed every day, throughout the world. Most readers, however, skip the advertisement pages and only ready things, such as news, articles, etc., that interest them. Thus advertisers/announcement placers pay millions of euros/dollars daily with no certainty that their advertisements/announcements are actually read. Someone placing an announcement can only hope that it will be read by some readers, but there is no way of being sure of even that, nor is there any feedback on the reception of the advertisement and the effect it has on the mind of the user, or of other factors affecting business.

Though the Internet will never entirely supplant the traditional newspaper, it will, however, eat most of its business.

In the Internet, the servers containing websites send files to the computers of Web users, by means of which the servers can follow the movements of users in the Web. These files are generally called cookies. Cookies enter a Web user's computer unnoticed and follow the movement of the user from one page to the next. Cookies are not programs, but only texts, which no-one can use, for example, to investigate the contents of a Web user's PC. In the Internet, Web trading and advertising are, in practice, largely based on the cookie technique. Cookies are very common and users who move around the Web a great deal can receive several new cookies every day in their computer. Web servers use cookies to identify users who have previously visited the server concerned. Cookies are intended to accelerate the joint operation of users' browsers and Web servers. The browser only sends a cookie and the data it contains to the ^"Web server that originally sent the cookie to the browser. For example, a user's computer may receive many cookies from the website of a newspaper. One cookie may allow the newspaper to identify the user, without the user having to key in a user-name and password every time they come to the paper. Another cookie allows the paper to determine that certain HTML data is shown to a specific user, for example, only five or ten times. A third cookie allows companies measuring the number of website visitors to determine how many different users have accessed each page. However, cookies are browser-specific. A single user who uses different computers to visit different websites will have different cookies in each computer. A company handling advertisement booking and operating several websites will acquire for itself a comprehensive record of which sites the user visits and when. Though cookies, as such, do not create entirely new opportunities to monitor people's Web behaviour, the cookie technique does make it easier to monitor Web users. In addition, the cookie technique has not been exploited to manage, limit, or terminate data transmission and calls. The data transmitted by these small files are saved in the computers of companies that sell WEB connections.

Most browsers can be set either to request separate approval for individual cookies or to prevent their arrival entirely. Generally, the default value in browsers is to accept cookies as such, so that most users cannot even know that a cookie has arrived. Once a cookie arrives in a user's computer, it goes into its own file. For example, in the Netscape browser, cookies are located in the Netscape directory in a file called cookies.txt. Some cookies are one-time and are deleted when the user closes the browser. However, some cookies live on in the user's computer until their period of validity ends. For example, a cookie's file can contain the cookie^'s name, its period of validity in seconds, and the server to which the cookie is to be returned. The next time that the user goes to the Web page in question, the browser sends the cookie, along with the normal data. In addition to a single page or website, a cookie can cover several pages or websites, which can even be located in different Web servers. A cookie can originally come to a computer from an advertisement located on a single page and be activated when the user goes to an other page, which has the same advertisement. When the Web server receives the cookie, it can tell from the cookie when the user last visited the pages in the relevant server. The server can send a new cookie to the user's terminal device for the next visit, or else the same cookie can be moved back and forth between the terminal device and the server. Users can detect a cookie operating, for example, when they regularly visit the website of a search engine. The same advertisement can appear for ten visits to the website of the search engine, but then the advertisement changes and can be seen for a further eight visits. The cookie allows an advertiser to estimate how many times the user has possibly seen the advertisement in question, but the advertiser cannot be certain whether the user has really and intentionally seen it, and whether it has affected the user's mind and memory, because the user is not forced to look at the said advertisement. Thus, users can easily bypass advertisements, because these are not set up in such a way that they are a precondition for users viewing a desired page or for using a service (such as a call). Cookies can operate even more ingeniously, if data on the number of visits is combined with data on what information the user has been searching for. If, for example, the user has been using the search engine to search for information on a particular make of car, the next search attempt may very well bring an advertisement for precisely that make onto the screen. In any event, because the service itself does not require the cookie support to be operating, anyone who is suspicious of cookies can perfectly well switch their browsers' cookie support off. In addition, widespread opposition to the use of the cookie technique has arisen in the USA, due to fears related to user privacy and security.

In one embodiment of the present invention, cookies can be used to control, limit, or terminate calls or transactions, but the invention is not, however, limited to the use of cookies, because users can, if they wish, disturb the operation of cookies. For example, users can install a cookie-surveillance program in their computers. In addition, some protocols, such a short text messages, do not utilize cookies.

Most of the world's telecommunications companies are jointly preparing a common standard (WAP - Wireless Application Protocol) for providing Internet and telecommunications services for the terminal devices of mobile telephone users in such a way that users can see the information received and, by selecting and activating, for example, service-provider data such as a specific code (e.g. a URL = Universal

Resource Locator, URI = Universal Resource or some other destination code, etc.) can send and receive data. However, the standards defined by the WAP Forum (e.g. 1.0, 1.1, and the future 1.2) have not defined any mechanisms for mixing and combining the various services of service providers in such a way that users searching for information A are sent information B, but, instead, in WAP as in the Internet, users searching for information A are sent information A, and not information relating to another service, i.e. exactly the same procedure is used as in Internet search robots. For example, a user searching for http://Web.nokia.com will receive Nokia's website on the display of their terminal device, and not, for example Motorola's http ://Web .motorola.com. During the standardization of WAP and the Internet, no-one has realized the possibility of using the above mechanism, because the WAP Forum and the Internet standardization groups have not been able to envisage and create any services for it. The technologies referred to above are still deficient in many ways and their further development will require a great deal of imagination and many new ideas. The standards are not unalterable verses of the Bible. The formation of standardization forums and the standardization of solutions do not mean that the technology in question has been dealt with finally, instead, any new idea at all can partly or totally alter the characteristics of the technology and permit entirely new services. In this invention, as in patents FI100137, FI102020, FI962553, such a mechanism is disclosed, along with a service based on it, which is surprising and beneficial to users and service providers, and which will also enrich the WAP and Internet technologies.

WAP and mobile Internet technologies, which exploit electronic commerce by utilizing mobile telephone and Internet technologies, have been disclosed for the first time in patents FI100137, FI102020, FI962553, WO97/45814, and W096/13814. In the said inventions, data (WEB content, etc.) can be programmed and formed into small parts (cards) that take into account the resources, such as display, power, etc. of a mobile phone. A single data entity can be formed from one or more data units (cards). For example, information relating to the user's account, such as the balance, statement of account, other messages such e-mail messages, invoices, questionnaire forms, and other such information relating to the Internet and mobile telephone network is arranged in small parts, data units, and also adapted for short-message communications, which can be sent to a user's mobile telephone and displayed to the user. The user's account can have links to various services. WAP is based on the said inventions and their further applications, which have made possible a greater change than the birth of the Internet. In WAP-services, a mobile phone can be used to access the requisite information in the Internet or, for example, services of the teleoperator, and visualize them, i.e. show them to the user by means of their terminal device, in such a way that the user need not listen to any instructions (in the way in which instructions are listened to in TDMF services, after which certain keys are pressed in response to the questions of a computer, for example, a bank's computer). No matter what language (such as WML: Wireless Markup Language, HDML: Handheld Markup Language, etc.) is used in WAP terminal devices and/or servers/gateways, most WAP services are implemented on the basis of real-time technology-, so that, when the user sends a message (e.g., a URL code) to a server (such as a WEB server), the said server sends the requisite data to the user. In the terminal device of a user of WAP services (such as those disclosed in patents FI100137, FI102020, FI962553, W097/45814, and W096/13814) a menu (list, index) of the alternative services is monitored and displayed. Users can select a certain service from the said list to search for the information they wish, such as weather forecasts, bus timetables, payment services, etc. By activating a certain service from the said menu, users can read e-mail, retrieve and listen to voice mail, etc. In addition, according to the patents referred to above, it is possible to send menus and forms, which the customer can, if necessary, complete, reply to, send, etc., to a customer's terminal device or open them in its SIM card, (and other similar smart-cards). Except for voice-based services, users always sees the information on the display of their terminal device, select the service they want and receive the information they want, for example, from a WEB server, and read or send information to the server they want.

The present invention is based on data services such as the Internet and the data services, such as WAP, of mobile telephone systems. In this invention, data calls refer to both traditionally known techniques in the telecom and datacom sector, such as circuit-switched data^' calls and TCP/IP and datagram technologies, such as SMS (Short Message Service), in other words WDP (Wireless Datagram Protocol) etc. as well as to others, such as GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and similar data-transmission techniques. The present invention is particularly based on sending/receiving sets of data (such as HTML-/XHTML-/WML data or other content) in the Internet and WAP and on providing advertising and similar services and content that takes place in them, and which is not essential for performing the actual service or main service, and which the user has not requested. In this invention, such a non-essential service is termed a 'side service', the service desired by the user being correspondingly termed the 'main service'. The invention further relates to charging for data transmission, or calls, or a service subject to a charge, in such a way that a third party is billed for the service used by a customer, on the basis of providing a side service and on a specific condition, which is set for the user. The invention also relates to the case-specific limitation of the time required for the use of the said main or side services, depending on sets of data (e.g., pages/content) sent to the user.

This invention also relates to the optimization of calls and transactions, in such a way that the use of the call and/or the exchange of transactions is limited to a certain timetable and also to the user's active user of the service. For example, if the user does not actively browse the pages/card packs (= one card pack may contain one or several cards, i.e. pages adapted for operation in a mobile telephone) so that, when one menu has been retrieved, and the user does not activate a service, for example, does not go to the next stage within a specified time-window, the call is terminated and/or the exchange of transactions if limited/prevented. The user's terminal device can thus display a menu to the user, which is in the terminal device/SIM card, from which the user can start the service, or, if the user activates the desired service, the call/data transmission is recommenced, the service being able to continue from where it was interrupted. The said time limit (Time Start/Time Out) can be controlled both in the terminal device and in the network server. This means that it is assumed in the invention, that server 2 is another user (for example, subscriber B, C). If this other user receives no data/messages from user 1 (e.g., subscriber A), it is assumed that there is no reason to continue the call/transactions. Thus, the service provider/third party, who has to pay for the call or part of it on the user's behalf, need not pay on the user's behalf for unnecessary call times, e.g., if the call has accidentally remained connected and the user does not continue to use the service (i.e. in circuit-switched cases). However, the said problem is not as acute in packet-switched systems such as a GRPS, because the latter uses timers to optimize the use of the network's virtual resources (channels). In any event, in known packet-switched systems (such as a GPRS), the said time limit is static and its operation is system-dependent. However, network capacity/signalling is wasted in a GPRS-type packet-switched system, if the terminal device remains for some time in a standby state, in which the user does not react, i.e. does not send/receive data and in which when a time limit is reached, the use of network resources (virtual channels) is removed from the terminal device. This means that, because in a GRPS, the operation of the timer is not based on a time-window linked to the data received by the user (e.g. HTML pages), data transmission cannot be optimized dynamically and content- specifically, i.e. page/card pack-specifically. This is important, because the pages/cards/content can contain sets of data of varying size (e.g., 2 kB, 20 kB, 200 kB, etc.) and besides, depending on the service (whether it is an advertising service, banking service, etc.) the service provider may wish to predefine the times required for the use of the pages/cards. Because, according to this invention, the time required for the use of services is predefined, it will be known that, for example, a response is required from the terminal device in 20 seconds, allowing a much more efficient use of the service and the network resources than in, for example, known GPRS solutions. Thus, the invention makes possible a new degree of optimization of network capacity and time of use of the service, based on a time-window linked to the data to be received by the terminal device and to the user's reactions to the data within the predefined time-window. This new- mechanism can be used to optimize the use of resources, in both in data calls (such as in a GPRS) and in circuit-switched services.

Thus, this invention permits the said time limit to be application-specific, and not simply terminal-device/system-specific. This achieves a more flexible method, in which the said characteristic is used to force the user to do precisely what the service provider demands and wishes to be implemented for specific services. For example, if a certain page/card etc. (e.g., the main service page) is sent to the user, time-limit data (e.g., a 20- second condition) and a timer can accompany the said page, so that the time reserved for the use of the page (reading, etc.) diminishes continuously and, when the zero level is reached, the service (call and data transmission) is prevented or limited. The time can also be displayed to the user. This allows varying and application-specific timetables to be set. For example, 20 seconds can be reserved for one page/card and 30 seconds for another, etc. In any event, the said time-limit data can also utilize the clock of the terminal device.

Thus, the present invention relates to a method for permitting a data transmission connection and services for a customer (e.g., the calling subscriber), in such a way that the customer need not pay for a desired service or else must only pay a small part of the cost, on condition that, in addition to the main-service information, side service information, i.e. such information (e.g., HTML WML data) that the customer has not requested, is sent to the customer's terminal device, the said information being shown to the customer with the aid of the display of the terminal device, and the customer being made to read it, to respond, e.g. to questions etc., and to follow the progress of the services within a predefined time-window. Once the customer's terminal device has received the said data information on a certain condition, the customer may continue to use the service. The said certain condition can be a certain parameter such as: 1- a certain amount of time; 2- reading a set of data; 3- completing a certain questionnaire/certain questionnaires; 4- some other parameter; 5- carrying out an agreement, e.g., to agree to accept a new service, etc.; 6- various alternative combinations of the aforesaid parameters. Because the data transmission in question is based on sending/receiving data and displaying it to the customer, the customer need not listen to advertisements, etc., but instead must read received information, complete a questionnaire etc., in which case, a kind of service completely different to previously known advertising and other similar services is achieved. The visualization of information, such as advertisements, in the subscriber's terminal device, is much more effective than listening to it. According to the invention, the customer, e.g., the calling subscriber, or a user of the fixed Internet, must read the information received, which may contain texts, illustrations, etc. Thus the information is brought to the user through the user's optical channel (eyes) to their brain, from which a response is also obtained, thus creating a more effective advertising effect than before. Because the customer wishes to receive a specific service, for example, bus timetables, the customer must according to this invention, first, or during the service, or at the end of it, receive the advertisements, announcements, bulletins, questionnaires, etc., of a third party, i.e. the side-service provider, and. at some stage of the desired service, i.e. the main service, for example, at the start of it, in the middle of it, or at the end of it, must read, complete questionnaires, etc.

In this invention, it is possible to also take into account the user's profile when sending side-service information to the user. For example, advertisements, announcements, etc. can be sent to the user, taking into account the user's profile, e.g., hobbies, profession, sex, age, business, character (e.g., based on the user's horoscope sign), place of residence, and other similar matters relating to the user's life and lifestyle. All of the said information is recorded in the user's profile in the appropriate server 2 or in the user's terminal device 1, so that, when the user sends a query (e.g., by activating the URL), server 2 takes the user profile into account when the said server sends data to the user's terminal device 1. On the other hand, the user's profile can be sent along with a questionnaire from the user's terminal device 1 to the appropriate server 2, in which the data retrieved by and/or sent to the user is processed taking the user's profile into account. For example, a totally different advertisement can be sent to housewives than to construction-industry workers. In addition, the parameters of the user profile can also be time-dependent. Thus, for example, different advertisements, information, etc., are sent from the page service during working hours than, for example, during evenings or weekends. However, users can define their own profiles, for example, through the Internet, when the profile information data is recorded in databases of network 3, or directly or using, e.g., OTA technology, in the user's own terminal device, or users can record their profiles in their terminal devices (e.g., in the SIM card), with the aid of the terminal device 1. Depending on the implementation of the service, the information sent to the user can be classified, analysed, compared mutually, etc. A possible advertisement sent to the user could be: Finnish carrots, 3-kg bag, only FIM 7, in Sesto stores next Friday; Dutch carrots FIM 12, in Alepa stores next Friday. Thus, the user can know when each special offer is in force and be able to go to buy carrots from a Sesto store on Friday, for instance. If, after receiving the said advertisement, the user trades electronically with the service provider, e.g., to order a desired product, the side service can then be regarded as a main service, which is known in the inventions referred to above. However, all the transaction events can be monitored in the network/server 2, 3 and classified and recorded to permit the performance of various services. In addition, according to the invention, users can alter their profile and record it in server 2 or their terminal device 1, in such a way that users' profiles can comprise what the users most want, however, allowing for a minimum limit, for example, so that the service provider can offer at least a minimum amount of side-service services, to make the service profitable to the service provider. For example, profession can be taken into account to decide whether the user might want carrots or a colour printer. How urgent is this need? Leisure activities can be used to decide whether a user might want skis, a tennis racquet, a bicycle, etc., or perhaps information on new releases of films, or on drinks offers, etc. All this information is recorded and updated in databanks 2, 3 (which can even be the user's own PC, which is connected to the Internet). The said information is taken into account in the said server 2, queries are sent to other servers 2 through the Internet regionally, or, depending of the queries/products, globally, information is retrieved, compared mutually, and the most suitable, in terms of the user's profile, are selected for the user, the said data being sent as required to the user's terminal device 1.

The characteristics of the invention include the services offered to the user being classified as main services desired by the user and side services, which the service provider wishes to supply to the user. According to the invention, the user is permitted to use the main services either without payment or on part payment, as long as at some stage in connection with the main service, such as at the start of the main service, during it, or at the end of it, data (page/card/content) relating to the side service is displayed to the user, when the user is expected to make a concrete response to the service or activate the progression of the changing of the pages automatically and within a predefined time-window. If a response is not received from the user, the user is charged a normal price for the main service user (such as a call, an exchange of transactions, a service carrying a charge, etc.). The use of the ancillary and main services is monitored and limited according to predefined time limits.

The characteristics of the invention also include the limitation of the main service to a predefined time-window, in which case the time available is defined in individual cases, depending on the data (page/content) received by the user. More specifically, the method according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing sections of Claims 1 and 30.

The system according to the invention is, in turn, characterized by what is stated in the characterizing section of Claim 41.

The terminal device according to the invention is, in turn, characterized by what is stated in the characterizing section of Claim 49, and the server according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing section of Claim 56.

Considerable advantages are gained with the aid of the invention.

Thanks to this invention, mobile telephone and Internet users can benefit from free or cheap data transmissions and service-provider services. The service provider/person placing an announcement/person requiring information, advertiser, etc. benefit from the method of this invention in being able to provide their services and/or collect information effectively, in a way that has never been previously envisaged.

The investments and operating costs arising from Internet services can be more precisely targeted on those who receive the services or other actual benefits from their marketing. On the other hand, users can be offered the possibility of using services without an actual cash compensation relating to the service. The new form of financing makes it possible to provide completely new services, with the consumers themselves being able to choose how to pay for them.

By exploiting this invention, companies can advertise themselves, notify users of situations vacant, and send all marketing-related announcements, questionnaires, electronic postcards, etc. to customers, who are willing to receive such services at the beginning of, or during the service they wish, so that they can enjoy free or cheap calls etc. For example, in certain servers 2 in a mobile telephone network, it is possible to record and update user profiles, such as the situations vacant advertisements in a particular sector required by the user. Users themselves can change the aforesaid data through the Internet, or, for example, call the operator's customer service and provide data, advertisements, etc. On the other hand, advertisers, employers, organizations, companies such as airlines, etc. can provide information like advertisements, situations vacant announcements, offers and other announcements, advertisements for films, series of drawings and illustrations, invitations, and other similar information to the relevant server 2. The system and method according to the invention permits a procedure, in which, when the user (customer) activates their desired service (e.g., a banking service for paying bills), the said server 2 examines the messages, such as URLs, sent from the user's terminal device, but the message (e.g., the next page/menu) that the user wishes is not sent to them, or else it is sent, but mixed with the side service's pages/information in such a way that, when the user receives and reacts to the information, they can access the main service, or -else at some stage of the main service they receive the side service.

Before sending information to user 1, the user's profile is examined in server 2, and advertisements, announcements, etc. are sent to the user according to their profile. Alternatively, the said information can be said in connection with the next page/menu to the user, who is given time to read the advertisement/announcement and, during the same session makes, for example, a preliminary agreement or agrees to an interview, for example, by calling or sending a message to a telephone number or URL address, etc. that accompanies the message/advertisement. In addition, it is possible to send pages/cards from the side service to the user, for instance, an advertisement for a particular product. A response concerning the content of the side service is expected from the user. If a proper response is received, it is taken into account in the server 2, 3, in which case it is used as a basis for providing the user later with a free/cheap main service, in connection with which side-service information can once again be presented to the user. Different classes can also be defined in the said server. For example, if an employer urgently needs a specific expert, and if a query/reply to the said advertisement leads to a positive result, then, in the server or other system components, the employer is charged a certain sum as a fee for finding the employee.

In the following, the invention is examined with the aid of examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 shows the principal components of one system according to the invention, in the form of a block diagram. Reference number 1 refers to the user's terminal device, such as a mobile telephone, or Internet terminal device. Reference number 3 refers to a network, such as a mobile telephone network, the Internet, and devices connected to it, such as a relay-station network, switching centres, and gateways/proxies, etc. Reference number 2 refers to the equipment, such as a WAP server/gateway, WEB-server, etc. of a service provider/content provider of both a main service and an side service, such as an advertiser or announcement placer. The components 2 and 3 shown in the figure may be completely or partly integrated with each other and in a network or as separately operating components connected to a network (e.g., as servers, gateways, an intelligent network, etc.). Components 2 can communicate mutually as required to implement the service.

FIGURE 2 shows, in the form of a flow chart, the implementation of one method according to the invention in the user's terminal device and in the equipment of a service provider/content provider.

FIGURE 3 shows generally the implementation of the method according to the invention on the level of the Internet and a WAP system. Reference number 4 refers to the content database of the actual service, i.e. the main service, which contains services/data, which the customer desires or requests to be sent, using the call 'Encoded request' 5. Reference number 6 refers to a database belonging to the side service, such as a database containing advertisements, announcements, various questionnaires, and other similar services differing from the main service. It contains information that the user has not requested when terminal device 1 sent the said 'Encoded Request' request.

Once server 2 receives the user's request concerning the main service, then at some stage in connection with the main service (e.g., immediately at the start or in the middle or at the end of the service, depending on the implementation of the service) it sends information relating to the side service, e.g., an advertisement, announcement, or other similar 'Side Content' 7 to the user. The 'Side Content' is shown in terminal device 1, using the display of the terminal device. User 1 responds, 'Side Content Response' 8. This time, server 2 sends the page/content 'Main Content Response' 9 related to the main service requested by the user. This process can continue for as long as the service continues or the service provider demands. On the other hand, server 2 can send the 'Main Content' data/pages immediately at the beginning of the service, in such a way that they take up a location behind (in a queue and hidden) the 'Side Content' data/pages in the user's terminal device 1. Only once the user has followed the progress of the side service within a predefined time-window and/or has responded to, e.g., a question presented, and terminal device 1 compares the user's reply with a reply hidden in the message or similar and once the reply is correct, is the main-service information monitored and displayed 10 to the user on the user's terminal device.

FIGURES 4a, 4b, 4c show, in the form of a flow chart, examples of embodiments, particularly in a sequence of pages/cards/data monitored and displayed in a mobile telephone, relating to both main service 1 1 and side service 12. The pages/cards/texts 12 visible in the customer's terminal device and shown in the figures contain entirely or partly information relating to the page service of the service provider or some other person, such as advertisements and similar, on the basis of which the customer is forced to view, read, complete, or respond to presented information/questions, on the basis of which the customer is offered free or partly-charged calls/data transmission costs/services subject to a charge, etc.

FIGURE 5 shows, in the form of a flow chart, one implementation of the method according to the invention between the user's terminal device and the service provider/content provider.

FIGURE 6 shows, in the form of a flow chart, one implementation of the method according to the invention in the user's terminal device and the equipment of the service provider/content provider.

FIGURE 7 shows, as a table, an example of main services and side-service URLs recorded in the network of the example (e.g., in an intelligent network or in WAP servers) or in Web servers, in such a way that, when a URL request relating to the main service arrives, the URL connected to the side service is activated and the related data (e.g., HTTP data) is sent to the user. Each main-service URL is linked to at least one side-service URL. 'The side-service URLs can be prioritized and arranged in such an order that, when each main-service URL request arrives, a suitable side-service URL or one desired by the service provider is sought and its related data is sent to the user. In the side-service data search, the user profile can also be taken into account. FIGURE 8 shows, in the form of a flow chart, an example of the arrangement of the side service's and main service's pages/cards either in the appropriate server or in the user's terminal device, in such a way that the display of the main service's pages/cards depends on the reading, browsing, etc. of the side service's pages/cards.

FIGURE 9 shows, in the form of a flow chart, an example of the implementation of a service according to the invention, according to a predetermined timetable.

FIGURE 10 shows side and main-service pages/cards, which are mixed in a specific sequence and which are available within a predefined time-window.

FIGURE 1 1 shows, in the form of a flow chart, the sending of data from server 2 of the side service, without this being requested by the user. In the terminal device 1 of the user and in the server, a response is awaited, after which the side-service provider is charged in the network/server 2.

FIGURE 12 shows, in the form of a flow chart, the sending of a request for data relating to the main service from server 2, with the aid of terminal device 1. Both side and main- service data/pages/cards are sent from server 2 to the terminal device. In terminal device

1 , the information is displayed to the user within a predefined time-window once the user clicks a link required by the service, such as a link to the next page/card, within the said time-window. Thus the use of the services continues.

According to the present invention, the provision of a service through a telecommunications network to a user (e.g., a calling subscriber) takes place in such a way that, when the user selects/activates in their terminal device 1 a specific code (e.g.,

URL) relating to the main service 4, which relates to a certain service such as a banking service for paying bills or receiving an account statement, then, according to the invention, a side service 6 (such as an advertisement service) is activated in the appropriate server. The service desired by the user may be, for example, a banking service for paying bills, a weather forecast service, an e-mail service, or any service whatever similar to those mentioned. After user 1 has selected/activated 15 the code, name, etc. of a particular service from menu 13, their terminal device 1 receives certain information, e.g., an advertisement 12 from service provider or person 2, who is prepared to pay on user 1 's behalf the service costs or at least part of them, such as call and data transmission costs relating to the said main service. The call may be a circuit- switched data call, a packet-switched service, a service based on the use of short- message services, or some other data call. On reception of the said data (e.g., an advertisement), user 1 must, on the basis of a certain parameter, read and/or complete a questionnaire or perform a task or reply to a question 16 relating to the side service, after which they can receive the information 11 (e.g., bills, bus timetables, etc.) relating to the main service, entirely or in part. If the user receives the service they desire in part (i.e. the service is still continuing), they may be sent another particular set of data 12 (e.g., an advertisement), in which case the procedure described above continues and continues to depend ^n the service and the amount of, e.g., pages/cards/texts sent by the service provider/data sender. Thus, the user is made to read information, e.g., advertisements, complete questionnaires/forms, and send information required by the service provider or some other third party, during the main service, in such a way that a third party, e.g., an advertiser pays the for customer's call/data transmission costs or some other service with a charge. By means of this procedure, the user receives free or partly-paid data transmission services (calls) while the service provider can advertise itself/products by means of direct advertising. For example, in banking services the bank (e.g. Merita, OKO, Citibank, etc.) can market its own services, obtain information about users, etc. Service-sector and other companies can benefit from the service permitted by this invention for direct marketing, to market their services to millions of

Internet and mobile phone users.

According to this invention, the sender (e.g., an advertiser) of the side-service content can be a second service provider, in that the user receives information on, for instance, a service/product and during the same session the user can, if desired, make an agreement, join a particular activity as a member, participate in a lottery and competitions, etc. and nevertheless use a service (such as a call) that is free or only partly charged.

In the manner disclosed by this invention, it is possible to better exploit the possibilities offered by the entire fixed and wireless Internet in marketing and for services, because experience has shown that Internet users, for example, are not interested in receiving advertisements unless they benefit concretely and directly. According to this invention, all services subject to charges can be provided to users free or partly paid for, if, for instance, information such as data based on marketing, advertisements, announcements, and similar is sent to the user's terminal device in connection with the actual, i.e. main service (e.g., at the beginning/during/at the end of the service), when the customer benefits from free data transmission or payment services or only partly pays for them.

In the present invention, the sending of information to the user's terminal device can also depend on the location of the user. For example, if the user is in a specific area in a city, close to malls, service stations, etc., when the user tries to obtain a desired service by selecting/activating the code/data of a specific service in their terminal device, information (e.g., advertisements) are then sent to their terminal device on the basis of the user's location.

According to the invention, the sending of the side-service information (e.g., advertisements) to the user's terminal device directs the network 3 or a separate computer unit 2 and/or 3 to charge the account of the sender of the information (such as an advertisement) such as a third party. The third party can be a local switching centre or central equipment such as a WAP gateway/server, which is connected to the network.

The said side-service provider can also be the telecommunications service provider or operator itself, in which case the operator/service provider itself can pay for the main service, such as a call, on behalf of the customer. The service can then be implemented as, for example, a free service.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the side-service information

(e.g., pages/cards) is sent between certain messages (pages/cards) relating to the main service, in such a way that, if the service desired by the user can be performed using, for example, three messages (sending-reception = transaction), then two pages/cards (e.g., advertisements) are sent between these messages. In this invention, a card refers to a data unit, which can be shown to the user and/or which can determine how the user can interact with their terminal device. One card can be part of an entire card pack containing many cards. One service can contain one or several card packs. Each card pack can have one or more connection codes (URL). The user can browse and surf between the card packs and see/select the card they want, which contains the requisite content. However, each card too can be allocated a single connection code. Card packs and cards can be effectively formed using HDML (Handheld Device Markup Language), by means of which the data is arranged into cards and card packs. The information can then be effectively monitored, processed, and displayed in a mobile phone (as disclosed in patents FI100137, FI102020, FI962553, WO97/45814, and WO96/13814). In any event, if a content card/page relating to a side service contains questions or similar, to which the user must reply, the said content card/page can advantageously also include a reply (which is hidden from the user). Once the user has responded to the said question, the reply is either sent to the appropriate server 2 (in which it is processed) or it is compared in the user's terminal device 1 with the reply accompanying the card/side. If the reply is correct 14, the user can continue to use the service so that the n©xt card/page (e.g., a menu), from which they can proceed, is shown to the user. If the reply is wrong 15, the user is offered (e.g., by displaying a message) a possibility to continue the use of the main service as a service with a charge or else the service is limited 18. In that case, the user's smart-card containing charges or their account can be charged for the service with a charge, call, etc. For example, a short message of each reply can be sent by means of terminal device 1 to the appropriate server 2, in which the messages are taken into account, for example, for billing a third party. Such messages can partly or entirely function as billing records sent by the terminal device.

In the invention, it is possible to utilize SIM toolkits, JAVA technology, the IN technique (intelligent network), WEB servers and PCs, short message technology, etc., both in the Internet intranet and in solutions utilizing mobile telephone networks, such as OTA (= Over The Air Activation) or CB (Cell Broadcast), the use of which in connection with the invention is normal application work. These technologies are exploited in, for example, patents (FI100137, FI102020, FI962553, and WO97/45814, WO96/13814), with which the reader can familiarize themselves if necessary, and in the following documents: 1- http://keskus.tct.hut.fi/opetus/s38130//s96/aikataulu.shtml

(Internet Over Short Message Services, Integrated Short Message Services, Author:

Behruz Vazvan, 1996); 2- http://Web.tcm.hut.fi/Opinnot/Tik-

109.501/1998/rapportit.htm (Electronic Payment Services, chapters 7 - 8, Author: Behruz Vazvan, 1998). According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the side-service producer's information (such as advertisements) are sent to the user's terminal device 1, exploiting the CB of the mobile telephone network or local relay station. The said advertisement can be, for example, a McDonald's special offer. The said message is then displayed to the user with the aid of the terminal device and a wait is made for the user's reaction, for example, by responding to a specific question, or by browsing and reading and pressing the OK key, etc. A message from the user's response (the OK-key reaction, etc.) is sent to server 2, in which the event, i.e. the user's feedback/response, is recorded for the service provider, so that the service provider can be sure that the user has received the said advertisement and read it and that it has influence the user's mind.

SIM Toolkit, for example, can be used to generate the user's response/feedback, or else the resources of the terminal device itself can be used in a manner that is known. However, the sending of the said advertisement and other similar information and the user's response is not intended to approve the payment of a bill or otherwise for trading, as such solutions are known from the aforesaid patents (FI100137. FI102020, FI962553, and WO97/45814, W096/13814). This invention differs from the aforesaid inventions in that, in this invention, the user is forced to receive and read such side-service information, such as an advertisement, from which feedback is expected from the user as a precondition for using the main service, e.g., to pay bills, to read e-mail, to use banking services, etc. and for a call/data transmission, otherwise the call/data transmission is limited or terminated. In other words, at least two separate services are intermixed on the basis of a certain condition, in which case the service desired by the user (the main service) is charged on the basis of using a service (the side service) offered by the service provider and, in addition, on condition that the user is required to read, follow, and; if necessary, reply to questions presented by the side-service provider, which are used to ensure that the user's mind is influenced by the information of the side-service provider. In addition, the present invention differs from the aforementioned inventions in that in this invention the reading and following of the side and/or main- service information (pages/cards) and otherwise the use of data transmission is limited to a predefined time-window, which is application/page/card and content-specific, and that the user must use the services within the said time-window. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the duration of the call connection (e.g., in cases in which circuit-switched technology is applied) is limited according to a predefined call price and time. However, the time limitation can also be used in other than circuit-switched cases. For example, the content (advertisement) sent 12 can include at least one question, the answer to which can be found in the advertisement itself. In that case, the user can be given, for instance, thirty seconds to reply 56 to the question (e.g., by completing a questionnaire field). Once the question has been answered 19, the user can move to the next stage (card, page) to continue 57 to use the service. Customers who do not respond to the question, or respond wrongly can be charged for the eall or prevented from using the service 15, 18. Thus, the free or cheap service is based on the customer reading the aforesaid advertisement well and replying to the questions/commands presented, when it is possible to be certain that the advertisement will remain in the customer's mind. In addition, the response can be used to know of the user's needs, such as whether they looking for a house, husband/wife, when they want to go on holiday to the south, and what the limiting factor, time, cost, etc. is. For this reason, the service provider/content provider is ready to pay on the customer's behalf for the call or payment service.

However, if the service provider/content provider wants, it is possible to only send data/pages/cards (e.g., advertisements) relating to the side service in between the main- service messages, without waiting for any feedback, but to nevertheless pay for the call on the customer's behalf. In that case, the main service and side service can be implemented to depend on each other in terms of time, so that, when user 1 retrieves 20 a page/card (e.g., menu) relating to the main service from server 2 of the main service, the user's terminal device 1 receives at least one message relating to the side service, e.g., an advertisement, announcement, or similar page/card 21. The said advertisement, for instance, is shown on the display of the terminal device within a predefined time- window 22, for example, for thirty seconds' time 56, during after which time the response 23 is sent to server 2, in which the response is investigated in real-time 24 and the page/card of the side service (e.g., the menu desired by the user) is shown immediately to the user 1. Then the user is given, for example, twenty seconds time 26,

57 to select the service they want from the said menu 1 1. The main service can then be continued 27 - 30 according to a predefined timetable. This embodiment can be implemented using, for instance, the clock in the terminal device. However, the operation of the said clock can also be incorporated in the said card pack/card/page, which is sent to the terminal device. This is understood by one versed in the art and therefore no further reference will be made to the details of this solution. In any event, when user 1 tries to restart the service (e.g., by activating a specific URL) 27, their terminal device may receive a second advertisement announcement 30. The user is again given time 37 to read the said advertisement 58 and then after a certain time the next menu is displayed to them, when they have again, e.g., ten seconds' time 59 to react to it (e.g., by selecting their desired service from a menu 1 1). Charging 45 is carried out in real time. If the user selects their desired service from the said menu within the predefined time, the user is then allowed to use the main service, e.g., a banking service, to the end. Thus, it is possible to use the time parameter/time condition as a basis to be sure that the user reads an advertisement of the side-service provider, e.g., an advertiser, and, on the other hand, to limit the duration of the call both in time and service-specifically. For this reason, the advertiser will be prepared to pay the charge for, e.g., the user's call/data transmission etc., because the advertiser knows that, if users do not read the said advertisement, they cannot follow the operation of the main service, for example, gain access to the next stage (page) of the operation of the main service, because in this embodiment the use of both services (main and side services) is time-dependent. On the other hand, because it is the users themselves who wish to use such a service, to be able to enjoy a free or cheap service, the public officials of the relevant country cannot prevent the introduction of such a service. A tele- operator/service provider can, if necessary, make agreements with users concerning such a service.

According to the second preferred embodiment of the invention, the content (e.g. advertising page, card) sent to the customer can contain a question and a reply 12. The reply may be in the advertisement itself, in which case the customer can find the answer by reading the entire advertisement. The user's terminal device can be used to determine whether the reply is correct, by, for instance, comparing it with a hidden reply 19 in the advertisement. Alternatively, the reply can be sent 23 to the computer unit 2 (server etc.) of the service provider/content provider, in which the reply can be processed 24, recorded, used in the side-service provider's analysis, marketing, and other operations, and can also be used as a charging record, or as a charging parameter. In any event, by giving the correct reply, the user can go to the next stage (page/card) 25, 26 of their desired service.

According to the method of the invention, if, when the user has received the side-service information, they continue, according to the instructions given by the side service, to exploit the information (e.g., advertisement or announcement, which leads to the next transactions) provided by the side service, then the user is given in the terminal device/system so much additional transaction time (comparable to call time) for transactions within a certain time span. Such an algorithm according to the invention is also exploited according to the user's profile, to take the so-called user's experience into account according to the user's reactions, for example, by recording in server 2 how rapidly the user reads the side-service information and selects the next stage (e.g., from a menu) of the side service. This can depend, for instance, on the user's age and other factors. However, a minimum and maximum duration can be set for the use of the service.

The user is permitted the use of the main services according to the invention, either after the active use of the side services or before receiving the information relating to the side service. For example, the user can activate a banking service, for example, to pay bills. Once the user has paid the bill, for example, using an account transfer service and the service is over from the point of view of the user, the user is sent information

(page/card content, etc.) relating to the side service and is requested, for example, for the correct reaction to a particular question, to complete a questionnaire, to go forward to the next page/card, to read content that is presented and state an opinion based on the content, etc., in which case the response is sent from the user's terminal device to server 2. If the user avoids answering, i.e. the expected response is not received from the user, then the user- is charged for the main service used (call, exchange of transactions, service With a charge used, etc.).

According to the second preferred embodiment, user 1 's use of a desired service is prevented or made conditional, in such a way that, if they respond to a question/s from the service provider/content provider, they are allowed to use the service. If the user does not react in any way (for example, does not read a page by browsing it), then the continuation of the service is limited or prevented, so that the user must, for example, go to the first stage of the service, e.g., to a website in the SIM card or terminal device, or to the menu of a website defined in them. If, in this embodiment, user 1 requests a page/card 32 in the network and/or in the appropriate server 2, 3 the user's data and rights are checked 33. If the user is not entitled to use the service according to the invention, then server 2, 3 sends 34 the information (i.e. a page/card relating to the main service). The user then has to pay for the use of the service. If the user is entitled to use the service according to the invention, the side-service information are sent 35 to user 1. The information is shown 36 to the user with the aid of the display of terminal device 1, and the time 37 is counted according to a predetermined timetable. If the time runs out

38, and the expected response (e.g. the requested reply) has not been received from the user, the service is limited 39, e.g., by breaking the connection or by terminating the exchange of transactions. If, by the during at the end of the timetable referred to, no response has been received from user 1 , the service is limited, e.g., the call is terminated 41, in which case the user is directed to, e.g., the main menu 42. If during/at the end of the timetable, the use of the service (e.g., the use of the side service) is observed to be positive 40 (e.g., if the user has provided the correct response, etc.), then the page/card of the main service is shown 43 to the user with the aid of the display of the said terminal device 1. Then the use of the main service can continue 44.

According to the second preferred embodiment, the duration of the main service too (for example, the duration of the call connection or the exchange of transactions and the display of pages) is limited according to a predefined timetable and service-specifically. For example, if when the user selects the service from the display of his terminal device 1, a message (e.g., a URL) is sent from the terminal device 1 to the appropriate server 2, from which the necessary data (e.g., URL, content, etc.) is requested 46. The necessary content 47 (page/card/menu, etc.) is sent from the said server 2. In connection with the sent content 47, 48 (such as an advertisement), the user is given, e.g., 10 seconds time to select their desired service (e.g., activate a certain name/URL). If the user does not select the service (or does not send other data necessary for the use of the service), the service is terminated limited 49. If the service has been selected within the framework of a timetable 50, the user then goes to the next stage 51 , when the required information, e.g., a page/card 52, can be sent to the user. The user is then given, e.g., another 10 seconds time 53 to select, if necessary, the link/service they want from the displayed service menu. If the user does not select the service (or ^"does not send other data necessary for using the service), within the framework 53 of a predefined timetable, then the service is terminated/limited 54. If the user follows the operation of the service within the framework of the given timetable, then the main service can be continued according 55 to the predefined timetable. Though the set time limit is service/content/menu-specific, i.e. the time parameters are included in the pages/cards, it is possible, nevertheless, to use the terminal device's own clock.. However, the function of the said clock can be incoφorated in the said card pack/card/page, which is sent to the terminal device (as stated above).

According to the invention, the service provider/content provider or other third party is charged totally or in part for the service used by the customer. Charging can utilize various methods. The payer's account can, for example, be charged in real time. Various parameters, e.g., parameters relating to the customer, main service, or side service, as well as time parameters, can be used to realize the charging and service. For instance, when the user activates the service they want from a menu related to the main service, and when the terminal device receives information (e.g., an advertisement) related to the side service, then the service provider of the side service can be charged both for the call time/messages (i.e. transactions) and for sent advertisements, or for one or the other, on the basis of an identifier, e.g., URL of the side service. The use of the service can be optimized for the user in such a way that the user would have time 56 (e.g. 30 seconds) within a predefined time-window to read/follow a page/card, e.g. an advertisement, and then to select their desired service from the next card/page again within a predefined time-window 57 (e.g., 20 seconds), otherwise the user is taken back to the main menu (e.g., the menu of the SIM/terminal device) and can simultaneously be charged for the call made or for other data transmission. If the user has followed the service and selected the next function and used the service correctly, the side-service provider is then charged for the said 30 seconds and, if desired, also for the sent advertisement, independently of the access protocol used, e.g., whether the connection and transaction are circuit-switched, SMS-based (such as WDP: Wireless Datagram

Protocol), uses some other form of packet-switching, e.g., GPRS etc. However, according to the invention, users are offered a possibility already at the beginning of the service, to decide if they wish to pay for the service themselves, or if they are prepared to receive, e.g., an advertisement, in which case the advertiser will pay on their behalf. This can be implemented by using the user's terminal device to show the user a message. The said message can be in the terminal device or loaded in the SIM or other card, or else the message can be sent to terminal device 1 from a specific server (e.g. 2), once the user activates a specific service. For example, according to one preferred embodiment of the invention, if the user has a smart-card containing charges or an account that can be charged in real time, and, if the balance contains in them is no longer positive, then the reception of advertisements will allow the user to use the main service (e.g., a banking service) free of charge, so that they can access their bank account and transfer cash to their card or to the requisite account, which can be charged, e.g., for voice services.

In addition, in this invention, customers' profiles can be taken into account in such a way that, for example, the advertisement/announcement, etc. to be sent to the customer is sent according to the customer's needs.

The contents, for example, the advertising information provided by the service provider/content provider, can be saved in the computer unit/server 2 or in a data device such as a permanent/updatable memory or CD disk, which is connected to computer/server 2.

In the Internet, the data in WEB servers can only be retrieved by utilizing connection codes HTTPs/URLs. Thus it is possible to retrieve data that is bound to a specifically stated URL. For example, there may be other URLs subordinate to a main URL, which are links to the next pages. In Internet systems, there are no mechanisms by means of which a single URL can be exploited to receive two or more pages that are independent of each other, so that the said pages would be from different sources/servers and that they could be displayed in the user's terminal device in order of priority, so that the user would be forced to first read/respond to etc. a page/s 56 sent by the service provider in order to be able to see a page 57 that interests the user. This invention permits a procedure in which, when the user activates/selects a single URL, they can be sent two or several HTTP/WML pages/cards 56 - 59, which are installed in their terminal device in such a way that the page 57, 59 that the user desires remains either entirely hidden or behind a side-service page 56, 58, so that the user cannot open it 57, 59 until they have followed/read/responded to the page/card 56, 58 which is on top/visible. Thus, in the invention, it is possible to send the user many pages/cards 56, 59,1 1, 12, the display of which depends on certain parameters, e.g., on time or on whether the user has read etc. a page wished by a service provider/advertiser etc.

Server 2, 3 referred to in the invention can also function as a list server (FIGURE 7) of the connection codes (URL etc.), in which various URLs, which the user uses and/or the service provider wishes the user to use, are maintained, for example, as a menu etc. (the first reference to this is in patents FI100137, FI102020, FI962553, and WO97/45814, W096/13814). URLs and other similar connection codes can be saved and, if necessary, updated, in the said list server, in such a way that the URLs are mutually dependent, for instance taking the user's profile into account. For example, when a connection code (e.g., a code relating to a main service) is sent from terminal device 1 to server 2 through a network 3, the received code is checked in server 2 or in gateway/server 3 of the network, and a search is made in the appropriate database to see what other code

(e.g., a code relating to a side service) is connected to the said received code, i.e., that they are saved in a manner, by means of which, when one arrives, the other can be activated and forwarded to server 2. For example, the received code can be http://Web.Citibank.bills.com or, for instance +35805066728, while the second code can be, for instance, http://Ford.Auctions.com or, for instance http://Web.Travels.Discount.fi (FIGURE 7). This can be implemented easily, for example, by exploiting the intelligent-network components of network 3, so that the code received in the SSP (Service Switching Point) is routed to the SCP (Service Control Point), which contains the logic relating to the control of the services, i.e. the control functions, and to which the service database is usually also connected. It is then possible to retrieve the said second code and send it to server 2, from which the desired data is retrieved and' sent to terminal device 1. The aforesaid solution is referred to in, among other places, patents FI100137, FI102020, FI962553, W097/45814, and WO96/13814, in which it is possible to user different codes to search for information or to control calls and data transmission. The said function of an intelligent network can also be incoφorated in server 2 itself. One versed in the an will know that the difference between intelligent network and traditional telephone technology lies in the fact that an intelligent network exploits information technology, i.e. a computer is added to the telephone network and is used for call-routing etc. In any event, when 3 and/or 2 receive, e.g. the code http://Web.Ford.Auction.com, they immediately register the event and send terminal device 1 the service provider's (e.g. Ford's) data, for instance an advertisement, which is sent to terminal device 1 through the network.. Once the user has read the received advertisement and reacted to it (e.g., by replying to a question or browsing within the framework of the time limit), terminal device 1 then sends a message (which may be a URL etc.) to server 2, 3. This time intelligent network 3, for instance, sends the first code (e.g., http://Web.Citibank.bills.com) to server 2, when the data/page desired by- the user is retrieved and sent to terminal device 1. However, as stated earlier, the hierarchy of the service can be such that, when the user receives the information relating to the side service (e.g., an advertisement, menu, etc.) they can continue to use the side service, or then, by sending a response (which may be a reply to a specific question or may be a message relating to the time limit, i.e. when the user has browsed and read, e.g., the advertisement) they can go to the following stage/page/card of the main service. If the user continues the side service, for instance by activating a link from a page/card of the side service, then a connection code (URL, other number) is sent from terminal device 1 to server 3 (e.g. to an intelligent network). Because the event is registered in server 2, 3, it is then known this time in the said server that the code now received (e.g., http://Web.Ford.Auctions.com^') relates to a side service, so that the said code is sent directly to server 2. The information (content: e.g., the specifications and prices of various Ford models etc.) bound to the said code is retrieved in server 2 and sent to terminal device 1. Thus, the service can continue for as long as the user wants and the service requires.

In any event, the embodiment referred to above can be tunnelled and take place directly between terminal device 1 and server 2, so that network 3 (e.g., the mobile telephone operator) can be transparent or all transactions can take place between elements 1 and 3, i.e. there is an integrated server 2 in 3, in which the data (e.g., the links and/or data of the side and main services) are saved and updated.

However, as was stated above, the information relating to the side service and main service (such as a page/card etc.) can be sent together to terminal device 1. In that case, in the aforesaid embodiment, when the received code is received is examined, URLs relating to both the main and side services are sent to servers 2. Servers 2 can be the servers of entirely separate service providers, from which data (page/cards, etc.) are retrieved and the pages/cards received in the server/gateway 3 of the network are then arranged in a manner proposed by the service, for instance, so that a page relating to the main service is placed behind a page relating to the side service and then sent to terminal device 1. In terminal device 1, the user must first look at/read the page/card relating to the side service. However, in server 2 or 3, it is possible to add a link, i.e. URL, of the next page of the main service to a page/card of the side service, so that, when the user receives the page/card of the side service, and, for instance, reads it (on the basis of a certain parameter given by the system: time limit, response, form completion, etc.) and then activates the URL relating to the main service (or the said URL is activated automatically in connection with the said parameter), they then gain access to the page/card relating to the main service.

One versed in the art will know that the servers used in the Internet can be any kind of computer at all, e.g., PC, NT, Unix-based etc, which can act as proxies/gateways/servers etc. in the implementation of services. The operating systems used in the terminal devices 1 can also be any operating system at all that is regarded as a suitable operating system for the service. The aforesaid terminal device 1 can be 3Com's Palm Pilot or a PC or a laptop computer, the operating system of which is, for example, Microsoft's

Windows CE, or the said terminal device can be any mobile device at all, such as a mobile phone, a communicator, etc., and can incoφorate various alternative operating systems, such as Symbian's Epoc, or Linux, and, in addition, terminal device 1 can include the necessary browser, such as Internet Netscape, and WAP browsers, etc. In addition, the user's terminal device 1 can contain devices reacting to the voice of the user 'Voice Activation and Recognition System'-selections and responses to carry out and receive commands between the user and the terminal device. For example, by saying 'Bills' or 'Citibank', the terminal device can activate a specific element (e.g., a URL) from a menu (e.g., 11) shown to the user, to implement a service. In addition, sound can be integrated with the pages and sent to the user. The said server 2 can be a

Web server, a WTA server (Wireless Telephony Application), a PUSH server, or some other corresponding server. An existing technique, to which the method according to the invention can be adapted, can be advantageously applied in the invention to limit or^' terminate a call and data transmission. For example, if the user does not select, within a predefined time-window, the requisite service from a menu 11 sent to them, the call can be terminated in terminal device 1 by giving the necessary command (e.g., 'terminate') to that layer of the terminal device that contains the logic required for the control and routing of calls or other specified data transmissions. On the other hand, if the network/server 2, 3 do not receive the requisite response from terminal device 1 within the predefined time- window during which the user must react (e.g., by selecting an element from a menu), then the call and data transmission are terminated in network/server 1, 3. In this case too, an existing technique, to which the method according to the invention is adapted, can be advantageously applied. If the user's terminal device is, for example, a microcomputer or similar, and it is desired to terminate the call from an application, for instance a browser, used in the terminal device, then the call-control logic in the terminal device can be commanded to terminate the call. In addition, in the invention a message can be sent to server 2 each time a predefined time limit elapses, so that the server will know that the user is using the service actively, on the basis of which the server can terminate/limit the service.

According to the invention, it is obvious that the present invention solves the problems referred to in the disclosure and permits a service provider/content provider or some other third party to pay on a customer's behalf for a call, or other service with a charge, in part or entirely, on the basis of the use of a side service.

It is obvious that the present invention can be repeatedly used as a service provider's/ content provider'^ marketing device, announcement device, questionnaire device, data- collection device, etc., and to benefit customers. It is also obvious, that the present invention can be used to optimize and limit data transmission and calls in an entirely new way.

In this application and particularly in the Claims, a main service refers, for example, to that page of an Internet service on which an actual service, for example, a banking service, is located. The scope of a main service also covers a service with a charge, such as data transmission, calls, and/or the occurrence of transactions between the user's terminal device (1) and the network/server (2, 3).

In turn, a side service refers, for example, to advertising services, customer questionnaires, or other similar services, which the customer does not actually select for use or does not even want to use, but which gives the service provider some kind of benefit, for example, through additional information or advertising.

In this connection, the content of a side service, to which, according to the invention, the user should react, refers to such things as, for example, the text content of an Internet advertising page, or also to information relating to the timing of a page series. Concretely, the user may be required to correctly answer a question, the answer being found in the information of the side service. Alternatively, to be able to access or use the main service, the user must react to the content of the side service within a predefined time-window. Thus, the user must, for instance, use the mouse to click on a symbol appearing on the terminal device's display or follow the progress of the side service within a predefined time-window, to be able to access the use of the main service. Thus, the symbol must be clicked within the predefined time-window, so that the user must watch the side service for its entire duration or gain access to the main service. If this action takes place too late, the use of the main service may be consequently limited in time or prevented. The said symbol (e.g., a certain URL) can also be activated on the basis of a predefined time limit, within which the user must access the next data/page.

Alternatively, the user should react within a predefined time-window to a main-service selection, to be allowed to use the main service.

Following the side service and the main service means that the pages/cards/contents of the side service and/or the main service are shown to the user in an alternating sequence within the predefined time-window, which may vary according to the information (e.g., pages) and service received. Thus the user must continuously follow the displaying and closing of the pages, otherwise the use of the main service will not be possible. Thus, data on the content of the side service need not necessarily be sent to server 2. However, data concerning the timing of the side service can then be sent to server 2. In addition, the user must react within the predefined time-window to a selection of the main service, such as menus, or must otherwise follow the progress of the main service, to be able to use the main service. In the invention, the aforesaid characteristic is thus particularly applied to effectively limit the time for using the main service (such as a call or exchange of transactions). If the user does not react within the said time-window, the service is prevented and the user is charged for the time used, at the normal charge for the exchange of transactions.

A response to the content of a side service thus means a concrete operation based on the content of the side service or data relating to its timing. A response can thus be a concrete response based on text data of a side service or alternatively a correctly-timed reaction based on the timing content of a side service. The response is intended to ensure that the user has read/followed the information of the side service and that the information has possibly affected their mind. A response also refers to changing the progress of the pages/cards of the side or main service automatically and within a predefined time- window, and, if necessary, reacting to them, in which case data on each event (e.g., changing the pages) is sent to server 2. It can then be decided in the server whether to terminate the call or allow it to continue.

According to the invention, the simple entry of the user's own data, such as registration data, into the information network is not, however, regarded as a response, as the content of such data requires no familiarization with the content of the side service.

The invention is described above with sufficiently detailed information referring to some of its preferred embodiments. However, this is in no way intended to limit the invention to only concern these examples, instead, all variations within the spirit of the inventive idea stated in the following Claims are possible.

Claims

1. A method in a telecommunications system, in which at least one service provider provides services for at least one user, in which method the user is provided with main services, in other words such services as the user wishes to use, and side services such as advertisements, which it is hoped that the user will use,

characterized in that

the user's use of predefined main services is at least limited, either in time or to a normal charge, unless:

- a previously defined response, which relates concretely to the content of a side service presented in connection with the said main service, is received from the user; or unless

- the user follows, within a predefined time- window, the progress of information of the side and/or main service, such as pages/cards, and, when necessary, selects a requisite operation, such as clicking the selection required by the next event, within the said predefined time-window.

2. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the side service comes before or after the main service.

3. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the main service (such as a call, an exchange of transactions) is terminated or prevented, if, after a side-service page has been presented, the user does not select an operation (such as an alternative page/card from the menu presented) required for the use of the main service, within a predefined time-window.

4. A method according to Claim 3, characterized in that the use of the main service is prevented, unless a predefined response is obtained within a predefined time-window.

5. A method according to Claim 4, characterized in that, if the predefined response is received, the charge for the main service is reduced from the normal price.

6. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the response requires concrete knowledge of the content of the side service.

7. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the response requires a correctly-timed reaction connected to the timing content of the side or main service.

8. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that at some stage in connection with the main service, such as at the beginning of, during, or end of the main service, information (page/card/content) relating to the side service is presented to the user, and, if the said response is not obtained from the user, the user is charged for the main service used (such as a call, exchange of transactions, a service with a charge, etc.).

9. A method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that, unless the user receives the side service, the use of the main service is limited in time on the basis of a time parameter sent with the content (in pages/cards/content etc.) of the main service.

10. A method according to Claim 1, characterized in that, with the aid of the user's terminal device (1), either a request (such as a URL) is sent to the service provider's server (2, 3) to retrieve data, or the said terminal device monitors the data sent by the said service provider (2, 3), by utilizing 'broadcasting' methods, such as a mobile telephone network CB: Cell Broadcast or an Internet 'broadcasting' method.

11. A method, according to one of the above Claims, for carrying out and charging for services for an Internet or mobile telephone user, such as calls and the services of service providers, in which the said services are data-based services, in which method a terminal device (1), service provider's server (2), mobile telephone network or Internet/intranet (3) capable of communicating with a mobile telephone network or the Internet are used in such a way that the user can utilize the said terminal device to access the said server (2), which may be partly or entirely integrated with the network (3) or connected to it, so that the user's terminal device can request and/or receive data (such as HTML /XHTML ΛVML data or other content) from such said servers (2) or send data to them, characterized in that, in the method, the services are divided into

- main services (4, 9, 11), which are desired by users and necessary to them, such as e- mail, banking, etc. services,

- services that are not essential to users, such as data such as advertisements, announcements, bulletins, etc. (6, 7, 12) defined by a desirous party, such as a third party, service provider, operator, advertiser, etc., so that:

- besides information relating to the said main service (4), the user's terminal device (1) is sent information, relating to at least one side service (6), in connection with the main service requested by the user, so that the said user is made to react, for example, to read, complete, reply, or react within a predefined time-window, to data, like advertisements or questionnaires relating to the said side service (7), on the basis of a predefined condition, so that it is even more probable to the sender of the side service that the said user has absorbed at least a part of the information, such as an advertisement, sent to them, or will respond to a questionnaire sent to them, the user reacting to at least part of the information (8) of the side service, when the user's terminal device (1) or the components (2, 3) of the network take it into account (9), so that the user is permitted to use free or partly-charged data transmission or other services with a charge, such as calls, the side-service service provider being charged partly or entirely for the user's call/transactions, data transmission or other services with a charge, or, if the user does not follow/respond to the information relating to the side service, then the said user is limited in, or prevented from using the said main service; more specifically, in the method the data/pages/cards of the side and main services are sent to the user's terminal device by means of the following alternatives:

- when the user activates/selects, in the terminal device (1), a connection code (such as URL1) relating to the main service, a request (URL) relating to the main service is sent to the server (2), a check is made in the said server as to what code (e.g., URL2) and content relating to the side service the side-service service provider wishes to be sent to the user, the said code (URL2) is selected from a database (6) and the information (such as a HTML /XHTML WML page/cards or other content, an advertisement) of the side service is retrieved from the appropriate database (6) of the side-service provider, the said information is sent to the terminal device (1) of the user, the said information being shown to the user by means of the display of the terminal device (1), then either

- the user is requested to respond to a questionnaire sent with the said page, using information to be found in the side service, after which the response is sent to the server (2), and, if the response is correct, the user (1) is sent information (page/card etc.) relating to the main service they have requested (URL1); or

- the user is permitted, within a predefined time-window, to read or follow the said information or to select a link that interests them relating to the side service, and, if the user has not selected a new link when the said time limit has been reached, the user is sent the main service information (specific page/cards) originally sought, the user being again permitted to read/follow the said information within a predefined time-window or to select a link relating to the main service that interests them, after which the user is permitted to either continue to use the main service within predefined time-windows and in an alternating sequence (e.g., is shown a side-service page after every second or third main-service page), or else at certain time intervals the user is sent and shown information relating to the main and side services.

12. A method according to one of t e above Claims characterized in that the said service provider/third party is charged for the service used by the user or the user is allowed to use the service they desire, e.g., a call, free of charge.

13. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the side- service-related information to be sent to the said user (1), such as advertisements, message relating to marketing, announcements, forms, etc. (6, 7, 12) is sent to the user's terminal device (1) at specific intervals of time or between specific messages, in connection with the main service (4, 1 1), for example, a banking service.

14. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the reading of the information by the said user is ensured with the aid of the terminal device (1) in such a way that the terminal device compares the user's (1) reply with a reply sent from the server/network (2, 3), which is hidden so that the user cannot see it.

15. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the information relating to the side service (such as HTML /XHTML /WML pages/cards) are mixed, in the server/gateway (2), with pages/cards relating to the main service and sent to the terminal device (1), in which the said pages/cards are displayed on the basis of a predefined parameter, so that the user is forced to follow the said pages/cards, otherwise the service is limited or terminated.

16. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that, when the user activates/selects, in the terminal device (1), a code/name (such as a URL etc.) relating to the main service, the said terminal device requests the said server to send data (such as HTML /XHTML /WML pages/cards) bound/connected to the said code (URL), in which case the server (2) sends at least two pages/cards or alternatively several pages/cards, that have been mixed in the server (2) and arranged in such a way that a precondition for displaying and browsing the said main-service pages/cards is the displaying/browsing of the side-service pages/cards at some stage on the basis of the said condition.

17. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the said time-window is service/page/card-pack-specific and/or application-specific, and that the time-window parameters are sent in connection with the service data (such as pages/cards) to the user's terminal device (1), and that the said time-window can be included in the 'cookies' accompanying the pages.

18. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that, in connection with the said time-window and/or pages/cards, a timer, which is used to calculate the time set for the use of each page/card, is sent and that the said timer is a program exploiting the processor of the said terminal device (1).

19. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the timer of the said terminal device (1) is used to maintain the time limit set as the said time- window.

20. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that:

when a target code, such as URLl etc. relating to a specific service is selected in the terminal device (1), the said code (URLl) is sent from the terminal device (1) to the server (2), in which a check is made as to which URLs (such as URL2) favoured by the side-service provider should be selected;

the content (e.g., HTML /XHTML /WML data) bound to the said URL2 is retrieved and the content (page/card) bound to URLl is also retrieved; the said URLl and URL2 pages/cards are sent to the terminal device (l in such a sequence that the page or card or other specified content relating to the side page is first displayed in the terminal device (1), after which, once the user has read or followed the said page or card or content, or replied to a question presented, or selected a link/URL etc. connected to the next stage of the side service, they can go immediately, or at some stage of the side service, to use the main service, according to the said predefined condition.

21. A method according to Claim 20, characterized in that, in the said server (2), the main-service and side-service connection codes (such as URL etc.) are saved and logically combined with each other so that, when a URL relating to the main service arrives at the said server (2), at least one URL relating to the side service is activated and data relating to it (e.g., HTML WML page etc.) is sent to the said terminal device.

22. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that, after the terminal device (1) has received and displayed a page/card relating to the said side service, and the user has read or followed it, or otherwise reacted to a presented question etc., or the user has selected a link (such as the next URL) connected to a service, the said terminal device (1) sends a message (e.g., a URL) to the said server (2), from which on this occasion data (page/card/menu etc.), relating to the main service, is sent to the said terminal device (1).

23. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the said server (2) selects a side service and sends content/page/cards (e.g., an advertisement) relating to the side service to the terminal device (1), taking the profile of the user of the said terminal device into account.

24. A method according to Claim 23, characterized in that the user's profile data are either saved and can be updated in the said server (2) or they are saved and can be updated in the said terminal device or in its smart-card (SIM etc.), in which case they are sent to the server (2) service/page/pack/card content-specifically, and that the said profile data can be added to the 'cookies' accompanying the pages.

25. A method according to Claim 23, characterized in that the user's profile data to be sent from the terminal device (1) include at least one item of personal information of the user (such as information relating to the user's hobbies, age, sex, occupation, etc.).

26. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that a list (FIGURE 7) of access codes (such as URLs) relating to the side and main services is maintained in the said server.

27. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the said list is updated whenever necessary, by the action of either the user or the service provider.

28. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that sound, which can be heard in the loudspeaker of the terminal device (1) at the volume of speech, is also sent with the pages/cards of the said side services, so that the user is made to both look at and listen to information sent to them.

29. A method for implementing and charging for services for an Internet and mobile telephone user, such as calls and a service provider's services, in which the said services are data-based services, the method employing a terminal device (1) capable of communicating with a mobile telephone network and the Internet, the servers (2) of a service provider, a mobile telephone network and the Intemet/an intranet (3) in such a way that, by utilizing the said terminal device, the user can access the said servers (2), which can be partly or entirely integrated with the network (3) or connected to it, so that that the user's terminal device can request and/or receive data (such as HTML /XHTML WML data or other content) from the said servers (2) or send data to them, characterized in that

when a specific destination code (such as a URL) is selected in the terminal device (1), the server (2) receives a request from the terminal device (1), sends the service (such as HTML /XHTML /WML data) required by the user to the said terminal device, or the said terminal device monitors the services, such as menus etc. sent by the said server, for example, exploiting broadcasting methods such as CB: Cell Broadcast of a mobile telephone network or a broadcasting method of the Internet, which are shown to the user with the aid of the display of the terminal device;

time is reserved in the terminal device (1) within a predefined time-window, for the user to read or respond to the said page/card/menu, or to select a specific service from a menu, in such a way that, when the user performs the requisite operation (e.g., selects a service from the menu) within the said time-window, the user can go to the next stage to use the service, when a new time limit is again set for the user;

unless the user performs an operation required for the use of the service (e.g., if the user does not select the next stage of the service or a URL from the menu) within the predefined time-window, the telecommunications service, such as a call or exchange of data, is prevented or terminated.

30. A method according to Claim 29, characterized in that the said time- window is service/page/card-pack-specific or application-specific and that the parameters of the time-window are sent to the terminal device (1) of the user in connection with the information (such as pages/cards/content) of the service.

31. A method according to Claim 29, characterized in that in connection with the said time-window and/or pages/cards a timer is sent, which is used to calculate the time set for using each page/card and that the said timer is a program that exploiting the processor of the terminal device (1).

32. A method according to Claim 29, characterized in that the clock of the said terminal device (1) is used to maintain the time limit set in the said time- window.

33. A method according to Claim 29, characterized in that, when the said time limit has been reached, the service, such as a call and/or the exchange of transactions, is limited or prevented by the operation of the said server/gateway (2, 3) or said terminal device (1).

34. A method according to Claim 29, characterized in that, when the said time limit has been reached, the service, such as a call and/or the exchange of transactions, is limited or prevented by the operation of a smart-card, such as a SIM card, of the said terminal device (1), with the aid of applications, such as SIM-Toolkit, of the said smart- card or the aid of Java applications.

35. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that, if the user does not select their desired service (e.g., from a specific menu displayed by the terminal device 1) within the predefined time limit, or if the user in no way reacts to a question/selection etc. presented in the terminal device (1), then the service (such as a call and/or exchange of transactions) is limited or terminated.

36. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that, when the time limit defined by the said time -window has been reached, the page/card pack/content (such as HTML /WML data) received from the said service (such as a banking service) is removed from the display of the terminal device (1).

37. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the time- window saved in the said terminal device or in its browser or accompanying the said data (page/card/content) is monitored and calculated in the terminal device and, if the user does not react to the information sent (e.g., does not select a specific service from a menu (11) sent) within the predefined time-window, the terminal device terminates or requests the server/network (2) to terminate the call or exchange of transactions relating to the service.

38. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the terminal device (1) is used to show the said time- window and the passage of time to the user.

39. A method according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the use of the said user profile also takes into account the real time (day, afternoon, evening, night, weekend, clock times, etc.), when the user requests and/or is sent side-service information.

40. A method in telecommunications, in which value-added services, such as WAP, SMS, or a similar system is exploited to provide services for the terminal devices of mobile-telephone users, in which at least one service provider provides services for at least one user, in which method

the user is provided with main services, in other words such services as the user wishes to use, and side services, such as advertisements that it is hoped that the user will use,

characterized in that .

the user's use of at least one predefined main service is limited, unless the user receives, in their mobile telephone, an information message, advertisement, etc., relating to at least one side service, when the user must read, browse, or acknowledge the received message.

41. A telecommunications systems, which includes

- a telecommunications network,

several terminal devices connected to telecommunications connections of the telecommunications network, which can communicate by means of the telecommunications network,

at least one service provider's system connected to the telecommunications network, which can be used through the telecommunications network to provide users with services such as main services, i.e. such services as the user wishes to use, and side services, such as advertisements, which it is hoped the user will use,

characterized in that, the system includes:

devices for preventing or limiting the user from using predefined main services, either entirely or at least charging them at their normal prices, unless a predefined response, relating concretely to the content of a side service to be presented in connection with the main service, is received from the user;

devices for terminating a telecommunications service such as a call and/or limiting or preventing the exchange of transactions of the main service, unless the user performs an operation necessary to use the service (e.g., selects the next stage of the service or a URL from a menu), within a predefined time-window.

42. A system according to Claim 41 for performing and charging for services for an Internet or mobile telephone user, such as calls and the services of service providers, in which the said services are data-based, the system employing a terminal device (1) able to communicate with a mobile telephone system and the Internet, a service provider's server (2), a mobile telephone network and the Intemet/an intranet (3), so that the user can use the said terminal device to access the said server (2), which may be entirely or partly integrated with a network or connected to it, so that the user's terminal device can request and/or receive data (such as HTML /XHTML /WML data or other content) from the said servers (2) or to send data to them, characterized in that the system includes at least one server/gateway (2, 3), which includes:

a first database (4), containing data, e.g., as HTML /WML data or as content defined otherwise, with specific access codes, such as URLs, relating to the main service, such as the information of a banking service, e-mail, news, bus timetables, stock-exchange information, etc. (11), which directly benefit the users ( 1 ) and for which they are prepared to pay;

a second database (6), containing information, such as advertisements, announcements, questions, marketing-related information, and other similar data (12), which do not directly benefit the users (1) and for which they are not prepared to pay, the service provider of the side service being charged instead for sending the said information to the users; and

at least one such, preferably Internet, mobile telephone terminal device (1), which has all the devices necessary to process, receive, save, display, delete, and send messages (5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, etc.); the said terminal device (1) further including devices for arranging messages that it receives relating to the main service and the side service, in such a way that the reading/use of the main-service messages is permitted under the conditions of the parameter/s relating to the side service, which may be 1- a specific amount of time; 2- the reading of side-service- related information; 3- the completion of a specific/specific questionnaire/s; 4- some other parameter; 5- the acceptance of an agreement etc.; 6- various alternative combinations of the above parameters, so that, when the user activates an access code, such as a URL, relating to the main service, in the terminal device (1), the said terminal device shows the user information (page/card) it has received relating to the side service, when the user can use the main service (access the next page/card) on the conditions of the said parameter/s, and the service can continue; and devices to interactively monitor and present pages of the main service and the side service alternately to the user, so that the browsing of the data/pages/cards and the continuation of the call and/or exchange of transactions is limited to a predefined time-window, after the end of which the service is prevented or limited.

43. A system according to Claim 41 or 42, characterized in that the system includes devices for reading following the data relating to the side or main service within a predefined time-window.

44. A system according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the system includes devices for charging the side-service and/or the main-service provider for the service used by the user or devices for providing a free service for the user.

45. A system according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the system includes devices to send the user's terminal device side-service-related information, such as advertisements, marketing-related messages, announcements, forms, programs, information relating to the user's hobbies, drawings, etc. (6, 7, 12), at specific intervals or between specific messages, in connection with the main service (4, 11), e.g., a banking service.

46. A system according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the system includes devices to use the terminal device (1) to ensure that the said user reads the information, in such a way that the terminal device can compare the user's (1) answer with an answer sent from the server/network (2, 3), which is concealed from the user.

47. A system according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the system includes devices to send time-limit data and a timer along with the said time-window and/or pages/cards/content, allowing the delimitation and calculation of a predefined time for the use of each page/card, and that the said timer 'is a program utilizing the processor of the said terminal device (1).

48. A system according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the system includes devices for mixing, in the server/gateway (2), the side-service-related data (such as HTML /WML pages/cards) with main-service-related pages/cards and sending them to the terminal device (1), in which the said pages/cards are displayed on the basis of a predefined parameter.

49. A terminal device for such a telecommunications system that includes

a telecommunications network,

several terminal devices connected to the telecommunications network by telecommunications connections, by means of which users can communicate using the telecommunications network,

at least one service provider's system connected to the telecommunications network, by means of which the telecommunications network can be used to provide users with services, such as main services, in other words such services as the user wishes to use, and side services, such as advertisements, which it is hoped that the user will use,

characterized in that

the terminal device includes devices to prohibit the user using predefined main services,^' either, entirely or at least to charge the normal price for them, unless a predefined response, relating concretely to the side-service content to be shown in connection with the main service, is received from the user;

devices to terminate a telecommunications service such as a call, and/or to limit or prevent the exchange of transactions, according to a predefined time-window, if the user does not perform an operation required by the service (e.g.,^" does not select the next stage of the service, or a URL from a menu), and that the parameters of the said predefined time-window and the requisite timer are included in the data (such as in HTML /WML pages/cards) sent to the user's terminal device (1), or the said parameters are saved and can be updated in the said terminal device or in the related smart-card (such as a SIM card).

50. A terminal device (1) according to Claim 49 to receive services for Internet and mobile-telephone users, such as calls and the services of service providers and data relating to them, in which the said services are data-based services and that the said terminal device has access to a server/gateway (2), which may be partly or entirely integrated with the network (3) or connected to it, so that the user's terminal device (1) can request and or receive data (such as HTML /XHTML WML data or other content) from the said servers (2) and/or send data to them, which terminal device includes all the devices necessary to process, receive, save, display, delete, and send messages (5, 7,

8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15);

characterized in that it includes:

devices to arrange the messages that it receives relating to both the main service (4) and the side service in such a way that the reading/use of the messages of the main service is permitted on the conditions of the parameter/s relating to the side service, which may be 1- a specific amount of time; 2- the reading of side-service-related information completing a specific/specific questionnaire/s; 4- some other parameter; 5- various alternative combinations of the above parameters,

devices to reading or receive data units, such as pages/cards/contents (e.g., menus) sent to the terminal device (1), or to select a specific service from a menu, etc. within a predefined time-window, so that, when the user performs the necessary operation (e.g., selects a service from a menu) within the time-window, the user can use the next stage of the service, in which case a new time limit is again set for the user.

51. A terminal device (1) according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the said condition/parameter in the terminal device is the completion of/answer to a specific questionnaire/question, or the reading and/or following of side-service-related information, within a specific time-window.

52. A terminal device (1) according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that it includes devices to permit the main service only once the user has read or completed, responded to (8) information such as a side-service-related (6) advertisement questionnaire/question (7) sent to the user's terminal device.

53. A terminal device (1) according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that it includes devices to ensure the reading/following of the said information, so that the terminal device can compare the user's answer with an answer sent from the server/network (2, 3) concealed from the user.

54. A terminal device (1) according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that it includes a timer, implemented by software utilizing a processor, for calculating the time set for using each page/card, and that the said time- window and the passage of time are shown to the user with the aid of the terminal device (1).

55. A terminal device (1) according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that it includes devices to show the side and main-service pages/cards/contents automatically and alternately and delete them within a predefined time-window.

56. A server/gateway/proxy (2) to implement and charge for Internet and mobile telephone services for a user, such as calls and service providers' services, in which the said services are data-based services and that the said server (2) is partly or entirely integrated with the network (3) or connected to it, so that, by exploiting the user's terminal device (1), data (such as HTML /XHTML /WML data or other content) can be requested and/or received from the said servers (2) or data sent to them, characterized in that, it includes:

- a first database (4), containing main-service-related information, such as banking- service information, e-mail, news, bus timetables, stock-exchanges information, etc,. (11), which directly benefit the users (1) and for which they are prepared to pay, e.g., as HTML /WML data or as content otherwise defined, which have specific access codes, such as URLs;

- a second database (6), containing side-service-related information, such as advertisements, questionnaires, marketing-related information, and other similar information (12), do not directly benefit the users (1) and for which they are not prepared to pay, the side-service service provider being instead charged for sending the said information to the users;

- devices to interactively send alternate said main and side-service pages to the terminal device (1);

- devices to limit or prevent the continuation of data transmission between the said server (2) and terminal device (1) and/or the exchange of transactions within a predefined time-window and specific to the said main and side-services, so that:

- time is reserved for the said user to react to a data unit, such as HTML / WML data or other content, sent to their terminal device (1), e.g., by reading the said content, selecting a service from a specific menu, etc.;

only once the user has read the said content, or, for example, selected an element (e.g., a service like a banking service) from the said menu, can the user continue the service (main and/or side service), e.g., by selecting/activating the next element (e.g., a URL) from the menu/page/card sent by the server (2) to the terminal device (1).

57. A server/gateway/proxy (2) according to Claim 56, characterized in that it includes devices to permit the main service only once the user has read or completed, responded (8) to side-service-related (6) information, such as an advertisement or questionnaire/question (7) sent to their terminal device (1), ahd the said server has been notified of this (8).

58. A server/gateway/proxy (2) according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that it includes devices to ensure the reading/following of the information sent to the said terminal device (1), for example, by presenting the user with a specific question, which the user answers, the answer being sent to the server (2), when the user can continue to use their÷desired service.

59. A server/gateway/proxy (2) according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that it includes devices to define the said window service/page/card-pack-specifically and/or application specifically.

60. A server/gateway/proxy (2) according to one of the above Claims, characterized in that the said server (2) includes devices to send a timer and/or time limit data in connection with the said time-window and/or pages/cards, which calculates the time set for using each page/card and that the said timer is a program utilizing the terminal device (1), and that the said time-limit data and time- window can include so-called 'cookies' to be sent along with the pages.