Data transmission in a telecommunication conference

• US 8,243,694 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc., Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Kowalewski, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Kharye
• Application Number:
  US11/775,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,861 Days
• Field of Search: 379/202.01, 379/203.01, 379/204.01, 379/204.02, 379/205.01, 379/206.01, 379/207.01, 455/416, 455/556.2, 455/418, 455/516, 455/517, 455/518, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/357, 370/358
• US Class Current: 370/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5054 Meet-me conference, i.e. participants dial-in
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5081 Inform conference party of participants, e.g. of change of participants conducting a computer conference, e.g. admission detection, H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A communication terminal into which communication data can be input and which can receive a message signalling that at least one further communication terminal is ready to receive the communication data. Following receipt of the message, a transmission device configured to operate in a first mode, in which it sends data at a first data rate, and in a second mode, in which it sends data at a second data rate, which is higher than the first data rate, is used to send the communication data in the second mode.

Claims

1. A communication terminal comprising:

an input device configured to input communication data into the communication terminal at an input speed, the input communication data needing to be sent in the course of a telecommunication conference;

a memory configured to store the input communication data;

a reception device configured to receive from a conference control server unit a message signaling that at least one further communication terminal is ready to receive the communication data;

a transmission device configured to operate in a first mode for sending data at a first bit stream data rate, and in a second mode for sending data at a second bit stream data rate, the bit stream second data rate being higher than the first bit stream data rate, wherein in the second mode the data output at the at least one further communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which data is input by the input device; and

a control device, following receipt of the message, configured to control the transmission device for sending the stored input communication data in the second mode at the second bit stream data rate, wherein stored input communication data output at the at least one further communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which the input communication data is input, wherein the transmission of the stored input communication data in the second mode catches up with the input of the communication data.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to control the transmission device such that it sends a further message specifying that the telecommunication conference needs to be set up.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein the control device is configured to control the transmission device for not sending any communication data needing to be sent in the course of the telecommunication conference between the time at which the further message is sent and the time at which the message is received.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the input device is configured to input the communication data as soon as the further message has been sent.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the message specifies that at least the further communication terminal is participating in the telecommunication conference.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the communication data is at least one of audio data, video data, image data and text data.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the telecommunication conference is a Push-To-Talk conference.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal is a mobile radio subscriber appliance.

9. A method for sending communication data, comprising:

inputting communication data needing to be sent in the course of a telecommunication conference into a communication terminal at an input speed;

storing the input communication data;

receiving a message which signals that at least one further communication terminal is ready to receive the communication data; and

controlling, following receipt of the message, a transmission device, which can be operated in a first mode for sending data at a first bit stream data rate, and in a second mode for sending data at a second bit stream data rate, the second bit stream data rate being higher than the first bit stream data rate, wherein in the second mode the output of data at the at least one further communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which data is input by the input device, for sending the stored input communication data in the second mode at the second bit stream data rate, wherein the output of stored input communication data at the at least one further communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which the input communication data is input, wherein the transmission of the stored input communication data in the second mode catches up with the input of the communication data.

10. The method for sending communication data according to claim 9, wherein the message is received from a conference control unit.

11. A conference server device comprising:

a message generation device configured to generate a message signaling that at least one further communication terminal is ready to receive communication data input at the input speed and stored in a communication terminal;

a transmission device configured to send the message to the communication terminal;

a reception device configured to operate in a first mode for receiving data transmitted by the communication terminal at a first bit stream data rate, and in a second mode for receiving data at a second bit stream data rate, the second bit stream data rate being higher than the first bit stream data rate, wherein in the second mode the output of received data transmitted by the communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which data is input to the communication terminal; and

a control device, when the message has been sent, configured to control the reception device for receiving the communication data stored in the communication terminal in the second mode at the second bit stream data rate, wherein the output of communication data stored in the communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which data is input to the communication terminal, wherein receiving the communication data stored in the communication terminal in the second mode, catches up with an input of the communication data to the communication terminal.

12. A method for forwarding communication data, comprising:

generating a message which signals that at least one further communication terminal is ready to receive communication data input at the input speed stored in a communication terminal;

sending the message to the communication terminal; and

controlling, when the message has been sent, a reception device, which can be operated in a first mode for receiving data transmitted by the communication terminal at a first bit stream data rate, and in a second mode for receiving data at a second bit stream data rate, the second bit stream data rate being higher than the first bit stream data rate, wherein in the second mode the output of data at the at least one further communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which data is input in the communication terminal, for receiving the communication data stored at the communication terminal in the second mode at the second bit stream data rate, wherein the output of communication data stored at the communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which the input communication data is input in the communication terminal, wherein the transmission of the data stored in the communication terminal in the second mode catches up with the input of the communication data.

13. A communication terminal comprising:

an input device configured to input communication data at an input speed into the communication terminal, the input communication data needing to be sent in the course of a telecommunication conference;

a memory configured to store the input communication data;

a reception device configured to receive from a conference control server unit a message signaling that at least one further communication terminal is ready to receive the communication data;

a transmission device; and

a control device configured to control the transmission device, following receipt of the message for sending the stored input communication data at a bit stream data rate which is higher than the bit stream data rate required for real-time data transmission of the communication data, wherein the output of stored input communication data at the at least one further communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which the input communication data is input, wherein the transmission of the stored input communication data in the second mode catches up with the input of the communication data.

14. A communication terminal comprising:

an input device configured to input communication data into the communication terminal at an input speed, the input communication data needing to be sent in the course of a telecommunication conference;

a memory configured to store the input communication data;

a transmission device configured to operate in a first mode for sending data at a first bit stream data rate, and in a second mode for sending data at a second bit stream data rate, the second bit stream data rate being higher than the first bit stream data rate;

a control device configured to control the transmission device for sending a first message specifying that the telecommunication conference needs to be set up; and

a reception device configured to receive from a conference control server unit a message signaling that at least one further communication terminal is ready to receive the communication data,

wherein the control device is configured to control the transmission device for not sending any communication data needing to be sent in the course of the telecommunication conference between the time at which the first message is sent and the time at which the message is received, and the control device configured to control the transmission device, following receipt of the message for sending the stored input communication data in the second mode at the second bit stream data rate, wherein the output of stored input communication data at the at least one further communication terminal is accelerated in comparison with the speed at which the input communication data is input, wherein the transmission of the stored input communication data in the second mode catches up with the input of the communication data.