METHOD FOR EFFICIENTLY SUPPORTING MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS GROUP PTT CALLS REQUIRING LOW CALL SETUP LATENCY

• US 20140355508A1
• Filed: 05/27/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: MAHENDRAN, Arungundram Chandrasekaran, ANCHAN, Kirankumar Bhoja
• Granted Patent: US 9,432,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1877 Measures taken prior to transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

The disclosure is related to group communications over multicast services. A user equipment (UE) sends a registration request to a server, the registration request indicating communications group(s) in which the UE is interested, receives a message indicating a set of the communications groups that have been assigned pre-established multicast resources, receives call identifiers, the call identifiers mapped to group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the communications groups, stores a mapping of the call identifiers to the group identifiers, and maintains group call sessions for the set of the communications groups. The server receives the registration request, determines that the UE is provisioned for pre-established group calls, retrieves group identifiers for the communications groups, maps call identifiers to the group identifiers, notifies the UE of the set of the communications groups and the mapped call identifiers, and assigns multiple group calls onto pre-established multicast resources.

Claims

1. A method for group communications over multicast services, comprising:

sending a registration request from a user equipment (UE) to a server, the registration request indicating one or more communications groups in which the UE is interested and optionally including the UE'"'"'s intent to register with the server for group communication service;

receiving a message from the server indicating a set of the one or more communications groups that have been assigned pre-established multicast resources;

receiving one or more call identifiers from the server, the one or more call identifiers mapped to group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the one or more communications groups;

storing a mapping of the one or more call identifiers to the group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the one or more communications groups; and

maintaining one or more group call sessions for the set of the one or more communications groups,

wherein the server assigns multiple group calls to the pre-established multicast resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the one or more group call sessions comprises maintaining call state information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining one group call session for the set of the one or more communications groups.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the UE is provisioned for pre-established group calls.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a call request to the server, the call request including a call identifier corresponding to one of the set of the one or more communications groups.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request to establish a group call for a communications group;

determining a group identifier for the communications group; and

determining the call identifier based on the group identifier.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the call request comprises a request to initiate a group call.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the group call comprises a push-to-talk call.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

adding information for the communications group to a process handling idle calls.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the multicast resources include multimedia broadcast/multicast services (MBMS) bearers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more call identifiers are mapped on common Temporary Mobile Group Identifiers (TMGIs).

12. A method for group communications over multicast services, comprising:

receiving a registration request from a user equipment (UE), the registration request indicating one or more communications groups in which the UE is interested;

determining that the UE is provisioned for pre-established group calls;

retrieving group identifiers for the one or more communications groups;

mapping one or more call identifiers to the group identifiers of each communications group in a set of the one or more communications groups;

sending a message to the UE indicating the set of the one or more communications groups and the one or more mapped call identifiers; and

assigning multiple group calls onto one or more pre-established multicast resources,

wherein the UE maintains one or more group call sessions for the set of the one or more communications groups.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

pre-establishing the one or more multicast resources for the set of the one or more communications groups.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the assigning the multiple group calls onto the one or more pre-established multicast resources comprises multiplexing the multiple group calls onto the one or more pre-established multicast resources.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending the message to one or more target UEs indicating the set of the one or more communications groups and the one or more mapped call identifiers.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the UE maintaining the one or more group call sessions comprises the UE maintaining call state information, and wherein a server maintains call state information.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a call request from the UE, the call request including a call identifier provided by a server;

identifying a list of participants of a communications group based on the call identifier; and

transmitting a call notification to the list of participants.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a floor request from the UE, the floor request including the call identifier.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the call request comprises a request to initiate a group call.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the group call comprises a push-to-talk call.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining whether or not a group call corresponding to the call request can be multiplexed onto the one or more pre-established multicast resources.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

adding information for the communication group to a multiplexed process handling all idle pre-established group calls.

23. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

releasing the multicast resources upon an expiration of a hang timer; and

reassigning an assignment process to idle multiplexed call handling.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein the multicast resources include multimedia broadcast/multicast services (MBMS) bearers.

25. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more call identifiers are mapped on common Temporary Mobile Group Identifiers (TMGIs).

26. An apparatus for group communications over multicast services, comprising:

logic configured to send a registration request from a user equipment (UE) to a server, the registration request indicating one or more communications groups in which the UE is interested and optionally including the UE'"'"'s intent to register with the server for group communication service;

logic configured to receive a message from the server indicating a set of the one or more communications groups that have been assigned pre-established multicast resources;

logic configured to receive one or more call identifiers from the server, the one or more call identifiers mapped to group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the one or more communications groups;

logic configured to store a mapping of the one or more call identifiers to the group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the one or more communications groups; and

logic configured to maintain one or more group call sessions for the set of the one or more communications groups,

wherein the server assigns multiple group calls to the pre-established multicast resources.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein logic configured to maintain the one or more group call sessions comprises logic configured to maintain call state information.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

logic configured to maintain one group call session for the set of the one or more communications groups.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

logic configured to determine that the UE is provisioned for pre-established group calls.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

logic configured to send a call request to the server, the call request including a call identifier corresponding to one of the set of the one or more communications groups.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

logic configured to receive a request to establish a group call for a communications group;

logic configured to determine a group identifier for the communications group; and

logic configured to determine the call identifier based on the group identifier.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the call request comprises a request to initiate a group call.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the group call comprises a push-to-talk call.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

logic configured to add information for the communications group to a process handling idle calls.

35. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the multicast resources include multimedia broadcast/multicast services (MBMS) bearers.

36. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the one or more call identifiers are mapped on common Temporary Mobile Group Identifiers (TMGIs).

37. An apparatus for group communications over multicast services, comprising:

logic configured to receive a registration request from a user equipment (UE), the registration request indicating one or more communications groups in which the UE is interested;

logic configured to determine that the UE is provisioned for pre-established group calls;

logic configured to retrieve group identifiers for the one or more communications groups;

logic configured to map one or more call identifiers to the group identifiers of each communications group in a set of the one or more communications groups;

logic configured to send a message to the UE indicating the set of the one or more communications groups and the one or more mapped call identifiers; and

logic configured to assign multiple group calls onto one or more pre-established multicast resources,

wherein the UE maintains one or more group call sessions for the set of the one or more communications groups.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

logic configured to pre-establish the one or more multicast resources for the set of the one or more communications groups.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the logic configured to assign the multiple group calls onto the one or more pre-established multicast resources comprises logic configured to multiplex the multiple group calls onto the one or more pre-established multicast resources.

40. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

logic configured to send the message to one or more target UEs indicating the set of the one or more communications groups and the one or more mapped call identifiers.

41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the UE maintaining the one or more group call sessions comprises the UE maintaining call state information, and wherein a server maintains call state information.

42. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

logic configured to receive a call request from the UE, the call request including a call identifier provided by a server;

logic configured to identify a list of participants of a communications group based on the call identifier; and

logic configured to transmit a call notification to the list of participants.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

logic configured to receive a floor request from the UE, the floor request including the call identifier.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the call request comprises a request to initiate a group call.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the group call comprises a push-to-talk call.

46. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

logic configured to determine whether or not a group call corresponding to the call request can be multiplexed onto the one or more pre-established multicast resources.

47. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

logic configured to add information for the communication group to a multiplexed process handling all idle pre-established group calls.

48. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

logic configured to release the multicast resources upon an expiration of a hang timer; and

logic configured to reassign an assignment process to idle multiplexed call handling.

49. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the multicast resources include multimedia broadcast/multicast services (MBMS) bearers.

50. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the one or more call identifiers are mapped on common Temporary Mobile Group Identifiers (TMGIs).

51. An apparatus for group communications over multicast services, comprising:

means for sending a registration request from a user equipment (UE) to a server, the registration request indicating one or more communications groups in which the UE is interested and optionally including the UE'"'"'s intent to register with the server for group communication service;

means for receiving a message from the server indicating a set of the one or more communications groups that have been assigned pre-established multicast resources;

means for receiving one or more call identifiers from the server, the one or more call identifiers mapped to group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the one or more communications groups;

means for storing a mapping of the one or more call identifiers to the group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the one or more communications groups; and

means for maintaining one or more group call sessions for the set of the one or more communications groups,

wherein the server assigns multiple group calls to the pre-established multicast resources.

52. An apparatus for group communications over multicast services, comprising:

means for receiving a registration request from a user equipment (UE), the registration request indicating one or more communications groups in which the UE is interested;

means for determining that the UE is provisioned for pre-established group calls;

means for retrieving group identifiers for the one or more communications groups;

means for mapping one or more call identifiers to the group identifiers of each communications group in a set of the one or more communications groups;

means for sending a message to the UE indicating the set of the one or more communications groups and the one or more mapped call identifiers; and

means for assigning multiple group calls onto one or more pre-established multicast resources,

wherein the UE maintains one or more group call sessions for the set of the one or more communications groups.

53. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for group communications over multicast services, comprising:

at least one instruction to send a registration request from a user equipment (UE) to a server, the registration request indicating one or more communications groups in which the UE is interested and optionally including the UE'"'"'s intent to register with the server for group communication service;

at least one instruction to receive a message from the server indicating a set of the one or more communications groups that have been assigned pre-established multicast resources;

at least one instruction to receive one or more call identifiers from the server, the one or more call identifiers mapped to group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the one or more communications groups;

at least one instruction to store a mapping of the one or more call identifiers to the group identifiers of each communications group in the set of the one or more communications groups; and

at least one instruction to maintain one or more group call sessions for the set of the one or more communications groups,

wherein the server assigns multiple group calls to the pre-established multicast resources.

54. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for group communications over multicast services, comprising:

at least one instruction to receive a registration request from a user equipment (UE), the registration request indicating one or more communications groups in which the UE is interested;

at least one instruction to determine that the UE is provisioned for pre-established group calls;

at least one instruction to retrieve group identifiers for the one or more communications groups;

at least one instruction to map one or more call identifiers to the group identifiers of each communications group in a set of the one or more communications groups;

at least one instruction to send a message to the UE indicating the set of the one or more communications groups and the one or more mapped call identifiers; and

at least one instruction to assign multiple group calls onto one or more pre-established multicast resources,

wherein the UE maintains one or more group call sessions for the set of the one or more communications groups.