Communication systems and methods

• US 8,036,693 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Core Mobility (Smith Micro Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: El-Fishawy, Sani
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jain; Ankur
• Application Number:
  US13/052,998
• Time in Patent Office: 204 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

The floor in a network-based instant connect communication session is managed such that a mobile device user can cause voice data to be transmitted to a remote party without the remote party giving consent to relinquishing the floor. After the network-based instant connect communication session is established, and as the remote party holds the floor, the mobile device user presses a talk button on the mobile device or otherwise provides input. The input causes the network-based instant connect communication session to transition from the original half-duplex communication to full-duplex communication. The mobile device user can then cause voice data to be sent to the remote device. In this manner, the mobile device user can interrupt or spontaneously respond to the remote party without waiting for the remote party to relinquish the floor. This facilitates comfortable two-way communication in a network-based instant connect communication session.

Claims

1. In a communication system including a first mobile telephone and a second mobile telephone, a method comprising:

by the second mobile telephone, as part of a half-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones;

receiving and automatically playing a first portion of first audio data, which the first mobile telephone sent in response to a press-and-hold of a talk button of the first mobile telephone; and

by the second mobile telephone, as part of a full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones;

receiving and automatically playing a second portion of the first audio, which the first mobile telephone sent in response to the press-and-hold of the talk button of the first mobile telephone; and

in response to a press-and-hold of a talk button of the second mobile telephone, sending second audio to the first mobile telephone while simultaneously receiving and automatically playing the second portion of the first audio, which the first mobile telephone sent in response to the press-and-hold of the talk button of the first mobile telephone;

wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to receive and automatically play the second audio as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones;

and by the second mobile telephone;

after the talk button of the second mobile telephone is released, continuing to send audio to the first mobile telephone as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the half-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones is a network-based instant connect communication session.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the second mobile telephone received user input that caused the network-based instant connect communication session to transition from the half-duplex communication to the full-duplex communication.

4. The method as in claim 2, wherein the press-and-hold of a talk button of the first mobile telephone successfully requested a floor of the network-based instant connect communication session.

5. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

by the second mobile telephone;

after the talk button of the first mobile telephone is released, continuing to receive and automatically play audio from the first mobile telephone as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

by the second mobile telephone;

after the talk button of the first mobile telephone is released, continuing to receive and automatically play audio from the first mobile telephone as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

by the second mobile telephone;

after the talk button of the second mobile telephone is released, continuing to send audio to the first mobile telephone as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.

8. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

by the first mobile telephone;

receiving and automatically playing the second audio as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.

9. A system for facilitating communication with a first mobile telephone, the system comprising:

a second mobile telephone configured to;

as part of a half-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones;

receive and automatically play a first portion of first audio data, which the first mobile telephone sent in response to a press-and-hold of a talk button of the first mobile telephone; and

as part of a full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones;

receive and automatically play a second portion of the first audio, which the first mobile telephone sent in response to the press-and-hold of the talk button of the first mobile telephone; and

in response to a press-and-hold of a talk button of the second mobile telephone, send second audio to the first mobile telephone while simultaneously receiving and automatically playing the second portion of the first audio, which the first mobile telephone sent in response to the press-and-hold of the talk button of the first mobile telephone;

wherein the first mobile telephone is configured to receive and automatically play the second audio as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones;

wherein the second mobile telephone is further configured to, after the talk button of the second mobile telephone is released, continue to send audio to the first mobile telephone as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.

10. The system as in claim 9, wherein the half-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones is a network-based instant connect communication session.

11. The system as in claim 10, wherein the second mobile telephone is configured to receive user input that causes the network-based instant connect communication session to transition from the half-duplex communication to the full-duplex communication.

12. The system as in claim 10, wherein the press-and-hold of a talk button of the first mobile telephone successfully requested a floor of the network-based instant connect communication session.

13. The system as in claim 9, wherein the second mobile telephone is further configured to, after the talk button of the first mobile telephone is released, continue to receive and automatically play audio from the first mobile telephone as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.

14. The system as in claim 9, further comprising:

wherein the second mobile telephone is further configured to, after the talk button of the first mobile telephone is released, continue to receive and automatically play audio from the first mobile telephone as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.

15. The system as in claim 9, further comprising:

wherein the second mobile telephone is further configured to, after the talk button of the second mobile telephone is released, continue to send audio to the first mobile telephone as part of the full-duplex communication between the first and second mobile telephones.