System and method of group calling in mobile communications

• US 6,996,414 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aravamudan, Murali, Naqvi, Shamim A., Sundar, Rangamani, Vishwanathan, Kumar K., Ramakrishnan, Kajamalai G., Iyer, Prakash R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Pablo N.
• Application Number:
  US09/845,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20030017836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: 455517-520, 455507-509, 455/566, 455/453, 455/464, 455/515, 455/166.02, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455524-528, 455/521, 455456-457, 455/554, 455/450, 455/452, 370/340, 370/341, 370/329, 370/327, 370/349, 320327-340, 320/312, 320/349
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/566 Grouping or aggregating service requests, e.g. for unified processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• 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 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Information is retrieved from a list of members of a group call group. Based on the retrieved information, a group call is established between first and second mobile stations (MS). The first MS is served by a first base station controller (BSC) and the second MS is served by a second BSC. Voice data for the group call is transmitted in a multicast session. Based on a history of group calls between two points in a mobile communications network, a determination is made as to whether to establish a multicast session between the two points, e.g., in anticipation of a future group call.

Claims

1. A method for use in establishing a group call, comprising:

in a first proxy switch, detecting a group call request from a first mobile station;

informing a second proxy switch of the group call request;

in the second proxy switch, retrieving information from a list of members of a group call group; and

based on the retrieved information, establishing a group call between first and second mobile stations (MS) via the first and second proxy switches,

wherein

by the first proxy switch,

when a first connection to the first proxy switch for the first mobile station has been created, acquiring a first channel for the first mobile station;

paging the second mobile station upon receiving an instruction from the second proxy switch;

informing the second proxy switch when the second mobile station is found;

when a second connection to the first proxy switch for the second mobile station has been created, acquiring a second channel for the second mobile station; and

informing the second proxy switch when the second mobile station is on channel.

2. A method for use in establishing a group call, comprising:

in a first proxy switch, detecting a group call request from a first mobile station;

informing a second proxy switch of the group call request;

in the second proxy switch, retrieving information from a list of members of a group call group; and

based on the retrieved information, establishing a group call between first and second mobile stations (MS) via the first and second proxy switches, wherein

by the second proxy switch,

creating a first connection to the first proxy switch for the first mobile station;

instructing the first proxy switch to page the second mobile station;

when informed that the second mobile station has been found, creating a second connection to the first proxy switch for the second mobile station;

when informed that the second mobile station is on channel, instructing the first proxy switch to inform the first mobile station that a connection has been established; and

playing a tone to the first mobile station through the first connection.

3. A method for use in establishing a group call, comprising:

in a first proxy switch of a plurality of proxy switches, detecting a group call request from a first mobile station, wherein the first mobile station is serviced by the first proxy switch;

informing a second proxy switch of the plurality of proxy switches of the group call request;

in the second proxy switch, retrieving information from a list of members of a group call group; and

based on the retrieved information, establishing group call between first and second mobile stations via the plurality of proxy switches, wherein the second mobile station is serviced by a third proxy switch of the plurality of proxy switches; and

wherein

when a first connection to the first proxy switch for the first mobile station has been created, acquiring a first channel for the first mobile station by the first proxy switch;

by the third proxy switch, paging the second mobile station upon receiving an instruction from the second proxy switch;

by the third proxy switch, informing the second proxy switch when the second mobile station is found;

by the third proxy switch, acquiring a second channel for the second mobile station when a second connection to the third proxy switch for the second mobile station has been created; and

informing the second proxy switch when the second mobile station is on channel.

4. A method for use in establishing a group call, comprising:

in a first proxy switch of a plurality of proxy switches detecting a group call request from a first mobile station, wherein the first mobile station is serviced by the first proxy switch;

informing a second proxy switch of the plurality of proxy switches of the group call request;

in the second proxy switch, retrieving information from a list of members of a group call group; and

based on the retrieved information, establishing a group call between first and second mobile stations via the plurality of proxy switches, wherein the second mobile station is serviced by a third proxy switch of the plurality of proxy switches; and

wherein

by the second proxy switch,

creating a first connection to the first proxy switch for the first mobile station;

instructing the third proxy switch to page the second mobile station;

when informed that the second mobile station has been found, creating a second connection to the third proxy switch for the second mobile station;

when informed that the second mobile station is on channel, instructing the first proxy switch to inform the first mobile station that a connection has been established; and

playing a tone to the first mobile station through the first mobile gateway connection.