Data loss control in a push to communicate network

• US 20060171338A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lim, Guk-Chan
• Granted Patent: US 7,675,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/278
• 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 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

An audio data retransmission method in a push to communicate (PTx) terminal for transmitting data by pressing a PTx key is provided. The method comprises transmitting data using a transmitting PTx terminal; storing the data in a buffer; and retransmitting the data when receiver requests retransmission due to a loss in communications.

Claims

1. A data retransmission method in a push to communicate (PTx) communications network for transmitting data from a transmitting PTx terminal to a receiving PTx terminal, the method comprising:

transmitting first data from a transmitting PTx terminal to a receiving PTx terminal;

storing the first data; and

retransmitting the first data in response to the receiving PTx terminal requesting retransmission of the first data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is stored in a buffer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the buffer is implemented as at least one of an internal memory and an external memory in the transmitting PTx terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting the first data through a speaker in the retransmitting process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is deleted when a PTx key of the transmitting PTx terminal is pressed to transmit second data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a PTx key is implemented on the transmitting PTx terminal, such that interacting with the PTx key results in transmission of the first data.

7. An audio data retransmission method in a push to communicate (PTx) terminal for transmitting audio data, the method comprising:

setting an automatic audio retransmission function;

storing audio data, to be transmitted to a receiver PTx terminal, in a buffer; and

retransmitting the audio data stored in the buffer, in response to the receiver PTx terminal requesting retransmission of the audio data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the stored audio data is deleted after the audio data is successfully delivered to the receiver PTx terminal.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the PTx terminal comprises a designated PTx key for setting the automatic audio retransmission function.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the PTx terminal comprises a key on a keypad of the PTx terminal for activating the automatic audio retransmission function.

11. A mobile terminal apparatus that supports a push to communicate (PTx) function, the apparatus comprising:

a radio frequency unit adapted to communicate radio communication signals;

a codec adapted to process audio inputs provided by a user via a PTx function;

a memory adapted to store the processed audio inputs; and

a microprocessor unit adapted to control said codec to forward the processed audio inputs to said memory for storage after the processed audio inputs are transmitted to another user via said radio frequency unit, the microprocessor unit further adapted to control said radio frequency unit, said codec, and said memory to re-transmit the processed audio inputs stored in said memory, if said another user requests re-transmission of the processed audio inputs due to a loss in transmission.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processed audio inputs are temporarily stored in said memory until the user provides subsequent audio inputs via the PTx function.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processed audio inputs temporarily stored in said memory are deleted therefrom if said another user does not request re-transmission by the time the user provides the subsequent audio inputs via the PTx function.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mobile terminal is a PTx terminal.

15. A communication network configured for supporting a push to communicate (PTx) communication protocol, the communication network comprising a plurality of base stations in communication with a plurality of PTx terminals,

wherein a transmitting PTx terminal requests a talk burst grant from a PTx server for transmitting audio data to a receiving PTx terminal,

wherein the transmitting PTx terminal stores the audio data in a storage medium when the request for talk burst grant is submitted, so that if the receiving PTx terminal fails to receive the audio data, the stored audio data is retransmitted.

16. A data communication protocol for a push to communicate (PTx) mobile communications network comprising:

detecting a floor grant for data communication between a transmitting PTx terminal and a receiving PTx terminal;

determining whether a failure has occurred in transmitting first data to the receiving PTx terminal; and

notifying the transmitting PTx terminal of failure in data transmission, wherein the transmitting PTx terminal retransmits the first data in response to receiving a failure notice, and wherein the first data is stored in a storage medium of the transmitting PTx terminal.

17. The data communication protocol of claim 16, wherein the failure in transmitting the first data is determined, when a threshold time has lapsed from time of the floor grant.

18. The data communication protocol of claim 16, wherein the failure in transmitting the first data is determined, when the transmitting PTx terminal does not receive an acknowledgement of receipt from the receiving PTx terminal.

19. The data communication protocol of claim 16, wherein the transmitting PTx terminal automatically retransmits the first data.

20. The data communication protocol of claim 16, wherein the transmitting PTx terminal retransmits the first data in response to user interaction with the transmitting PTx terminal.

21. A push to communicate (PTx) terminal comprising:

a transmitting unit for requesting a floor grant for data communication between a transmitting PTx terminal and a receiving PTx terminal;

memory for storing the first data in a storage medium of the transmitting PTx terminal; and

a processing unit for determining a communication failure, if a failure occurs in transmitting first data to the receiving PTx terminal,

wherein in response to determining a communication failure, the transmitting PTx terminal retransmits the first data.

22. The PTx terminal of claim 21, wherein the failure in transmitting the first data is determined, when a threshold time has lapsed from time of the floor grant.

23. The PTx terminal of claim 21, wherein the failure in transmitting the first data is determined, when the transmitting PTx terminal does not receive an acknowledgement of receipt from the receiving PTx terminal.

24. The PTx terminal of claim 21, wherein the transmitting PTx terminal automatically retransmits the first data.

25. The PTx terminal of claim 21, wherein the transmitting PTx terminal retransmits the first data in response to user interaction with the transmitting PTx terminal.

26. The PTx terminal of claim 21, wherein the PTx terminal is the transmitting PTx terminal.