System and method for forming ad-hoc location-based multicast group

• US 20070173273A1
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gogic, Aleksandar
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2073 Multipoint, e.g. messaging, broadcast or group SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/06 Transport layer protocols, e.g. TCP [Transport Control Protocol] over wireless transmission control protocol/Internet protocol [TCP/IP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16

Abstract

A system, method, and media for providing group communication services to an ad-hoc group formed according to vicinity with other users of communication devices in a communication system. Communicating among a communication group of a plurality of wireless communication devices in a communication system includes forming the communication group including transmitting an invitation including group membership location criteria to join the communication group to the plurality of wireless communication devices. The group membership location criteria is evaluated at each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation and the communication group is formed by ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices that meet the group membership location criteria. Permission to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group is granted to one of the wireless communication devices of the communication group.

Claims

1. A method of communicating among a communication group of a plurality of wireless communication devices in a communication system, comprising:

forming the communication group, including;

transmitting an invitation to join the communication group to the plurality of wireless communication devices, the invitation including group membership location criteria;

evaluating the group membership location criteria at each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation; and

forming the communication group comprised of ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices that meet the group membership location criteria; and

granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the communication group further comprises accepting the invitation to join the communication group by each of the plurality of wireless communication devices that meet the group membership location criteria.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting a flag in a first common channel directing the plurality of wireless communication devices to monitor a second common channel including the invitation.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first common channel is a paging channel.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the second common channel is an emergency common channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the group membership location criteria comprises comparing the present location of each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation with the group membership location criteria to determine ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices that are inclusive of the group membership location criteria.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit, further comprises determining availability of communication resources to grant in the communication system and when the communication resources are available, granting access to the communication resources to the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit, further comprises denying grant of access to communication resources of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices when floor restriction criteria restrict access of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to communication resources.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit, further comprises prioritizing grant of access to communication resources of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices when prioritization criteria prioritizes access of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to communication resources.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit, further comprises requesting by another for permission for the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising releasing by another the permission of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

12. In a wireless communication device, a method of communicating in a communication group of a plurality of wireless communication devices in a communication system, comprising:

joining the communication group, including;

receiving an invitation to join the communication group to the plurality of wireless communication devices, the invitation including group membership location criteria;

evaluating the group membership location criteria at each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation; and

joining the communication group; and

transmitting to other ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group upon receipt of permission to transmit in the communication system to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming the communication group further comprises accepting the invitation to join the communication group when the wireless communication device meets the group membership location criteria.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising monitoring a first common channel for a flag directing the wireless communication device to monitor a second common channel including the invitation.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first common channel is a paging channel.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the second common channel is an emergency common channel.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein evaluating the group membership location criteria comprises comparing the present location of the wireless communication device with the group membership location criteria to determine if the wireless communication device is inclusive of the group membership location criteria.

18. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a communication manager including a dispatcher interface configured to generate an invitation to join a communication group, the invitation including group membership location criteria, the communication manager further configured to grant to one of the group permission to transmit to others of the communication group;

a base station configured to transmit the invitation to join the communication group; and

a plurality of wireless communication devices configured to evaluate the group membership location criteria at each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation, ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices meeting the group membership location criteria further configured to accept the invitation to join the communication group, one of the plurality of wireless communication devices further configured to receive the permission to transmit and to transmit to others of the communication group in response thereto.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the communication manager and the base station are further configured to broadcast a flag in a first common channel directing the plurality of wireless communication devices to monitor a second common channel including the invitation.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 19, wherein the first common channel is a paging channel.

21. The wireless communication system of claim 19, wherein the second common channel is an emergency common channel.

22. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of wireless communication devices is further configured to compare the present location of the each of the plurality of wireless communication devices with the group membership location criteria to determine if the each of the plurality of wireless communication devices that are inclusive of the group membership location criteria.

23. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the communication manager is further configured to determine availability of communication resources to grant in the communication system and when the communication resources are available, to grant access to the communication resources to the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

24. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the communication manager is further configured to deny grant of access to communication resources of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices when floor restriction criteria restrict access of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to communication resources.

25. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the communication manager is further configured to prioritize grant of access to communication resources of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices when prioritization criteria prioritizes access of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to communication resources.

26. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the communication manager is further configured to grant to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit when requested by another for permission for the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

27. The wireless communication manager of claim 18, wherein the communication manager is further configured to release by another the permission of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

28. A communication device for communicating in a communication group of a plurality of wireless communication devices, comprising:

means for joining the communication group, including;

means for receiving an invitation to join the communication group to the plurality of wireless communication devices, the invitation including group membership location criteria;

means for evaluating the group membership location criteria at each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation; and

means for joining the communication group; and

means for transmitting to other ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group upon receipt of permission to transmit in a communication system to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

29. The communication device of claim 28, wherein the means for forming the communication group further comprises means for accepting the invitation to join the communication group when the wireless communication device meets the group membership location criteria.

30. The communication device of claim 28, further comprising means for monitoring a first common channel for a flag directing the wireless communication device to monitor a second common channel including the invitation.

31. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the first common channel is a paging channel.

32. The communication device of claim 29, wherein the second common channel is an emergency common channel.

33. The communication device of claim 28, wherein means for evaluating the group membership location criteria comprises means for comparing the present location of the wireless communication device with the group membership location criteria to determine if the wireless communication device is inclusive of the group membership location criteria.

34. A computer readable media embodying a method of communicating among a communication group of a plurality of wireless communication devices in a communication system, the method comprising:

forming the communication group, including;

transmitting an invitation to join the communication group to the plurality of wireless communication devices, the invitation including group membership location criteria;

evaluating the group membership location criteria at each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation; and

forming the communication group comprised of ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices that meet the group membership location criteria; and

granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

35. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 34, wherein in the method wherein the forming the communication group further comprises accepting the invitation to join the communication group by each of the plurality of wireless communication devices that meet the group membership location criteria.

36. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises broadcasting a flag in a first common channel directing the plurality of wireless communication devices to monitor a second common channel including the invitation.

37. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 34, wherein in the method wherein the evaluating the group membership location criteria comprises comparing the present location of each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation with the group membership location criteria to determine ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices that are inclusive of the group membership location criteria.

38. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 34, wherein in the method wherein the granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit, further comprises denying grant of access to communication resources of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices when floor restriction criteria restrict access of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to communication resources.

39. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 34, wherein in the method wherein the granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit, further comprises prioritizing grant of access to communication resources of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices when prioritization criteria prioritizes access of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to communication resources.

40. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 34, wherein in the method wherein the granting to one of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group permission to transmit, further comprises requesting by another for permission for the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices.

41. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises releasing by another the permission of the one of the plurality of wireless communication devices to transmit to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

42. A computer readable media embodying a method of communicating in a communication group of a plurality of wireless communication devices in a communication system, the method comprising:

joining the communication group, including;

receiving an invitation to join the communication group to the plurality of wireless communication devices, the invitation including group membership location criteria;

evaluating the group membership location criteria at each of the plurality of wireless communication devices receiving the invitation; and

joining the communication group; and

transmitting to other ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group upon receipt of permission to transmit in the communication system to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices of the communication group.

43. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 42, wherein in the method wherein the forming the communication group further comprises accepting the invitation to join the communication group when the wireless communication device meets the group membership location criteria.

44. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 42, the method further comprising monitoring a first common channel for a flag directing the wireless communication device to monitor a second common channel including the invitation.

45. The computer readable media embodying the method of claim 42, wherein in the method wherein the evaluating the group membership location criteria comprises comparing the present location of the wireless communication device with the group membership location criteria to determine if the wireless communication device is inclusive of the group membership location criteria.