Wireless network with transmission control in a half-duplex voice conference mode

• US 20040125790A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Peter James Mccann, Thomas Lloyd Hiller
• Inventors: McCann, Peter James, Hiller, Thomas Lloyd
• Granted Patent: US 7,248,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

Voice packets transmitted by an originating wireless user for use in a half-duplex communication mode in a one to many communication session are monitored for an unexpected cessation. If an unexpected cessation of such voice packets is detected for a predetermined time period, the session server controlling the communications session is notified to release the supporting half-duplex communication paths associated with the originating user.

Claims

1. A method for releasing half-duplex communication paths in a telecommunications system where speech by an originating user is transmitted as packets and where an explicit signal for releasing the half-duplex communication paths is normally initiated by the originating user, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing half-duplex communication paths for speech from the originating user to a plurality of listening users by a session server;

replicating packets of speech received from the originating user at a media resource node;

transmitting the replicated speech packets to the plurality of listening users;

monitoring at the media resource node for a cessation of speech from the originating user occurring for a predetermined time interval; and

transmitting a loss of speech signal from the media resource node to the session server upon the media resource node determining a cessation of speech from the originating user for the predetermined time interval.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of releasing the communication paths to the listening users upon the cessation of speech from the originating user occurring for the predetermined time interval.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said establishing step establishes half-duplex communication paths using Internet protocol addressing and where in the media resource node replicates Internet protocol packets.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of establishing a wireless communication link between an originating user'"'"'s radio and a wireless node in the telecommunications system, and transporting speech received from the originating user'"'"'s radio over the wireless communication link in Internet protocol packets containing the received speech.

5. A method for releasing half-duplex communication paths in a telecommunications system where speech by an originating user is transmitted as packets and where an explicit signal for releasing the half-duplex communication paths is normally initiated by the originating user, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing half-duplex communication paths for speech from the originating user to a plurality of listening users by a session server;

replicating packets of speech received from the originating user at a media resource node;

transmitting the replicated speech packets to the plurality of listening users;

monitoring at the media resource node for a cessation of speech from the originating user occurring for a predetermined time interval;

transmitting a loss of speech signal from the media resource node to the session server upon the media resource node determining a cessation of speech from the originating user for the predetermined time interval; and

releasing the half-duplex communication paths by the session server as a result of receiving the loss of speech signal.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said establishing step establishes half-duplex communication paths using Internet protocol addressing and wherein the media resource node replicates Internet protocol packets.

7. The method according to claim 5 further comprising the steps of establishing a wireless communication link between an originating user'"'"'s radio and a wireless node in the telecommunications system, and transporting speech received from the originating user'"'"'s radio over the wireless communication link in Internet protocol packets containing the received speech.