HYBRID PUSH-TO-TALK FOR MOBILE PHONE NETWORKS

• US 20100142414A1
• Filed: 10/20/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kodiak Networks Inc (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kodiak Networks Inc (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kundu, Gorachand, Ayyasamy, Ravi, Patel, Krishnakant M., Narayanan, Anand, Vempati, Brahmananda R., Chandana, Pratap, Ardah, Basem A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,958,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/277
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A Hybrid Push-to-Talk (PTT) function for use in wireless communications networks, such as cellular mobile telephone networks. The cellular mobile telephone network includes at least one Real-Time Exchange (RTX) that interfaces to at least one Mobile Switching Center (MSC) in the cellular mobile telephone network to provide advanced voice services therein, wherein the advanced voice services provide instant two-way half-duplex voice messaging within a group of users of the cellular mobile telephone network, which is known as the Hybrid PTT function. In the Hybrid PTT function, a first talkburst or volley is transmitted by the RTX from an originating mobile to one or more terminating mobiles on one or more pre-established Internet Protocol (IP) sessions between the RTX and the mobiles. In addition, one or more circuit channels are established by the RTX with the mobiles through the MSC in parallel with the first talkburst or volley. Thereafter, second and subsequent talkbursts or volleys are transmitted by the RTX from the originating mobile to the terminating mobiles on the circuit channels.

Claims

1. A system for providing advanced voice services in a cellular telephone network, comprising:

a cellular telephone network for making calls between mobiles,

wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the cellular telephone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobiles by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the cellular telephone network,

at least one real-time exchange that interfaces to at least one mobile switching center in the cellular telephone network to provide advanced voice services therein,

the advanced voice services providing instant two-way half-duplex voice messaging within a group of users of the cellular telephone network,

wherein a first talkburst or volley is transmitted by the real-time exchange from an originating mobile to one or more terminating mobiles on one or more pre-established Internet Protocol (IP) sessions between the real-time exchange and the mobiles,

one or more circuit channels are established by the real-time exchange with the mobiles through the mobile switching center in parallel with the first talkburst or volley being transmitted, and

second and subsequent talkbursts or volleys are transmitted by the real-time exchange from the originating mobile to the terminating mobiles on the circuit channels.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instant two-way half-duplex voice messaging comprises a Hybrid Push-to-Talk (PTT) call.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a Group Home real-time exchange acts as a controller of the Hybrid PTT call.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the mobiles pre-establishes the IP sessions with its own Home real-time exchange, the Home real-time exchange establishes the IP sessions with the Group Home real-time exchange, and the Hybrid PTT call is routed through the Home real-time exchange to the Group Home real-time exchange.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein a mobile that is outside the cellular telephone network pre-establishes the IP sessions with its own Home real-time exchange via a Roaming Gateway.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the terminating mobile originates another Hybrid PTT call.

7. A method of providing advanced calling services in a cellular telephone network, comprising:

making calls between mobiles in a cellular telephone network, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the cellular telephone network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobiles by at least one mobile switching center across bearer paths in the cellular telephone network;

interfacing at least one real-time exchange to at least one mobile switching center in the cellular telephone network to provide advanced voice services therein, wherein the advanced voice services provide instant two-way half-duplex voice messaging within a group of users of the cellular telephone network;

transmitting, by the real-time exchange, a first talkburst or volley from an originating mobile to one or more terminating mobiles on one or more pre-established Internet Protocol (IP) sessions between the real-time exchange and the mobiles,

establishing, by the real-time exchange, one or more circuit channels with the mobiles through the mobile switching center in parallel with the first talkburst or volley being transmitted, and

transmitting, by the real-time exchange, second and subsequent talkbursts or volleys from the originating mobile to the terminating mobiles on the circuit channels.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the instant two-way half-duplex voice messaging comprises a Hybrid Push-to-Talk (PTT) call.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a Group Home real-time exchange acts as a controller of the Hybrid PTT call.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the mobiles pre-establishes the IP sessions with its own Home real-time exchange, the Home real-time exchange establishes the IP sessions with the Group Home real-time exchange, and the Hybrid PTT call is routed through the Home real-time exchange to the Group Home real-time exchange.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a mobile that is outside the cellular telephone network pre-establishes the IP sessions with its own Home real-time exchange via a Roaming Gateway.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the terminating mobile originates another Hybrid PTT call.