Optimized methods for large group calling using unicast and multicast transport bearer for PoC

• US 10,111,055 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kodiak Networks (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kodiak Networks (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Krishnakant M., Vempati, Brahmananda R., Negalaguli, Harisha M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thai
• Application Number:
  US15/205,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20160323720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/16 Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services

Abstract

A system and method for optimizing large group calling using unicast and multicast transport bearers for Push-to-talk-over-Cellular (PoC). One or more servers interface to a wireless communications network to perform advanced voice services for mobile units therein, including the PoC call session. The servers and mobile units communicate with each other using control messages, and the servers switch voice messages between mobile units. At least one of the servers manages the PoC call session by acting as an arbitrator, and controls sending of control messages and voice messages to and from mobile units. The server performs unicast and multicast delivery of control messages and voice messages to and from mobile units, thereby enabling large group calling involving a large number of participants with optimized use of network and server resources.

Claims

1. A server programmed to perform:

provisioning an instant two-way, half-duplex voice call within a group of mobile units using a Push-to-Talk-over-Cellular (PoC) call session, wherein the server and mobile units communicate with each other using control messages within a wireless communications network, and each of the mobile units has a network access type;

switching PoC call session voice messages between the mobile units across the wireless communications network;

arbitrating the PoC call session, wherein the server manages the PoC call session and controls sending of control messages and voice messages to and from the mobile units; and

performing unicast and multicast delivery of control messages and voice messages to and from the mobile units, wherein a unicast or multicast delivery method is selected for each of the mobile units in correspondence with a respective network access type of each of the mobile units.

2. The server of claim 1, further configured to perform:

receiving a voice message from the mobile unit of a participant that has been granted floor control and is talking, and recording the voice message in one or more files; and

replicating the voice message.

3. The server of claim 2, further configured to perform transmitting the replicated voice message to one or more multicast addresses for the participants.

4. The server of claim 1, further configured to perform estimating congestion in the wireless communications network based on a number of mobile units of a group within the wireless communications network or a subdivision of the wireless communications network.

5. A method comprising:

interfacing a Push-to-Talk-over-Cellular (PoC) server and a media server to a wireless communications network;

performing communications services for one or more mobile units in the wireless communications network, the communications services comprising an instant two-way, half-duplex voice call within a group of the mobile units using a PoC call session, wherein each of the mobile units has a network access type;

communicating between the PoC server and the mobile units using control messages;

switching PoC call session voice messages between the mobile units using the media server;

managing the PoC call session using the PoC server by acting as an arbitrator for the PoC call session;

sending control messages and voice messages to and from the mobile units using the PoC server and media server respectively; and

performing unicast and multicast delivery of control messages and voice messages to and from the mobile units, wherein one of the PoC server and media server selects a unicast or multicast delivery method for each of the mobile units in accordance with a respective network access type of each of the mobile units.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a voice message from the mobile unit of a participant that has been granted floor control and is talking, and recording the voice message in one or more files; and

replicating the voice message received from the participant that is talking.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting the replicated voice message to one or more multicast addresses for the participants.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising estimating congestion in the wireless communications network based on a number of mobile units of a group within the wireless communications network or a subdivision of the wireless communications network.

9. A system comprising:

a Push-to-Talk-over-Cellular (PoC) server and a media server configured to interface with a wireless communications network to perform communications services for one or more mobile units, the communications services including a two-way, half-duplex voice call within a group of mobile units comprising a PoC call session, wherein;

the PoC server and the mobile units are configured to communicate with each other using control messages, and the media server is configured to switch PoC call session voice messages between the mobile units;

the PoC server is configured to manage the PoC call session by acting as an arbitrator for the PoC call session, and manages sending of control messages and voice messages to and from the mobile units; and

the media server is configured to perform a unicast delivery and a multicast delivery of voice messages to and from the mobile units, the unicast delivery comprising;

replicating the voice messages received from a participant each time the participant is granted the floor;

using a staggered call delivery method by creating one or more batches of the mobile units based on a specified criterion; and

delivering the voice messages to each of the batches separated by a specified interval.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the PoC call session is configured to allow participants to take turns talking and transmitting using a floor control mechanism.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the PoC call session is a broadcast call with one of the participants talking and transmitting.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the specified criterion comprises:

a location of the participants, and the location is a real-time location ora last reported location;

or

a corporation identifier.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the PoC call session comprises a pre-established PoC call session or an on-demand PoC call session.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the staggered call delivery method uses a message delivery framework, such that the voice messages received from the participant that is talking are recorded into one or more files that are sent periodically to the participants.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the message delivery framework comprises a SIP/MSRP based message upload/delivery framework, or an HTTP based message upload/delivery framework.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the media server configured to perform multicast delivery replicates the voice messages received from the participant that is talking for transmission to one or more multicast addresses for the participants.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the multicast addresses are assigned to each group and published to members of the group, and the PoC server is configured to record a multicast address used by at least one of the mobile units.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the voice messages and the control messages sent by multicast delivery are encrypted, and a decryption key is made available to participants.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the mobile units is configured to report a multicast address used by the at least one of the mobile units to the PoC server and the decryption key is made available before instantiating a group call.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the media server is configured to replicate and transmit the voice messages for each of the multicast addresses.

21. The system of claim 9, wherein the media server replicates the voice messages received from a participant that is talking for transmission to each participant listening in unicast mode and to one or more multicast addresses for each participant listening in multicast mode.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein a number of online and available members of the group of mobile units is used as a criterion to decide whether to employ unicast or multicast delivery for each of the participants.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the mobile units are configured to report a status for unicast or multicast delivery to the PoC server and a codec data rate used for the voice messages is dynamically determined based on congestion in the wireless communications network.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein congestion in the wireless communications network is estimated based on a number of mobile units of a group within the wireless communications network or a subdivision of the wireless communications network.