Assignment of token to PTT communications

• US 20060040688A1
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshimachi, Hiroshi, Kuroda, Yuri
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• 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 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A PTT communication system includes a plurality of terminals having respective PTT buttons, a management server for managing advertisements or contents, and a PTT communication server for controlling a token for PTT communications. When the PTT button of either one of the terminals is pressed, the PTT communication server assigns a token to the terminal with the pressed PTT button, and sends communication data from the terminal with the pressed PTT button to another terminal. When the PTT button of any one of the terminals is not pressed, the PTT communication server assigns a token to the management server which is equipped with no PTT button, and distributes advertisements or contents selected by the management server to which the token is assigned to the terminals.

Claims

1. A PTT communication system comprising:

a plurality of terminals connected to a network and having respective PTT buttons for obtaining a token for PTT communications;

a management server connected to said network, for managing advertisements or contents; and

a PTT communication server connected to said network, for controlling a token for PTT communications;

said PTT communication server comprising;

terminal state monitoring means for monitoring pressed states of the PTT buttons of the respective terminals;

token control means for assigning a token to one of the terminals whose PTT button is pressed and sending communication data transmitted from the terminal whose PTT button is pressed through said network, to another one of the terminals through said network, when the PTT button of said one of the terminals is pressed, and for assigning a token to said management server when the PTT button of any one of said terminals is not pressed; and

distribution control means for distributing advertisements or contents selected by said management server to said terminals through said network when said token control means assigns a token to said management server.

2. A PTT communication system according to claim 1, wherein each of said terminals comprises:

positional information calculating means for calculating positional information as to the present position of the terminal; and

terminal state indicating means for indicating the pressed state of said PTT button of the terminal and the positional information as to the present position of the terminal to said PTT communication server through said network;

said PTT communication server further comprising;

managing means for managing profile information of users using said terminals, respectively;

wherein said distribution control means sends the profile information of users using said terminals and the positional information as to the present positions of the terminals through said network to said management server when a token is assigned to said management server; and

wherein said management server has selecting means for selecting advertisements or contents to be distributed to said terminals, based on at least one of the profile information of users using said terminals, the positional information as to the present positions of the terminals, and present time information, when a token is assigned to said management server by said PTT communication server, and for sending the selected advertisements or contents to said PTT communication server through said network.

3. A PTT communication system according to claim 2, wherein said selecting means selects advertisements or contents common to said terminals when a token is assigned to said management server by said PTT communication server.

4. A PTT communication system according to claim 2, wherein said selecting means selects advertisements or contents individually for said terminals when a token is assigned to said management server by said PTT communication server.

5. A PTT communication system according to claim 1, wherein said PTT communication server further comprises:

distribution limiting time managing means for managing a distribution limiting time at which the distribution of advertisements or contents to said terminals is to be limited;

wherein said distribution control means limits the distribution of advertisements or contents to said terminals if the present time corresponds to said distribution limiting time when said distribution control means is to distribute advertisements or contents to said terminals.

6. A PTT communication system according to claim 5, wherein said distribution limiting time managed by said distribution control means is set individually for each of said terminals.

7. A PTT communication system according to claim 5, wherein said distribution limiting time managed by said distribution control means is set by said management server.

8. A PTT communication system comprising:

a plurality of terminals connected to a network and having respective PTT buttons for obtaining a token for PTT communications;

an interphone connected to said network and installed in a predetermined location; and

a PTT communication server connected to said network, for controlling a token for PTT communications;

said PTT communication server comprising;

terminal state monitoring means for monitoring pressed states of the PTT buttons of the respective terminals;

token control means for assigning a token to one of the terminals whose PTT button is pressed and sending communication data transmitted from the terminal whose PTT button is pressed through said network, to another one of the terminals through said network, when the PTT button of said one of the terminals is pressed, and for assigning a token to said interphone and sending communication data transmitted from said interphone through said network to said terminals through said network, when the PTT button of any one of said terminals is not pressed.

9. A method of performing PTT communications in an PTT communication system having a plurality of terminals connected to a network and having respective PTT buttons for obtaining a token for PTT communications, a management server connected to said network, for managing advertisements or contents, and a PTT communication server connected to said network, for controlling a token for PTT communications, comprising the steps of:

(a) indicating the pressed state of the PTT button of each of said terminals from each of said terminals through said network to said PTT communication server;

(b) assigning a token from said PTT communication server to said management server when the PTT button of any one of said terminals is not pressed;

(c) selecting advertisements or contents with said management server to which the token is assigned, and sending the selected advertisements or contents from said management server to said PTT communication server through said network; and

(d) distributing the advertisements or contents selected by said management server to which the token is assigned, from said PTT communication server through said network to said terminals.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

(e) calculating positional information of the present position of each of the terminals and sending the calculated positional information from each of the terminals through said network to said PTT communication server; and

(f) sending profile information of users using said terminals and the positional information of said terminals through said network to said management server when said management server assigns a token to said management server;

wherein in said step (c), said management server to which the token is assigned selects advertisements or contents to be distributed to said terminals, based on at least one of the profile information of users using said terminals, the positional information of the terminals, and present time information.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein in said step (c), said management server to which the token is assigned selects advertisements or contents common to said terminals.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein in said step (c), said management server to which the token is assigned selects advertisements or contents individually for said terminals.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein in said step (d), if the present time corresponds to a distribution limiting time at which the distribution of advertisements or contents to said terminals is to be limited, said PTT communication server limits the distribution of advertisements or contents to said terminals.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said distribution limiting time is set individually for each of said terminals.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein said distribution limiting time is set by said management server.

16. A method of performing PTT communications in an PTT communication system having a plurality of terminals connected to a network and having respective PTT buttons for obtaining a token for PTT communications, an interphone connected to said network and installed in a predetermined location, and a PTT communication server connected to said network, for controlling a token for PTT communications, comprising the steps of:

(a) indicating the pressed state of the PTT button of each of said terminals from each of said terminals through said network to said PTT communication server;

(b) assigning a token from said PTT communication server to said interphone when the PTT button of any one of said terminals is not pressed; and

(c) sending communication data transmitted from said interphone through said network to said terminals through said network when said PTT communication server assigns a token to said interphone.

17. A PTT communication server for controlling a token for PTT communications, comprising:

terminal state monitoring means for monitoring pressed states of PTT buttons of respective terminals through a network;

token control means for assigning a token to one of the terminals whose PTT button is pressed and sending communication data transmitted from the terminal whose PTT button is pressed through said network, to another one of the terminals through said network, when the PTT button of said one of the terminals is pressed, and for assigning a token to a management server connected to the network when the PTT button of any one of said terminals is not pressed; and

distribution control means for distributing advertisements or contents selected by said management server to said terminals through said network when said token control means assigns a token to said management server.

18. A PTT communication server according to claim 17, further comprising:

managing means for managing profile information of users using said terminals, respectively;

wherein said terminal state monitoring means monitors positional information of said terminals through said network; and

wherein said distribution control means sends the profile information of users using said terminals and the positional information of the terminals through said network to said management server when a token is assigned to said management server, to cause said management server to select advertisements or contents based on the sent information.

19. A PTT communication server according to claim 18, wherein said distribution control means distributes advertisements or contents selected commonly for said terminals by said management server, to said terminals through said network.

20. A PTT communication server according to claim 18, wherein said distribution control means distributes advertisements or contents selected individually for said terminals by said management server, to said terminals through said network.

21. A PTT communication server according to claim 17, further comprising:

distribution limiting time managing means for managing a distribution limiting time at which the distribution of advertisements or contents to said terminals is to be limited;

wherein said distribution control means limits the distribution of advertisements or contents to said terminals if the present time corresponds to said distribution limiting time when said distribution control means is to distribute advertisements or contents to said terminals.

22. A PTT communication server according to claim 21, wherein the distribution limiting time managed by said distribution limiting time managing means is set individually for said terminals.

23. A PTT communication server according to claim 21, wherein the distribution limiting time managed by said distribution limiting time managing means is set by said management server.

24. A PTT communication server for controlling a token for PTT communications, comprising:

terminal state monitoring means for monitoring pressed states of PTT buttons of respective terminals through a network; and

distribution control means for assigning a token to one of the terminals whose PTT button is pressed and sending communication data transmitted from the terminal whose PTT button is pressed through said network, to another one of the terminals through said network, when the PTT button of said one of the terminals is pressed, and for assigning a token to an interphone connected to the network and sending communication data transmitted from said interphone through said network to said terminals through said network, when the PTT button of any one of said terminals is not pressed.