Method and communications arrangement for setting up a push-to-talk communications link and push-to-talk client unit

• US 20050261015A1
• Filed: 03/02/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Schwagmann, Norbert, Schmidt, Andreas, Laumen, Josef
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• 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

Abstract

Within the scope of a setup of a push-to-talk communications link, a link setup message is transmitted from a first push-to-talk client unit to a push-to-talk server unit. The link setup message contains a mode information item which specifies whether the client unit desires a setup of the communications link in the unconfirmed indication mode or in the confirmed indication mode.

Claims

1. A method for setting up a push-to-talk communications link between a first push-to-talk client unit and at least one second push-to-talk client unit, the method comprising:

transmitting a push-to-talk connection setup message from the first push-to-talk client unit to a push-to-talk server unit, wherein the push-to-talk connection setup message contains a mode information item with which a communications link mode which is to be used for a requested push-to-talk communications link is specified, wherein transmitted to the first push-to-talk client unit is an enable signal for the transmission of useful data depending on a communications link mode from the push-to-talk server unit at different times within the scope of the setup of the push-to-talk communications link; and

setting up the push-to-talk communications link is from the push-to-talk server unit to the at least one second push-to-talk client unit taking into account the mode information in the push-to-talk connection setup message.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the useful data comprises at least one of:

voice data, image data, or textual data.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mobile telephone communications link is set up as the push-to-talk communications link.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an unconfirmed indication mode or a confirmed indication mode can be selected by means of the mode information.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in order to set up the push-to-talk communications link, a communications protocol is used which is implemented in at least one of the following layers according to an OSI reference model:

a session layer, a presentation layer or an application layer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein an initiation protocol session is used to set up the push-to-talk communications link.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the push-to-talk link setup message comprises a session initiation protocol INVITE message.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the push-to-talk link setup message is transmitted by means of a transport control protocol or by means of a user datagram protocol.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, in which the user datagram protocol messages are transmitted by means of an Internet protocol.

10. A push-to-talk client unit having:

a unit for forming a push-to-talk link setup message, wherein the push-to-talk link setup message contains a mode information item with which a communications link mode which is to be used for a requested push-to-talk communications link is specified, wherein the first push-to-talk client unit receives an enable signal for transmitting useful data as a function of the communications link mode from a push-to-talk server unit at different times within the scope of the setup of the push-to-talk communications link, and

a transmitter unit for transmitting the push-to-talk link setup message to a push-to-talk server unit.

20. The push-to-talk client unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the useful data comprises at least one of:

voice data, image data, or textual data.

21. The push-to-talk client unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein a mobile telephone communications link is set up as the push-to-talk communications link.

22. The push-to-talk client unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein an unconfirmed indication mode or a confirmed indication mode can be selected by means of the mode information.

23. The push-to-talk client unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein in order to set up the push-to-talk communications link, a communications protocol is used which is implemented in at least one of the following layers according to an OSI reference model:

a session layer, a presentation layer or an application layer.

24. The push-to-talk client unit as claimed in claim 23, wherein an initiation protocol session is used to set up the push-to-talk communications link.

25. The push-to-talk client unit as claimed in claim 24, wherein the push-to-talk link setup message comprises a session initiation protocol INVITE message.

26. The push-to-talk client unit as claimed in claim 23, wherein the push-to-talk link setup message is transmitted by means of a transport control protocol or by means of a user datagram protocol.

27. The push-to-talk client unit as claimed in claim 26, in which the user datagram protocol messages are transmitted by means of an Internet protocol.

11. A communications arrangement for setting up a push-to-talk communications link between a first push-to-talk client unit and at least one second push-to-talk client unit, having:

a first push-to-talk client unit which has;

a unit for forming a push-to-talk link setup message, wherein the push-to-talk link setup message contains a mode information item with which a communications link mode which is to be used for a requested push-to-talk communications link is specified, wherein the first push-to-talk client unit receives an enable signal for transmitting useful data as a function of the communications link mode from a push-to-talk server unit at different times within the scope of the setup of the push-to-talk communications link, and

a transmitter unit for transmitting the push-to-talk link setup message to the push-to-talk server unit;

wherein the push-to-talk server unit has;

a receiver unit for receiving the push-to-talk connection setup message, and

a unit for setting up the push-to-talk communications link to the at least one second push-to-talk client unit according to the mode information in the push-to-talk connection setup message, and

wherein the at least one second push-to-talk client unit has;

a receiver unit for receiving the push-to-talk link setup message, and

a transmitter unit for transmitting push-to-talk messages to the push-to-talk server unit.

12. The communications arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the useful data comprises at least one of:

voice data, image data, or textual data.

13. The communications arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein a mobile telephone communications link is set up as the push-to-talk communications link.

14. The communications arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein an unconfirmed indication mode or a confirmed indication mode can be selected by means of the mode information.

15. The communications arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein in order to set up the push-to-talk communications link, a communications protocol is used which is implemented in at least one of the following layers according to an OSI reference model:

a session layer, a presentation layer or an application layer.

16. The communications arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein an initiation protocol session is used to set up the push-to-talk communications link.

17. The communications arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein the push-to-talk link setup message comprises a session initiation protocol INVITE message.

18. The communications arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the push-to-talk link setup message is transmitted by means of a transport control protocol or by means of a user datagram protocol.

19. The communications arrangement as claimed in claim 18, in which the user datagram protocol messages are transmitted by means of an Internet protocol.