System and method for providing talker arbitration in point-to-point/group communication

• US 7,558,736 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Issued: 07/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Saxena, Narothum, Irizarry, Michael, Thalanany, Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth; David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, PARAS D
• Application Number:
  US10/750,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 455/519, 455/416, 455/435.3, 455/464, 379/158, 379/202.01, 370/259, 370/260
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/028 using properties of sound source
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• 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

One embodiment of the invention is based on a facilitation of the natural dynamics associated with face to face conversation, where the amplitude of a speaker'"'"'s voice is often used to gain floor control. This capability advantageously allows a user who is intending to speak to interrupt a user who currently has floor control. By basing talker arbitration at least partially on the amplitude of the speaker'"'"'s voice, the invention removes the need for a user to push a separate button on the handset before the commencement of speech.

Claims

1. In a half-duplex cellular communication system, a method for talker arbitration, comprising:

receiving speech energy levels corresponding respectively to a current talker and a prospective talker in a half-duplex cellular communication session, said current and prospective talkers automatically requesting floor control by commencing speech, said current talker having floor control;

receiving dynamic priority levels corresponding respectively to said current and prospective talkers;

selecting said prospective talker based on comparing said speech energy level of said prospective talker to said speech energy level of said current talker by weighting said speech energy levels by said corresponding dynamic priority levels;

wherein said step of selecting further comprises selecting said prospective talker if said weighted speech energy level of said prospective talker is higher than said weighted speech energy level of said current talker; and

granting said selected prospective talker floor control of said half-duplex cellular communication session;

wherein the dynamic priority level for each talker is inversely proportional to a number of times said talker has been granted floor control and independent from a number of times other talkers have been granted floor control.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of receiving said speech energy level of said current talker comprises receiving, from a mobile station of said current talker, said speech energy level of said current talker.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of receiving said speech energy level of said prospective talker comprises receiving, from a mobile station of said prospective talker, said speech energy level of said prospective talker.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said speech energy level of said current talker is encoded based on a voice codec in use in said communication session.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a static priority level of said current talker;

receiving a static priority level of said prospective talker;

wherein said step of selecting further comprises selecting said prospective talker based on weighting each of said speech energy levels by each of said corresponding static priority levels associated with said current and prospective talkers and comparing said weighted speech energy levels.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein said static priority level of said current talker and said static priority level of said prospective talker are based on respective subscription profiles of said current talker and said prospective talker.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said prospective talker is prevented from obtaining floor control if said number of times said prospective talker has been granted floor control exceeds a predetermined threshold set at a server.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a speech energy level of a second prospective talker;

receiving a dynamic priority level corresponding to said second prospective talker;

weighting said speech energy level of said second prospective talker by said dynamic priority level of said second prospective talker;

wherein said step of selecting further comprises selecting said prospective talker based on comparing said weighted speech energy level of said prospective talker to said weighted speech energy level of said current talker and said weighted speech energy level of said second prospective talker.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein said step of selecting further comprises selecting said prospective talker if said weighted speech energy level of said prospective talker is higher than both said weighted speech energy level of said current talker and said weighted speech energy level of said second prospective talker.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein said step of receiving said speech energy level of said second prospective talker comprises receiving, from a mobile station of said second prospective talker, said speech energy level of said second prospective talker.

11. A method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a static priority level of said second prospective talker;

weighting said speech energy level of said second prospective talker by said static priority level of said second prospective talker;

wherein said step of selecting further comprises selecting said prospective talker based on comparing said weighted speech energy level of said prospective talker to said weighted speech energy level of said current talker and said weighted speech energy level of said second prospective talker.

12. A half-duplex communication system for providing talker arbitration, comprising:

a first mobile station associated with a current talker in a half-duplex cellular communication session;

a second mobile station associated with a prospective talker; and

a server, connected to said first and second mobile stations, said server adapted to enable one of said first and second mobile stations to transmit based on speech energy levels respectively received from said first and second mobile stations, said speech energy levels weighted by dynamic priority levels respectively maintained for said current and prospective talkers, said current and prospective talkers automatically requesting floor control by commencing speech;

wherein the dynamic priority level for each talker is inversely proportional to a number of times said talker has been granted floor control and independent from a number of times other talkers have been granted floor control.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said server is a press-to-talk over cellular server.

14. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said server is adapted to enable said second mobile station to transmit if said weighted speech energy level associated with said second mobile station is higher than said weighted speech energy level associated with said first mobile station.

15. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said speech energy levels are encoded based on a voice codec in use in said communication session.

16. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said server is adapted to receive respective static priority levels of said current talker and said prospective talker.

17. A system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said server is adapted to enable one of said first and second mobile stations to transmit based on said speech energy levels respectively received from said first and second mobile stations, said speech energy levels weighted by said respective static priority levels of said current talker and said prospective talker.

18. A system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said respective static priority levels of said current talker and said prospective talker are based on respective subscription profiles of said current talker and said prospective talker.

19. A system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said server is adapted to prevent said prospective talker from obtaining floor control if said number of times said prospective talker has been granted floor control exceeds a predetermined threshold set at a server.

20. A system in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a third mobile station associated with a second prospective talker, said server adapted to allow said third mobile station to transmit if a speech energy level associated with said third mobile station and weighted by a dynamic priority level maintained by said server for said second prospective talker is higher than both said weighted speech energy level associated with said first mobile station and said weighted speech energy level associated with said second mobile station.

21. A system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said server is adapted to receive static priority levels corresponding to each of said current talker, first prospective talker, and second prospective talker.

22. A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said server is adapted to enable one of said first, second and third mobile stations to transmit based on weighting said speech energy levels respectively received from said first, second and third mobile stations by said respective static priority levels of said current talker, said prospective talker and said second prospective talker.

23. A system in accordance with claim 20, wherein said server is adapted to prevent said second prospective talker from obtaining floor control if said number of times said second prospective talker has been granted floor control exceeds a predetermined threshold set at a server.

24. In a half duplex cellular communication system, a method for talker arbitration, comprising:

measuring a speech energy level of each of a plurality of prospective talkers in a half-duplex cellular communication session, each of said plurality of prospective talkers automatically requesting floor control by commencing speech;

determining a static priority level of each of said plurality of prospective talkers;

determining a dynamic priority level of each of said plurality of prospective talkers;

weighting said speech energy level of each of said plurality of prospective talkers by said static and said dynamic priority levels of each of said plurality of prospective talkers;

selecting one of said plurality of prospective talkers for floor control based on identifying a highest one of said weighted speech energy levels of each of said plurality of prospective talkers; and

granting said selected one of said plurality of prospective talkers floor control of said half duplex cellular communication session;

wherein said dynamic priority level of each of said plurality of prospective talkers is inversely proportional to a number of times said talker has been granted floor control and independent from a number of times other talkers have been granted floor control.