METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TALKGROUP-STATE-DEPENDENT ROUTING OF GROUP DATA

• US 20160066177A1
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: NATARAHJAN, HARISH, KAPOOR, ANUJ, MCDONALD, DANIEL J., PETRIE, MICHAEL C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,420,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• 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 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for talkgroup-state-dependent routing of group data. An embodiment takes the form of a process that includes handling receipt of packet data addressed to a talkgroup by responsively: determining whether the talkgroup currently has an active voice session on a voice channel; if not, then routing the received packet data to the talkgroup on a data channel; and if so, then routing the received packet data to the talkgroup via metadata fields in the voice channel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

handling receipt of packet data addressed to a talkgroup by responsively;

determining whether the talkgroup currently has an active voice session on a voice channel;

if not, then routing the received packet data to the talkgroup on a data channel; and

if so, then routing the received packet data to the talkgroup via metadata fields in the voice channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the talkgroup has an active voice session on a given voice channel while the given voice channel is allocated to the talkgroup for the active voice session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the talkgroup has an active voice session on a given voice channel when one or more of the following is true:

(i) audio data is being transmitted on the given voice channel in connection with the active voice session, (ii) signaling data is being transmitted on the given voice channel in connection with the active voice session, and (iii) the active voice session is in a hang-time state.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing a transfer of the packet data to the talkgroup on a voice channel responsive to detecting an early termination of the transfer of the packet data to the talkgroup on the data channel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising completing a transfer of the packet data via the metadata fields in the voice channel during the voice session.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing a transfer of the packet data on the voice channel subsequent to detecting a termination of the voice session.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuing a transfer of the packet data on a data channel responsive to detecting a termination of the voice session.

8. The method of claim 1, carried out in response to determining that the packet data consists of less than a threshold amount of packet data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

handling receipt of voice-session requests for the talkgroup by responsively;

determining whether the talkgroup currently has an active data session on a data channel;

if not, then establishing the requested voice session on a voice channel; and

if so, then (i) establishing the requested voice session on a voice channel and (ii) continuing the active data session via metadata fields in the voice channel on which the requested voice session was established.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the talkgroup has an active data session on a given data channel while the given data channel is allocated to the talkgroup for the active data session.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the talkgroup has an active data session on a given data channel when one or more of the following is true:

(i) bearer data is being transmitted on the given data channel in connection with the active data session, (ii) signaling data is being transmitted on the given data channel in connection with the active data session, and (iii) the active data session is in a not-timed-out state.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the data session is completed via metadata fields in the voice channel during the requested voice session.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising continuing the active data session on the voice channel subsequent to detecting a termination of the voice session.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising continuing the active data session on a data channel responsive to detecting a termination of the voice session.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the data channels are group data channels that are not specifically allocated to particular talkgroups at particular times.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the data channels are specifically allocated to particular talkgroups at particular times.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the metadata fields are link-control (LC) fields.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the metadata fields are Media Access Control (MAC) layer fields.

19. A system comprising:

a communication interface;

a processor; and

data storage containing instructions executable by the processor for causing the system to carry out a set of functions, the set of functions including;

handling receipt of packet data addressed to a talkgroup by responsively;

determining whether the talkgroup currently has an active voice session on a voice channel;

if not, then routing the received packet data to the talkgroup on a data channel; and

if so, then routing the received packet data to the talkgroup via metadata fields in the voice channel.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the set of functions further includes:

handling receipt of voice-session requests for the talkgroup by responsively;

determining whether the talkgroup currently has an active data session on a data channel;

if not, then establishing the requested voice session on a voice channel; and

if so, then (i) establishing the requested voice session on a voice channel and (ii) continuing the active data session via metadata fields in the voice channel on which the requested voice session was established.