Dynamic allocation of radio resources in a packet switched communications-system

• US 6,930,994 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1999
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange Personal Communications Services Limited (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Stubbs, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US09/719,011
• Time in Patent Office: 2,266 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/343, 370/348, 370/349, 370/435, 370/437, 370/468
• US Class Current: 370/348
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0866 using a dedicated channel for access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

Voice and/or image data packets are transferred by a packet handler between user stations in a GSM-type mobile communications system using a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) data link. Control data for controlling a call is stored in a data store accessible by the packet handler. The control data identifies call participants and the identity of a participant who has currently seized the call. A mobile station capable of video conferencing is operable in a half-duplex video conferencing mode, in which intermittent transmission of video data is controlled by depression of a transmit button.

Claims

1. A method of controlling communication between user stations using a mobile communications system having a radio interface, said method comprising:

establishing a call session between a first user station and at least a second user station over said radio interface, wherein the call session is configured for communication of voice signals between said first and second user stations;

providing a data packet handler connected to a packet data network, wherein said data packet handler is configured to transfer data packets carrying call data between said first user station and said second user station during said call session;

during said call session, receiving requests to transfer data packets carrying call data between said first user station and said second user station, and dynamically assigning radio resources for transfer of said data packets over said radio interface, wherein an amount of radio resource assigned varies in accordance with the amount of call data requiring transfer at different times during said call session as a result of said requests;

holding control data relating to said call session between said first user station and said second user station, wherein said control data includes data indicating a state of said call session and data identifying the user stations participating in said call session; and

during said call session, controlling the transfer of data packets carrying call data between said first and second user stations using said data packet handler in accordance with said control data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said control data indicates an existence of said call session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said control data indicates identities of participants in said call session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said control data indicates a seizure of said call session by one of said user stations.

5. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising receiving a call session setup request from said first user station at said packet handler, and transmitting a call session setup confirmation message to said first user station.

6. The method of claim 5, additionally comprising transmitting a call session setup message to said second user station from said packet handler, and transmitting said call session setup confirmation message after an acknowledgement is received from said second user station.

7. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising accessing a data store from said packet handler to determine an address of said second user station in order to address data packets to be transmitted thereto.

8. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising seizing said call session by said first user station.

9. The method of claim 8, additionally comprising controlling said transfer to prevent the transfer of data packets to said first user station when said first user station has seized the call session.

10. The method of claim 8, additionally comprising granting call session seizure to said second user station when said first user station no longer has seizure of the call session.

11. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising copying data packets received from said first user station for transmission to a plurality of call session participant user stations including said second user station.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said control data is held in a data store accessible by said data packet handler.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said mobile communications system is a GSM-type mobile communications system, said method comprising:

receiving data packets at said data packet handler from a first user station via a GPRS data link.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said mobile communications system is a GSM-type mobile communications system, said method comprising:

transmitting data packets from said data packet handler to a second user station via a GPRS data link.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said data packet handler is connected to a GPRS support node.

16. A method of handling transfer of data in a call session established in a GSM-type mobile communications system between two or more user stations, wherein said transfer of data takes place between said two or more user stations participating in said call session, said method comprising:

receiving a first data packet from a first user station, said first data packet containing a recipient ID;

mapping said recipient ID to a packet network protocol address, wherein the packet network protocol address identifies a route to a second user station via a gateway GPRS support node; and

transmitting a second data packet to said gateway GPRS support node, said second data packet containing said packet network protocol address.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said data packets comprise voice data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said data packets comprise still or video image data.

19. A data packet handler for a mobile communications system adapted to perform data packet handling functions comprising transfer of data packets carrying call data between two or more user stations participating in a call session established in the mobile communications system, said data packet handler comprising:

a first port to receive and transmit data packets to and from user stations;

a second port to communicate with a packet user database to receive call control data, wherein said control data indicates a state of a call session and data identifying user stations participating in a call session; and

a means for processing the data packets, wherein the processing means is configured to dynamically assign radio resources for transfer of said data packets carrying call data between said two or more user stations participating in a call session, wherein the data packets are transferred in accordance with said control data, such that an amount of radio resources varies in accordance with the amount of call data to be transferred.

20. A mobile station adapted to communicate with a data packet handler during participation in a call session in which other user stations are participating, said mobile station comprising:

means for dynamically requesting resources for transmission of data packets carrying call data over a radio interface during a call session to one or more participating user stations, wherein the amount of radio resources requested varies in accordance with the amount of call data to be transmitted at different times during said call session; and

means for transmitting and receiving control data to and from said data packet handler to signal call-related control functions, said control data including data on a status of said call session and/or the identities of user stations participating in said call session.

21. A method of conducting communications between user stations using a mobile communications system, each said user station comprising a camera for picking up video image of a user and a display for displaying an image of a remote party, said method comprising:

establishing a call session between participating user stations in which video data transfer can take place between said user stations at different times during said call session, wherein said video data represents a video image picked up by a camera of a participating user station; and

during said call session, controlling said video transfer in a half-duplex mode such that a user station may perform one of either only receiving or only transmitting video data for a first period sufficient to receive or transmit video data that is subsequently used to display a video image on a display of a receiving user station, and perform the other of only receiving or only transmitting video data for a second period following said first period, sufficient to transmit or receive video data that is subsequently used to display a video image on a display of a receiving user station.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the image data transmitted and received during the first and second periods forms a complete image of the user or a remote party.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said image data comprises video image data, and wherein a length of a period of transmission is variable by the user of the user station.

24. A mobile station adapted to participate in a call session with one or more other mobile stations to conduct video communications with said one or more other mobile stations, said mobile station having a half-duplex communications mode for use during a call session that is established between said mobile station and one or more other mobile stations, wherein said communications mode is controlled by a data processor which prevents transmission of video data during reception of video data when in said half-duplex communications mode during said call session and which allows the transmission of video data during a period of said call session selected by a user.

25. The mobile station in accordance with claim 24, wherein said period is selected by an actuation by the user of a switch on said mobile station.

26. The mobile station of claim 25, wherein said selected period is defined by a period of which said switch is manually held by the user.

27. The mobile station of claim 25, comprising a data store for storing a group identified for transmission in association with the video data, to enable the video data to be transmitted to a plurality of recipient user stations.

28. A mobile communications station having a group dispatch mode of operation, said station comprising a camera for video data capture and means for transmitting said video data in said group dispatch mode.

29. A method of controlling communication between user stations using a GSM-type mobile communications system, said method comprising:

establishing a call session between a first and second user station, wherein the call session is configured for communication between said user stations;

providing a data packet handler connected to a GPRS support node for transferring data packets carrying call data between said user stations during said call session;

holding control data relating to said call session between said first user station and said second user station, in a data store accessible by said data packet handler, wherein said control data includes data indicating a state of said call session and data identifying user stations participating in said call session; and

during said call session, controlling the transfer of data packets between said first and second user stations via a GPRS data link, using said data packet handler, in accordance with said control data.