Providing advanced communications features

• US 20040022208A1
• Filed: 08/01/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starent Networks Corporation (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dahod, Ashraf M., Ghai, Rajat, Higgins, Peter, Lopez, Nick, Shieh, Paul, Silva, Michael, DePietro, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,372,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• 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 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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

Abstract

Advanced communications features are provided in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem. The mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol. An indication is received that a half-duplex mobile communications session is to be initiated between a first mobile station subsystem and a second mobile station subsystem. The first and second mobile station subsystems include full-duplex communications apparatus for use in full-duplex mobile communications sessions. The half-duplex mobile communications session relies on the first and second mobile station subsystems, and all of the reliance is only on the full-duplex communications apparatus. Mobile communications telephone calls are established with the first mobile station subsystem and the second mobile station subsystem. One of the first and second mobile station subsystems is selected as a voice signal source in the half-duplex communications session.

Claims

1. A method for use in providing advanced communications features in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem, wherein the mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a half-duplex mobile communications session is to be initiated between a first mobile station subsystem and a second mobile station subsystem, the first and second mobile station subsystems including full-duplex communications apparatus for use in full-duplex mobile communications sessions, the half-duplex mobile communications session relying on the first and second mobile station subsystems, all of said reliance being only on said full-duplex communications apparatus;

establishing mobile communications telephone calls with the first mobile station subsystem and the second mobile station subsystem; and

selecting one of the first and second mobile station subsystems as a voice signal source in the half-duplex communications session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interpreting a key press as an indication of switching between listening and talking mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interpreting a vanity code the indication that the session is to be initiated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing voice connections to users in the session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing an Internet protocol connection in the session.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a multicast session in the session.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

referring to a directory to identify intended participants in the session.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving a talk signal from a first user, ignoring a talk signal from a second user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interpreting a key press as a signal to terminate a user'"'"'s talk session.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interpreting a period of quiet as a signal to terminate a user'"'"'s talk session.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an Internet media gateway to serve a participant in the session.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second mobile station subsystems includes a data capability for serving as a data terminal.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second mobile station subsystems communicates digitized voice via an Internet protocol based network.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second mobile station subsystems communicates voice information formatted to be carried as data over the A5 interface.

12. A method for use in providing advanced communications features in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem, wherein the mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

deriving, from an audio signal originating at a mobile station subsystem, message data suitable for playback over a telephone system, the message data constituting a completed message;

determining, based on an indication from the mobile station subsystem, a set of mobile station subsystem destinations for the message data; and

for each of the mobile station subsystem destinations, determining whether the mobile station subsystem destination is ready to play back the message data;

wherein each of the mobile station subsystem destinations includes real-time communications apparatus for use in real-time communications sessions, the readiness determination relying on the mobile station subsystem destinations, all of said reliance being only on said real-time communications apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

dialing out to at least one of the mobile station subsystem destinations to establish a connection to the at least one of the mobile station subsystem destinations.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing a user to use a Web site to define the set of mobile station subsystem destinations.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing a user to use automatic voice prompts to define the set of mobile station subsystem destinations.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

allowing a user to interact with a manual service to define the set of mobile station subsystem destinations.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

based on a hang up by a message sender, determining that the message data constitutes a completed message.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing the results of attempted playbacks of the message data for subsequent review by a message sender.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

using voice recognition software to help cause the message data to be carried by the telephone system toward the set of mobile station subsystem destinations.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

presenting a message sender with a voice menu to facilitate causing the message data to be carried by the telephone system toward the set of mobile station subsystem destinations.

30. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile station subsystem includes a data capability for serving as a data terminal.

31. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile station subsystem communicates digitized voice via an Internet protocol based network.

32. The method of claim 12, wherein the mobile station subsystem communicates voice information formatted to be carried as data over the A5 interface.

21. A method for use in providing advanced communications features in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem, wherein the mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

deriving, from an audio signal originating at a mobile station subsystem, message data suitable for transmission in an Internet protocol multicasting session;

determining, based on an indication from the mobile station subsystem, a set of destinations for the message data; and

causing the message data to be carried in the Internet protocol multicasting session toward the set of destinations,

wherein each of the destinations includes real-time communications apparatus for use in real-time communications sessions, the method relying on the destinations, all of said reliance being only on said real-time communications apparatus.

22. A method for use in providing advanced communications features in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem, wherein the mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

deriving, from an audio signal originating at a mobile station subsystem, message data suitable for transmission over an instant text messaging network;

determining, based on an indication from the mobile station subsystem, a destination for the message data; and

causing the message data to be carried on the instant text messaging network toward the destination,

wherein each of the destinations includes real-time communications apparatus for use in real-time communications sessions, the method relying on the destinations, all of said reliance being only on said real-time communications apparatus.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the destination includes another mobile station subsystem.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

deriving a playback audio signal from the message data; and

causing the playback audio signal to be played at the destination.

25. A method for use in providing advanced communications features in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem, wherein the mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

deriving, from an audio signal originating at a mobile station subsystem, message data suitable for transmission in multiple Internet protocol unicasting sessions;

determining, based on an indication from the mobile station subsystem, a set of destinations for the message data; and

causing the message data to be carried in the multiple Internet protocol unicasting sessions toward the set of destinations,

wherein each of the destinations includes real-time communications apparatus for use in real-time communications sessions, the method relying on the destinations, all of said reliance being only on said real-time communications apparatus.

26. A method for use in providing advanced communications features in a mobile communications network having at least one mobile switching center and at least one mobile station subsystem, wherein the mobile switching center and mobile station subsystem each communicate signaling messages according to a mobile signaling protocol, the method comprising:

deriving, from an audio signal originating at a mobile station subsystem and using voice recognition software, text data suitable for transmission over an instant text messaging network;

determining, based on an indication from the mobile station subsystem, a destination for the text data; and

causing the text data to be carried on the instant text messaging network toward the destination,

wherein each of the destinations includes real-time communications apparatus for use in real-time communications sessions, the method relying on the destinations, all of said reliance being only on said real-time communications apparatus.