It can be hard to guess the sender's mood from their text messages, so Nokia has applied to patent a communications technology that uses light to express emotion.

The document – filed earlier this month – describes a technology called “light messaging” which essentially allows you text an emoticon to your friend that, when received, would cause their phone to light up in a pre-defined colour.

Nokia also described a veritable disco-in-your-pocket situation where the phone’s body would flash or pulsate after receiving a message – perhaps until you send the recipient a reply.

The Finnish giant also wants to use light messaging alongside traditional voice communications or “any other suitable form of electronic device communication”.

For example, you could opt for someone’s phone to pulse or flash red so that the recipient’s aware of your incoming call’s high priority.

Although building the technology into mobile phones would probably be Nokia’s first choice, the firm also said light messaging could be used in digital cameras, MP3 players, portable games consoles, PDAs and notebooks. ®