METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING PUSH-TO-TALK (PTT) LATENCY IN A WCDMA NETWORK
First Claim
1. A method of reducing latency when setting up a Push-to-Talk (PTT) session from a user terminal in a radio communication network, said method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a radio bearer for the user terminal when a user of the terminal indicates that a PTT session will be requested in the near future;
detecting that the user has requested that the PTT session be set up; and
sending a PTT request message to the network utilizing the radio bearer previously obtained for the user terminal.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for reducing latency when setting up a Push-to-Talk (PTT) session from a User Equipment (UE) in a WCDMA radio communication network. When a user opens a PTT application or accesses the contacts page, the UE obtains a radio bearer from the network. The UE may maintain the radio bearer until the session is requested by transmitting periodic Heartbeat messages to the network. The Heartbeat messages have a length sufficient to trigger the network to place the user terminal on a Dedicated Channel (DCH), and the time period between Heartbeat messages is short enough to prevent the UE from being removed from the DCH for inactivity. When the user presses the PTT button, a SIP INVITE message is immediately sent without delay.
28 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of reducing latency when setting up a Push-to-Talk (PTT) session from a user terminal in a radio communication network, said method comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining a radio bearer for the user terminal when a user of the terminal indicates that a PTT session will be requested in the near future; detecting that the user has requested that the PTT session be set up; and sending a PTT request message to the network utilizing the radio bearer previously obtained for the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method of reducing latency when setting up a Push-to-Talk (PTT) session from a user terminal in a radio communication network, said method comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining a radio bearer for the user terminal when a user of the terminal opens a PTT application on the terminal; periodically transmitting a Heartbeat message from the user terminal to the network to maintain the radio bearer while the PTT application is open; determining whether the user initiates the PTT session or closes the PTT application; if the user initiates the PTT session, sending a PTT request message to the network utilizing the radio bearer previously obtained for the user terminal; and if the user closes the PTT application, stopping the transmission of the Heartbeat messages, thereby allowing the network to deallocate the radio bearer. - View Dependent Claims (11)
-
-
12. An apparatus in a user terminal for reducing latency when setting up a Push-to-Talk (PTT) session in a radio communication network, said apparatus comprising:
-
a user interface for detecting that a user of the terminal has performed an action indicating that a PTT session will be requested in the near future; a controller in communication with the user interface for obtaining for the user terminal, a radio bearer from the network in response to the user performing the action, wherein the radio bearer is obtained prior to the user requesting the PTT session; means for the user to request the PTT session; and a transceiver for sending a PTT request message to the network utilizing the radio bearer previously obtained for the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An apparatus in a user terminal for reducing latency when setting up a Push-to-Talk (PTT) session in a radio communication network, wherein the user terminal includes a PTT application and a control processor for running the application, said apparatus comprising:
-
means for detecting that a user of the terminal has opened the PTT application; means for obtaining a radio bearer for the user terminal in response to the user opening the PTT application; means for periodically transmitting a Heartbeat message from the user terminal to the network to maintain the radio bearer while the PTT application is open; means for determining whether the user initiates the PTT session or closes the PTT application; means for sending a PTT request message to the network utilizing the radio bearer previously obtained for the user terminal if the user initiates the PTT session; and means for stopping the transmission of the Heartbeat messages, thereby allowing the network to deallocate the radio bearer, if the user closes the PTT application. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
Specification