System and method for conducting a dispatch multi-party call and sidebar session

• US 7,209,763 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Martin, David, Vu, Trinh, Szuszczewicz, Karalyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse; Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US11/227,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20060063551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/518, 455/519, 455/521, 455/416, 370/62
• US Class Current: 455/519
• 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 3/564 whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

In an embodiment of a method of the present invention, the method includes the acts of establishing a dispatch multi-party call between a set of communication devices and establishing a sidebar communication between a subset of the set of communication devices. The set of communication devices participate in the dispatch multi-party call and only the subset of communication devices participate in the sidebar communication. In an embodiment of a system of the present invention, the system includes a dispatch network and a set of communication devices in communication with the dispatch network. The dispatch network establishes a dispatch multi-party call between the set of communication devices and a sidebar communication between a subset of the set of communication devices, wherein the set of communication devices participate in the dispatch multi-party call and only the subset of communication devices participate in the sidebar communication.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a dispatch multi-party call, the method comprising the acts of:

establishing a dispatch multi-party call between a set of communication devices;

establishing a sidebar communication between a subset of the set of communication devices, wherein the sidebar communication is established in a format other than a dispatch call format;

maintaining a profile of a participant in the sidebar communication in a dispatch network; and

determining by the dispatch network a method for conducting the sidebar communication with the participant based on the profile;

wherein the set of communication devices participate in the dispatch multi-party call and wherein only the subset of communication devices participate in the sidebar communication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the dispatch multi-party call is a group call.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the set of communication devices is defined by a participant in the group call prior to establishing the group call.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the set of communication devices is selectively dynamically defined by a participant in the group call in conjunction with establishing the group call.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the dispatch multi-party call is a chatroom.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of mixing the dispatch multi-party call and the sidebar communication to produce a single audio output.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the act of mixing is performed in a dispatch network.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the act of mixing is performed in the subset of communication devices.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the act of mixing is performed in a dispatch network for a first communication device of the subset of communication devices and wherein the single audio output is provided to the first communication device from the dispatch network and further wherein the act of mixing is performed for a second communication device of the subset of communication devices in the second communication device.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the act of mixing includes the act of attenuating the dispatch multi-party call.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the act of mixing includes the act of muting the dispatch multi-party call.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the sidebar communication is an interconnect call.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the sidebar communication is a text message session.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of notifying a communication device of the subset of communication devices of the establishment of the sidebar communication.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of notifying includes providing an audible tone.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the act of notifying includes providing a visible signal.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of inviting a communication device of the subset of communication devices to participate in the sidebar communication.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the sidebar communication is a non-voice communication.

19. A system for conducting a dispatch multi-party call, comprising:

a dispatch network; and

a set of communication devices in communication with the dispatch network;

wherein the dispatch network establishes a dispatch multi-party call between the set of communication devices and a sidebar communication between a subset of the set of communication devices, wherein the sidebar communication is established in a format other than a dispatch call format;

wherein the dispatch network maintains a profile of a participant in the sidebar communication and wherein the dispatch network determines a method for conducting the sidebar communication with the participant based on the profile;

and wherein the set of communication devices participate in the dispatch multi-party call and wherein only the subset of communication devices participate in the sidebar communication.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the dispatch multi-party call is a group call.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein an identification of the set of communication devices is stored in the dispatch network.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the dispatch multi-party call is a chatroom.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the dispatch network mixes the dispatch multi-party call and the sidebar communication to produce a single audio output.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the subset of communication devices mixes the dispatch multi-party call and the sidebar communication to produce a single audio output.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the dispatch network mixes the dispatch multi-party call and the sidebar communication to produce a first single audio output for a first communication device of the subset of communication devices and wherein the first single audio output is provided to the first communication device from the dispatch network and further wherein a second communication device of the subset of communication devices mixes the dispatch multi-party call and the sidebar communication to produce a second single audio output for the second communication device.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein the sidebar communication is an interconnect call.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein the sidebar communication is a text message session.

28. The system of claim 19 wherein the sidebar communication is a non-voice communication.