Initiation of packet-based services in a public mobile communication system

• US 7,821,978 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Staack, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Nghi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gonzalez; Amancio
• Application Number:
  US10/800,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20050135348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,416 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/312, 370/260, 370/353, 455/41.2, 455/458, 455/90.2, 455/446
• US Class Current: 370/312
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A mechanism and method for initiating a packet-based service session in a public mobile communication system, especially a service session for a group of users are disclosed. In order to accomplish a service initiation even if the terminals of the users are in a disconnected state with respect to the packet-switched domain of the mobile communication system, a triggering message is sent from one user terminal to the other terminals of the group. The triggering message includes information about a packet-based service session to be started, and it may be a message that can be sent via the mobile communication system to a mobile terminal that is in a disconnected state with respect to the packet-switched domain. In response to the reception of the triggering message, the other terminals are brought to a state allowing reception of packets belonging to the packet-based service session. When necessary, this feature involves establishing a connection from the other terminals to the packet-switched domain.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, in a mobile terminal belonging to a communication group in a mobile communication system, a triggering message indicating the communication group and informing the mobile terminal of a packet-based service session of the communication group to be initiated; and

in response to the receiving, bringing the mobile terminal to a state allowing reception of packets from a packet data network belonging to the mobile communication system, to enable participation in the packet-based service session of the communication group, wherein

the receiving comprises receiving the triggering message so that the triggering message is receivable from the mobile communication system when the mobile terminal is in an idle state and regardless of whether the mobile terminal is ready to participate in the packet-based service session, and

the triggering message indicates a starting time for the packet-based service session and the mobile terminal is brought to said state substantially at said starting time.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the bringing includes causing establishment of a connection to the packet data network.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the bringing includes causing a user of the mobile terminal to be registered with a server offering the packet-based service session.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the bringing further includes causing a user of the mobile terminal to be registered with a server offering the packet-based service session.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the server comprises a push-to-talk-over-cellular server.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the server comprises a push-to-talk-over-cellular server.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

causing a user of the mobile terminal to be prompted to accept the packet-based service session.

7. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, direct the apparatus at least to:

receive a triggering message, wherein the triggering message indicates a communication group to which the apparatus belongs and informs the apparatus of a packet-based service session of the communication group to be initiated, and

bring, in response to the triggering message, the apparatus to a state allowing reception of packets from a packet data network, that is included in a mobile communication system, to enable participation in the packet-based service session of the communication group, wherein

the apparatus is directed to receive the triggering message so that the triggering message is receivable from the mobile communication system when the apparatus is in an idle state and regardless of whether the apparatus is ready to participate in the packet-based service session, and

the triggering message indicates a starting time for the packet-based service session and the processor is further configured to bring the apparatus to said state substantially at said starting time.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further directed to cause establishment of a connection to the packet data network when the apparatus comprises a disconnected state with respect to the packet data network when the apparatus is to be brought to said state.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further directed to cause a user of the apparatus to be registered with a server offering the packet-based service session.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further caused to register a user of the apparatus with a server offering the packet-based service session.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the server comprises a push-to-talk-over-cellular server.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the server comprises a push-to-talk-over-cellular server.

13. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further caused to bring the apparatus to said state substantially without delay in response to the triggering message.

16. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is further directed to cause a user of the apparatus to be prompted to accept the packet-based service session.

14. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, direct the apparatus at least to:

compose a triggering message indicating a communication group comprising, in addition to the apparatus, at least one first terminal, wherein the terminals of the communication group have unknown attachment statuses relative to a packet data network that is included in a mobile communication system; and

initiate sending of the triggering message from the apparatus to the at least one first terminal, so as to inform the at least one first terminal of a packet-based service session of the communication group to be initiated, wherein

the apparatus is directed to initiate the sending of the triggering message so that the triggering message is receivable by a second terminal that is in an idle state and regardless of whether the second terminal is ready to participate in the packet-based service session, wherein the second terminal is any of the at least one first terminal, and

the triggering message indicates a starting time for the packet-based service session and the apparatus is further caused to bring the apparatus to said state substantially at said starting time.

17. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal is any of the at least one first mobile terminal.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the triggering message comprises a multimedia message service message.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

message composing means for composing a triggering message indicating a communication group comprising, in addition to the apparatus, at least one first terminal, wherein the terminals of the communication group have unknown attachment statuses relative to a packet data network that is included in a mobile communication system; and

first interface means for causing sending of the triggering message from the apparatus to the at least one first terminal, so as to inform the at least one first apparatus of a packet-based service session of the communication group to be initiated, wherein the first interface means is configured to cause sending of the triggering message so that the triggering message is receivable by a second terminal that is in an idle state and regardless of whether the second terminal is ready to participate in the packet-based service session, wherein the second apparatus is any of the at least one first terminal, wherein

the triggering message indicates a starting time for the packet-based service session and the at least one first terminal is brought to said state substantially at said starting time.

20. A method, comprising:

composing, in an originating mobile terminal, a triggering message indicating a communication group comprising, in addition to the originating terminal, at least one first terminal, wherein the terminals of the communication group have unknown attachment statuses relative to a packet data network that is included in a mobile communication system; and

causing sending of the triggering message from the originating terminal to the at least one first terminal, so as to inform the at least one first terminal of a packet-based service session of the communication group to be initiated, wherein the triggering message is sent so that the triggering message is receivable by a second terminal that is in an idle state and regardless of whether the second terminal is ready to participate in the packet-based service session, wherein the second terminal is any of the at least one first terminal, wherein

the triggering message indicates a starting time for the packet-based service session and the at least one first terminal is brought to said state substantially at said starting time.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the triggering message comprises a multimedia message service message.

22. A memory having software stored thereon, the software configured to control a processor to perform a process, the process comprising:

receiving, in a mobile terminal belonging to a communication group in a mobile communication system, a triggering message indicating the communication group and informing the mobile terminal of a packet-based service session of the communication group to be initiated; and

in response to the receiving, bringing the mobile terminal to a state allowing reception of packets from a packet data network belonging to the mobile communication system, to enable participation in the packet-based service session of the communication group, wherein

the receiving comprises receiving the triggering message so that the triggering message is receivable from the mobile communication system when the mobile terminal is in an idle state and regardless of whether the mobile terminal is ready to participate in the packet-based service session, and

the triggering message indicates a starting time for the packet-based service session and the mobile terminal is brought to said state substantially at said starting time.

23. A memory having software stored thereon, the software configured to control a processor to perform a process, the process comprising:

composing, in an originating mobile terminal, a triggering message indicating a communication group comprising, in addition to the originating terminal, at least one first terminal, wherein the terminals of the communication group have unknown attachment statuses relative to a packet data network that is included in a mobile communication system; and

causing sending of the triggering message from the originating terminal to the at least one first terminal, so as to inform the at least one first terminal of a packet-based service session of the communication group to be initiated, wherein the triggering message is sent so that the triggering message is receivable by a second terminal that is in an idle state and regardless of whether the second terminal is ready to participate in the packet-based service session, wherein the second terminal is any of the at least one first terminal, wherein

the triggering message indicates a starting time for the packet-based service session and the at least one first terminal is brought to said state substantially at said starting time.