Method for realising a group call in a digital radio network

• US 5,594,948 A
• Filed: 03/31/1994
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Brockman, Pertti, Talarmo, Reino
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOBUTKA, PHILIP
• Application Number:
  US08/211,459
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/56.1, 455/53.1, 455/57.1, 455/58.1, 455/58.2, 455/78, 455/17, 455/34.1, 455/34.2, 340/825.44
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/16 Sequence circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• 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: H04M 3/566 relating to a participants right to speak arrangements for multi-party communication with floor control, e.g. for conferences, H04L65/4038, H04L65/4046, H04L65/4053
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A method for realizing a group call in a digital radio network wherein a plurality of mobile subscribers participating in the group call roam within the area of at least one base station. Subscribers participating in the group call are guided one by one to talk on the same radio channel. To be able to handle the traffic in a controlled manner at all times without the subscribers congesting the radio channel by talking simultaneously, the base station is informed of the subscriber'"'"'s desire to speak after the respective subscriber has indicated his or her desire to speak with predetermined signalling, the next speaker is selected at the base station on the basis of a predetermined algorithm, and the base station transmits an indication of a turn to speak to the subscriber which at the time is the next speaker.

Claims

1. A method for realizing a group call, in a digital radio network in which a plurality of mobile subscribers, while participating in a group call on a same radio channel, roam within a respective area of at least one base station, comprising:

(a) each of any of said subscribers desiring to speak signals their desire to do so, by performing a predetermining signalling;

(b) a respective said base station, based on a predetermined algorithm, selects a next speaker at random to speak in said group call on said same radio channel; and

(c) said base station transmits to the next speaker selected in step (b), an indication of their having been selected to be the next speaker.

2. A method for realizing a group call, in a digital radio network in which a plurality of mobile subscribers, while participating in an ongoing group call on a same radio channel, roam within a respective area of at least one base station, comprising:

(a) each of any of said subscribers desiring to speak signals their desire to do so, by performing a predetermining signalling and continues to listen to the ongoing group call;

(b) a respective said base station, based on a predetermined algorithm, selects a next speaker to speak in said group call on said same radio channel; and

(c) said base station transmits to the next speaker selected in step (b), an indication of their having been selected to be the next speaker;

in connection with conducting step (b), the respective said base station selecting as the next speaker, the subscriber who, in step (a), was first among those who signalled their desire to speak;

step (a) being conducted while one of said subscribers is speaking in said group call, as an existing speaker, and conducting of step (a) resulting in the respective base station becoming informed of each said desire to speak immediately following conduct of each respective predetermined signalling, before said existing speaker has finished speaking;

others of said subscribers being permitted to signal their desire to speak, while an existing speaker is speaking.