Controller for reducing latency in a group dormancy-wakeup process in a group communication network

• US 6,738,617 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2001
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Maggenti, Mark, Rosen, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US10/006,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/519, 455/416, 455/520, 455/524, 370/312, 370/462, 370/328, 370/329, 370/335, 370/342, 370/349, 370/352, 370/343, 370/354, 370/355
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed 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 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing latency in a group communication network provides for a significant reduction in the actual total dormancy wakeup time and the PTT latency by exchanging group call signaling even when mobiles are dormant and no traffic channel is active. The method and apparatus provides for exchanging the group call signaling through the use of the short data burst (SDB) message signaling. The method and apparatus provides for reestablishing dedicated traffic channels for the talker mobile and the dormant listener mobiles advantageously in parallel.

Claims

1. In a controller, a method for reducing latency in a group communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a floor-control request from a source communication device for initiating a group call directed to a group of target communication devices, the floor-control request being sent by the source communication device on a reverse common channel of the wireless network;

transmitting wakeup messages to the group of target communication devices; and

triggering each of the group of target communication devices to re-establish a traffic channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering is in parallel with the transmitting.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

buffering media received from the source communication device for transmission after the traffic channel is re-established.

4. The method of claim 1, further including:

triggering each of the group of target communication devices to renegotiate a radio link protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the triggering is in parallel with the transmitting.

6. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting a response to the floor-control request on a forward common channel of the wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response on a forward paging channel (F-PCH) of the wireless network.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response on a forward common control channel (F-CCCH) of the wireless network.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response in short data burst (SDB) form.

10. In a controller, a computer-readable medium embodying a method for reducing latency in a group communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a floor-control request from a source communication device for initiating a group call directed to a group of target communication devices, the floor-control request being sent by the source communication device on a reverse common channel of the wireless network;

transmitting wakeup messages to the group of target communication devices; and

triggering each of the group of target communication devices to re-establish a traffic channel.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the triggering is in parallel with the transmitting.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further includes buffering media received from the source communication device for transmission after the traffic channel is re-established.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further includes triggering each of the group of target communication devices to renegotiate a radio link protocol.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the triggering is in parallel with the transmitting.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further includes transmitting a response to the floor-control request on a forward common channel of the wireless network.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response on a forward paging channel (F-PCH) of the wireless network.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response on a forward common control channel (F-CCCH) of the wireless network.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response in short data burst (SDB) form.

19. A controller for reducing latency in a group communication network, comprising:

means for receiving a floor-control request from a source communication device for initiating a group call directed to a group of target communication devices, the floor-control request being sent by the source communication device on a reverse common channel of the wireless network;

means for transmitting wakeup messages to the group of target communication devices; and

means for triggering each of the group of target communication devices to re-establish a traffic channel.

20. The controller of claim 19, wherein the triggering is in parallel with the transmitting.

21. The controller of claim 19, further including:

means for buffering media received from the source communication device for transmission after the traffic channel is re-established.

22. The controller of claim 19, further including:

means for triggering each of the group of target communication devices to renegotiate a radio link protocol.

23. The controller of claim 22, wherein the triggering is in parallel with the transmitting.

24. The controller of claim 19, further including means for transmitting a response to the floor-control request on a forward common channel of the wireless network.

25. The controller of claim 24, wherein the means for transmitting includes means for transmitting the response on a forward paging channel (F-PCH) of the wireless network.

26. The controller of claim 24, wherein the means for transmitting includes means for transmitting the response on a forward common control channel (F-CCCH) of the wireless network.

27. The controller of claim 24, wherein the means for transmitting includes means for transmitting the response in short data burst (SDB) form.

28. A controller for reducing latency in a group communication network, the communication device comprising:

a receiver to receive information over the network;

a transmitter to transmit information over the network; and

a processor communicatively coupled with the receiver and the transmitter, the processor being capable of;

receiving a floor-control request from a source communication device for initiating a group call directed to a group of target communication devices, the floor-control request being sent by the source communication device on a reverse common channel of the wireless network;

transmitting wakeup messages to the group of target communication devices; and

triggering each of the group of target communication devices to re-establish a traffic channel.

29. The controller of claim 28, wherein the triggering is in parallel with the transmitting.

30. The controller of claim 28, the processor further being capable of:

buffering media received from the source communication device for transmission after the traffic channel is re-established.

31. The controller of claim 28, the processor further being capable of:

triggering each of the group of target communication devices to renegotiate a radio link protocol.

32. The controller of claim 31, wherein the triggering is in parallel with the transmitting.

33. The controller of claim 28, the processor further being capable of transmitting a response to the floor-control request on a forward common channel of the wireless network.

34. The controller of claim 33, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response on a forward paging channel (F-PCH) of the wireless network.

35. The controller of claim 33, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response on a forward common control channel (F-CCCH) of the wireless network.

36. The controller of claim 33, wherein the transmitting includes transmitting the response in short data burst (SDB) form.