Method and apparatus for using a MS tone to prevent a voice announcement in a group call
First Claim
1. A method for preventing a voice announcement in a group call, the group call involving a plurality of potential participants of the group call, each of the plurality of potential participants of the group call receiving an individual call from a group controller, a first potential participant of the plurality of participants being a mobile station configured to generate an auditory MS tone for indicating that the mobile station has been reached, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving the auditory MS tone at the group controller, the auditory MS tone generated by the first potential participant in response to the first potential participant answering the received individual call;
detecting the auditory MS tone at the group controller; and
adding the first potential participant to the group call in response to detection of the auditory MS tone.
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Abstract
A technique for preventing voice announcements in a group call is provided. A mobile station is configured to generate an MS tone in response to receiving an individual call from a group controller. The MS tone identifies to the group controller that the mobile station has been reached. Upon receiving and detecting the MS tone, the group controller adds the mobile station to the group call. This approach guarantees that no voice announcements will be added to the group call. With this approach, all subscribers are allowed to use voice mail systems, but the subscribers currently forwarding messages to voice mail will not be connected to group calls.
25 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for preventing a voice announcement in a group call, the group call involving a plurality of potential participants of the group call, each of the plurality of potential participants of the group call receiving an individual call from a group controller, a first potential participant of the plurality of participants being a mobile station configured to generate an auditory MS tone for indicating that the mobile station has been reached, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving the auditory MS tone at the group controller, the auditory MS tone generated by the first potential participant in response to the first potential participant answering the received individual call; detecting the auditory MS tone at the group controller; and adding the first potential participant to the group call in response to detection of the auditory MS tone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of preventing a voice announcement in a group call, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing the group call by initiating individual calls to a plurality of subscribers associated with the group call; receiving responses to the individual calls, the responses generated from the plurality of subscribers; detecting in each of the responses to the individual calls one of a presence and an absence of an audible tone; adding to the group call each of the plurality of subscribers having a response in which the presence of an audible tone has been detected; and excluding from the group call each of the plurality of subscribers having a response in which the absence of an audible tone has been detected.
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14. An apparatus for preventing voice announcements in a group call, the group call involving a plurality of potential participants, the group call being established in a telecommunications network by signaling the plurality of potential participants of the group call, the apparatus comprising:
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a group mobile station, associated with one of the potential participants and coupled to the network, configured to generate an audible tone in response to the group mobile station being signaled over the network, the audible tone identifying that a mobile station has been answered by a participant; and a group controller, coupled to the network, configured to detect the audible tone and, in response to detection of the audible tone, connect the group mobile station to the group call. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification