System and method for permitting recordation of voice transmissions among group members of a communication group of wireless communication devices

• US 9,137,346 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Maggenti, Mark A., Krishnan, Kulathumani, Shuman, Mohammed Ataur R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US13/760,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20130150115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/517, 455/466, 455/416, 455/411, 455/418, 455/67.11, 455/519, 455/520
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/258 Service state indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices. An embodiment of the disclosure receives, at a first mobile communication device, an indication that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by at least one other mobile communication device, and transmits, from the first mobile communication device, an indication to said at least one other mobile communication device that the subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded. Another embodiment receives an indication from at least one other mobile communication device that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by said mobile communication device, and if the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded, records at least a portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment, and stores the recorded portion in a memory associated with said mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A method of recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices, comprising:

receiving at a first mobile communication device an indication that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by at least one other mobile communication device, wherein the first mobile communication device and the at least one other mobile communication device are members of a communication group of mobile communication devices that each permit users operating the mobile communication devices to communicate with each other in direct group communication across a wireless communication network; and

when the received indication is that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded by the at least one other mobile communication device, transmitting from the first mobile communication device an indication to the at least one other mobile communication device that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication identifying an endpoint of the subsequent voice transmission segment; and

transmitting the indication identifying the endpoint to the at least one other mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the direct group communication is a Push-To-Talk (PTT) group call and wherein the endpoint of said subsequent voice transmission segment corresponds to a point in time before an end of a PTT talk spurt.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting further comprises transmitting an indication identifying a starting point for said subsequent voice transmission segment, wherein the starting point is a time different from a current time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the direct group communication is a Push-To-Talk (PTT) group call and wherein the starting point of said subsequent voice transmission segment corresponds to a point in time after a start of a PTT talk spurt.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting the indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded to each member of the communication group of mobile communication devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a user an option to designate one or more devices for receiving the indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting the indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded to one or more devices designated by a user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the received indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded is generated when a Push-To-Talk (PTT) button is pressed.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein an indication identifying an endpoint of the subsequent voice transmission segment is generated when the PTT button is released.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording at least a portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment; and

storing the recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication that a current conversation may or may not be recorded.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from said at least one other mobile communication device, a request to record the subsequent voice transmission segment.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the received indication is that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded by the at least one other mobile communication device, transmitting from the first mobile communication device an indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded to the at least one other mobile communication device;

receiving an indication revoking the received indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded; and

transmitting an indication to the at least one other mobile communication device revoking the transmitted indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one other mobile communication device, upon receiving the transmitted indication revoking the transmitted indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded, one or more of ceases recording the subsequent voice transmission segment or deletes a recording of the subsequent voice transmission segment.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a server brokering the direct group communication between the communication group of mobile communication devices, upon receiving the transmitted indication revoking the transmitted indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded, one or more of ceases recording the subsequent voice transmission segment or deletes a recording of the subsequent voice transmission segment.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mobile communication device is operated by a moderator of a group call, and wherein the moderator has received permission from all participants of the group call to transmit the transmitted indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of which of the members of the communication group of mobile communication devices are recording the subsequent voice transmission segment.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on a user interface of the first mobile communication device an indication of which of the members of the communication group of mobile communication devices are recording the subsequent voice transmission segment.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the received indication indicates whether other participants of a group call may or may not record subsequent voice transmission segments.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a server brokering the group call transmits a first stream of the group call comprising voice transmission segments of each participant of the group call;

and

wherein the server transmits a second stream of the group call comprising the voice transmission segments of only those participants of the group call that have provided an indication that the other participants of the group call may record the subsequent voice transmission segments.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the server transmits the first stream to each participant of the group call and transmits the second stream to a recording device.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein if the at least one other mobile communication device does not record the subsequent voice transmission segment, the at least one other mobile communication device may download a recording of the subsequent voice transmission segment from a group communication server.

24. A method of recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices, comprising:

receiving at a mobile communication device an indication from at least one other mobile communication device that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device and the at least one other mobile communication device are members of a communication group of mobile communication devices that each permit users operating the mobile communication devices to communicate with each other in direct group communication across a wireless communication network; and

if the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded, preventing the subsequent voice transmission segment from being recorded.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving an indication identifying a starting point of the subsequent voice transmission segment.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the direct group communication is a Push-To-Talk (PTT) group call and wherein the starting point of the subsequent voice transmission segment corresponds to a point in time after a start of a PTT talk spurt.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising storing multiple recorded portions of voice transmission segments on a list such that the multiple recorded portions are identifiable as to when the multiple recorded portions occurred.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the multiple recorded portions are each displayed with a corresponding timestamp.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the multiple recorded portions are distinguished from each other by different visual numbers, different colors, different positions on a display, or any combination thereof.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving an indication to request permission to record the subsequent voice transmission segment; and

transmitting a request to record the subsequent voice transmission segment.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

recording at least a portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment if the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded;

storing the recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment in a memory associated with said mobile communication device;

receiving an indication revoking the received indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded; and

ceasing to record the subsequent voice transmission segment.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

recording at least a portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment if the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded;

storing the recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment in a memory associated with said mobile communication device;

receiving an indication revoking the received indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded; and

deleting the recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

transmitting an authorization to a moderator of a group call comprising the members of the communication group of mobile communication devices to record voice transmission segments originating at the mobile communication device.

34. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

displaying on a user interface of the mobile communication device an indication of which of the members of the communication group of mobile communication devices are recording the subsequent voice transmission segment.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

displaying on the user interface of the mobile communication device an indication of which portions of the subsequent voice transmission segment have been recorded by each member of the communication group of mobile communication devices.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

displaying on the user interface of the mobile communication device an indication of which portions of the direct group communication have been recorded by each of the members of the communication group of mobile communication devices.

37. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

recording at least a portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment if the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may be recorded; and

storing the recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment in a memory associated with the mobile communication device.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising receiving an indication identifying an endpoint of the subsequent voice transmission segment.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising terminating said recording at a time corresponding to said endpoint.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the direct group communication is a Push-To-Talk (PTT) group call and wherein the endpoint of the subsequent voice transmission segment corresponds to a point in time before an end of a PTT talk spurt.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising providing an indication that the subsequent voice transmission segment is being recorded.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the providing the indication comprises providing the indication to the at least one other mobile communication device.

43. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

providing an indication on a user interface of said mobile communication device soliciting input whether the subsequent voice transmission segment should be recorded, wherein the recording and storing steps are executed upon receiving an indication to record the subsequent voice transmission segment.

44. The method of claim 37, further comprising forwarding the recorded subsequent voice transmission segment to another destination.

45. The method of claim 37, wherein the recording is performed while the subsequent voice transmission segment is reproduced on the mobile communication device.

46. The method of claim 37, further comprising providing an option to delete the recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment.

47. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

receiving an indication to record the subsequent voice transmission segment; and

transmitting a request to record the subsequent voice transmission segment to each member of the communication group of mobile communication devices, wherein the recording and storing steps are executed upon receiving permission, from each member of the communication group of mobile communication devices, to record the subsequent voice transmission segment.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the indication to record the subsequent voice transmission segment is generated by closing the mobile communication device.

49. The method of claim 37, further comprising automatically playing the stored recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment when the mobile communication device is opened or activated.

50. The method of claim 37, wherein the recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment is less than the subsequent voice transmission segment.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

requesting transmission of an unrecorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment from a group communication server; and

augmenting the recorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment with the requested unrecorded portion of the subsequent voice transmission segment.

52. An apparatus for recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices, comprising:

logic configured to receive at a first mobile communication device an indication that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by at least one other mobile communication device, wherein the first mobile communication device and the at least one other mobile communication device are members of a communication group of mobile communication devices that each permit users operating the mobile communication devices to communicate with each other in direct group communication across a wireless communication network; and

logic configured to transmit from the first mobile communication device an indication to the at least one other mobile communication device that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded when the received indication is that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded by the at least one other mobile communication device.

53. An apparatus for recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices, comprising:

logic configured to receive, at a mobile communication device, an indication from at least one other mobile communication device that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device and the at least one other mobile communication device are members of a communication group of mobile communication devices that each permit users operating the mobile communication devices to communicate with each other in direct group communication across a wireless communication network; and

logic configured to prevent the subsequent voice transmission segment from being recorded if the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded.

54. An apparatus for recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices, comprising:

means for receiving at a first mobile communication device an indication that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by at least one other mobile communication device, wherein the first mobile communication device and the at least one other mobile communication device are members of a communication group of mobile communication devices that each permit users operating the mobile communication devices to communicate with each other in direct group communication across a wireless communication network; and

means for transmitting from the first mobile communication device an indication to the at least one other mobile communication device that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded when the received indication is that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded by the at least one other mobile communication device.

55. An apparatus for recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices, comprising:

means for receiving, at a mobile communication device, an indication from at least one other mobile communication device that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device and the at least one other mobile communication device are members of a communication group of mobile communication devices that each permit users operating the mobile communication devices to communicate with each other in direct group communication across a wireless communication network; and

means for preventing the subsequent voice transmission segment from being recorded the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded.

56. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices, comprising:

at least one instruction for causing a first mobile communication device to receive an indication that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by at least one other mobile communication device, wherein the first mobile communication device and the at least one other mobile communication device are members of a communication group of mobile communication devices that each permit users operating the mobile communication devices to communicate with each other in direct group communication across a wireless communication network; and

at least one instruction for causing the first mobile communication device to transmit an indication to the at least one other mobile communication device that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded when the received indication is that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded by the at least one other mobile communication device.

57. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for recording voice data transmissions between mobile communication devices, comprising:

at least one instruction for causing a mobile communication device to receive an indication from at least one other mobile communication device that a subsequent voice transmission segment may or may not be recorded by the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device and the at least one other mobile communication device are members of a communication group of mobile communication devices that each permit users operating the mobile communication devices to communicate with each other in direct group communication across a wireless communication network; and

at least one instruction for causing the mobile communication device to prevent the subsequent voice transmission segment from being recorded if the received indication indicates that the subsequent voice transmission segment may not be recorded.