Push-to talk over Ad-Hoc networks

• US 20060002328A1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IoT Innovations LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Naghian, Siamak
• Granted Patent: US 7,394,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

The invention proposes a network system comprising a plurality of network nodes (10, 11), each of the network nodes comprising means (103, 113) for temporarily forming a group with at least one of the plurality of network nodes, sending means (101, 111) for sending information (which may include voice, text message, images etc.) to the group and receiving means (102, 112) for receiving information from the group, wherein the sending means and the receiving means are configured to provide a direct contact via a radio connection (12) between at least two network nodes of the group. The invention also proposes a corresponding method, a corresponding network node and network control nodes for assisting in forming temporary groups.

Claims

1. A network system comprising a plurality of network nodes, wherein:

each of a plurality of network nodes comprises means for temporarily forming a group with at least one of the plurality of network nodes, sending means for sending information to the group and receiving means for receiving information from the group, and

wherein the sending means and the receiving means are configured to provide a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the group.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the radio connection is a half-duplex radio connection.

3. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the sending means is configured to forward information received by the receiving means from another network node to a further network node.

4. The network system according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of network nodes are provided, wherein at least one of the plurality of network nodes comprises means for selecting a path between a source node and a destination node.

5. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the radio connection is realised by a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Bluetooth and Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

6. The network system according to claim 1, wherein:

two groups of

network nodes are formed;

a connection between the two groups is provided via a third group of network nodes; and

network nodes of the third group are configured to forward information sent between the two groups.

7. The network system according to claim 1, wherein two groups of network nodes are formed, and wherein a connection between the two groups is provided via a mobile communication network.

8. The network system according to claim 7, wherein the two groups are connected to a mobile communication network, and the mobile communication network comprises means for assisting in establishing the connection between the two groups.

9. The network system according to claim 7, wherein in each of the two groups one network node is connected to the mobile communication network and is configured to act as a gateway node for other network nodes of a corresponding group.

10. The network system according to claim 7, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a packet network.

11. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a network control node comprising means for assisting the plurality of network nodes in establishing a group.

12. The network system according to claim 8, wherein the means for assisting comprises means for providing routing information, security information and group creation information.

13. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the group is identified by one of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), a group identifier, and an Internet Protocol address.

14. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the group is an ad hoc network group, and the radio connection provides a push-to talk service.

15. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises one of voice, text message, and images.

16. A method for controlling a network system comprising a plurality of network nodes, comprising the steps of:

temporarily forming a group including at least two of the plurality of network nodes,

sending and receiving information between at least two network nodes of the group,

wherein in the sending and receiving step a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the group is provided.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of sending and receiving further comprises providing a direct contact via a half-duplex radio connection between the at least two network nodes of the group.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

forwarding information received by a network node from another network node to a further network node.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein a plurality of network nodes are provided, the method further comprising the step of:

selecting a path between a source node and a destination node.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the radio connection is realised by a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Bluetooth and/or Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein two groups of network nodes are formed, and a connection between the two groups is provided via a third group of network nodes, the method further comprising the step of:

forwarding information sent between the two groups of network nodes by network nodes of the third group.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein two groups of network nodes are formed, and a connection between the two groups is provided via a mobile communication network.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the two groups are connected to the mobile communication network, further comprising the step of:

assisting in establishing the connection between the two groups by a network control node of the mobile communication network.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein in each of the two groups one network node is connected to the mobile communication network and acts as a gateway node for other network nodes of a corresponding group.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of assisting further comprises assisting in establishing the connection between the two groups by a network control node of a packet network.

26. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

assisting the plurality of network nodes in establishing a group by a network control node.

27. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of providing routing information, security information and group creation information by the network control node.

28. The method according to claim 16, wherein the group is identified by one of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), a group identifier, and an Internet Protocol address.

29. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of temporarily forming the group further comprises temporarily forming an ad hoc network group including at least two of the plurality of network nodes, and wherein the radio connection provides a push-to talk service.

30. The method according to claim 16, wherein the information comprises one of voice, text message and images.

31. A network node, comprising:

forming means for temporarily forming a group with at least one of a plurality of further network nodes;

sending means for sending information to the group; and

receiving means for receiving information from the group;

wherein the sending means and the receiving means are configured to provide a direct contact via a radio connection to at least one further network node of the group.

32. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the radio connection is a half-duplex radio connection.

33. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the sending means is configured to forward information received by the receiving means from another network node to a further network node.

34. The network node according to claim 33, further comprising means for selecting a path between a source node and a destination node of a plurality of network nodes.

35. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the radio connection is realised by a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Bluetooth and Ultra Wide Band (UWB).

36. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the network node comprises means for connecting to a mobile communication network.

37. The network node according to claim 36, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a packet network.

38. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the group forming means is configured to identify the group by one of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), a group identifier, and an Internet Protocol address.

39. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the group is an ad hoc network group, and the radio connection provides a push-to talk service.

40. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the information comprises one of voice, text message, and images.

41. A network control node, comprising:

means for assisting network nodes in establishing a group;

wherein

a group of network nodes is formed temporarily and comprises at least two network nodes,

a connection between a network control node and at least one network node is established via a mobile communication network, and

the connection within each group is provided as a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the group.

43. The network control node according to claim 41, wherein the radio connection is a half-duplex radio connection.

45. The network control node according to claim 41, wherein the assisting means comprises means for providing routing information, security information and group creation information.

47. The network control node according to claim 41, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a packet network.

49. The network control node according to claim 41, wherein the group is identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

51. The network control node according to claim 41, wherein the group is an ad hoc network group, and the connection provides a push-to talk service.

42. A network control node, comprising:

means for assisting network nodes in establishing a connection between two groups of network nodes;

wherein

each group of network nodes is formed temporarily and comprises at least two network nodes,

a connection between a network control node and at least one network node is established via a mobile communication network, and

the connection within each group is provided as a direct contact via a radio connection between at least two network nodes of the group.

44. The network control node according to claim 42, wherein the radio connection is a half-duplex radio connection.

46. The network control node according to claim 42, wherein the assisting means comprises means for providing routing information, security information and group creation information.

48. The network control node according to claim 42, wherein the mobile communication network comprises a packet network.

50. The network control node according to claim 42, wherein the group is identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL).

52. The network control node according to claim 42, wherein the group is an ad hoc network group, and the connection provides a push-to talk service.