Method and apparatus for establishing a talk group

• US 20030186716A1
• Filed: 04/02/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dorenbosch, Jheroen P., Bennett, Richard L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

When any remote unit (113-118) desires to create a talk group, it transmits an inbound message to a group call database (112). The inbound message includes the identity of the requesting communication device, and the participants of the talk group. Upon receiving the request, group the call database (112) provides an outbound message to all members of the newly created talk group giving them a chance to opt out of inclusion into the new talk group. The database (112) then creates a database entry with the new talk group and those remote units that positively responded to the outbound message.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a talk group within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

determining, via over-the-air communication at least one remote unit in proximity to a first remote unit;

providing a list of the at least one remote unit to infrastructure equipment; and

establishing a talk group based on the list.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the at least one remote unit in proximity to the first remote unit comprises the step of determining via short-range, over-the-air communication, those remote units in proximity to the first remote unit.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining the at least one remote unit in proximity to the first remote unit comprises the step of determining identity data of the at least one remote unit via a BLUETOOTH®

protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the at least one remote unit in proximity to the first remote unit comprises the step of accessing infrastructure equipment and being provided a list of those remote units within a predetermined distance to the first remote unit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the list of the at least one remote unit to the infrastructure equipment comprises the step of providing the list via over-the-air communication to the infrastructure equipment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of establishing the talk group based on the list comprises the step of establishing a group of remote units able to communicate simultaneously with each other.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of establishing the talk group based on the list comprises the step of establishing a group of remote units able to communicate simultaneously and instantaneously by depressing a push-to-talk (PTT) button.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of, prior to providing the list of the at least one remote unit to infrastructure equipment, reviewing the list and removing unwanted participants.

9. A method for establishing a talk group, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an over-the-air message, wherein the over-the-air message comprises an identity of a requesting communication device, and at least one proposed participant to a talk group;

transmitting an outbound message to the at least one proposed participant, wherein the outbound message allows the participant to opt out of inclusion into the talk group;

receiving an inbound message in response to the outbound message; and

creating a talk group based on the inbound message.

10. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a first remote unit, a request to provide identity information to a second remote unit; and

providing identity information to the second remote unit, wherein the step of providing identity information to the second remote unit causes the first remote unit to be included in a talk group with the second remote unit.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:

receiving a message from a serving base station, the message allowing the first remote unit to opt out of inclusion into the talk group.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of providing identity information to the second remote unit causes the first remote unit to be able to communicate simultaneously with other members of the talk group.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of providing identity information to the second remote unit causes the first remote unit to be able to communicate simultaneously with other members of the talk group by depressing a push-to-talk (PTT) button.

14. A remote unit comprising:

a short-range communication unit outputting those remote units in proximity to the remote unit;

a talk group database storing those remote units in proximity to the remote unit; and

a transceiver providing a list of the those remote units in proximity to the remote unit to infrastructure equipment, causing the infrastructure equipment to establish a talk group based on the list.

15. The remote unit of claim 14 wherein the establishment of the talk group allows the remote unit to be able to communicate simultaneously with other members of the talk group.

16. The remote unit of claim 14 wherein the establishment of the talk group allows the remote unit to be able to communicate simultaneously and instantaneously to those members of the talk group by depressing a push-to-talk (PTT) button.

17. A method for establishing a talk group within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

determining via over-the-air communication at least one remote unit in proximity to a first remote unit;

appending the at least one remote unit to an existing talk group, to create a new talk group; and

providing the new talk group to infrastructure equipment.

18. A method for establishing a talk group within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

determining, via short-range over-the-air communication at least one remote unit in proximity to a first remote unit;

establishing a talk group including the at least one remote unit in proximity to a first remote unit as a list of member remote units, and

providing the enumerated list of member remote units to the remote unit in proximity to a first remote unit.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of determining the at least one remote unit in proximity to the first remote unit comprises the step of determining identity data of the at least one remote unit via a BLUETOOTH®

protocol.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of, prior to providing the enumerated list of member remote units to the remote unit in proximity to a first remote unit, reviewing the list and removing unwanted participants.