Method and System for Floor Control for Group Call Telecommunications Services

• US 20070133435A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Synnergren, Per, Eneroth, Goran
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/260
• 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: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/06 Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/566 relating to a participants right to speak arrangements for multi-party communication with floor control, e.g. for conferences, H04L65/4038, H04L65/4046, H04L65/4053
• 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

A telecommunications network (10) comprises a group call service server (18) which facilitates a group call over a radio interface (32) between different user equipment units (30) in a defined group within the telecommunications network. The group call service server (18) receives a floor request from a requesting user equipment unit (32j) included in the group, and handles the floor request based on a media type associated with the floor request. In conjunction with such handling, in one aspect of its operation the group call service server prioritizes the floor request from the user equipment unit based on the media type (e.g., based on delay sensitivity of the media type associated with the floor request). In one example implementation, the group call service server comprises a queue (42) and a floor request handler (40). The group call service server queues the floor request from the requesting user equipment in the queue (42); the floor request handler (40) prioritizes the floor request within the queue based on the media type. In a specific example implementation, the group call service is Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) and the group call service server comprises PoC server situated in a service network. Also provided are a group call service which handles the floor request based on a media type, and a message format for the floor request itself.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A group call service server which facilitates a group call over a radio interface between different user equipment units in a defined group within a telecommunications network, wherein said group call service server handles a floor request from a requesting user equipment unit included in the group based on a media type associated with the floor request, said floor request comprising a floor request message which includes an indication of the media type associated with the floor request or an indication of message size, said call service server comprising:

a queue wherein the group call service server queues the floor request from the requesting user equipment; and

,

a floor request handler which prioritizes the floor request within the queue based on the media type.

25. The group call service server according to claim 24, wherein the group call service server handles the floor request independently of application or transport protocols used to convey the floor control messages.

26. The group call service server according to claim 24, wherein the group call service is Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) and the group call service server comprises a PoC server.

27. The group call service server according to claim 24, wherein the requesting user equipment unit is configured so that, while the requesting user equipment receives a first service, a second media service which is associated with the request can be uploaded to the group call service server.

28. A telecommunications group call service, hosted by a telecommunications network server, which facilitates a group call over a radio interface between different user equipment units in a defined group within the telecommunications network, wherein the group call service handles a floor request from a requesting user equipment unit included in the group based on a media type associated with the floor request, wherein the floor request comprises a floor request message which includes an indication of the media type associated with the floor request and wherein the group call service prioritizes the floor request from the requesting user equipment unit based on the media type and wherein the group call service queues the floor request from the requesting user equipment unit and prioritizes the floor request within the queue based on the media type.

29. The telecommunications group call service according to claim 28, wherein the group call service handles the floor request independently of application or transport protocols used to convey the floor control messages.

30. The telecommunications group call service according to claim 28, wherein the group call service is a Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) which is hosted by a PoC server.

31. The telecommunications group call service according to claim 28, wherein the floor request comprises a floor request message which includes an indication of the media type associated with the floor request and/or an indication of message size.

32. The telecommunications group call service according to claim 28, wherein the requesting user equipment unit is configured so that, while the requesting user equipment receives first service, a second media service which is associated with the request can be uploaded to a group call service server.

33. A method of operating a telecommunications group call service, hosted by a telecommunications network, which facilitates a group call over a radio interface between different user equipment units in a defined group within the telecommunications network, wherein handling of a floor request from a requesting user equipment unit included in the group is based on a media type associated with the floor request, wherein the floor request comprises a floor request message, and wherein the method further comprises including in the floor request message an indication of the media type associated with the floor request and further comprising prioritizing the floor request from the requesting user equipment unit based on the media type, said method comprising the steps of:

queuing the floor request from the requesting user equipment in a queue;

prioritizing the floor request within the queue based on the media type.

34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising handling the floor request independently of application or transport protocols used to convey the floor control messages.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein the group call service is a Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) and the group call service server comprises a PoC server.

36. The method according to claim 33, wherein the floor request comprises a floor request message, and wherein the method further comprises including in the floor request message an indication of message size.

37. The method according to claim 33, further comprising, while the requesting user equipment receives a first service, uploading a second media service which is associated with the request to a group call service server.