System and method for location based push-to-talk

• US 7,529,558 B1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Blair, Colin, Chan, Kevin, Lang, Andrew, Hepworth, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US11/248,926
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 455/515, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/520, 455/412.1, 455/415, 455/416, 4554561- 3, 455/510, 455/514, 455/414.1, 455/417, 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A system and method are provided for establishing location-based push-to-talk communication groups. A location determining application is incorporated within a communication network for members of a push-to-talk group. This application may include global positioning satellite technology incorporated in mobile communication devices carried by the members, a triangulation application incorporated at a communications server, or an RFID application associated with the members. Location data obtained on the members is maintained in a database that is accessible to a communications server facilitating communication between the members. When a member initiates a push-to-talk communication, other members of the group are contacted based upon their locations. The communication can be selectively transmitted to either those within a pre-designated location, or outside of the pre-designated location.

Claims

1. A method of conducting communications, said method comprising:

establishing a push-to-talk group comprising a plurality of members, each member having a communication device for communicating through a communication network;

providing means for identifying locations of said members;

initiating a first push-to-talk communication by one member directed to the other members of the group;

determining the locations of the members at the time of the first communication;

selectively transmitting the first communication only to members that are presently located within a pre-designated location; and

establishing a time period for conducting communications between members of the push-to-talk group, wherein expiration of the time period corresponds to termination of the group defined for receiving the push-to-talk communications.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said means for identifying includes at least one of (i) a global positioning satellite application incorporated in said communication devices, (ii) a triangulation application incorporated at a communications server for tracking locations of the communication devices, and (iii) an RFID application incorporated at the pre-designated location.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the members of said group are selectively chosen by at least one member of the group, and said pre-designated location is selected by at least one member of the group.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

initiating a second push-to-talk communication by one member of the push-to-talk group, wherein those members receiving the second communication differ from the members receiving the first communication based on changed locations of the members.

5. A method of conducting communications, said method comprising:

establishing a push-to-talk group comprising a plurality of members, each member having a communication device for communicating through a communication network;

providing means for identifying locations of said members;

initiating a first push-to-talk communication by one member directed to the other members of the group;

determining the locations of the members at the time of the first communication;

transmitting the first communication only to those members not within a pre-designated location; and

wherein said means for identifying includes at least one of a triangulation application incorporated at a communications server for tracking locations of the communication devices and an RFID application incorporated at the pre-designated location.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the members of said group are selectively chosen by at least one member of the group, and said pre-designated location is selected by at least one member of the group.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of:

initiating a second push-to-talk communication by one member of the push-to-talk group, wherein those members receiving the second communication differ from the members receiving the first communication based on changed locations of the members.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of:

establishing a time period for conducting communications between members of the push-to-talk group, wherein expiration of the time period corresponds to termination of the group defined for receiving the push-to-talk communications.

9. A method, as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

an RFID application incorporated at the pre-designated location further comprises each member carrying an RFID tag/card that is read by one or more interrogating devices at a location of interest, the interrogating devices confirming the identity of each member carrying the tag/cards, and said information being transferred to a presence server such as by a wireless communication interface.

10. An apparatus for facilitating communications between members of a push-to-talk group communicating through a communications network, said apparatus comprising:

a communication server including a processor and a communications interface for communicating with a plurality of communication devices carried by the members;

programming instructions executed by said processor, said programming instructions including means for establishing active members of the push-to-talk group based upon geographic locations of the members;

a location determining application communicating with said processor for providing data inputs reflective of member locations;

a time period application for establishing a time period for conducting communications between members, wherein expiration of the time period corresponds to termination of the group defined for receiving the communications; and

wherein a push-to-talk communication initiated by a member to other members is selectively transmitted only to those other members that are presently located at a pre-designated location.

11. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 10, further including:

an e-mail server communicating with said processor for establishing members of the push-to-talk group by identifying IP addresses/phone numbers of the members.

12. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said location determining application includes at least one of (i) a global positioning satellite application incorporated in said communication devices, (ii) a triangulation application incorporated at the communications server for tracking locations of the communication devices, and (iii) an RFID application incorporated at the pre-designated location.