System and methods for queueing and moderating group talk

• US 8,380,237 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Plestid, Trevor, Estable, Luis Pablo
• Primary Examiner(s): DEAN, RAYMOND S
• Application Number:
  US12/576,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20100029220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 455518-521, 455/90.2
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

Systems of methods for performing queued and moderated talk groups in a system featuring network provided half duplex communications talk group sessions. For queuing, rather than dropping a talk request from a user which is listening, the request is forwarded and maintained in a list which is the used to grant access to the talk channel. For moderated talk groups, a wireless device is designated to be a moderator network device. The requests for the talk channel are then forwarded to the moderator network device. The moderator network device is equipped with functionality allowing a user of the device to select the order in which devices are granted the talk channel.

Claims

1. A method for a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate in a wireless network, the method comprising:

operating the UE as a participant in a group talk session with other UEs via the wireless network, the UE including a display and a talk button for participation in the group talk session;

operating the UE to perform talk order control for the group talk session by;

receiving, via the wireless network, on an ongoing basis during the group talk session, requests for a transmit capability from other UEs which are relayed by a message controller;

providing, to a user of the UE, identifiers of the other UEs that have transmitted the requests for the transmit capability;

maintaining, on an ongoing basis during the group talk session, a record of the received requests that are outstanding; and

sending a message via the wireless network, to grant at least one of the requests for the transmit capability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one message transmitted is associated with the talk group, the at least one message comprising at least one of:

a floor revoke message from the UE to the wireless network; and

a clear-to-talk message from the UE to the wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one message received is associated with the talk group, the messages comprising at least one of:

a release of talk message from network to UE; and

a transmit channel request message from network to UE.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each request comprises a transmit channel request message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the message to grant at least one of the requests for the transmit capability comprises a clear-to-talk message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the group talk session comprises a Push-to-talk-over Cellular (PoC) session.

7. A user equipment (UE) configured to communicate in a wireless network, the UE comprising:

a processing element;

a message reception element coupled to the processing element;

a message transmission element coupled to the processing element;

a display coupled to the processing element;

the processing element being configured to operate the UE as a participant in a group talk session with other UEs via the wireless network;

a talk button for participation in the group talk session;

the processing element being further configured to perform talk order control for the group talk session, by;

receiving, via the message reception element, on an ongoing basis during the group talk session, requests for a transmit capability from other UEs which are relayed by a message controller;

providing, to a user of the UE, identifiers of the other UEs that have transmitted the requests for the transmit capability;

maintaining, on an ongoing basis during the group talk session, a record of the received requests that are outstanding; and

sending, via the message transmission element, a message via the wireless network, to grant at least one of the requests for the transmit capability.

8. The UE of claim 7, wherein at least one message transmitted is associated with the talk group, the at least one message comprising at least one of:

a floor revoke message from the UE to the wireless network; and

a clear-to-talk message from the UE to the wireless network.

9. The UE of claim 7, wherein at least one message received is associated with the talk group, the messages comprising at least one of:

a release of talk message from network to UE; and

a transmit channel request message from the network to UE.

10. The UE of claim 7, wherein each request comprises a transmit channel request message.

11. The UE of claim 7, wherein the message to grant at least one of the requests for the transmit capability comprises a clear-to-talk message.

12. The UE of claim 11, wherein the group talk session comprises a Push-to-talk-over Cellular (PoC) session.