APPARATUS AND METHOD PROVIDING PUSH TO TALK OVER CELLULAR (PoC) DYNAMIC SERVICE OPTIONS

• US 20120157087A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Albertsson, Henrik, Holm, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 8,385,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A method and server for establishing a push to talk type service such as push to talk over cellular (PoC). The server receives a message from Client A indicating one or more media types that Client A will accept in defined circumstances in a push to talk type session. When the server receives a message from Client B inviting Client A to establish a push to talk type session for one or more proposed media types, the server determines whether the media type(s) proposed by Client B are acceptable to Client A. If at least one proposed media type is acceptable, the server forwards the invitation to Client A with a list of the acceptable media types. Thereafter the session is established.

Claims

1. A method for use in a push to talk over cellular service, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message from a first terminal indicating at least one media type that the first terminal will accept in defined circumstances in a push to talk type session;

receiving a message from a second terminal inviting the first terminal to establish a push to talk type session, the message from the second terminal including a list of media types that the second terminal proposes to send to the first terminal during the session;

in response to receipt of the message from the second terminal, reviewing the list and current circumstances to eliminate any proposed media types that are not acceptable to the first terminal under the current circumstances; and

forwarding the message with the reviewed list to the first terminal if at least one proposed media type is acceptable to the first terminal under the current circumstances.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein if it is determined that there are no media types proposed by the second terminal that are acceptable to the first terminal, the method further comprises not forwarding the message from the second terminal to the first terminal and sending a message to the second terminal rejecting the session invitation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response message sent from the first terminal accepting the session and confirming as acceptable the media types from the reviewed list; and

forwarding the response message to the second terminal.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising setting up the session based on the media types confirmed as acceptable in the response message.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the response message is a 200 OK message of the Session Initiation Protocol.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message from the first terminal is a Publish message of the Session Initiation Protocol.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising acknowledging the Publish message with a 200 OK message of the Session Initiation Protocol.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server also receives information regarding the media types that the first terminal will accept in defined circumstances from a PoC XDMS remote server.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least some of the information is determined based on at least one predetermined characteristic of the first terminal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein one of the predetermined characteristics of the first terminal relates to the type of the push to talk type service that the first terminal is operating.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message from the first terminal specifies, for at least one media type, whether or not the first terminal would accept that media type in a push to talk type session based not only on the media type itself but also on at least one other predetermined criterion.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein one predetermined criterion relates to the identity of the inviting terminal and/or its user.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the message from the first terminal specifies, for at least one media type, whether or not the first terminal would accept that media type in a push to talk type session based only on the media type itself.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a default policy is referred to for any proposed media type not specified in the message from the first terminal.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the invite message is an Invite message of the Session Initiation Protocol.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein Session Description Protocol parameters are used to specify the list of media types.

17-22. -22. (canceled)

23. An apparatus for use in a push to talk over cellular service, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a message from a first terminal indicating at least one media type that the first terminal will accept in defined circumstances in a push to talk type session;

means for receiving a message from a second terminal inviting the first terminal to establish a push to talk type session, the message from the second terminal including a list of media types that the second terminal proposes to send to the first terminal during the session;

in response to receipt of the message from the second terminal, reviewing the list and current circumstances to eliminate any proposed media types that are not acceptable to the first terminal under the current circumstances; and

forwarding the message with the reviewed list to the first terminal if at least one proposed media type is acceptable to the first terminal under the current circumstances.