Privacy control in push-to-talk

• US 8,971,946 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiKL, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TiKL, Inc.
• Inventors: Ahmed, Zafer, Zhong, Nan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hai V
• Application Number:
  US13/464,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20120289277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

In one embodiment, a computer program product for suppressing incoming audio in a Push-To-Talk (PTT) session includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code including computer readable program code configured for receiving a request sent from an originator communication device to initiate a PTT session at a receiver communication device, computer readable program code configured for establishing the PTT session between the originator communication device and the receiver communication device, computer readable program code configured for notifying a user at the receiver communication device that the PTT session has been established, computer readable program code configured for determining whether to suppress or audibilize incoming audio based on a privacy setting on the receiver communication device, and computer readable program code configured for suppressing or audibilizing the incoming audio according to the privacy setting.

Claims

1. A computer program product for suppressing incoming audio in a push-to-talk (PTT) session, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code configured to receive a request sent from an originator communication device to initiate a PTT session at a receiver communication device;

computer readable program code configured to establish the PTT session between the originator communication device and the receiver communication device regardless of a privacy setting of the receiver communication device;

computer readable program code configured to notify a user at the receiver communication device that the PTT session has been established;

computer readable program code configured to determine an action based on the privacy setting on the receiver communication device, the action being selected from a group consisting of;

suppressing incoming audio originating from the originator communication device, and audibilizing the incoming audio originating from the originator communication device; and

computer readable program code configured to carry out the action according to the privacy setting.

2. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, further comprising computer readable program code configured to allow the user to select the privacy setting to determine the action.

3. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code configured to carry out the action comprises computer readable program code configured to suppress the incoming audio by audibilizing the incoming audio at a lower volume than when audibilizing the incoming audio when the action is determined to be suppressing the incoming audio.

4. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code configured to carry out the action comprises computer readable program code configured to suppress the incoming audio by sending the incoming audio to an alternate audio channel of the receiver communication device when the action is determined to be suppressing the incoming audio with a proviso that the incoming audio is not sent to a main speaker of the receiver communication device.

5. The computer program product as recited in claim 4, wherein the alternate audio channel comprises at least one of:

a radio frequency interface and a headset jack.

6. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, further comprising computer readable program code configured to select the privacy setting based on a condition being satisfied.

7. The computer program product as recited in claim 6, wherein satisfaction of the condition is based on at least one of:

a silent mode being active, a vibrate mode being active, a position of the receiver communication device relative to a reference position, an orientation of the receiver communication device relative to the reference position, recent movement of the receiver communication device, a velocity of the receiver communication device movement, a geographical location of the receiver communication device, a current time, user data stored to the receiver communication device, a user input to the receiver communication device, and ambient noise detected by the receiver communication device.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 6, wherein the computer readable program code configured to carry out the action comprises computer readable program code configured to suppress the incoming audio by silencing the incoming audio when the action is determined to be suppressing the incoming audio, and wherein satisfaction of the condition is based on at least one of:

a position of the receiver communication device relative to a reference position, an orientation of the receiver communication device relative to the reference position, recent movement of the receiver communication device, a velocity of the receiver communication device movement, a geographical location of the receiver communication device, a current time, and ambient noise detected by the receiver communication device.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the PTT session is selected from a group consisting of:

a one-to-one PTT session and a one-to-group PTT session using multiple receiver communication devices.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the incoming audio is accompanied by other data, and further comprising computer readable program code configured to provide the other data to the user via the receiver communication device during suppressing of the incoming audio.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 10, wherein the other data comprises at least one of:

video, text, image, identifying data, and vibration.

12. A method for automatically suppressing incoming audio in a push-to-talk (PTT) session, the method comprising:

receiving a request sent from an originator communication device to initiate a PTT session at a receiver communication device;

establishing the PTT session between the originator communication device and the receiver communication device;

notifying a user at the receiver communication device that the PTT session has been established;

automatically determining whether to suppress or audibilize incoming audio based on a privacy setting on the receiver communication device; and

suppressing or audibilizing the incoming audio according to the privacy setting.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising allowing the user to select the privacy setting to either audibilize or suppress the incoming audio.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein suppressing the incoming audio comprises at least one of:

audibilizing the incoming audio at a lower volume than when not suppressing the incoming audio, silencing the incoming audio, and sending the incoming audio to an alternate audio channel of the receiver communication device with the proviso that the incoming audio is not sent to a main speaker of the receiver communication device.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the alternate audio channel comprises at least one of:

a radio frequency interface and a headset jack.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the privacy setting is automatically selected by the receiver communication device based on a condition.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the condition comprises at least one of:

a silent mode being active, a vibrate mode being active, a position of the receiver communication device relative to a reference position, an orientation of the receiver communication device relative to the reference position, recent movement of the receiver communication device, a velocity of the receiver communication device movement, a geographical location of the receiver communication device, a current time, user data stored to the receiver communication device, a user input to the receiver communication device, and ambient noise detected by the receiver communication device.

18. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the PTT session is a one-to-one PTT session or a one-to-group PTT session using multiple receiver communication devices.

19. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the incoming audio is accompanied by other data, and wherein the other data is provided to the user via the receiver communication device during suppressing of the incoming audio.

20. A communication device, comprising:

a processor configured to execute logic;

logic configured to receive a request to initiate a push-to-talk (PTT) session with an originator communication device;

logic configured to establish the PTT session with the originator communication device;

logic configured to notify a user that the PTT session has been established;

logic configured to automatically select a privacy setting based on a condition being satisfied, satisfaction of the condition being based on at least one of;

a position of the communication device relative to a reference position;

an orientation of the communication device relative to the reference position;

recent movement of the communication device;

a velocity of movement of the communication device;

a geographical location of the communication device;

a current time; and

ambient noise being detected by the communication device;

logic configured to automatically determine an action based on a privacy setting, the action being selected from a group consisting of;

suppressing incoming audio originating from the originator communication device, and audibilizing the incoming audio originating from the originator communication device; and

logic configured to carry out the action according to the privacy setting.