Network-to-Network Interface Gateway System for Push-to-Talk-Over-Cellular Service

• US 20160227588A1
• Filed: 02/02/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kodiak Networks (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kodiak Networks (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Krishnakant M., Kandula, Ramu, Vempati, Brahmananda R., Negalaguli, Harisha Mahabaleshwara
• Granted Patent: US 10,091,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A network-to-network interface (NNI) device, including at least one push-to-talk (PTT) interface adapter, a processor connected to the at least one PTT interface adapter, and a non-transitory computer readable medium connected to the processor. The non-transitory computer readable medium has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to receive a first PTT communication in a first PTT format through the at least one PTT interface adapter from a first PTT system, translate the first PTT communication into a second PTT communication in one or more second PTT formats, and transmit the second PTT communication through the at least one PTT interface adapter to one or more second PTT systems.

Claims

1. A network-to-network interface (NNI) device, comprising:

at least one push-to-talk (PTT) interface adapter;

a processor connected to the at least one PTT interface adapter;

a non-transitory computer readable medium connected to the processor and having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to;

receive a first PTT communication in a first PTT format through the at least one PTT interface adapter from a first PTT system;

translate the first PTT communication into a second PTT communication in one or more second PTT formats; and

transmit the second PTT communication through the at least one PTT interface adapter to one or more second PTT systems.

2. The NNI device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

emulate an interface of the one or more second PTT systems to the first PTT system; and

emulate an interface of the first PTT system to the one or more second PTT systems.

3. The NNI device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

pass through call leg communications from one of the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems acting as a controlling PTT server to another of the first PTT system and second PTT system acting as a participating PTT server.

4. The NNI device of claim 3, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

determine whether a conflict exists between the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems in roles performed with respect to PTT floor control during a PTT call; and

instruct one of the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems to perform a role of controlling PTT server and the other to perform a role of participating PTT server in response to determining that the conflict exists.

5. The NNI device of claim 4, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

resolve conflicting floor control instructions from one or more systems of the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems in response to the respective one or more systems not providing a mechanism for negotiation of PTT floor controller role.

6. The NNI device of claim 4, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

assume a role of PTT floor controller during the PTT call when both a server of an originating party and a server of a terminating party perform the role of participating PTT server.

7. The NNI device of claim 4, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

perform, in response to both an originating party server and a terminating party server having a role of controlling PTT server, protocol conversion on communications between the originating party server and the terminating party server, the protocol conversion including information indicating that a first server of the originating party server or the terminating party server is a participating PTT server to a second server of the originating party server or the terminating party server.

8. The NNI device of claim 3, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

determine which of the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems performs a role of transmitter for a first media burst in a PTT call; and

perform negotiation to cause a first system of the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems to take the role of transmitter and further to cause a second system of the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems to take a role of receiver for the first media burst in the PTT call.

9. The NNI device of claim 3, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

provide, in response to determining that a first one the first PTT system and at least one of the one or more second PTT systems do not implement a common group addressing scheme, terminating call legs to the first PTT system and second PTT system using a respective one-to-one private call protocol implemented by the respective one of first PTT system and one or more second PTT systems.

10. The NNI device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

receive an exported group from the first PTT system, the exported group comprising first users; and

transmit an import group to at least one of the one or more second PTT systems for local advertising to users on the at least one of the one or more second PTT systems, the import group having information regarding each of the first users.

11. The NNI device of claim 10, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

propagate changes in the exported group to the at least one of the one or more second PTT systems in response to changes being made in the exported group.

12. The NNI device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

create a bridged user group from at least a portion of a first user group on the first PTT system and one or more second user groups on the one or more second PTT systems; and

act as a controlling server for a group PTT call between at least one user in the first group on the first PTT system and at least one user in the one or more second user groups on the one or more second PTT systems.

13. The NNI device of claim 12, wherein the instructions causing the NNI to act as a controlling server for a group PTT call comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

receive a floor control request from a user; and

determine whether the user is granted floor control.

14. The NNI device of claim 12, wherein the instructions causing the NNI to act as a controlling server for a group PTT call comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

transmit group call communications to the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems instructing the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems to perform fan-out to respective users.

15. The NNI device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

reserve at least one user identity that is routable and addressable on a first system selected from the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems;

associate, with the at least one user identity, a first user on a second system selected from the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems; and

modify a communication transmitted by the second system to a second user according to the association of the user identity.

16. The NNI device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

reserve at least one group identity that is routable and addressable on a first system selected from the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems;

associate, with the at least one group identity, a group on a second system selected from the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems; and

modify a communication transmitted by the second system to a user according to the association of the group identity.

17. The NNI device of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the NNI device to:

restrict communications between a first user on the first PTT system and a second user on the one or more second PTT systems according to a relationship configuration.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving a first push-to-talk (PTT) communication in a first PTT format at a network-to-network interface (NNI) device from a first PTT system;

translating the first PTT communication into a second PTT communication in at least one second PTT format; and

transmitting the second PTT communication by the NNI device to at least one second PTT system.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

emulating an interface of the at least one second PTT system to the first PTT system; and

emulating an interface of the first PTT system to the at least one second PTT system.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

passing through call leg communications from one of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system acting as a controlling PTT server to another of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system acting as a participating PTT server.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining whether a conflict exists between the first PTT system and at least one second PTT system in roles performed respect to PTT floor control during a PTT call; and

instructing one of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system to perform a role of controlling PTT server and the other to perform a role of participating PTT server in response to determining that the conflict exists.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

resolving conflicting floor control instructions from one or more systems of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system in response to the respective one or more systems not providing a mechanism for negotiation of PTT floor controller role.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

assuming a role of PTT floor controller during the PTT call when both a server of an originating party and a server of a terminating party perform the role of participating PTT server.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

performing, in response to both an originating party server and a terminating party server having a role of controlling PTT server, protocol conversion on communications between the originating party server and the terminating party server, the protocol conversion including information indicating that a first server of the originating party server or the terminating party server is a participating PTT server to a second server of the originating party server or the terminating party server.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining which of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system performs a role of transmitter for a first media burst in a PTT call; and

performing negotiation to cause a first system of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system to take the role of transmitter and further to cause a second system of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system to take a role of receiver for the first media burst in the PTT call.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing, in response to determining that the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system do not implement a common group addressing scheme, a terminating call leg to one of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system using a one-to-one private call protocol implemented by the respective one of the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an exported group from the first PTT system, the exported group comprising first users; and

transmitting an import group to the at least one second PTT system for local advertising to users on the at least one second PTT system, the import group having information regarding each of the first users.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

propagating changes in the exported group to the at least one second PTT system in response to changes being made in the exported group.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

creating, by the NNI device, a bridged user group from at least a portion of a first user group on the first PTT system and at least one second user group on the at least one second PTT system; and

acting, by the NNI device, as a controlling server for a group PTT call between at least one user in the first group on the first PTT system and at least one user in the at least one second group on the at least one second PTT system.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the acting as the controlling server for the group PTT call comprises:

receiving a floor control request from a user; and

determining whether the user is granted floor control.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the acting as the controlling server for the group PTT call comprises:

transmitting, from the NNI device, group call communications to the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system for fan-out by the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system to respective users.

32. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

reserving at least one user identity that is routable and addressable on a first system selected from the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system;

associating, with the at least one user identity, a first user on a second system selected from the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems; and

modifying a communication transmitted by the second system to a second user according to the association of the user identity.

33. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

reserving at least one group identity selected from group identities that are routable and addressable on a first system selected from the first PTT system and the at least one second PTT system;

associating, with the at least one group identity, a group on a second system selected from the first PTT system and the one or more second PTT systems; and

modifying a communication transmitted by the second system to a user according to the association of the group identity.

34. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

restricting communications between a first user on the first PTT system and a second user on the second PTT system according to a relationship configuration.

35. A push-to-talk (PTT) device, comprising:

a communications interface;

a processor connected to the communications interface; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium connected to the processor and having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the PTT device to;

synchronize one of a user identity mapping and a group identity mapping with a network-to-network interface (NNI) device;

generate a first PTT communication message in a first PTT format, the first PTT message having data related to a call between a first user on the PTT device and a second user on a second PTT device that communicates in a second PTT format; and

transmit the first PTT communication message to a network-to-network interface (NNI) device and through the NNI device to a second PTT device.

36. The PTT device of claim 35, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the PTT device to:

negotiate whether PTT device or the second PTT device will take on a role of a PTT floor controller during the call; and

negotiate whether the first user of the second user will be a first talker on the call.

37. The PTT device of claim 35, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the PTT device to:

delegate terminating leg fan-out for the call to the second PTT device.

38. The PTT device of claim 35, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the PTT device to:

act in a participating group role in response by receiving a request to perform terminating leg fan out and relay PTT floor control requests to the second PTT device.

39. The PTT device of claim 38, wherein a request to perform terminating leg fan out is a value set in an attribute in a PTT group participating in the call.

40. The PTT device of claim 35, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the PTT device to:

act as a group call controller according to a value set in an attribute in a PTT group participating in the call.

41. The PTT device of claim 35, wherein the non-transitory computer readable medium further has stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the PTT device to:

terminate a participating group call session in response to all users on the PTT device in a participating group on the PTT device drop from the call; and

restart the participating group call session and rejoin the call in response to at least one user in the participating group rejoining the call.