Methods and terminal devices

• US 7,945,276 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Pedersen, Jens Ulrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/516,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20060234723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,505 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/517, 455/414.1, 455/404.2, 455/518, 455/457
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method and terminal device are provided which effect the steps of receiving a message indicating that a user of another terminal device has pressed a talk button, the message including a geographical location of the other terminal device, or any information derived therefrom; and indicating the geographical location of the other terminal device to a user of the terminal device. A further method and terminal device are provided which effect the steps of: in response to a user of a terminal device pressing a talk button, writing information describing the geographical location of the terminal device, or any information derived therefrom, into a message; and sending the message to another terminal device or to a communications network.

Claims

1. A method for receiving location information, the method comprising:

receiving a Push-to-Talk over Cellular message (PoC) at a first PoC terminal device indicating that a user of a second PoC terminal device has pressed a PoC talk button, the message including a geographical location of the second PoC terminal device;

indicating the geographical location of the second PoC terminal device to a user of the first PoC terminal device;

indicating a direction of the first PoC terminal device from the geographical location of the second PoC terminal device;

indicating a distance of the first PoC terminal device from the second PoC terminal device;

indicating a geographical location of the first PoC terminal device on a map together with the geographical location of the second PoC terminal device; and

indicating coordinates of both the first PoC terminal device and the second PoC terminal device.

2. A method for receiving location information as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Push-to-Talk over Cellular message is one of a REFER message and a Floor taken message.

3. A method for transmitting location information, the method comprising:

determining whether a parameter controllable by a user of a first PoC terminal device allows for indicating a geographical location of the first PoC terminal device to another PoC terminal device to which a message maybe sent;

writing information into the message, in response to the user of the first PoC terminal device pressing a PoC talk button, the information indicating the user pressed the PoC talk button and, only if the parameter allows, indicating the geographical location of the first PoC terminal device wherein the information describing the geographical location of the first PoC terminal device is written, into the message only if a parameter controllable by the user of the first PoC terminal device shows that the geographical location is indictable; and

transmitting the message to one of a second PoC terminal device and a communications network.

4. A method for transmitting location information as claimed in claim 3, wherein the message is a Push-to-Talk over Cellular message.

5. A method for transmitting location information as claimed in claim 4, wherein the Push-to-Talk over Cellular message is one of a REFER message and a Floor taken message.

6. A PoC terminal device, comprising:

a receiver, the receiver receiving a PoC message indicating, that a user of a further PoC terminal device has pressed a PoC talk button, the PoC message including a geographical location of the further PoC terminal device; and

an indicator, the indicator indicating the geographical location of the further PoC terminal device to a user of the PoC terminal device, the indicator additionally indicating at least one of;

a direction of the PoC terminal device from the geographical location of the further PoC terminal device;

a distance of the PoC terminal device from the further PoC terminal device;

a geographical location of the PoC terminal device on a map together with a geographical location of the further PoC terminal device; and

coordinates of both the PoC terminal device and the further PoC terminal device,

wherein the PoC message includes the geographical location of the further PoC terminal device and the indicator only if a parameter controllable by the user of the further PoC terminal device shows that the geographical location is indictable.

7. A PoC terminal device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the Push-to-Talk over Cellular message is a Floor taken message.

8. A PoC terminal device, comprising:

a parameter under control of a user of the PoC terminal device for determining whether the PoC terminal device allows for indicating a geographical location of the PoC terminal device to another PoC terminal device to which a message is to be sent;

a message generator, the message generator writing-information into the message, responsive to a user of the PoC terminal device pressing a PoC talk button, the information indicating the user pressed the PoC talk button and, only if the parameter allows, indicating the geographical location of the PoC terminal device, wherein the information describing the geographical location of the PoC terminal device is written into the message only if a parameter controllable by the user of the PoC terminal device shows that the geographical location is indictable; and

a transmitter, the transmitter transmitting the message to one of a further PoC terminal device and a communications network.

9. A PoC terminal device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the message is a Push-to-Talk over Cellular message.

10. A PoC terminal device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the Push-to-Talk over Cellular message is a REFER message.