Method and apparatus for establishing a communication group

• US 20020168992A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piece Future Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Eiden, Niko, Lehto, Johannes
• Granted Patent: US 6,829,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• 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 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for joining a communication group between users of wireless communication devices, comprising at least two users (302, 305) of communication devices who are members of said group and capable of communicating with each other through communication devices, and at least one communication device user (301) not belonging to said group, who is capable of communicating with at least one member (305) of the communication group through a communication device. In the method, the communication device user (301) not belonging to said group creates an apply message (308), transmits the apply message (308) wirelessly to at least one member (305) of said communication group for the purpose of becoming a member of said group, at least one member (305) of the group creates a feedback (307) on joining said group, transmits the feedback (307) wirelessly in response to the received apply message, and a decision is formed on joining said group in response to said feedback.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a new member to a communication group of users of wireless communication devices, the communication group comprising

at least two communication device users who are members of said group, and

at least one communication device user who does not belong to said group, applies for membership in said communication group and is capable of communicating with at least one member of the communication group through his communication device, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

creating an apply message in said communication device not belonging to the group, said apply message comprising a request for membership in said communication group;

transmitting the apply message wirelessly from said communication device not belonging to the group to the communication device of at least one member of said communication group for the purpose of becoming a member of said group;

creating, ordered by at least one group member, a feedback concerning joining said group in response to the received apply message; and

forming a decision on joining said group in response to said at least one feedback.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apply message is created in the communication device of the user of said communication device in response to the input of the user of said communication device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said apply message also comprises at least one of the following identifiers:

an identifier associated with said communication device, an identifier associated with the user of said communication device.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said apply message is created as one of the following:

a voice message, a short message or a message created by a communication application.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apply message is sent from said communication device not belonging to the communication group to at least one communication device belonging to said communication group.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said feedback is created in the communication device of at least one group member in response to the input of said group member.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said feedback is the voting result of said group member and comprises a decision to accept or not to accept the communication device user not belonging to said group as a member of said group.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said feedback further comprises at least one of the following identifiers:

an identifier associated with the member of said group, an identifier associated with the communication device of said group member.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said feedback is sent to said user of the communication device not belonging to the group.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said decision on joining said group is formed in the communication device of the user of said communication device not belonging to the group on the basis of said feedback.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said feedback and the received apply message is sent by at least one member of said group on to at least one other member of said group.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said decision is formed in the communication device of the member of said group on the basis of said feedback and the feedback created by at least one other member of said group.

14. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said wireless communication device also comprises means for receiving a decision wirelessly from at least one communication device in said communication group in response to the sent apply message.

15. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said means for creating an apply message are also arranged to generate into said apply message at least one of the following identifiers:

an identifier associated with said communication device, an identifier associated with the user of said communication device.

16. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said means for creating an apply message are arranged to create said apply message as one of the following:

a voice message, a short message or a message created by a communication application.

18. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said communication device also comprising means for transmitting said apply message to the communication device of at least one other member of said group.

19. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said communication device also comprises means for receiving a feedback from at least one other member of said group.

20. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said communication device also comprises means for forming a decision on the user of said communication device not belonging to the communication group joining said group in response to said feedback and said at least one other feedback of a member of said group.

21. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 20, wherein said communication device also comprises means for transmitting the decision to said communication device user not belonging to the group on joining said group.

22. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said means for creating a feedback are arranged to create the feedback on the basis of the voting result of at least one group member, the voting result comprising the decision of said member to accept or not accept said communication device user not belonging to the group to become a member of said group.

23. A wireless communication device as claimed in claim 22, wherein said means for creating a feedback are also arranged to generate into said feedback at least one of the following identifiers:

an identifier associated with the member of said group, an identifier associated with the communication device of said group member.

13. A wireless communication device for said communication device user joining a communication group of wireless communication devices, said communication group comprising at least two users of communication devices who are members of said group, and said communication device being capable of communicating with the communication device of at least one member of said communication group, wherein said wireless communication device comprising:

means for creating an apply message in said communication device, said apply message comprising a request for membership in said communication group;

means for transmitting the apply message wirelessly from said communication device to the communication device of at least one member of said communication group;

means for receiving a feedback wirelessly from the communication device of at least one member of said group in response to the transmitted apply message; and

means for forming a decision on joining said group in response to said feedback.

24. A wireless communication device as claimed in claims 13 and 17, wherein said wireless communication device is a Bluetooth device.

17. A communication device for selecting a user of a second communication device not belonging to a communication group of wireless communication devices, said communication group comprising at least two users of communication devices who are members of said group, and said wireless communication device is used by at least one of the group members and said wireless communication device is capable of communicating with at least a second communication device not belonging to said communication group, wherein said wireless communication device comprising:

means for receiving an apply message wirelessly, said apply message comprising a request for membership in said communication group;

means for creating a feedback on accepting the communication device applying for membership in the group in response to the received apply message;

means for transmitting the feedback wirelessly to at least one of the following;

the communication device of the user of said communication device not belonging to the communication group,

the communication device of at least one other member of said communication group.

25. A system for selecting a new member to a communication group of users of wireless communication devices, the communication group comprising

at least two users of communications devices who are members of said communication group, and

at least one user of a communication device not belonging to said group who applies for membership in said communication group and is capable of communicating with at least one member of the communication group through his communication device, wherein the system comprises:

means for creating an apply message in the communication device not belonging to said group;

means for transmitting the apply message wirelessly from the communication device not belonging to said group to at least one member of said communication group for the purpose of becoming a member in said group;

means for receiving the apply message wirelessly, said apply message comprising a request for membership in said communication group;

means for creating a feedback on accepting the communication device applying for membership in the group in response to the received apply message;

means for transmitting the feedback wirelessly to at least one of the following;

the communication device of the user of said communication device not belonging to the communication group,

the communication device of at least one other member of said communication group;

means for forming a decision on joining said group in response to said feedback.

26. A computer program product for a wireless communication device for the user of said communication device to join a communication group of wireless communication devices, the communication group comprising at least two users of wireless communication devices who are members of said group, and said wireless communication device being capable of communicating with the communication device of at least one member of said communication group, wherein the computer program product comprises:

computer program means for making said wireless communication device to create an apply message, said apply message comprising a request for membership in said communication group;

computer program means for making said wireless communication device to send the apply message wirelessly to at least one member of said communication group for the purpose of becoming a member of said group;

computer program means for making said wireless communication device to receive a feedback wirelessly from at least one member of the group in response to the transmitted apply message; and

computer program means for making said wireless communication device to form a decision on joining said group in response to said feedback.

27. A computer program means for a wireless communication device for selecting a user of a second communication device not belonging to a communication group of wireless communication devices to said communication group, said communication group comprising at least two users of wireless communication devices who are members of said communication group, and said wireless communication device being used by at least one of the group members and capable of communicating with at least one other communication device not belonging to said communication group, wherein the computer program product comprises:

computer program means for making said wireless communication device to receive an apply message wirelessly, said apply message comprising a request for membership in said communication group;

computer program means for making said wireless communication device to create a feedback on accepting the communication device applying for membership in the group in response to the received apply message;

computer program means for making said wireless communication device to transmit the feedback wirelessly to one of the following;

the communication device of the user of said communication device not belonging to the communication group,

the communication device of at least one other member of said communication group.