Apparatus and method for providing multimedia service in a mobile terminal

A method for providing a multimedia service in a mobile terminal including a main controller for controlling a call setup operation between the mobile terminal and a base station;

• a codec for coding an audio signal output from a microphone and decoding a received audio signal;
• a display for outputting image data;
• a display driver for driving the display;
• an image processor for buffering information received from the main controller and a multimedia service processor, converting the buffered information according to an output mode of the display and providing the converted information to the display driver;
• and said multimedia service processor, at a multimedia service request, accessing a corresponding server and sending a data request to the server, outputting received image data through the image processor, outputting received menu and character information data to the main controller, and outputting received audio data through the codec, the method comprising the steps of:
• upon receipt of the multimedia service request, connecting, through the multimedia service processor, a call through the main controller and accessing the corresponding server;
• after completing the access, sending, through the multimedia service processor, a multimedia information request to the server and sending a receive request to the main controller according to the information request;
• upon receipt of the requested information, sending, through the main controller, the corresponding information to the multimedia service processor;
• and
• analyzing, in the multimedia service processor, the information to provide the information to the main controller if the information is character or menu information, to output the information through the image processor if the information is image data, and to output the information through the codec if the information is audio data.