Reducing delay in setting up calls

• US 7,092,721 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harris, John M., Crocker, Ronald T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Loftin, Celeste
• Application Number:
  US10/894,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20060019681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 455/455, 455/516, 455/517, 455/519, 455/518, 455/520, 455/527
• US Class Current: 455/455
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method (600) and apparatus (700) for reducing delay associated with a call set-up for a call between an originating communication unit (120) and a target communication unit (121–124) in a radio access system (RAS) (101) is described. A call is initiated with a target communication unit prior to a channel assignment. A first latency (411) between an initiation time and a time when the target is capable of receiving a notification of the call on a first channel (410) is estimated and a second latency (421) between the initiation time and a second time when the target is capable of receiving the notification on a second channel (420) is estimated. Addresses associated with the target can be sent to the radio access system on the first channel or the second channel based on the estimated first latency and the estimated second latency.

Claims

1. A method for reducing delay associated with a call set-up for a call between an originating communication unit and a target communication unit in a radio access system (RAS), the method comprising:

initiating the call between the originating communication unit and the target communication unit prior to a channel assignment;

estimating a first latency between an initiation time associated with the call and a first time when the target communication unit is capable of receiving a notification of the call by comparing the first time with a wake-up time for the target communication unit using a time value associated with the RAS and a slot offset time associated with the target communication unit;

estimating a second latency between the initiation time and a second time when the target communication unit is capable of receiving the notification of the call by comparing the second time with the wake-up time for the target communication unit using the time value associated with the RAS and the slot offset time associated with the target communication unit; and

sending an address associated with the target communication unit to the RAS on one of a first channel and a second channel based on the first latency and the second latency.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the call includes a group call,

the target communication unit is one of a plurality of target communication units associated with the group call, each of the plurality of target communication units having a respective address,

the estimating the first latency further includes estimating a respective first latency between the initiation time and a respective first time when the each of the plurality of target communication units is capable of receiving the notification of the call,

the estimating the second latency further includes estimating a respective second latency between the initiation time and a respective second time when the each of the plurality of target communication units is capable of receiving the notification of the call, and

the sending the address includes sending the respective address associated with the each of the plurality of target communication units to the RAS on one of the first channel and the second channel based on the respective first latency and the respective second latency.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second time includes one of:

a call processing time associated with the originating communication unit;

a first channel message transfer time associated with the originating communication unit sending the address associated with the target communication unit to the RAS on the first channel;

a first call processing time associated with the RAS;

a second channel assignment time associated with the originating communication unit, the RAS, and the second channel;

a second channel message transfer time associated with the originating communication unit sending the address associated with the target communication unit to the RAS on the second channel; and

a second call processing associated with the RAS.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first time includes one of a call processing time associated with the originating communication unit, a first channel message transfer time associated with the originating communication unit sending the address associated with the target communication unit to the RAS on the first channel, and a first call processing time associated with the RAS.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the RAS includes one of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) RAS, a Global System Mobile (GSM) RAS, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) RAS, a Data Only (DO) RAS, a High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) RAS, a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) RAS, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) RAS, and a Evolution Data Voice (EVDV) RAS.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first channel includes an access channel and the second channel includes a dedicated traffic channel.

7. A method for reducing delay in a group call setup for a group call between an originating communication unit and a plurality of target communication units in a radio access system (RAS), the method comprising:

sorting a list of addresses associated with the plurality of target communication units according to a latency value between a first time and a second time associated with each of the plurality of target communication units, the list sorted to provide one or more first addresses to be transmitted to the RAS over a first channel and one or more second addresses to be transmitted to the RAS over a second channel, the sorting performed when the group call set-up is impending; and

initiating, at the first time, the group call between the originating communication unit and the plurality of target communication units by transmitting the first addresses from the originating communication unit to the RAS over the first channel.

8. A method in accordance wit claim 7, wherein the second time includes one of:

a call processing time associated with the originating communication unit;

a first channel message transfer time associated with the originating communication unit sending the first addresses to the RAS on the first channel;

a first call processing time associated with the RAS;

a second channel assignment time associated with the originating communication unit;

a second channel message transfer time associated with the originating communication unit sending the second addresses to the RAS on the second channel; and

a second call processing time associated with the RAS.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the first time includes a Push To Talk (PTT) time.

10. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the first channel includes an access channel and the second channel includes a dedicated channel.

11. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the RAS includes one of:

a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) RAS, a Global System Mobile (GSM) RAS, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) WAS, a Data Only (DO) RAS, a High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) RAS, a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) RAS, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) WAS, and a Evolution Data Voice (EVDV) RAS.

12. An apparatus in a radio access system (RAS) capable of participating in a call, the apparatus comprising:

an interface capable of coupling to the RAS and a target communication unit;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the interface, the memory storing instructions for causing the processor to;

estimate a first time delay associated with completing the call with the target communication unit if an address of the target communication unit is transmitted to the RAS over a first channel and to estimate the first time delay to compare a first time with a wake up time for the target communication unit using a time value associated with the RAS and a slot offset time associated with the target communication unit; and

estimate a second time delay associated with completing the call with the target communication unit if the address of the target communication unit is transmitted to the RAS over a second channel and to estimate the second time delay to compare a second time with the wake up time for the target communication unit using the time value associated with the RAS and the slot offset time associated with the target communication unit,

wherein the completing the call includes a notification time when a notification of the call is capable of being received.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to initiate the call by sending the address associated with the target communication unit to the RAS on one of the first channel and the second channel based on one of the first time delay and the second time delay.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein the first time delay and the second time delay include an elapsed time between an initiation time of the call and one of a wake up time, a Talk Permit Tone (TPT) time, and a response time when a response to the notification associated with the call is received.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the time when the call is initiated includes a Push To Talk (PTT) time.

16. An apparatus in accordance wit claim 12, wherein the RAS includes one of:

a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) RAS, a Global System Mobile (GSM) RAS, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) RAS, a Data Only (DO) RAS, a High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) RAS, a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) RAS, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) RAS, and an Evolution Data Voice (EVDV) RAS.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein:

the call includes a group call,

the target communication unit is one of a plurality of target communication units associated with the group call,

the processor, in the estimating the first time delay is further configured to;

estimate a respective first latency associated with when each of the plurality of target communication units is capable of receiving the notification associated with the call if address information associated with the each is sent on a first channel;

estimate a respective second latency associated with when each of the plurality of target communication units is capable of receiving the notification associated with the call if the address information associated with the each is sent on a second channel, and

send the address information associated with the each of the plurality of target communication units to the RAS on one of the first channel and the second channel based on one or more of the respective first latency and the respective second latency.