System and method for providing an early notification when paging a wireless device

• US 20070192439A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bhaskaran, Hamsini
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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 system and method for a server to provide an early notification to a target group devices when paging a wireless device during a push-to-talk (PTT) communication. When a wireless device is ready to transmit a PTT communication, a message is sent from the wireless device to a server that then sends an early PING message to a base station while processing a call request message from the wireless device. After processing the call request message, the server sends an announce message to the base station. On receipt of the PING message, the base station sends a paging message to all targeted devices while processing the announce message. The early PING message causes a communication channel to be established between a targeted device and the base station, and the communication channel can then be used by the announce message with less set-up time.

Claims

1. A method for reducing queuing time for an activity announcement message during a push-to-talk (PTT) communication in a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:

receiving at a server a first message from an origination device, the first message invoking a PTT feature at the server;

identifying at least one targeted device for the PTT communication;

transmitting a second message from the server to the at least one targeted device, the second message having a header with an empty message body and being transmitted before the activity announcement message is sent by the server to the at least one target device; and

transmitting the activity announcement message from the server to the at least one target device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of allocating resources by the server to the origination device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of allocating resources further comprising the steps of:

selecting a vocoder for the PTT communication;

selecting a media hosting device for the PTT communication; and

checking for call restrictions for the at least one target device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a call request message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message is a PING message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at the server an acknowledgment message from the at least one target device; and

transmitting from the server a third message to the origination device.

7. A server capable of handling push-to-talk (PTT) communications in a communication network, wherein the server, upon receiving a call request message for a PTT communication,

identifies at least one target wireless device,

transmits a testing message to the at least one target wireless device before allocating resources to the PTT communication,

allocates resources to the at least one target wireless device, and

transmits an announce message to the at least one target wireless device after allocating the resources to the PTT communication.

8. The server of claim 7, wherein the server further checks call limitations for the least one target wireless device before transmitting the testing message to the at least one target wireless device.

9. The server of claim 7, wherein the server further selects a vocoder and a media host for the PTT communication after transmitting the testing message to the at least one target wireless device.

10. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a computer program for reducing queuing time for an activity announcement message during a push-to-talk (PTT) communication in a wireless communication network, the computer program comprising computer instructions that when executed by a server performs the steps of:

receiving at the server a first message from an origination device;

invoking a PTT feature at the server after receiving the first message;

identifying at least one targeted device for the PTT communication;

transmitting a second message from the server to the at least one targeted device, the second message having a header with an empty message body and being transmitted before the activity announcement message is sent by the server to the at least one target device; and

transmitting the activity announcement message from the server to the at least one target device.

11. The computer program of claim 10;

when executed by the server further performs the step of allocating resources by the server to the origination device.

13. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the first message is a call request message.

14. The computer program of claim 10, wherein the second message is a PING message.

15. The computer program of claim 10, when executed by the server further performs the steps of:

receiving at the server an acknowledgment message from the at least one target device; and

transmitting from the server a third message to the origination device.

12. The method of computer program 11, wherein the step of allocating resources further comprising the steps of:

selecting a vocoder for the PTT communication;

selecting a media hosting device for the PTT communication; and

checking for call restrictions for the at least one target device.

16. A system for reducing queuing time for an activity announcement message during a push-to-talk (PTT) communication in a wireless communication network, comprising:

a server in communication with the wireless communication network, the server selectively transmitting to a user device a plurality of messages;

a base station in communication with the server and the user device; and

a user device capable of communicating with the server through the base station,

wherein the server, upon receiving a call request message from the user device for a PTT communication,

identifies at least one target wireless device,

transmits a testing message to the at least one target wireless device before the server allocates resources to the PTT communication, and

transmits an announce message to the at least one target wireless device after allocating the resources to the PTT communication.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the server further checks call limitations for the least one target wireless device before transmitting the testing message to the at least one target wireless device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the server further selects a vocoder and a media host for the PTT communication after transmitting the testing message to the at least one target wireless device.