System for collecting billable information in a group communication network

• US 9,143,484 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Maggenti, Mark A., Crockett, Douglas M., Kalantri, Sacchindra K. G., Rosen, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amsdell, Dana
• Application Number:
  US12/694,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20100233993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,064 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing security in a group communication network provides for receiving an encryption key, encrypting media for transmission to a controller using the received encryption key, the encrypted media being directed to another communication device, and communicating the encrypted media to the controller. In one embodiment, the communicating includes wireless communication. The method and apparatus further provides for receiving encrypted media from a controller and blocking the encrypted media if the communication device is not enabled to receive encrypted-media transmission, or if the media is not encrypted based on an encryption key previously specified by the communication device. In another aspect, the communication device is a push-to-talk (PTT) device.

Claims

1. A method of collecting and managing billable information in a wireless group communication system, the method comprising:

receiving, at a local node device from a centralized server device, an assignment for operating a net for group communications among members of the net, wherein the assignment is based on a first location of the local node device corresponding to a second location of the net;

operating, at the local node device, the net for group communications among members of the net after an initial establishment of the net by the centralized server device, wherein the net includes at least two or more subscriber devices;

detecting a group communication among members of the net, wherein the group communication is transmitted from one subscriber device to a target group of two or more other subscriber devices;

collecting and storing, at the local node device, billable event data associated with the group communication and a transmitting subscriber device, wherein the billable event data tracks a plurality of events in the group communication including how long each member is at least one of a talker or a listener in the group communication, and the local node device is configured to upload event classes determined for the plurality of events in the group communication in response to requests from the centralized server device, wherein each uploaded event class is determined based on an original transmission or a retransmission of at least one of the plurality of events;

receiving a request from a billing log component of the centralized server device for at least a portion of the billable event data corresponding to the uploaded event classes; and

forwarding, in response to the request, at least the portion of the billable event data corresponding to the uploaded event classes from the local node device to the billing log component configured to maintain at least the portion of the billable event data for billing purposes at the centralized server device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local node device is one of a plurality of local node devices associated with the centralized server device, and the net is one of a plurality of nets configured to engage in group communications, each of the plurality of nets being associated with at least one of the plurality of local node devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the members of the net comprise at least three members of the net.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the billable event data is associated with at least one of the two or more subscriber devices of the target group.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the billable event data is associated with the transmitting subscriber device and with at least one of the two or more subscriber devices of the target group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing further comprises storing until an acknowledgement is received from the centralized server device confirming a receipt of the at least the portion of the billable event data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the local node device is geographically displaced from the centralized server device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each member participating in the group communication comprises a push-to-talk (PTT) device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the billable event data tracks a location and duration of each active member participating in the group communication based on an operation state of the net.

8. A local node device for collecting and managing billable information in a wireless group communication, comprising:

a media control unit (MCU) manager configured to;

receive an assignment for operating a net for group communications among members of the net from a centralized server device after an initial establishment of the net by the centralized server device;

operate the net for group communications among members of the net, wherein the net includes at least two or more subscriber devices, and the assignment is based on a first location of the local node device corresponding to a second location of the net; and

detect a group communication among members of the net, wherein the net includes at least two or more subscriber devices and the group communication is transmitted from one subscriber device to a target group of two or more other subscriber devices; and

a local log server configured to;

collect and store, at the local node device, billable event data associated with the group communication and a transmitting subscriber device, wherein the billable event data tracks a plurality of events in the group communication including how long each member is at least one of a talker or a listener in the group communication, and the local node device is configured to upload event classes determined for the plurality of events in the group communication in response to requests from the centralized server device, wherein each uploaded event class is determined based on an original transmission or a retransmission of at least one of the plurality of events;

receive a request from a billing log component of the centralized server device for at least a portion of the billable event data; and

forward, in response to the request, at least the portion of the billable event data corresponding to the uploaded event classes from the local node device to the billing log component configured to maintain at least the portion of the billable event data for billing purposes at the centralized server device node.

9. The local node device of claim 8, wherein the local node device is one of a plurality of local node devices associated with the centralized server device, and the net is one of a plurality of nets configured to engage in group communications, each of the plurality of nets being associated with at least one of the plurality of local node devices.

10. The local node device of claim 8, wherein the members of the net comprise at least three members of the net.

11. The local node device of claim 8, wherein the billable event data is associated with at least one of the two or more subscriber devices of the target group.

12. The local node device of claim 8, wherein the billable event data is associated with at least one of the two or more subscriber devices of the target group.

13. The local node device of claim 8, wherein the local log server is further configured to store the at least the portion of the billable event data until an acknowledgement is received from the centralized server device confirming a receipt of the at least the portion of the billable event data.

14. The local node device of claim 8, wherein the local node device is geographically displaced from the centralized server device.

17. The local node device of claim 8, wherein each member participating in the group communication comprises a push-to-talk (PTT) device.

18. The local node device of claim 8, wherein the billable event data tracks a location and duration of each active member participating in the group communication based on an operation state of the net.