System and method for facilitating roaming of push to talk subscribers across disparate dispatch networks
First Claim
1. A network for inter-working a plurality of dispatch networks, at least two of the dispatch networks having incompatible technologies, the network comprising:
- a core inter-working network;
a plurality of points-of-presence (POPs) connected to the core inter-working network; and
a plurality of border gateways interfacing each of the dispatch networks to at least one of the plurality of points-of-presence;
wherein the points-of-presence facilitate roaming of subscribers on the dispatch networks.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inter-working network facilitating PTT communications among roaming subscribers spanning a plurality of disparate dispatch networks includes a signaling controller, a media gateway, a system for facilitating the monetization of inter-carrier dispatch communications and a group management server. The signaling controller and media gateway generate dispatch call records for dispatch sessions facilitated through the inter-working network. The system includes a billing accumulator and a settlement entity. The billing accumulator is interfaced with the inter-working network and includes logic to receive and store the dispatch call data records from the inter-working architecture. The settlement entity is interfaced with the billing accumulator, and includes settlement logic for converting each stored dispatch call data record to a billing record for each of at least two of the dispatch networks. The group management server is interfaced with group management servers in each of the dispatch networks.
53 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A network for inter-working a plurality of dispatch networks, at least two of the dispatch networks having incompatible technologies, the network comprising:
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a core inter-working network;
a plurality of points-of-presence (POPs) connected to the core inter-working network; and
a plurality of border gateways interfacing each of the dispatch networks to at least one of the plurality of points-of-presence;
wherein the points-of-presence facilitate roaming of subscribers on the dispatch networks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An inter-working architecture for facilitating dispatch communications between a plurality of dispatch devices, including at least one roaming device, each operating on one of a plurality of dispatch networks, each having a separate administrative domain and operating on at least one of a plurality of technologies, comprising:
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a plurality of interfaces facilitating communications with each of the dispatch networks;
a signaling bridge adapted to convert session messages and signaling messages between the plurality of dispatch networks;
a signaling controller interfaced with the signaling bridge, the signaling controller adapted to manage a dispatch session between an originating dispatch network and at least one target dispatch network; and
a media gateway interfaced with the signaling controller, the media gateway adapted to convert real-time media between the originating dispatch network and the target dispatch network;
wherein all communications with an inter-working roaming subscriber are routed through the inter-working architecture. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for monetizing inter-working of a plurality of disparate dispatch networks, each dispatch network providing dispatch services to a plurality of subscriber units, including roaming subscribers from other dispatch networks, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a dispatch session request from an originating dispatch network, the dispatch session request identifying a group of the subscriber units spanning a plurality of target dispatch networks, wherein an originating subscriber unit is roaming on the originating dispatch network;
processing, in a point-of-presence, the dispatch session request, including allocating signaling and media resources;
forwarding the dispatch session request to a border gateway associated with each of the target dispatch networks;
facilitating the group session between the originating dispatch network and the target dispatch networks, wherein all communications between participating subscriber units are routed through a central network; and
generating an invoice for each of the originating dispatch network and target dispatch networks, including charges for facilitating the group session. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification