System and method for providing group communication services

• US 20030012149A1
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Maggenti, Mark, Rosen, Eric, Crockett, Douglas M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,077,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• 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 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A system and method for providing group communication services. Each of a plurality of communication devices coverts information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over a data network, such as the Internet. The data packets are transmitted through the data network to a communications manager. The communications manager acts as a configurable switch, allowing communications from any communication device to be routed to the plurality of communication devices. The communications manager further allows users of other communication systems and devices to participate in group communications with each other.

Claims

1. A system for providing a group communication service to a plurality of communication devices, comprising.

a first communication device for converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over a packet data network, for providing said data packets to said packet data network, and for receiving data packets from said packet data network;

a second communication device for converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over said packet data network, for providing said packet data packets to said data network, and for receiving data packets from said packet data network;

a third communication device for converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over said packet data network, for providing said data packets to said packet data network, and for receiving data packets from said packet data network; and

a communications manager connected to said packet data network for providing arbitrated group communications among at least said first communication device, said second communication device, and said third communication device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said arbitrated group communicaitons comprise routing said data packets from said first communication device to said second and third communication devices, for routing said data packets from said second communication device to said first and third communication devices, and for routing said data packets from said third communication device to said first and second communication devices.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first communication device comprises a wireless communication device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said arbitration comprises said communications manager granting a transmission privilege to either said first communication device, to said second communication device, or to said third communication device, said transmission privilege for allowing only one of said communication devices to transmit said data packets at any given time.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first communication device is selected from the group comprising a wireless telephone, a wireless camera, a wireless video camera, a wireless computer, a pager, a wireless audio recording device, a desktop computer, a wireline telephone, and a digital camera.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said first communication device comprises:

a processor for requesting a transmission privilege from said communications manager, said transmission privilege allowing only a single communication device to transmit said information signals at any one time.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said information signals are selected from the group comprising audio signals, visual signals, and data.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said communications manager further comprises:

a multipoint control unit (MCU) for receiving a data packet from said first communication device and for generating a duplicate data packet to be sent to said second communication device and for generating a duplicate data packet to be sent to said third communication device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said communications manager further comprises:

a local database for storing information relating to said first communication device, said second wireless communication device, and said third communication device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said communications manager comprises:

a multipoint control unit (MCU) for receiving said data packets from said first communication device and for creating at least two duplicate data packets for each of said data packets received from said first communication device, a first of said duplicate data packets comprising addressing information corresponding to said second communication device and a second of said duplicate data packets comprising addressing information corresponding to said third communication device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communication device operates in a terrestrial cellular communication system and said second wireless communication device operates within a satellite communication system.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said first communication device operates in a CDMA communication system and said second communication device operates within a GSM communication system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said first communication device is identified by a first data address and is a member of a net;

said second communication device is identified by a second data address and is a member of said net;

wherein

said first communication device communicates with said second communication device by sending said data packets to a third data address, said third data address associated with said net, said net hosted by said communications manager, said communications manager for receiving said data packets from said first communication device, for duplicating said data packets and addressing said duplicate data packets to said second data address, and for sending said duplicate data packets to said second communication device.

14. A method for providing a group communication service to a plurality of communication devices, comprising.

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over a packet data network via a first communication device;

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over the packet data network via a second communication device;

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over the packet data network via a third communication device; and

providing arbitrated group communications among at least said first communication device, said second communication device, and said third communication device.

15. A computer-readable medium embodying a method for providing a group communication service to a plurality of communication devices, the method comprising.

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over a packet data network via a first communication device;

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over the packet data network via a second communication device;

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over the packet data network via a third communication device; and

providing arbitrated group communications among at least said first communication device, said second communication device, and said third communication device.

16. An apparatus for providing a group communication service to a plurality of communication devices, comprising.

means for converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over a packet data network via a first communication device;

means for converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over the packet data network via a second communication device;

means for converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over the packet data network via a third communication device; and

means for providing arbitrated group communications among at least said first communication device, said second communication device, and said third communication device.

17. An apparatus for providing a group communication service to a plurality of communication devices, comprising.

a memory unit;

a receiver;

a transmitter; and

a processor communicatively coupled to said memory unit, said receiver, said transmitter, and said processor, said processor being capable of;

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over a packet data network via a first communication device;

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over the packet data network via a second communication device;

converting information signals into data packets suitable for transmission over the packet data network via a third communication device; and

providing arbitrated group communications among at least said first communication device, said second communication device, and said third communication device.