Method for changing between a packet-oriented PTT session and a circuit-oriented telephone connection between at least two radio communication appliances, associated radio communication appliance, network component and radio communication system

• US 20050180394A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schwagmann, Norbert, Laumen, Josef, Kautz, Olaf
• Granted Patent: US 7,522,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• 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 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• 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

Provided are a method for changing between a packet-oriented PTT session and a circuit-oriented telephone connection between at least two radio communication appliances, an associated radio communication appliance, a network component and a radio communication system. To change between a packet-oriented PTT session and a circuit-oriented telephone connection as selectable communication connections between at least one first connected radio communication appliance and at least one second connected radio communication appliance in a radio communication system, a first of these two communication connections is selected and set up by at least one connected radio communication appliance and/or by at least one control unit in the radio network in the radio communication system. A change is made from this first communication connection, which has been set up, to the second communication connection under the control of a radio communication appliance which is connected to the first communication connection and/or under the control of that control unit in the radio network in the radio communication system which is connected to the first communication connection by activating the second communication connection while the first communication connection still exists.

Claims

1. A method for changing between a packet-oriented PTT session and a circuit-oriented telephone connection as two selectable communication connections between at least one first connected radio communication appliance and at least one second connected radio communication appliance in a radio communication system, the method comprising:

selecting and setting up a first of the two communication connections by at least one of the at least one connected radio communication appliance and at least one control unit in a radio network in the radio communication system; and

changing from the first communication connection, which has already been set up, to a second of the two communication connections under control of at least one of the radio communication appliance which is connected to the first communication connection and a first control unit in the radio network in the radio communication system which is connected to the first communication connection by activating the second communication connection while the first communication connection still exists.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the first radio communication appliance uses the first communication connection, which has already been set up, to send the second radio communication appliance at least one control signal which is used to notify the second radio communication appliance of a need for the first radio communication appliance to change from the first communication connection to the second communication connection.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second radio communication appliance is connected to the first communication connection, which has already been set up, sends the first control unit which is responsible for the first communication connection at least one control signal which is used to notify the first control unit of a need for at least one the first and the second radio communication appliances to change from the first communication connection to the second communication connection.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second radio communication appliance is connected to the first communication connection, which has already been set up, sends a second control unit which is responsible for the second communication connection, which needs to be set up, at least one control signal which is used to notify the control unit of a need for at least one of the first and the second radio communication appliances to change from the first communication connection to the second communication connection.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1. wherein the first control unit connected to the first communication connection, which has already been set up, sends a control signal relating to a need for at least one of the first and the second radio communication appliances to change to a second control unit which is responsible for activating and setting up the second communication connection.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one control signal has inserted into it at least one of:

at least one address parameters for at least one of the second radio communication appliance, connected to the second communication connection, to which the need to change is directed and the first radio communication appliance, connected to the first communication connection, from which the need to change issues; and

at least one identification parameter for distinguishing the first communication connection, which has already been set up, from the second communication connection, which needs to be set up.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one identification parameter in the control signal is used to associate the first communication connection, which has already been set up, with the second communication connection, which is yet to be set up, such that an explicit link is brought about between the first communication connection and the second communication connection.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first communication connection is cleared down and terminated after the second communication connection has been established.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after the second communication connection has been established, the second communication connection is set up and maintained in parallel with the first communication connection, which has already been set up.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit used for the packet-oriented PTT session is a PTT server.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit used for the circuit-oriented telephone connection is an MSC switching unit.

12. A radio communication appliance for use in a method for changing between a packet-oriented PTT session and a circuit-oriented telephone connection as two selectable communication connections between the radio communication appliance and at least one further radio communication appliance in a radio communication system, comprising a control unit wherein a first of the two communication connections is selected and set up by the control unit, and a change is made from the first communication connection, which has already been set up, to a second of the two communication connections under control of the control unit which is connected to the first communication connection by activating the second communication connection while the first communication connection still exists.

13. A network component for use in a method for changing between a packet-oriented PTT session and a circuit-oriented telephone connection as two selectable telecommunication connections between at least one first connected radio communication appliance and at least one second connected radio communication appliance in a radio communication system, the network component comprising a control unit wherein a first of the two communication connections is selected and set up by the control unit in a radio network in the radio communication system, and a change is made from the first communication connection, which has already been set up, to a second of the two communication connections under control of the control unit in the radio network in the radio communication system which is connected to the first communication connection by activating the second communication connection while the first communication connection still exists.

14. A radio communication system having a first group of network components for selecting and providing a packet-oriented PTT session and a second group of network components for selecting and providing a circuit-oriented telephone connection as two selectable communication connections between at least one first connected radio communication appliance and at least one second connected radio communication appliance in the radio communication system, comprising control units in each of the first and second groups of network components wherein a first of the two communication connections is selected and set up by one of the control units in a radio network in the radio communication system, and a change is made from the first communication connection, which has already been set up, to a second of the two communication connections under control of the control unit in the radio network in the radio communication system which is connected to the first communication connection by activating the second communication connection while the first communication connection still exists.