Subscriber unit capable of switching between full-duplex and half-duplex modes during an on-going session

• US 7,974,224 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2004
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Szuszczewicz, Karalyn M., Tillet, Daniel, Choksi, Ojas T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh; Ayaz R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aga; Sori A
• Application Number:
  US10/903,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20060023649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,530 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/296
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

A subscriber unit including an interface and a processor to transmit a first request to a wireless communication system by way of the interface to request a communication session in a first communication mode with one or more users; communicate with the one or more users by way of the interface in the communication session and in the first communication mode; transmit, while in the communication session, a second request to the wireless communication system by way of the interface to switch the first communication mode to a different second communication mode; and communicate with the one or more users by way of the interface in the communication session and in the second communication mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting a first request to a wireless communication system requesting a communication session in a first communication mode with one or more users;

communicating with the one or more users in the communication session and in the first communication mode;

while in the communication session, transmitting a second request to the wireless communication system to switch the first communication mode to a different second communication mode, wherein the first and second communication modes are full-duplex or half-duplex communication modes; and

communicating with the one or more users in the communication session and in the second communication mode when the one or more users are eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode and when a configurable number of the one or more users in the communication session accept the request to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode,

wherein a communication unit that transmitted the second request is informed that the one or more users are not eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode when at least one of the one or more users is not eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein eligibility to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode is determined based on information in a database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

6. A subscriber unit comprising;

an interface; and

a processor to;

transmit a first request to a wireless communication system by way of the interface to request a communication session in a first communication mode with one or more users;

communicate with the one or more users by way of the interface in the communication session and in the first communication mode;

transmit, while in the communication session, a second request to the wireless communication system by way of the interface to switch the first communication mode to a different second communication mode, wherein the first and second communication modes are full-duplex or half-duplex communication modes; and

communicate with the one or more users by way of the interface in the communication session and in the second communication mode when the one or more users are eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode and when a configurable number of the one or more users in the communication session accept the request to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode

wherein a communication unit that transmitted the second request is informed that the one or more users are not eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode when at least one of the one or more users is not eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein eligibility to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode is determined based on information in a database.

7. The subscriber unit of claim 6, wherein the first communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

8. The subscriber unit of claim 7, wherein the second communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

9. The subscriber unit of claim 6, wherein the first communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

10. The subscriber unit of claim 9, wherein the second communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

11. The subscriber unit of claim 6, wherein the interface comprises a radio frequency (RF) interface.

12. The subscriber unit of claim 6, wherein the interface comprises an external network interface.

13. The subscriber unit of claim 6, wherein said processor is adapted to change RF resources provided by said interface to handle said second communication mode.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more software modules to control a processor to:

transmit a first request to a wireless communication system to request a communication session in a first communication mode with one or more users;

communicate with the one or more users in the communication session and in the first communication mode;

transmit, while in the communication session, a second request to the wireless communication system by way of an interface to switch the first communication mode to a different second communication mode, wherein the first and second communication modes are full-duplex or half-duplex communication modes; and

communicating with the one or more users by way of the interface in the communication session and in the second communication mode when the one or more users are eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode and when a configurable number of the one or more users in the communication session accept the request to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode

wherein a communication unit that transmitted the second request is informed that the one or more users are not eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode when at least one of the one or more users is not eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein eligibility to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode is determined based on information in a database.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said one or more software modules are adapted to control said processor to change RF resources to handle said second communication mode.

20. A method comprising:

receiving a first request from a wireless communication system requesting a communication session in a first communication mode with one or more users;

transmitting a first response to said first request to said wireless communication system, wherein said first response indicates an acceptance of said first request;

communicating with the one or more users in the communication session and in the first communication mode;

while in the communication session, receiving a second request from the wireless communication system to switch the first communication mode to a different second communication mode when the one or more users are eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein eligibility to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode is determined based on information in a database;

transmitting a second response to said second request to said wireless communication system, wherein said second response indicates an acceptance of said second request; and

communicating with the one or more users in the communication session and in the second communication mode when a configurable number of the one or more users accept the second request.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the first communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising changing RF resources to handle said second communication mode.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein transmitting said second response is performed automatically after receiving said second request.

27. A subscriber unit comprising;

an interface; and

a processor to;

receive a first request from a wireless communication system by way of said interface requesting a communication session in a first communication mode with one or more users;

transmit a first response to said first request to said wireless communication system by way of said interface, wherein said first response indicates an acceptance of said first request;

communicate with the one or more users in the communication session and in the first communication mode;

while in the communication session, receive a second request from the wireless communication system by way of said interface to switch the first communication mode to a different second communication mode when the one or more users are eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein eligibility to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode is determined based on information in a database;

transmit a second response to said second request to said wireless communication system by way of said interface, wherein said second response indicates an acceptance of said second request; and

communicate with the one or more users in the communication session and in the second communication mode when a configurable number of the one or more users accept the second request.

28. The subscriber unit of claim 27, wherein the first communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

29. The subscriber unit of claim 28, wherein the second communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

30. The subscriber unit of claim 27, wherein the first communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

31. The subscriber unit of claim 30, wherein the second communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

32. The subscriber unit of claim 27, wherein the interface comprises a radio frequency (RF) interface.

33. The subscriber unit of claim 27, wherein the interface comprises an external network interface.

34. The subscriber unit of claim 27, wherein said processor is adapted to change RF resources provided by said interface to handle said second communication mode.

35. The subscriber unit of claim 27, wherein said processor is adapted to automatically transmit said second response in response to receiving said second request.

36. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising one or more software modules to control a processor to:

receive a first request from a wireless communication system interface requesting a communication session in a first communication mode with one or more users;

transmit a first response to said first request to said wireless communication system, wherein said first response indicates an acceptance of said first request;

communicate with the one or more users in the communication session and in the first communication mode;

while in the communication session, receive a second request from the wireless communication system to switch the first communication mode to a different second communication mode when the one or more users are eligible to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode, wherein eligibility to switch from the first communication mode to the second communication mode is determined based on information in a database;

transmit a second response to said second request to said wireless communication system, wherein said second response indicates an acceptance of said second request; and

communicate with the one or more users in the communication session and in the second communication mode when a configurable number of the one or more users accept the second request.

37. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the first communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein the second communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the first communication mode comprises a full-duplex communication mode.

40. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 39, wherein the second communication mode comprises a half-duplex communication mode.

41. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein said one or more software modules are adapted to control said processor to change RF resources to handle said second communication mode.

42. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein said one or more software modules are adapted to control said processor to automatically transmit said second response in response to receiving said second request.