SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING BILLABLE INFORMATION IN A GROUP COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20100233993A1
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Crockett, Douglas M., MAGGENTI, MARK A., Kalantri, Sacchindra K. G., Rosen, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,143,484 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• 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 method and apparatus for providing security in a group communication network provides for receiving an encryption key, encrypting media for transmission to a controller using the received encryption key, the encrypted media being directed to another communication device, and communicating the encrypted media to the controller. In one embodiment, the communicating includes wireless communication. The method and apparatus further provides for receiving encrypted media from a controller and blocking the encrypted media if the communication device is not enabled to receive encrypted-media transmission, or if the media is not encrypted based on an encryption key previously specified by the communication device. In another aspect, the communication device is a push-to-talk (PTT) device.

Claims

1. A method of collecting and managing billable information in a wireless group communication system including one or more subscriber devices, the method comprising:

detecting a group communication among members of a net, wherein said net includes at least two or more subscriber devices and said group communication is transmitted from one subscriber device to a target group of two or more other subscriber devices;

collecting billable event data associated with the group communication, wherein said billable event data tracks participation of the members of said net in said group communication;

storing the billable event data within a local node associated with the net upon the group communication ending; and

forwarding the billable event data from the local node to a centralized node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local node is one of a plurality of local nodes associated with the centralized node, and said net is one of a plurality of nets configured to engage in group communications, each of said plurality of nets being associated with at least one of the plurality of local nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the members of the net comprise at least three members of the net.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the billable event data is associated with said transmitting subscriber device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the billable event data is associated with at least one of the two or more subscriber devices of said target group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the billable event data is associated with (i) said transmitting subscriber device and (ii) with at least one of the two or more subscriber devices of said target group.